sendPACT respects all parents’ decision whether to send their children to school or not, we are just asking that this is done in a safe way for everybody: children, families and school staff.
One of our parents/carers wrote this letter to their child’s Head-teacher. You can use this letter as a template (changing it to fit your own family) if you want to write to your children’s Head-teacher regarding this issue.
SEND parent/carer’s letter to Head-teacher
Dear Head-teacher,
I’m writing to you as a very concerned parent/carer of a child with a severe disability regarding the worrying announcement of the imminent opening of schools.
My child, in particular, attends a special school and, because of the nature of his disability, he’s considered “vulnerable”. I’m very aware that my child, who has an EHCP could potentially still attend school, but our family judged it would be safe for everybody if I kept him at home as the whole family have been respecting the lock down and self-isolating for more than two months now. My child (thankfully) is still in good spirits and we are coping fine so far as a family. But most importantly, we are all at home believing in the science behind social distancing to avoid the unnecessary loss of lives, which is the main priority.
The government announcement of the resuming schools have really alarmed me. I can’t help but wonder, how the school will ensure the security of my child, teachers and all staff working in the school with children? Especially with SEND children, like my son, that can’t communicate or understand any type of average social interaction, let alone social distancing? I highly value the educational staff, teachers, teacher assistants and so many other people working in schools, and I would really want them for all of them to be there, once the crisis is over, safe and alive, so my child can go back to his school, to his same teachers, to his same classmates to maintain his routine and, to achieve this, we must protect everyone that makes schooling possible.
I can’t help but think about all the current staff still working at schools through this crisis and the few children with EHCPs and/or key-workers that are still in need of attending the school through this crisis. I believe that increasing the amount of children in schools will also endanger these children and their families, which are so much in need to use this service and us, in need of them (as key workers are keeping us all safe and alive).
This is why I’m writing to you today, to ask you to join forces with groups that are already raising this issue. There are a couple of petitions around this subject and I will beg you, please listen to the education unions such as NEU and NASUWT that are very openly campaigning to open schools when it’s safe. Thanks for your attention. Please read the following quote and find the link for this and relevant articles below:
“[…] concerns about a lack of personal protective equipment and coronavirus testing for school staff, and fears that social distancing will be “impossible” in schools once pupils return have led to growing warnings that schools could reopen too early.” Coronavirus: ‘Very real risk’ of spike if schools open too early, say teaching unions
Give parents the option not to send children back to school if they reopen in June
You are welcome to show this letter to others that may be interested.
Best wishes,
sendPACT 