Rather than seeing a child in terms of their disability, Brewis wouldlike people to just see the child. "I would like them to see Johnny, orJenny, or Michael, or whoever and stop seeing them as different," shesays.
Brewis first started working with children with special needs becauseshe felt they were being failed. Since then she has gone on to have fourchildren of her own, three of whom have special needs, including onechild with Asperger syndrome and one who is dyslexic.
After working locally in Mid Glamorgan she joined Scope in 1995, excitedby the possibility of impacting on a bigger scale. "It was a hugechallenge to see if I could take what I had done really well locally anddo it on a national scale," she says.
Brewis is proud and passionate about her work. Her latest campaign is todevelop an appropriate touching policy for children in nurseries inresponse to the "no touching" policies adopted by some in fear of criesof child abuse. The implications of such a policy are particularlyworrying for disabled children, says Brewis, since they often needfrequent physical contact to help with their needs.
"I am concerned that some settings are bringing in a no touching policy.It discriminates against all children, but especially disabled children.If you are looking at a child's development, there are points wherephysical contact is part and parcel of that."
Concern about children's safety is admirable but can, in some cases, gotoo far, she believes. "It is sending the wrong message to staff andchildren about adults being confident in the way we communicate withchildren."
She describes the case of a child with Down's syndrome who was stillwearing nappies when he was ready to go to school. "The school said theycouldn't take him because no one could meet his hygiene needs. We talkedand found a solution - but you can't go to every setting and haveone-to-one discussions," she says.
To this end, Scope is looking to work with the National Day NurseriesAssociation to produce guidelines setting out what is appropriate. ButBrewis is also keen that nurseries can pick up the phone and ask whenthey have questions.
"The Government needs to put its money where its mouth is," she says."Settings that go out of their way to be inclusive need to be able todraw on tangible support and have confidence that there is support forthem. Private nurseries in particular can be a little confused aboutwhere they are supposed to go to get help."
Brewis is angry at statistics showing that while 8,300 children underfive have statements of special educational needs, only 830 of them arein accredited settings. "Where are all the others?" she asks. "Are theyat home with mum and dad just waiting for a place? That's quiteworrying." And she accuses the Government of shying away from inclusionbecause of a fear that parents will say "how dare you take specialschools away".
Though critical of the Government, Brewis has become convinced, throughboth her professional and personal experience, of the power of the earlyyears workforce to be a force for good in the inclusion agenda.
"When my children were in an early years setting they had a wonderfultime," she says. "They were made to feel proud, successful and importantand had a high view of themselves. The early years workforce is eagerfor more responsibility and taking on a much bigger role. They aredefinitely on the up."
BACKGROUND - A pioneer of special education
- Lindsay Brewis qualified with a first class honours degree in specialeducation from the University of Wales in 1976
- After graduating she worked in a mainstream secondary school teachingEnglish, maths and drama
- She subsequently worked as a portage worker, providing a home-visitingservice for pre-school life-limited children and as an advisory teacherfor Mid Glamorgan's educational psychology service where she helpedpromote the development of systems for children with disabilities andspecial needs
- Brewis joined Scope, the disability charity that focuses on peoplewith cerebral palsy, in 1995.
