The 1993 Education Act and visual impairment: some changes and challenges

The 1993 Education Act became law at the end of July 1993. Described by the Government as a "blueprint for the next 25 years", it is a complex and lengthy piece of legislation. It is concerned largely with advancing Government policies to increase autonomy in schools through the option of Grant Maintained status. This article attempts to identify the critical points of the Act, to speculate on the issues which are likely to be of specific concern for those involved in the education and welfare of children with visual impairments (VI), and to gauge some of the reactions to the Act from various parts of the field.