SEN Magazine - SEN111 - March/April 2021 by SEN Magazine

Mar • Apr 2021 • Issue 111

Learning outside the classroom Where autism and racism intersect Fire safety and SEND Transitioning SENCo life • dyslexia • assistive technology • wilderness learning performing arts • short breaks • CPD • SEN news • and much more!

Mar • Apr 2021 Issue 111

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 RobP Design robpdesign.co.uk design@senmagazine.co.uk

Welcome Happy spring! With the birds whistling outside, the end of lockdown on our doorsteps and the flowers beginning to bloom, it’s no wonder that we had learning outside the classroom on our minds for this issue. Go to page 49 to read various articles about the many, many benefits of outdoor learning for children with SEND. I was personally struck by Robin Sheehan’s piece on how we can help children be the best version of themselves when in an unfamiliar outdoor environment, on page 54. ■ Learning outside the classroom (p.49). Read an interesting piece about the future of accessible technology on page 46 – it turns out, when more technology is accessible, we all benefit! Of course, Douglas Silas has once again contributed an interesting piece on SEN law – find it on page 22. Finally, for a highly personal piece on the impact of being a Black mother of a child with autism, go to the piece by Venessa Bob on page 36. I hope our readers all have a nice start to the spring, and I will see you in our next issue! Stay safe

Director

Louise

Jeremy Nicholls Disclaimer

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.

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SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845

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CONTRIBUTORS Cat Abbot Claudia Boes Venessa Bob Alistair Dewar Ben Dracup Jamie Goodall-Barber

Liam Hunt Ryan Kellsall Anna Kucyj Manar Matusiak Mary Mountstephen Myles Pilling

Nigel Pugh Robin Sheehan Douglas Silas Katie Stables Clare Thew Claire Webster

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Residential provision

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St. John’s School (Seaford), 7 - 19 years, education and residential provision Fran Pass, headteacher, says: ‘we are excited about developing our independent 6th form block. Learning is built upon previous learning in life and self-help skills so that each individual becomes more prepared for the transition to adulthood. It is our aim that the young people gain as many skills and tools as possible to be able to manage the daily challenges of life beyond school.

input at varying degrees dependent upon need. We recognise that the young people will need appropriate support, but our aim is to decrease the support as they mature, ensuring as much independence as possible.

The overarching objective is to teach our young people skills that will support their further learning as well as developing their independence, opening up opportunities for their future so they can become as independent as possible in both their academic learning and personal skills.

Our holistic staff team and determined young people increase the possibility of success in a wide area of skills. Nationally recognised qualifications such as GCSEs, BTEC, ASDAN and AQA awards are available as well as other projects that support confidence building, teamwork and self-esteem. Core skills are embedded and taught discreetly. The curriculum has an emphasis on practical and functional activities, including skills for life and work-related learning.

We provide assistive technology, specialist tuition, one to one and small group learning provision, access to therapies, independent living training, and help with personal care and accessible information such as social stories and words in pictures where appropriate. The new post-16 provision is based around a flexible curriculum for each individual with continued therapeutic senmagazine.co.uk

All our work is driven by the young peoples’ desired future destinations, the education, health and care plan and their transition to adulthood plan. We provide the strong link between secondary schooling, adult life and the future. Tel: 01323 872 940 Email: admissions@st-johns.co.uk WWW: st-johns.co.uk SEN111

Mar • Apr 2021 • Issue 111

SEN LAW Douglas Silas looks into Secondary School Transfers

Respite for siblings Being an SEN sibling can be taxing, and they deserve breaks

Fire Safety A look into how to deal with false fire alarms in a way that respects sensitive pupils

Professional Life What does the average day in the life of a SENCo look like?

Being an autistic minority Fighting the stigma surrounding autism in minority communities makes us all better

Autism in a mainstream school A look into how we can best support students with autism to reach their potential

The legal side to transitioning

Regulars 10 14

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

Point of view

Manar Matusiak lays out the legal specifics of transitioning into adulthood

It takes a village to help a child transition

Book reviews

What support do pupils need when they make the step to adult living?

CPD, training and events

Dyslexia and technology

SEN resources directory

About SEN Magazine

A hopeful look into the new ways in which we can support dyslexic kids with technology

Have your say!

Inclusive playgrounds Why inclusive playgrounds are important to kids of all abilities

Outdoor learning Ten reasons not to ignore the great outdoors in your teaching

Wilderness therapies Why ‘that child’ may need intervention and training to benefit from outdoor learning

Sensory issues Practical tips to help students address their sensory needs

Performing arts

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Why introducing your pupils to the performing arts may be the one of the best things you can do for them

Short breaks senmagazine.co.uk

Transitioning

Dyslexia

60 senmagazine.co.uk

Performing arts

Learning outside the classroom SEN111

SEN products / services

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SEN news

New study reveals why people with Down’s Syndrome should be vaccinated early A study has revealed genetic factors that may expose or protect people with Down’s syndrome from SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as detailing how they deal with the symptoms of Covid-19. Researchers from the Centre for Genomic Regulation analysed publicly available data to find out what factors affect Covid-19 disease progression, and found that a gene ‘critical for aiding the entry of SARS-CoV-2 in human cells’ was 60% more present in people with Down’s syndrome. This is because the gene can be found on chromosome 21, which is tripled in people with Down’s syndrome. The researchers also found that people with Down’s syndrome are more likely to develop a condition where the body’s immune system attacks its own lungs, and more likely to develop bacterial infections. This may mean that those with Down’s syndrome are also more at risk of later lung complications following the disease. However, the study also concluded that young people with Down’s syndrome are at a much lower risk of mortality than those aged 40 and over. Another study also showed that people with Down’s syndrome who contract Covid-19 in the UK are five times more likely to be

hospitalised. Dr Mara Dierssen, Group Leader at the Cellular & Systems Neurobiology lab at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and author of the study, said ‘This is why people with Down’s syndrome should be prioritised immediately for early vaccination against COVID-19 worldwide.’

New project to improve early medical intervention techniques for those with SEND A new project, run by experts from Northumbria University in collaboration with regional NHS trusts and the UK Sepsis Trust among others, will be exploring how carers can ensure timely healthcare for the people they look after. People with SEND and autism are more likely to have chronic health issues than the rest of the population, and also more frequently develop acute conditions like sepsis. Those with learning disabilities may not be able to communicate what they are experiencing physically, which makes it very challenging for carers to realise that they are in danger of developing sepsis. This sometimes means treatment is delayed, which can be deadly in cases such as sepsis. Although there are some tools available for carers to recognise medical situations, they are not thoroughly researched. The project, funded by NHS England and NHS improvement and Health Education England, will explore the use of a number of assessment tools to make sure that people with learning disabilities and autism get the care they need. Dr Jane Greaves, leader of the project and Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University, said: ‘Having worked for many years in intensive care, I know what an impact early recognition, timely assessment and management can have on patient outcomes. Carers often have really good instincts about changes in the person they care for, but it can be difficult to describe those changes in words and know how to express their concerns effectively when seeking professional help. If we can understand the experiences of carers in seeking medical help and explore the impact of using Early Warning Tools and education, we will SEN111

hopefully inform and help shape the future of care responses and health outcomes for many people with a learning disability or autism who become suddenly ill’. The project will investigate the tools carers use to find out what works best for carers. It will also look at how health concerns are communicated to healthcare staff, to aid in developing effective training methods for healthcare staff. The project will ‘provide crucial evidence for future decision-making by policy makers and practitioners, in seeking to improve the early identification and management of ill health in individuals with learning disabilities and autism.’ senmagazine.co.uk

SEN news

Special school tries to bar student from returning An article in the Irish Times described how a Special School in Co. Meath tried to legally prevent a 15-year-old student from returning to school after repeated incidents with staff and students. The boy, who is non-verbal and has a learning disability, was expelled last November. However, a committee has found that “reasonable efforts to allow the boy participate and benefit from education had not been fully exhausted”. The committee said that lockdown and school closures had contributed to the incidents, and said that the school should find other supports to find out whether the boy could stay in school, which they said was “vital to his wellbeing and development”. During the appeal hearing, the boy’s family said that the school had not done enough to help their son transition back into school in September 2020 during a time of ‘high anxiety and stress’. They also pointed out that their son had been placed in isolation in a classroom away from his peers, even though his parents said he enjoyed socialising and spending time with other students. The committee also found that the school had not sought a psychological assessment or outside advice until after the boy was expelled. The committee concluded that the boy should not have been expelled.

Children with SEND ‘losing all of their infrastructure’ A February news video on BBC.com goes into the issues that are becoming more and more pressing in special needs schools. They are facing the dilemma that all their children are vulnerable. Fiona Veitch, headteacher at Watergate school, says that one of the biggest challenges for her school is that staff numbers are so large that social distancing becomes impossible, with up to 7 adults working with up to 8 children. The children not in school are also impacted in far-reaching ways; missing out on school days for them means missing out on additional therapies, social interactions and independence skills. Class Teacher Barbara Nathan says ‘the children don’t understand about social distancing, and so for the staff, the onus is really on us to make sure we’re keeping our distance from the other adults’. The number of children able to go to school is greatly limited due to Covid-19, which means that not all parents who want to send their child to the school are able to, which Miss Veitch calls ‘highly distressing’. Some children are also losing their chance at assessment for equipment and working with specialised therapists, which will impact their bone development for years to come.

Accessible outdoor activity centres at “perilous risk” A study by a residential outdoor activity and education charity in Keswick run by the Lake District Calvert Trust, reveals that the majority (59%) of those with disabilities will wait until they have been vaccinated against Covid-19 before their next visit to an outdoor activity and education centre. Yet just 42% are confident that they will receive the vaccine by Spring 2021. Calvert Lakes conducted hundreds of in-depth interviews with disabled people, their carers and family members, with 43% also saying that all visitors to outdoor activity and education centres should be vaccinated against Covid-19 before their next visit. In other findings, 80% say that not taking a holiday or break during 2020 has impacted on their physical or mental health, 86% believe that the government has failed to provide them with enough support during the pandemic, while 94% say that the government has not done enough to support outdoor education centres during the pandemic to ensure their survival for 2021 and beyond. Since March 2020, 6,000 of the 15,000 teachers and instructors employed in the outdoor activity sector have lost their jobs and several centres have permanently closed. Calvert Lakes relies heavily on special school educational visits as one of its main sources of income but the lockdown and blanket ban on schools taking residential trips has wiped out visitor numbers. Unlike North of the border, where the Scottish Government has agreed sector specific support so outdoor activity centres can remain viable until schools return, no such financial help is available in England and Wales. The Lake District Calvert Trust has now launched an Emergency Bounce Back Appeal with its contingency reserve funds set to run out in March 2021. The Trust has furloughed the vast majority of its staff and closed its doors until at least the end of March 2021, when it plans to reopen if government restrictions and the success of the appeal allow.

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SEN news

Support system ‘struggling to deliver safe, secure and fulfilling lives’ for people with learning disabilities, report says

Parental stress has increased since previous lockdown UK parents are more stressed, more depressed and more anxious since the new national restrictions have been introduced, according to a report from Co-Space, an Oxford University-led team supporting parents. The 6000 participating parents and carers have reported increased mental health issues recently, especially in the last two months of 2020. Symptoms included difficulty relaxing, being easily upset or agitated, feeling hopeless, and lacking interest and pleasure, feeling fearful and worried, as well as being more irritable, overreactive and impatient. This mirrors parent and carer reports of high levels of stress and depression between April and July last year, which were followed by lower levels of between July and September. Cathy Creswell, Professor of Clinical Developmental Psychology at the University of Oxford and co-lead of the study said: “We are particularly concerned about the level of strain felt by parents in low income families, those in single parent families, and those supporting children with special educational needs.” Indeed, the data show that parents and carers from certain households have been particularly vulnerable to elevated mental health symptoms. Higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety were reported by parents from single adult homes and lower income families (< £16,000 p.a.), as well as those who have children with special education needs and/or neurodevelopmental differences.

New study may improve dyslexia treatment A study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has found the region of the brain that appears to act as the visual dictionary of the mind. The mid-fusiform cortex, as it’s known, is so far known only to exist in humans, as they are the only species that can read. The study found during electrode treatment on epilepsy patients that when an electrical pulse is applied to this region it causes a temporary dyslexia without affecting other abilities such as understanding speech or naming objects. This discovery may be a large step towards a better understanding of how dyslexia is caused and treated. SEN111

According to a new report by the Fraser of Allander institute at the University of Strathclyde, the support systems in Scotland are not doing enough to ensure that all people with learning disabilities live their best lives. The report says that despite improvements overall, many people have been cut off from essential services, especially over the past ten years, due to financial pressures on support systems. For their report, researchers used evidence from a wide range of publicly available reports and other data, combined with ‘a series of in-depth interviews with health and social care professionals and people with learning disabilities and their families’. One of the authors of the reports, Emma Congreve, said ‘The last thirty years have seen enormous changes in how people with learning disabilities are supported in society, with a shift from people living in long-stay hospitals to community-based support. Yet at the same time, our study finds that financial pressures have restricted the support that is on offer and there is often a lack of certainty over whether people will get the care they need. For those with mild to moderate support needs, support that enables them to live a fulfilling and independent life has been taken away or charged for. Our study finds that the response to the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated many of these issues that have been rising up over the past ten years, and it is feared that much of the support that has been lost will not return or will be significantly scaled back.’ A key conclusion from the report is that people, particularly those with mild to moderate learning disabilities, have lost support they need in order to live independently. The increasing complexity of the support system has also made getting the right support much harder. Finally, the Covid-19 pandemic has slashed the amount of support available to those with learning disabilities. The report is the second in a series of publications that the Institute is releasing over the coming year as part of a major new study into the outcomes for working age people with learning disabilities and their families in Scotland. The full report can be read at fraserofallander.org.

News deadline for next issue: 07/04/2021. Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN news

Raising disability awareness during lockdown A student has successfully transformed his team building and disability awareness business into an online hit during the Covid-19 pandemic. Azeem Amir, a visually impaired University of Salford Business School student from Rochdale, set up his company, Learn with ESS, 12 months ago. Azeem plays blind football for the England national team and uses the sport as part of his business. ‘Learn with ESS’ is a disability awareness and team cohesion business that runs courses designed to allow companies and education institutes to learn about and tackle the stigmas and attitudes towards disabilities and use interactive activities, such as blind football, to help do this. Whether it be via education, sport or speaking, Azeem aspires to help people get a better understanding of disabilities. Since Learn with ESS was launched in 2020, Azeem has worked with professional clubs such as Salford City, Rochdale and Blackburn Rovers, as well as working with the English Football League (EFL) themselves to help bring his programme into their infrastructure. However, after a very impressive start to the business, the Covid-19 pandemic began, forcing many business’ like Azeem’s to go online. Whilst some have struggled with the change, Learn with ESS has adapted well, and Azeem has plenty of customers still wanting to work with him, including some international schools. Azeem who worked with the University of Salford business incubator Launch @Salforduni, said: ‘When lockdown happened it was clear it would have a huge impact on our business. But it was lovely to hear from many of our customers that they still wanted to work with us. That encouraged us to keep going and to see how we could move to online delivery. The transition was not too bad, it was more about how we can keep people engaged for an hour to an hour and a half when talking about a

topic that not a lot of people are comfortable with. But it’s gone down really well, and we have had some amazing feedback. Amazingly, I got connected with a school in America. They got in touch with me to hear more about blind football and on disability awareness. To even have that connection with someone across the globe, even over the Zoom call and they had students ask me questions, was amazing.” In his free time, Azeem currently plays for the England and Great Britain national blind football team. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 restitutions, the team have been unable to play this season. But despite not being able to play, Azeem’s footballing dreams do not look to be over, as he is currently working with representatives of the Qatar 2022 World Cup to bring his programme into the tournament.

