Parents for Inclusion
A network of parents of disabled children and/or children with ‘special needs’. The aim of our work with parents is to increase the equal participation and inclusion of disabled children and all those children, who are threatened by exclusion. In the beginning…
When Parents for Inclusion* began in Wandsworth in the early 80s a reform of the Education Act** made it for the
first time possible that disabled children could be educated in mainstream schools alongside their non disabled peers. Parents and professionals, who agreed with the principle of inclusion soon realised that turning inclusive education into reality was not easy. Apart from an understandable lack of skill, knowledge and experience amongst professionals, which led parents and professionals to be hesitant and confused about this new possibility, there was also outright opposition in local authorities, schools and amongst parents. Many precious opportunities for young people to learn and grow up together with their peers were wasted while the adults were in conflict with one another. At the same time exciting and inspirational good practice was developed and began to point the way. Parents for Inclusion started as a group of parents, who wanted to make inclusive education work for all concerned.
*The organisation started under the name ‘Parents’ Campaign for Integrated Education’ in 1983, which was changed to ‘Parents in Partnership’ and eventually became ‘Parents for Inclusion’ in 1994.
**The 1981 Education Act, which followed the first Warnock report (1978)
