SEN Magazine - SEN112 - May/June 2021

May • June 2021 • Issue 112

Visualising data The importance of sleep We need better EHCPs Dyslexia and Prejudice Speech and language • Self-directed learning • Fitness • SEN leadership • School refusal Student-centred teaching • Stimulation through play • SEN law • Food teaching Numeracy • Fostering • Back from Covid • Developmental language disorder • Tech Recruitment • CPD • SEN news • and much more!

May • June 2021 Issue 112

Editorial Team Louise Alkema Kathryn Barber Mary Mountstephen Isabelle Nicholls

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

Welcome Hello, and welcome to our May-June issue. It’s a packed publication with some fascinating articles, which we hope you’ll find stimulating and thoughtprovoking. Talking of stimulation, have a look at Hester Anderiesen le Riche’s article (page 45) on the benefits of stimulating play, and how there’s been a detrimental lack of play-stimulation during the pandemic. Professor Steve Chinn has some useful practical advice (page 36) on teaching numeracy using visual images and materials. Roger Broadbent (page 39) argues that government policy on dyslexia is failing children, and that the roots of this failure lie in the stigma associated with the condition. On page 59, Rosie Quayle gives a fascinating account of her techniques for developing fundamental language skills using play, and Mel Wood (page 64) shares her experience of easing children’s sleep.

If school refusal is a concern for you, have a look at Kat Williams’s article on page 71, in which she tackles the thorny topic of school trauma. There are too many great articles to mention them all here, but we’d like to invite you to flip through and find something that sparks your interest.

Dawn Thompson (right) dawn@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409804/800

We’re looking for more people to join our editorial team. If you have a literary bent, and a few hours a week to spare, or you’re looking for a part time position and would like to contribute to the magazine, please let us know at editor@senmagazine.co.uk.

Design

Deadline for contributions for our July-August issue is 18th May 2021.

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

SEN editorial team.

Director

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.

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

SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845

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CONTRIBUTORS Hester Anderiesen Le Riche

Adam Boddison Marilyn Bradbury Roger Broadbent Olivia Cheng Steve Chinn Debbie Craig Naomi Fisher Jemma Ive

Felicia Jibson Shushma Jain Dermot Kavanagh Harriet Marshall Sue Marr Frances Meek Denise Mitchell Mary Mountstephen Josianne Pisani

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Nicola Priddle Rosie Qyayle Louisa Reeves Douglas Silas Dominic Stevenson Phil Stock Kat Williams Mel Wood

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May • June 2021 • Issue 112

20 24 27 30 32 36 39 45 48 52 59 62 64 66 71

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We need better EHCPs Local authorities are struggling

Law: young people and SEN Practical advice on how the law affects young people with SEND

Speech and language update What’s new in SLCN

nasen: Effective leadership The importance of co-production

76 78 80

83

Student-centred teaching Things are changing in the classroom

85

Food teaching Two new nutrition guides are available

Brain food Eight foods for healthier children

Self directed learning Children with SEND can thrive with greater engagement in their own education

Long-term disability Tackling sedentary behaviours in young people who can’t walk

ICT Eight learning opportunity for SEND settings

Numeracy: visualising data Use visual images and equipment

Dyslexia and prejudice

90

We’re letting dyslexic children down

Stimulation

92

Fitness Personal training for people with SEND

Recruitment How to develop a successful long-term staffing strategy

...is good for mental health and wellbeing

Fostering It could be you.

Slowly back to normal The Pandemic: teaching learners with SEN

Language through play Using play to develop communication

Developmental Language Disorder What is DLD?

The importance of sleep

Regulars 10 14 28

SEN news What’s new?

The latest products and ideas for SEN

Point of view Have your say!

Coping with sleep problems

94

Book reviews

Is Tech the answer?

98

CPD, training and events

104

SEN resources directory

106

About SEN Magazine

Yes, it can certainly help

Autism and school refusal Non-attendance may be a result of school trauma

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36

EHCP

Maths

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Healthy food

45

Play SEN112

SEN services & products

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SEN news

Genes point to ADHD Genetic underpinnings of ADHD can be reliably detected, according to new research.

The genetic ‘load’ that an individual inherits influences their risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new research from Birkbeck, University of London.

This ‘load’, known as a polygenic score, consistently associates with the likelihood of developing ADHD. The researchers say the findings, published in April in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, are important because detecting ADHD early means individuals can then benefit from early interventions, such as tailored support before and during the school years.

The polygenic score for ADHD may in future be one of the characteristics that is used in combination with other factors, such as family history, to identify individuals who are likely to develop ADHD. Professor Angelica Ronald, first author of the publication and Director of the Genes Environment Lifespan Laboratory at Birkbeck, said: “ADHD is a common condition that affects approximately one in twenty children and also many adults. It has been known for some time that the causes of ADHD are partly genetic and inherited. The condition is characterised by symptoms of hyperactivity, inattentiveness and impulsivity. It can severely affect individuals and their families in a variety of ways including relationships, schooling and behaviour. There is an urgency to develop accurate biological and causal models of ADHD in order to devise effective early intervention and treatment options.

Autism assessment – queuejumping in Northern Ireland According to a report in the Irish Times, waiting lists for children with suspected autism are at a record high in Northern Ireland’s NHS clinics as they catch up after closing last year. The backlog has doubled, and almost five thousand children are waiting for assessments. Delays of more than two years are being experienced in Belfast, with many parents opting to pay up to £1,400 for private autism assessments. All of Northern Ireland’s health trusts now accept private referrals, which has fuelled concern about a two-tier health system pushing disadvantaged children further down the waiting list.

During the first lockdown last March, face-to-face clinics were stood down, with Zoom and telephone calls instead made to parents and carers for children’s developmental histories.

“Adapted diagnostic clinics” were piloted over the summer and autumn of 2020 – including the use of two-way mirrors and assessments in family gardens and outdoor spaces – there was a dramatic drop in diagnoses, with just 134 between March and June last year compared with 681 for the same period in 2019.

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“In our analysis it was found that the polygenic score for ADHD (the score that reflects the number of genetic markers inherited that increases the chances of developing ADHD) is specific to ADHD and on average, high scorers will develop ADHD more often than low or medium scorers. Therefore, in the future, it may be possible for doctors to use the polygenic score for ADHD as well as a variety of characteristics to help predict who will develop ADHD. The polygenic score for ADHD is not 100% predictive because we do not yet know of all the genes involved, and there are other non-genetic factors to take into consideration too.”

The study involved a systematic review of the latest research on the ADHD polygenic score. It is a fast-growing field of research, with over 40 high-quality studies included in the review, all published in the last three years. The findings are consistent across ages, countries and samples, suggesting the ADHD polygenic score could be a reliable indicator.

Summer schools: government must heed concerns of both teachers and parents Catch-up classes shouldn’t be punitive experiences for pupils and teachers – balance must be struck between academic achievement and emotional wellbeing Following government announcements on summer schools, evidence has emerged that both teachers and parents are sceptical of the current plans for catch-up learning. For summer schools to be a success, they must focus closely on the emotional wellbeing of pupils, without placing too much pressure on already overworked teachers. This is according to after-school tuition provider Learning Hive.

News deadline for next issue: 15/5/2021.

Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN news

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M&S try out autismfriendly shopping The Worcester branch of Marks & Spencer recently held a sensory-friendly hour for customers with autism who may find busy shopping environments overwhelming.

Advised by Dimensions UK, the store made a number of adjustments, including dimmed store lighting, no music, phones on silent, tills not being rung, and any fragrances or smells being minimised. M&S staff were also advised on how to minimise sensory overload for customers, including by refraining from moving stock around during the hour and being on hand to open extra tills so as to shorten queues. Shopping can be a challenging experience for people living with autism, who may become overstimulated by the noise, bright lights, and strong smells of the retail environment.

Supporting the wellbeing of dads of disabled children A group of Coventry and Warwickshire dads have created a set of online videos to help fathers of disabled children be the best dads that they can be.

The dads worked with Emma Langley, a family researcher at the University of Warwick, to capture their experiences and create a resource aimed at supporting the wellbeing of other fathers raising a disabled child.

Muscular dystrophy survey Muscular Dystrophy UK has launched a survey for users of Changing Places toilets, in what is the biggest consultation to date for those who need these specialist facilities. MDUK co-chairs the Changing Places Consortium and campaigns for the 250,000 people across the UK who cannot use standard accessible toilets.

Changing Places toilets differ from standard accessible toilets, in that they’re more spacious and include a hoist and a changing bench, making it easier for people with severe disabilities to use public toilets. Local authorities are being invited to opt in to receive a proportion of the available funding.

In the videos the dads speak openly about their lives, including their initial reactions to first being told their child had disabilities, and how they felt about having to change their expectations of family life. They share their tips on adapting parenting skills to support a child with additional needs and were keen to speak about the positive experiences they have enjoyed with their children.

Dr Langley said: “We know from research that parents of disabled children are more likely to experience high levels of stress, often linked to lack of support. But fathers of disabled children are rarely involved in research into family wellbeing, which means that we know little about their experiences and the kinds of support that would be helpful. So we very much hope that these resources will help other dads to feel more supported and to explore ways to look after their own health as well as their children’s.”

More information, including links to the videos on YouTube, can be found here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/cedar/familyresearch/ fatheradvisorygroup

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Lockdown may be easing, but many disabled people and carers are no closer to freedom As lockdown eases it would be easy to forget that there are many people across the country unable to participate in the general sense of relief. Respite care providers Revitalise know that the pandemic has hit disabled people and their carers particularly hard, and many are forced to continue isolating having struggled greatly during lockdown. A survey from the Disability Benefits Consortium revealed that two thirds have gone without food, heat and medication. Revitalise have been taking calls from disabled people and carers in desperate situations, some talking of self-harm, an inability to cope, and even suicide. Many carers have been providing round the clock care, without any form of break, for almost a year.

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SEN news

Sensory vaccination clinic for adults with learning disabilities Students and their parents and carers at Share Community, a Wandsworth-based charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, attended a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Getting the jab can be a stressful experience and many people struggle in a traditional clinical environment. Working in partnership with local GPs and NHS Wandsworth, Share hosted the clinic in their immersive learning space, a special interactive room to create a tranquil atmosphere using projected images and playing restful music.

New SEND funding calculator Staffordshire County Council is planning to implement a new education banding tool for allocating funding accurately for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

The tool captures each child or young person’s holistic needs in a consistent and evidence-based way. Funding can be revisited as and when needs change, ensuring that each child or young person is awarded the funds they are entitled to. The calculator is expected to launch in February 2021.

Lessons from Covid: “Happier in his own clothes’ Researchers from the University of Sussex examined the experiences of parent carers of children with SEND and of the children themselves, during lockdown and returning to school. The report identified schools’ achievements but also exposed some of the significant limitations in the English education system - not least in meeting the fundamental needs of children with SEND, but also in enabling them to thrive. ‘Happier in his own clothes’ was a positive comment by one parent about the lockdown, but one that also indicates how school could be improved for children with SEND. The report, written by Dr Jacqui Shepherd, Claire Durrant and Dr Christina Hancock, makes recommendations based on the learning from the positive and negative experiences of the last year, for a more reflexive and recalibrated school system which works better for all children.

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How social media affects teenage sleep Sleep psychologists from the #sleepyteens research group at the University of Glasgow have developed a new tool which helps measure young people’s ability to disengage from social media before bed. The researchers have developed an “Index of Nighttime Offline Distress”, or iNOD, and believe it is the first psychological measurement tool of its kind, which reflects the realities of how young people interact with each other in an online world. The 10-point questionnaire will equip clinicians, teachers and parents with accurate measurements of the impact of late-night social media use on sleep. However, it also takes into account the importance of friendships to the development of adolescent brains. As young people move away from their families and begin to strike out on their own, staying in touch with friends becomes more important. Phones and social media give an unprecedented ability to extend the feeling of face-to-face connection, and iNOD is designed to provide a truer sense of the trade-offs young people make between social connections and night-time social media use, and to draw a clearer demarcation of the points where it can begin to impact on young people’s sleep.

Dr Heather Cleland Woods, senior lecturer at the School of Psychology, Glasgow University, said: “Young people need quality sleep, but they also need the interactions with peers that social media provides. Much of the previous research on adolescent use of social media has focused solely on the amount of time young people spend in front of screens, without considering why they choose to do so. iNOD provides a tool to understand adolescent attitudes to staying connected and following etiquette, a valuable insight which was not previously measurable.

News deadline for next issue: 15/5/2021.

Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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Storyteller Amelia and her amazing eyes The inspirational 7-year-old Amelia, who is currently non-verbal, channelled her creativity through her eye movements, using cue cards to curate a mini-saga which is being published in an upcoming Young Writers anthology.

Amelia was diagnosed with Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) at birth, a type of brain damage occurring in newborns resulting from a shortage of oxygen and blood flow to the brain. Amelia was in intensive care for six weeks shortly after coming into the world; her prognosis wasn’t hopeful.

Today Amelia is a beacon of light and happiness. She uses a wheelchair to navigate and can communicate via visual cues provided by her parents.

Mental health crisis — children worst affected New analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists has found that nearly 400,000 children sought help for mental health problems during the pandemic. Children and young people have borne the brunt of the mental health crisis caused by the pandemic; 600,000 more mental health sessions were delivered than in the previous year, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists is calling for the additional £80m promised for children’s mental health to urgently reach the frontline to help tackle the crisis. A year on from the first lockdown and after warnings from the mental health sector about the impact of the pandemic on the country’s mental health, NHS Digital data shows that while the crisis is affecting people of all ages, it is under-18s who are suffering most. The report found that 80,000 more children and young people were referred to children and your people’s mental health services between April and December 2020, up by a quarter on 2019. Nearly 20,000 children and young people needed urgent or emergency crisis care - including assessments to see if someone needs to be sectioned because they or others are at harm - an increase of almost a fifth on 2019. senmagazine.co.uk

Anxiety app for autistic people Research studies show that 40-50% of autistic people have anxiety disorders – around 4 times higher than the rates in nonautistic people. Anxiety can present quite differently in autistic people for a number of reasons, including sensory issues, an intolerance of uncertainty and social or communication difficulties. Now, the Molehill Mountain app aims to help autistic adults understand and self-manage their anxiety. The evidence-led app has been developed by UK research charity Autistica and researchers at King’s College London with input from autistic.

Molehill Mountain gets users to identify and track their worries with a daily check-in. Check-ins open-up tips for managing anxiety – breaking down information and strategies into manageable chunks. The user tracks their progress up Molehill Mountain and can review their stats, tips and diary entries through a dashboard. The app delivers its programme over three months of check-ins but can be used for longer. Users can also share their progress with a trusted supporter such as a parent or therapist.

The app is available on Google and Apple app stores. The development team plan to assess the effectiveness of the app through a clinical trial later this year. More information at molehillmountain.co.uk.

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What’s new?

promotional content

Abbey School launches residential offering

My Independence will transform outcomes for young people with SEND

Abbey School in Chester has launched its new residential provision; an outstanding, nurturing environment for children and young people with autism.

ASDAN’s new programme, My Independence, has been designed to help all learners with SEND prepare for adulthood.

Pupils aged 8 to 19 years will reside in small family groups, each with their own facilities within four beautiful terraced houses.

A high staff to pupil ratio means that young people are always supported by a skilled and well qualified residential care team. A waking-day curriculum of fun-filled activities builds on skills acquired at school, so all young people may realise their potential and aspirations.

To find out more visit : abbeyschool.com

Universal approach simplifies prescription of safe transfer AAT GB has designed a bespoke, innovative solution to changing needs. The Universal Back is mechanically mounted onto the AAT Smax or Sella stairclimber, forming an integral part of the unit. Its adjustability means that any passenger can be safely transferred up and down stairs, harnessing provides further support if necessary.

When added to an AAT stairclimber, it can be re-issued to any user, young or old, large or small, without the need to specify alternative and additional accessories.

To book your free, no obligation assessment visit: aatgb.com/booking-form

The power of play Play Therapy is one of the most effective methods of supporting children’s mental health – research taken from a study of over 60,000 cases suggests success rates ranging between 73 and 84%.

The Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy has trained over 4,000 therapists to use play when supporting children facing mental health challenges. If you hold a Level 6 qualification and at least two years’ professional experience of working with children, you could be eligible to start your Play Therapy journey by training as a Certified Practitioner in Therapeutic Play Skills.

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.

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

Calcot Services for Children (CSfC) Calcot Services for Children (CSfC), a highly experienced provider of residential care and education for children with trauma and SEN with all its services rated good or outstanding by the regulator Ofsted, is opening a new special educational needs (SEN) primary school in Wantage.

Huckleberry Therapeutic School will offer places for children aged five to eleven who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties, including associated challenging behaviour.

Huckleberry will focus on a highly therapeutic offering, using a multi-disciplinary approach to meet the social, emotional, spiritual, physical and special educational needs of the children to enable them to progress into mainstream or SEN secondary education. csfc.co.uk

Encouraging social interaction with inclusive play areas At Caledonia Play we strive to make our play areas as inclusive as we possibly can and take this into account in the design of our equipment and planning play layouts.

From sensory-rich areas and zones that encourage social interaction to quiet spaces and everything in between – we pride ourselves in helping you ensure that no child is left out when it comes to their needs being catered for. We aim to make outdoor play more accessible without losing any of the fun factor with something for everyone but always putting safety first.

For more details visit: caledoniaplay.com

Get in touch to find out more!

T: 01825 761 143 E: contact@apac.org.uk playtherapy.org.uk playtherapyregister.org.uk

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Try before you buy with a weeks trial

Become a Foster Care Hero

We understand that not all students have the same requirements, so it is often difficult to know if a certain product would work for your school. We are offering a loan service for certain products, starting with the Ricochet Wobble Stool. It offers freedom to fidget, which can help to keep bodies and minds active.

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.

The stool comes in 4 different heights (300,350,400 and 450mm) and allows students to rotate 360 degrees.

For all your school furniture needs, please visit our website schoolsupplier.co.uk and/or contact info@schoolsupplier.co.uk for details.

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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.

For Sale: Freehold Educational Property in Surrey

Communication for people with poor cognition

Christie & Co is appointed to facilitate the sale of a freehold educational asset. The property comprises a 15.47 acre campus which enjoys a semi-rural location close to Camberley, Farnborough and Fleet. Surrounded by woodland, the extensive accommodation and sporting facilities, offer a new owner the opportunity to acquire a substantial freehold asset which could lend itself to a wide range of educational uses, including SEN. Offers in excess of £3.5million are invited.

The Memrabel 3 is a multimedia alarm clock, which will display the time like a normal clock, with options for which clock display you prefer. It’s easy to set alarms to go off at certain times and intervals i.e. Daily, Monthly, Weekly, Yearly. When the alarm time is reached, the Memrabel 3 will display high quality multimedia content on its full HD screen. This could be a video, some audio or an image.

For information, please contact Rosie Adlem, Director Christie & Co

There is an App which allows you to add your own pictures and videos. Send your recordings to your Memrabel over the internet or by a USB drive.

T: +44 7764 241 309 E: rosie.adlem@christie.com W: Christie.com

Visit easylinkuk.co.uk and search for MR3.

Foster carers needed in Stoke-On-Trent

Bikeathon to Buckingham Palace Challenge

If you have love in your heart and space in your home – you could be just who we’re looking for.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council need foster carers to help provide a safe and loving family home to children who aren’t able to live with their birth families; who could foster a child with additional needs and disabilities, or require a more therapeutic approach in terms of their care.