College to deliver ground breaking elite Wheelchair Basketball programme A Birmingham college is working in collaboration with University of Worcester and The Albion Foundation to deliver a unique and ground breaking elite Wheelchair Basketball sport performance programme designed for ambitious young sports people aged 16-24 years who use a manual wheelchair. The program will offer them the opportunity to develop as a wheelchair Basketball player, providing a player pathway from playing in Regional, National and International competition. Students will be coached by experienced and qualified Basketball Association and Wheelchair Basketball coaches. The University of Worcester is recognised as world leaders in the development of educational practice in inclusive sport and are owners of the Worcester Wolves British Basketball League (BBL) franchise. The university also has a longstanding tradition of working at local, national and international level in all forms of Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball. The Albion Foundation is the charity of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. The Foundation has an outstanding reputation for their work in disability sport and has a well-established and successful Powerchair Football Academy with QAC.

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If you would like to be part of this unique, ground breaking elite sport performance programme or require further details please visit this attached link. Students will not be engaging in face to face sport delivery until advised that we can do so by the relevant governing bodies. qac.ac.uk

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What’s new?

My Independence will transform outcomes for young people with SEND ASDAN’s new programme, My Independence, has been designed to help all learners with SEND prepare for adulthood. My Independence is structured around the four pathways for preparing for adulthood. It has been created alongside government advisers and SEND experts NDTi (National Development Team for Inclusion), and caters for learners working from pre-Entry level to Entry level 3.

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New solution for false fire alarms The new Low Profile Universal Stopper from Safety Technology International is an invaluable deterrent against false fire alarms, featuring a refined slimline design that provides the necessary protection without encroaching into the surrounding area. An optional sounder is now accompanied by a flashing LED acting as an additional visual alert, ideal for adapted settings for people with hearing impairments. A sturdy polycarbonate shell deflects heavy blows making it ideal for all education settings, busy corridors, and sports halls – you may have seen STI protective call point covers in the background of recent BBC Documentary “A Special School” filmed at Ysgol Y Deri.

Free samples at asdan.org.uk/my-independence

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Become a Foster Care Hero

Fairfield Farm College getting creative

Do you have room in your heart and in your home to change someone’s life? You need to be over 21, have a spare room and go through a few checks to make sure fostering is right for you. You don’t need special qualifications, and you’ll receive training, benefits and financial support.

Students are getting creative during lockdown, taking part in a Virtual Bake Off. Students cooked up a variety of delicious chocolate chip mug cakes, with students taking to Zoom to judge each other’s creations. This is just one of many online activities that students have been enjoying as part of their virtual learning programme during the latest lockdown.

Fostering is one of the most rewarding things you can do, and Derbyshire County Council would love to talk to you about becoming one of their foster care heroes. Call 0800 083 77 44 or visit derbyshire.gov.uk/fostering for more information.

Fairfield Farm College offers predominantly vocational lessons, such as Hospitality, Catering, Retail, Horticulture, Animal Management and Equine Studies, so offering these lessons online has been a challenge for teachers. However, the team have risen to the occasion, and have learned a variety of new ways to interact and enjoy a shared learning experience. fff.ac.uk

Lasting Power of Attorney Service

Support for Children with Sight Loss

Diverse Abilities, Dorset’s disability charity, has expanded the benefits and Lasting Power of Attorney service offered by its in-house Advice Team.

NEW resources available on their website providing practical information to support you and your child – including a guide to what experts you may meet, and what they can do to help.

The Advice Team offers support to anyone with a physical or learning disability, and their carers and families, on a matter of topics including PIP, ESA, CSA, wills with trusts, and Lasting Power of Attorney documents. During the pandemic, the team has been able to expand this service outside of Dorset at a reduced cost due to providing support over the phone as opposed to inperson appointments. If you require help or support, visit diverseabilities.org.uk/advice to find out more.

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You can also find detailed advice to help your child receive the education support they are entitled to – including everything you need to know about the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. Plus resources to help keep your child active and engaged at home, including advice on home learning. Find out more at guidedogs.org.uk/children or call 0800 781 1444 to speak to their specialist team.

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What’s new?

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A new handy guide to playground design Leading play and outdoor equipment manufacturer, HAGS, have been working with renowned experts in play and child development to create a handy guide to creating an inclusive play space. The guide provides valuable tips for every step of the playground design journey and demonstrates some of the inspirational playgrounds HAGS have designed.

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.

To download your free copy: hags.co.uk/sen-mag-guide

Virtual open day

New primary residential provision

Beechwood College is hosting a Virtual Open Day for parents who are looking for a placement for their son or daughter.

A new primary residential floor has just opened, providing a wonderful space for the school’s infant and junior pupils to enjoy.

As the College cannot permit visits at present due to COVID restrictions, the Open Day should answer all the questions both parents and students might have about the education and care the College provides. Reserve your space at the Open Day at https://bit.ly/BeechwoodVirtualOpenDay Beechwood College is a specialist further education college, based in South Wales, for students between the ages of 16 and 25 with complex ASD and related diagnoses. They are currently accepting enquiries for new student placements. www.beechwoodcollege.co.uk

A lovely welcoming environment has been created to ensure pupils feel safe, happy and are well cared for. A range of on-site and off-site activities are on offer every evening to help develop pupils self-confidence and friendships with other pupils. Muntham House School is an all through special school, catering for boys with Autism, SEMH and other SEN conditions. Day and residential placements are available for pupils aged 5-18. muntham.org.uk

MemRabel 3 (MR3) Daily Task Scheduling Calendar Clock

Understanding and supporting your autistic students

The MemRabel 3 by Medpage allows media files including videos, photos, and voice memos to be used as reminder prompts for people with challenging memory or cognition skills. The MR3 has 150 pre-loaded, ready-to-use daily living prompt videos. You can also create your own with your Smartphone and send them via the APP. The MR3 is now available for £99.99 and if you want to use the Smartphone APP for reminders it’s only £29.99 per year.

The National Autistic Society has been running autism-specific schools and learning for autistic pupils and their families for more than 50 years.

easylinkuk.co.uk/MR3

The National Autistic Society offers training for school staff or bespoke packages for your entire team. Upcoming courses • Essential autism licensed user training • Autism and continence • Autism and SPELL licensed user training • EarlyBird licensed user training • Understanding stress and anxiety in autism autism.org.uk/training

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What’s new?

Supported Internships for young people with special education needs and disabilities in North London Supported Internships are aimed at young people aged 16-25 who have an Education, Health and Care plan and want to move into work but need extra support to do so. Taking place at Whittington Hospital, interns can develop a variety of workplace skills including administration, maintenance, hospitality and housekeeping. The unpaid Supported Internships form part of the intern’s education and equip young people with special educational needs and disabilities with the skills needed for adulthood and employment.

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Leading autism charity Prior’s Court unveils new branding Since opening as a specialist school for young people with autism in 1999, Prior’s Court has become so much more. The new branding was developed to be more reflective of the organisation it has become today - now additionally offering 52 week residential care including a young adult provision, a training and development centre with world-class expertise, its own research programme, a bakery providing real work opportunities and pioneering technology to better understand autism.

The programme is run by Ambitious College in partnership with DFNProjectSearch and Whittington Trust.

Their purpose is simple; to transform the lives of young people with complex autism, helping them to build a brighter, more independent future.

ambitiouscollege.org.uk/supported-internships

priorscourt.org.uk

Digital Assessment solutions

A special twist on a classic

Supporting face-to-face and remote sessions.

An extra special twist on a classic sensory resource. Rhino UK’s Wipeable Ball Blankets are perfect for users with anxiety or stress. The balls inside the blanket provide calming deep pressure stimulation, soothing proprioceptive systems, and helping users feel safe and protected.

Each child has the potential to become a successful learner, but some may require additional support with their unique educational needs. So that you can help your students throughout their educational journey, you can find a number of SEN and Mental Health assessments on our comprehensive, innovative, research-based digital tools, Q-global and Q-interactive. These tools allow you to identify students who are at risk or require additional support as well as pinpointing their strengths and areas of need, either face to face or via remote sessions. pearsonclinical.co.uk/digitalsen

Their comforting Ball Blankets are made from hospitalgrade materials, both robust and hard-wearing, making them perfect for shared use in classrooms. What’s best is that they’re also easy to wipe down and clean, meeting infection control guidelines. rhinouk.com/product/wipeable-ball-blanket

Unlock learning for all

Grace Garden School now open

Global learning company Pearson has announced a collaboration with leading online speech therapy and counselling provider Mable Therapy, to help schools and children in the UK access more online speech therapy and mental health support during the Covid-19 pandemic. Together, they provide you with quick access to direct, engaging, online therapy for pupils as well as highquality training for teachers - delivered by qualified and experienced UK therapists.

Ruskin Mill Trust is delighted to announce the opening of Grace Garden School. Offering an education to young people aged 9 – 16 with complex social, emotional and behavioural difficulties including autism spectrum conditions. Grace Garden School is set in 18 acres of cultivated landscape on the outskirts of Bristol. At Grace Garden School, children and young people are supported to learn as much as possible outside, participating in crafts, gardening and the exploration of nature. From these experiences their young people will come to understand the larger world and their place in it, along with the connections between themselves and their community.

go.pearson.com/mable

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To find out more contact 0330 055 2653 or admissions@rmt.org

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What’s new?

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SEND now offering CPDs and other services The SEND Group has been developed to deliver high quality services within the special educational needs and disability community. SEND Group delivers unique opportunities for those that work within SEND by offering Continuing Personal Development (CPD), along with additional services to support their needs within the education setting. We also deliver high quality webinars.

Sunken Trampolines Ireland Having had unprecedented response during Covid-19 for trampolines across the globe, Sunken Trampolines have now launched in the Republic of Ireland. Ireland, where they now sell and install. If you are a school, OT or residence wanting a trampoline either in the ground or above, Sunken Trampolines has a wide range of trampolines to suit your needs. Look them up: www.sunkentrampolines.ie

sendgroup.co.uk hello@sendgroup.co.uk

Sensory Play Environments

Eco-Buildings at Petty Pool

Sensory Play is an important aspect of a child’s learning. Sovereign’s research shows that it has a key role in the development of essential social skills, speech and learning. For children with special educational needs, sensory play is particularly valuable in assisting with their personal development.

Petty Pool Vocational College commission modular offsite solution from TG Escapes Eco-Buildings.

Including Sovereign Sensory Play equipment will enable children to communicate in a natural way with others. Sensory play allows children to reduce stresses, anxiety and distract from difficult behavioural situations and build concentration.

Petty Pool is a specialist education provider for young adults with learning difficulties, supporting over 100 full-time students from across Cheshire, Halton and Warrington. Site Manager Ian West says, “The space is bright airy and a great space for learning. It’s a great-looking building and fits into the woodland environment with ease. The teaching space is fantastic and really well designed. It has a great feeling of space and is light and airy, giving our students a calming space to learn.” For inclusive learning building case studies visit tgescapes.co.uk

As specialists in providing Sensory play environments, Sovereign will work with you to create the perfect play space. sovereignplayequipment.co.uk

Queen’s Birthday Honours The trustees of St. John’s School in Seaford and St. John’s College in Brighton were delighted that the CEO Simon Charleton was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in October 2020. The amazing team effort from all 350 staff members at St. John’s was reflected in the citation ‘for services to young people with SEND during the pandemic’. Simon said, “for neuro-diverse young people the pandemic has been a difficult time and, owing to the professionalism of the whole staff team, learning has continued to be of a high quality whether on-site or off-site.” 01273 244 000 / 01323 872 940 admissions@st-johns.co.uk st-johns.co.uk

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Online skills-based trainings, conferences, webinars, resources Vital CPD and training needs for all child professionals (from education, social work, counselling, psychology, occupational therapy etc.) on child and adolescent mental health and child trauma. Providing practical tools, techniques and key innovative strategies from international trainers and practitioners, all experts in their field. Upcoming live stream events include: 6 March 2021 - Top international experts/ practitioners discuss: The Neuroscience of Emotions and Relationships - what you need to know to support children & teenagers 24 April 2021 - Dr Dan Hughes presents: Therapeutic Interventions to Heal (vital elements of attachment and mental health) childmentalhealthcentre.org 020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

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What’s new?

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New products from Tough Furniture

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One of Tough Furniture’s newer products, the Colstey 2-seater chair, is constructed of a solid piece of rotationally moulded plastic and is ideal for use in SEN environments where furniture may occasionally be subjected to challenging behaviours. It’s suitable for inside or outside use and comes in Lime, Magenta, Charcoal and White. It can also be weighted with sand to make it difficult to throw or tip over. For added versatility, it can also be teamed with the individual Colstey chair and the accompanying table – which features a built in space for toys or books.

