Normalisation, Needs and Schools

Summary There is growing acceptance of the principle of normalisation among those providing human services; whether health, educational, voluntary or social services. It can be used to make a serious critique of current practices and offers the structures for both more responsive and better quality support systems. Young people who experience significant difficulties are understood to have general needs in common with their regular peers, as well as special needs. Further, they are recognised as being at risk of discrimination and disadvantage due to devaluing attitudes. Consequently they need counteracting, compensatory support. Such an approach has major implications for mainstream schools in terms of the inclusion of all pupils. It also emphasises the building of intensive instructional programmes, the use of relevant curriculae, the provision of age‐appropriate expectations and opportunities, and the removal of stigmatising images and associations.