Enquiries welcome from people from all backgrounds and circumstances.

There is no typical foster carer – just those who are passionate about giving children a positive future.

Get in touch at: stoke.gov.uk/fostering

Fairfield Farm College students and staff cycled, walked, and danced their way to Buckingham Palace in a virtual ‘Bikeathon to Buckingham Palace Challenge’ for Comic Relief. All those involved managed to clock up enough miles to get to Buckingham Palace and back again, and as it was virtual, students not attending on-site were also able to join in the fun. Everyone managed to raise a fantastic £186.00.

Students have also been working hard to sell special odd socks to raise money for the Swindon and Wiltshire Down Syndrome WorkFit employment programme, which brings together employers and job-seekers who have Down’s syndrome. Students managed to raise an amazing £228.00 through their sock selling endeavours. ffc.ac.uk

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What’s new?

We Foster - a new therapeutic fostering service for North London Foster carers do an amazing job, providing a safe and loving home for children unable to live with their families. Many children in care have had a difficult start in life and need help to recover from trauma and learn to trust adults. They often need skilled therapeutic help from professionals working in partnership with foster carers.

Family Futures is a not-for-profit fostering and adoption agency renowned for its therapeutic support which changes the lives of vulnerable children. They are looking for foster carers to join their new ‘We Foster’ service. Could you change a child’s life by fostering?

Call 020 7354 4161 or visit familyfutures.co.uk/fostering

Opportunities to Foster in Hackney Since 2008 Hackney’s Children Services has been dedicated to innovative approaches to help improve the lives of children and their families across the borough. As a foster carer for Hackney, not only will you be key to creating positive outcomes for children in care, but you will benefit from a commitment to your professional development, the necessary support systems such as ‘Mockingbird’ and competitive fees & allowances. If you care about children and young people and you have the space in your life and home to make a difference.

Contact Hackney Fostering : Tel : 020 8356 4028 Email: fostering.recruitment@hackney.gov.uk

PlayCubes – flexible play in an eyecatching way!

PlayCubes from HAGS are a fantastic modular play system which offer children hours of fun and exploration. The new PlayCubes Leo 3.2 is an inclusive, low level combination with a transfer point making it easily accessible. With so many ways to climb, on, around and through, it is perfect for children with a lot of energy. It also has a “Spider Net” zone in the centre which provides a great place for a bit of “chill-out” time if children are feeling overwhelmed and the rubbery flextread surfaces make it a great place for a bounce too!

Find out more about HAGS PlayCubes here: hags.co.uk/playcubes-sen-magazine

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promotional content

Celebrating ADHD through positive management, mindfulness and understanding ‘You, Me and ADHD’ is an innovative activity book for children with a combination of proven activities and ideas, designed to help young people with ADHD recognise and manage their differing attributes.

Written by Chris Kent and K9 Project’s Izzy Dog, this book can be used in both home and educational settings.

One reviewer says: “It’s fabulous! I’m a primary school teacher and I can see what a useful book this could be to help children and families.”

To order the book visit: amzn.to/3wTf475 To find out more about the K9 Project visit: thek9project.co.uk

‘Research that gets Results’ – a great read!

The Laurel Trust is a grant-giving charity which has recently published a fascinating collection of research summaries illustrating the success of last year’s school-based research and innovation projects ‘Celebrating Research that gets Results’. It is available on The Laurel Trust website: https://laureltrust.org.uk The research has been undertaken by collaborations of schools in areas of deprivation and disadvantage.

The Laurel Trust works in partnership with primary, special schools and early years settings to secure improvements in teaching, learning and children’s well-being thereby widening opportunity and reducing disadvantage.

Turn to page 43 for an invitation to join them.

Bring the world into the classroom Lyfta is an award-winning teaching platform made up of interactive 360° spaces and soundscapes of real homes, workplaces and environments from around the world.

Students are invited to explore, unlock rich media content, and get to know real people through powerful and inspiring short films.

The resources are ideal for teaching a range of subjects, skills and values and the UN SDGs. The ready-made lesson and assembly plans cover a range of vital themes such as sustainability, wellbeing, human diversity and compassion, and are ideal for nurturing skills and values such as empathy, resilience, and critical thinking.

Free training and trial access available: lyfta.com/send

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Maths is not just about numbers

The Motability Scheme

Maths is not always the easiest of subjects when you are at school. But, for pupils with special needs, it can be a whole lot more complex.

The vocabulary needed to access the Maths curriculum is somewhat of a minefield.

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.

Rachael Lethbridge, SENDCo and Numeracy Lead at Mary Hare has created ‘Count on Words’, an intervention programme to support students’ development of Maths vocabulary which will ultimately increase their ability to learn Maths and improve their outcome. The programme concept was rolled out as part of a NASS (National Association of Special Schools), incubator scheme.

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.

The downloadable resources can be found on the Mary Hare website : maryhare.org.uk/centre-excellence/ downloadable-resources

SEN Maths/Project Baseline

Muntham House School

Project Baseline is trying to establish a true picture of maths attainment for students with SEN. The assessment measures the understanding of and how independently a student can use a mathematical concept. The Maths For Life ‘Hierarchy of Independence’ provides a standardised scale of how much ‘help’ a student is given.

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. The facilities and quality of the provision is exceptional.

Access to Baseline Assessment 1 is FREE and open to students with SEN working within EYFS and KS1 level.

Submission of results for recording will generate access to Assessment 2 and 3 at a six- and twelve-month interval.

Find out more at: mathsforlife.com/project-baseline

Our new primary residential floor has just opened providing a wonderful space for our primary pupils to enjoy. A lovely welcoming environment has been created to ensure pupils feel safe, happy and are well cared for. A range of onsite and offsite activities are on offer every evening to help develop pupils’ self-confidence and friendships with other pupils. muntham.org.uk

NEW Service for 0-4 year olds

Autism consultancy for schools

My Time to Play helps children with a vision impairment develop through play and provides parents with the opportunity to network, share experiences and pick up skills and knowledge to support their child’s development with confidence. The programme aligns with the stages outlined in the Development Journal for Babies and Young Children with Visual Impairment (DJVI).

At the National Autistic Society, they’ve been running autism-specific schools and learning from autistic pupils and their families for more than 50 years.

• Online resources • Online group workshop sessions run by our habilitation specialists • Face to face group sessions launching soon.

Find out more at: guidedogs.org.uk/timetoplay or call us on 0800 781 1444 to speak to our specialist team.

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Whether your school is new to working with autistic people or already experienced, they have training to meet your needs. The consultancy team have worked with education providers both across the UK and internationally.

Collaborating with organisations on: autism strategies; developing autism awareness ; peer review and mentoring; quality assessment of specific services and training needs analysis.

Find out more: www.autism.org.uk/consultancy

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What’s new?

promotional content

nasen launches new SENCO Support Service

Pearson Online Academy - Inspiring today’s students for tomorrow’s opportunities

nasen’s SENCO Support Service is here for you when you have a question or an issue you would like to work through around special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) in education. The support nasen offers is based on their extensive experience, knowledge, and skills across SEND and education.

Pearson Online Academy UK Global is a fully online affordable private school that you can access virtually anywhere delivering International GCSEs and International A Levels for students aged 14-18.

Delivered by their team of in-house education specialists, nasen’s SENCO Support Service is an essential tool, enabling you to access their experience and understanding of SEND as and when you need it.

Bringing digital knowledge and curriculum expertise into the homes of students around the world. Every student at Pearson Online Academy UK Global receives a personalised learning plan designed with their goals in mind.

Best of all, SEN Magazine readers are eligible for an exclusive 20% discount on the SENCO Support Service, available exclusively in this month’s edition!

At Pearson Online Academy UK Global they empower students to excel academically and throughout their lives by providing a high-quality educational experience that develops self-directed and reflective learners, who actively participate in our global society.

Visit nasen.org.uk/sencosupport-service and use code SEN20 today!

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.

ukglobal.pearsononlineacademy.com

Q-interactive® Q-interactive® is a 1:1 iPad®based system that allows seamless administration, scoring, and reporting of assessments.

• By using the inbuilt iPad functionality, you can provide an interactive assessment experience from 2 meters +, meaning that both you and your student can keep at a safe distance • “We are able to administer assessments rapidly, with minimal need for specific equipment, and attain more instantaneous scoring and reporting back of results” Q-interactive user

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

• Benefit from a 30-day free trial to test out the functionalities of your chosen assessments, so you can take the time to figure out if the platform can benefit both yourself and your students

ambitiouscollege.org.uk/supported-internships

Learn more at pearsonclinical.co.uk/senqi

Harrow School Online could help your child thrive

Grace Garden School now open

Harrow School Online is a fully online school, using digital learning technologies that are tried and tested and particularly suitable for pupils with additional needs as it offers expert teaching in a calm, accessible environment.

Each pupil is assigned a Success Coach, for pupils who have a SEND, their Success Coach will be a SEND specialist who can provide support with a wide range of needs.

At Harrow School Online your child will find an environment where their individuality can be recognised, and they will be nurtured and allowed to flourish.

For more information visit: harrowschoolonline.org

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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.

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

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What’s new?

promotional content

MSI (Deafblind) Remote Learning During COVID At Seashell, delivering education programmes to our Deafblind / MSI children and young people during the past year has been extremely challenging. Critically, we have focused on making learning meaningful for Deafblind learners, who often rely on their tactile sense to communicate and explore their world.

We have found that engaging with Seashell’s families and providing them with supportive coaching has been crucial to the success of our remote teaching and learning.

The pandemic has meant families have had to provide Intervenor support for their children and young people, a role which many were not prepared or trained for.

For information visit: seashelltrust.org.uk

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Taking trampoline innovation further Sunken Trampolines have launched a new, automated lid system for schools and care institutions and residences. Based on the principle of a car sunroof this lid allows the use of the space in a hall, room or garden to be dual purpose.

With a Patent pending on this innovative product Sunken Trampolines are now in a position to offer it with installation or supply only.

Sunken Trampolines have extensive experience in providing in ground trampolines across the UK. Should you be interested in discussing your needs please visit: sunkentrampolines.co.uk or contact Joel or Angus on 07801 573278

Online dyscalculia courses available The Dyscalculia Association are currently running two dyscalculia courses in association with SEND Group.

Both courses are entirely online and presented by its founders Professor Steve Chinn and Judy Hornigold •T he Level 3 course provides an awareness of dyscalculia and strategies to help.

•T he Level 5 course trains teachers to become specialist dyscalculia teachers.

If you are currently a Level 7 trained dyslexia assessor, the Level 5 course will enable you to assess for dyscalculia in line with the current SASC guidelines and you will also have the opportunity to apply for APL for the new AMBDA Maths and Dyscalculia.

For further details contact judy@dyscalculiaassociation.uk

Sensory Play Environments 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.

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.

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

Inclusive Learning Environments Show – Free Webinars Now Available TG Escapes, providers of eco buildings for SEN, are sponsors for The Inclusive Learning Environments Show which features webinars on topics such as Inclusive Design and Well-Being, Acoustics, Designing for Autism and The Impact of CO2 on Learning.

The webinars are now available to stream on-demand at: inclusivelearningenvironments.com TG Escapes webinar, Designing with Timber for Inclusive Learning featured guests Kiran Hingorani CEO at Swalcliffe School, Jayne Wilson CEO at Petty Pool and Matthew Ellis, National Facilities Manager at Acorn Care and Education answering questions about their eco-spaces for SEN. To see these and other SEN building case studies visit: tgescapes.co.uk

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

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

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

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

sovereignplayequipment.co.uk

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EHCP

A drive to improve standards Phil Stock says we need better Education Health & Care Plans (EHCPs) for young people with SEND

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n recent months the quality of Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has been a topic of much debate across the SEND community nationally and the following questions keep on emerging:

• Are children or budgets at the centre of the EHCP process?

“The number of EHCPs is placing increasing demands on local authorities”

• Why is there a lack of consistency and quality with regards to EHCPs nationally?

• Is the demand for efficiency (time & cost) negatively impacting the quality of EHCPs for C/YP with SEND? • The SEND CQC and Ofsted inspections have referenced limitations with the consistency and quality of EHCPs in nearly all inspections that resulted in a Written Statement of Action (WSOA), so what is being done to address this area?

EHCPs in England In May 2019, the Department for Education published their annual snapshot of statistics about Education, Health and Care Plans in England. The figures highlight that 3.3% of all pupils in schools in England have an EHCP, a rise from 3.1% in 2019. A further 12.1% of all pupils have SEN support, without an EHCP, up from 11.9% in 2019. The national increase in the number of EHCPs is placing increasing demands on local authorities who

are operating within considerable budget restraints. However, does this mean a lower quality of EHCPs should be expected?

Are LAs focusing on quality rather than just time-frames and budgets? (See fig.1) Whilst data must be submitted annually by LAs on the number of children and young people (C/YP) with EHCPs and how many EHCPs are completed within the 20 week statutory time-frame (60% is the average number completed within 20 weeks nationally), there is little with regards to a consistent process in ensuring ‘quality’ of the content of the plan (e.g. standard, compliance, lawfulness etc.).

With the focus for LAs to complete EHCPs within 20 weeks and to publish this key performance indicator publicly (on an annual basis), is this directly resulting in a lower standard of 2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

EHC plans/Statements of SEN (percent)

2.8

2.8

2.9

3.1

3.3

SEN support (percent)

11.6

11.6

11.7

11.9

12.1

■ fig. 1 Table showing ‘Number of pupils, by type of SEN provision, by type of school (including independent schools and general schools) - 2016 to 2020’ from ‘Special educational needs in England’ in England between 2015/16 and 2019/20.

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EHCP

“Targeted focus to improve the quality and consistency of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)”

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About the author Phil Stock, Director of Invision and Principal Educational Psychologist innovateinvision.com @PhilipStock7

EHCP with regards to content for children and young people (C/YP) with SEND? The demand for efficiency in time-frames at the cost of quality of the content?

Innovate Invision

Effective provision Ensuring effective provision and outcomes for children and young people with additional needs that require an EHCP is central to a local area’s SEND offer. The purpose of an EHCP, as set out in the SEND Code of Practice, is to: • Secure the special educational provision assessed as being necessary to meet the SEN of the child or young person • Secure the best possible outcomes for them across education, health and social care support preparation for adulthood • Establish outcomes across education, health and social care, based on the child or young person’s needs and aspirations • Set out the provision required and how education, health and care services will work together to meet the child or young person’s needs and support the achievement of the agreed outcomes • Confirm sources of funding for all aspects of required support, which may be through a personal budget or other resources.

The quality and consistency of EHCPs is one area which continues to be identified in many local area Ofsted and CQC inspections. On December 1st 2020, The Annual Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills 2019/20 was published and further illustrated the need for targeted focus to improve the quality and consistency of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

■ Further work is needed to improve standards.

The report looked at numerous areas across children’s services, including SEND, with a specific focus on the Ofsted and CQC SEND inspections of local areas.

Consistency and quality Since 2016, Ofsted and CQC have carried out joint inspections of services for children and young people with SEND in local areas. To date, 116 inspections have been undertaken and over half (59 out of 116) of the areas inspected have been required to produce and submit a written statement of action (WSoA), which is an indication of significant weaknesses in the areas SEND arrangements.

During the 2019/20 academic year, Ofsted and CQC jointly completed 16 inspections. Over half (9 areas) required a WSoA due to significant weaknesses identified in each case, ranging from two weaknesses in two areas to nine in another. The weaknesses varied across areas, however limitations regarding the consistency and/or quality of EHCPs were cited in all nine inspection reports

■ Outcomes based on the child’s needs and aspirations.

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EHCP

The graphical representation (see fig. 2) is taken from the report and illustrates the number of inspections by region and also the outcome of these inspections.

The aim has to be for all local areas across all regions to deliver a SEND offer that is compliant, ‘fit-for-purpose’ and meets the requirements of the SEND community. Currently this is not the case (as demonstrated by the above graph) and further work is required to improve standards and attain greater consistency of good practice across areas.

A lack of understanding Recently there has been some concerning messages about the quality and consistency of EHCPs, for example, in 2020 a freedom of information request highlighted that in the 2018/2019 academic year, the SEND tribunal had upheld LA decision-making in appeals against the content of an EHCP in just 4% of the cases; representing in 96% the LAs perception regarding EHCP content was not consistent with the parent’s or indeed the decision of the tribunal panel. Figures such as these demonstrate the need for an increased focus on the content and quality of EHCPs. In addition the recent Panorama documentary ‘Fighting for an education’ (7 September 2020) shared some examples from parents who illustrated significant concerns with regards to the content of their child’s EHC plans, despite the promise that came with the introduction of EHCP’s in 2014 that they would be focused and tailored to the child’s needs.

The question ‘What does a good EHCP look like?’ and what constitutes the appropriate standard when reviewing an EHCP, are not always clear. This lack of a consistent understanding

“To deliver a SEND offer that is compliant”

has not supported a quality assurance process. However, there are supporting resources out there; the Council for Disabled Children have developed excellent resources (free to access) and positive examples, to develop greater consistency amongst parents / carers and local authority professionals with regards to what is a ‘good’ EHCP. What is clear is that each LA are developing and implementing their own quality assurance processes and they differ considerably. Each LA is at a different point on the QA of EHCP journey, some have well developed and comprehensive systems involving education, health and social care professionals and others are just beginning to think about the need to review the quality of their plans purely within their SEND teams.

There has been considerable progress with regards to local authorities / local areas increasing their focus on the quality of EHCPs and some excellent QA frameworks have been developed. The key is to disseminate this good practice across regions and observe a positive impact on both the quality of plans nationally and the resulting positive outcomes for children and young people.

■ fig. 2

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SEN law

What the law says about young people with SEN Douglas Silas looks at what the law says about young people with SEN.

A

s many young people with SEN over 16/19 years old are due to transfer into Post-16/Post-19 education in September and Local Authorities (LAs) should have recently amended Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) to name a placement for them from September, in this issue, I am going to provide an overview of what the law says about young people with SEN.

What is the general law about young people with SEN? The SEND Code of Practice 2015 (CoP) states that a ‘young person’ is said to be a person who is over compulsory school age but who is under 25 (compulsory school age finishes on the last Friday in June in the academic year in which they become 16). Maintained schools, pupil referral units (PRUs) and academies/free schools have a duty to ensure pupils from Year 8 until Year 13 are provided with independent careers guidance. Schools and colleges use a wide range of imaginative approaches, such as taster opportunities, work experience, mentoring, exploring entrepreneurial options, role models and inspiring speakers.

Discussions about longer-term goals should start early and ideally well before Year 9 (age 13-14) at school and should focus on the child or young person’s strengths and capabilities and the outcomes they want to achieve. This is called: ‘preparing for adulthood’ and, whilst some young people choose to stay on at school, others choose to move to a college or training provider.

What are the duties in relation to higher education?

Everyone working with children and young people with SEN across education (including early years, schools, colleges and 16-19 academies), health and social care, should support children and young people with SEN to prepare for adult life, and help them go on to achieve the best outcomes in

“What the law says about young people with SEN” SEN112

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“Colleges must not charge tuition fees for higher education”

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

SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

employment, independent living, health and community participation. These principles apply to all young people and includes both the transition into post-16 education and transition from post-16 education into adult life.

LAs must place children and young people (and their families) at the centre of their planning and work with them to develop co-ordinated approaches to securing better outcomes, using information from EHCPs to ensure that there are pathways into employment, independent living, participation in society and good health. LAs also have a strategic role concerning the participation of young people in education and training.

