EDUCATION is always on the political agenda because almost everyone has a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, neighbour or friend who is going through some part of the education system. So everyone cares about education.

But one area which does not get nearly enough attention is that of Special Needs. As my party's spokesman on Special Needs I have spent a lot of time recently speaking to parents and teachers and children about how we can improve the present system.

There is so much excellent work going on around the country, but so much more that still needs to be done.

Better understanding of how to communicate with autistic children, for example, and the patience and perseverance of teachers and parents, and the children themselves, to put that into action has meant that children who were previously thought unable to learn have made vast leaps in their education.

It is important to realise that children who are in need of special education are just that special. They are not in some way "wrong". They are "different" and so they respond to different methods of teaching.

Too often society turns away from people who are different, which isn't fair. Children with special needs deserve every opportunity we can give them.

When I presented the Jack Petchey Awards to pupils from local schools at Epping Hall last week, I was particularly pleased to see that Mr Petchey, a most generous and kind gentleman, had included Oakview, our special school, in the awards.

It was so good to see children who are receiving special education having their achievements recognised. Some of those achievements are wonderful given the obstacles they have to overcome. "Special" children, like all other children, deserve praise too.

July 9, 2002 11:30