SEN Magazine - Issue 107 - July/August 2020 by SEN Magazine

July • August 2020 • Issue 107

At home Lockdown activities Preparation for adulthood Sex education for children with SEND Phonics for life Autism and anxiety Silas on Corona • Home-schooling • Neurodiversity • Understanding racism Fostering • Adoption • Careers • CPD • SEN news and much more…

Peter writes July • August 2020 Issue 107

Editor

Louise Alkema editor@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409810

Advertising sales Denise Williamson Advertising Sales Manager denise@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409808

Administration Anita Crossley (left) anita@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409802 Amanda Harrison (centre) office@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409804/800 Dawn Thompson (right) dawn@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409804/800

Design Rob Parry design@senmagazine.co.uk

Director

Jeremy Nicholls

Earlier this year, I stepped down as Editor of SEN Magazine on health grounds, following an operation to remove a brain tumour. Unfortunately, my cancer is not curable but, as an out-patient of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, I am receiving excellent treatment aimed at keeping it at bay for as long as possible. I am in awe of the quality of care and support I have received so far, and I’m hugely indebted to the NHS staff for their professionalism, expertise and kindness. I am currently feeling positive, and doing my best to enjoy life and indulge my passion for making music whenever I’m in the groove. I loved my time at SEN Magazine and I’m very grateful to my former colleagues – who all work so hard – and to the Magazine’s readers, contributors, advertisers and supporters. It means a lot to me to have been part of something that I feel matters – something that makes a difference, however large or

■ In his other life, Peter is song-writer and singer/guitarist Boo Sutcliffe. Google him.

small, to people’s lives. We always do our best to keep readers informed and to share the ideas, knowledge, wisdom and experience of all those who make up the SEN community. The passion and dedication of the families and professionals I worked with made a lasting impression on me. I know there are some exciting developments underway at SEN Magazine and I wish SEN’s new Editor Louise, and all the good people at the Magazine, every success for the future. Peter Sutcliffe

Welcome Louise We’re lucky to welcome Louise Alkema as our new Editor. Louise studied English, and has extensive experience of education systems outside the UK. She says she’s slightly daunted at taking on the SEN Editorship, but she’s looking forward to the challenge.

Louise Alkema SEN Magazine Editor

Disclaimer

editor@senmagazine.co.uk

The opinions expressed in SEN Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held liable for incorrect information, omissions or the opinions of third parties.

SEN Magazine Ltd Chapel House, 5 Shawbridge Street, Clitheroe, BB7 1LY Tel 01200 409800 Fax 01200 409809 Email info@senmagazine.co.uk senmagazine.co.uk

SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845

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CONTRIBUTORS

Arti Shah Donna Stevenson Douglas Silas Elena Holmes Emma Kaye Ger Graus Jane Weakley Karen Hirst Karen Massey

Kate Reynolds Louise Connolly Lucy Atherton Noorah El-Bay Ruth Pearse Sheila Mulvenney Tina Murray Yoopies

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July • August 2020 • Issue 107

12 14

SEN law The effects of a new COVID-related change

Surviving lockdown A look into the key effects of the lockdown for parents of children with special needs

42 44

Preparation for adulthood Introducing children to the skills they will need as adults

Autism, anxiety and some surprising lockdown wins Making the most of those long lockdown days

How new developments in education technology are enabling distance learning for pupils with special needs

Home schooling through play

Racism for kids How you can talk to children about racism

Supporting children in the aftermath of the pandemic Tips for making the transition back to school as smooth as possible

Days out A visit to Kidzania, were kids can play pretend while picking up valuable skills

Regulars

Home schooling children with SEND

SEN news What’s new? The latest products and ideas for SEN

Point of view Have your say!

Helping children with visual impairment learn during lockdown

Book reviews

SEN law

CPD, training and events

SEN resources directory

About SEN Magazine

A look at how the temporary changes in SEN law will affect those who need it

It’s never too late for phonics

Why we need to keep training teachers to uses phonics for children with reading difficulties

Cerebral Palsy The battle for public funding.

Relationships and sex education Find out why parents are reluctant to teach sex education to their children

The education system and neurodiversity Why we need diversity in our education system

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Days out senmagazine.co.uk

Home schooling

Phonics

Relationships and sex education

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Outdoor play SEN107

SEN news

Face covering rules are failing disabled people Comments by disability equality charity Scope and the National Deaf Children’s Society make it clear that with the new regulations about face coverings on public transport, disabled people could be unfairly accused by staff, British Transport Police or other passengers. Comments included; • ‘Nothing is more important than public health, but the use of face coverings on public transport will make life harder for the nine million deaf people across England.’ • ‘It’s vital that disabled people are aware that exemptions apply if you would struggle to wear a mask. For example, if you have breathing problems or you’re traveling with someone who needs to lip read, or wearing a face mask may cause you to become distressed’ • ‘Disabled people have often felt forgotten during the pandemic, and are now contending with the added fear that they may be fined or risk abuse when legitimately using public transport’ • ‘There must be clear communication by travel operators to their staff and customers that some disabled people are

exempt from the new rules. We are also highly concerned that taxis and private hire vehicles are allowed to take their own approach to face coverings.’ • ‘If people wore transparent face masks it would make a huge difference, but simple deaf awareness tips like being patient, writing things down or using gestures if a deaf person needs you to, will also have a big impact.’

Covid-19 Action Fund awards over £150,000 to projects fighting the effects of the pandemic On June 3, 21 awards were announced from a new fund launched by the Winston Churchill Memorial trust to urgent projects by Churchill Fellows to combat the effects of Covid-19 in healthcare and other areas that have been affected, ranging from preventing domestic abuse to expanding food production and providing trauma therapy for key workers. Some of the projects awarded were; • Charity director Geneva Ellis from London will provide educational support for looked after children and care leavers across 12 children’s homes and homes for care leavers. • Speech and language therapist E.A. Draffan from West Sussex will develop an app that enables health and social care workers to communicate with patients who have difficulty communicating. • Digital inclusion consultant Sara Dunn from Dorchester will develop a Covid-19 Survival Pack for unpaid carers via a smartphone app. • Braille charity director Edward Rogers from Bristol, will provide isolated blind adults and children with SEN107

emergency provision of Braille learning, equipment and training in employable skills, in preparation for a post-pandemic recession. • Disability consultant William Case from Manchester will support disabled people and social carers with online advice and virtual training in disability issues during the pandemic. senmagazine.co.uk

SEN news

Is it safe yet? “Is it safe yet” was one of the comments in response to an online survey of readers of First News, the national children’s weekly paper. According to the survey, slightly more than half of the respondents were not ready to return to school. Many also left comments, including; • we are now waking up quite late, this is not good for our health! • it would be great to get help from qualified teachers. • I find it much easier [at home] for me to be in a quiet spot. • the good is learning more and seeing friends, the bad might be annoying teachers or boring lessons! • I really do prefer working at home as I can focus more without the usual distractions I would face in school.

Missing out on school lunches is keeping kids from eating fruit and vegetables A study by Northumbria University’s Healthy Living Lab has shown that about half of the children who received free school meal vouchers are eating significantly less fruit and vegetables since schools closed in March. In a survey, they stated that they had eaten no fresh vegetables and almost no fruit in the same period, while they were increasingly consuming sugary drinks and snacks.

New summer scheme will bridge education gap for children with special needs Many vulnerable children have regressed and lost key skills during lockdown, writes the Irish Times. Vulnerable Irish children who have suffered ‘significant learning loss’, will be able to apply for a summer education programme. The programme will be used to provide support for children with autism, Down Syndrome, learning disabilities and behaviour disorders. The scheme will be delivered in schools or home settings by teachers, special-needs assistants and, in some cases, therapists. Adam Harris, chief executive or the autism charity AsIAm has urged both special schools and mainstream schools with special classes to take part in the scheme.

Professor Greta Defeyter, Director of the Healthy Living Lab, said there is a high probability that children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds will be most disadvantaged when the new academic year begins in September, given the combination of a lack of healthy nutritious food and the educational learning loss experienced due to school closures, which will disproportionately affect them. She called for a universal school meal service and school breakfast club programme to be made available to all children, to ensure equal access to a healthy diet to promote health and learning, adding: “Our report highlights the importance of free school meal provision, and the importance of access to healthy, nutritious food in every community. We believe that all children have the right to access nutritious healthy food within their community and school.”

Norfolk Special Education needs and Disabilites Service is failing families An inspection of the SEND services in Norfolk has brought to light a series of failings in areas including diagnosis and waiting times, according to the BBC. A backlog was also found in reviews and assesment, creating delays in accessing services, leaving children and families feeling isolated and unsure where to seek guidance. Norfork County Council, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) say they are working to improve the service and have been praised for their ‘ambitious plan to resolve the crisis.’ SEN107

What’s new?

promotional content

Ambitious College accepting new learners

The Emotion Game: A Fun Resource to Help Children Manage their Emotions

Ambitious College, London’s first specialist day college, serves young people aged 16-25 who have autism and learning disabilities.

As children face the prospect of returning to school, many may struggle to manage their emotions, anxiety, fear, and stress, all of which could affect their behaviour in the school environment.

The College is aspirational and ambitious for its learners and believes that with the right support they can fulfil their potential and go on to live active lives in their communities. It’s located within two mainstream Further Education college campuses in Tottenham and Isleworth, allowing them to offer a wide curriculum, and to provide learners with a broad range of mainstream vocational learning, social and work experience opportunities.

The Emotion Game is a resource designed to help children express their emotions in a calm, relaxed environment. Children select “emotion” cards to reflect how they feel, then discuss these emotions with their peers and teachers.

The college is run by Ambitious about Autism, the national charity for children and young people with autism.

The Emotion Game helps children recognise their emotions, how to manage them; and encourages positive behaviour in class and at home.

ambitiouscollege.org.uk

To learn more visit www.emotionsgame.com

New residential school and college opens for deaf young people

Create! is back

This summer a new residential special school and college for Deaf young people opens in Exmouth, Devon. The Deaf Academy, formerly Exeter Deaf Academy, has designed a state of the art campus around the needs of Deaf children and young adults with additional disabilities, ranging from mild learning disabilities and autism to multi-sensory impairment and physical disabilities. The new Deaf Academy employs DeafSpace architecture, developed in the US, with managed acoustics and light, and is fully accessible with lifts, wide corridors and spacious classrooms and bedrooms. Specialist education staff, and care and therapy staff are on hand to support students gaining language, confidence and independence. thedeafacademy.ac.uk

The popular art competition Create!, which celebrates the creative skills of the SEN community, has been brought back to give everyone a fun opportunity to put their time to good use while we are all feeling the limitations of coronavirus. It’s an online competition, and there are categories for 2d & 3d art, digital photography, and poetry & prose. The competition is open to children and adults. There are prizes for the best entries and the competition runs until the end of August. Anyone who would like to enter the competition can find more details at createart.org.uk

Restoring the farmhouse where it all began

Medpage introduce the TumbleCare range of fall prevention products

Fairfield Farm College is marking its 45-year anniversary in 2020, and what better way to celebrate than restoring the farmhouse where it all began, back in 1975.

Despite the Coronavirus pandemic Medpage Limited have been busy developing new assistive technologies. The TumbleCare brand was due to launch at Naidex. The new product range provides a comprehensive range of products to care for people at risk from falls or wandering. See more details at easylinkuk.co.uk and search TumbleCare. Also see the new special sale section.

The college was originally established as a Rural Training Centre by Ruth and Ken Hester, and later became Fairfield Opportunity Farm in 1992. The main aim of the charity was to help young adults with learning difficulties gain training, with the end goal of obtaining work. The farmhouse was pivotal in the development of the charity, with Ken Hester living in the farmhouse well into his eighties. Although Ken & Ruth Hester have sadly passed away, their legacy and the many thousands of people they helped will continue the work that Fairfield Farm Trust undertakes. ffc.ac.uk

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What’s new?

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National Autistic Society: online training

Stop them falling further behind

With more than 50 years of learning from first-hand experience, no one has more practical knowledge of autism than the National Autistic Society.

Things may be slowly getting back to normal now after the initial strict Coronavirus lockdown and school closures. But having been without proper education for a long time, many parents now urgently realise the importance of stopping their children from falling further behind.

Developed by autistic people, the National Autistic Society’s online modules will enhance your knowledge of autism and fit into your busy schedule. Modules include: Understanding autism; Autism and communication; Autism and sensory experience; Autism, stress and anxiety; Autism, sport and physical activity and Safeguarding children on the autism spectrum. Training is £30 + VAT per online module licence. Bulk purchase or subscription packages are available. autism.org.uk/training

Douglas says: “Whilst I cautiously welcome children and young people returning to schools and colleges, home schooling or failed online learning has revealed to many parents just how much support their child needs to stop them falling even further behind, so I am also helping them get this”. SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

Welcome back Eddie after lockdown

New: SSIS SEL

“Welcome back Eddie” aims to help young children to understand the issues around the coronavirus and to prepare them for a return to school. It sets out to explain how their classroom may look different and how they will be supported in having to adapt to social distancing. Eddie experiences a number of emotions and these are named. It is anticipated that children will be able to identify with Eddie, through his findings and enjoy some fun with spot-the-difference pages!

The Social Skills Improvement System Social-Emotional Learning Edition (SSIS SEL) is Pearson Clinical Assessment’s newest evidence-based tool for 3 to 18 years old that allows you to assess and teach skills in each of the five Social Emotional Learning competencies. This highly engaging and focused intervention solution is proven to effectively improve children’s social and academic performance as well as assess key academic skill areas. Learn more on this social-emotional assessment at pearsonclinical.co.uk/selsen

nrsaunders.com

Oaka Books launches GCSE science revision packs Oaka Books has launched its first six GCSE science revision topic packs, covering some of the most challenging topics from last year’s GCSE exams. Each pack includes an illustrated booklet, with a glossary of key words, a workbook and Q&A cards for active learning. “Your Topic Packs are making home schooling during this time so much easier (and more fun) for my 2 dyslexic children. Electrolysis has gone from something that causes great stress and confusion to something that now makes perfect sense,” Kate D, parent. 15% Discount code: SENJUNE www.oakabooks.co.uk

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New provision from Ruskin Mill Trust This year, newly developed programmes and provisions will extend Ruskin Mill Trust’s specialist education and social care offer. Operating for over 30 years, to reimagine the potential of learners through its method of Practical Skills and Therapeutic Education, Ruskin Mill Trust offers people with learning difficulties (including autistic spectrum conditions and complex needs) a range of provision from schools, colleges and gateway to independence programmes, to adult social care. To find out more, or become part of the team at sites throughout England, Scotland and Wales, contact 0330 055 2653 or admissions@rmt.org

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What’s new?

promotional content

CVI Range assessments at WESC Foundation

Would you like to create an outdoor sensory space, but have no funding?