Some children with SEN have challenges with their short, long, and working memory and therefore the ‘automatic recall’ of times tables can be unattainable. It is essential we provide those children with a mechanism to understand multiplication as ‘repeated addition’ and a way to derive the times table facts.

www.toughfurniture.com 01588 674 340

Email contact@themathsmum.co.uk

VisionAid OrCam Read Smart SpLD Edition

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OrCam Read Smart’s breakthrough, AI-driven assistive reading technology is designed for students with language processing challenges, including dyslexia. Handheld, pen-sized, easy-to-use point and click operation, seamlessly captures and reads aloud the complete text – in real time – from any surface (book, newspaper) or screen (computer, smartphone). The only assistive device that can do this! Entirely offline operation – resulting in instant readback and ensuring data privacy. New interactive “Smart Reading” feature, increases accessibility by enabling students to target specific text using voice commands like “read headlines”, or “find” a specific word. visionaid.co.uk/orcam

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The Maths Mum® “Skittles” Visual Times Tables use colourful, child friendly arrays to represent this concept. They build on existing knowledge of addition, counting on and number sequences to enable children to derive rather than recall the times table facts. Read more and purchase at www.themathsmum.co.uk

SMART SEN & Creative is a community, not-for-profit, inclusive company, providing creative artistic activities. Through fun activities, children gain important social and emotional skills, personal development, and essential life skills. Our workshops are fun, for everyone to enjoy, including young people who may struggle with mental health, anxiety, and isolation. SMART provides Musical theatre workshops which are a combination of singing, dancing, and drama, creative after school activities, school holiday programmes and work in schools. We combine aspects of CBT and provide strategies in all our specialist programmes, working with either 1-2-1 or in groups, whilst providing positive support to children and their families. W: smartperforming.org P: 077941 24224 E: enquiries@smartperforming.org

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Point of view

Point of view: parent

Forgotten families The pandemic has been extra hard on parents and carers of children with special needs, writes Katie Stables. Are we all in this together? At the very start of the pandemic, this was a phrase that was frequently used by many, including television personalities, journalists and even my daughter’s teacher. In the first few weeks, we all enjoyed spotting rainbows in the houses we walked past and strangers often waved at us from their windows. It was like some sort of utopia that we found ourselves suddenly living in, and you would be fooled into thinking that what this dreadful disease had actually managed to do was to unite us as a nation. The only thing that we have in common is the covid sea we find ourselves trying to, desperately searching for dry land. However, the vessel that carries you through the storm can be very different from your friends, colleagues or neighbours. What we forget are the people clinging to rafts or barely keeping afloat. Even before covid, the feelings and wellbeing of the parents of children with disabilities and additional needs were very rarely discussed. No one could have foreseen the absolute devastation this pandemic would bring to our community and the feeling of abandonment it has brought to so many. For many children and young adults without special needs, the upset it has caused cannot be underestimated. But for those with disabilities, too many of the vital services, daily routines, treatments and just daily human contact all but vanished overnight. This affects the physical health and emotional well-being of the children - but the frustration and helplessness parents feel and the loneliness and isolation isolation has lead to is truly catastrophic. Not only is it the services we have come to rely on to enable development and assist daily life, but the support our family and friends provide to us as parents who are also carers. I could not have imagined how alone I would suddenly feel. As I do not live in the same town as my family or even close to a friend, for the first 10 weeks I felt utterly bereft. To have lost one element of daily life is difficult enough, but Covid-19 has taken everything we know away. That’s difficult enough for us as adults, but how can you possibly begin to explain to your child why they are not going to school, where Grandma has suddenly gone and that their beloved play area is now closed? Sadly, we were also forgotten about when forming social bubbles. Whilst it is good that those with a child under five years old who have disabilities can now be included in that group, what about everyone else? This reinforces an ongoing lack of understanding and empathy for the needs of our families. SEN111

About the author Katie Stables is a mum to a six year old girl with global development delay and sensory behaviours, most likely linked to an as yet unknown genetic condition. She has worked in a variety of early years settings for over 22 years and until the pandemic, she worked as a SENCO supporting children and their families. She is passionate about highlighting and supporting many topics relating to special educational needs.

“Too many of the vital services and daily routines all but vanished overnight.” Many schools are now open and functioning as close to normal as they can, but there are still children unable to attend and staff put under extreme pressure and potential exposure as our children cannot be taught at a two metre distance. The holistic nature of specialist provision and the wonderful care and education they provide is invaluable and its absence was greatly missed. Teaching staff really are our critical workers and their work should not go unnoticed. It finally feels like better times are just in sight, and we hope that our lives will resemble something as close to normal as possible. Once the storm passes, no one will be able to say we have shared the same experiences. Sadly, the things that divided us before and the inequalities we face, are once again magnified in these strangest of times. It certainly feels like it’s a time for change!

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

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Mental Health

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SEN law

What you need to know about Secondary School Transfers Douglas Silas looks at what the law says about Secondary Transfers for pupils with SEN.

t this time of year, Local Authorities (LAs) amend Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) of children in Year 6 with SEN to name a secondary school for them from September. So in this issue, I am going to provide an overview of what the law says about ’Secondary Transfers’.

What is the general law about ‘Secondary Transfers’ for children with SEN? Parents of children with SEN who are transferring to secondary school are asked to express a preference for a secondary school at the same time as parents of children without SEN. This is by the end of October of Year 6. There is usually a standard form to complete (although many applications are now done online). Parents are asked to name three or more schools, in order of preference. It is sometimes possible to apply for a place under a school’s ‘medical and social needs’ criteria, but not all schools have one. Some schools also require a ’supplementary information’ form to be completed, where parents can also refer to their child’s SEN. In any event, secondary school places are sent out on 1 March. If parents are unhappy, they can lodge an admissions appeal, using the relevant processes documented by their preferred SEN111

“The law around transfers can be quite complicated” school. They can provide further evidence during the appeal process. If your child has specific medical or social needs related to SEN, it’s important that you provide up-to-date evidence to show why the school you are requesting will be able to meet those needs.

What is the law in relation to children with EHCPs? An EHCP must be reviewed and amended in sufficient time prior to a child moving to secondary school. Reviews and amendments must be completed by a legal deadline of 15th February in Year 6, and LAs must amend children’s EHCPs to name their secondary school from September of that year. The law surrounding secondary school transfers for children with EHCPs can be quite complicated, depending on the situation which parents find themselves in. For example, the LA may name a local maintained special school, whereas parents want a local maintained mainstream school or academy, with senmagazine.co.uk

SEN law

“Denominational considerations cannot override the requirements of the law”

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

additional support or therapy, or sometimes a non-maintained or independent, more specialist special school. On the other hand (and more commonly), the LA may name a local maintained mainstream school or academy, whereas parents want a local maintained special school, or a nonmaintained or an independent special school.

@douglassilas

Does the LA have to name a preferred placement? EHCPs must record in Section I the type of school to be attended by the child, and preferably also the name of a specific school. If a child’s parent makes a request for a particular secondary school, the LA must comply with that preference and name the school in the EHCP, unless it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child/young person, or the attendance of the child/young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others or the efficient use of resources. However, LA’s only have to comply with preferences in relation to to maintained nursery schools/schools, academies and free schools, non-maintained special schools and any independent school or specialist college which has been approved by the Secretary of State. So, as is often the case with law, the answer is therefore always both “yes” and “no”! “Yes” because, if it is one of the types of school listed above, the LA are usually required to name it, provided it complies with the provisos also described above. But if the desired school is not in the above list, or if it falls within the exceptions, the answer is “no”.

So, in a nutshell, what does the law say? Right to Mainstream Inclusion The theory is that every child, no matter their SEN, has a right to be educated inclusively in a mainstream school. Where parents want mainstream education and it would not be incompatible with the efficient education of others, the LA has a duty to secure that provision. Where a parent does not make a request for a particular school, or does so and their request is not met, the LA must specify mainstream provision in the EHCP, unless it would be against the wishes of the parent or young person, or incompatible with the efficient education of others Refusal of Mainstream Inclusion Mainstream education cannot be refused by a LA on the grounds that it is not ‘suitable’. A LA (or school) can only rely senmagazine.co.uk

on the exception of incompatibility with the efficient education of others, if it can show that there are no ‘reasonable steps’ it could take to prevent that incompatibility. The Right to a Denominational School The LA should consider very carefully a request from a parent for a denominational school, but denominational considerations cannot override the requirements of the law. Requests for A Particular School or Other Institution The child’s parent has the right to request a particular school to be named in their EHC plan. Maintained schools, academies, free schools, non-maintained special schools and ‘section 41’ schools can all be requested. If a child’s parent makes a request for a particular school in these groups, the LA must comply with that preference unless it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child, or the attendance of the child or young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or the efficient use of resources. The child’s parents may also make representations for independent schools that are not approved and the LA must still consider their request, but the LA is not under the same legal duty to name the provider and are only obliged to keep in mind that children should be educated in accordance with their parents’ wishes, so long as this is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and training and does not mean ‘unreasonable public expenditure’.

Can parents of children with EHCPs appeal for a different school? Sometimes parents do not get the LA to name their preferred school at first. Although there are other ways of resolving disagreement (such as mediation), it is common for parents to now bring an appeal to the SEND Tribunal seeking an alternative school, which they must do within 2 months of the issue of the EHCP. SEN111

Accessible vehicles

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Brand new conversion from Brotherwood The UK’s Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Specialists Brotherwood have begun their 37th year of business by revealing a brand new WAV conversion for the Toyota Proace Verso MPV. The Brotherwood Tigon, designed and engineered exclusively at the Brotherwood factory in Sherborne, Dorset, introduces a new model to the Brotherwood WAV range, with a host of unique features, and is aimed primarily at users of larger, heavy powered electric wheelchairs. The Tigon benefits from an exclusive flat, level lowered floor conversion, which enables the wheelchair user to travel centrally between two rear passenger seats in the second row. The internal headroom of 571/2 inches provides an excellent view out over the vehicle’s surroundings, and creates a light, spacious interior - enhanced further by Toyota’s Skyview panoramic sunroof. The ‘Tigon’ Toyota Proace Verso WAV is exclusively available now from Brotherwood. For more information, and to arrange a free, Covid-safe, no-obligation home demonstration, call Brotherwood today on 01935 872603 or visit brotherwood.com. SEN111

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SEN news

Report proves destructive impact of lockdown learning on SEND pupils The past year of lockdowns and distance learning has been incredibly harmful to both families and young people. A recent study has painted a concerning picture of teachers and professionals struggling to support pupils and their families during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is unrealistic for all pupils to attend special schools and colleges during lockdown, which is suggested by government guidance put out earlier this year.

Key findings

In-school provision Places were severely limited during the first national lockdown, with only around a third of pupils being offered places at special schools due to staffing issues and unclear guidance. Places that were offered were often not full-time, and services required to get pupils to school were disrupted. Additionally, almost all providers (98%) said that their pupils could not or would not adhere to social distancing rules, either through a lack of understanding or because they needed close personal care.

Support available from health, care and social services

■ IT problems can prevent students from learning

Lack of health care was another mayor problem, especially during the first lockdown. Health and social care services were diminished or stopped entirely. School staff were left trying to fill the gaps left by these closures for families who desperately needed it. According to the research, 83% of pupils at home and 65% of pupils attending school or college got little to no healthcare support during lockdown. For social care, 77% of pupils at home and 57% of pupils attending school or college got either no or only a small amount of support, including respite care and home help.

reported increased stress, anxiety and mental health issues, which affected their ability to help and care for their child with special needs.

Support at home Remote learning was almost impossible to provide for pupils of special schools and colleges who had to learn at home for health reasons. Approximately one in every three of these families had to deal with limited computer access or functionality, and their additional needs severely limited the students’ ability to engage with online classes or instruction. Many pupils needed all of their home learning materials individually produced to meet their specific needs, and parents needed guidance and equipment to help their child learn at home. This meant that home-schooled pupils needed an incredible amount of resources.

Caregivers reported that the first national lockdown led to a loss of skills and abilities (such as communication and mobility) in their children and increased behavioural and mental health issues. Caregivers worried that this was likely to impact on their future life chances. School and college leaders were also concerned about the long-term effects of the lockdown on pupils and families. The research took place between June and August last year, hearing from 200 special school and college leaders and 500 parents whose children usually attend these settings.

Recommendations The report set out ten recommended actions to get more pupils back into their school or college safely, to better support those who are at home and to help their families.

Personal experiences

Amy Skipp, Director of ASK Research, who led the project, said: “This research shows a worrying situation that has not been wellmanaged by Government. The national policy has shown little understanding or regard for pupils with SEND and their families. Lessons desperately need to be learnt, and fast, or we are in danger of failing these potentially vulnerable families. Policymakers need to pay urgent attention to our recommendations.”

Anxiety and mental health issues also plagued families with children that had to be taught and supported at home. Caregivers

Read the full report on Nuffieldfoundation.org

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ASDAN

be a h

Fostering

A hero is someone we can all look up to and admire. Some children don’t have that role model and that’s where you come in. Here at Derbyshire County Council we need new foster carers. While we welcome applications for all fostering roles we currently have an increased need for carers for children with complex disabilities. You would provide family-based, long-term and short-break foster placements for children and young people who continue to live with their families or carers. You would be over 21 and have experience of working with young people with complex disabilities, have suitable accommodation or be willing to have it adapted with our help. You would be self-employed, paid at a higher rate (equivalent to a wage) and carry out the role full time as a main job. We think that fostering is one of the most rewarding things you can do and we’d love to talk to you about how you can join us to give hope, help and healing to children that need it. Call 0800 083 77 44 or visit derbyshire.gov.uk/fostering for more information.

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Short breaks

Giving the gift of time to siblings of SEN children Clare Rochford discusses how the need to support siblings has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and her own experiences with her sister with special needs.

he pandemic has changed our service provisions in many ways. While remote sessions through the magic of Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, Jitsi and countless other pieces of software have helped to fill the void, it has also been essential to maintain regular 1:1 contact with families. Over the summer, we worked to deliver play sessions within childcare bubbles to minimise any and all risk of transmission for families playing together, and to ensure staff can continue to provide care for those who need it most. We even managed to pull together a Santa’s grotto to provide some sense of normality during the festive season for families of SEN children. However, one area where I think we can all make improvements is supporting siblings of children with SEN. This has become even more apparent during the pandemic. Working with families over the past three years, I have learnt that there is a big gap in provision for siblings. I believe that a lot of this comes down to funding and people having the skills to deliver this kind of project. I felt as a team we could definitely meet this need, we know a lot of the siblings of the children we support really well, and we have watched them

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“A lot of these young people will not experience many adults in their life that can give them time.” grow and have given them time and freedom to be themselves. But could we go one step further and give them a project solely targeted at supporting them?

Being an SEN sibling I myself am a sibling. My big (but little) sister has a rare genetic condition called Smith-Magenis Syndrome, a developmental condition affecting many parts of the body. It was tough growing up, I took on the big sister role, I felt like my mum and dad didn’t have time for me, and a lot of their time was taken up caring for her. Because of this, I had a really warped view of senmagazine.co.uk

Short breaks

“Working with families over the past three years, I have learnt that there is a big gap in provision for siblings.”

About the author Clare Rochford is the Children’s Team Manager at Diverse Abilities, Dorset’s disability charity. diverseabilities.org.uk

@diverseabilitiesplus diverseabilities @

the world and my family life. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that a social worker spent time with me exploring my feelings and made me realise that I wasn’t alone. Later in life, I helped start a sibling group. I found it therapeutic to be able to share my lived experience, and it was then that I was able to reflect on how my poor mother really did have it tough and that she had actually done a pretty good job at making sure life was fair for both my sister and I.

Creating a support network It is important to provide the opportunity and enable young people to realise they are not alone, bringing them together to create a group that will hopefully give them a support network which will last far longer than the few years they wish to attend, because in my experience being a sibling never ends. Most importantly, we can give them our time – a lot of these young people will not experience many adults in their life that can give them time, time to be a child, time to learn important skills such as baking, time to craft, make messes, and have fun. Time to be heard, to listen, and to care. My hope is we can be that person. Whilst the group is currently paused due to the current restrictions, we are able to continue our research the need for the group, the focus our group will take, the difference

■ Clare and her sister

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■ Siblings of children with SEND can feel like they aren’t being heard.

our group can make, and to enable staff training so they can make the most of the two hours a week they get to spend with the young people. This means that as soon as the group can restart, we are ready to support and have fun with the young people. Life is tough enough for siblings, let alone without the impact of Covid-19 on their lives, the pressure on family life is so much greater. For all I say about how being a sibling is tough, now that I am an adult I can see that it can also be the most wonderful thing. I get to live my life through the eyes of a child every day; Christmas is still magical, birthdays are still exciting, and the love my sister and I share is special. I am so grateful for having her in my life, because of her I have learnt to be empathetic and I am 100% better at my job, because I can relate to these families and their struggles and I can tell them: ‘together we will be OK’. Our hope is that when the current phase of lockdown eases, we can reinstate the work we have started, and we will be sharing what we learn along the way in order to help siblings everywhere. SEN111

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Power of Attorney

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Support’s

World Autism Awareness Week 29 March to 4 April 2021

Help create a society that works for autistic people.

