In response, Dr Carol Homden CBE, Chief Executive of Coram said:
“Coram welcomes today’s report and its recognition of the challenges facing the parents and carers of children facing or experiencing exclusions from school.
As a parent who has experienced the impact of permanent exclusion, I understand the difficulties faced by families and schools working to support children to receive the best possible chance in their education.
Coram’s Child Law Advice Service provides free legal advice to over 3,500 children, young people and families a year on education issues, including exclusions, and has long called for further support for this group, including state funded legal advice and advocacy that ensures that children actually receive effective education even if excluded.
We fully support the Committee’s calls for parents and carers to have access to an independent advocate and for Independent Review Panels to be able to direct a school to reinstate pupils.
Coram is pleased to be supporting Edward Timpson’s review of educational exclusions – we have provided detailed evidence from our frontline services and are currently undertaking the first research with school pupils themselves to gather their views on school behaviour and exclusions.”
The report is available to read here.