Inclusive education theory and practice: What does this mean for paediatricians?

Inclusive education has become the dominant approach to providing for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, not only in the UK but internationally. However, this general term, inclusive education, is not a simple description of the educational provision. On the contrary, children and young people with SEN are a highly heterogeneous subgroup of the school (and preschool, college and university) population and their education needs are varied. In this article I seek to provide a wider understanding of the nature of SEN; the legal and professional frameworks in which we work; the research evidence relevant to both the conception of SEN and provision needed to meet needs; and hence the background necessary for paediatricians to be aware of when assessing and making recommendations about individual children and young people.