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Autism

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Autism

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Autism

Be the change in 2021 Fighting the stigma of autism is already an uphill battle, but it can be extra hard when you’re part of a minority group, writes Venessa Bob

he first lockdown made me realise how much autism and other related conditions are overlooked. I caught pneumonia at the end of March. I thought I had asthma, but the inhaler didn’t work, and it took me a week before I got to the GP. I was scared to think what would happen to my children if I died. I had battled for years to get the right support for them. For any parent of an autistic child or adult, asking for help, advice and information can be exhausting, tiring and degrading. For many, parents of autistic children, mainstream provision is non-existent. Autistic household lifestyles may raise eyebrows to the non-autistic onlooker, who may be quick to criticise without understanding what autism is. Include the cultural perspective and another layer is added.

Covid-19 During the first lockdown going shopping was a nightmare. Finding particular brand foods and drinks was impossible (my teenagers have highly specific tastes, so forget about non-brand food!). The one size fits all policy installed during the lockdown caused unnecessary distress. The lockdown benefited many, yet there appeared to be little or no consideration for those who have carers, the elderly, expectant mothers or lone parents who have multiple dependents with disabilities. Just look at the one-person household rule when going to supermarkets, and the reports of security personnel mistreating customers with a hidden disability! As a Black mother raising three teenagers between the ages of 15 and 20 and a 3-year-old grandson, Covid-19 certainly put my parenting skills to the test. Having to ask for help was something I hated doing, but I needed to as I could see the issues unfolding within my household. I was not prepared for lockdown; I was planning two SEN tribunal appeals which ended up being remote.

“For any parent of an autistic child or adult, asking for help, advice and information can be exhausting, tiring and degrading.”

My son was diagnosed at 5 (in 2008) with Autism, ADHD and Sleep Disorder and then in 2018/2019 with Learning Difficulties and Severe Receptive Expressive Language disorder. My youngest daughter, now 15, was diagnosed in 2017/2018 with Autism, ADHD, Severe Receptive Expressive Language disorder and Epilepsy. In 2017, my eldest daughter was diagnosed with Moderate Language Difficulties. She is the mother to my 3-year-old grandchild. I was already running a non-profit that I formed due to the challenges I experienced with my son. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was invited to join several steering and consultation groups. This gave me an insight to the lack of services and provisions for autistic people and their families. Isolation, social distancing, support bubbles and face masks had become the new normal. For many there was no school, no college, no homework, no work and no socialising! Our area is now under Tier 5 restrictions, which has caused more divide, more confusion, mixed messages and uncertainty for autistic individuals.

What needs to change Local clinical commissioning groups, volunteer groups and many statutory groups need to be re-trained in Autism. There is a need for major changes to how data is collected and checks put in place for how information is shared.

■ Venessa, Joshua Beckford and Knox Daniels.

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During lockdown, our non-profit has seen an increase of Black families urgently seeking help. I remember in 2008 when my son was diagnosed, the only information I was given was two national charities that were of great support. The only problem when attending their local support group was that I was the only Black parent. This meant that at times, I found the coffee mornings were not of interest; they lacked the cultural element. senmagazine.co.uk

Autism

“Our goal was to provide a safe space and bring communities together” Talking about race After the Black Lives Matter movement last summer, I have noticed that discussing the movement brought discomfort. There is clinical evidence that Minority Ethnic groups are at a higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than the rest of the population. When autism and learning disabilities are also an issue, it becomes an area that the government and local authorities are still not sufficiently addressing. Many Black and Asian autistic people are also suffering due to the lack of representation; many are not known to the local authorities and have difficulties accessing local services.

About the author Venessa Bobb is the Founder of A2ndvoice CIC and Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism Advisory Group. a2ndvoice.com @a2ndvoice @a2ndvoicecic

It was depressing watching the news, as it constantly kept repeating the same thing on all channels. I wanted to do something, and decided to start running programs in Wandsworth and Lambeth. My first online session was held in April, hosting from 2 to 4 online sessions a week. Our face to face coffee mornings and workshops consisted of the regular group, mainly White families. However, I noticed an increase in Black, Asian and Dual Heritage families who joined the online events regularly. Many of these attendees didn’t know about local groups! Autistic people and families formed new friends. Our goal was to provide a safe space and bring communities together.

How autism affects non-white communities Autism affects all communities. However, the additional challenges for Black and Brown people are the lack of understanding, acceptance and support within and outside of the autistic community. Cultural awareness programs are essential to minimise a lot of the issues within the family home and wider community. With my non-profit, we co-delivered and co-produced online programmes with SEN Parenting funded by NHS England to look at Inappropriate Inpatient Admission in Prevention and Avoidance in a Crisis for the African, Caribbean, Asian And Minority Ethnic Community. The program had a range of speakers from different cultures, professions, autistic speakers, parents, carers and researchers. Providing these webinars allowed different communities to come together and have healthy discussions and not be scared to talk about race and the challenges found within their families, friends and workplaces.

Finding representation The difficulties for African, Caribbean, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Dual Heritage families is a lack of representation when seeking for materials and resources that look like them. Africa senmagazine.co.uk

■ Venessa’s grandson.

has around 2000 languages, whilst Asia has 2300. So it is important to know where to find local ASD or SEND groups who may have a translator, interpreter or someone who can assist. Confidentiality is the key so it is important to make sure that those who are offering the services are specialists. However, there are many other areas where work still needs to be done. Several issues raised due to lockdown include the availability of services to cater for sexual health, dental health, eating disorders, sleep deprivation, annual routine checks, benefits and the other issues isolation, loneliness, suicidal thoughts and attempts to find support for ASD specialist counsellors for loss or bereavements. There are also no reasonable adjustments, no easy reading materials and no proper information on Covid-19 to support those who struggle with social anxiety, living alone and with older parents. In these current times, we urgently need pop up clinics for autistic people and those who need support. Overall, the best advice I can give when looking at ethnicity and culture within the SEND community is; don’t assume, ask questions and listen. African, Caribbean and Asian people may have some similarities, but bunching us all together has caused problems which Covid-19 has exposed. Racism, prejudice and stereotypes cloud people’s vision. That is why I no longer use the acronym “BAME”, as as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities are still being excluded. 2021 is the year to enlighten, to empower and to make changes. And it starts with us. SEN111

Autism

Removing the barriers to autism education Pupils with autism are too often excluded from mainstream schools, but Ryan Kelsall believes that an accepting and individualised approach to SEN education is the answer.

tudents with autism are often academically and cognitively able to access a mainstream curriculum but because of the size, daily structures and systems set out in mainstream school environments, they aren’t able to reach their potential. Young people with autism often respond better to teaching when working in smaller groups and when they are in an environment that provides break out spaces and additional rooms where they can work directly with a one on one support assistant. A teacher that is working with a class size of eight students, as opposed to 32 in a mainstream school, will be able to engage more and build more personal relationships with students, encouraging them to realise and reach their full potential. Young people with autism also respond well to the presence of natural light, wide corridors and spaces for them to navigate around and sensory spaces, all to enhance the environment and to make them feel comfortable.

Building relationships In order to remove some of these barriers faced by young people along their educational journey, relationship building should be at the heart of a student’s time at school. These relationships should include those between each student and the staff they work with, other students in the school and their families and support networks. Right from the outset, the whole family should be involved in the young person’s time at school. We also hold constructive conversations with an open and enquiring approach, collaborating with families, teachers and teaching assistants, ensuring that we can provide cohesive support and find out how we can best tailor each student’s education to meet their needs as they grow.

An individual approach Children should be allowed, and actively encouraged, to develop at a pace that suits their needs so as to achieve,

About the author Ryan Kelsall is the Deputy CEO of Eastern Learning Alliance thecavendishschool.org.uk @TCSCambs

@thecavendishschool

match and better their hopes, dreams and ambitions. This is something that can often be overlooked when students with autism study at a mainstream school. However, through active and regular conversations and an individualised approach for each student, school staff members will be able to identify students’ needs and look for the very best ways in which they can be supported. It is vital than when working with a young person with autism, we realise that no one student will be the same. Through a holistic approach to education, we can tailor our curriculum to suit the needs of each young person and allow them to reach their full potential.

The International Baccalaureate Our curriculum at the Cavendish school will follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes because of its broad and balanced nature, and all frameworks of learning pay close attention to the development of the whole student, both at school and beyond. The IB will be taught alongside accredited qualifications and specific therapies or interventions as appropriate for individuals, and learning is both contextualised and all-inclusive. Our teaching will be adapted and differentiated for the needs of the individuals and the curriculum model will also allow for a wide range of activities, like Forest School, Lego therapy and life skills. Autism education should celebrate diversity. It should be accepting, respecting and recognising of neurological and developmental differences and committed to removing barriers to inclusion for young people with autism within and beyond the school community. We believe that providing a holistic and welcoming means of schooling will provide our students with the skills, confidence and abilities to take their place in the world.

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Autism

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Transition

Transitioning into adulthood for autistic children Making a transition into adulthood is a difficult time for any young adult. It is particularly challenging for autistic children, writes Manar Matusiak In this article, I will look at the legal side of transitions, the practical side of transitions and some strategies that might help autistic children in particular.

The law and statutory guidance Children under the age of 18 who need extra support at school or college will be assessed for an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) under the Children and Families Act 2014. This plan can continue up to the age of 25. If a child requires support beyond the age of 18, the Care Act 2014 requires that a local authority carry out a Child’s Needs Assessment (CNA). A CNA can be requested by the young person themselves or the parents at any age before the young person turns 18. For those who are over 18 years of age, the local authority has a duty to carry out an Adult Need’s Assessment which must include a personal budget. Discussions on whether a child will need a CNA should take place from Year 9 and should include the child, their parents or guardians and the school staff. Some young people with EHC Plans might be eligible for the NHS Continuing Healthcare funding (NHS CHC). This comes into force at age 18 and assessments also need to be carried out to find out if they qualify for this.

Practicalities For autistic children, when considering assessments for the EHC Plan it is important to remember that children on the autism spectrum can be as capable as their peers academically (or even surpass their peers), but that their social and communication challenges can impede their learning. SEN111

“Children on the autism spectrum can be as capable as their peers academically”

Consider the following (hypothetical) situations; Literal understanding When asked to grab Mrs Jones when she walks past, a child literally manually grabs the teacher. In this example, the child’s behaviour might be considered challenging or even aggressive. Misunderstanding tone of voice A teacher tells a child holding an empty crisp packet “You throw that on the ground and just see what happens!!!” An autistic child might totally miss the tone of voice, and throw the crisp packet on the floor. The above examples show how an autistic child might find themselves in constant trouble without understanding what they are doing wrong. Often, their self-esteem and self-confidence suffer. Their frustrations might reach levels that cause them to lash out leading to suspensions or even exclusions which in turn lead to the child falling behind their peers in their education. senmagazine.co.uk

Transition

“Careful consideration must be given to the young person’s wishes, aspirations, strengths and qualities” These are just a couple of examples of how autistic pupils can be impacted in different ways to other SEND children. Sensory differences can also cause barriers to learning if sounds are too loud, lights too bright or smells overpowering. Other children might need stronger sensory inputs and totally miss what they should be seeing or hearing.

Growing up Teenage hormones and the complexities of teenage relationships cause even more confusion and frustrations leading to possible misunderstandings with their peers, and even bullying, as well as misunderstandings with the teaching staff. Therefore, EHCPs need to be regularly reviewed and the impacts of social interactions and communication must be clearly understood and supported. According to the SEND Code of Practice, EHCP assessments should have the input of the autistic child, the parents/guardians and relevant professionals. This is especially vital during the transition years. Careful consideration must be given to the young person’s wishes, aspirations, strengths and qualities, as well as their specific challenges - autism affects each person differently. If an adult assessment is carried out by Adult Social Services, the same considerations should be taken into account as for the EHCPs. Adults are expected to live more independently than children and many autistic adults are able to live independently with the right support. Executive functioning challenges can mean that an autistic adult might need support with making plans or decisions and remembering what they need to do. They might be able to do a job with support in the planning and social side of things. For home life, an autistic adult might be able to receive support following an Adults Needs Assessment from Adult Social Care. For work life, an adult might be able to receive support through the Government’s Access to Work scheme.

About the author Manar Matusiak is the Managing Director of Living Autism, helping autistic people and their families find the services, advice and support they need. livingautism.com @livingautismuk

@livingautism

Strategies Change can be scary and overwhelming for many autistic people. Therefore, transitioning out of a school or college environment to an adult environment can lead to increased anxiety and even fear. Executive functioning challenges might mean the autistic individual finds it difficult to imagine what a world they have not yet experienced might be like. They might need support with domestic tasks, budgeting skills or relationship skills, to name but a few. It is really helpful to whoever is supporting the young adult into adulthood that they know what works for the individual and what they need support with. Autistic children and adults might have theory of mind challenges, which means they think the people supporting them know exactly what they need without them specifying their needs. Therefore, asking some questions and working out together what the person’s strengths are and what support might be needed would be helpful. It is useful to find out the following things about an autistic person you are working with; • Their special interests • What skills they need for their special interest • If anything in the physical environment causes them high anxiety – sounds, lights, smells, tastes • Which social situations they are comfortable in and which they find uncomfortable • If they benefit from a structured day and if they need support to create that structure • If they benefit from a quiet space as a retreat if they become overwhelmed from sensory or communication issues

■ Find out the strengths of the autistic person you are working with.

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It is really important to remember every autistic person is an individual and we cannot assume we already know what works best for them. Also, every autistic person will have their preferred modes of communication. We need to find the best way for them to communicate to us what their aspirations in adulthood are and what support they might need to achieve those aspirations. In this way, autistic young people have a better chance of a smooth transition into adulthood. SEN111

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Transition

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Transition

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Transition

It takes a village Properly preparing young people with special educational needs as they move out of school and towards adulthood is vital for their chances of future success, writes Claire Webster.

hen we look at preparing a young person with special educational needs for their move from their school environment into the big wide world of adulthood, we can split the challenges they face into a few categories. Firstly, they need to be prepared educationally, socially, emotionally and, importantly, practically. Those are the pillars for helping the young person build their future success, and they all need to be in place to maximise their chances of thriving when they leave the nurturing environment of school. Whether they are a day pupil or have been supported in residential settings, they are likely to have missed a great deal of their formative education. Many will be looked-after children and some will not have home lives where they are receiving the support they need to succeed as an adult. In those cases, the role of the school in acting as a de facto “parent” to help children gain these skills is all the more important.