WESC Foundation is still offering initial assessments for families who are considering placements for their child or young adult. A specialist centre for visual impairment, WESC Foundation offers education, care and support services for children and young adults.

The outdoor sensory space in any setting should be fully inclusive and provide the same opportunity for everyone to explore regardless of their ability or special need. It should be a place where diversity is respected and valued, enabling children of all abilities to explore their surroundings in a safe child-centred inclusive environment.

Assessments are currently being carried out by telephone, video call, or face to face (where social distancing permits).

Timotay Playscapes have a free funding guide and free inspiration guide to outdoor sensory play spaces and outdoor sensory play equipment.

Please contact Richard Ellis for more information REllis@wescfoundation.ac.uk

For a free copy, email enquiries@timotayplayscapes.co.uk or call 01933 665151.

Naidex 2020

New date for TES SEN Show

Naidex, Europe’s most established event dedicated to the future of disability and independent living, is back for its 46th anniversary on the 9th & 10th November 2020 at Birmingham’s NEC.

The Tes SEN Show (8-9 January 2021 | Business Design Centre, London) is the must-attend event for everyone in the special educational needs (SEN) community. Across two days of dedicated SEN focus, attendees will discover life-changing resources, inspiring learnings, and actionable insights to empower young learners with SEN.

This year, you’ll find 100 inspirational speakers, 200+ leading exhibitors, expert-led panel debates, countless networking opportunities and Naidex Junior, a brand-new trail exclusively dedicated to children with disabilities . With all this lined up, Naidex will once again become the hub of the disability sector, offering all the innovations that are improving accessibility and inclusion, as well as empowering people with a disability. Register for your FREE ticket at www.naidex.co.uk.

Bespoke Timber Frame Eco Buildings: Special Spaces for Special Needs TG Escapes have delivered over 20 specifically designed eco buildings which provide dedicated spaces in both mainstream and specialist schools for classrooms, studios, treatment rooms, breakout spaces and sensory rooms. Easy access to the outdoors and natural light are good for the wellbeing of students and staff. Visit www.tgescapes.co.uk for case studies and videos.

Packed with free-to-attend opening keynote panel debates, specialist SEN exhibitors, CPD seminars, free exhibitor workshops and free sessions in the Parent, Carer and Teacher Forum, this year’s show will continue to shine the spotlight on SEN provision and best practice. Register free and book early bird CPD seminars today! https://bit.ly/3fss5ew

The Motability Scheme The Motability Scheme enables disabled people to use their mobility allowance to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair without the worry of owning and running one. Insurance, servicing and breakdown assistance are all included and car adaptations are available. Family members and carers can also drive the car on behalf of the disabled person. Motability, as a national charity, provides grants to disabled people towards the cost of a Scheme vehicle, adaptations or driving lessons. For more information, visit motability.co.uk or call 0800 093 1000.

“Our pupils feel valued and like the roominess and light of their new learning space”. David Duncan, Head Teacher For a turnkey service from planning to handover, call 0800 917 7726 or email info@tgescapes.co.uk

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SEN products / services

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SEN law

SEN and Covid-19 update Further to his column in our last issue about SEN and the impact of school closures by the Coronavirus, in this issue Douglas Silas looks at developments since then. What has happened?

What did the “Notice” say?

At the time of my writing this article, we are still on lockdown with many schools closed because of the Covid-19/Coronavirus pandemic. However, further to my last article, there have now been some important developments. Soon after my last column, the government brought into law the Coronavirus Act 2020, where they temporarily removed the absolute duty for local authorities to comply with their legal duties to maintain educational provision in education, health and care (EHC) plans, or the timescales applicable for complying with EHC assessments. That said, it was pointed out that these powers could not be used unless the Secretary of State for Education issued a “Notice”. As a notice was not subsequently introduced during the next few weeks, there seemed to be a false sense of security for many people. However, to many people’s dismay and just as many had feared, the “Notice” was then issued on 30th of April 2020.

In essence, it stated that for the next month, local authorities and health commissioning bodies would now only need to use “reasonable endeavours” instead of having their continuing absolute legal duty to secure the provision set out within a child and young person’s EHC plan, which could result in a child or young person’s provision being different from that which was set out in their EHC plan. The government also produced very detailed guidance at the same regarding these changes, which they said would be kept under review. After a short introduction and discussing the need for continuing co-production work and cooperation between local authorities and placements, the “Notice” provided that, where it was considered appropriate and proportionate in all the circumstances, then they could temporarily modify any duty imposed on a person under section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (the absolute duty to secure special educational or healthcare provision in an EHC

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SEN law

plan) and instead they would only need to show that they had used “reasonable endeavours” to discharge their duties.

Did the guidance say anything else? Yes, the guidance was extremely detailed (it had been clearly drafted over a long period of time) and also explained how the accompanying Special Educational Needs and Disability (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 could now affect how things would work. It also explained the effects of the changes but said that timescales for the key elements of the processes relating to EHC needs assessments and plans were unchanged. It explained and gave examples of how local authorities might need to adapt to manage the processes relating to EHC needs assessments and plans, as well as issues such as annual reviews which they said may, in the current circumstances, need to take a different form from the usual. For example, it said that they may need to have information gathered electronically for it and the meeting may need to be held by phone or as a virtual meeting with professionals contributing to the review perhaps needing to base their opinion on information already available, or in discussion with the family, because they might not be able to meet the child or young person directly. It added that: “While meetings might take a different format, they should still involve all the key professionals wherever possible.”

About the author Specialist SEN solicitor Douglas Silas is the Managing Director of Douglas Silas Solicitors. SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk @douglassilas

@douglassilas

What was the reaction? Unsurprisingly, there were concerns expressed by some involved personally and professionally with children and young people with SEN, including those representing them indirectly through their parents. A number of people expressed concerns that it would be difficult to now challenge any failure to exercise “reasonable endeavours” in any case. Some people also expressed concern about the significant relaxation of deadlines now for many of the steps in the EHC assessment/plan process, pointing out that local authorities were being given wide-ranging powers/grounds to delay doing many things which they would otherwise need to do with much stricter deadlines. However, it was also noted that the wording in the regulations provided that the relevant authority would not have complete carte blanche of not complying with legal deadlines, unless they could clearly show that it was “… for a reason relating to the incidence or transmission of coronavirus.”

So what has actually been affected? With respect to timescales, the changes are wide-ranging and the key timescales which have been relaxed by the regulations are: • the need to respond to request for EHC needs assessments; • decisions whether to issue EHC plans after an assessment; • the preparation and issue of EHC plans;

■ Deadlines may be relaxed because of the new law.

However, it is also very important for me to point out that, whilst these are extensive changes and relaxations, they are only meant to be of a temporary nature, although the disruption also caused by school closures means that there could well be many cases where the usual timescales slip considerably. It is also important for me to point out that a number of things have not changed, such as: • the duty on an local authority to consider new requests for EHC needs assessments; • the need for a local authority to still secure all the required advices during an assessment before it can make a decision on whether or not to issue an EHC plan;

• mediation processes; and

• the opportunity for parents or young persons to provide their views and make representations on the content of any draft EHC plan;

• actions required by local authorities and health commissioning bodies after Tribunal decisions making non-binding recommendations under the National Trial.

• the rights of appeal to the SEND Tribunal (although they have now adopted video hearings, as well as allowing more cases to be dealt with through paper hearings).

• annual reviews;

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Looked after children

Surviving lockdown In this article, Elena Holmes talks about her familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience with her adopted children during lockdown and how she helps them feel safe.

efore we adopted them, our children had been in care for over two years and it was coming to the point where they would have to be separated as siblings, mainly because our son was already at the higher end of the adoptive child age range. We were shown their profiles and instantly fell in love with them. They have had tricky starts in life, particularly our son, but we knew we could provide a better home and a loving family for them.

Overcoming issues in school and feeling safe During the time in which they have lived with us, my children have attended 3 schools each. Two of these have been age appropriate changes - beginning reception, and moving to secondary school. However, both children had to move primary schools, as their emotional needs were too severe for the school to meet. Once they were in a safe and secure educational setting, both of them thrived. They have made good academic progress and there have been some developments in their emotional SEN107

In order for schools to be a safe place for our children, they need to feel safe

stability, though it remains an ongoing battle. On any given day, both children can have a meltdown and refuse to attend school, because they are worried about potential difficulties at school or even about the fact that they had a dream in which I preferred another child. Due to the large class sizes, lack of attachment training at PGCE level and in CPD and due to curriculum goals, staff simply struggle to spend the necessary time with the children to help them. If one of them is angry I can spend more than an hour helping them calm down and be safe before we can even begin to consider what might have been the original problem underneath the anger. senmagazine.co.uk

Looked after children

Children are safe when someone notices them and cares. And that is all they want

About the author Elena Holmes, parent of two adopted children and author of ‘AdoptyMum: A Survival Guide To Life With Adopted Kids’.

Justice is a big problem for both of my children. If they think they are being treated unfairly, they can have a meltdown and be incoherent with rage. Again, the only option to stop the meltdown and prevent danger to other children, is to remove the child to a safe place. This means restraint, in a kind and gentle way, but it is still restraint.

elenaholmes.com

This harms their self esteem greatly, as not only do other children see this happen, they also feel ashamed that this is the only way they can be dealt with. Friendships are a massive part of the school experience, and this is the biggest challenge my children face. My son overcompensates, showing off and playing the fool to make anyone like him. He steals money to spend on sweets for other children, just so they will speak to him, when they don’t even know his name! My daughter is angry and volatile to other children. She rejects them before they can reject her. The deep hurt she feels from her birth mother’s rejections of her resonates in the playground often. If someone acts negatively towards her she is off like a rocket and reacts with nastiness, tears and lies. As a result, she feels very ashamed and acts out for the rest of the night.

■ Home schooling is not the best choice for everyone.

The effect of Covid-19 on our family Covid - 19 and lockdown has been extremely difficult for our family. At the beginning, the children were reluctant to work while they adjusted to their new routines. I had plenty of energy and I came up with fun ways to encourage and motivate them while learning the essentials. However very quickly they began to struggle. The arguing increased as did the massive reactions and shouting tantrums. The swear words and attitude were constant, creating unhappiness and fights. All motivation for schooling was gone. Neither child would do anything without a massive battle. Daily walks became too much effort and all routine vanished. As parents we were also no longer coping. Our energy levels were exhausted and we had no way to improve them. Constantly trying to be therapeutic and supportive was draining, especially while we were trying to hold down full time jobs from home. Everyone had invaded my home office so my job became less and less important. Food bills were higher than ever as the constant eating to stave off anxiety had reached new heights! Any attempts at restriction caused more anger and anxiety as did meal times, changes in food types and the introduction of BBQ’s due to the nice weather. senmagazine.co.uk

We battled on for 6 weeks. But then, the levels of violence became too risky. It was no longer petty sibling fighting. Their anxiety was so intense that their reactions became more and more fueled by anger. Bricks were thrown, boxes smashed and bedroom contents thrown down the stairs, including the mattress. We couldn’t continue in this way. Thankfully, both schools allowed our children to attend school again after easter. Just having them separated and away from each other is allowing this family to heal and re-energise, ready for the weekend battles which are part of our family life. In order for schools to be a safe place for our children, they need to feel safe. They need to know that the adults there can be relied upon to make consistent decisions, behave in consistent ways and that any barriers are firmly in place. There needs to be a named person who my child can go to check in and feel like someone has noticed that they are in school today, someone to ask how their latest hobby is going or just a friendly thumbs up across the room. Children are safe when someone notices them and cares. And that is all they want. SEN107

Looked after children

For schools supporting children who have suffered early life trauma through either pre or postnatal stress, neglect, domestic violence and/or abuse. This membership supports the whole school to enable you to develop your skills and knowledge around trauma, creating positive outcomes for the students.

The NATP School Membership will give you below benefits, tools and resources: ▪ Full NATP resource pack posted to the school and available online to download. ▪ NATP Therapeutic Parenting tool kit, including BEST SELLING books. ▪ Up to 50% discounted face to face and online training . ▪ Member’s Hotline. ▪ NATP Supporting Professionals forum. ▪ Quarterly topic sheets with tips and advice for the coming term. And so much more…

If your school would like to become part of this ever growing organisation and develop your skills in trauma, please request a Membership Pack from membership@naotp.com or telephone 01453 519000

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Preparation for adulthood: Support SEND pupils for their futures

Tina Murray talks about how the ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ programme can help children to achieve a bright future.

ost primary schools will have heard the term ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ (PFA). But what does it mean, and how can we ensure as primary schools and as caregivers that we work together to plan opportunities for our children for the duration of their school years?

Schools and parents must work together to ensure our most vulnerable pupils are able to live as independent a life as possible

In short, PFA is designed to support families, schools and other agencies to ensure that children receive the right care and support to enable them to live as full and active an adult life as possible. The PFA programme covers four areas to aid in structuring a child’s development, which are outlined below. Each area gives us an idea of the topics we can start discussing with our children or activities we can start incorporating into their lives from an early age.

Employment ‘Employment’ focuses on how we can prepare our children for future employment opportunities, education and training. Parents can start by simply talking to their child about what kind of job they would be interested in, and then using that to create different experiences for them, such as volunteering, meeting role models, or bringing them on real world visits to build their aspirations. SEN107

As schools, we work with parents to ensure our pupils have a full understanding of their future options and really think about their short and longer term aims. Our work inside the classroom means that students have a good understanding of numeracy and literacy, a key building block for the journey to employment. Schools can also prepare pupils with a range of experiences, such as arranging personalised opportunities to visit universities or colleges for taster days, creating tailored clubs after school for different interests, and organising chances to visit potential employers to better understand the working day.