They should work with schools, colleges and other post-16 providers, as well as other agencies, to support young people to participate in education or training and to identify those in need of targeted support to help them make positive and well-informed choices.

What does ‘preparing for adulthood’ mean?

According all to the CoP, ‘preparing for adulthood’ means preparing for; • Higher education and/or employment – including exploring different employment options, such as support for becoming self-employed and help from supported employment agencies.

• Independent living – this means young people having choice, control and freedom over their lives and the support they have, their accommodation and living arrangements, including supported living.

• Participating in society - including having friends and supportive relationships, and participating in, and contributing to, the local community.

• Being as healthy as possible in adult life.

It points out that being supported towards greater independence and employability can be life-transforming for those with SEN and this support needs to centre around the young person’s own aspirations, interests and needs. All professionals working with them should share high aspirations and help them to achieve their ambitions.

What should happen when the young person moves into higher education?

LAs must make young people aware of the support available to them in higher education and how to claim it, including the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). DSAs are available to help students in higher education with the extra costs they senmagazine.co.uk

@douglassilas

@douglassilas

may incur on their course because of a disability. Colleges or training providers must not charge young people tuition fees for higher education places, as the funding will be provided by their Local Authority (LA) and the Education Funding Agency (EFA).

LAs should plan a smooth transition to higher education for a young person with an EHCP. Once the young person’s place has been confirmed at a higher education institution, the LA must pass a copy of their EHCP to that institution at the earliest opportunity. The LA should also plan how social care support will be maintained for a young person with an EHCP, where the young person continues to require it, and whether this will continue to be provided by the home local authority or by the authority in the area that they are moving to. This should include consideration of how the student will be supported if they have a dual location, for example, if they live close to the higher education institution during term time and at home during vacations.

What about young people between 19 and 25 years old?

LAs are not responsible for securing or funding education and training opportunities for young people aged 19 to 25 who do not have EHCPs. LAs must set out in their Local Offer the support and provision that 19- to 25-year-olds with SEN can access, regardless of whether they have an EHCP. 19- to 25-year-olds with SEN but without EHCPs can choose to remain in full time education. Colleges are funded by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) for all students aged 19 and over who do not have an EHCP (including those who declare a learning difficulty or disability). Colleges are able to charge fees for these students, but must use their best endeavours to secure the necessary special educational provision that they need.

Young people with EHCPs should have free access to further education in the same way as 16-18-year-olds. Apprentices aged 19-25 with EHC plans are fully funded on the same terms and funding rates as 16-18-year-old apprentices.

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What’s new in speech, language and communication Louisa Reeves: major changes are needed in SLCN

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ell, if anyone was under any illusions that 2021 would give the children’s workforce any respite that has been swept away by the events of the first few months of the year. Many of the same challenges that we faced last year are still very much in place.

With some additional ones thrown in for good measure.

About the author Louisa Reeves, Head of Impact and Evidence at I CAN - the children’s communication charity.

Making changes It would be a brave person who would predict what will happen in the world of SLCN over the next year. One of the major changes we’d like to see is the amount of support for children and young people with SLCN increasing in mainstream classrooms. We’d also like to see more training and support for teaching staff across all phases in SLCN and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and how to spot and support children and young people who find understanding and using spoken language difficult. Finally, we’d like to see more familiarity amongst the general public of the challenges of SLCN and what DLD actually is. At I CAN, we’re working hard to make these wishes a reality in 2021.

So, what can we do now to support the children and young people with speech, language and communication needs who we work with? In an uncertain world familiarity and consistency are aspects of our lives which we all value and for children and

ican.org.uk @ICANcharity

@ICANcharity

“Support for teaching staff across all phases in SLCN & DLD”

young people for whom communication is a challenge these are particularly important. There are some tried and tested support strategies which we can refresh and give a new focus to. One of the most often mentioned resources is a visual timetable but frequently this isn’t used to its full potential.

A visual timetable can take many forms but at its heart, it’s a visual reminder (photo, illustration or symbol) of the activities and events of the day. These can be laid out in sequence so that everyone can see what’s happening now, what will happen next and so on. The benefit of having these as single items laid out in sequence is that if something is going to change you can show this by moving the card indicating what would normally happen and introduce the new event. To quote a famous US President, President Dwight D Eisenhower: “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”

We all love a plan but we also all need to live with the new uncertainty this year continues to bring. Using visual support for children and young people with SLCN can help them establish a routine but also to cope with uncertainty and change.

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Point of view

Point of view: parent

Our journey Denise Mitchell highlights the battles she has faced to get the right education for her son.

My son Matthew, 18, and has a diagnosis of ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder). He is one of a handful of young people in the Rotherham area who are identified as having Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) traits but no formal diagnosis. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council does not recognise PDA.

About the author Denise Mitchell, parent of a son with PDA.

Matthew’s educational journey has been difficult. We’ve engaged in battle with one organisation or another for 14 years. This is our life now.

Fighting for the right school

What happened next

Matthew started at his local Catholic primary school in 2006.

The Catholic ethos of the school didn’t lend well to ASD/PDA and it became clear that Matthew was taking what he was hearing very literally. He was going to Hell, “That’s where you go when you’re naughty.” He thought it would be better to be dead, because “Heaven is a better place, Mummy, and you deserve a better son.”

We thought we had been given the golden ticket, when the LA told us we could go and find specialist provision for Matthew. I scoured independent specialist schools, eventually finding one out of the area. It wasn’t perfect, but nothing is. They assured me his needs would be met, they weren’t.

Following a nightmare world of harassment and cutting a very long story short, he was permanently excluded, after years of ‘unlawful’ exclusions. He was 9 years old and clearly traumatized. To this day, the words, “There has been an incident,” haunt me.

Matthew attended a PRU, until a ‘suitable’ school was found.

There were none! We had to make do and mend. The LA pressed for him to attend a mainstream school, so we found a mainstream primary with an autism resource hub. Matthew recently disclosed that he was terrorised at this school. He was put in a ‘blue room’ on his own for hours on end, screaming and crying for his mum and for someone to help him. His fear was such that he told me, “It made me want to want to wet myself Mum. He was only 10 years old.

His secondary education was no better. He attended a school for children with moderate learning difficulties. He was bored and frustrated, as he doesn’t have a moderate learning disability. Again, he found himself locked in a padded room, alone, my heart was breaking as I heard him screaming and crying “Mummy help me!” when I picked him up. Matthew was bashing his head against the only hard surface in the room, the glass window in the door. Eventually, I removed him from the school.

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I work for DfE (Dept for Education) and I know how schools are run. I used this knowledge to conduct my own investigation into the school and was incandescent with rage at what I found.

The school was admitting vulnerable children but had not been performing even the most basic of statutory requirements.

Senior staff were incapable of performing annual reviews and Matthew’s EHCP laid in a virtual drawer for years, despite reaching transition age. I removed Matthew from this school in December 2020.

I’ve complained to both the school and the LA, both of which are ongoing. CAMHS refused to assess Matthew when he was a child, we were told “He has ASD, it’s to be expected.”

He is now an adult with severe mental health problems, low self-esteem and little self-confidence. I believe Matthew has PTSD and I am battling to have this recognised and treated appropriately, but will he engage? He believes his life is over at 18. He considers his education ruined and he has had all of his life chances. He blames himself, I blame myself.

I wish I’d educated myself more. I wish I hadn’t trusted everybody to do what they said they would. I wish that I’d fought harder! You yourself may have had these thoughts. It ISN’T our fault, we do our best with what we are given. It is the system that is at fault. We should be able to trust those whose job it is to provide our children with a meaningful education and I plan to hold those to account who didn’t do their jobs. senmagazine.co.uk

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Point of view: parent

Invisible disabilities Shushma Jain talks about a non-genetic cause of learning disability in the UK. My daughter has invisible disabilities. One being Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Even though I was a SEN teacher and my brother had SEN, what I have come to realise, is that society has defined what a child, or person with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or disability should look or act like, but that is not my daughter.

I get frustrated trying to explain to professionals, friends and strangers that my daughter is not ‘naughty’ or ‘disobedient’, but has an invisible disability. Many people who do not have personal experience with the special educational need’s world, perceive SEN to be a singular thing, i.e., a person in a wheelchair, who can’t talk or understand you and is not toilet trained.

What is FASD? Hardly anyone in the wider world knows about FASD, yet it is the most common, non-genetic cause of learning disability in the UK. (BMA 2007, rev2016). This condition is totally preventable, yet due to the taboo surrounding drinking alcohol whilst pregnant, it is hardly talked about.

My daughter has brain damage, due to her birth mother drinking heavily throughout her pregnancy. My daughter’s ‘issues’ will become harder as she gets older. Foetal damage from drinking alcohol is in most cases more severe than drug abuse during pregnancy. This means Layla will always have FASD, and, as she grows older, her issues will become harder.

Here are some statistics: 35% of adolescents who have FASD have had serious suicidal thoughts, whilst 13% make a serious attempt. Contrast this with figures of 17% and 2% respectively in the general adolescent population (US National Library of Medicine).

Many will end up in the criminal system or homeless because society does not see their disability, or if they do, the disability is not properly understood. However, with targeted strategies and structure many are able to live a life that they want and follow their dreams.

Raising awareness Guidance recommends that no alcohol be consumed during pregnancy, or when planning a baby. However, some women may be drinking, not realising they are pregnant and by the senmagazine.co.uk

About the author Shushma Jain is a parent, foster carer, Group Lead Facilitator and writer.

time they do, it may be too late. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness and to give prospective mothers as much information as possible, then they can make informed choices.

They must be supported, rather than have a stigma attached, both before the birth and after the birth of their child. According to Professor Barry Carpenter, a lead researcher in the FASD field, when he lectures in schools a good 50% of teachers have not heard of it. He also suggests that FASD could affect as many as 1% of children in Western countries.

Hopefully, I can educate a few professionals who have not heard of the diagnoses Layla and others have and to encourage them to be supportive of the families, as well as the child. Professionals often make the journey harder by not understanding what the child needs and therefore can’t offer the right support, which then means, the families have to spend valuable time advocating, or being more vocal than they would like to be heard for their child. This part of the SEN world is relatively unknown to those outside of it, even though it is becoming more and more prevalent.

I also hope that the book may help parents whose children have the same educational needs as Layla feel less alone, to show it is hard work, but with strategies, love and patience, there is hope and beautiful moments.

What’s your point of view?

Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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nasen

The role of co-production in effective leadership of SEND Professor Adam Boddison highlights the importance of the triangle of SEND leadership.

T

he Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015 established the principle of every teacher being a teacher of children and young people with SEND. However, for this to be realised in practice, every leader needs to be a leader of SEND. In a school context, such leadership arguably begins with governors and trustees, and there can often be a focus on the role of the SEND Governor. In particular, the interplay between the SENCO, the Headteacher and the SEND Governor can be thought of as a triangle of SEND leadership, which has learners as its core focus.

Families and the Triangle of SEND Leadership

“Leadership arguably begins with governors and trustees”

roles is a key factor in determining whether such tensions exist in practice. When co-production with families is factored in, the way in which the four roles work in combination deserves important consideration.

An important feature of the effective leadership of SEND is co-production with families. The reality is that parents and carers of learners with SEND have often spent years refining strategies that work for their children. Meaningful co-production between families and the triangle of SEND leadership allows this knowledge to be shared at the highest levels, so it can inform strategic decision making.

A co-produced strategic approach involving families and the triangle of SEND leadership can be a powerful driving force in improving the quality of SEND and inclusion across a school.

This is not about all four stakeholder groups duplicating each other’s efforts. Instead, a strategically coordinated approach is most likely to be successful through working in a complementary way; in harmony rather than in unison.

A concern that is sometimes vocalised in relation to every leader being a leader of SEND is that of duplication. The extent to which the SENCO, the Headteacher and the SEND Governor are operating strategically or operationally in their individual

Think SEND!

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To exemplify this concept of complementary interactions and behaviours, it is worth considering the principle of ‘Think SEND!’ as a feature of effective SEND leadership. Essentially, senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“Reduced capacity to offer individual interventions for learners”

Professor Adam Boddison is the Chief Executive of nasen - a charity that supports and champions those working with, and for, children and young people with SEND and learning differences. nasen.org.uk

‘Think SEND!’ involves proactively considering the impact on learners with SEND for every strategic decision that is made.

For example, suppose a decision was being made in relation to reducing staff to pupil ratios across the school by decreasing the overall number of teaching assistants. In applying the principle of ‘Think SEND!’, the Headteacher might be considering the impact this has on the ordinarily-available provision at the school and whether or not it would affect the volume of qualityfirst teaching available to pupils at SEN support level.

The SENCO might be concerned about the reduced capacity to offer individual interventions for learners with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP). The SEND Governor and indeed all governors might be assessing the extent to which the number of teaching assistants influences the inclusive ethos of the school.

Parents and carers will probably have a good understanding of the likely impact for their own children and might have useful insights into how such a decision could be implemented in a way that minimises disruption and unintended consequences for learners with SEND more broadly.

The point is that each of the stakeholder groups will have important contributions to make as individuals, but the combined effect has the potential to be far superior in terms of its impact. In co-producing strategic decision making in schools, there is an amplification of the inclusive ethos, both as a consequence of the specific decision that is made and also its subsequent operational implementation.

The Role of the SEND Governor The nominated SEND governor has three core elements to their role: 1. To monitor the school’s arrangements for SEND. 2. To provide a voice for the SENCO at board level and to ensure the needs of learners with SEND are considered as a part of strategic decision making.

3. To support and challenge all senior leaders (including the SENCO and the Headteacher) to verify that the needs of learners with SEND are being met effectively.

With these responsibilities, it would be extremely challenging for a SEND Governor to discharge their duties in the absence of partnerships with families. In practical terms, such partnerships may come via the SENCO as they will likely have the closest senmagazine.co.uk

@AdamBoddison @nasen_org

working relationships with families, but there are numerous ways in which this could happen. For example, the Headteacher may have close and excellent links with the parental community, or the SEND governor may be an elected parent governor, giving them other useful insights.

SEN Information Reports The SEN Information Report is a document that schools are expected to produce, with the primary aim of providing families with the information they need to understand how the school implements its SEND Policy. However, a high-quality SEN Information Report can support both families and school staff.

Whilst for families it should answer many of the questions they may have in relation to SEND provision at the school, for staff it should be a useful reference document for the practical implementation of areas such as the graduated approach.

The SEN Information Report should be a document that is both informative and celebratory. It allows the school to provide clarity about how they meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, but it is also a mechanism for schools to celebrate their successes in relation to SEND and inclusion.

In schools where co-production is central to the leadership of SEND, it makes good sense to include this as part of the SEN Information Report.

Next Steps For school leaders and school governance professionals, it is worth reflecting on the extent to which meaningful coproduction has a central role in relation to the leadership of SEND. In some schools, strategic co-production will be routine and impactful, whilst in other schools there may be much more that can be done. Every school can reflect on their current approach and there will always be something that can be done to improve things further. In the words of the ethical expert Michael Josephson, ‘You don’t have to be sick to get better’.

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Education

Education through the lens of educators Feliciea Jibson and Josianne Pisani write about the move from teacher centred lessons to being more student centred.

An inclusive system The education system as we know it today was created in and for the industrial era. Things have changed in leaps and bounds since then. The classrooms are naturally much better equipped.

We have moved from having teacher centred lessons to those that are more student centred, from a streaming to a setting approach, and from an exclusive to a more inclusive system.

Today, education is accessible to many more learners. The changes that we have seen over the last few years also mean that children are more involved in the learning process and are no longer placed in a class according to their academic performance but rather according to their ability in the different subjects. This is definitely a step in the right direction. Yet, there is often a disjunction between the learners and their learning environment, which at times results in some learners falling behind or being unable to cope, creating frustration, anxiety and a sense of failure. In a way, there are many Non-SEN learners who are SEN in that they have unique educational needs and the reasons for it are many.

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“Disjunction between the learners and their learning environment”

Children are grouped by age and are expected to follow a standardised system dictated by what learners can or can’t do at a particular age. The system is based on the assumption that all kids of the same age have the same skills and abilities. But this is far from the reality that is witnessed in the classroom.

Children have different strengths and weaknesses, different aptitudes, learning styles, interests, characters, backgrounds, levels of maturity and different needs which affect how and what they learn. Whilst teachers try to take into consideration as many of the eight components mentioned above as possible senmagazine.co.uk

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About the authors Feliciea Jibson is Chief Science Officer at PAGS SRL and founder of PAGS (Profile, Assessment and Goal Setting) an online profiling and progress monitoring tool that boosts children’s learning and psycho-social development. pagsprofile.com Josianne Pisani is a teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer at Executive Trainer Institute (ETI) in Malta with years of experience in teaching English as a second language to learners of all ages and abilities. englishpracticecafe.com

“Recognise the uniqueness of each learner” when planning their lessons, the number of students in any given class, the workload and the vast content that needs to be covered makes it a very challenging task. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Being creative in education If COVID-19 has taught us anything at all, it is that in today’s world being creative in education is a necessity, as is working collaboratively and having our work both digitised and accessible. Adapting our lessons to meet the needs of the learners rather than expecting the learners to adapt to our lessons has been of paramount importance for learners to have meaningful learning experiences. This has, in a way, further validated modern inclusion policies and practices which advocate that no child should be excluded or fail to achieve adequately due to poor quality or irrelevant education, that our neurodiverse learners should have access to the curriculum and have differentiated targets, and that the participation of parents and the support provided, not only to parents and students but also to teachers, should be strengthened.

Further to this, the eight components mentioned earlier have, over the last few years, been considered in relation to the impact of neurological conditions on an individual’s memory and capacity for learning and generalising, so that the opportunities for these learners to acquire important skills are maximised. Prof Emeritus Angela Fawcett (2018) mentioned that “Current education tools test the attainment rather than the senmagazine.co.uk

potential”. Earlier research of Shepard (2000) highlighted the ‘Changing conception on learning’ which in his opinion is interwoven with changing conception of curriculum and assessment. Moreover, Robinson (2013) advocates for a radical rethinking of our school systems where creativity is stimulated, and multiple types of intelligence are acknowledged. A paper in neuroscience by De Lavilléon, Lacroix, and Vilarem (2018) brings up the importance of teaching ‘Soft skills’ and the fact that these skills are very poorly defined, often being confused with personality traits.

Recognising uniqueness In light of all this and in response to the issues that we are experiencing in terms of assessment and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) neurodiverse learners, perhaps we need to re-assess the ways in which we understand child development. Perhaps we should search for new systems that could possibly change the way educators work with students with disabilities and learning difficulties. Perhaps we need to make use of an assessment that promotes a ‘can do’ approach, recognises the uniqueness of each learner and provides the goal setting information for personalized learning progress. Such a tool already exists but is yet to be utilised by educational bodies.

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Education

By knowing a learner’s style of learning, which either is conceptual or experiential (by seeing, by hearing, by doing, or a combination of some or all of these) the teacher/professional can use different strategies that will make learning easier. Brown, McDaniel and Roediger (2014) mentioned in their research that ‘good teaching’ would need to be tailored to learners’ learning style and to offer functional and meaningful situations for better retention and for consolidating memory.

This gives us our starting point, the place from which the journey begins. This is where the creative brilliance of the teacher and teaching assistant comes in. These are the people, besides the parents and carers, who know the learner best, and who will be able to apply the use of technology, personal interests, passions and hobbies into a programme of motivational learning. But how can this be done?

