Last reviewed: April 2016 | Next review: Currently being reviewed
Mencap believes that children and young people with a learning disability should grow up in a world that includes them in all areas of society, gives them the support and opportunities to engage with their peers and equips them with the personal skills to progress and be valued members in the community.
Current situation
Mencap supports the policy of inclusive education which provides the highest standard of support for all children and young people with a learning disability.
Mencap recognises that for some children, because of the nature of their individual needs, there may be a requirement for specialised support. However, Mencap believes that this provision can be delivered in a range of settings that ensure inclusion and engagement within the local community.
Mencap acknowledges that only when mainstream schools provide a good quality of education for all children will the demand for specialised support in segregated settings decrease and our aspiration for full inclusion be realised. This relies on parents, children and young people feeling confident that they will receive the highest standard of support and be included fully as equal members in their place of learning and their community.
Download our education vision statement to print off and read
Download the easy read version of our vision statement on education. It tells you what we at Mencap think about education for people with a learning disability and what we want it to look like in the future.
What we want
We believe that, to achieve our vision, there must be an education system which:
- includes children and young people with a learning disability in educational provision within their local community alongside their siblings, friends and neighbours
- achieves good educational outcomes for all
- provides excellent teaching for all
- trains its staff to support the needs of all children and young people
- provides access to excellent special needs support
- has a flexible approach to the development of curricula relevant to each child and young person
- has an ethos that values diversity, promotes equality and recognises the mutual benefit and contribution of children and young people, with and without a learning disability, when they are educated together.