Friends, Relationships and Community For many of our pupils it is important we help them to create positive relationships in and out of school. This area of the PFA framework advises schools on how best to do this, as well as senmagazine.co.uk

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As our children get older, we want to make them independent learners

building a relationship with the local community to ensure our children feel safe and confident, covering the likes of travelling, shopping, and asking for help. The first stage of preparing our children for this starts at the very beginning, with encouraging and supporting social interaction and building friendships. Taking our children on trips, playing games in groups, and attending after school or weekend clubs are all effective ways of supporting their development.

About the author Tina Murray is an Associate Head Teacher and Special Educational Needs Coordinator at Barham Primary School, a large 4 form entry primary school in Wembley. Tina has worked in education for over 18 years, leading all Key Stages from Early Years to KS2. Tina won a Gold Award for Excellence in Special Needs Education at the Pearson National Teaching Awards in 2019.

Parents with an older primary child can work on showing them how to be safe online and off, understanding what bullying means, working on strategies to manage change and developing their knowledge of the local area, by doing something as simple as a short walk in the neighbourhood. Their school, of course, will also be covering these areas within their curriculum, but this must be aided by further practice at home. This section of the PFA also looks to smooth the transition from primary to secondary school, which can be an anxious time for children and their families.

Independent Living As our children get older, we want to make them independent learners. The Independent Living section outlines strategies to support independent life skills, such as self care and understanding money. From the earliest of years, this will include eating and drinking, toileting, getting dressed independently, making choices and learning to self-advocate. It is vital that our pupils develop their communication skills, whether by using their voice, through choice boards, pointing or using pictorial cues. As they grow older, children can help cook at home or go shopping with the family and use small amounts of money to pay for items. Another way to develop skills at home is getting children to understand road safety; crossing roads, learning about traffic light colours and getting familiar with road signs. As educators, we can organise school residentials to encourage independent living in a structured environment, help pupils to move around the building independently where necessary, and support with travel planning. These may seem like small areas of learning, but they are crucial to developing a child’s independent life skills.

Good Health From the earliest ages our children should be learning how to keep themselves healthy. This is led by their parents, who must take care of immediate concerns such as ensuring immunisations are up to date, but it is largely a combined effort by both caregivers and school. This can include teaching senmagazine.co.uk

■ Helping children develop independent living skills is essential to their future happiness.

children to articulate when they are hurt, making healthy food choices, or getting the right amount of exercise. Our schools’ curriculum will support many of these areas but parents should always be working with their child’s SENDCo to ensure every base is covered. They can also point parents to their borough’s local offer which shows families what they can expect from a range of local agencies including education, health and social care. Every school website should also have a SEN information report which explains how the school supports children with SEND.

Conclusion Schools and parents must work together to ensure our most vulnerable pupils are able to live as independent a life as possible. The PFA framework helps to structure this task, breaking it down into four distinct sections with clear recommendations on how to give children the greatest chance at succeeding and fulfilling their aspirations as they journey into adulthood. SENDCos should look to incorporate these small steps into a child’s Educational Health Care Plan, if they have one in place, then work with parents to personalise the PFA outcomes and ensure they are suitably child centered for every pupil in their care. SEN107

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New Care Provision in Worcestershire delivers a unique opportunity Lakeside @ Our Place is a new provision that provides virtually seamless transition for young people transitioning to post 16 care. These young people who have special needs, moderate to severe learning difficulties, autism and challenging behaviours, usually find it hard to readjust to new settings, people and environments. As Lakeside @ Our Place sits alongside its sister provision, Our Place Schools which takes placements up to the age of 19. This means that transitioning young people from Our Place will find the surroundings familiar to them and the transition can be as seamless as possible. Also, if required, they can keep in touch with previous carers and others they have become familiar with. In addition to young people transitioning from Our Place, Lakeside will also be available to young people from other locations who have the same challenging conditions. Set in a semi-rural, residential provision located in Bransford, Worcestershire, it has been purpose-built to provide the young people with 10 private en-suite bedrooms. Lakeside @ Our Place supports adulthood learning, educationally with employability skills and life skills, which will enable effective planning of the transitioning of young people to a successful adult provision, providing step down programmes of reduced support, where possible, with the hope of living a more independent life. Lakeside @ Our Place will aim to support young people to achieve their ambitions and reach their full potential. This will be achieved within a multitude of ways; the right of choice, individuality and developing positive, appropriate relationships within the community. Lakeside @ Our Place provides well-tailored individualised plans for all young people who reside there, focusing on holistic support and care by working in partnership with both in and external professionals and networks that the young person has. Lakeside @ Our Place does not offer a formal educational facility. However, they do offer bespoke ‘Support for Learning’ packages which are outlined in three categories: • Employability • College/ Education • Promoting Independence skills senmagazine.co.uk

Lakeside @ Our Place takes into consideration and supports the young people’s values, religious beliefs and cultural values and works with families, professionals and young people to ensure equal partnership planning, developing and monitoring their own care. The services of a full range of experienced therapists are commissioned including occupational, speech & language therapists as well as a phycologist and psychiatrist. These can be accessed by the young people following an assessment of their needs. This assessment is carried out by those involved in their care and support. The Lakeside @ Our Place vision statement is “Supporting Independence with Respect, Dignity and Equality”, which guides the ethos of everything that is done to support its young people. The home has large secure grounds which allow day to day access and where activities can be planned which fit into the individualised plans of the residents. Rooms can be personalised by each young person. To assist with the transition to adulthood, each bedroom also has its own private postal address. There is a communal lounge area with media facilities and Internet accessibility. This provides a perfect opportunity for the young people to develop friendships, share interests and develop sharing and social skills. The home is staffed in line with the agreed needs and requirements of the young people, which will be set out in 1-1 hours, shared care hours, independence and night support. All care staff receive an induction programme and training prior to working in the home, as well as three weekly learning and development days, this gives staff the opportunity to develop their skills as well as have targeted training to specifically meet the varied needs of our young people, this also provides team meetings, learning and development and time to fulfill other duties. Lakeside @ Our Place has been registered by Ofsted; the registration number is URN 2553111 The Orchard, Bransford, Worcester, WR5 6JE T: 01886 832320 E: admin@lakesideatourplace.com W: www.lakesideatourplace.com SEN107

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Autism

Autism, anxiety and some surprising lockdown wins We all know about the downsides of quarantine, but Karen Massey shares some surprising upsides to lockdown for children with autism.

core component of Autism is a difficulty with flexible thinking, and people with Autism like and need routine, structure and familiarity. As well-meaning family members, friends and professionals, we often assume that the regular routine of attending school, college, work or community activities is necessary in the lives of those with Autism whom we know and love. After all, surely long periods of unstructured time will be difficult for them to cope with? However, even with a strict routine, life is unpredictable and anxiety is commonplace. If something does not go to plan, anxiety increases. Sometimes an unforeseen event occurs cue an increase in anxiety. Anxiety can lead to a meltdown for many; in others, it leads to a social withdrawal. Anxiety can often be recognised as part of someone’s Autism diagnosis, but it may be so debilitating that it is seen as an additional diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder. Although research is not clear as to the proportion of people with Autism who also display symptoms of anxiety, the link between the two is not surprising. Untreated, anxiety in individuals with Autism can senmagazine.co.uk

lead to depression, self-injurious behaviour and obsessive compulsive behaviours. Selective Mutism and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), both commonly associated with Autism, also stem from anxiety. Social situations are anxiety-inducing for many reasons. As mentioned above, an unplanned and uncommunicated change in routine and predictability is one factor. In addition to this, there may be unpleasant sensory information in the form of sights, smells and sounds. Then there is the notoriously tricky challenge of navigating the thoughts and feelings of everyone else around, when identifying and responding to one’s own thoughts and feelings is hard enough. Social situations can increase anxiety before they even begin as you anticipate how things will play out beforehand. During the event, it may be a

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test to simply survive the sensory overload, the conversations, the facial expressions and the unpredictability at every turn. Even when the situation is over, anxiety may remain as you recall and replay events, wondering if you responded in the correct way.

The impact of the lockdown So how has the current lockdown in the UK impacted people with Autism and their anxiety? Has it led to an increase in anxiety? Certainly it has for those people concerned with the virus itself. Children whose communication skills are limited may have been getting more frustrated than usual, leading to challenging situations for them and their families. However, perhaps having a life that is based around strict routines has actually benefited many people on the Autism spectrum. The reduction in social interactions has been welcomed. Not having to attend school, college or work, removing the daily social expectations, even if they are seen by others as a beneficial component of the weekly routine, has been an immense relief for many. There will still be rigid daily routines, but they are likely to now be led more by the person with Autism, increasing their control and thereby decreasing anxiety levels.Â When talking to people about this, a familiar theme has been that life is not so different for those with Autism. After all, social distancing rules are hardly new if you have spent your life trying hard to avoid large gatherings, or crossing the road to avoid close contact with another human being. In fact, there is a sense that for once we are all in the same position. Both adults and children with Autism have commented how their anxiety has decreased massively. This is due to a stricter daily routine, more freedom to regulate arousal states due to not being at the mercy of someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activity schedule. There is also a security of only being around close family who best understand their nonverbal cues and subtle communication signals. For some individuals, the usual requirements of attending school or work induce severe anxiety and panic attacks. This is especially true for children and adults with significant demand avoidance or diagnosed PDA . Therefore, while society as a whole may be finding lockdown life challenging and isolating, for a group of people with Autism, after adapting to the initial changes,

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About the author Karen Massey is an experienced Speech and Language Therapist working both independently and for the NHS. She specialises in working with children and young people on the Autism spectrum.Â karenmasseytherapies.com @KarenMTherapies

@KarenMasseyTherapies

While society as a whole may be finding lockdown life challenging and isolating, for a group of people with Autism, this new way of life is actually a great relief this new way of life is actually a great relief. They have found people to be more accepting of their social needs and are experiencing much lower levels of stress. So much so, that the threat of a return to normality in itself is stirring up new waves of anxiety. Hopefully, the experiences of everyone in society during these past few weeks will have helped to increase awareness of social behaviour, of stress and anxiety, and also of the various coping strategies that seem to benefit us all. Keeping the focus on mindfulness, appreciating nature and prescribed daily exercise, along with a new sort of routine, would be a good start.

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Home schooling children with SEND Donna Stevenson shares her five top tips for home schooling

he Coronavirus outbreak has seen schools across the country close their doors to all but the children of key workers.

As a result, huge numbers of parents and carers have suddenly found themselves getting to grips with the challenges of home-schooling a child with neurodiverse differences such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD – many, for the very first time. In these difficult times, parents can feel anxious about supporting their child’s learning from home without direct input from their teacher. Some will have concerns about their child’s mental health, or the impact the current lockdown will have on their progress once the school gates open again. Below are my five top tips for parents to help them support their children from home in these challenging times.

Prioritise wellbeing

Encourage your child to get involved with home-based activities they might not have tried before A familiar routine can be reassuring for children who struggle with change, so you might want to create a schedule, such as an hour of reading every morning, some physical activity before lunch or a nature trail in the garden on Friday afternoons. Planned activities help to give the day structure and rewards for positive behaviour or completed tasks can help to minimise negative feelings at a time when children might feel isolated from their friends and teachers.

Children pick up a lot from what’s going on around them so it’s important to think about the different ways you can minimise anxiety and help your child adjust to their home learning environment as quickly as possible.

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Focus on the basics Children with poor reading and comprehension skills can find independent online learning difficult, but there are ways to help your child progress even if you do not have the IT skills or equipment to support them in a digital environment. Take the opportunity to go back to basics. Revisit the principles of phonics or create activities that encourage your child to ‘sound out’ words. Reinforcing children’s literacy skills is never going to be time wasted, particularly for children who are not confident readers, and could make a real difference to their progress in many subject areas.

About the author Donna Stevenson is a training and education specialist for Lexplore Analytics, who specialise in the early identification of reading difficulties. She also works for the British Dyslexia Association.

Explore new skills This new experience of learning from home provides a great opportunity to explore new skills and talents, so encourage your child to get involved with home-based activities they might not have tried before. Exploring arts and crafts, basic cooking or learning new IT skills with your child can be fun. For children with SEND, it can be useful to divide larger activities, such as baking and decorating a cake, into small steps. This will help to ensure they are achievable and keep your child motivated. During school time, there isn’t always enough space in the curriculum to build on skills like memory, so you may want to consider putting some time aside for guessing games and recall activities too. A strong working memory can have a positive impact on all learning and will pay dividends once your child returns to school.

There is help out there

Think differently about literacy It’s important to ensure literacy-related activities are fun for parents and children to prevent reading from feeling like a chore. Read a good book or a comic together in an unusual place, such as out in the garden or under a make-shift canopy you’ve built out of a blanket. Factual reading materials such as a children’s atlas or recipe book can help to mix things up too.

British Dyslexia Association – guidance for parents https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/children/ guidance-for-parents

Audiobooks are another great way to learn. They can help children develop important listening skills and encourage them to engage with unusual material and vocabulary that may be above their current reading level. And take a look at online sources such as BBC Bitesize, which can offer many videos and interactive games that you can access to support your child’s literacy skills in a variety of subject areas.

Free webinar on reading for pleasure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvNGQkg79_A

Get creative

Below are a few resources to help you support your child through the current situation and long after the Covid-19 lockdown comes to an end.

