Disabled children and education · 1970

Education of Handicapped Children Act 1970

Children previously seen as uneducable moved into education responsibility.

No child should be written off as uneducable.

Simple version

The Education of Handicapped Children Act 1970 transferred responsibility for many disabled children's education from health authorities to education authorities.

This was a major step away from the idea that some children were outside education altogether.

Why it matters

The word handicapped is now outdated, but the shift was important. It said disabled children were children to be educated, not simply patients to be managed.

Awareverse lens

No child is outside learning. The method must change, not the child's right to education.

Common mistake

A common mistake is ignoring how recent this shift is. The idea that all disabled children are entitled to education had to be fought into law.

Question to ask

Who had power here, who was left outside, and what would have changed if the human being was seen first?

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