Harnessing interests Let us consider the lesson outcomes and how we can differentiate the way we teach our learners. Remember that they are real pupils, in a special needs school or on a special needs program. These learners have spikey ASD profiles.

They have different hobbies and interests to the rest of us that motivate them to engage.

They also experience anxiety and stress-related behaviours.

The key to reduce this would be to build their interests into the curriculum. You would be surprised how engaged they can be if their interest is harnessed. If the learner is passionate about trains, build trains in every aspect of your teaching (e.g. teaching maths: how many trains depart, at what time, when they arrive).

Auditory Processing

Autism Spectrum Disorder

“How engaged they can be if their interest is harnessed”

If the learner is passionate about football you can use football film footage to look at the emotional brain, and what the learner does when their emotional brain takes over. Then, talk about their anger manifestation such as becoming violent, breaking things or having self-harming behaviour. Being able to demonstrate and managing to detach themselves from the situation would already show a good level of understanding.

This can be the start of their pathway to success. The look of delight on their faces when presented with a task sheet with hobbies that they are so passionate about will be a testament to the thoroughness of their profiling and mapping, and the willingness of their teachers to personalise their learning. It can also be the start of an inclusive journey helping everybody else along the way for what benefits them will also benefit their classmates.

With everything that has been said and done, perhaps the future lies not so much in teaching content but in developing transferable skills in our learners, and in the process helping them learn how to learn.

What is Neurodiversity?

OCD

Undiagnosed

ODD

Dyslexia

Dyscalculia

Tourettes

ADHD

Bipolar

ADD

Dyspraxia

DLD

Epilepsy Anxiety

■ Recognising uniqueness.

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Maths

Data visualisation and numeracy In this article Professor Steve Chinn explains how data visualisation, or the use of visual images and maths equipment, can enhance maths learning.

Data visualisation I’m sometimes behind the curve. Well, not always totally, but sometimes missing a vital link, not making a connection. So, recently I have noticed the phrase ‘data visualisation’. It seems to be a relatively recent discipline, at least in its title.

To me it looks like something that does, ‘what it says on the tin’. Specialists and companies offer to take data and present it visually in order that people can better understand it. To me that seems like using visuals and materials to help children learn maths more effectively.

Using visual aids and materials is something that goes back a long time in maths education and brings to mind names like Cuisenaire rods, Diene’s blocks, the abacus and bead strings.

And Bruner’s stages of development, although I may have some caution about being over-specific on the age ranges attributed to them.

Yet, some teachers still resist the use of visual images and materials when teaching maths and some educators are certainly not advocates for their use. This applies particularly when pupils are beyond the early primary years. Learners are plunged into the symbols, and only the symbols, before concepts are secure.

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“Some maths teachers still resist the use of images and materials” There are exceptions, of course, notably Numicon.

I like teaching maths and learning from my students, whatever their age. I have learned so very much more from my students than I have from maths ‘educators’. And I include myself in that category. So, let me consider some examples of data visualisation I have used in my lessons and that my students have found efficacious.

The very basics I have been saying for many years now, that teachers need to know where the maths topics they are teaching started and where they are going next. Otherwise, intervention, and the initial teaching will not go far back enough and won’t set the foundations for further development. Maybe sometimes a quick revisit and refresh is enough to get them back into the ball-park. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“Which maths topics do your students like the least?”

Subitising is one of the key factors in the early diagnosis of dyscalculia. This is basic quantity recognition, coupled with knowing the number name of quantities up to 5. This is followed by counting up to 10 and beyond and then by basic addition facts to 10.

Even early number work is rarely a single focus, which is where a teachers skills come in. Figure 1 shows a linear visualisation of 10. The first nine numbers are single-digit. 10 is two-digit.

Figure 2 suggests that 10 can be visualised as 5 and 5, as with the fingers on our hands. It is a visual pattern, an organisation of 10 into a recognisable and hopefully quantifiable image and pattern. Adjustments to the 5 + 5 image should show the conservation of number and possibly the commutative property of addition, even if we don’t introduce such 4-syllable words at this stage.

Beware inconsistencies There are many examples of misleading inconsistencies in early maths. Visualisation is needed to support abstract ideas. For example, those first 2-digit numbers where the vocabulary does not support the images. Visuals are essential to embedding the correct information and concepts.

The names of the first 2-digit numbers, in the English language, do not support the order of the digits and the first exposure to place value. Eleven and twelve are exceptions and the teen numbers have a syllable structure that is opposite to the digit order. Thus, we say ‘thirteen’ and write 13. We revert then to twenty-three, thirty-three and onwards, writing 23, 33, 43 and onwards. The data visualisation I use here is based on base ten blocks, possibly enhanced by place value columns.

This representation uses scaffolding where the scaffolding is

Professor Steve Chinn was a teacher for many years. He was Head of 3 specialist schools for SpLD students, one of which, a Beacon School, he founded.

He has written several books including ‘The Trouble with Maths’ which won a TES award. Steve has lectured and trained teachers in over 30 countries. mathsexplained.co.uk @stevechinnUK

removed in stages as the building of the concept becomes more secure and the inconsistencies of the teen numbers are addressed.

Fractions Over the decades that I have been presenting maths lectures to teachers I have asked the question, ‘Which maths topics do your students like the least?’ Not surprisingly one of the top answers is ‘fractions’. This, for me, is a top topic for data visualisation. It also is a top topic for perceived inconsistencies, which, of course, I think can be addressed with visualisation.

As with the first 2-digit numbers, the early vocabulary for fractions involves ‘half, third and quarter’ none of which fit the pattern of ‘fifth, sixth, seventh’ and so forth. A symbol challenge is that the digit format for fractions does not show the division sign overtly, so ½, ¼ for example, are not shown as 1÷2 and 1÷4.

The visualisation should show the dividing up into equal parts to make fractions and that the more the divisions, the smaller the parts. It is possible to take paper strips and physically cut, or divide, them into equal parts thus visualising ‘division’ and the consequence that, for example, 1/4 is smaller than 1/2 (and maybe that it is half as big as well). Later I will develop the strips into areas for more complex procedures such as 2/5 x 3/7.

Finally

■ Subitising is basic quantity recognition.

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Misconceptions can start very early when children learn maths, and often stay with them for many years. Visualisation will help address this problem. Visualisation is not just for basic maths, in much the same way as experiments in physics and not exclusive to basic studies. It is also worth noting that the first time we learn something new it can be a very dominant and persistent memory in the brain and thus hard to unlearn. My contention is that using visualisation reduces that possibility.

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Dyslexia and prejudice We’re systematically stigmatizing dyslexia, writes Roger Broadbent Stigma and prejudice Not effectively evaluating the prevalence of dyslexia has left our education system in a perpetual state of trauma, and is a significant factor in explaining why nearly 50% of teachers leave the profession within 5 years of qualifying.

“80% of dyslexic children leave school without a diagnosis”

They enter schools where, for a whole host of reasons, the pupils are not diagnosed or supported for their dyslexia. This is evidenced by 80% of dyslexic children who leave education without a diagnosis (Source: British Dyslexia Association). This situation leads to discrimination against the 20% of pupils who are dyslexic, through no fault of their own. This is where the problem lies, not with the individuals with the difference, but rather those who refuse to recognise the condition.

The repeated under-recognition of the scale of dyslexia, and its consequent under-resourcing, has led to a strategic shortfall in provision; allowing for the ideal conditions to perfectly propagate stigma and prejudice against dyslexia. Unfortunately, this result is costing so much for the dyslexic individual and the broader society.

As Albert Einstein said, “Everyone is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Pupils with dyslexia find many educational tasks difficult for various reasons like issues with information processing, short term memory, being disorganized, and needing new information to be recapped, etc. Where a diagnosis has been carried out and an individual learning plan has been made (EHCP) then the pupil with dyslexia can thrive. senmagazine.co.uk

The personal consequences of stigma The politicisation of education most recently by Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings has done nothing to improve the educational landscape for dyslexic learners. In fact the present antiquated 3 R’s approach has added further barriers

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Dyslexia

“High levels of anxiety, and a battered self esteem”

About the author Roger Broadbent, Director, Dyslexia Institute UK dyslexiainstituteuk.com @dyslexiainstit1

to people with this learning difference. This governmental inertia towards dyslexia is unfortunately compounded by some Local Authorities who also do not prefer not to diagnose dyslexia using the following arguments: “We don’t want to label children”; “We use inclusivity practices in the classroom, and therefore, do not need diagnosis”; or simply, “We can’t afford to deal with it”.

What does all this mean for the dyslexic pupil? Generally, the person at the toe-end of this situation (undiagnosed/ unsupported dyslexia), soon learns self doubt, gets used to high levels of anxiety, and a battered self esteem. Most of these children fall behind in class – struggling with the tasks their pals seem to do easily. Subliminally, these kids learn about the concept of stigma, which lasts a lifetime. Self Stigma, constantly undermines their self worth and value. This soon evolves into Enacted Stigma: “I’ve never been able to do that, why should I try?” Hence, dyslexics underachieve at school and then in the workplace. This unfortunate position is then compounded by Public Stigma. Teachers view dyslexic pupils as: lazy, stupid, problematic, or kids to be excluded.

Perhaps most disappointingly for dyslexia is Structural Stigma.

This is where cultural norms and prejudice is embedded in institutional policy. This inhibits the schools ability to provide

support. This can be demonstrated by schools not being able to assess children for dyslexia, or provide an EHCP. They are unable to give access to dyslexia technological support, or provide sufficient numbers of Teaching Assistants, especially where budgets are not commensurate to wholly support the need.

The personal consequence of this painful stigmatisation too often leads to negative behaviour patterns: tantrums, being bullied/being the bully, disrupting lessons, truancy, etc. This is a very well worn pathway resulting in a lifelong imprint with predictable psychological/emotional/physical outcomes for the person with dyslexia. So many of which are in no way positive for the individual or their community (drugs, depression, poverty, criminality, and poor health).

Questioning our prejudices The present management of dyslexia leaves millions of people without an assessment or understanding of this key difference within themselves. The manifestation of which was not their doing. In order to radically change the lived experience for a fifth of our community, we need to question our own prejudices towards difference. Frankly, we have to ask ourselves why we are prepared to tolerate the perpetuation of this unhelpful scenario.

Change will come with cost, but a much lower cost than constantly dealing with the negative ramifications of these unmet needs. In 2006, KPMG estimated the annual cost, to the government, of failing to educate basic learning skills at £2.5 billion per year. The option we have is to keep making the same prejudicial mistakes, a flawed situation where, “Every time we repeat the same mistake, the price goes up” (Paulo Coelho), or be brave and change what we do.

■ We’re letting dyslexic pupils down

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We need everyone to remember that we are all different, and agree that this is to be cherished. Our uniqueness, flaws an’ all, is who we are. senmagazine.co.uk

Dyslexia

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Foster care training

promotional content

Supporting Young People and Foster Carers Throughout the Pandemic!

The Foster Care Training Hub recently met with Compass Fostering to get an insight on the impact of the pandemic in relation to mental health in young people who are fostered and those who look after them.

Compass reached out to their foster children and asked what their main worries were during the pandemic, and many of them said that they were worried about when the pandemic would end. They also said that they were struggling with not being able to see their friends as they normally would.

It is important to know how young people have been dealing with lockdown, so they were asked what helped them feel happier when they were feeling a bit down.

Five-year-old L said, ‘‘My foster mum did lots with me, we went out for bike rides and she helped me do schoolwork.”

Thirteen-year-old J said, “It gave me some time to let me focus on myself and try and help my mental health to get better soon.”

Sixteen-year-old S said, “I haven’t been in a good place at times and if it wasn’t for my carers, I don’t know what I would do. After some things have happened, I’ve felt lost.

I still feel like that; a bit lost but not alone. If that makes sense.”

At Compass, they make sure to check in with their carers and young people to ensure they feel supported and that they know who they can go to for advice.

It’s been a tough and challenging year for foster families to not have their usual face-to-face meet-ups. But Compass have made sure to keep on running their support groups virtually.

Carers Dan and Ash said, “We’ve been able to keep support groups going which has been a positive. Often, just talking to someone in a similar boat to you is a comfort.”

Compass offers foster carers psychological support as well as their looked-after children. It is helpful for adults to be familiar with any of their own trauma or potential triggers in order to be an effective therapeutic carer.

Compass has had to adapt due to social distancing. So weekly supervisions, training, annual review panels and support groups have been held over phone calls or video calls.

Foster carers have enjoyed attending training online, and say they’d be very likely to attend more even when restrictions are lifted. Being able to meet other carers is important to local groups and is a great way to be able to build up a strong support network.

The Foster Care Training Hub is the UK’s most popular provider of online training designed specifically for foster carers and young people who are fostered. To set up your free account today, please visit: thefostercaretraininghub.co.uk Some of the many benefits of joining the Foster Care Training Hub include: • 800 specialist online courses • 31 free mandatory online courses • 200 free preventative and life skill courses for young people • 150 wellbeing online courses If you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent or want to find an agency with the right support for your family, you can speak to Compass Fostering (https://bit.ly/2QcDjfQ). You will be supported on your fostering journey every step of the way.

Compass provides training, resources and a caring community to help you become a confident carer – get in touch to find out more (compassfostering.com/get-in-touch).

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Professional Design Service

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Play

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How can we avoid this having long-term impacts on mental health?

Lack of stimulation can have huge detrimental effects on mental health, writes Hester Anderiesen Le Riche

A

dults with special educational needs across the UK are six times more likely to die from Covid-19 on average, yet they find themselves at low on the priority list when it comes to receiving government support during the pandemic. Time after time, staff at assistedliving facilities are left confused and stressed as they anxiously wait to receive guidance from the government, which often arrives weeks after it is issued to other areas of society.

Exploring ways to protect people with SEN Without clear guidance on testing and visits, those with special educational needs struggle to cope with changing measures in place restricting social interaction during lockdown.

These restrictions mean many are unable to socialise in any form, and are left feeling secluded and without any mental or physical stimulation. Such a lack of stimulation can have hugely detrimental effects on individuals mental health and wellbeing at what is already a difficult time for all. Carers and relatives now need to explore ways to effectively protect those with special educational needs from the virus without impeding on mental wellbeing. senmagazine.co.uk

About the author Hester Anderiesen Le Riche, PhD, is an expert in how play can improve the quality of life of those living with learning disabilities and cognitive challenges. She developed the world’s first interactive light game for those with learning disabilities – the Tovertafel (Magic Table). tover.care/uk/tovertafel/adults @ToverCareUK @ToverCareUK

@ToverCareUK

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Play

Assisted-living facilities can turn to play therapy as one such method to improve their residents’ wellbeing. Play therapy is remarkably effective in activating social behaviours and enabling those who may typically struggle to communicate, to connect with others and their surroundings.

The benefits of play therapy Play therapy encompasses therapeutic activities and games that trigger positive reactions and emotional comfort whilst alleviating negative emotions. In fact, research shows that play therapy activities are exceptionally beneficial for those with special educational needs as they improve social skills, re-build self-esteem, and increase positivity while also reducing

negative emotions like anger, fear and sadness. Therefore, play therapy could also be particularly effective in releasing any anxious feelings that they are likely to be experiencing during this uncertain period.

In addition, play therapy is a highly effective way to support physical wellbeing as it encourages movement and exercise during the activities. The exercise involved in various play therapy activities helps adults with special educational needs to keep their immune systems strong and healthy whilst also causing them to release endorphins which leave them feeling upbeat and optimistic.

Although any form of play and social interaction can deliver these benefits, play therapy-based technology that involves interactive light projection games are some of the most effective to utilise during the pandemic. This is because the projected light animations used in the technology allow for a contactless element, making it a very safe and hygienic form of play.

Importantly, users can play without risking the transmission of the virus and carers can simply wipe down the table or surface used beforehand and afterwards to disinfect and ensure users’ health is protected.

■ Play involving interactive light projection.

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By incorporating these aspects of play therapy into daily or weekly routines, carers and relatives can protect the mental health of those with special educational needs, and enhance their quality of life in a way that does not encourage the virus to spread or put vulnerable residents in physical danger.

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Fostering

Foster care: could it be you?

Dominic Stevenson talks about how fostering can be one of the most varied, challenging and rewarding job you could do.

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round 2,500 children in care are currently living with foster carers who are specially trained and supported to help their families manage their disabilities. On top of this, every year around 30,000 more children coming into care each year across the UK. That is why we need to recruit more skilled foster carers to ensure that every child has a foster carer who can meet their needs and help them flourish.

Could you be one of them?

Fostering is one of the most varied, challenging and rewarding jobs you can do. Fostering services are always recruiting more foster carers, particularly to look after disabled children, but also teenagers, unaccompanied asylum seekers and groups of brothers and sisters.

Like other jobs working with children, fostering isn’t easy but is very rewarding and makes a huge difference to children’s lives.

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“Fostering isn’t easy but is very rewarding” Foster carers are childcare experts working with a team of other professionals providing children with the highest standard of care. Alongside this professionalism, they offer these children love, warmth and a positive experience of family life.

Different types of fostering There is nothing quite like fostering if you want to work with children. Working from home, it’s possible to combine fostering with caring for your own children, or to combine fostering and other work, depending on the age and needs of the children in your care. There are many different types of fostering, such as senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“A unique chance to make a real difference to a child’s life”

Dominic Stevenson is Foster Care Fortnight Coordinator for leading UK-wide charity, The Fostering Network. thefosteringnetwork.org.uk @fosteringnet @thefosteringnetwork

emergency, short and long term, short break, support care, and many more, and each foster carer works with their fostering service to choose what is right for them and their family.

Stewart has been a foster carer for more than 15 years, and he said: “It’s really rewarding when you see a day-by-day improvement in a child. You see them build up self-esteem and come out of their shell. Then you know you are really making a difference.”

In addition to practical support, all foster carers receive an allowance to cover the cost of looking after a fostered child.

Some also receive a fee for the work that they do. Throughout their fostering career, foster carers can take advantage of continued professional development. In addition, a range of roles is available within many fostering services, such as helping with recruitment of new foster carers or running support groups.

■ It could be you.

Making a difference A wider pool of foster carers is needed right across the UK, so children can live with a family in their local area wherever possible. It’s important that children live with families that are a good “match” for them, in terms of location, culture, lifestyle, language, and interests. More foster carers are currently needed to offer homes to teenagers, disabled children and sibling groups.

Foster carers have a unique chance to make a real difference to a child’s life, supporting them and working to help them develop and achieve their potential.

■ Fostering makes a huge difference to children’s lives.

Over 65,000 children live with almost 55,000 foster families across the UK each day. This is nearly 80 per cent of the 83,000 children in care away from home on any one day in the UK.

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Marcia, who has been a foster carer for more than 10 years, explained why she made the choice to foster: “I became a foster carer because I believe that you should always give something back to your community. The biggest rewards come when the children I have looked after achieve what they should.”

Could 2021 be the year you change your own life, and the lives of children in your local community, by deciding to begin your fostering journey?

Find your local fostering service today, and get started: https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/providers SEN112

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Learning disabilities

A year of SEN schooling during a global pandemic Nicola Priddle discusses the challenges faced during the pandemic when teaching learners with special educational needs.

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angside School is a specialist school based in Poole and operated by Dorset’s disability charity, Diverse Abilities.

The school supports more than 25 pupils aged two to 19 with multiple and profound physical and learning difficulties, as well as complex medical and physical needs.

“Ensure the needs of all pupils were being met”

Meeting needs in lockdown Some of our staff and many of our pupils were notified to shield during the first lockdown due to their or a member of their household’s medical conditions. Like most schools, we were in a position where we needed to provide a school environment to meet the needs of those pupils who remained at school, while also supporting families with their children’s learning, for those required to stay at home.