Dyslexia and back to school https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73RbezLA7jQ Teaching the dyslexic learner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q6RoNC-zsM eLearning Dyslexia courses for parents https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/services/ training?suitability=parents&method=online For parents who are concerned about their child’s reading or want to know more about how they can provide better literacy support at home, visit Lexplore Analytics at https://www.lexplore-analytics.co.uk/ private-assessment/

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Creativity is a powerful way to help children with special needs to learn new skills, so let your imagination run wild. You might want to write a script for a play together and act it out using props from around the house. You could invent a new recipe, ask your child to write the ingredients down, measure them out and cook it together, then chat about the different ways it could be improved. Why not create a daily menu together to reinforce your child’s literacy learning and set up an imaginary lunchtime café or a tuck shop to include the opportunity for your child to practice their maths? However you choose to support your child’s learning from home, keep fun at the heart of all activities. Incorporating some downtime is important too, as it will allow your child space to process and reflect on what they have learned. senmagazine.co.uk

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Lockdown life with amazing young people and amazing staff One thing that we can all agree on over the past few months is that it has been far from the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic and when you are supporting people with autism, learning disabilities and complex needs that brings with it a whole new set of challenges. Here at Hesley Group, we believe we have risen to those challenges. We have been amazed by the resilience of the young people we support and the dedication and innovation of the staff that support them. Back in March, plans were put in place early on to ensure that safety was paramount for both our young people and staff. Visits were put on hold, PPE was sourced, social distancing measures put in place and meetings took on a whole new format via fast emerging technologies. So many things were achieved in a short space of time but what we couldn’t be sure of was how all of these sudden changes would affect the young people in our care. What we did know was that we would be there for them, supporting them every step of the way. Staff quickly took it upon themselves to become even more creative. Suggestions and ideas were plentiful and provided many opportunities for both routines to be kept, with slight adaptations, and new experiences to be explored. Across both schools and children’s homes we’ve seen beautiful artwork creations taking the form of chalked walls, thank you banners and posters. Exercise has also been a key feature including taking part in the Joe Wicks PE sessions, a cycle challenge, outdoor walks, sporting activities, waterplay and playground fun. One of the most successful activities has to have been the ‘Treasure Hunts With A Difference’ which were designed

around young people’s interests and led to many who have not previously wished to take part to becoming thoroughly engaged and involved. Together during lockdown we’ve celebrated birthdays, Easter, the VE Day 75th Anniversary, Bank Holidays and many more milestones but at the same time we’ve witnessed so much wonderful community spirit from within our local communities and beyond including the weekly clapping for frontline keyworkers and deliveries of care packages from friends, families and colleagues to keep up our spirits. We are so proud of the fantastic way that the young individuals we support have coped with the many new challenges and changes to their routines and our staff have embraced the situation and continued to go above and beyond from day one; when the going got tough, the tough got going and they kept the smiles on everyone’s faces. We wholeheartedly agree with the many parents who have now nicknamed them the Hesley Heroes, a name they truly deserve. Life is still far from the norm for us all but here at Hesley we’ve worked hard to ensure that everyone has been, and will continue to stay as safe as possible, has access to the things they need, keeps in contact with families, friends and colleagues and above all has fun! You can see all of the amazing things we’ve done and continue to do by following us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also find out more about the fantastic work we do within our children & young people’s services by visiting our website at hesleygroup.co.uk. Calls regarding referrals can still be made via our freephone number 0800 055 6789.

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Visual impairment

Home schooling through play: Fun and games for children with vision impairment Karen Hirst discusses various ways in which children with vision impairments can stay active at home and learn through play.

s families everywhere come to terms with the varied demands of home schooling during coronavirus, it’s worth remembering the role that play has in helping children grow and develop. For parents of children with vision impairment, finding play-based activities that support development and learning whilst at home during lockdown doesn’t have to be a challenge. Inspiration can often be found in everyday items.

Your home can be full of potential for making low cost toys using recycled objects

Learning in the home At home the right environment is key to a happy playtime. If you have space, set up a well-lit corner that is your child’s to explore. Incorporate good lighting, perhaps near a window, with space for movement and a range of stimulating activities. Rotate toys so there is always something new to explore and keep them within easy reach so that your child’s movements can create an effect. For example, suspend toys above children lying down, or use a container to keep objects together on a tabletop. If toys roll out of reach, try to take your child to the toy, rather than bringing the toy back to your child. If your child has a thirst for adventure, let them explore the house using touch, taste, sound, smells and any useful vision. A wooden spoon and an upturned saucepan becomes a drum, a cardboard box can be a car, house or rocket. Create SEN107

a treasure basket of interesting shapes and textures. Place a range of objects, such as keys, an orange, a piece of ribbon into a basket or container and let your children explore. You can also adapt and create your own accessible toys with a little imagination. If your child’s favourite book doesn’t come in tactile form, consider adapting the pages yourself to enhance the sensory experience and bring the story to life. Add scraps of fabric to create tactile features to illustrations or put string around the outline of an image. Try using puffy markers to create tactile markings or braille on number jigsaws or toy clock faces. Your home can be full of potential for making low cost toys using recycled objects. Try gluing two empty yogurt pots together senmagazine.co.uk

Visual impairment

filled with rice to create a shaker. Create several using different grains or pasta shapes inside to experiment with different types of sounds. Bubble-wrap is a lovely material for children to fiddle with or walk around on.

Crafts Messy play allows children to discover what different objects and materials feel, smell and look like. It also takes the emphasis away from being ‘good’ at something. There’s no right or wrong with messy art and crafts; it’s just about having a go and letting the imagination run wild.

About the author Karen Hirst, Early Support, Education and Training Manager at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Choose the colours of your materials carefully and try to introduce contrast so that a child with vision impairment can pick out individual items. For example, choose bright coloured buttons and place them against a black background and avoid pastel shades on light coloured backgrounds when picking paints and other arts materials. Introduce elements that appeal to different senses, such as bells, rice or pasta for sound or materials with a tactile quality.

No cook play dough First, combine these dry ingredients: • 2 cups plain flour • ½ cup salt • 1 tablespoon cream of tartar Then add: • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • Food colouring • Few drops glycerine (optional but gives a lovely shine and stretch) • Slowly add 1 – 1½ cups of boiling water until the dough comes together (how much depends on how ‘wet’ the other ingredients were i.e. food colouring and glycerine) Make your playdough ‘sensory’ by adding scent or texture: • Substitute the vegetable oil for baby oil or coconut oil • Add kitchen herbs or spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice • Add natural extracts such as almond, vanilla or peppermint • Substitute a tablespoon of flour for custard or cocoa powder • Use essential oils if there’s a fragrance you like (these can be very strong so add just a little) • Add oats, rice, rock salt and lentils for texture

■ Using contrasting backgrounds can help a child with vision impairment pick out individual items.

If a child is unable to distinguish colour, adding different textures to objects will help them identify and sort them, as will using scented materials. Remember that messy doesn’t have to mean wet. Some children may be in the process of becoming comfortable with wet or sticky materials and may enjoy dry textures first.

In the garden Outdoor play is important for all children and, particularly in the case of children with vision impairment, can provide real life, concrete experiences from which they learn about the world around them. Eating outdoors can be great fun and offers the chance to practise knife and fork skills without worrying too much about spills and mess. Even young children can start to learn independent living skills by helping to prepare simple picnic food. Talk about weight, measurement and number: How many sandwiches shall we make? Have we enough plates for everybody? Which apple is bigger – how can you tell? Collect leaves, stones, twigs and other natural materials and use these in craft activities such as collage-making. You could set up a sensory path outside using plastic trays with different outdoor materials inside – sand, leaves, water, stones and soil all work well for this. Create a story to go with it, e.g. going on a bear hunt. All these activities encourage imaginative play whilst helping your child develop tactile awareness.

• Use textured rolling pins alongside your usual cutters and rollers.

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Outdoor play is important for all children

Messy play outdoors Some children may have sensitivity to different textures so introducing activities and ideas using a hand under hand method (where your hands perform the activity while your child’s hands rest on top of yours) will enable to them to develop their fine motor skills and have fun at their own pace. Try: Mud finger painting – add water until you reach finger paint consistency. Encourage your child to use hands and fingers to make marks on paper. Mud Pies – using thicker mud. Set out different kitchen items (metal spoons, baking tins etc. are easier to wash afterwards) within reach of your child. Fill containers with mud and decorate with stones, leaves, twigs and other found items. Mud Kitchen – having a designated, structured area to work in helps a child with vision impairment feel in control of their space. Many retailers supply purpose-built kitchens but an old table and second-hand pots and pans will do just as well.

Water play in the garden • Fill buckets with water and encourage children to ‘paint’ the fence, shed, outside walls of the house using a range of clean paint brushes and sponges. • Collect together a range of plastic toys and set up a car wash. Adding a different tactile element such as foam will make this activity even more fun. • On warmer days, splashing in a paddling pool can be a great way to cool down. Throw in a range of toys and enjoy watching your child play and learn. Never leave your child unsupervised when playing near water.

■ Playing in the garden is a great way to burn energy.

Ball games and exercise All children enjoy throwing, catching and kicking a ball and, for children with vision impairment, these vary in size, colour, sound and texture. Choose a ball according to the age and needs of your child but do try to have a variety to offer a range of experiences. Skipping ropes are great for encouraging coordination and developing strength as well as a child’s awareness of their own body and how it moves. Trampolines are a fantastic way to burn off excess energy and really get the pulse racing.

Ask for help Your child’s school and QTVI (Qualified Teacher of children with Vision Impairment) will be on hand to support you and your child whilst at home. They can provide access to appropriate educational and play resources, such as RNIB’s Bookshare – an online platform that includes accessible versions of books for learners and includes titles about play and exercise. It is worth talking to them about play and leisure activities too. Finding the right balance between academic study and time to play and have fun will go a long way towards maintaining the wellbeing of children- and home schooling parents! - during lockdown. References/Links

■ Messy play is a great tool to develop motor skills.

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Let’s play! A guide with toy and play ideas for children with vision impairment www.rnib.org.uk/play Parties and Playdates - including a child with vision impairment in social activities www.rnib.org.uk/parties Messy and Muddy - a guide to outdoor play for children with vision impairment www.rnib.org.uk/messy Information and advice for parents during coronavirus: https://www. sightadvicefaq.org.uk/coronavirus-information/Covid-19-CYPFSAFAQ RNIB Bookshare: www.rnibbookshare.org

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Unleash the Power of your Imagination Audiobooks offer a gateway to the world of independence when print is inaccessible. Fostering a life-long love of reading can be a source of pure enjoyment as well as a coping strategy in hard times. Calibre Audio is a charity providing free audiobooks to anyone who struggles to read print, whether through sight loss, dyslexia or a physical disability. Their collection of over 11,500 audiobooks includes more than 3,000 especially for children, from the classics to the latest blockbusters. Their books are available online for members or delivered to your door via a free postal service. Visit calibreaudio.org.uk for more information or to join. senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN law

Coronavirus and young people’s legal rights Lucy Atherton describes the effects of various government measures on SEN law.

arious measures have been taken by the government in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, most significantly with the closure of schools. There are also measures which specifically affect children and young people with special educational needs (“SEN”), including temporary changes to the law around Education, Health and Care (“EHC”) needs assessments and EHC plans. The below information is accurate at the time of writing (7 May 2020) but the situation is developing quickly. It is still not clear how long schools might be closed, and it seems likely there will be a ‘staggered’ return, with some years going back before others.

What are children and young people with SEN’s entitlements when schools are closed? Although schools have been ordered to largely close, some ‘vulnerable children’ are entitled to continued education at school. Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with an EHC plan. The majority of children with SEN, who receive SEN Support at school but do not have an EHC plan, would be expected to stay home unless they have a social worker or a parent or carer who is a key worker.

Do schools have to allow all children with EHC plans to attend? No – it will depend on whether they would be safe or safer attending school rather than staying home. New guidance on SEN risk assessments has been issued by the Department for Education (“DfE”) to help local authorities (“LAs”), in collaboration with schools and parents, assess the risks of both options. This might include revisiting provisional risk assessments to see if they remain appropriate over time. The guidance explains that where a child or young person with an EHC plan will be safer at home, the DfE recommends they stay at home. Where they will be as safe or safer at an education setting, the DfE recommends they attend the education setting. It also makes some suggestions about what provision might be possible to deliver in or to the home. You might want to read this guidance to prepare for discussions with your local authority and setting. If you believe your child needs to attend school but their school is closed, the government’s advice is to speak to the local SEN107

And it seems likely there will be a ‘staggered’ return, with some years going back before others authority who should redirect you to a local school in your area that your child can attend. The DfE guidance for schools about temporarily closing includes a reference to ‘hubs’, suggesting that “shared provision through multi-school or early years hubs and clusters is an option being considered in some areas”. Talk to your school, or your LA if the school has closed, to find something that could be put in place. If you feel strongly that your child needs to continue receiving (at least some) educational input, the key thing to flag is if there could be a risk to their health, wellbeing or safety if they do not receive a particular provision or intervention.

What if I don’t want to send my child to school, for example because they have a weakened immune system? If you feel it would be too high risk because your child, or if someone else in your family, is at particularly high risk, there is no requirement to send your child to school. In such a scenario it is likely that the risk assessment carried out by the local authority will conclude that the child would be safer remaining at home. The new guidance reiterates that ultimately it is for parents or the young person to decide whether a child or young person with an EHC plan should continue to attend or return to school or college.

If my child has an EHC plan, does the local authority still have a legal duty to deliver that provision? From a legal perspective this remains the case, and this is presumably why the Government has chosen to allow children with EHC plans to continue attending school (provided the benefits outweigh the risks). However, given the likely disruption to staffing, it may be very difficult for schools or LAs to deliver precisely the provision in the EHC plan. The Coronavirus Act 2020 has temporarily amended the absolute duty to make the provision in an EHC plan (section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014) to a ‘reasonable endeavours’ duty. This means that during the specified period the LA needs to do whatever it reasonably can to put provision senmagazine.co.uk

SEN law

in place, but if they cannot do so they would not necessarily be breaching the law. This currently applies from 1 May 2020 to 31 May 2020, but this period may be extended. The DfE guidance on EHC needs assessments and plans during the COVID-19 crisis explains how this might work in practice. For example if the child is attending school: • due to staffing issues there may need to be alterations to the frequency and timing of the delivery of provision in school, for example, moving to a part-time timetable (the guidance also states there should be adjustments to home-to-school transport arrangements to facilitate this); • if the school is closed, there may need to be a temporary placement in another school or a local hub. • If the child is staying at home and it is not possible for direct therapy to be delivered in the home setting, the guidance suggests alternatives such as:

About the author Lucy Atherton, Senior SEN Lawyer, IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice). IPSEA offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of SEN and disabilities. We also provide training on the SEN legal framework to parents and carers, professionals and other organisations.

• a speech and language therapist delivering sessions via video link • t he parent and child travelling to receive the therapy at suitable premises, where this can be done in ways consistent with guidance on reducing the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) • an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist video linking to a child’s home and modelling exercises that the parents could do with their child. Again, if there could be a risk to the child or young person’s health, wellbeing or safety if they do not receive a particular provision or intervention, raise this with your school and LA without delay. The guidance on SEN risk assessments referred to above may help your discussion.

