Nursery World - Battle joined over special schools role

A disability rights campaign that wants to close down all special nurseries, schools and colleges by 2020 and see all disabled children educated in mainstream schools has come under fire from special needs charities. The '2020' campaign was launched last month by groups including Disability Equality in Education and the Campaign for Inclusive Education. Its impetus comes from the experiences of special school 'survivors' - disabled adults who attended special schools and colleges and claim they suffered abuse and isolation.

The '2020' campaign was launched last month by groups including Disability Equality in Education and the Campaign for Inclusive Education. Its impetus comes from the experiences of special school 'survivors' - disabled adults who attended special schools and colleges and claim they suffered abuse and isolation.

Richard Rieser, director of Disability Equality in Education, said, 'Special schools are a hangover of 19th century eugenics', and a 'form of segregation'. He added that there was evidence to suggest that they led to 'under-achievement and low self-esteem'.

The campaigners are calling for all local education authorities to develop plans to accommodate all disabled children in mainstream settings and for current segregated provision to be phased out by 2020.

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