In order to safely meet these needs of the children at school and to ensure the safety of staff, we created bubbles and teams of people working together to minimise contacts, however, it was increasingly difficult to source sufficient PPE and hand sanitiser. The cost of medical grade masks was astronomical.

We used our private parents’ Facebook Group and emails to regularly update families, and in addition we published a fortnightly themed newsletter with suggested sensory activities,

information, and guidance from the multi-disciplinary team. We also created our own YouTube channel with songs and stories uploaded by staff members for our families to use at home, so our pupils were able to hear our voices, see our faces, and enjoy the familiarity.

Class teachers called families at home twice a week to find out how they were getting on, if they needed anything, or if they required any further information about an element of their child’s learning. The teachers would also co-ordinate with the multi-disciplinary team to deliver equipment or support for the families as necessary.

We became very adept at using video conferencing very quickly, and we were then able to use this to have meetings with families and other professionals to ensure the needs of all pupils were being met.

The financial and emotional costs of PPE Initially, there was little information given to education settings about how we would be able to return a number of our pupils who require regular Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs) such as suction. Over time, we were able to piece together guidance published for different settings and were able to safely return those pupils in September, with staff wearing enhanced PPE, including FFP3 masks, visors, and scrubs.

Obtaining slots for staff to be fit tested for these masks was tricky at times, and some were required to travel more than 20 miles for appointments.

■ PPE can lead to reduced facial gazing.

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While PPE is a wonderful barrier to prevent the spread of the virus, it is a devastating barrier to the development and wellbeing of our pupils as they are unable to see our whole faces or receive the touch and closeness they would normally feel. It is also very costly, we are seeing an increased spend of £2,500 per month on PPE alone. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Nicola Priddle is the assistant headteacher at Langside School based in Poole, Dorset. diverseabilities.org.uk

@diverseabilitiesplus @diverseabilities

“Anxious about what the future holds” ■ The physical barrier of gloves and aprons.

Limited space in school has made social distancing incredibly hard, while there are usually a maximum of seven children in a class, the number of adults we need to keep them safe means we are all working in close proximity to one another.

PPE reduces this risk, but it was still worrying for staff and for the families of our pupils.

Following the initial return to school, we were able to phase the return of more pupils in the summer term, and eventually welcomed everyone back in the autumn term.

We have seen some pupils less engaged with adult interaction, and displaying reduced facial gazing, both of which could be a consequence of wearing masks. Some pupils try to remove our masks to see our faces when we are working closely with

them. The physical barrier of gloves and aprons also impacts the changes in the way positive touch, for example tactile signing and massage, is delivered and experienced by our pupils.

Returning to normal slowly One positive to come from this, is that we have seen a massive reduction in the transmissions of the viruses we would normally have experienced over the winter months and the number of chest infections and hospital admissions has also been positively affected.

As we have similar settings to those in hospitals, we have thankfully been able to vaccinate our staff to further minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Being able to give a child the cuddle they are requesting and to relax in physical play together now and knowing there is not such a need to worry about close contact spreading the virus through parts of us not covered by gloves and aprons has brought a great sense of relief to our day to day processes.

While the people and families we support will be anxious about what the future holds, and the return to normal will be at a slower pace than most, we are looking forward to giving those with tremendous difficulty communicating the ability to see our faces again, and receive physical contact without barriers.

■ We all do our utmost.

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Those all-important routines will continue to be disrupted over the coming months as we progress towards the end of the pandemic, but we are all safe in the knowledge as SEN practitioners that we are all doing our utmost to ensure it is as trouble-free as possible for the children and young people we are supporting every day.

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It’s good to be back!

John Floyd, Headmaster of Bruern Abbey School reflects on some of the less discussed tangential benefits of getting pupils back into the classroom once again.

The reopening of schools raised tensions in many ways but for the vast majority of teachers it was wonderful to get their pupils back into the classroom. For pupils and teachers up and down the country removing the ‘tech barrier’ was a great relief. The pandemic showed how successful digital learning can be for those lucky enough to have the necessary hardware and broadband speed but even for those fortunate souls it laid bare a few factors that our current digital age cannot yet easily surmount.

The first was that schools are the best environments in which to learn and for many of our pupils blurring the boundary between the protective bubble of home and the public sphere of school was a discombobulating one - is my parent now my teacher? Isn’t their role a supportive one, not an instructional or enforcing role? “I want a parent not a homework dragon!” These feelings run both ways - we advertised in March for a new teacher and teaching assistant I was not surprised that no parents applied!

Secondly, learning online requires active listening for our pupils; this taxed their processing and working memory aspects of their brains in a way that being present in class

does not. Being present in a classroom allows you to experience the teaching and learning - not simply to watch it. I have no doubt that most parents have endured a monotonous online meeting in the past and for many of our pupils watching a teacher is a relatively passive process which imitates this regardless of how much effort the teacher put in. It often reminds me of the well-known comment - ‘you had to be there to really get it’.

Thirdly, and most importantly, successful teaching and learning is built on relationships. Judging someone’s feelings, be it excitement, nervousness or simply their levels of engagement are all key in maximising outcomes and doing this when you can only see their heads and shoulders as a few square inches is nigh on impossible. Spotting a nervous foot tapping or frustrated pencil twiddling online is simply not an option and therefore our teachers’ emotional literacy of their pupils was hampered.

Please don’t conclude that it was all bad - online learning is here to stay in some scenarios. It will decrease the levels of disruption temporary absences cause to pupils educational journey as they will join in lessons from afar. The now endemic use of tech also allows Bruern to teach pupils with specific needs in partnership schools regardless of physical geography. There’s plenty to be optimistic about and the pandemic has pushed technology within education forwards at an eye watering pace but I don’t think the classroom is redundant quite yet.

To learn more about Bruern Abbey School, please visit bruernabbey.org

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Language through play

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Using problems in play to develop communication Rosie Quayle discusses how play can be used to develop communication.

“Play is child’s work”. This quote will not be new to us, as play forms the foundation of much of the ‘work’ done in our early years classrooms. But the research is now starting to prove to us that children develop most of their language through some sort of adult-supported play, so we must ask ourselves how we can best support language development in our interaction with young children, especially those with a language delay.

At Auditory Verbal UK, we work with children with hearing loss. Many children enter our programme with a delay in their listening and spoken language skills as a direct result of their hearing loss. Our job is to train their caregivers to maximise their listening and spoken language through everyday play and activities, so the child has no idea they are ‘doing therapy’.

This also allows language learning to continue throughout the day, rather than just in an individual therapy session. Through this method we are able to close the gap so that around 80% of the children we work with go to school with listening and spoken language on a par with their hearing peers.

Learning in a playful way So how can we do this in a playful way? Especially when children often become so engrossed in play that we find ourselves narrating what they are doing, but the back and forth communication and interaction between caregiver and senmagazine.co.uk

“Create a need for the child to communicate” child isn’t actually happening. We want to teach language in a functional way so that the child can make a request, direct people, negate, reject, comment, call, initiate, greet, discuss an event, comforting someone….and the list goes on!

In this article we will explore how we can set up problems in our play with children to create a need for the child to communicate.

We will look at a specific activity for a 12-month-old, a twoand-a-half-year-old and a four-year-old, although they can be easily adapted.

12-month-old Long before a baby says their first word, they are learning about the underlying ‘why’ of communication. Communication is not just a token exchange system, it is about getting your thoughts

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into someone else’s head – sharing an idea with them! So for the 10-12 month-old baby, one of the greatest gifts we can give them is to set up an environment that creates the need to share their thinking. Although their first proto words might be ‘quack’ or ‘moo’ these will typically be as a label for a much repeated word. We can use play to set up simple problems that help them learn other reasons to communicate.

“Show they are thinking the same thing as you”

The Game: Ducks and water sensory play spilled. Label the problem ‘uhoh’ and direct someone to solve it ‘wipe wipe.’ Or a duck falls on the floor ‘uhoh’ and ‘up up’ to pick it up.

At the end of the activity you can model for the child that you say ‘bye bye’ and then wave to make the duck disappear, so teaching them that they can use their words to signal that they are finished.

Two-and-a-half-year-old – Train play

Setting up the play: Have an empty tray and tell the child ‘We’re going to have water for the ducks!’

Pause and say ‘uhoh! There’s no water!’ Signal with your finger and look puzzled – something is missing! Allow the child to take a turn to show you they have understood. This could be through a furrowed brow, saying ‘uhoh’ or looking around for water. You have created a need for them to label a problem to show they are thinking the same thing as you.

Tell the child ‘We need water!’ and show them the water in a jug. Wait to see if the child shows you they’ve understood that it’s the solution to the problem. This might be verbally by copying or a body movement.

Hold the jug above the tray and say ‘pour!’ and then pour a little water. Pause and wait to see if the child will vocalise or copy ‘pour.’ Each time they produce a sound you can pour a little water in. You’re showing them here that they can use their voice to direct you.

You can probably guess what happens next – once all the water is in, there are no ducks! Point to the ducks a distance away and show the child how you can call them ‘quack quack’ and they come a little closer. Pause and wait for the child to vocalise each time they do the duck comes closer. The baby is learning that she can use her voice to call things/ people!

Once the ducks have arrived you can sing ‘five little ducks,’ leaving a pause for the child to vocalise ‘Mummy duck said…..’

Again, it doesn’t have to be an exact word, but you are teaching them that they can join in with singing!

The baby can then have plenty of time to enjoy the duck water play. You might find other problems come up like water being SEN112

By the age of two and a half children have made the play transition from pretending on larger objects such as a doll at around 18 months to beginning to enjoy small world play. You’ll see that many of their needs to communicate are exactly the same as those of the 12-month-old baby, but the language and concepts they need to convey are much more sophisticated.

Two-year-olds can typically become very engaged in their small world play, making it tricky for adults to feel like they can join in other than labelling ‘oh, your train’s going over the bridge!’

The key way an adult can join the child’s play is to create the need to communicate, once again, by introducing problems for the child to solve.

Set the train track up so that it isn’t completely built but there isn’t a spare piece nearby. Allow the child to run their train around the track until they hit the missing piece. Help them to label the problem. If they don’t do it spontaneously you could help them to tell someone else ‘Tell Lucy, the track’s broken!’

You can then all think about the solution ‘we need more track!’

Once they’ve identified the solution, they then need to use their language to ask the right person for help by requesting ‘let’s ask Lucy for more track!’ senmagazine.co.uk

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“Encouraging them to think of multiple solutions”

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About the author Rosie Quayle, BSc (Hons) SLT, Cert MRCSLT, PGDip Auditory Verbal Therapy, LSLS Cert. AVT.

Rosie qualified as a speech and language therapist in London at University College London.

Other train-play problems can include: animals on the line, the bridge is too low, and no people to get on the train. All these problems create a need for the child to use their language to share their thinking, all while they are having fun solving the problems!

rosie.quayle@avuk.org @RosieQuayle Rosie Quayle

Four-year-old play – generating multiple solutions their play is through encouraging them to generate multiple solutions for a problem and share their thinking around that.

Key phrases you could offer to stimulate this thinking might be: ‘I wonder what other characters we could have?’

“Any ideas what else we could use as a castle? Let’s think of some other options!”

“Ella doesn’t want to be a princess, what shall we do? Any other ideas?”

By encouraging them to think of multiple solutions, they have to push their language and thinking beyond their natural first idea, creating a need for them to use many more complex language constructions such as “We could…” “Wonder if we might…”

“Let’s….” “Perhaps….” The adult needs only to intervene for a moment to allow the children to problem solve, and can then step back and allow the play to progress.

Over to you We hope this article will have encouraged you to consider the importance of the adult role in using play to create opportunities for children to enhance their language skills through creating real life ‘needs’ for communication. The practical examples are only to get you going, do share your ideas with us via social media @AuditoryVerbal on Twitter or @AuditoryVerbalUK on Facebook.

Pre-school play is characterised by a shift from more concrete, toy based play to increasingly imaginative play with complex worlds and often firm ideas from the child. Four-year-olds will have no qualms in telling you when you haven’t done something how they wanted you to within the play “No, you can’t be a pirate because we need someone to be a goodie!” So then, how can we as adults use their play to create different scenarios where they are stretched to use their language in new ways?

AVUK will be running an online course on using “Sensory Play to Maximise Listening and Speaking” on 9th July 2021.

Imaginary role play – Frozen

To register visit: avuk.org/Events/sensory-play-tomaximise-listening-and-speaking-2

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DLD

Learning about developmental language disorder In this article, Sue Marr explains what DLD is and how mainstream teachers can support children and young people in class.

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oor House is one of the very few schools in the country specialising in supporting pupils aged 7-19, with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), providing individually tailored education with integrated speech and language therapy for those with the most severe and complex forms of the condition.

“In an average class of 30, two children may have DLD”

What is Developmental Language Disorder?

• Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is when a child or adult has difficulties talking and/or understanding language but does not have another biomedical condition such as Autism or intellectual disability.

• These difficulties can impact on literacy, learning, friendships and emotional well-being.

How common is it?

• Recent research in Surrey found that 7% of children have Developmental Language Disorder.

• This means that in an average class of 30, two children may have DLD. • It is much more common than Autism, yet it remains a ‘hidden condition’ that is often missed, misdiagnosed or misinterpreted as poor behaviour, poor listening or inattention.

Strategies for supporting children and young people with DLD Support from professionals can make a real difference to children with DLD. Speech and language therapists and specialist teachers can help them to develop skills and strategies, and to understand their difficulties and their SEN112

strengths. Mainstream teachers can support children through understanding the individual child’s difficulties and by making very simple adaptations to their teaching practice by using these ten key strategies: 1. Time - allow the pupil with DLD more time to process information and instructions, receptive language, and to formulate their answers, expressive language.

2. Visual support – using visual prompting can help to signpost activities for pupils with DLD and trigger memory. Make use of interactive whiteboards, iPads, Apps and videos from the internet. Provide visual timetables, language rich displays and clear/simple signage around the school. Add pictures to your worksheets and where possible make use of real-life objects 3. Sign it – signing supports the development of expressive language and helps with understanding as a child/young person is given an extra ‘visual clue.’ The majority of teachers are not trained signers but what we all do well is to use gestures, facial expressions and body language in our everyday teaching. So, if you have a pupil with DLD in your class, try to ensure that you use these skills more overtly! It might also be useful to learn senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“Pupils with DLD have difficulties with working memory”

or make up your own signs for key curriculum vocabulary for the whole class to learn.

4. Do it – pupils with DLD respond well when provided with a multi-sensory teaching approach. Try to provide plenty of opportunities for kinaesthetic learning, especially in topics that have a heavy language load. Start with the pupils firsthand experience, focus on life skills and creative tasks where possible. Throughout practical activities, model the language you want the pupil to use. This will then support any subsequent spoken or written tasks.

5. Modify your language – slow your rate of speech! Give one instruction at a time and build the task up. Keep your sentences short and concise, pause in between sentences so pupils can process the information more easily. Be prepared to rephrase what you say more than once. Try to use word order that follows time, for example, ‘Finish question 10 before you go outside’’ is easier for a pupil with DLD to understand than “Before you go outside finish question 10.” Where possible, simplify vocabulary for example, using the word ‘make’ instead of ‘produce.’

6. Chunk information – to support the pupils understanding of everyday instructions, chunk the information by using pauses, for example, “tidy your desk...collect your planner... then line up.” It is often useful to repeat the instruction again! Be explicit, use literal language. Pupils with DLD struggle to understand inference and language forms such as idioms and metaphors.

7. Words – pupils with DLD will know fewer words than their typically developing peers. It is vital that we teach new words,

Sue Marr is an experienced teacher in both mainstream and SEN settings. She has taught pupils with Developmental Language Disorder for many years and has extensive experience of devising and delivering a mainstream curriculum that has been highly differentiated for the language needs of the pupils in her class.

ensuring that key curriculum vocabulary is explicitly taught. Try to plan vocabulary activities that target subject specific words because pupils with DLD will not ‘pick up’ new vocabulary like their classmates. Perhaps set aside 5 minutes at the start of lessons for ‘vocabulary time.’ The whole class could benefit, particularly in subjects such as maths and science, as the vocabulary used, can be very abstract and involve complex temporal or spatial language.

8. Small steps – break down tasks into smaller and more manageable parts. Provide a tick list so the pupils can see their progress and know what to do next.

9. Repeat it – try to recap previous learning at the beginning of each lesson. Many pupils with DLD have difficulties with working memory and so benefit from prompting. Throughout the lesson, repeat what you want the children to learn and model the use of targeted vocabulary. Do the same activity more than once but make small changes each time to extend learning. Ask the pupils to repeat back to you what they have been asked to do so that you can assess their understanding.

10. Model it – whether spoken or written, always model the language you want the pupil with DLD to use. Provide them with a toolkit of phrases/sentence structures that they can use to answer specific question forms These ten strategies should not be viewed as ‘extra workload’ for teachers. Supporting pupils with Developmental Language Disorder is really about good classroom practice….. making lessons visual/practical, prioritising vocabulary, varying teaching approaches, using innovative resources, being consistent and allowing time for consolidation of learning.

■ Using visual prompting.

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Moor House aims to share expertise and specialist knowledge with the wider community, including with staff in mainstream schools and colleges. Bespoke training sessions can be provided to primary schools, secondary schools and further education colleges, with courses suited to the requirements of the staff and students.

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Sleep

The importance of sleep Mel Wood talks about her daughter’s night-waking and how finding a non-medicinal sleep aid has helped her get a better night’s sleep.

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ver since my youngest daughter’s frequent night-waking left me exhausted I have been passionate about helping parents who are looking for a non-medicinal sleep aid to help their child get a better night’s sleep.

Sleeping problems We spend approximately a third of our lives asleep and it is widely accepted that most people need around 8 hours sleep a night to function properly although some need more and some need less. For children, the amount of sleep needed ranges from 11.5 hours during the day (with 2.5 at night) to 8.5 hours for a sixteen-year-old. However, for up to 80% of children with a disability, achieving this amount of sleep is simply not possible due to any variety of reasons linked to their disability.

A child with sleep problems within the home can affect the whole family. From parents of young children and siblings to children with elderly grandparents who may be living with them the ripple effect can reach all members of the family. For the child struggling to sleep, the lack of sleep can leave them feeling irritable and frustrated and struggling to concentrate at school due to tiredness. Siblings can also find it hard to perform at school as their sleep can often be disrupted by their parents trying to settle their brother or sister.

Establishing a routine One of the first steps is to consider if your child has a regular bedtime routine that is the same each night as well as a regular time when they go to bed and wake up? Children like structure and, although they may resist this at first, if you are consistent, they will soon learn to accept the structure you impose. A routine can include: • Make the last 30 minutes before sleep a regular routine that happens each night and ensure that you direct the routine.

• Most children need a wind down period of relaxing activities to help them transition to sleep – include activities such as a bath, getting dressed into nightwear and stories (avoid television / computers during this time).

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Sleep

“Determine roughly how much sleep your child should need” • Keep the order and timing the same each night • Avoid extending the routine (e.g. for ‘one more story’).

• You may wish to make a visual schedule for bedtime • It is helpful for you to try to structure the bedtime/waking time to occur at regular times each day.

Try to stick to this as much as possible avoiding too big a change at weekends. Consider putting together a sleep diary to determine roughly how much sleep your child should need (e.g. 10 hours). Determine the time that your child needs to be up in the morning (e.g. 7am) and work backwards to determine the bedtime (e.g. 7am, minus 10 hours is 9pm).