5. Do local authorities still need to carry out EHC needs assessments? The DfE guidance on EHC needs assessments and plans during the COVID-19 crisis makes clear that requests for an assessment must continue to be considered. Decisions about whether or not to assess will continue to be made solely on the legal test; an LA must assess where it is satisfied that (a) the child or young person has or may have SEN and (b) they may require support through an EHC plan. If an LA refuses to assess, then it must notify the parents or young person, informing them of their right to appeal. However, the deadlines which previously applied to LAs when considering EHC needs assessment requests have been relaxed. Where it is not reasonably practicable or it is impractical for an LA or other body to meet certain deadlines “for a reason relating to the incidence or transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19)”, they must instead complete that step as soon as it is practicable for them to do so. The timeframes have also been relaxed in relation to a number of other processes relating to EHC needs assessments and EHC plans. The instances where statutory timeframes have been relaxed are: senmagazine.co.uk

• the handling of requests for EHC needs assessments, decisions whether to issue plans and the preparation and issue of plans • annual reviews of plans • the processes relating to mediation • t he processes where there is a change of LA or health commissioning body for a plan • the process for reviewing direct payments • the actions that the LA or health commissioning body must take following an SEND Tribunal hearing. These changes are included in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (the ‘Amendment Regulations’), which amend the timescales in the SEN and Disability Regulations 2014. These changes are in force until 25 September 2020. Importantly, they do not apply where the deadline had already passed before 1 May 2020 – because the Amendment Regulations can only be relied on for the period since they came into force.

6. Will SEND Tribunal appeals continue? The SEND Tribunal has confirmed that hearings will be on paper or by telephone (and, where the technology permits, by video) from Monday 23 March 2020. The Tribunal has published guidance on how telephone and video hearings will be used during the COVID-19 outbreak. With these measures, it is expected that there should be no need to adjourn hearings, even though they may not be able to take place in person. For more information about IPSEA please visit www.ipsea.org.uk SEN107

Phonics

It’s never too late for phonics Sheila Mulvenney lays out the many advantages of teaching phonics at all stages of schooling.

owever skilled we are as readers, even as adults we will occasionally find we have to rely on our phonic skills and knowledge to decode or encode a particularly unusual or unfamiliar word. In fact, we probably decode a large number of words, scanning the words with our eyes but at such speed we think we are reading the whole word. Thus, phonics remain essential to our literary experience throughout our lives. In many schools phonics are taught, with varying degrees of expertise, fidelity and success, throughout key stage 1. However, as children progress through school the emphasis on phonic skills and knowledge reduces to the detriment of all learners but often with the most severe impact on those with special educational needs and disabilities. When dealing with spelling longer words teachers will often go back to the ‘look cover write check’ approach which encourages learners to rely on memory rather than the phonic skills they have spent previous years practicing. A foolish practice, and one which is unhelpful for many, particularly to those who need frequent rehearsal to embed learning. A myth seems to perpetuate within schools that some children cannot read because they lack the cognitive skills to do so. Research suggests that this is only true in a very small number SEN107

It is a myth that some children cannot read because they lack the cognitive skills to do so

of cases. I have trained teachers and staff working with students with cognitive impairment. These students have successfully learned to read, although they need a slower pace, a structured systematic programme used by all staff and more opportunities for repetition. Decades of research have shown that explicit phonics instruction benefits early readers, but particularly those who struggle to read. But despite a weight of evidence and government direction (see below) many have been resistant to ensuring teachers actually deliver effective, high quality systematic phonics, and are trained adequately to do this. An review of the primary curriculum by Education England notes that “Primary schools should continue to build on the commendable progress many have made in teaching decoding and encoding skills for senmagazine.co.uk

Phonics

As children progress through school the emphasis on phonic skills and knowledge reduces to the detriment of all learners reading and spelling through high quality, systematic phonic work, as advocated by the 2006 reading review as the prime approach for teaching beginner readers”

About the author Sheila Mulvenney is an experienced English teacher and phonics trainer who worked in a variety of SEND settings and local authorities with vulnerable students. She is the author of ‘Overcoming Barriers to Learning’ and passionate about inclusion. attunededucation.com @sheilattuned

Sadly, not all do. Those who bear the brunt of this discrepancy and difference in early reading instruction are those students we might describe as vulnerable in some way, those with special educational needs or and disabilities (SEND), those who may be looked after, miss large amounts of school or have social, emotional, mental health or other issues which get in the way of their learning. These struggling students progress into key stage 2, whatever their reading ability, where the number of teachers trained to deliver phonics reduces markedly. So, their struggle continues with a growing impact on learning in other areas and on their own self esteem. When students reach secondary school there are even fewer staff who have been trained in delivering phonics. Other aspects of literacy are also important but if a student cannot decode the sounds and corresponding letter in a word to read it and encode to spell or write it then every aspect of school life becomes increasingly difficult. The attainment gap widens and while there may be a number of reasons for this, failure to teach students to read effectively (at whatever age and stage they need this instruction) is part of this picture. Many students will eventually come to the realisation that sounds are represented by letters, and they will often know that a sound may be represented by more than one letter. They may well establish there are different ways of spelling a particular sound, the /oe/ sound can be spelled <ow> as in tow or <oe> as in toe, plus many other ways. It’s the same sound but different spellings. Similarly, one spelling can represent many different sounds <a> can represent /a/ in cat but /ae/ in paper and <ow> can represent /oe/ in tow or /ow/ in cow. It’s the same spelling but different sounds. However, not all students come to this conclusion independently, and it would be much easier if this was taught in a systematic way whenever they are able to access that learning by staff trained to deliver quality phonics instruction. As an 11 year old, who was failing to read and spell well at school despite obvious cognitive ability, said to me when I showed eight ways of spelling the sound /oe/ “Why on earth has no one told me this before?” I really wish I knew! The purpose of systematic phonics is to provide a framework for teaching the 44 common sounds of our language, represented by the 26 letters of our alphabet either singly or as two, three or four letter combinations. senmagazine.co.uk

All children need to learn how to decode/encode simple words first to develop the skills they need of blending and segmenting. Then they need to be explicitly taught the way we represent our common spellings. When they come to longer, polysyllabic words, they need to keep practicing these skills adding in the additional element of breaking a word into syllables and then sounds. The problem is that a huge number of teachers, even those in reception and key Stage 1 have not been trained to deliver phonics systematically and effectively. The students this disadvantages the most are those who already have challenges, yet so often they are the ones removed from class to work with someone with little relevant training to address one of the most fundamental areas of their learning and in fact wellbeing. Literacy is not just about accessing the curriculum, it is also about being able to fully access society and live a healthy fulfilling and long life. The answer is shockingly simple – ensure every adult who works in school, primary, secondary but also alternative provisions and specialist settings are trained to deliver high quality systematic phonics instruction. There will be a cost, but not a massive one; four days training can provide indepth knowledge and practice but even one or two days would be useful. However, unless we ensure staff are trained and equipped the cost in terms of future employment, happiness, equity of society and personal happiness and fulfilment will be extremely high. If we continue to expect adults in schools to support our most vulnerable students with a fundamental area of learning without adequate training we are setting millions of already disadvantaged students up for further failure. Sources

www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/pdfs/2009-IRPC-finalreport.pdf cdn.literacytrust.org.uk/media/documents/National_Literacy_ Trust_-_Literacy_and_life_expectancy_report.pdf www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jul/30/attainment-gapwidens-disadvantaged-gcse-pupils-study www.edweek.org/ew/issues/how-do-kids-learn-to-read.html

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Cerebral palsy

Finding support for children with Cerebral Palsy Input from local authorities can be of paramount importance for children with CP, write Jane Weakley and Arti Shah.

n her inquiry report in 2015, which focused on enabling the full potential of children with cerebral palsy (CP), the former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan highlighted a lack of understanding of CP and the impact it has on individuals and their families among general health and education professionals. According to the report, around 30,000 children in the UK live with CP, making it the most common form of childhood disability. Major UK charity Cerebralpalsy.org estimates that around 1 in 400 babies in the UK are born with a form of cerebral palsy, totalling roughly 1,700 new cases of CP in children each year. The input from local authorities for parents raising a child with CP is absolutely vital, not least in securing an accurate EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) to assess and implement the appropriate level of SEN support that will help a child achieve their best possible life. This can include individual support in specialist or mainstream schools, tailored therapies such as speech-, language- and hydrotherapy and dietary advice. Recommending levels of appropriate support depends on fully understanding the nuances and presentations of CP in each case. This understanding is sometimes lacking, as highlighted SEN107

Recommending levels of appropriate support depends on fully understanding the nuances and presentations of CP in each case by the above-mentioned report, often because assessing a child with CP takes experience and skill. CP is generally caused by problems before, during or shortly after birth that result in brain injury. This includes premature birth, maternal infection during pregnancy and difficulties that interrupt oxygen supply to the brain. In the small number of cases that involve an avoidable medical error, a settlement can be achieved which can then be used to fund additional SEN support and other therapies at home, above and beyond those available from the local authority. senmagazine.co.uk

Cerebral palsy

Expert investigations commissioned to assess the quantum value of a settlement can also provide a deeper understanding of the individual needs of a child. This can enable parents to challenge local authority decisions if they feel an assessment is wrong or a designated school is inappropriate for their child. The experts involved in such cases are specialists in treating and assessing children with CP, and work in fields such as paediatric neurology, neuropsychology and educational psychology. Two recent cases that highlight the value of SEN support immediately spring to mind. One, a young boy, “Jordan”, had to be resuscitated at birth and was “cooled” for 72 hours in a bid to protect his brain. He spent most of his life being labelled naughty and disruptive because of his often volatile behaviour, such as shouting, biting, and being defiant and impulsive. He was regularly excluded at school. As a result, his parents were blamed for his behaviour for years by social services and health professionals. Eventually, expert medical assessment showed that Jordan’s volatile behaviour was largely due to a birth injury. Subsequently, two to one support workers (funded by Jordan’s settlement) were put in place and Jordan was eventually allowed to attend school regularly with his support workers after months of exclusion. Another case, run by my colleague Arti Shah, involved a young girl, ‘Evie’. Evie has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and needs 24-hour care with daily life. She will likely never be able to walk unaided outside and needs help communicating, eating, washing and dressing. Although she takes medication to control it, her epilepsy remains problematic. Her parents describe her as ‘an amazingly spirited young woman with her own, very strong personality’. As Evie got older, she struggled more and more to keep up with her peers in a school setting, and she became increasingly frustrated by the limitations she experienced at school as a result of her disability. For example, there were often times when Evie wanted to answer questions during a lesson, but was unable to do so because she struggled to find the words before the class moved on. The education report commissioned as part of her case highlighted the importance of putting in place support workers who got on well with Evie and her family, and a change in personnel and more frequent contact saw great progress,

About the author Jane Weakley is a partner at Fieldfisher, with more than 20 years’ experience in medical law. She specialises in the interests and rights of birthinjured children, particularly those with catastrophic injuries where compensation awards can ensure appropriate provision to help them achieve their best possible lives. Arti Shah is a Senior Associate at Fieldfisher, specialising in obstetric cases, particularly involving fertility issues and on maximum severity claims involving cerebral palsy and brain injury.

The input from local authorities for parents raising a child with CP is absolutely vital particularly with homeschooling. Evie now splits her education into home schooling and attendance at her local school with TA support. The home tutor is able to teach Evie at a much more manageable pace, and working at home is considerably less tiring for her. It also improves her concentration and ability, as she has much more freedom at home, where she has the liberty to move around and find a learning position that suits her at any given time. Perhaps the biggest sign of progress is how much Evie has grown in confidence. Knowing she has got to grips with topics she struggled with in the past means she is also much happier when she goes to school because she is confident that she knows the topics or lessons that will be discussed. The relief for Evie’s parents is immeasurable. They have had to work hard to get in place an appropriate EHCP, sometimes having to rely on educational and medical experts at tribunal hearings to challenge decisions. Children like Evie and Jordan depend on SEN recommendations and input from the local authority to progress in their lives. It is up to everyone involved in making those recommendations to ensure they listen to parents and experts to ensure that they understand everything they can about CP and how it impacts lives.

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Sex education

Relationships and sex education: engaging parents Kate Reynolds explains why parents of children with SEN are not teaching proper RSE – and why they should.

elationships and Sex Education (RSE) is one of the most important aspects of learning for pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN), with potential to increase their community participation, reduce vulnerability to sexual abuse and enhance many aspects of their lives. From September, new legislation covering England makes relationships education in primary schools and relationships and sex education in secondary schools mandatory. Schools must develop and publish RSE policies and deliver a broad and inclusive curriculum. Key to implementation of policies is the active involvement of parents.

Waiting for children with SEN to become sexually active before teaching RSE can result in unwanted sexual behaviours being established

Issues for parents Many parents of SEN pupils delay broaching the subject of RSE until their children behave sexually. This reactive approach has multiple causes: • Parents may struggle to acknowledge their children are maturing sexually, based on the concept of ‘mental age’ (being well below their chronological age) or delayed milestones. • The level of RSE delivered at home correlates with perceptions of individuals’ level of intellect; the lower the level, the greater the assumption of sexual naïvety and inability to absorb RSE messages. Even when autistic children are considered ‘high functioning’, parents teach more comprehensive RSE to neurotypical siblings. • Children with SEN are viewed as ‘vulnerable’ by parents, who prioritise protection above risks of friendships/ relationships or independent activities in the community. Lack of RSE contributes to sexual vulnerability due to lack of learned assertion and knowledge about what constitutes sexual activity. Mainstream SEN pupils’ desperation for friendships leaves them open to manipulation.

• A common misconception is that introducing RSE will create sexual desire where it would not otherwise develop. With rare exceptions, evidence demonstrates that SEN pupils develop sexually in a similar way to neurotypical children. • Even if parents tackle some areas of RSE, those with strongly held faith or cultural beliefs, may deny the possibility that their child is homosexual and refuse to answer questions on homosexuality. • Parents of those with greater additional needs may consider RSE unfairly raises their children’s expectations when they cannot foresee their children having a partner or becoming parents. • Many parents feel incompetent and unsupported in teaching RSE. They describe having to fight for resources and information, particularly if their children have moderate to severe learning disabilities. • Some parents want to retain control over what are ‘acceptable’ sexual behaviours, especially for those with greater additional needs. E.g. they may accept handholding but actively discourage masturbation even in private bedrooms (McClelland et al 2012).

