Contact reacts to Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

3 mins read

Wednesday 8 January 2025

Tags: home education, Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, disabled children, special educational needs


Today in parliament, MPs will discuss the government’s new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill for England.

Much of the media interest in the Bill is about proposals to protect children at risk of abuse. This includes plans to introduce new registers to identify children who are not in school. But the Bill is wide ranging. It also includes measures on breakfast clubs and branded school uniform; attendance of children at school; inspections of schools and colleges; and school admissions.

Contact has been looking at the detail of the Bill. And we have been briefing MPs about some of our concerns and those that parent carers have raised with us. In particular, we are urging the government to ensure the bill doesn’t discriminate against disabled children home schooled due to a lack of suitable school places available.

We urge the government to consider the Bill’s impact on disabled children

Una Summerson, Head of Policy at disability charity Contact, says: “We welcome the government’s focus on improving children’s lives in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill or England. There is much to applaud in it. As it progresses through parliament, we would urge the government to pay particular attention to how it will impact disabled children. Getting it right for disabled children, greatly benefits all children.

“The government must ensure equal access to breakfast clubs for disabled children. Any exemptions must be carefully considered so as not to cause discrimination. We would also urge the government to look again at its proposals on home education, as there may be unintended consequences for disabled children. It doesn’t seem fair that parents forced to home school a disabled child, because a school can’t meet need, must then seek local authority permission in line with children at risk of harm. This could lead to children forced to stay in an unsafe environment.

“The bill provides a welcome opportunity to end the use of seclusion rooms in schools. The harm caused to children put in seclusion is great. And research shows those with additional needs are disproportionately subjected to the measure. The changes proposed for academies to bring them in line with other state schools are also positive. Research shows that academies have not always been beneficial to children with additional needs, as the school can act outside the rules and duties of the local authority. The changes should ensure academies are more welcoming to children with special educational needs.”