Keep it consistent In order to sleep well it really helps a child if the conditions remain consistent throughout the night and it is worth considering if anything is changing from when a child falls asleep to when they wake. Common things that can cause a child to wake up can include falling asleep watching television and then this being turned off. Or falling asleep with a parent next to them, only to wake during the night and find that they are alone.

Try to create consistency at the start of the night that can be maintained throughout the night to support a good night’s sleep

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About the author Mother of two Mel Wood is the brains behind Fidgetbum™, the non-medicinal sleep aid being used by children across the UK with conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Anxiety, Sensory Processing Disorder and many more which can result in trouble sleeping. fidgetbum.com mel@fidgetbum.com @fidgetbumsleep

For parents and carers that require additional intervention and support there are many options available including therapy, counselling and various non-medicinal and medicinal solutions along with organisations such as sleepcouncil.org.uk, thesleepgeek.co.uk, and thesleepgeek.co.uk.

Fidgetbum™ - a soothing, non-medicinal sleep aid which is available in a range of sizes. A stretchy wrap-around device that snugly holds the covers in place, without restricting the person in bed, it also provides a sense of security that sleep experts have likened to a warm hug and can be used from toddlers to the elderly.

Elliot’s story Fidgetbum™ is helping people of all ages across the UK who have previously struggled with their sleep such as 13-year-old Elliott from Oxfordshire. Elliott has Kernicterus, a condition which has symptoms similar to athetoid CP but also affects Elliott’s hearing, speech and eye movement and can cause muscle spasms that can cause arching of the back and neck. Another side effect is difficulty in getting to sleep and general restlessness during the night.

Over the years, Elliott’s parents Peter and Caroline have struggled with helping Elliott to sleep as his mother Caroline explains. “We have always avoided any medication but have tried various other solutions to help Elliott sleep such as pegging his duvet to the bed to stop him kicking it off, but nothing seemed to work”.

However, from the first night of using Fidgetbum™ Elliott slept better. With the Fidgetbum™ secured over Elliott’s duvet he no longer kicks his duvet off resulting in a better night’s sleep and not feeling as tired the following day.

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I am so grateful to Mel for coming up with such a simple but effective idea and I would not hesitate in recommending it to anyone of any age with sleep issues. I have already shown it to Elliott’s Occupational Therapist so she can tell her other clients about it”.

Elliott also loves his Fidgetbum™ “I find it really comfortable to sleep with and it is just tight enough to hold my duvet in place but not too tightly. I also really like the material” For more information on the full range of products available from Fidgetbum™ call 020 3714 4497, email mel@fidgetbum.com or visit fidgetbum.com and twitter @fidgetbumsleep

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ASD

The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on children with SEND: is technology the key?

Debbie Craig explores the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on children with SEND and how innovative technology can help improve outcomes.

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o-one would dissent from the view that education should be inclusive, providing equal opportunities for all learners, and that nothing should disproportionately impact those with special or additional educational needs or disabilities. Covid-19, however, has had a disproportionate effect on many such learners. There were large numbers of students who missed their routine, and have not coped well with heightened anxiety levels and disruptions to their daily lives, and it’s vital that any recovery plan should take this into account.

As an example, autism is a lifelong developmental condition, and autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently.

Unlike Covid-19, these neuro-diverse characteristics are not easily distilled down into a handful of symptoms. They impair everyday functioning, and the three most common characteristics of ASD are difficulties with social interaction, social communication and social imagination.

Yet there are many strengths with which to work. Autistic people feel their traits are a fundamental aspect of their identity and typically, are immensely loyal and honest. Supporting them means embracing this positively, not merely trying to mask issues.

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“Neuro-diverse characteristics are not easily distilled down into a handful of symptoms” ASD education in a pandemic The impact of autism on a child’s educational experience is significant. Many autistic children who require routine and consistency to help them better understand and adapt to unexpected changes, struggled to cope with school closures, as well as the many challenges faced throughout lockdown.

Equally, teachers educating children with SEND were under enormous pressure, working in unique conditions never experienced before. Many faced the greater challenge of teaching in school whilst also remotely supporting the parents of those being home-schooled, as well as supporting the children’s learning needs, without being able to provide the same level of interaction and individual attention as they would senmagazine.co.uk

ASD

“Specific interests as part of a bespoke learning programme”

About the author Debbie Craig is a parent to a child with ASD. Driven by her own experiences to remove barriers to learning and improve outcomes for children with SEND, Debbie developed and founded the app BOOP. limejar.co.uk

in a school environment. This has led to increased stress and anxiety for teachers too.

Concern remains that school closures may have had a disproportionate impact on children with SEND, but could technology hold the key to support teachers, parents and students with learning and wellbeing moving forward?

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@boop_app

@limejar.boop

Is technology part of the solution?

The use of technology has been a key element in the overall strategy to help children to continue to learn during the pandemic, so it would seem obvious that it could have a part to play in this SEND context too. The truth is that deciding how technology can be deployed here is as complex as autism itself.

So, before considering the role of technology, it is important to reflect on exactly how it might assist. First, any attempt to use technology to support in the SEND context must take into account the level of complexity referred to above. In so doing, it is helpful to consider three Ds: 1. The extent to which autism is a Disability in the true SEND sense, and in what way can technology assist.

2. The Difficulties autistic children face; and then 3. How to exploit positive traits in the way autistic children function to take advantage of these Differences.

Disability As an example, given some autistic people have sensory processing impairment disabilities like sensitivity to noise, the best technology solutions must base their communication approaches on visual supports/objects of reference.

Difficulties The difficulties autistic children face can be many and varied, which makes this ‘D’ the hardest to address, particularly as they have been exacerbated by Covid-19.

For example, the mental health and wellbeing of children, and indeed of their families, has been jeopardised by an increased risk of social isolation during the pandemic. Equally, teachers required more targeted resources, better suited to the individuals’ specific needs, while therapists and health workers who were forced to work at a distance needed help with how to actively support families.

dominated by remote learning and home-schooling, and today, the support must be steered towards recovery for everyone.

Differences The differences offer real possibilities. Many autistic children have outstanding attention to detail, can be very focused and display great organisational skills. It is also well established that being able to harness their specific interests as part of a bespoke learning programme, can make a huge difference.

There are many examples; for instance, a child motivated by making films had an entire learning programme designed by his teachers to be delivered through this medium. Another, fascinated by machinery such as lifts, was able to develop his literacy, numeracy and other skills through studying their design specifications and manuals. These examples show that if the technology solution can exploit such interests, autistic youngsters can make outstanding progress quickly.

Technology solutions, therefore, help in a number of ways.

They remove barriers to learning by overcoming specific autism related issues, such as reducing the stress caused by unexpected change at home. Whilst in school, they provide an intuitive and easy-to-use interface to interlinked resources and activities that help students achieve tasks independently, and also provide the means to track achievements. Although no technology is likely to address all the elements of such a varied and interconnected set of challenges, solutions developed by those who really understand the distinct, core needs arising from autism will be the most effective.

Technology: Key areas to consider In simple terms, technology must be based, specifically, on both the nature of the learners conditions, and the operation of the support network that surrounds the individual learner. For this

Families also needed specific advice and guidance in respect of the best way to help autistic children in a context that was senmagazine.co.uk

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reason, to ensure the technology selected supports, engages, and inspires SEND children, consider the following key areas:

• Connectivity It should connect key people, such as parents, caregivers, educators and health professionals; providing easy-to-use channels for communication and collaboration, facilitating their ability to work as a remote team.

“Addressing the specific needs of children with SEND and their families”

• Accessibility Accessibility through an app available on smartphones and tablets is crucial as this ensures key features and strategies are available in one place, and reduces the need for multiple devices or a variety of software applications.

• Consistency and structure Remember to take into account consistency and structure, such as through schedules and routines that are suited to individual circumstances. Think about whether there is an option to allow the creation of custom visual resources; as this helps mitigate unexpected changes and reduce anxiety.

• Availability Check how resources are made available. For instance, appropriately sequenced resources ensure that learners have all of the information they need at the right time and in a manner they are able to understand, learn from and act on.

• Support Consider solutions that support families to manage home life more effectively and efficiently, and provide tools for parents with which to create visual aids to support learning (e.g. social stories).

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• Tools Look at solutions that contain tools for teachers to create home learning activities featuring both mood measurement, and other feedback features, to allow everyone involved to monitor all aspects of progress and wellbeing, both in an educational setting as well as at home.

There are many technologies developed for neuro-diverse students, and now with the copious challenges created by the pandemic, it is vital that solutions are created with the ‘new normal’ in mind, whilst also effectively addressing the specific needs of children with SEND and their families.

Technologies that provide support to autistic children in the short term, such as those currently affected by the pandemic, would also bring benefits in the longer term; potentially in educational settings across the country that were struggling to meet the needs of ASD students before Covid-19. Done well, technology use has the potential to play a key role in helping to improve outcomes for children with SEND, both reducing the impact of the pandemic and, more generally, in removing barriers to learning.

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The esSENtial read

Join the SEN editorial team We’re looking for motivated people with an interest in education or journalism to join our editorial team. Fulltime, part-time, adhoc or just once-in-a-while.

Please contact us at editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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Non-attendance of autistic pupils and trauma Kat Williams provides a stark insight into the reasons for nonattendance and what is needed to combat this issue.

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umerous issues appear to impact autistic people and their families at a higher rate than their non-autistic peers, including trauma, school ‘refusal’, and not meeting academic potential. When discussing these matters with our stakeholders, a recurring theme was that while these matters are looked at separately, the intersectionality of the issues is often not considered, and that it’s possible that school ‘refusal’ is a direct result of school trauma. We conducted a survey to ascertain if there was any link, and to provide an opportunity for autistic people and their parent/carers to talk about why they/their child was unable to attend school.

Throughout the remainder of this article, I will refer to school ‘non-attendance’ rather than ‘refusal’. Most respondents indicate that the term ‘refusal’ suggests that they are wilfully not attending rather than there being an accessibility issue.

Language is important, particularly in childhood. The language used around – and directed at – children stays with them and can contribute to either building or breaking down their selfesteem. Language which apportions blame to the autistic child and their parent/ carer not only damages their wellbeing, but also removes responsibility from schools/professionals in making schools accessible. senmagazine.co.uk

“School ‘refusal’ is a direct result of school trauma” No questions were compulsory, but on average each received 245 responses: 25 autistic people, and 224 parent/carers. All respondents either had periods of non-attendance themselves (autistic respondents) or have an autistic child who had periods of non-attendance. Most were in mainstream education prior to non-attendance. Their responses highlight a number of key issues which, if correctly addressed, could prevent the development of trauma and other mental health concerns, and could also prevent further episodes of school non-attendance.

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Support in school (fig. 1) With cuts to local authority budgets making funding support in schools increasingly difficult to obtain, it isn’t surprising that almost half of respondents indicate that they were not supported in school prior to non-attendance. This figure reduces to 36.14% of respondents being unsupported during the periods of non-attendance. This demonstrates that schools are taking a reactive approach to support, which contravenes chapter 5 of the Equality Act 2010 in which schools have a duty to be anticipatory in the provision of reasonable adjustments.

More concerning is the low percentage of these children who were assessed by educational psychologists either before or during non-attendance (11.34% and 19.28% respectively).

While this is likely (at least in part) due to the limited number of ‘slots’ each school is granted annually, it also may indicate that schools are not attributing potential or actual non-attendance to emotional, social, or learning difficulties.

“Exacerbated by the lack of understanding” While some respondents indicate that EHCPs/Statements were in place prior to non-attendance, they were often not written robustly, and were ineffective in identifying and meeting the support needs of the autistic young person. Others advise that support was withdrawn prior to the episode of non-attendance.

Reasons for non-attendance (fig. 2) We asked respondents two questions relating to the reasons for non-attendance: what their experience was, and the reasons stated by educators. There is a stark difference in the way schools/professionals attribute reasons for non-attendance and the lived experiences of autistic young people and their families. For example, only 16.73% of schools acknowledge sensory processing differences as a contributing factor, yet this is identified as a factor in non-attendance by 67.74% of autistic people and their families. Conversely, 29.8% of schools/professionals consider overprotective parenting a factor compared to just 0.81% of autistic people and their parent/carers.

The top five reasons for non-attendance as indicated by autistic people and their parent/carers are:

■ fig. 1

■ fig. 2

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1. Anxiety (93.55%) 2. Sensory processing differences (67.74%) 3. Difficulties with staff (52.85%) 4. T ransition – both between schools and within the school day (51.61%) 5. Self-esteem (50.81%) Though not in the top five, as our aim was to investigate potential links between school non-attendance and trauma for autistic pupils, it is worth noting that 48.39% of respondents indicate that this is a factor. Only 7.35% of schools/professionals identify trauma as a reason for non-attendance.

It is possible that the risk of nonattendance is exacerbated by the lack of understanding and acknowledgement of risk factors by professionals within the education system. senmagazine.co.uk

Autism

“We asked what impact school has had on the autistic person’s mental health”

About the author Kat Williams is an award winning Autistic advocate and a director of Autistic UK CIC, focusing on systems advocacy, currently working with bodies such as Welsh Government and NHS Boards to influence policy.

Returning to education

autisticuk.org

Respondents advise that only a minority of pupils return to their mainstream school without support after periods of nonattendance (9.02%). Most respondents are still out of traditional education, either Educated Other Than At School (EOTAS), home educated, or still registered but not attending (56.56%).

Only 36.89% of pupils return to state schools, regardless of whether they are full or part time, supported, and/or in specialist provisions.

@AutisticUK

This may be indicative of the reactive responses to supporting autistic pupils and the difficulties faced by parent/carers in obtaining funded support via EHCPs/Statements/Funded Healthcare Plans. While the expense of these plans is often quoted as a reason not to assess (as are arbitrary rules regarding academic attainment), the cost to local authorities and the NHS in funding out of school tutors, EOATS provisions, additional educational psychology, inpatient care, and mental health support is far greater than that of proactive, properly funded, and appropriate support. The cost to the autistic young person’s wellbeing when school placements fail is far greater again.

Impact on mental health (fig. 3) We asked what impact school has had on the autistic person’s mental health. It is stark to see how many autistic young people have attempted suicide as a result of attending school: 2.94% had made an attempt, with 6.72% having suicidal thoughts.

Further analysis of these figures reveals that of the 21 autistic

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young people who had suicidal thoughts and/or had attempted suicide, 8 were of primary school age (4-11), and 13 of high school age (11-16). In light of the rising suicide rates in under25s, this should be of great concern.

Trauma/PTSD are also experienced by 18.91% of the autistic young people in our survey, far greater than the national average of 3%. While the title of our survey was likely to attract those who have experienced trauma, we still feel this figure needs consideration.

The top five mental health impacts are: 1. Anxiety (26.89%) 2. Negative impact – not specified (24.79%) 3. Low self-esteem (22.27%) 4. Trauma (18.91%) 5. Depressed/low (13.45%) This has a lasting effect on the autistic pupil’s lives, with those who responded as adults stating poor mental health caused by school still impacts their lives today.

Physical health (fig. 4) It is crucial that educators understand that many autistic people have cooccurring health conditions which impact on their ability to access education, and exacerbate the difficulty they have in managing day-to-day demands and expectations. Nearly a quarter of respondents indicate that they/their child has a co-occurring condition, the most common of which were connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

■ fig. 3

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“Retreating to home educating further marginalises families”

Summary

■ fig. 4

The top five co-occurring conditions are: 1. Connective tissue disorders (24.49%) 2. Gastro-intestinal disorders (14.29%) 3. Muscular-skeletal conditions (12.24%) 4. Autoimmune conditions (10.20%) 5. Epilepsy/seizure disorder (10.20%) All conditions indicated by respondents have the potential to make accessing education in a school setting difficult, particularly when unsupported. 25.93% of respondents with cooccurring conditions indicate that health conditions contribute to the autistic pupil’s non-attendance, yet most indicate that schools/professionals didn’t accept this. These attitudes further undermine the experiences of autistic young people, and are likely to exacerbate relational difficulties with the education setting, detrimentally affecting an autistic pupil’s mental health.

■ Educators want the best for all their pupils.

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Our report indicates that there’s a stark difference in what is attributed by schools/ professionals to the non-attendance of autistic pupils, and what they and their families experience. Respondents indicate that schools/professionals are more likely to blame behavioural issues which suggest the ‘fault’ lies with the autistic young person and/or their parent/carers. Autistic people and their parent/carers, however, are more likely to ascribe sensory processing differences, mental health conditions, and lack of support.

Even when autistic pupils are unable to attend school, our data suggests that support is not forthcoming, with many parent/ carers having to source external support at their own cost.

This reported lack of support also indicates that the higher percentage of autistic pupils being educated at home – whether officially or not – is due to a lack of alternatives rather than being a choice. This further marginalises families as one or more parent/carers are forced to give up paid employment and/or reduce their hours in order to educate their children, potentially pushing them into poverty. In turn, the stigma associated with not being in paid employment can further isolate these families.

We acknowledge that most educators truly want the best for all of their pupils, yet a lack of understanding, acceptance, and budget is contributing to long-term poor mental health, with worst-case scenario outcomes. As autistic adults who do not have a co-occurring disability are around 9 times more likely to die from suicide (with women being at higher risk than men) and autistic children are 28 times more likely to think about, or attempt, suicide, the concerns we’re raising need to be considered by educators at all levels. The inclusivity of the education system needs to be re-evaluated, with a particular focus on mainstream schools identifying what can change, including attitudes, sensory environments, appropriate training (delivered by Autistic trainers), etc. Furthermore, consideration needs to be made for autistic pupils who are unable to attend mainstream settings, particularly if they are screened out of specialist settings due to their academic profiles. This ‘missing middle’ are being failed by both a reactive system which lacks accountability, and ideological ‘inclusivity’ which has meant closure of specialist provisions for all bar those with the highest support needs. senmagazine.co.uk

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On the menu – a new resource for food teaching Frances Meek talks about how the BNF are developing a characteristics of good practice for teaching food and nutrition.

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s a previous secondary food technology teacher, now supporting teachers and their pupils through the Food – a fact of life education programme, I am delighted that over the last two years, the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) has published two guides to support primary and secondary teachers to become even better teachers of food and nutrition.

The Characteristics of good practice in teaching food and nutrition education (primary and secondary) guides set out a series of characteristics of good practice, determined via consensus building exercises with the food teaching community from the UK, which can be adopted as part of a good practice approach by all those that teach food and nutrition. To date, these have been very well received with over 3,000 downloads and nearly 2,000 teachers registering to do the online courses based on the guides.

This year, BNF has produced a third guide, this time to support teachers of pupils with special educational needs. We know that young people are motivated and inspired with food, especially opportunities to handle, prepare and cook, and we are fully committed to all children and young people having the necessary ‘food’ skills to cook and feed themselves well SEN112

■ Young people are motivated by opportunities to prepare food.

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About the author Frances Meek is the Senior Education Officer for the British Nutrition Foundation. nutrition.org.uk

• developing the management of food and nutrition teaching; • acknowledging the role of the teacher in the whole school approach to health and wellbeing.

■ Fruit!

and keep healthy. We also believe that all pupils should be given the opportunity to achieve to the best of their capability, maximising opportunities for independent living and work.