Potential consequences Waiting for children with SEN to become sexually active before teaching RSE can result in unwanted sexual behaviours being established (McConkey & Ryan 2001). Although RSE can be introduced after such incidents, the individual risks having their access to the community restricted. Friendships give pupils opportunities to practise social skills for future intimate relationships, such as joint decision-making, SEN107

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Sex education

Schools must develop and publish RSE policies and deliver a broad and inclusive curriculum

About the author Kate Reynolds is an author, public speaker and consultant working in relationships and sexuality education for young people with special educational needs. She has two children on the autism spectrum.

resolving arguments and experiencing power issues. These insights are a crucial aspect of RSE which many children with SEN do not experience. Parents can confuse children by giving inconsistent messages due to embarrassment or lack of engagement in RSE (Evans et al 2009; McConkey & Ryan 2001). In addition, parents’ strongly held beliefs can cause them to give misinformation or prejudiced information, which can limit or distort their children’s understanding, notably around LGBT issues and pregnancy.

Strategies to engage parents in RSE • Parents should receive RSE policies and there should be open dialogue with schools. Although there is no parental veto, parents should have opportunities to give feedback on policies. Record discussions of concerns raised by parents, in case the process is challenged in future. Evaluation is a crucial part of the implementation of RSE policies, built on initial assessment of parental concerns or needs. • Present RSE in a holistic way, from friendships to sociosexual needs and behaviours. Emphasise the positives in learning about RSE and try to avoid a focus on purely sexual behaviour. Teach RSE proactively, don’t wait for sexualised behaviours and ensure parents understand the possible consequences of reactive RSE. • Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) should focus on RSE issues from friendships, other emotional and social needs and what has been covered in RSE lessons. Additionally, transition planning should include relationships, and sexuality, monitored as measurable outcomes. • Parents should receive feedback on what has been taught about RSE so that messages can be consistent between home and school. Schools should reflect the principles of RSE which parents can emulate at home, such as privacy in toilets, not permitting use of homophobic language, supporting personal space and appropriate touch. There should be an available staff member whom parents can approach for advice or to signpost them to another agency. • Engage parents at school events to provide feedback or give information e.g. parents’ evening by having presentations, stands with information or individual surgeries or drop-in sessions with key members of staff. Offer information evenings for new parents, with key staff and resources to be used in lessons. • Use existing parents’ groups or forums to disperse information and get feedback on RSE policy, but also senmagazine.co.uk

develop new channels of communication, such as governor or PSHE co-ordinator surgeries. • Schools can create regular sessions linked to RSE policy, for example, workshops for parents giving them the opportunity to explore what will be taught and to handle RSE resources. At the beginning of the school year, parents can be invited to meet their child’s teacher, whether new or existing teacher, as an opportunity to discuss RSE. • In arranging training about RSE, ensure parents explore their feelings and attitudes surrounding RSE, which research shows is instrumental in gaining parental engagement. LGBT issues should be included. Have RSE resources available for loan to parents. • Schools can support friendships via selection of tutor group composition, giving pupils an opportunity to select one/two pupils to continue with in class post-16 and identifying developing friendships for parents of those with greater additional needs. • Meet with parents if a sexuality issue arises in school and supply visuals to support the child at home e.g. social narratives or scripts relating directly to inappropriate touch in the classroom. • Keep RSE and surrounding issues as low key as possible. Sexuality is one of the most sensitive subjects to discuss with parents, so keep the approach positive and suggest practical steps to tackle issues. RSE is particularly important for pupils with SEN. Delivered in an accessible format and supported by parents, RSE will create pathways for greater community involvement and more fulfilling lives for people with SEN. Used properly, RSE can be instrumental in limiting sexual abuse. References

Evans, D.S. McGuire, B.E. Healy, E. & Carley, S.N. (2009) ‘Sexuality and personal relationships for people with an intellectual disability. Part II staff and family carer perspectives’ Journal of Intellectual Disability Research Vol 53 Part II p913-921 McClelland, A. Flicker, S. Nepveux, D. Nixon, S. Vo, T. Wilson, C. & Marshall, Z. (2012) ‘Seeking safer sexual spaces: queer and trans young people labelled with intellectual disabilities and the paradoxical risks of restriction’ Journal of Homosexuality 59 p808-819 McConkey, R. & Ryan, D. (2001) ‘Experiences of staff in dealing with client sexuality in services for teenagers and adults with intellectual disability’ Journal of Intellectual Disability Research Vol 45 (1) p83-87

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Neurodiversity

The education system and neurodiversity The education system should encourage diversity, writes Noorah El-Bay.

ver since the industrial revolution, the norm has been for everyone to be educated and tested following the same system. Since then, society has started to recognize that not everyone learns in the same way, although arguably this progress could go further. However, everyone is still tested in the same way. Despite increased awareness of different learning styles, those that are different, meaning neuro-atypical, are seen as an outliers, and not as a normal variation within learning styles. The terms ‘extra tuition’, ‘learning support’ and ‘special needs’ emphasise the idea that being different is not normal, but a drawback. Controversy strikes us when we argue that there is a neurotypical way of learning and being tested, and everyone else should be accommodated according to their differences. However, even within the neuro-typical majority, differences still exist. Moreover, it’s often the case that a-typical individuals who achieve unusually amazing things in life, whereas the neuro-typical individuals adhere and preserve the norms of society. But this is a generalisation which is based on the achievements of people like Albert Einstein, Temple Grandin and Greta Thunberg, all of whom are on the autistic spectrum and all of whom either have or are changing the world in impressive ways. They may have struggled in school, but their achievements outside of school are commendable.

About the author Noorah El-Bay is a freelance writer, secondary trained teacher and educational consultant specialising in autism spectrum conditions. nightlighteducation.co.uk

So, how can our education system accommodate neuroatypical individuals without making them feel as if their difference is a negative part of them? Is it possible to represent neurodiversity using the concept of ‘collective difference’? This is a concept where we are all unique human beings with our individual strengths and weaknesses whilst also being a part of humanity. Can educational establishments promote the concept that one size does not fit all in teaching, learning and assessment contexts? Why not give pupils the chance to be creative with their learning and feel inspired to achieve? In the current situation, many neuro-atypical pupils feel like success is a burden that must be accomplished within a certain amount of time and in a certain way in order to be given societal credit. Why not make assessments more suitable to individual strengths rather than providing pupils with a rigid scope of questions to answer in a format that every pupil must pass in order to gain accreditation for their progress? From these ideas, questions arise regarding how realistic this is and how will it be implemented within society from a governmental perspective. Well, perhaps it does not need to be a complicated issue. Perhaps it is just a matter of changing the focus from measuring progress by statistics to measures that are more qualitative and based on more fluid progression. With more thought and analysis, perhaps an alternative education system can become a reality so that differences can enrich the system rather than inconvenience it. So the question is, does our education system still need to change further to accommodate different minds or can it be justified in working the way it does in order to accommodate the diverse range of thinking, teaching, learning and performance styles that make up our society today?

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Black lives matter

Racism for kids Louise Alkema outlines some ways of discussing racism with children.

n the aftermath of world-wide protests in relation to the Black Lives Matter movement, many teachers and parents are wondering how to discuss racism with their children. The European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education has found that schools should aim to have integrative and inclusive policies, ‘highlighting the educational values brought by all pupils, whatever origin or need they might have.’

Explaining inequality It can be easy to feel that by saying ‘Black Lives Matter’, other races are put at a disadvantage. This is a useful analogy to help children understand: Imagine if you broke your leg and had to go to the doctor. You would want to tell the doctor that right now, your leg was in pain. Whilst ALL your bones matter, right now, it’s your leg that needs attention.’ For younger children, it is also important to explain using the concept of ‘fairness’; How would the children feel if their friend said something mean to them or pushed them because of something they couldn’t control? What if they then did it again, even after he/she asked them to stop? And then again, and no one at school helped them? Eventually, they would feel upset and angry. In some ways, this is like the George Floyd tragedy. It’s also important to emphasize that while police officers should be kind and helpful, this is not always the case. Highlighting examples of situations that ‘are not fair’ and ‘fair’ is a tangible lens in which young children are able to better understand racial injustice. Use simple language and make it clear that you feel the treatment of George Floyd by a police officer was not fair, and that people should be treated fairly. Personalising your explanation will help make it more tangible, and if you can relate the discussion either to yourselves, or to people close to the children, it can help to bring these topics closer to home to highlight their importance. senmagazine.co.uk

Older children who are ready to learn more about inequality can be taught the history of race and racial injustice present in modern-day society. Ask them questions about their interactions with race; have they ever witnessed racism or have they been mean to someone with a different skin colour? What do they think of the protests? By discussing what children thinks and sees about race, we can prevent them from adopting ideas or behaviours from others.

Talking about white privilege When we talk about white privilege with children, we’re not saying life isn’t sometimes tricky or that hardship doesn’t exist in white communities. Rather, when explaining white privilege you’re saying that hardships or difficult moments experienced in life are not a result of your skin colour when you are white. This can be explained in child-friendly hypotheses, or by using one of a variety of youtube videos explaining the concept of discrimination. By underscoring the unfairness of such stories, a child will better understand the difficulties race wrongly poses today. Invite children to actively see colour, to see culture, to see history, and to acknowledge that race has an impact on people’s life experiences.

What you can do From a young age children take note of our actions, meaning that if you open discussion on equality, yet treat people differently in view of their race, your children are likely to adopt similar behaviour. Whilst it is tough, as parents and teachers we should try to acknowledge and be aware of our own implicit bias. Take note of your gestures, how you look at people, and how you interact with people. Small changes such as these go a long way. For further reading, digital home care platform Yoopies.co.uk has a full guide for how to discuss racism with kids. SEN107

Point of view

Point of view: professional/parent

Lockdown and SEN Parents are seeing more anxiety, sensory processing needs and autistic traits, now children are home all of the time. Writes Emma Kaye. Since lockdown started, I have had lots of enquiries from parents seeking support and help to understand their child’s challenging behaviours. Anxiety plays a large part in this, as children are externalising their stress and lack of control through their behaviour. Many children are also co-regulating off their stressed out parents, which is exacerbating the situation. Several parents have also reported that ASD and SPD traits which were barely noticeable in their children prelockdown are more obvious and extreme during quarantine. This may be due to parents having more time to observe their children and their daily routine. A lack of predictability and a changed routine also plays a role. As a Mum of an autistic teen boy, I have noticed that he has become more anxious, which is making him come across as rude, argumentative and then withdrawn. The fight/flight response is constant and triggered by everything. An autistic child may also feel less pressured to mask their behaviours, as they are now in their ‘safe’ place all of the time. So how can we support our anxious SEND children? It’s important that children understand how their bodies respond to change, unpredictability and anxiety. If we make children aware of the physical signs of anxiety (stomach ache, headache, raised heartbeat, sweaty hands etc.), we can help them understand that they are not physically ill and that they can manage their anxiety, through emotional coaching,

Children need to feel safe and connected co-regulation, and self-regulation strategies. It’s also important to teach children about their brain, and why they struggle with being logical when it comes to anxiety and the fight/ flight response. Then, we can work on helping them manage those huge emotional responses. Stress is felt in the body and can be internalised as physical illness and shutdowns or externalised as meltdowns and physically aggressive behaviours in our SEND children. It’s important that adults support children to externalise anxiety. Adults need to validate children’s fears and emotions to help SEN107

About the author Emma Kaye is a freelance SEND teacher, trainer and consultancy/play therapist and parent. e.kaye@hotmail.co.uk

The SEND Trainer

Adults need to validate children’s fears and emotions to help them feel heard them feel heard. We also need to label those emotions, so they are normalised for the child, which will help build their emotional vocabulary. Children also need strategies to manage their anxiety. Deep belly breathing is a vitally important skill to teach in order to regulate the vagus nerve and to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety, which can be a very scary sensation, especially in a child with sensory processing needs. Externalising anxiety can also be developed through play, drawing, painting and writing. Seeing their responses to the situation on a picture, or being played out with dolls, can help the adult see how the child is feeling about the current situation. This can then be discussed and the adult can help the child make sense of the situation. At this present time, children need to feel safe and connected. Many parents have spoken to me about their children regressing to baby-like behaviours. The child is showing them that they felt safe as a baby and that’s what they need at this time. Relationships and emotional connections are paramount in supporting our SEND children to manage what comes next. Especially to feel safe enough to return to school, grandparents, friends’ houses and normal life! senmagazine.co.uk

Point of view

Point of view: parent

Embracing being a parent of children with special needs I always thought that I would slot into being a parent without too much of a struggle, as I had experience as a primary school teacher. However, being responsible for all areas of the development of my children was a heavy burden. This was made more challenging by having three children who needed additional educational and emotional support in comparison to their peer group. Dyslexia had a big impact on the education of my two boys, my eldest son had undiagnosed ADHD and my daughter attended a specialist school. She was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay at the age of 18 months, and it is a lifelong learning disability. Her diagnosis was a turning point for me as a parent. The early years of parenting were challenging and lonely. I managed, but now I know how much easier my life would have been had I known the support of other families like ours, people who truly understood what I was experiencing. Education was a big challenge. I was often met in the playground regarding emotionally difficult behaviour at school, and I learnt that what happens at school does not always need addressing at home and that our long term relationship as a family was much more important. At one point our children were in three different schools, in three different local authorities, and at three SENCOs. It was almost a full time job, but fortunately our children attended supportive schools. The key is that both the parents and the school recognise the expertise of the other. I can highly recommend local SENDIASS (every local authority will have one) who so brilliantly support parents and carers who are finding it hard navigating the education system. In 2006, when all three children were ‘settled’ at school, I set up a charity called Parenting Special Children (PSC), providing families of children and young people with SEND specialist parenting support. The first time that I attended a specialist SEND course I felt I had come home, and that ‘I wasn’t a bad parent’. In the last fourteen years that has been a common refrain as well as ‘I no longer feel so alone’ from the families who have come on Parenting Special Children courses. All of our courses are delivered by facilitators with a background in education, health and social care, but the most important aspect for parents is that we are parents of children and young people with SEND, which means that we get it! I have learnt so much as a parent through learning about SEND, from parents on courses and workshops, and the senmagazine.co.uk

About the author Ruth Pearse is a parent and the founder and CEO of Parenting Special Children. parentingspecialchildren. co.uk @PSCRuth linkedin.com/in/ruthpearse-0087723

I can highly recommend local SENDIASS (every local authority will have one) who so brilliantly support parents and carers who are finding it hard navigating the education system community that we have at Parenting Special Children who share the joys and challenges of being a parent of a child or young person with special needs. Fourteen years later, Parenting Special Children have provided specialist SEND support to thousands of families. During Covid-19 lockdown we have supported over 900 families through PSC helpline and online workshops. My own family is thriving and I am grateful for life’s experiences which have made me a more compassionate person and definitely a more confident parent.