Education From an educational perspective, it’s about making sure the basics are in place wherever possible. Often, children with social, emotional or mental health needs, or autism, have missed a lot of school, or have struggled to learn in a traditional classroom environment. They often have low self-esteem and don’t believe they can learn, that they are clever or that they can achieve academically. It’s our job as professionals working with them to have high aspirations for them while they build their self-esteem and confidence. We should believe anything is possible for these young people – for example, why shouldn’t they be able to go to university? So as well as making sure they have wherever possible qualifications in maths, English and science, be it at

Foundation level or GCSE, we can also focus on giving them experiences. These could include university visits: these help children to see for themselves that it’s not something out of their reach. That high aspiration is really important, especially given that nationally only 17% of looked-after young people gained “good” passes in GCSEs compared to 64% non CLA children in mainstream education. When you have the same expectations for all, there can be virtually no difference in their outcomes whether they are looked after, or not.

Vocational education We can also help them explore vocational opportunities that interest them and think outside the box to give them chances to try different careers or roles. One of the young people I work with was given the chance to work alongside the school kitchen team, which he really enjoyed. We took that enthusiasm to the next level and he did work experience in a local hotel. Currently, he’s exploring more avenues to make this his career. We need to remember that for many of our young people, unless it’s “real” for them, it doesn’t hold their interest. We also need to be resilient - it doesn’t always work the first time! We need to be determined for our young people, and exhaust every avenue we can on their behalf. It goes without saying that impartial careers advice and guidance is key in helping young people with SEND transition from school to adulthood. It’s important we remember too that for children with SEND, particularly those who are looked after, even after achieving their post-school goals, their circumstances can still be challenging. For example, for many students, the holidays are a time to go home and be with their families. But for CLA children, they’re not funded to be with their foster carers during the holidays, so where do they go? We shouldn’t think that just because we’ve prepared a young person educationally to move on towards adult life that it’s all plain sailing for them from that point.

Emotional support

■ Jobs that a young person is passionate about often work best.

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That’s why it’s so important that we do all we can to help children be emotionally resilient while they are still in school settings. This will ensure that they are able to meet challenges when they transition to adulthood. That’s when in some cases being a de-facto parent is so important. Our role is to meet some of those basic needs for unconditional and non-judgemental senmagazine.co.uk

Transition

“In our role as de facto parents, there’s a practical element to getting young people with SEN ready for life as an adult.”

About the author Claire Webster is the Group’s Transition Co-ordinator and Virtual Headteacher. kedlestongroup.com @kedlestongroup kedleston-group

love and support, helping them create and sustain positive and safe relationships. Many of the young people we support in SEND settings may have experienced trauma, and so helping them gain access to the right therapies and support to help them with this is also key to their chances of good mental health and well-being as an adult. In my experience, educational psychology, dialectical behaviour therapy, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy and having a full clinical and support team around them gives children the best possible chance of being emotionally prepared for moving on from school and into adulthood.

Socially For many children with SEND, one of the biggest challenges is regulating their emotions and behaviour in situations where they are anxious, worried, angry or even very happy. That can make the world a very daunting place, and one which could be actively hostile as they grow older and become adults. It’s important to spend a lot of time supporting young people in their learning in how the world works and what society expects. Some of the young people I’ve worked with have, because of their SEND, struggled with some really basic social interactions like going to the shop. With proper support, planning and preparation, and regular proactive attention, we’ve worked together to reduce their anxiety around this and they then make good progress. Another aspect that’s important to consider as young people transition towards adulthood, as it is for any young person, is sexual appropriateness. Teachers sometimes need to take on the role of surrogate parent in some cases to make sure young adults are properly informed about what is and isn’t appropriate in terms of sexual behaviour, including explaining the risks of exploitation, keeping ourselves safe and valuing our own worth. The PHSE curriculum at school obviously plays a large part in this process.

Practically Finally, in our role as de facto parents, there’s a practical element to getting young people with SEND ready for life as senmagazine.co.uk

an adult. Can they navigate the public transport systems of buses and trains? Can they budget and manage their money? Do they know what they may have to pay for as an adult? Can they prepare and cook a meal? Can they clean their home and can they look after their own laundry? They’re tough asks for any teenager, but when a young person has SEND, they’re even more difficult to negotiate. Groundwork in all of these key skills is essential. The frustration for all of us working with looked after children in particular is that once all of the groundwork has been done at school to help these young people be ready for their next step in the world, there’s often many unknowns. Too few suitable placements for them which leads by necessity to last minute decisions.That final hurdle can be the most difficult. I liken it to moving house and settling in a new one – we all know how difficult it is to move, but we know when we get there, we’ll have all our things and all our ‘people’ with us. But for looked-after children moving on as an adult, they have to move without the things that are familiar to them, and without their ‘people’. It’s daunting for them, and it’s not surprising that some find it incredibly difficult. In an ideal world, I’d love to see services for young people that are 17-25 and which are modelled more on families, with provisions continuing to offer a guiding hand that all young people need. As part of my role, I follow up with the young people who leave our residential and day schools who are CLA. The vast majority successfully make the transition from specialist setting to mainstream college, but if they’re struggling, there’s a familiar and trusted face who can help them. This helps the new people in their lives find a path through the difficulties and towards a successful, healthy and ultimately happy transition to adulthood. SEN111

Dyslexia

Why assistive technology benefits everyone Making adaptive tech a part of all tech will make accessibility a breeze, writes Myles Pilling

uring this time of Covid, we have had to adapt our teaching methods and practices from face to face to online methods. I recently connected with a parent with a teenage son who has dyslexia and had to conduct an online assessment. The video meeting was done via video and sharing of screens. I was surprised to find that we could share my mobile device screen with him. He was also on a mobile device, so he could type in real time into a word processor. We then looked at ways to help his spelling using a built-in assistive technology keyboard app. Mobile devices can be shared on video conferencing software. It’s not always 100% reliable but what is clear is that you can work collaboratively over the internet even over a distance. I regularly use tools that enable me to connect effectively over the internet to help people.

Interactive tools For instance, some tutors use Assistive Tech to remotely connect with the user’s computer. In these times of remote learning, having more interactive tools is helpful to dyslexic SEN111

“Are you making the most of all the tools in your virtual toolbox?”

learners but AT can be used to collaborate on joint peer to peer projects. The tools are out there for this to take place. Are you making the most of all the tools in your virtual toolbox? Are you taking time to look at what would be useful to help pupils learn? Obviously, talking over machines has a risk factor and should only be allowed for professionals such as teachers and tutors known to the pupil. Sharing screens is a lot easier from an e-safety point of view using software that has good protection from outside interruption by unwanted guests. senmagazine.co.uk

Dyslexia

“For some, a more complex need is likely to require a more specialist solution.”

About the author Myles Pilling is a Specialist SEND ICT-AT Consultant working in the area of education and the community. aas123.com @mylespilling

We need to make more creative use of what we have already. Maybe use a second video camera to show practical activities in real-time. Chunk the presentations so that it is not too long. The video conference medium really works best on breaking up content into bite-size bits. Ensure that your materials are accessible to all, different formats, large text, mp3 or closed caption. The latter can be more tricky to apply but some video conferencing packages have it built in. Use cloud-based resources that provide interactive work both on computer and off computer. Assistive technology products can enable the user to correct spelling, improve accuracy with word prediction, and have feedback through text to speech. These recording tools are effective and useful. Through the use of Artificial Intelligence, they are getting more fluid and enabling pupils and students to achieve more and be more efficient as these tools are integrated into the software you use. Having built-in tools bypasses the need for lengthier processes, such as combining different software to complete a task. They are intuitive, fast and effective in their tasks and are now being built into the platforms themselves making them even more accessible. All

mylespilling

the major operating systems are introducing them and this is good news for the dyslexic learner. Another trend is the integration of assistive technology into mainstream software that in schools and the workplace. This will enable people to overcome barriers such as literacy and stigma attached to having a special need. These tools are basic but powerful.

So what about specialised software? In this time of constrained and tight budgets, is specialised software worth the money? I say it is. In any Assistive Technology solution, there needs to be a matching of the tech to the individual’s need; one size does not fit all. Even two people with the same disability will not have the same requirements for technology. So for some, a more complex need is likely to require a more specialist solution. In other words, the free stuff can only take you so far. To gain a rounded picture of what is required to help the dyslexic learner and for that matter, all learners, are the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It is much easier to build in assistive technology into websites at the start of a project than to try to introduce assistive functions later. The same is true of all organisations and educational settings. Introduce the assistive technology into all your teaching and learning at the outset and it will help not only the dyslexic learner, but the whole school! UDL is a much talked about topic after the recent Edtech Strategy in the UK. Suppliers and producers have been encouraged to incorporate these principles into their products so that features such as text to speech (read back) and speech to text (speech input) can be provided as a standard. Text to speech is now almost always featured, and speech to text is also present in some of the major players.

■ More and more tech is accessible from the get-go.

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If we make Assistive Technology essential in our thinking, we are not only benefiting the dyslexic learner and disabled people generally, it also gives access to us all which I personally think is a good thing! SEN111

Dyslexia

Dyslexia in SEN Magazine - a correction Katie Moylan’s excellent article “Strategies for supporting Dyslexia” in the September-October issue of SEN Magazine offered useful, practical suggestions for working with dyslexic pupils in the classroom. The article attracted significant comment. One correspondent, Sara Peden, was moved to write a response, which we published in the January-February issue of SEN Magazine. You can read Katie Moylan’s original article at https://bit.ly/3baxrdZ, and Sara Peden’s response at https://bit.ly/3bfCrhe. Katie Moylan has since contacted us to point out that the criticism in Sara Peeden’s response was unjustified. For example, Sara Peden’s article attacked the suggestion that half of dyslexic children can be helped by coloured overlays or attempts to improve visual tracking, but Katie Moylan points out that her article made no such claim. It merely cited a recommendation from the Department of Education, a recommendation which is largely unsupported by evidence. Katie Moylan goes on to mention that her practical suggestions are supported by Nexus Education, SEND Gateway and Dyslexia International. Her consultancy, Inspiring Inclusion, provides training in many areas of SEN, and gives teachers specific tips and tools to inspire all individuals with a love of learning and overcome previous learning barriers. It also writes and monitors IEPs for schools, and provides policies and other administrative duties required for Equal Opportunities and Inclusion in schools. The consultancy can be reached via inspiringinclusion.org.

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Please help us! We’re grateful to Katie, and to Sara, for taking the trouble to bring out these issues. In fact we’re grateful to all our contributors. If you would like to write for SEN Magazine, please do not hold back! We’d love to hear from you. Please send your ideas, or your finished article, to our editor Louise at editor@senmagazine.co.uk.

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Learning outside the classroom

How can inclusive playgrounds support children’s play values and inclusive experiences? We need inclusive playgrounds, writes Anna Kucyj

nclusive playgrounds are places where children of all abilities can play and obtain a rich range of physical, sensory and social experiences. Inclusive play spaces are created to ensure there is accessibility to and within the playground, that there are opportunities for children to actively engage in play in their own way, and that there are plenty of variation and choices to provide high play value.

What is play value? ‘Play Value’ is used to describe the value an environment, object or piece of equipment brings to children’s experience of play. High play value indicates children can play in many different ways, expand or elaborate on their own ideas and actions. Play value is divided into three categories; Physical Play, Sensory Play and Social Play. It’s important for all children to be able to experience all three in a playground setting to help in their development and enjoyment of the play space.

How do physical play experiences help children’s development? Play activities such as spinning, sliding, rocking, swinging and climbing are all physical experiences. Spinning activities develop the brain in such a way that pre-reading concepts are advanced while improving balance, muscle control and gross motor skills. Sliding stimulates children’s sense of balance while allowing them to experience height and the thrill of speed and risk. Swinging and rocking prompts imaginative play and develops children’s vestibular system. It’s also important for children to be able to experience movement from their wheelchair, or other aid, together with

■ All children benefit from playing together.

their friends, such as a wheelchair accessible roundabout, to help stimulate their vestibular system and social experience without leaving their chair. Climbing, crawling and jumping activities stimulate and develops children’s proprioceptive system. This consists of sensory information caused by contraction and stretching of muscles and by bending, straightening, pulling and compression of the joints between the bones.

What do children gain from sensory play experiences? Sensory play experiences include tactile, auditory and visual, interaction with natural features and cosy places. They provide children with an enjoyable experience which not only helps develop their senses but also stimulates creativity, imaginative and social play. Furthermore, having a cosy place in a play area means that children have a space where they can go to relax and de-stress if they feel overstimulated.

How do playgrounds ensure children gain social play experiences? Children need the opportunity to take part in social play and interact with other children. In a playground setting this is encouraged by including equipment such as seesaws, sand and water play, playhouses and themed structures.

■ Sensory experiences help the brain grow.

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These social experiences help children learn from each other and enjoy each other’s company, as well as give them the opportunity to use their language, cognitive and social skills, especially when they’re encouraged to use their imagination and participate in dramatic play. SEN111

Learning outside the classroom

Ten reasons not to ignore the great outdoors A lot can be gained by taking children outside to learn, writes Claire Thew.

xperienced teachers will tell you that no two children or young adults with SEND are the same. Focusing on what they can do instead of what they can’t do very quickly highlights that in any group there are those that are good at a wide range of things. This creates challenges for learning and skill development both inside or outside the classroom. Over recent years, schools have worked hard to provide better and more integrated learning experiences for those with special educational needs. This often means that children can remain in their local environment, with family and friends. Outdoor space, however, is often last on the list when considering learning opportunities, with those with SEND either forgotten or limited in what they can enjoy. Yet learning outside of the classroom can enrich the learning experience, presenting children and young people with SEND with opportunities to fire creativity, enhance learning, build independence and improve wellbeing.

“Outdoor space presents a far wider range of senses and experiences than indoor environments” Neurological development: Learning outside the classroom - and, in particular, sensory play - has been proven to help build nerve connections in the brain, improving children’s ability complete increasingly complex learning tasks.

Why is outdoor learning so important?

Fine and gross motor skills: Whatever a child’s or young adult’s ability, engaging in outdoor learning and play can help to develop fine and gross motor skills far beyond those developed through indoor learning alone.

Regaining control: Those with SEND may have learned a sense of helplessness or passivity because of the levels of control exerted over their lives by family, teachers and the wider society. Going outdoors to learn forces them to break free from this. Outside, they can explore their space freely, introducing new sensory stimulation and fostering a sense of independence.

Language development: Learning outside the classroom supports language development, as children learn to describe what they can see, feel, smell, hear and taste, as well as perception of their bodies, movement and balance. Outdoor space presents a far wider range of senses and experiences than indoor environments, with resulting benefits for all.

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Learning outside the classroom

Emotional wellbeing: Learning outside the classroom is often less confrontational and worrying for children and young people with SEND. A properly thought-out outdoor learning environment creates a safe, calming environment for children to explore their surroundings. As they explore further and learn more this helps to build self esteem. Problem solving, reasoning and risk taking: Learning outside the classroom encourages children and young adults to develop problem solving and scientific thinking whilst they play and explore. It also helps them to understand the world around them, exploring what is positive and safe.