The guide, now available, aims to provide a perspective on teaching food and nutrition to pupils with special educational needs: • define the key characteristics of good practice that are specific to SEND; • exemplify these characteristics of good practice in UK schools, both special and mainstream; • identify exemplary practice and the school staff who could take responsibility for leading or enabling the practice; • highlight the key features of achieving these characteristics, showing how these can be put into practice, with case studies and suggestions of how to develop these for the future; • support trainee, newly qualified and practising teachers.

How can it be used?

The guide can be used in a variety of ways, such as: • ensuring that the teaching of food and nutrition is pupil centred and is appropriate for a pupil’s own learning journey; • developing pupil’s skills for independent living and the world of work, especially in ‘food’; • showcasing practice through defined characteristics; • promoting lifelong personal and professional development, helping individuals to audit their knowledge and skill-set; senmagazine.co.uk

The guide will be freely available to teachers across the UK to download from our Food – a fact of life website, along with a free online course. foodafactoflife.org.uk

British Nutrition Foundation The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) was incorporated 21 February 1967 and is a registered charity in England and Wales (number 251681) and in Scotland (number SC040061). They were privileged to have HRH The Princess Royal as their Patron. BNF’s vision is ‘Everyone can access healthy, sustainable diets’ and it is contributing towards this through its Mission ‘Translating evidence-based nutrition science in engaging and actionable ways’.

In all aspects of our work, they aim to generate and communicate clear, accurate, accessible information on nutrition, diet and lifestyle, which is impartial and relevant to the needs of diverse audiences, in particular the general public, the media, academia/ researcher, schools, health professionals, and food and beverage companies.

The Foundation’s education programme, Food – a fact of life, has been a dedicated and highly valued school resource since 1991 – and in 2021 they will be celebrating their 30th anniversary. The programme provides up-to-date and curriculum compliant information for children aged 3- to 16-years. They also provide in-service training for teachers.

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8 Brain foods for healthier children Olivia Cheng on a diet that supports cognition and learning

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e all know healthy kids need a proper diet.

Children lead busy lives and they need the energy to manage a full day and the nutrients to help them grow strong.

Along with foods that will fuel your child’s day and help them grow, you also want to consider a diet that will support brain development. The right foods will not only assist with brain development, but they can support better cognitive function and help them learn.

Consider the following foods if you are looking to create a brain-healthy diet for your children.

Leafy Greens Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and kale are important for supporting brain health. These vegetables are high in nutrients like vitamin K, folate, beta carotene and lutein. Research has shown that these types of vegetables can slow cognitive decline later in life and they also provide nutrients that are important for building new brain cells.

Making a salad is one obvious way to introduce these vegetables to your child’s diet. If your child doesn’t like salad, consider SEN112

“Important for supporting brain health” adding spinach to an omelette or to lasagne. You could also make tasty smoothies and add kale or spinach without your child knowing.

Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds can be a great source of protein and they are also rich in fatty acids and other nutrients. If you are looking for nuts and seeds to add to your child’s diet, consider options like almonds, cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and pecans.

Nuts and seeds can be good as a snack to serve throughout the day. You could eat them on their own or make a trail mix with nuts, seeds and dried fruit. You also have different types of nut butter you can use as a spread. Beyond peanut butter, senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Olivia Cheng, author and owner of Yumble. yumblekids.com hello@yumblekids.com

you could consider healthy alternatives like almond butter and sunflower seed butter.

@yumblekids @yumblekids

Eggs Beyond being a great source of protein, eggs are also an important brain food. Eggs can be a good source of vitamins B6 and B12. Along with that, they are also rich in brain-healthy nutrients like folate and choline. Research has shown that choline plays a role in protecting the brain and that the intake of choline is associated with healthy memory function.

Parents have a lot of options when it comes to introducing eggs to a child’s diet. One easy way is to serve eggs as a part of breakfast. You could also make egg sandwiches to eat later in the day or make wraps using a whole-wheat tortilla.

Apples The health benefits of apples are well-known, but many people do not realize that they are also a brain food. Apples can be good as a source of vitamin K and quercetin, which has been shown to protect the brain from neurological diseases. Apples can be a sweet treat that will be a healthier alternative to things like cake and candies.

Apples can be the perfect snack to pack in your child’s lunchbox. You could pack the apple whole or slice it up and give your child a dipping sauce. Apple juice can also be an option for introducing more of this fruit to your child’s diet. You just need to be aware that many store-bought juices have a lot of added sugar.

that the probiotics from yogurt can have a positive effect on mental health.

Greek yogurt is another food that offers a lot of options for adding it to the diets of you and your children. One good option is to add berries for a delicious treat that is also healthy. You could also add the yogurt to smoothies as another way to make a nice snack for you and your kids.

Oatmeal Oatmeal is a breakfast classic that is healthy for the brain and body. Oatmeal contains nutrients that help to promote better blood flow through the body and the brain. There is even evidence to suggest that eating oatmeal in the morning can help children perform better on memory tests.

Oatmeal is another brain-healthy food that offers some nice options. Children could get the benefits by eating it plain, but you could add healthy fruits and other flavourings to make it a more complete and healthier meal.

Fatty Fish

Plums

Fatty fish can be good for adding a range of brain-healthy nutrients to your child’s diet. Many of the fatty fish can provide nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin K and niacin. Along with that, they are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with better brain health. Consider adding fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines to your child’s diet.

Plums offer another sweet option for parents that want to provide their kids with food that is good for the brain. Plums are rich in vitamin K and they also have quercetin. Both of these nutrients have been shown to be good for supporting brain health.

You have a lot of options for adding these fish to the menu at your house. A tuna fish sandwich is one obvious way to get more tuna in the diet of a child. You could also consider grilling fish as a part of dinner or you could cut the fish up and make fish nuggets with dipping sauce.

Greek Yogurt Fat plays an important role in brain function. With full-fat Greek yogurt, you have a healthy option for adding fat to your child’s diet. Along with that, there is research to suggest senmagazine.co.uk

Plums are sweet and they can be another option for packing as a snack in your child’s lunchbox. Sliced plums can also be good for adding to foods like yogurt or as an ingredient in a smoothie. You could also make a nice fruit salad with plums and other healthy fruits.

These foods offer a variety of options for building a diet that will support better brain development for children. Some of these foods are great as meals and many are perfect for snacking.

You just need to find a few ways you can introduce some of these foods to your child’s diet throughout the week.

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Self-directed learning

In charge of their own lives Naomi Fisher looks how children with SEND can thrive with self-directed learning.

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lice wasn’t happy. She was meant to do remote learning, but her difficulties with reading made the worksheets sent home impossible without help, and her parents had little time between their work and caring for her 3-year-old brother. Everyone seemed to be pressured all the time, and Alice felt like there was no fun in her life anymore. ‘I can’t learn anything’ she sobbed one evening to her mother. ‘I’m so stupid’. Her mother wasn’t sure what to do. Even with lots of help, Alice found the worksheets unexciting and difficult, and she never did them well. She seemed to have lost her zest for life.

Juggling different needs in lockdown Lockdown hasn’t been easy for anyone, but it’s been particularly hard for families with children with SEND. With children at home, their parents have been expected to support remote learning. For many families this has been a constant struggle.

Parents are left juggling the needs of different children with ever-increasing amounts of schoolwork. That’s before taking into account how many parents are also trying to keep their own jobs whilst helping and caring for their children.

It’s not surprising that surveys show that a high percentage of children with SEND are not completing the work sent home and many are completely disengaged – and a high percentage of parents are feeling burnt out.

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“Learn to think of themselves as autonomous and capable people” When this happens, no one is happy. Parents feel frustrated and children feel like failures. Each day is a battleground, and relationships in the family become focused on getting that home-school work done, before anything else. Parents become worried that their children don’t seem to enjoy anything they do, and that the curiosity they had when they were younger is ebbing away.

There is another way Dismayed by the impact that trying to make children complete school work has on their family, some are taking the brave decision to take an unconventional route to learning. Based on decades of research into motivation, self-directed learning puts a child’s autonomy at the centre of their education. This means that the child, not the teacher, decides what they will learn. The idea is that motivation and engagement is more important than any specific content. For when a child is interested, learning flows. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Naomi Fisher is a clinical psychologist and author. Her book on self-directed learning, Changing Our Minds: How Children Can Take Control of Their Own Learning, is out now, published by Robinson. naomicfisher@gmail.com

“The learner chooses what to learn” It’s an education in empowerment, something which children with SEND need more than anything else. They need to know that their choices matter, and that they are the drivers of their own lives.

We all know motivation matters in learning. When I personally am interested, I learn quickly, but when I’m bored, it takes me forever just to finish one page in a book. Children are the same.

When many of their experiences of learning are negative, they end up feeling that they can’t learn at all. Children with SEND are particularly vulnerable here, and this can affect their selfesteem – which can last a lifetime.

What is self-directed learning?

In self-directed learning the learner chooses what to learn, and the learner can choose when to stop. They are autonomous.

For this to work, it has to start with the child’s interests. These may be very far from what school is trying to teach. But when a child is not engaged with the school curriculum, what do you really have to lose? Spending a few months focusing on regaining a love of learning has to be better than spending months fighting about maths.

Autonomy – the ability to make meaningful choices about your life – is not the same as independence. It’s about knowing that your decisions about your life matter and will be taken seriously. Autonomy can be supported in people who do not yet have the skills to be independent. For this reason, it’s particularly important for children with SEND who need to know that they can make choices about their life, whatever their academic abilities. senmagazine.co.uk

Self-directed learning can look like many things. It could look like watching a video about the ocean or playing a game. It might look like making models with clay, or going for a walk and noticing the world around you. It often looks like conversation, answering questions and wondering about the world. Most of us have experience of interacting with our children in this way from their earliest years, before they went to school. Young children are brilliant at self-directed learning. They zero in on what they find most interesting and then persuade their parents to come along for the ride. As children get older their interests become more sophisticated, but the fundamentals are the same. When they are interested, they learn best. Self-directed learning takes advantage of this simple fact.

One of the joys of self-directed learning with children with SEND is that it allows you to focus on their strengths. So much of what children with SEND do at school is focused on their weaknesses in an effort to help them catch up, but this can mean that they never get a chance to feel good about themselves and their learning. Yet the research shows that by focusing on strengths, weaker areas improve too – and it’s a lot more fun.

This of course means that their strengths may look like nothing which is valued by school. Playing Minecraft or drawing pictures

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could be a strength. Playing with Lego, chatting, making bread – these are all the foundations of a self-directed education. It starts with what the child enjoys and what is important to them.

The parent’s role is to be curious and supportive, and to offer new opportunities to do more of whatever they love. If they love playing Minecraft alone, perhaps they’d enjoy playing with others, for example. Or if they like drawing, perhaps they’d like to experiment with paint pens or watch some drawing tutorials together on Youtube.

Self-directed learners need a supportive adult and an environment of opportunity. That adult needs to be ready to support but not to control – a tricky balance for many parents.

It means valuing whatever the child wants to learn about and helping them find out more – rather as we did when they were small. Interested in diggers? Okay, let’s go to the building site!

Let’s look up pictures online and Youtube videos. Let’s draw diggers and look at catalogues.

In this way, the child’s learning follows their interest, and so they are motivated and learn to think of themselves as autonomous and capable people. And this is surely what we want for our children with SEND, that whatever their ability, they know that their choices matter.

Alice’s mother decided that something had to change, and so she stopped the pressure to do worksheets. Instead, she noticed that Alice was interested in cats. They went for a walk around the neighbourhood and stopped to talk to the cats they met on the way. Back at home, Alice and her brother drew pictures of cats. Her mother drew cats too but they weren’t as characterful. ‘‘Never mind’’ said Alice. ‘‘You can copy mine if you want’’. Alice wrote ‘cat cat cat’ spontaneously and then said ‘if you change a letter, it’s just like hat’! They drew cats with hats. Then it was time for tea. That evening Alice said ‘I like cats. Can we do that again tomorrow?’. And her mother said ‘Yes’.

“Lost her zest for life” Five Ways to Bring Self-directed Learning into Your Home 1. Watch your child. What do they do when they have free choice? What are they drawn to? What makes them come alive? Those are the places to start.

2. Drop the battles. Many children react to pressure with resistance – and therefore it’s entirely unproductive. Stop the pressure and instead use the energy to engage with them doing the things they love.

3. Join your child doing what they enjoy. Sit with them whilst they watch YouTube videos. Learn to play Minecraft. Draw pictures. By being involved, you can introduce new ideas when they are ready.

4. Trust your instincts. Most parents have a very good idea of their child’s ability level. Forget what school tells you that they should be doing, and instead find the things you know they’ll enjoy. It’s fine if they still like playing with playdough or watching Peppa Pig at age nine. Life isn’t a race. Find books you think they’ll enjoy rather than books you think they should be reading.

5. Just for a while, focus on doing the things they do best rather than the things which need work. Do they love riding their bicycle? Do that together. Do they enjoy chatting to new people? Go and try that on your next outing (socially distanced, of course). Is messy play really their passion? Find new ways to get messy!

■ Do what they enjoy. Learn to play Minecraft.

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Tackling sedentary behaviours with young people who are non-ambulant Marilyn Bradbury from The DoMore Study are looking at tackling sedentary behaviours with young people who are non-ambulant

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he DoMore Study aims to help children and young people with long-term disabilities who cannot walk, spend less time being sedentary. This will be achieved by co-designing a new digitally enabled intervention in partnership with children and young people aged 12-25, their families, professionals (including those working in education) and experts.

Reducing sedentary time Being sedentary means sitting or lying down whilst awake, and not using much energy. Evidence suggests long periods of sedentary time can increase the risk of poor health, for example obesity, cardiac conditions and type II diabetes. Children with disabilities spend more time being sedentary than children who don’t have a disability. There are no evidence-based interventions to help young people with disabilities to reduce their sedentary time. The intervention we develop in the DoMore study will be the first of its kind. senmagazine.co.uk

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The groups of people taking part in the study are: • Children and young people aged 12-25 years, who are unable to walk (or only walk using a body support walker) due to a lifelong disability, and live in the UK • Family members of children and young people who are under 25 years of age and are unable to walk due to a lifelong disability (or only walk using a body support walker) • Education and healthcare professionals who work with these children and young people in the UK • Experts and academics interested in disability, sedentary behaviour and physical activity, behaviour change, intervention development or digital health interventions from anywhere in the world.

Participants are contributing to a series of online workshops, involving anonymous conversations or virtual focus groups.

We intend to include use of technology in the programme we develop. Our first of four workshops, which focuses on understanding the problem of sedentary behaviour in this group of young people, is currently open. Teachers and teaching assistants working with non-ambulant young people can visit our website to find out more, get involved, and encourage young people they support and their families to do the same.

A small group of children and young people will test the intervention we develop. The intervention will include young people wearing sensors that record body movements, giving feedback about how much they are moving.

About the author Marilyn Bradbury is the Chief Investigator of the DoMore Study and a community paediatric physiotherapist. do-more.org.uk @Marilynpaedsahp

bit.ly/2PI4XRE

In addition to this, there will be content based on behaviour change techniques, to support the children and young people to move more during their daily routines. We are following an intervention development model, called the Six Steps of Quality Intervention Development. This model will help us to select which behaviour change techniques will be most effective via our online co-design, and how the techniques will be delivered as part of the intervention. This is the first time a complex intervention development has been carried out online.

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Eight learning opportunities for SEND settings Dr Harriet Marshall explores how immersive technology can help students

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he challenge of bringing the outside world into an indoor learning space has had a lot of attention recently as a result of ‘lockdown-learning’ requirements.

However, many in the field of global learning have been actively working on this pedagogical task for decades in a variety of ways. Recently, practice has been ramped up a gear thanks to youth mobilisation to stop climate change, David Attenborough’s chart-busting ‘Our Planet’, the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and a new range of digital global citizenship education opportunities.

An empowering and enriching experience Global citizenship education, sustainable development education or human rights education can be an empowering, enriching, and transformative educational experience. The extent to which UN states also believe this work crucial is manifested in Target 4.7 of the SDGs: By 2030 ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and senmagazine.co.uk

appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. (Source: sdgs.un.org) The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the resolution adopting the SDGs, pledged to ‘leave no one behind’ and recognises the dignity of all and equality among all. The plan therefore rightly highlights an opportunity to consider complex global issues relating to equality, diversity and inclusion in all sorts of settings - including schools.

There are many ways in which schools are opting to bring in global learning – from school awards (such as UNICEF’s Rights Respecting Schools) to working with regional Development Education Centres to engaging in programmes like the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms. Some teachers are familiar with publications such as Oxfam’s Guides for Teachers on the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ or ‘Global Citizenship Education’ and so use these to identify a curricular and pedagogic strategy right for the needs of their students.

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Research hubs such as the Development Education Research Centre (UCL London) have also now established global learning as a credible educational field by researching practice around the world and producing peer-reviewed publications such as the International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning. However, we do not yet know enough about effective global learning practice in SEND settings – but we do know that some exciting and transformative practice is taking place.

“Global learning can positively impact students”

Combining the old with the new An increasingly popular methodology for supporting global learning and empathy-building combines both an ancient pedagogic technique with a modern-day one – storytelling and film making. We believe in capturing human stories through powerful short films which can then be turned into 360-degree interactive spaces for learning.

Through this, students and teachers can navigate a virtual globe, explore different countries and visit various storyworlds.

The films offer a unique glimpse into someone’s life and/or home and a snippet of how they see their lives and the world at a particular moment in time. No story provides a complete picture of an issue, but it helps bring things to life for students by using real-world examples and themes. Aligning this with lesson plans and resources mapped to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals will also help build cultural awareness and global citizenship amongst students.

Positive impacts of global learning Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which global learning can positively impact students with special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities by drawing upon schools already doing this through various global learning methodologies: Enhancing independent learning and confidence building: Most case studies and reports emphasise how digital global learning resources can enhance independent learning and build confidence – something educators working with students with SEN have especially noticed and appreciated. One teacher from Elms Bank school has been using Lyfta’s global learning immersive digital stories with her class of students with autism.

Although at first sceptical about how students might respond to the international storyworlds and subtitles, she noticed

■ Lyfta’s immersive digital stories.

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the extent to which the children engaged and empathised with the people featured in the stories and how it opened up opportunities for them.

The teacher explained, “it brings the outside world into the classroom without having to go anywhere... it immerses them and engages them in a world which isn’t open to them, which they would find so difficult to be able to go and travel to places and talk to people…it allows them to do that without having to leave a space... without the pressures of unknown and the pressures of communication which might happen, they can become more independent”.

Another example relates to how teachers and students are often similarly unaware of the details of global learning issues and this more level knowledge playing field can be empowering for students - offering them an opportunity to lead on topic direction or independent exploration on a range of levels.

Supporting blended, remote and flexible learning: Global learning through immersive platforms can support a blended learning approach in a variety of settings. Digital resources that offer flexibility and choice about delivery methodology support SEN teachers in their unique settings. From a group of physically disabled students in Finland who have enjoyed the post-viewing discussions after watching real-world videos covering specific scenarios and themes to a UK teacher in an alternative provision setting who found students actually participated thanks to the option of collectively inputting ‘student’ responses to global learning questions (thus navigating obstacles to participation such as the shame felt by ‘poor spelling’).