What’s your point of view? Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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COVID-19

Supporting children in the aftermath of the pandemic Children, especially in deprived areas, may benefit from smaller class sizes, writes Louise Connolly.

s we go through these unprecedented times, teachers all over the country are asking themselves ‘How are we are going to best support our children in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic?’. This isn’t just in terms helping them catch up academically, but they are also wondering how they are going to support their emotional well-being which could have been compromised. Children from schools located in areas of high levels of deprivation might have been cramped in a one bedroom flat for weeks and had very little or no interaction with other peers. There has been a concern that the social distancing measures have led to an increase in domestic violence which potentially could have been observed by children causing them emotional harm. Also, there has been a concerning reduction in the number of safeguarding referrals. This doesn’t necessarily mean there have been a lower number of safeguarding incidents, they could have just got missed due to a lack of contact and supervision from professionals who know the signs to look out for. The pandemic has caused anxiety, not just for children but also for adults. Children might have observed their parents becoming stressed or anxious which has then made them feel worried and younger children might not have really comprehended what was happening. Some children might have also experienced bereavement of a family member or friend of the family who contracted the virus. All these issues are going to mean that some children return to schools with signs of emotional trauma and their emotional health and well-being could have been influenced. This could be found to be more prevalent in schools in areas with high levels of deprivation. Emotional well-being in children was already a hot topic before the Coronavirus pandemic, but now it is going to be even more SEN107

Smaller class sizes could be one strategy to overcome the emotional aftermath of Coronavirus paramount that schools get this support right and that this is planned in advance. There is speculation of that the government might increase funding to support schools to bridge these gaps and schools will need to ensure that they use this funding in a targeted and impact-led way. One idea is to return to a topic that has widespread and sometimes conflicting interest; The subject of class size. Due to social distancing measures, the children have returned to school in groups no greater than 15. Therefore, this could be a good opportunity to look at the wider benefits of smaller grouping in relation to effectively supporting their emotional well-being. This could in fact be a method to be sustained in schools in the longer term if financially viable. Not because children will need to social distance in the future, but because it effectively supports vulnerable children’s emotional wellbeing as well as supporting the mental health of teachers. Most research on class sizes has been based on the impact on academic progress and a number of high-profile research projects found that this was in fact limited. However, the way of looking at class size has been too narrow and it is time to look at the wider issues relating to the impact it could have with regard to children. senmagazine.co.uk

COVID-19

Some children return to schools with signs of emotional trauma About the author Louise Connolly is the principal of The Sir Donald Bailey Academy. sirdonaldbailey.co.uk Research on the impact of class sizes on the emotional wellbeing of children was carried out in two schools of similar size. One school had large class sizes (30+) and the other had class sizes that didn’t go above 20. Both schools were in areas of high deprivation. The research indicated that on the surface, smaller class sizes had a positive impact on the mental health of teachers and the overall happiness and emotional well-being of the children. The children in the smaller classes indicated that they were significantly happier than the children in the larger class sizes in relation to their attitude towards how much choice they have in life, the way that they use their time, their relationships with their peers and how happy they feel in school. The children’s happiness was measured on a 10-point scale and the children in larger classes had an average score of 7.75 and the children in the smaller classes had an average of 9.08. This indicated that overall (on average) all the children in both schools scored as being ‘happy’ on the 10-point scale. This works on a basis of anything above 6 means that they are ‘happy’ as set by the Children’s Society (2018) who designed the questionnaire. However, according to the overall data, the children in the smaller class size indicated that they were happier than the children in larger class sizes. However, this needs to be considered with caution as other factors need to be taken into consideration when assessing a child’s happiness rather than assuming that these differences are purely due to class sizes. Home and social factors are also clearly influential factors to be considered. Although the children in the smaller class size indicated that they much preferred to be in a smaller class (98%), the majority of the children in the larger class size did not appear to believe they were at a disadvantage. This is because when they were asked about their preferred class size, 63% of them chose a class size of above 20 . However, the validity of this could be questioned as they were being asked to speculate on how they might feel in a class size that they hadn’t experienced themselves. Both the research and literature suggest that certain conditions are more likely to provide a greater impact as a result of a smaller class size. This includes the deprivation index of the school and the age of the children. Literature indicates that schools in more deprived areas might see better gains than those in affluent areas. An online questionnaire was completed by 200 primary school teachers and concluded that children in Foundation, KS1 and Year 6 were perceived by teachers to have greater emotional senmagazine.co.uk

needs and therefore are likely to benefit more emotionally as a result of small class sizes than other year groups. It also concluded that 89% of teachers prefer smaller class sizes and think it enables them to provide better quality emotional support for their children. The strong link between pupil outcomes and teacher’s mental health could mean that this in itself could be a strategy to support the emotional well-being of children. A happy teacher equals happy children. It could also be a strategy to overcome the problem of recruitment and retention of teachers. It would be naïve to think that we can overcome the emotional repercussions of the pandemic by just putting the children in a smaller class size. In fact, 99% of teachers thought that a child’s home life was the most important factor in determining a child’s mental health. The planning and delivery of lessons is still paramount and the way in which teachers teach must be changed in line with the reduction of the class size. The quality of the staff employed needs to be addressed. Employing a teacher of poor quality just to have a smaller class size could in fact have a negative impact. The quality and experience of teachers should not be jeopardised for the sake of having more teachers and smaller class sizes. The importance of the relationships between teachers, children and parents when thinking about how best to support emotional well-being is also a priority as well as the curriculum and ethos within the school. Teachers need training to know how to identify that a child might be experiencing difficulties with their emotional wellbeing. They also need to be taught techniques and strategies to support these children. This might include knowing when to refer for specialist support when required. Smaller class sizes could be one strategy to overcome the emotional aftermath of Coronavirus, but it is one of a number of different strategies that needs to be explored. Budget constraints can also make it not financially viable. It is important that we don’t just assume that the same child will be returning to school in the same state of emotional wellbeing after such an overwhelming and life changing event as the Coronavirus pandemic. Schools and teachers need to be ready with open arms and strategies to rise to the challenge. SEN107

Days out

Days out At KidZania, children can have a taste of adulthood, says Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE.

t is not always easy to find the right balance between learning and fun. School days out should be educational but also engender excitement and enthusiasm for learning outside of the classroom. That is where experience-based learning becomes a key tool for child development, by opening up discussion about real world careers and jobs that children may not have otherwise considered. . KidZania - the indoor city run by kids - uniquely gives children an active role in their own education, getting them excited and inspired about what the future holds. By empowering children to experience a menu of aspirations within a variety of different career sectors, their curiosity, creativity and ambitions are unlocked, and the connect between school and real life is made. When planning days out, schools can take this approach and look for ways to connect the practice of experience-based learning to the theory of the curriculum. KidZania’s range of activities and learning have been created with qualified teachers to develop future aware children, with reference to the National Curriculum, life skills and supporting Gatsby benchmarks. Experience-based learning is defined as the process of learning through and from experience and is more specifically learning through reflection on doing. Following the Reggio Children approach, KidZania enables children of all ages and all abilities to pursue their own areas of interest and gain in selfconfidence while gathering essential skills to navigate through real-life situations. At KidZania, we want to take children from inspiration to aspiration and help release their full potential. We want to enable children to write their own narrative of possibilities!

About the author Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE, Global Director of Education for KidZania kidzania.co.uk @kidzanialondon

@KidZaniaLondon

KidZania gives teachers the perfect opportunity to give their class the chance at playing adult for the day. This approach encourages all children to explore, express themselves and communicate whilst getting a taste of the world of work. Visits can be tailored to the needs of the schools and the children by joint planning between us and teachers. Aimed at ages 4 to 14, our activities aim to empower children through educational entertainment or ‘Edutainment’. Kidzania is at the global forefront of Edutainment, with comprehensive choice of real-life professions in the indoor city at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush London; children can test out being a doctor, nurse, journalist, firefighter, cashier, news reader, pilot, and much more! KidZania’s global research evidences the impact on children’s development; we are supported by partners such as the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. At KidZania all children are equal and go through the stages of earning, spending and saving their own money, called KidZos. By providing children with an active role in their own learning and giving them the power to test new skills, KidZania is a fun, immersive and easy way to connect experience with the classroom. It is up to us, as teachers and parents, to provide our children with the tools and skills they need to be prepared for the real world but also make sure that what we do, whether in a classroom or outside of it, helps inspire them to better and greater things. Now more than ever, it is crucial that schools integrate these learning approaches to help prepare children for the future workplace. Children can only aspire to what they know exist and it is our responsibility to widen their horizons to many possibilities!

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Book reviews

Book reviews Autism, Bullying and Me:

The Really Useful Stuff You Need to Know About Coping Brilliantly With Bullying

E. Lovegrove

Emily Lovegrove is a lecturer and leader of many workshops on antibullying strategies. In her private practice, she works mainly with autistic children and young adults and she is the author of ‘Help I’m Being Bullied’. In this book, she writes from the perspective of being an autistic adult and makes a plea for people to be loved and respected for who they are, rather than having to pretend to be something they are not. In this book, Lovegrove draws on the input from 2 teenagers, who read and commented on drafts of the book, as well as contributors from autistic people through social media. She explains that this is intended to be a ‘massively positive’ book, aimed primarily at 10-16 year olds. This

is reflected in the format of the book and its use of reader friendly language. Chapters include: ‘Am I Normal?,’ ‘What is Bullying?,’ ‘How To Calm Down So You Can Think Clearly,’ ‘Depression ….. And Worse’ and ‘Three More Useful Anti-Bullying Strategies’. The overall tone of this short text is upbeat and reassuring and it encourages the reader to experiment with strategies to engage with others and to become more aware of their own individual strengths. She stresses the importance of recognising the difference between being ‘average’ and being ‘normal’ and explores some common facts and myths about bullying. The book also includes links to resources such as supportive books and organisations.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78775-213-9 £12.99

From Able to Remarkable:

Help Your Students Become Expert Learners

R. Massey

Robert Massey is an experienced history teacher, with a particular interest in supporting colleagues in meeting the needs of high attaining students. He is a popular speaker at education conferences, and he focuses on changing the ways teachers think about helping all students to unlock their latent potential through recognising their attributes and capabilities. He expresses a passion for enabling all pupils to achieve success and for teachers to become skilled in strategies to support this. The book is organised into 3 parts. ‘Starting Our Learning Journey,’ ‘The Expert Learner,’ and ‘Excellence for All’. The book covers many areas, including elitism, teacher well-being, the myth of the learning curve and ability and attainment.

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This book focuses on gifted and talented pupils and it recognises that these pupils have additional needs in terms of their mental health, stress, as well as the need to recognise the well-being needs of those who teach them. Massey also makes reference to the emotional needs of parents, and he recognises that being a ‘Gifted and Talented’ student can pose challenges at home and in school. These students have their own special educational needs and Massey’s book provides support and guidance from the perspective of an expert practitioner in this field. His belief is that many students are being underestimated in terms of their potential, and that this applies to all levels of ability. This book will provide food for thought for teachers, regardless of which sector they are working in.

Crown House Publishing Limited ISBN: 978-1-785-83435-6 £18.99

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Book reviews

by Mary Mountstephen

Hands on Dyspraxia:

Supporting Young People With Motor and Sensory Challenges (2nd Edition)

J. Christmas & R. Van de Weyer

This updated edition is a practical handbook for those supporting children with sensory and motor learning issues. It provides the reader with an overview of the challenges of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and links this to practical ‘hands on’ strategies for daily management of the condition. Jill Christmas has many years’ experience as a highly respected occupational therapist and her co-author has both a professional and personal interest in supporting people with DCD, as well as managing Dyspraxia UK, an occupational therapy assessment service. The first edition of this book was published in 2009, and in the intervening years, there has been much research. This research has informed the new publication, and the original format has also been updated to reflect this.

This handbook recognises that DCD/Dyspraxia often coexists with other conditions such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Language Disorders and Autistic Spectrum Disorders and makes links to sensory integration and self-care skills. It includes information on the impact of primitive reflexes and provides activities linked to these, as well as additional resources and information about professional organisations and recommended reading. Each chapter links theory to practice and provides the reader with a clear understanding of how to manage aspects as diverse as visual memory, concentration and dressing skills.

Speechmark ( Taylor Francis Group) ISBN: 978-1-138-0097-3 £16.99

Catatonia, Shutdown and Breakdown in Autism: A Psycho-Ecological Approach

Dr A. Shah

In the introduction, Dr Shah, a consultant clinical psychologist with extensive experience of working with complex issues in autism defines catatonia as a ‘complex, multifaceted disorder [...] there are a whole range of abnormalities of posture, movement, speech and behaviour’. She outlines some of the subtypes of catatonia manifestations in autistic spectrum disorder and states that there are a significant number of people who are not yet diagnosed. Chapters include; ‘Consequences of Misdiagnosis and Misconception,’ ‘Possible Causal Factors,’ and ‘The Psycho-Ecological Approach’. The book also includes The Autism Catatonia Evaluation (ACE-S), developed by the author as a framework for a systematic assessment and evaluation of catatonia manifestations in children and adults. This can be used by anyone involved with an autistic individual and it reflects

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Shah’s psycho-ecological approach, which takes into account all aspects of the environment that the individual has to cope with. These include the physical and sensory environment, educational and occupational settings and social interactions. Drawing on over four decades of experience, it represents a multi-dimensional, holistic approach that takes into account the anxiety and distress that many of her clients experience on a daily basis. Shah provides several short case studies to illustrate the application of this approach. This book is an excellent and supportive guide that will be of value to clinicians, other professionals and families supporting autistic individuals. It is particularly well-written and accessible to a wide audience.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78592-249-7 £19.99

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Adoption

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Training

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CPD, training and events

CPD, training and events Your indispensable guide to SEN courses, workshops, conferences and exhibitions

Virtual CPD Events Autism, stress and anxiety

Explore the factors that impact on stress and anxiety in order to provide effective support to reduce the impact of stress and anxiety on autistic people. autism.org.uk

Traumatised children – Why pace heals (play, acceptance, curiosity, empathy) Webinar with Dr Dan Hughes

Cost: £65 for 30-day subscription (52 mins) The Centre for Child Mental Health 020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

Rebound Therapy Training Courses

“ReboundTherapy.org” the official UK body and international consultancy for Rebound Therapy. Responsible for the development and delivery of the genuine ‘Eddy Anderson model’ accredited and approved training courses. Founded 1972

01342 870543

Understanding Autism

Our Autism course equips teachers, parents and other practitioners with evidencebased strategies to meet the needs of children and young people with autism, from preschool to further education. www.icepe.eu/cpd/ Understanding_Autism

Women and girls Please check all details with the event organiser before you make arrangements to attend.