About the author Claire Thew, Marketing Manager at Playforce playforce.co.uk @PlayforceUK

@PlayforceUK

Focus and attention: Providing a stimulating environment particularly if it involves sensory-based learning and play - can encourage mindfulness and focusing on specific tasks. Overall fitness: In short, if children are outdoors moving more, their general fitness will improve. With the UK’s obesity crisis even more stark in children and young adults with SEND, the need to take learning and play outdoors has never been so great. Ability to adapt to change: Learning outside the classroom requires those involved to learn how to adapt to unpredictable weather and changing seasons. Learning to be flexible with their view of order, timescales and routine is important for many children and young people with SEND and taking learning outdoors promotes this in a way indoor learning is limited. Motivation: Learning outdoors, in the natural environment, can play a positive role in motivating children and young people to learn more generally. Not only does it present a stimulating environment but this is often a welcome change from their ‘indoor world’, offering new experiences that stimulate their imagination and enthusiasm.

How to get the most from outdoor learning 1. Focus on ability: Focus on empowering and enabling individuals of all abilities to take part, rather than on disabilities and restrictions. This means providing learning and play opportunities that suit a wide range of ability. If you think in terms of ability, individuals are no longer separated.

■ Learning outside can be incredibly motivational.

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“Focus on empowering and enabling individuals of all abilities” Suddenly, play and outdoor learning opportunities become truly integrated and accessible for all. 2. Don’t play it safe: Words like ‘achieve’, ‘progress’, ‘inclusivity’ and ‘ability’ are all great. But if we want children or young adults to learn outdoors, we need to focus on ‘challenge’. If children and young adults aren’t challenged then they don’t experiment and try new things, and they don’t improve their skills. Making mistakes is good - it’s how we all learn! 3. Complementary and alternative: Outdoor learning needs to be a different and a complementary experience to what happens in the classroom. It shouldn’t just be a case of taking classroom learning outdoors - although that can be beneficial too, when the weather is good. Think about learning objectives and how the outdoor world can be used to enrich the learning experience in a complementary way. 4. Embrace what’s different: Take advantage of the things you can only do outdoors, like gardening and looking after the outdoor space. This can be hugely empowering for children and young people with SEND. Gardening is very inclusive as the same rules apply to everyone, regardless of ability. It takes time for things to grow, which promotes patience as well as attention to detail. 5. Continually challenge: Successful outdoor learning relies on continual and increasing challenge. This is doubly important when creating a scheme for children or young adults with a wide range of abilities. Don’t make things too easy, so that they complete it too quickly. Allow those that have been successful to progress on to the next challenge. Provide a range of versions of the same activity - so that peers of different abilities can play and learn together. SEN111

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Learning outside the classroom

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Learning outside the classroom

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Learning outside the classroom

Become a behaviour detective Learning outdoors can be highly beneficial to all children. But children with SEND can have trouble fitting in, writes Robin Sheehan. “The bucket flew through the air and impacted the dead centre of the fire, causing an explosion of vaporised water and hot embers.” “Everyone was having fun, engaged and on task. Then for absolutely no reason he just threw a stick into the group, punched someone, swearing his head off as he absconded. What’s that about?!” “We were all ready to walk into the woods and he picked up this massive branch and slammed it into someone’s stomach. Then he just put it down, calmly asked him if he was okay, and climbed back into the minibus like nothing had happened!” No matter how hard we try, being outdoors just doesn’t cut it with some participants. These are real stories from school groups. We need to get to the bottom of what is going on inside “That Child” (a favourite staffroom label!) when outdoors. Mysterious internal reactions to mysterious triggers, which then explode outwardly, even in peaceful natural environments. What do children actually need in order to be happy and functioning safely and beneficially in our outdoor sessions?

Hope is not a strategy Hope is not a strategy. Before we know how to help someone, we need to know what they need help for. Sometimes you need to understand the brain and nervous system, to be a behaviour detective and get to the heart and mind of a child. Do not assume that applying a mainstream learning-outdoors approach, or a free-play or child-led learning pedagogy is SEN111

“No matter how hard we try, being outdoors just doesn’t cut it with some participants” going to help or be appropriate for many children. We end up battling behaviours instead of discerning the root problem and designing strategies to pro-actively and explicitly target identified needs. Behaviour is communication, so what are they trying to tell us? There are lots of tools and techniques we can start to look at, and basic low-level therapeutic training helps to build up our outdoor therapeutic toolkits. Here are some fundamental ideas to grasp.

Neurodivergent wiring Whether a SENDCo formulating a small-group outdoor therapeutic intervention, or outdoor-trained staff running this term’s outdoor character development programme, one place therapeutically trained children’s workers look is the backstory of the child. Are there any reported diagnoses or identified issues telling us if a participant is, quite literally, wired differently? This is the neurodivergent brain, encompassing things like ADHD, ASD, SPD, MLD and SLD. Certain behaviours are a direct result of being neurodivergent and can’t be “fixed”, simply senmagazine.co.uk

Learning outside the classroom

because they aren’t “broken” – just different. In these cases, we must radically alter things from our side. When we change our approach, our activities, and crucially what we expect when working with young people with SEND in nature, they can do great things out there. But we need to work smarter, explicitly therapeutically and developmentally, to productively engage some identified individuals outdoors. That might mean figuring out how to set up the outdoor environment to suit known behaviours and encourage more desirable ones, tailoring planned activities to suit that child’s identified limitations and fears, introducing the structure required for specific identified needs, giving emotional security and a positive sense of safety for that child, and providing enough appropriate support that they need outdoors, to help manage, anticipate and short circuit some behaviours while facilitating others.

About the author Robin Sheehan is Director of Wilderness Therapy and Training for eQe Outdoors. eqeoutdoors.com

@WildernessTherapyEQE eqe-outdoors

Take ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Many of us have experienced that free-play, abstract or open ended child-led approaches are not appropriate for many children with autism. They need a tight developmental structure to work within, very clear boundaries, guidelines and instructions, and lots of up-front support to achieve. Otherwise, many simply won’t cope. This manifests inside them as fear, anger or separation distress (see below), which manifests in the behaviours and difficulties seen in the small stories at the start of this article.

Social-emotional and mental health issues Some kids can’t function well in a group because their emotional intelligence is too damaged. Their empathy, social skills, and self-regulation are impaired, and they require therapy before being able to go outside into a group situation. We need to learn to identify what elements are impaired in their emotional intelligence and design our sessions outdoors to help kids work on them. Eric Bernes identifies 3 psychological hungers we need to be aware of: Stimulation (what type; not too much or too little), Structure (see Neurodivergent above), and Recognition (a person needs to be recognised – but not too much and not too little! Not everyone wants to be acknowledged openly in a group). Work by Margot Sunderland identifies three key Distress Systems in the brain: rage, fear and separation distress. All of these fears, if not managed, may result in combinations of the FIGHT, FLIGHT and FREEZE responses. And it’s these responses that manifest into the situations in our groups outdoors.

Reacting to change Anxiety around change was huge for one 15-year old boy, resident in an SEMH school. To change into outdoor clothes, to not be in class on Wednesday, to walk away from buildings and flat surfaces into a non-linear woodland; These were huge change obstacles for him, also causing separation distress from his safe environment, familiar places, and belongings. Once past these barriers, he was engaged and a very caring, empathetic boy, keeping his tribe safe in the woods and round the fire. senmagazine.co.uk

■ Learning to cope in the wild can take time.

His ultimate response to change? Unconsciously, he switched off his empathy, to give himself permission to stop selfregulating his behaviour momentarily (two key elements of Emotional Intelligence). He picked up a branch and smashed it into the stomach of his classmate, expecting to be taken back to school. His fear of change channelled through his deactivated Emotional Intelligence, and manifested in a negative way. Because of his autism, being asked to engage in activities that others in the group could do, but which his developmental functioning did not allow him to grasp, caused him a feeling of separation from the group, and fear of failure. This failure translated to rage, but what he needed was secure recognition that he existed and needed a different approach to others in the group. Open-ended “learn from your failures” or “go find out for yourself” approaches are actually telling many children “Here’s something else you can’t do.” It is not an emotionally safe approach. So the bucket of water lands in the middle of the fire, a child runs away, someone gets punched in the face. Because we didn’t plan for malfunctioning self-regulation, self-motivation, fear of change and other differences. One size doesn’t fit all. Believing that doing stuff in nature is great for all kids’ mental health is not enough when working with SEND. It’s about doing the right stuff, the right way, which can make a world of difference to the experience in nature of so many identified children who otherwise get left at school because they are “That Child”. SEN111

Sensory

Children with autism have less activity in brain region that processes movement A new study is offering a closer understanding of the brain activity patterns in children with ASD. When they were compared to typically-developing children and to children with another developmental motor disorder, children with autism showed less activity in the brain region that helps children copy and learn movements from others. This offers a more detailed insight into some defining characteristics of autism, like ‘difficulty empathising, discerning others’ intentions and understanding implicit aspects and unwritten rules of social encounters’. These results come from a five-year study at the University of Southern California, led by scholars Emily Kilroy and Laura Harrison.

SEN news

Looking for a more diverse reading experience? It is common knowledge that children love to see themselves reflected in books. Book also help children learn new words, and research has shown that children also find it easier to empathise with others when they read or are read to about unfamiliar life experiences. This is why it can be frustrating to spend a long time looking for books that represent a range of experiences or learning abilities to use in the classroom or recommend to parents. An American website, readingrockets.org, features book lists by theme, with carers and teachers able to find books about cerebral palsy, autism, hearing loss, intellectual disabilities and other special educational needs. The website also features children’s books on themes such as Black History Month, feminism, and other relevant topics to diversify the reading or listening experience for children aged 0-12.

The data showed that, while observing facial expressions and hand movements, a specific brain region called the inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis was significantly less activated in children with ASD. “This finding is important because it links motor deficits in autism with social deficits,” said Lisa Aziz-Zadeh, the study’s principal investigator. The study, “Unique deficit in embodied simulation in autism: An fMRI study comparing autism and developmental coordination disorder” is available in Human Brain Mapping. SEN111

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Sensory

Finding sensory distractions during a pandemic Claudia Boes, an occupational therapist, explores the issues that can arise if sensory modulation needs are neglected and how this can be addressed.

esearch overwhelmingly suggests that many people with SEN have difficulty processing sensory information. If someone’s sensory needs are ignored, this is likely to result in other challenges such as an inability to engage with meaningful activities and connect with others or lead to a lack of focus, all of which are crucial for learning and development.

“However, you can never control the environment or a student’s mood entirely.”

Sensory modulation Sensory modulation refers to the ability to respond appropriately to sensory information from the environment and remain at an appropriate level of alertness for daily activities. People with sensory modulation difficulties frequently fluctuate between being over-responsive to stimuli (for example bright lights and loud noise) and under-responsive to stimuli (like not responding to verbal communication or being unaware of pain or temperature). These reactions to sensory input can result in distress, aggression or anxiety and need to be addressed with care and thought.

Finding new coping mechanisms In a pre-Covid world, I’m sure most people with SEN and their carers or educators would have had access to any number of coping mechanisms to ensure that their sensory needs SEN111

were adequately catered for. This includes activities such as swimming, countryside walks or riding bikes. However, many of these have been curtailed for safety reasons during the pandemic and subsequently, many people are having to do without activities they previously relied on. When you add in the changes to routine caused by Covid-19, things have been especially challenging for people with SEN. Our current challenge is to think creatively about ways to engage their senses. For us, one of the main issues has been making sure that our students continue to be alert and engaged with their learning, even while things are especially trying for them outside the senmagazine.co.uk

Sensory

“Reactions to sensory input can result in distress, aggression or anxiety and need to be addressed with care and thought.”

About the author Claudia Boes is an Occupational Therapist at Beechwood College, near Cardiff. lshealthcare.co.uk/ beechwood-college

@ls_healthcare

classroom. This has been such a tough time for so many people with SEN and it is vital that we find tools and strategies to help them with their sensory needs. There are some basic things that can be employed in all classroom settings to ensure students are engaged, such as natural lighting, the use of movement breaks, having headphones or earplugs available, or arranging furniture in a different way. However, you can never control the environment or a student’s mood entirely, especially when there are so many external factors at play. My OT colleagues and I have spent the last few months working closely with our lecturers and learning support assistants (LSAs) to create ‘task boxes’. These are targeted at two states of sensory modulation; a calming/organising box for those who are over-stimulated or over-excited and an alerting/organising box for those who are tired, disengaged or under-stimulated.

Using the boxes Signs that someone might benefit from activities included in the calming box would be sensory avoidance behaviour (e.g. putting their hands over their ears or closing their eyes), sensory-seeking behaviour (bumping into furniture or getting into small tight spaces), increasing repetitive behaviour (such

as touching the same object over and over), bolting or running away, withdrawing or not engaging, or self-injurious behaviour. Items which could help address these actions and could be found in the calming box include weighted lap pads, noise cancelling headphones, white noise machines, theraputty, therabands, fidget toys, bubbles, adult colouring books and essential oils such as lavender, ylang ylang and rosemary. Students who don’t respond to their name, those who appear tired or disinterested, someone who struggles to stay engaged or a student who is predominantly engaged in sedentary activities might benefit from activities included in the alerting box. Items included in this box are vibrating massagers, headphones with uplifting music, wobble cushions, bouncy balls, light up toys and lemongrass and orange essential oils. It took a while for us to create the boxes. We made them in conjunction with the lectures and LSAs, and provided training so that they could identify when their student was being offbase and get the appropriate box. They also helped us design what should go in them, based on their own experiences in the classroom. While these boxes have been created with a classroom environment in mind, there is no reason that they couldn’t be on hand outside of an education environment. Having some of these items at home or for journeys could be very beneficial, especially if you are aware of specific sensory modulation difficulties or triggers, which cannot always be eliminated but could be helped by the alerting, organising or calming activities included in the boxes.

■ Sensory activities can help with regulation.

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Ultimately, when it comes to addressing the sensory issues of someone with SEN, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and the main thing is to learn to identify the individual characteristics which show whether someone is over- or under-stimulated and have a number of coping mechanisms at your disposal to pre-empt them or help you deal with them as soon as they arise. SEN111

Performing arts

The importance of music and performing arts Alistair Dewar has seen the power that the performing arts hold for children with SEND.

ristotle once said: “Music has a power of forming the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young.” More than two millennia later, his words still hold true. Music and the performing arts give children and young people the opportunity to develop physically, intellectually and emotionally and they should be part of all children’s education. The key word here is ‘all’ because I believe that participation in music and the arts should be universal because of the benefits it brings young people. The beauty of the arts is that they can be accessible to all, especially if they are valued for the wider benefits they bring and not viewed as non-core curriculum subjects. This is particularly true for children with SEND who may need extra support to help engage them in learning. For example, music can help calm a distressed child and role play can help develop empathy, social skills and self-expression.

