ABSTRACT
This book began asking how real, authentic partnership could be developed between children and young people, parents and practitioners in order to facilitate inclusive education. Throughout the book it has been argued that we need to concentrate on participation, on collaboration, in order for inclusive education to be furthered. This is not to ignore the existence of a range of relationships between professionals and clients. It is also not to ignore many other areas important for the development of inclusive education such as resources and curriculum. Such areas are beyond the scope of this book. But also, the definition of inclusive education that has been adopted in every chapter is one that puts collaboration as central to what inclusion is about. It is precisely this collaboration that seems elusive. It is that we are looking for a relationship that gives agency and power to those whom practitioners teach and are consulted by – and this agency, for children and parents, seems so hard to achieve. It is not as if the notion of partnership is novel, as it has become increasingly prominent in the policy documents relating to health, education and social services, and in particular in those relating to inclusive education. The notion is not novel – but we still do not seem to understand what it is or how to go about achieving it to any widespread degree. ‘Partnership’ runs through the development of children’s services. It seems important on many counts therefore to make sure that it is happening in more than lip-service.