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ICEP Europe Online CPD Courses

Supporting teachers online since 2001, their fully online and part time professional development courses cover a range of areas of special education. www.icepe.eu/cpd

Autism: supporting families

Discover the experiences of families, consider common difficulties and acquire effective approaches for support. www.autism.org.uk

ADHD course

Where you will learn how to implement research-validated approaches to ensure that children and young people with ADHD reach their full potential in education and beyond. www.icepe.eu/cpd

This module aims to support diagnosticians to better understand autistic female characteristics and therefore enhance confidence to diagnose successfully.

Autism, sport and physical activity

www.autism.org.uk

A comprehensive introduction to the autism spectrum focusing on the delivery of sport.

The Teaching Hope & Optimism course

This event allows you to boost your own hope and optimism while learning how to enhance the psychological fitness and resilience of others. www.icepe.eu/cpd

Safeguarding children on the autism spectrum

Understand how autism is defined, identify safeguarding issues on autistic children and improve your communication and support. www.autism.org.uk

New Skills Academy

New Skills Academy pride themselves on providing the best online education courses to further your career. Their experienced tutors have meticulously created some incredibly well received diplomas. Their diverse portfolio includes courses in the following areas: Autism Awareness Diploma; ADHD Diploma; Asperger Syndrome Awareness Diploma. Use Code SEN80 for up to an 80% discount on all courses this month.

https://newskillsacademy.co.uk/ courses/teaching/?ref=32

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CPD, training and events

SEN legal framework

As well as providing free legally based advice IPSEA provides training on the SEN legal framework to parents and carers, professionals and other organisations. www.ipsea.org.uk/training

Understanding autism Recognise the strengths and challenges experienced by many autistic people and how to create enabling environments. www.autism.org.uk

Autism and sensory experience

This introductory module explores how people respond to information from the senses and how this can be experienced differently by autistic people. www.autism.org.uk

Autism and communication

Identify communication differences for autistic people and what factors impact upon successful communication to improve your support. www.autism.org.uk

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JUNE 2020 June - until 16th July 2020

Preparing for the “new normal’ Webinar

From the UK’s leading show for the SEN community, the ‘SEN Show Series’ aims to prepare educational staff, parents and carers for the return to school in the ‘new normal’. A range of free webinars from the Tes SEN Show’s expert speakers covering vital topics including mental health and resilience, co-production, bereavement and assistive tech. Register free here: https://bit.ly/2UP7l93

23 - 26 June 2020

EduTECH Asia Virtual 2020

EduTECH Virtual Asia is happening on June 23-26 2020. Join them for 4 curated days of FREE online live K-12 and Higher Ed presentations, panel discussions, roundtable collaborations and virtual exhibition halls to discuss the role of technology in education https://bit.ly/3frjZ61

27 and 28 June 2020

11 July 2020

The science of love. Changing lives: The Neuroscience of connectedness, trust and feeling safe

Autism Learns: Interventions & Therapies - Language and Communication

2-Day Livestream Event (conference) Dr Stephen Porges & Dr Sue Carter (originator of The Polyvagal Theory)

10.00 – 16.30 Cost £250 The Centre for Child Mental Health 020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org www.childmentalhealthcentre. org

JULY 2020 Summer CPD Term 6th July to 21st August Designed for teachers and other professionals who wish to up-skill, each course will give you the tools and understanding to get the most out of your students. www.icepe.eu/cpd

This Zoom webinar will explore the interventions and therapies available to help develop language and communication, including speech and language therapy, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems.

10am to 12.30pm

www.autismlearns.co.uk

11 July 2020

When you’ve been to hell and back: Breaking the cycle of the intergenerational transfer of trauma

with Tracy Godfroy, Mark Johnson, Dr Valerie Sinason and Lemn Sissay Livestream Event (conference)

10.00 – 16.30 Cost £125 The Centre for Child Mental Health 020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

www.childmentalhealthcentre.org

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CPD, training and events

18 July 2020

AUGUST 2020

Autism Learns: Interventions & Therapies - Social and Emotional Development

1st August 2020

This Zoom webinar will explore social and emotional development therapies including Social Stories, PEERS and Floortime. It will also examine TEACCH, SPELL and SCERTS.

This Zoom webinar will explore behavioural therapies including Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Positive Behaviour Support, intensive interaction and Early Intensive Behavioural Interventions (EIBIs).

10am to 12pm www.autismlearns.co.uk

25 July 2020

Autism Learns: Interventions & Therapies - Sensory and Motor Difficulties This Zoom webinar will explore sensory motor therapies, including occupational therapy and sensory integrative therapy.

10am to 12pm www.autismlearns.co.uk

Autism Learns: Interventions & Therapies - Patterns of Behaviour

10am to 12pm

www.autismlearns.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2020 19 Sept 2020

The Neuroscience of emotions and relationships

What you need to know to support children, teenagers and adults. Livestream Event (conference)

10 - 16.40 Cost £125 The Centre for Child Mental Health 020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

www.childmentalhealthcentre.org

Find new people... ...through

Live CPDs, events & exhibitions SEPTEMBER 2020 Starts September 2020

Postgraduate Certificate - National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination Manchester Metropolitan University

Improve the lives of SEND Learners. Become a leader for SEND in your school. www.mmu.ac.uk

Autumn start date

Level 4 Award in Supporting Children & Young People with Speech, Language and Communication Needs Eastern Partnership UK

This course is designed to build knowledge and confidence and develop a range of practical skills to fulfil a schoolbased support role for children and young people with speech language and communication needs.This course is offered via an online and blended pathway. The course duration is six months. easternpartnership.co.uk/ training/slcn-level-4

Autumn start date

Level 3 Certificate in Therapeutic Group Work with Children and Young People

Mulberry Bush / Crossfields Institute

SEN is read by special needs teaching and support staff throughout the UK. If you are recruiting special needs staff, advertise in SEN Magazine’s recruitment section. If you have training courses to publicise, let people know about them through the pages of SEN Magazine. With a targeted audience of over 36,000 special needs professionals, it’s the obvious choice. Call Denise on 01200 409808 or email denise@senmagazine.co.uk

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This unique qualification enables individuals to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to run therapeutic group sessions with children and young people effectively. This qualification is suitable for those staff using group work with children or young people in either school or care settings. The course will be offered as an online and blended pathway. The course will run for approx. six months.

16 and 17 September 2020

Autism, Learning Disabilities and Offending Behaviour Conference Newcastle upon Tyne

Discover the latest thinking from eminent international speakers, as well as learning from smaller scale research and innovations. www.autism.org.uk

19 September 2020

What you need to know to support children, teenagers and adults London

The Neuroscience of emotions and relationships

10.00 – 17.00 Cost £125 The Centre for Child Mental Health 020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

www. childmentalhealthcentre.org

26 to 28 September 2020

Education Egypt 2020 Egypt International Exhibition Centre, Cairo

Your gateway to the largest student population in the MENA region. Education Egypt is inviting the industry to take a step beyond the classroom and discover pioneering education solutions. www.education-egypt.com/ SEN_Magazine

29 to 30 September 2020

The Schools and Academies Show ExCeL London

https://mulberrybush.org.uk/

The Schools & Academies Show returns to London ExCeL for its first show of the new decade! Bringing together over 4,000 senior education leaders and dynamic educators to network, discuss concerns and source solutions from over 200 of the UK’s leading education suppliers. Visitors will benefit from pioneering speakers, policymakers, innovative features, best-practice case studies from across 8 specialised theatres. Designed to address every school’s most prominent challenges.

outreach/what-we-do/training/

https://bit.ly/3dnTcau

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CPD, training and events

NOVEMBER 2020 9 and 10 November 2020

Naidex

NEC Birmingham Naidex is back for its 46th year! This is Europe’s most established event for everyone involved in the support and care of those with special educational needs. Join the Naidex community on the 9th & 10th November at NEC, Birmingham by securing your free ticket. www.naidex.co.uk

12 November 2020

Kidz to Adultz North Event

Event City, Manchester Book your free ticket for Kidz to Adultz North! This event is dedicated to children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs, their parents, carers and the professionals who support them. If you require further information please contact the Kidz to Adultz team.

0161 607 8200.

info@disabledliving.co.uk

www.disabledliving.co.uk

20 and 21 November 2020

DECEMBER 2020

11 and 12 December 2020

4 and 5 December 2020

The Autism Show

In association with the National Autistic Society, The Autism Show is the national event for autism. It attracts over 10,000 parents, family carers, and professionals looking for trusted information, practical advice, and specialist products and services. Choose from over 100 hours of talks, clinics and workshops. All content is CPD certified. Book your tickets now and save 20%.

ExCel London

The Autism Show

NEC Birmingham

birmingham.autismshow.co.uk

JANUARY 2021 8 and 9 January 2021

Event City, Manchester In association with the National Autistic Society, The Autism Show is the national event for autism. It attracts over 10,000 parents, family carers, and professionals looking for trusted information, practical advice and specialist products and services. Choose from over 100 hours of talks, clinics and workshops. All content is CPD certified. Book your tickets now and save 20%. manchester.autismshow.co.uk

senmagazine.co.uk

Please check all details with the event organiser before you make arrangements to attend.

TES SEN Show

Business Design Centre, London Boost your professional development with CPDcertified seminars at the Tes SEN Show (8-9 January 2021). It’s free to register and seminars are just £16 +VAT until 30th October, take a look at the programme! https://bit.ly/2AFZXWw

SEN107

SEN resources directory

Sen resources directory Information, advice and support for all things SEN

ADHD ADHD Foundation Training and awareness raising around ADHD. adhdfoundation.org.uk

National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service Resources and information for ADHD. addiss.co.uk

Autism Ambitious about Autism National charity for children and young people with autism. ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk

Autism Alliance Network of 16 UK autism charities. autism-alliance.org.uk

Cerebral palsy Action CP

Epilepsy Action

Charity raising awareness of issues facing children and young people with cerebral palsies. actioncp.org

Advice and information on epilepsy. epilepsy.org.uk

Scope UK Help, advice and support for those affected by cerebral palsy. scope.org.uk

Child support Childline Confidential advice and support for children. childline.org.uk

Down’s syndrome

Autistica

Down’s Syndrome Association

Autism research charity. autistica.org.uk

Information, support and training on Down’s syndrome. downs-syndrome.org.uk

National Autistic Society Help and information for those affected by ASD. autism.org.uk

Brain conditions Cerebra UK Charity for children with brain related conditions. cerebra.org.uk

Child Brain Injury Trust Charity supporting children, young people, families and professionals. childbraininjurytrust.org.uk

Bullying Anti-Bullying Alliance Coalition of organisations united against bullying. anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

Bullying UK Support and advice on beating bullying. bullying.co.uk SEN107

Epilepsy

Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation UK Charity focussing on research into Down’s syndrome. dsrf-uk.org

Dyslexia British Dyslexia Association Information and support for people affected by dyslexia. bdadyslexia.org.uk

Driver Youth Trust Charity offering free information and resources on dyslexia. driveryouthtrust.com

Dyspraxia

Young Epilepsy Support for children and young people and training for professionals. youngepilepsy.org.uk

Hearing impairment Action on Hearing Loss Charity for people with a hearing loss. actiononhearingloss.org.uk

National Deaf Children’s Society Charity supporting deaf children and young people. ndcs.org.uk

Learning disability BILD Charity offering support and information on learning disabilities. bild.org.uk

Choice Forum Forum for discussing issues affecting those with learning disabilities. our.choiceforum.org

Mencap Learning disabilities charity. mencap.org.uk

Learning outdoors Council for Learning Outside the classroom Awarding body for the LOtC quality badge. lotc.org.uk

Literacy

Dyspraxia Foundation UK

National Literacy Trust

Dyspraxia advice and support. dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

Literacy charity for adults and children. literacytrust.org.uk senmagazine.co.uk

SEN resources directory

Mental health MIND

Advice and support for people experiencing a mental health problem. mind.org.uk

NHS National Health Service nhs.uk

Department of Health Northern Ireland health-ni.gov.uk/

Health in Wales wales.nhs.uk

Special educational needs nasen Organisation for the education, training and advancement of those with SEN. nasen.org.uk

SEN.fyi (App) Everything You Wanted to Know About SEN – all in one place! Download this app free to your smartphone or tablet for iOS (on Apple App store) or Android (on Google Play store). specialeducationalneeds.co.uk/ senfyi-app.html

NHS Health Scotland healthscotland.scot

Rebound Therapy ReboundTherapy.org

The UK governing body and international consultancy for Rebound Therapy. reboundtherapy.org

SEN law Douglas Silas Solicitors

Douglas Silas Solicitors are the legal experts specialising exclusively in SEN, helping parents successfully throughout the SEN process. SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

IPSEA

Spina bifida Shine Information and support relating to spina bifida and hydrocephalus. shinecharity.org.uk

Tourette’s syndrome Tourette’s Action Information and advice on Tourette’s. tourettes-action.org.uk

Free, legally-based advice for parents of UK Government children with SEN. ipsea.org.uk For Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care SLCN and other departments. Ace Centre gov.uk Advice on communication aids. ace-centre.org.uk

Visual impairment

Afasic

Help and advice on SLCN. afasicengland.org.uk

Communication Matters

Support for people with little or no clear speech. communicationmatters.org.uk

I CAN

Children’s communication charity. ican.org.uk

The Communication Trust Consortium of charities raising awareness of SLCN. thecommunicationtrust.org.uk senmagazine.co.uk

New College Worcester Advice and support for those teaching children who are visually impaired. ncw.co.uk

Royal Society for Blind Children Support and services for families and professionals. rsbc.org.uk

RNIB Support and advice for those affected by visual impairment. rnib.org.uk SEN107

About SEN Magazine

May • Ju

ne 2020

• Issue

106

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