What do the arts do? This is a subject I feel passionately about, professionally and personally. I have seen, time and again, how music and the arts enhance education when they are viewed, in a broader

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“Listening to and making music has been found particularly helpful for mental stimulation.” context, as vehicles to engage pupils in all subjects. We know that when children have an experience which involves music or the arts, it releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals in the brain. These chemicals contribute to growing connections in the brain which will help them develop a strong stress-regulation system. This is particularly important for children with additional needs because, if you do not have the language skills needed to understand why things happen in your world, you will be left feeling stressed and unsafe. Listening to and making music has been found particularly helpful for mental stimulation because it activates so many different parts of the brain, encouraging

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Performing arts

About the author Alistair Dewar is Thrive’s Relationship Manager for London. He has a degree in Music and Education and is a former special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), having worked in primary schools in the East of England for 10 years. thriveapproach.com @alidwr ■ Music strengthens neural connections.

better neural connections. If children with SEND engage in music and the performing arts, this type of play will stimulate the cerebellum in their brain which is associated not just with mobility and balance but also mental agility. Research has shown that participation in music at an early age can also help improve memory. Exposing children to music in early development helps them learn word sounds and meanings, and dancing helps build motor skills. All of these skills will help children to be calm and ready to learn. Music and the arts give children with SEND, in particular, a means of processing and expressing the strong emotions that they may be experiencing. If this can be a shared experience with an adult working alongside them, then you have children expressing how they feel and adults sharing in that with them, which is essential for emotional wellbeing. Giving our children the tools they need to help themselves recognise emotions and to get their emotional needs met will set them up for wellbeing in later life.

Barriers If music and the arts are such a positive force, what might the barriers be for children, and especially children with additional needs to access them? For many, their participation will depend upon the approach taken by settings and possibly even the creativity of individual teachers. While the National Curriculum requires maintained schools in England to teach music and art up until Key Stage 3, some settings will adopt a more integrated approach and will use music and performing arts

■ Making music together strengthens social bonds.

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@ThriveApproach

“Music provision, especially, can be viewed by parents as costly.” to engage children in other subjects. Undoubtedly, children attending settings with this broader vision for music and the arts will benefit while those who have fewer opportunities to participate will be at a disadvantage. Another barrier could be the perceived expense involved in the arts. Music provision, especially, can be viewed by parents as costly but it’s something that doesn’t need to involve buying a particular instrument or extra-curricular tutoring. It’s just about making sure that all children have got the opportunity to experience music and the performing arts. This could be done passively, by listening and being aware of the emotions a piece brings up. Or it could be done more actively, using the breath or voice to develop a sense of rhythm or to tell a story. This doesn’t cost anything and doesn’t require a huge amount of artistic talent but it still gives children the opportunity to develop creativity and life skills such as self-discipline and the ability to collaborate and communicate. Participation is key and this is something that has changed greatly in the last decade or so. I remember a time when SEN pupils were more likely to spend a significant amount of time out of the classroom because of interventions but now, thankfully, more and more schools are turning away from onerous intervention and children are more included, receiving a more balanced curriculum offer. If a child with SEND is finding life difficult, music and the performing arts can be vital tools to help teachers connect with them and build a relationship that will help children to become emotionally regulated. The arts offer young people the chance to improve their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and we need to ensure that our schools offer as much access to them as possible so that our children with SEND can truly thrive. SEN111

Fire safety

False fire alarms: Prevent the distress, anxiety, and risk False fire alarms create a barrier to inclusive education, but they are preventable, writes Liam Hunt.

ire alarms are a vital part of a life safety plan, but for children and young people with SEND, a fire alarm can be an extremely distressing experience. Fire alarms can overwhelm the senses, cause physical pain, and ultimately create a barrier to learning – especially during planned fire drills, after which children are expected to return to learning afterwards. For individuals with hypersensitivity and sensory difficulties, unplanned and unwanted fire alarms can be even more upsetting, evoking panic, confusion and lasting anxiety, jeopardising means of escape and hindering personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) in the event of a real emergency.

Sensory difficulties To ensure that children will be able to deal with the fire alarm, suitable warning methods can include both audible and visual alerts. These make sure people with visual and hearing impairments are made aware of the need to evacuate the building. However, for learners with sensitivity to light and noise, this can be overly stimulating. Therefore, it is important to eliminate unwanted fire alarms and the discomfort they cause. SEN111

“Fire alarms can overwhelm the senses, cause physical pain, and ultimately create a barrier to learning” The latest Home Office figures reveal that false fire alarms accounted for 42 per cent of the incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England in 2020, with schools particularly prone to unwanted fire signals. In both mainstream and specialist settings, false fire alarms can be caused by the accidental or malicious activation of a fire alarm manual call point, sometimes known as “break glass” call points.

Accidental or malicious False activations can be the consequence of an unintentional impact to the unit in busy corridors or sports halls. They can senmagazine.co.uk

Fire safety

About the author Liam Hunt is Assistant Marketing Manager at Safety Technology International. sti-emea.com @STI_UK

@STIEMEA

■ Fire alarms cause distress to noise-sensitive children.

It is imperative that we ensure classrooms are a safe space also be caused by pupils determined to maliciously raise a false alarm. Both disrupt vital teaching time and result in potentially dangerous unnecessary evacuations. It is possible to prepare children and young people with SEND for fire alarms, whether that be in anticipation of a fire drill or to ready them for something they may experience outside of the classroom in wider society.

Unnecessary evacuations These strategies might include the use of audio clips of the alarm to help desensitise a child with sensory difficulties, using social stories surrounding fire safety, and ensuring the provision of ear defenders. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to plan for false fire alarms and the events surrounding them; the confusion of crowded noisy corridors, and the sudden change in schedule caused by an evacuation. Unnecessary evacuations pose a real danger to the safety of pupils. Guidance in the Government’s ‘Means of Escape for

■ Fire alarms with light functions help warn those with hearing issues.

Disabled People’ supplementary guide states that the level of effort required for an individual with a disability to escape “may not be acceptable for a practice or false alarm.” The use of evacuation lifts, evacuation chairs or carry-down procedures all carry a degree of risk that is best avoided in non-emergencies.

Protective covers Further government advice in the ‘Fire Safety Risk Assessment for Education Premises’ says: “A common problem is the malicious or accidental operation of manual call points. To avoid accidental operation, consider the use of a protective cover around a call point.” This was supported in a recent British Standard (BS 5839-1:2017) update that recommended manual call points be fitted with a protective cover to prevent false alarms. Protective covers can retrofit over fire call points, and other buttons and switches vulnerable to false activation. These tough covers can deflect heavy accidental blows from mobility aids, wheelchairs or learning apparatus - an optional audible alert or break seal can be fitted to guard against malicious activation.

■ Traditional fire alarms are liable to malicious activation.

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An adapted and inclusive setting is crucial in allowing children and young people with SEND to build the foundations for lifelong learning. It is imperative that we ensure classrooms are a safe space. Guarding against false fire alarms prevents the distress and anxiety they cause, eliminating this potential barrier to education. SEN111

Fire safety

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SEN news

Princess Beatrice on struggles with dyslexia In a video message to a charity, Princess Beatrice talked about her struggles with her dyslexia. In the message, sent to a charity which helps people with dyslexia, she discussed her journey with dyslexia, and how it made her passionate about helping others and bringing change to the dyslexic community. Princess Beatrice struggled to come to terms with her dyslexia growing up, and she said that we are responsible for changing the narrative around our lessons to young people in the classroom, especially those with dyslexia. She described her learning process as ‘very challenging’, and reminisced about childhood experiences where she felt left out, even though her school was ‘very nurturing and supportive’. She said ‘I remember we had different coloured books to describe how far where reading levels had got to and I was always on the white books. My best friends were always on the yellow books or the green books. They were so far ahead.’

■ Princess Beatrice now sees her Dyslexia as an asset.

Princess Beatrice made sure to stress that, although she struggled with doubt in those moments, young people should not let these negative times influence their future. She also said that her job relies on communication skills and a fresh outlook, and that a number of her colleagues also have dyslexia. She finished “And I think that’s one of the strengths that we have as dyslexics is to look at things differently, be a problem solver,

find new ways to do things, be experimental, entrepreneurial.” In the video, princess Beatrice also praised the research into skills-based learning, saying that it was a better way of dealing with individual skills. The charity, Made By Dyslexia, also featured other interviews with celebrities who have dyslexia, including Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom.

Link between home-schooling and inequality is older than Covid-19

What mental health issues await children when returning to school?

An article by Martin Myers, Assistant Professor in Education at the University of Nottingham, goes into detail about the link between homeschooling and inequalities in education. He says ‘the pandemic has shown that the poorest families in the UK do not have access to the resources necessary to educate children at home’. Ofsted research finds that children who had been expelled, necessitating home-school education, were often children with behavioural problems, poor attendance records or special educational needs. Children from ethnic minorities and children from poor backgrounds were also more likely to be ‘off-rolled’. Professor Myers emphasizes that for these children, homeschooling is not a choice, but rather a ‘response to problems over which they have no control’. Families of children with special educational needs may see homeschooling as the lesser of two evil. Families often struggle with limited access to resources, and long to see mainstream schools that could cater to the needs of their child or children. Professor Myers’ research, which was conducted before the A-level scandal, found that students from poor backgrounds, state schools and young people from BAME backgrounds were fearful that their grades would be negatively impacted as a result of inequalities associated with ethnicity and income. Professor Myers said ‘it was striking that the students in our research anticipated and predicted the unfairness of this process.’

According to Archana Basu, a research scientist at Harvard Chan School, children returning to school in autumn may face a variety of mental health issues. A certain level of worry and anxiety is to be expected during a pandemic, but these could be compounded by the child’s experience during the lockdown. Should a parent have lost their financial stability, tensions at home may be felt by the children. Some will be experiencing the pandemic as a traumatic event if they have lost relatives or loved ones to the Covid-19 virus. Combined with the sudden switch to remote learning, and along with it a drop in active engagement and social connectedness, their learning may have suffered. However the opportunity to interact with their friends may serve as a point of hope for many children.

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What can parents and educators do to ease the stress? Basu suggests focusing on socialization and creating a sense of community to maintain connections for children. Taking screen breaks can help too, as well as having honest and age-appropriate discussions about worries or concerns the children may have. SEN111

Book reviews

Book reviews 100 Ideas for Secondary Teachers : Engaging Parents J. Goodall and K. Weston

Dr Goodall is a lecturer in educational leadership and management at the University of Bath, with extensive experience in research related to parental engagement. Her colleague, Dr Weston, is an educational consultant and a research fellow in education, as well as being the host of a weekly radio show on parenting, education and family life. She also presents a podcast #GettaGrip, which explores the latest research evidence relating to children’s mental health and wellbeing. The book is organised into eight parts, each of which follows a similar format, opening with a quote and a brief summary, followed by an explanation of the idea, with teaching tips and extension activities. Topics include: ‘What’s special about secondary’, ‘Understanding the parents of teenagers’,

‘Setting up to support : an iterative process’, ‘Helping parents to help’, and ‘Sustainable practice’. The 100 ideas in this book cover a wide range of situations that are familiar to parents and teachers dealing with children’s learning. They also encourage building positive relationships in these challenging times by tackling common issues such as homework, exams, transition, mental health and social media. This is a very useful text that will be of great value to a wide audience.It has a positive focus which encourages secondary teachers to work together with parents by recognising the difficulties that exist on both sides. The authors encourage readers to see the book as a starting point in supporting building relationships.

Bloomsbury Education ISBN: 978-1-4729-7663-5 £14.99

How to Get Kids Offline, Outdoors and Connecting With Nature: 200+ Creative Activities to Encourage Self-Esteem, Mindfulness and Wellbeing

B. Thomas

Bonnie Thomas is a Child and Family Counsellor based in the U.S. who incorporates creative expression, art and nature based activities into the work she does with her clients. In this book, she seeks to create enthusiasm for the great outdoors, recognising the benefits of nature in terms of improving physical health, drawing on natural surroundings and boosting imagination, creativity and wellbeing. The book opens with an explanation of why nature is so important to her, followed by sections that cover, for example: ‘Relaxation and Mindfulness’, ‘Gardening for Wellbeing’, ‘Forest and Trees’, ’Puddles and Mud’, and ‘Bring Nature Indoors’. The main ethos of the book is that children benefit from connecting with nature, even if that only means images

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of natural spaces decorating walls to support sensory awareness of natural surroundings. The many activities she suggests require little in the way of resources and could easily be integrated into daily practice in settings. This is a lovely book that supports the current interest in mindfulness and that recognises the ways in which the natural world can act as an antidote for children whose lives are increasingly dominated by online learning and social interactions. In the current climate, her ideas and activities can be seen as a useful way to support schools in developing creative ways to increase the awareness and significance of the natural world.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN:978-1-84905-968-8 £15.99

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Book reviews

by Mary Mountstephen

Your Interests, My Interests:

A Visual Guide to Playing and Hanging Out for Children on The Autistic Spectrum

J.Shaul

The author is a clinical social worker who specialises in working with children on the autistic spectrum. His organisation, Autism Teaching Strategies, provides workshops on social skills teaching and mental health methods.

as well as with an adult, exploring the opportunities to set up role plays and exploring obstacles to enjoyable social interactions.

This book recognises that children on the autistic spectrum can find playing with other children difficult as they are often highly focused on their own interests. It provides a colourful and interactive guide that is very visual and that helps kids learn how to develop common interests with others and to learn how to improve play skills, particularly in less structured forms of social interaction.

The book is divided into 9 parts that illustrate various situations such as: • Things to enjoy doing with other kids at school • Things I can do with family and relatives • When someone comes over: things to do indoors/ outdoors This is an excellent visual guide to support parents and schools in ways to interact more effectively. It is a colourful and interactive guide that helps children learn how to establish common interests with friends and classmates, or daily members at home.

Shaul points out that many children on the spectrum feel isolated and need support to develop the motivation , knowledge and strategies for playing with others. The intention is that they will explore the book on their own,

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78592-650-1 £15.99

The Inclusive Classroom: A New Approach to Differentiation D. Sobel & S. Alston

Daniel Sobel is a former SENCO, senior leader and the founder of Inclusion Expert, a leading educational consultancy. He is also the author of two other books about education. His co-author, Sara Alston, is a consultant and trainer with over 30 years experience in education. This book is intended to provide teachers with strategies and adaptations to create more inclusive classrooms, by breaking down the lesson into five manageable phases that include a series of routines that support differentiation. The phases are: • Transition, entering the classroom and preparing to learn • Delivering and receiving instructions and whole class engagement • Individuals working as a class • Individuals fitting into a group of learners • The last five minutes

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The authors recognise that factors such as time, stress and money can act as major barriers to effective inclusion, and in this book they aim to provide practical advice that can be implemented to improve the school experience. They use short case studies to illustrate points and describe common classroom activities and situations. They then explain how these can be adapted to enable teachers to reflect on common practice and and use relatively simple ways to create and sustain successful classroom routines. Back up ideas are also offered for when things don’t go as planned. This is an excellent guide to changing approaches to inclusion and creating a culture where all children can flourish.

Bloomsbury Education ISBN: 978-1-4729-7792-2 £16.99

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Professional life

The Modern Role of a SENCo Nigel Pugh writes about the many different hats a SENCo must wear in their daily work.

pecial Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCo) are probably the most important person you will meet during your child’s SEN journey. They have a complex and nuanced role to play in the lives of pupils with special educational needs. Being a SENCo is a demanding role that requires a big heart, oodles of drive, and a passion for providing support. It also requires a child-centred approach, with patience and collaboration. Their main roles will normally include tasks involving policy (overviewing budget, annual reviews and line management), practice (identifying needs, being aware of different types of SEN, understand SEN law) and parents (explaining, supporting and advocating to and for parents). They spend the majority of their working lives writing reports or on the phone to various agencies. Many, particularly in primary schools, also have a teaching role. It is beyond doubt a difficult and multifaceted role which requires a lot of listening, and an awful lot of writing and an eye for detail.

What are some of the key responsibilities of a SENCo? A SENCo must be a qualified teacher, they are normally a senior teacher with many years of experience. They have to be able to command the respect of both the senior leadership of the school and the classroom teaching and support staff. It is a difficult balancing act! The title of SENCo is an appointment made by the Head Teacher. Newly appointed SENCOs from 2014 onwards should have The National Award for SENCos or equivalent, which is a mandatory qualification. The Senco normally has a strategic role within the school, working collaboratively with classroom teachers, school leaders, external agencies such as Educational Psychologists and health and social care colleagues,

“It is a difficult and multifaceted role which requires a lot of listening” SEN111

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Professional life

and of course, the pupil’s parents. The SENCo will be the key point of contact for all those involved. The SENCo must also assess, manage, and advise on changes to the School’s SEN budget and provision of SEN resources to ensure that the needs of those pupils with SEN are effectively met. The role is perfect for natural-born communicators, who will have to provide advice, guidance, training, action plans, and resources to teachers and teaching assistants in order to help their SEN pupils achieve their full potential across the four broad areas of need; communication and interaction, cognition and learning, social, emotional and mental health and sensory and/or physical needs.

Day-to-day The SENCOs day-to-day practice includes responsibilities including progress monitoring and review, classroom observations, regular feedback to parents, and written reports with important updates. The SENCo should be able to put into practice the “assess-plan-do-review approach” that is required by the SEN Code of Practice to monitor a pupils progress. They may also be responsible for administering the various assessments, tools and methods that are necessary as part of this approach, such as screening tests, completing questionnaires, analysis of the data etc. In their role of supporting, assessing and advising, the SENCo has a key part to play to ensure that support staff, often specifically Teaching Assistants, have an appropriate role in addressing the needs of those pupils with SEN. How the role of a Teaching Assistant is defined in each school is an area where the SENCo should be involved. It is part of the day-to-day provision for those pupils with SEN and the support must be appropriately targeted to help achieve the best possible outcomes. For parents, the SENCo is the go-to person in the school. They have to be open, approachable and engaged. They provide emotional support to parents at a very stressful times in the lives of the family. Parents are the ones with the most questions, the most emotional investment, and the ones who will do anything for their child, putting the SENCo in a conflicting position of having to balance the books, advocate for maximum support for the child and correct parental misunderstandings, being held accountable. It is a job that really does require the skills of a UN mediator. If students have an EHC Plan, then the SENCo has additional responsibility to ensure the resources are available in accordance with the EHC Plan and they will be responsible for coordinating the EHC Plan provision.

What challenges do SENCos face in their role? Many would argue that the biggest challenge is meeting the diverse range of special educational needs, under a constrained budget where limited resources are available. On top of this, senmagazine.co.uk

About the author Nigel Pugh is the Managing Director of Education Advocacy. educationadvocacy.co.uk

some SENCos are assigned to additional schools, multiplying their demand and dividing their time even further. To add to this, most SENCOs have a teaching role, and there can be insufficient time away from the classroom to fulfil their SENCo role and frequently a lack of administrative support and time allocated to support this important role. The administrative or bureaucratic element can be personally challenging, with ongoing assessment, stringent record keeping, completing forms, writing regular reports and liaising with outside agencies. On top of that, the continued strategic overview, professional development and leading inclusive values and practice can make this a demanding role. Balancing all of these responsibilities is a big ask, but it truly does come with great reward for the most proactive of SENCos, who have the opportunity to promote inclusive practice and directly impact the educational welfare of the students who need it most.

Who is the SENCo to the parents? The parents play a key role in their children’s education and will want to maintain a regular dialogue with the SENCo, expressing any concerns if they believe something is holding their child back. High quality, inclusive teaching remains the remit of the class teacher, who remains responsible for the child’s overall progress. The SENCo’s role is to support and advise the class teacher in their important role – all teachers are teachers of pupils with special educational needs. Parents will often view the SENCo as holding most of the answers and most of the chips. They are the person with the knowledge and authority to address minor concerns and resolve major ones, as well as being available to raise any issues that the parents themselves aren’t there to spot. The SENCo should have a good understanding of how needs are identified and assessed, raising any potential issues with parents. The SENCo is the liaison officer, but their role isn’t one-way. In fact, the SENCo could also make suggestions for the parents so that they can play a key role in their child’s development. The SENCo could also raise any concerns they may have with the Local Authority or outside agencies, after first discussing with parents. Ultimately, being a SENCo is a difficult but rewarding job for those who suit it. When you find you have a good SENCo, reward them with lavish amounts of chocolate, wine, thank you cards, and flowers! SEN111

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

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CPD, training and events

VIRTUAL CPD EVENTS Distance learning SEBDA

Postgraduate Certificate in Understanding and Managing SEMH difficulties.

Postgraduate Certificate : Advanced Study SEMH Online distance learning for professionals working with CYP with SEMH difficulties delivered by SEBDA in partnership with Oxford Brookes University. Take both postgraduate certificates and a dissertation year and you can achieve an MA Education (SEND) with a specialism in SEMH. Apply now for September 2021 ppsebda.org/events-andtraining/accredited-courses/

Online training The Skills Network

Level 2 Certificate in Behaviour that Challenges in Children

Online training

The Skills Network

Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism Develop your knowledge and understanding of autism and discover the principles of how to support individuals with autism. Available at no cost to you. learntoday.theskillsnetwork.com

New Skills Academy New Skills Academy pride

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020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

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Blocked trust and blocked care Traumatised children: why pace heals (play, acceptance, curiosity, empathy)

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Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Children & Young People’s Mental Health Gain an insight into 5 to 16 year-olds’ mental health and the risk factors that may affect their mental wellbeing.

The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education

020 7704 2534 info@artspsychotherapy.org artspsychotherapy.org

Dyslexia Action

CPD Short Courses for Dyslexia, Literacy and Numeracy Through a range of level 4, 5 and 7 CPD short courses for teaching professionals. Hone your skills and knowledge in order to be better prepared to face the challenges of supporting students with dyslexia and SpLD in today’s education system. For further information visit dyslexiaaction.org.uk/cpd-shortcourses-dyslexia-literacy-andnumeracy

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CPD, training and events

Find new people... ...through

NAPLIC Conference 2021 Language: The Bridge Across The Gap Saturday, 8 May 2021 #NAPLIC21

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.

Join NAPLIC’s online conference exploring and celebrating Language: The Bridge Across The Gap. This interactive event will focus on the crucial role that language has to play at this time. It will bring together speakers from oracy and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) perspectives. Showcasing research and practice, the conference will highlight how new innovations can improve outcomes for children and young people.

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.

DLD affects 2 children in every class of 30 and is 7 times more common than autism. Despite significantly impacting on education many children and young people are under-identified.

Call Denise on 01200 409808 or email denise@senmagazine.co.uk

See the full programme and take advantage of the early bird rates from £30 (for members): naplic.org.uk naplic.conference@gmail.com

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MARCH 6 March 2021 The Centre for Child Mental Health

The Neuroscience of Emotions and Relationships

15 March 2021

27 and 28 March 2021

30 April 2021

National Autistic Society

The Centre for Child Mental Health

The Sensory Projects

Understanding autism in the workplace This course will increase participants’ understanding of autism and develop their confidence in implementing reasonable adjustments for their colleagues.

CBT Techniques with children and teenagers (an introduction)

autism.org.uk/training

Livestream Event (2 day training via Zoom)

What you need to know to support children, teenagers and adults. With Expert Neuroscientists Professor Eamon McCrory, Professor Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg and Professor Mark Solms. 10.00 - 16.30 (UK time zone) | Cost: £125

16 March 2021

10.00 - 17.00 (UK time zone) | Cost: £330

020 7354 2913

autism.org.uk/training

Livestream Event (conference)

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

9 March 2021 National Autistic Society

Autism and SPELL licensed user training A three-day training course that licenses autism experienced professionals to deliver the Autism and SPELL course to their staff teams.

National Autistic Society

Stories Stories ™

This one-day workshop is delivered by Dr Siobhan Timmins, Certified Social Stories Trainer, and aims to support people in understanding how to develop and use Social Stories™.

16 March 2021 National Autistic Society

EarlyBird licensed user training

Delivered live online this licensed user training is for professionals looking to support parents and carers of autistic children of under 5 years through our EarlyBird programme.

APRIL

The Centre for Child Mental Health

Explore how sensory differences can impact autistic people and what supportive approaches may help.

Working with bodies to heal minds (for children, teenagers and adults)

Livestream Event (conference) 10.00 - 16.30 (UK time zone) | Cost: £125

020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

10 March 2021

National Autistic Society

The Centre for Child Mental Health Dr Dan Hughes presents:

Understand the importance of resilience and how to help build it in the children and young people you work with. Suitable for: practitioners working in supportive roles with children and young people. (10.00 - 13.30) youngminds.org.uk/finda-course/online-workshopbuilding-resilience/

11 March 2021 National Autistic Society

Autism and Mental Health online conference

The National Autistic Society’s one-day conference is back, learn strategies to provide targeted support for autistic children and adults with mental health difficulties. autism.org.uk/training

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22 March 2021

Therapeutic Interventions to Heal and Strengthen Three Vital Elements of Attachment and Mental Health: Relationships, Regulation and Reflection

National Autistic Society

10.00-16.00 | Cost: £165

autism.org.uk/training

National Autistic Society

Sensory considerations

24 April 2021 (Saturday)

A four-day course for autistic people who want to increase their understanding of the potential complexities of the workplace and learn strategies that may help.

5 May 2021

17 April 2021

18 March 2021

Online workshop

MAY

childmentalhealthcentre.org

autism.org.uk/training

The Education People Show

Sensory strategies to promote mental health for people with complex disabilities. Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available. sensorystory@gmail.com

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

autism.org.uk/training

Young Minds

Brighton

020 7354 2913

childmentalhealthcentre.org

Understanding the workplace for autistic employees

Sensory Engagement for Mental Wellbeing

autism.org.uk/training

5 May 2021 National Autistic Society

EarlyBird Plus licensed user training A licensed user training for professionals looking to support parents and carers of autistic children aged four to nine through our EarlyBird Plus programme. autism.org.uk/training

20 May 2021 The Sensory Projects

What is Happening in Our Multisensory Rooms? Sheffield

This one-day course will focus on the common toileting difficulties in autistic children.

childmentalhealthcentre.org

A research driven day promoting a reflective personalised approach. Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available. sensorystory@gmail.com

autism.org.uk/training

29 April 2021

21 May 2021

23 March 2021

The Sensory Projects

Autism and continence

National Autistic Society

Understanding stress and anxiety in autism This one-day course explores how you can help autistic children and adults to reduce stress and anxiety, how to understand their behaviour, and how to support them during difficult times. autism.org.uk/training

Conference (Islington, N1) 020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

Exploring the Impact of the Senses on Behaviour

Practical day full of insight into how the senses affect behaviour. Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available. sensorystory@gmail.com

Brighton

Sheffield

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CPD, training and events

JUNE 2 June 2021 The Sensory Projects

Sensory Engagement for Mental Wellbeing Birmingham Sensory strategies to promote mental health for people with complex disabilities. Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available. sensorystory@gmail.com

2 to 3 June 2021

Qatar Digital Learning Summit Virtual and Face to Face The pandemic has just accelerated the Future of digital learning and this Summit will focus on the challenges and solutions of education technology. This is a hybrid event, wherein if anyone is unable to fly to Qatar due to travel restrictions they will provide you with a virtual platform.

3 and 4 June 2021

8 June 2021

19 June 2021

The Sensory Projects

Behavioural therapy for tics Institute (BTTI)

The Centre for Child Mental Health

The Super Sensory Lexiconary Birmingham

Non-clinician workshops (teachers/parents)

Explore the application of sensory development to learners with complex disabilities, with guest speakers and extra content. Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available. sensorystory@gmail.com

Time : 8-9.30pm (TS awareness day) Online webinar & Q & A, about behavioural therapy, the facts, myths and strategies which could be used at home or school. Buy tickets here

4 June 2021

11 June 2021

The Sensory Projects

Develop Your Sensory Lexiconary Norwich

Explore the application of sensory development to learners with complex disabilities. Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available. sensorystory@gmail.com

buytickets.at/ neurodiverseorg/462088

Exploring the Impact of the Senses on Behaviour Sheffield

Practical day full of insight into how the senses effect behaviour. Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available. sensorystory@gmail.com

Child protection: What you need to know about keeping children safe and working ethically

Livestream Event (conference) 10.00 - 17.00 (UK time zone) | Cost: £125

020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

24 June 2021 Revolution Events

The Education People Show

Kent Event Centre, Detling

REGISTER NOW for your FREE place. Engage and learn from industry leaders through the educational seminar sessions, inspirational keynotes and the extensive education suppliers. theeducationpeopleshow.co.uk

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

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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

Epilepsy Action

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

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 SEN111

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 Dyspraxia Foundation UK Dyspraxia advice and support. dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

Advice and information on epilepsy. epilepsy.org.uk

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

Hearing impairment RNID Making life fully inclusive for deaf people and those with hearing loss or tinnitus. rnid.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 National Literacy Trust 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

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

National Health Service nhs.uk

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

Health in Wales

Spina bifida

wales.nhs.uk

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

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

UK Government For Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care

IPSEA

Free, legally-based advice for parents of and other departments. children with SEN. gov.uk ipsea.org.uk

SLCN Ace Centre

Visual impairment

Advice on communication aids. ace-centre.org.uk

New College Worcester

Afasic

children who are visually impaired.

Advice and support for those teaching

Help and advice on SLCN. afasicengland.org.uk

ncw.co.uk

Communication Matters

Royal Society for Blind Children

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

I CAN

Support and services for families and professionals. rsbc.org.uk

Children’s communication charity. ican.org.uk

RNIB

The Communication Trust

Support and advice for those affected

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

by visual impairment. rnib.org.uk SEN111

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SEN Magazine - SEN111 - March/April 2021

Articles inside

Giving the gift of time to siblings of SEN children

Professional Life

Sensory issues

Performing arts

Book reviews

Inclusive playgrounds

SEN LAW

Dyslexia and technology

The legal side to transitioning

Respite for siblings

Being an autistic minority

Autism in a mainstream school

It takes a village to help a child transition

What’s new?