A useful opportunity to map, connect and combine different global learning approaches and pre-existing activities: Combining a whole school award with deeper-dive resources can provide the collective overview and the bespoke teaching methodologies required for SEN settings. For example, one teacher from the Venturer’s Academy said “I work with students who require a lot of sensory input to their learning so I’m using Lyfta to support them by creating an immersive learning experience. We are a Rights Respecting School and the platform works alongside this perfectly, enabling me to fully embed the Rights and SDGs across the school.” Other teachers have talked about how the practice of reflecting upon where global learning is already taking place in the school (such as gardening projects for sustainable and healthy lifestyles or international school-linking initiatives) can be helpful in many ways. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Dr Harriet Marshall is Head of Educational Research at Lyfta and has been a global education advocate for over 20 years, as a teacher, researcher, lecturer and consultant. lyfta.com @ham1 ■ “I love seeing their reaction when we discover new worlds”

Increasing engagement with physical activity (and other subjects): The UN’s SDGs combined with an immersive digital global learning resources can support PE teaching with children with SEN. For example, alongside the Youth Sport Trust and Lead Inclusion Schools across the country, we created a guide that uniquely connects PE, school sport and health and wellbeing together through immersive storyworlds aligned with the UN’s SDGs. The aim was to provide practitioners with the opportunity to engage young people in their schools that may not have previously accessed school sport, and develop confidence to access new opportunities, with the long-term outcome of increasing take up in physical activity.

Global learning resources offering a non-sequential (and nonhierarchical) ordering of themes can fit in well with student interests and curriculum topics and priorities. Global learning is a lot about values and attitudes, but it is also about real world knowledge which has been reported as being perceived to be both relevant and interesting by students. Teachers in SEN settings have also talked about how immersive technology and storytelling can be used within a range of subjects, providing links and continuity to support student understanding.

Global learning and digital global citizenship resources can be a way of teaching across different age-groups. Opportunities for vertical teaching strategies are often useful when working with mixed-aged groups of students with different needs. The consistency of common themes can also assist in transition work.

■ Global learning is also about real world knowledge.

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@LyftaEd

“Storytelling can help reinforce life-skills” Building inter-cultural understanding and meeting those from other countries without traveling: One teacher at Rivermead School (post-16 Partnership) said how much she had enjoyed seeing her students engage with resources: “I work with students with SEN and we are a very small provision (seven students) but I have loved seeing their reactions and behaviour during our sessions where we discover new worlds. They are very respectful of other cultures and it is lovely to hear them discuss these later on that week or even a few weeks later.”

Another teacher who worked with students with autism said that it was a unique opportunity for students to feel part of the world and meet people from other cultures or countries when they are highly unlikely to in their non-digital lives in the near future.

A useful pedagogic technique for bringing in PSHE, relationships, challenging stereotypes, life-skills and self-care themes. Storytelling can help reinforce life-skills around subjects such as hygiene and health by addressing these themes but in a different context. The same can be applied to introducing more sensitive topics such as stereotyping and difference.

Prior to 2020, we could not have predicted the vital role remote learning would play in delivering the curriculum and enhancing human connection at a time of physical disconnection. While most evidence here is anecdotal and there is a need for more rigorous research on the extent to which global learning can facilitate a greater understanding of other communities and cultures, there are several educators working with children with SEN who have discovered many reasons to be optimistic.

In fact, some settings may even be able to lead the way in developing innovative and useful methods, strategies and pedagogies when working with digital global learning resources.

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Advertisement feature

The power of gamified educational content The esSENtial read

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All the while their second app, Otsimo Speech Therapy SLP helps children improve their vocabulary and language skills with newly rolled out categories like Syllables, Fruits and Veggies, Let’s Make Some Noise, and Music Box. You can download on App Store or Google Play Store or visit https://otsimo.com/en to find out more.

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Sport

Personal training for people with special educational needs and disabilities Dermot Kavanagh discusses the benefits of personal training for people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

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f the last year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of mental and physical wellbeing and how exercise can help see us through the trickiest of times. But exercise can be daunting enough at the best of times, so where does that leave people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

Making exercise accessible Most personal training (PT) courses teach you an extensive array of exercises to suit different people and their different goals, but lack any real information on how to support clients with additional needs. So where does that leave the SEND community when it comes to accessing mainstream fitness platforms and related activities? In a report by Future Fit Training, Raising the Bar, it stated that 86% of fitness employees think that current training does not equip gym professionals to work with disabled people. The same study showed that 95% of respondents think that working with disabled people should be included as standard in the Personal Trainer qualification rather than being an optional study route.

Gyms simply lack the accessibility, equipment and training to meet the needs of individuals with SEND. The picture isn’t much brighter in schools with the My Active Future report by Activity Alliance stating that only 25% of disabled children take part in sport and activity all of the time. The reality is that an inactive childhood is much more likely to lead to inactivity in adulthood too. According to Sport England, you are twice as likely to be physically inactive if you have a disability than if you don’t.

■ Exercise provides a great deal of sensory input.

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So just because the opportunities in mainstream fitness are few and far between does that mean that people with additional needs should miss out? Inactivity can lead to an array of health issues like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes as well as having a negative impact on mental health. A combination of the above means that people with SEND are much more likely to face health issues than their peers. But shouldn’t this be seen as a fault of wider society rather than a disabilityinduced barrier? The key to getting people with additional needs involved in exercise is understanding and addressing the barriers that stop them accessing fitness platforms and participating in the first place.

The benefits of regular exercise The benefits of exercise are widely known, with improved cardiovascular health, muscle tone, mental health and general wellbeing. For those with additional needs they can be even more beneficial. Improved muscle tone can help with conditions such as dyspraxia and Cerebral Palsy, helping to improve control over the body. Bodyweight exercises and the use of resistance can provide a great deal of much needed sensory input.

Throughout lockdown I have had the absolute pleasure of working as a personal trainer with children and young people with a range of different needs; including brain injuries, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and anxiety and tic disorders. This came about after discussions with my fiancé who is a paediatric Occupational Therapist (OT). It became clear that there was a huge gap in the market for personal trainers to work with children and young people with SEND, and for those children and young people to access any platforms for exercise and physical activity. According to the My Active Future report, less than half of parents with disabled children felt they had enough support to help their child to be active. We cannot expect parents to have the knowledge on physical activity to be able to provide the sort of physical activity needed.

Whilst working with my latest caseload of children and young people, I have worked as part of Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT’s); I have seen personal training written into Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs); and I have advised on bodyweight/heavy work exercises that have been incorporated into sensory diets for teenagers. Working alongside professionals such as OT’s senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“Truly incredible and inspirational young people”

and Educational Psychologists, we have been able to come up with holistic plans ensuring that all the needs of the child or young person have been met.

Dermot Kavanagh is a personal trainer based in Walton. He served in the military for four years and has done a lot of conservation work in South Africa including training Anti Poaching Units. dfit0410@gmail.com @dfit_pt

Breaking down barriers If the last year has shown me anything, it’s that people with SEND want to exercise and do well at it. In my experience, the primary barrier for the SEND community participating in physical fitness activities is the lack of access to groups with an appropriate cohort of peers, and to personal trainers with the required skill sets and experience. A secondary barrier has been the environment, with gyms often proving too highly stimulating and/or the environment being inaccessible for individuals with physical disabilities.

In order to address these barriers, I have found working outdoors in gardens or parks beneficial, not only for the welldocumented positive impacts of spending time outdoors, but it also enables me to tailor the environment to the individual sensory or physical needs of the client. Being outdoors gives us a much calmer sensory experience than a gym would and means that a quiet space can be found if a client needs to take a minute or two out.

Working as a PT with SEND children and young people requires creativity and imagination; tapping into their motivators to make exercise fun and accessible – whether that be ‘testing out’ bus seats to disguise a squat or moving around the park imitating their favourite animal. A child I work with is reluctant to run as a result of perceived demand but tell him he is a bus going from stop to stop and he is off like a rocket.

The benefits of exercise I have also been able to use personal training to support young people with SEND who cannot access their mainstream P.E curriculum. The gains I have seen in these young people have been as much in their self-confidence and well-being, as they have been with their physical fitness. Using activities like plogging (running whilst picking up rubbish) and boxing to engage the client. One of my clients felt it impossible to engage in his P.E class, meaning that he was missing out on vital physical activity. Since we started, he has seen immense growth in muscle tone, confidence and wellbeing and has found a much-needed mechanism for battling with his anxiety. The key to these young people’s success has, very simply, been providing an accessible fitness programme - tailored to their individual needs and interests – to ensure their success. senmagazine.co.uk

I have had the opportunity to work with some truly incredible and inspirational young people and I have seen some great progress across the board. I believe the key to this success is taking a client-led approach to the sessions and using your imagination to build the session around them. Part of my initial questionnaire to parents before the sessions is finding out about the passions of these young people and using them to try and engage the children in exercise, making sessions fun and disguising exercise as play. In almost all of my sessions, if you take away the demand that you may put into a standard exercise session, then you will see the best results. Taking part in the session, by both demonstrating and completing any exercises with the client, is another way to take away the demand. If the demand is low and the sessions are fun you are much more likely to keep the client active.

Making a change In summary what I have learnt since working in the world of SEND is that it is not lack of motivation that is affecting participation in physical activity, but more so lack of accessible platforms that will help children and young people get the best out of it. When the accessible platform is there then the uptake will follow. We should not expect those with additional needs to have to fit into mainstream platforms but instead change the way we approach how we deliver a service to cater for their needs. In addition, my sessions with clients with SEND have been some of the most fun and rewarding sessions I’ve ever taken.

To simply accept that being disabled or having additional needs will lead to inactivity is inexcusable. If exercise is deemed as inaccessible to the SEND world then we must do what it takes to make it accessible. At a time where health and wellbeing is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, how can it be that something as simple as physical activity is so limited for people with additional needs? It is now the responsibility of the fitness industry to change with the times and adapt their approach to meet the needs of the SEND world. In line with the latest government campaign to get people fit and healthy, it is vital that we ensure that people with SEND have equal access to this initiative.

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Recruitment

Three steps to a long-term recruitment strategy In this article Jemma Ive focuses on the three steps school leaders can take to support an effective short and long-term recruitment strategy

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nsurprisingly, many educators are reporting high levels of stress and fatigue. The pandemic is causing added stress, and pinches in recruitment. However, with some planning, you can identify potential issues in future staff provision. What’s more, you can do so without drastically adding to your current workload.

“Reporting high levels of stress and fatigue”

Review Survey your staff. Find out how they’re feeling, and their concerns for the coming months. You could use a simple online survey tool with some incisive questions. Parents, parttime staff and pupils will also provide valuable insights which may help you to retain staff and maintain stability. Parents of children with SEN may identify specific support needs, which may be a great way to utilise support staff. Support staff may also be well placed to be upskilled to fill a short-term absence of a teacher.

Analyse absence patterns and vacancies. This information can enable you to predict where and when you might have a shortfall of available staff, especially if you need specialists SEN112

in a particular SEN area. Try to be objective: are any of your team members vulnerable and likely to need to isolate? Being prepared for quarantine cover in advance; prepare a backup or supply staff colleague who is experienced in the SEN area you require. Imagine the peace of mind knowing that you have an experienced PECs facilitator on board. Also, take a look at vacancy information in your area. What year group specialisms or support roles are most in demand? Are there opportunities for staff sharing or recruitment collaboration with other local schools?

Identify your priorities for pupil support. Nurture the people you connect with, for example by retaining them long-term senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Jemma Ive is Operations Manager at Teacher Booker and was a SEN teacher for 15 years. teacherbooker.com @teacherbooker

@teacherbooker

“Building a talent pipeline and ecosystem”

in your extended workforce. Build a pool of extended staff to cover workforce gaps without a separate recruitment drive.

Plan Identify your known, possible and unknown future staffing requirements. Focus on the possible scenarios. Assign them weighted scores. A dedicated staff management/workforce planning/HR tool is best but if you don’t have one, a spreadsheet is fine. Ask your Academy group or Local Authority for support on mapping out these connections. They will have a broad view of pinch points in the area, and the available services.

Try not to plan alone. Think about the area you are based in.

Is it an area which struggles with teacher attraction? Shortlist the third party resourcing and recruitment services you might consider engaging with, even if you haven’t been involved with them before. Reaching out for support in good time will help you secure a better deal if you have to pay for commercial recruitment services. If you are using this approach, consider your third-party supplier relationships and ask the questions any commercial buyer should be asking: How have your relationships with recruitment service providers changed during the past year? How do I ensure that the service and resources I receive are good value for money? How will I measure the performance of this supplier?

If your chosen approach is to build a talent pipeline, how will you manage this pipeline and keep candidates engaged, especially if it turns out you don’t have an immediate need?

You don’t want to waste your talent attraction efforts! senmagazine.co.uk

Start building a brand for your school. Engage others on social media, and publish regular updates on your school website. This may help attract talent over the long term. A quick post about your staffing requirements can yield multiple offers of support very quickly, Sometimes you just need to ask the question!

Prepare You can’t plan for every recruitment need, but you can be ready. Try to have a couple of reserves for every possible vacancy. This is tricky for staff with specific SEN experience, but keep the reserves you do have, warm. Keep in contact with candidates you interviewed but didn’t recruit. Prepare evocative marketing, including a mobile-optimised careers page on your website. Nurture your talent and be responsive to their needs. Flexible working models may be easier to organise than you think, and can both attract and retain staff. As part of your long-term strategy, consider how you will attract and retain teachers and support staff. Consider building a talent pipeline and ecosystem, to maximise your access to great staff throughout the whole employee life cycle. Try not to become fixated on just the immediate need. Be sure to gain feedback from candidates about the application process - was it easy?

How could it be improved? If the first impression is that the process was a negative experience, address this quickly.

Finally, be open, and prepare your departmental staff for the potential pinch points you’ve identified. Include your colleagues in the execution of your plan and empower your team to actively contribute to it. You don’t have to do everything yourself - good delegation is a hallmark of good leadership.

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Book reviews

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Book reviews Engagement (Part of The Best of The Best series) I. Wallace and L. Kirkman

This series of books brings together some of the most influential voices in education, providing information about the latest and best ideas. In this third volume, the theme of teacher and learner engagement is explored and the Teacher Development Trust has also outlined ideas for embedding these insights into practical CPD. This organisation is an independent charity, founded by teachers and dedicated to improving the educational outcomes of children through advocating radical improvement in the quality of on-going training.

Three key themes emerge:

With eminent contributors, including Sir Tim Brighouse, Sue Cowley, Dr Bill Rogers and professor Susan Wallace, this small book packs a mighty punch.

Crown House Publishing Ltd ISBN: 978-178583247-5 £9.99

• That teachers engagement and positive examples are an essential prerequisite for establishing learner motivation.

• That an expectation of appropriate behaviour must precede expectations of engagement. In order to achieve this, boredom must be banished.

The chapters are short and condense years of expertise, research and classroom practice into nuggets of wisdom and links to further reading.

This is a thought provoking book that would form a useful part of teacher discussion groups, exploring attitudes and beliefs about what it means to be an effective teacher.

Love Teaching, Keep Teaching:

The Essential Guide to Improving Wellbeing at All Levels in Schools

P. Radford

Peter Radford is a teacher, trainer and public speaker who has held roles in middle and senior leadership. He began his career in youth work and now specialises in leadership, management and personal development.

In this book, he paints a picture of a truly ‘healthy school where the value of each staff member and student is central to the ethos. He encourages leaders to rethink common practices and to consider people focused approaches. The book is aimed at teachers and leaders in both primary and secondary settings and it is written from a personal perspective that acknowledges the stresses that teachers face on a daily basis.

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The book is divided into three parts, with the first focusing on achieving balance, the second on leadership and leading people, and the final part looks at schools in the broader perspective of global changes in the years ahead..

In the appendix there is a whole-school strategic plan to transform well-being, which can be used as a checklist as staff engage in discussions about changing the school’s culture.

This is an excellent book that sets out the author’s vision with clarity and conviction.

Crown House Publishing Limited ISBN: 978-178583503-1 £16.99

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by Mary Mountstephen

Therapeutic Adventures With Autistic Children: Connecting Through Movement, Play and Creativity

J. Torrance

Jonas Torrance is a registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist and a behaviour consultant, who has worked with autistic children for over 30 years.

He is also involved in training for teachers and parents.

Each chapter is based around a story/ illustration of a student the author has worked with and this helps to highlight the range of strategies that can be effective to support the individual. Practical Possibilities at the end of each chapter provide strategies and are based on his extensive knowledge and expertise.

In the introduction, Torrance points out that the book is intended as a practical, stories based book, rather than a theoretical or academic text. It is aimed at a wide audience, including autistic people themselves.

This is ‘a vivid exploration’ of working with children who can be challenging, and it covers many of the behaviours that are often associated with autism and then provides appropriate interventions such as drawing, dancing and martial arts.

The key message is the transformative effect of developing the relationship between the therapist and the child.

Chapters include: • Through the Swinging Door of Autism • In the Moment: Dancing at the Edges • Yoga: Going Inside to Get Outside

A super book that is highly recommended.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78592-455-2 £14.99

Positive Body Image in the Early Years: A Practical Guide Dr R. MacConville

Dr Ruth MacConville is an educational consultant and author, with extensive experience in a range of special and mainstream settings. She regularly contributes to national conferences on the subject of body image and on promoting social and emotional health and wellbeing in children and young people.

The resilient child who is body confident is characterised as one who can say:

In this book, her third publication, she aims to promote body confidence in young children, based on her understanding that very little practical advice and guidance was available to early years practitioners.

MacConville also provides information about a number of initiatives to support healthy habits for positive self-esteem and body confidence. These focus on the importance of ensuring that children are encouraged to establish healthy lifestyle habits through exercise and a healthy diet.

In the opening chapter, the author outlines the key characteristics of positive body image, and these include aspects such as body acceptance and love, broad conception of beauty and listening to and taking care of the body.

An excellent and well-researched book.

senmagazine.co.uk

• I have (a strong sense of belonging, family and friends) • I am (character strengths and personal qualities) • I can (a sense of mastery because of a child’s skills, talents and abilities)

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78592-459-0 £14.99

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To book your space, contact Denise: 01200 409808 denise@senmagazine.co.uk Advertise in The specialist online magazine bringing you up-to-date news and bite-size reports on special educational needs

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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

Gain an understanding of behaviour that challenges in children, including how such behaviour can be assessed and the avoidance techniques to help minimise effects. Available at no cost to you. learntoday.theskillsnetwork.com

Rebound Therapy Training Courses

“ReboundTherapy.org” the official UK body and international consultancy for Rebound Therapy™.

Responsible for the development and delivery of the genuine accredited and approved staff training courses with founder Eddy Anderson Founded 1972

0330 122 5684

ReboundTherapy.org

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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 themselves on providing the best online education courses to further your career.

Their experienced tutors have meticulously created some incredibly well received diplomas. Their diverse portfolio includes courses in the following areas: Autism Awareness Diploma; ADHD Diploma; Asperger Syndrome Awareness Diploma. Use Code SEN76 for up to an 76% discount on all courses this month.

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

Online training The Skills Network

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.

Available at no cost to you.

Learntoday.theskillsnetwork. com

Online training The Skills Network

Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties

Develop a knowledge of several different Specific Learning Difficulties, how they are diagnosed and how individuals can be supported. Available at no cost to you learntoday.theskillsnetwork.com

Online training The Skills Network

Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Working with Individuals with Learning Disabilities

Improve your understanding of issues related to different types of learning disabilities and how these affect individuals in their daily lives. Available at no cost to you.

Learntoday.theskillsnetwork.com

Online training

Online Education from New Skills Academy

New Skills Academy pride themselves on providing the best online education courses to further your career. Their experienced tutors have meticulously created some incredibly well received diplomas. Their diverse portfolio includes courses in the following areas; Autism Awareness Diploma, ADHD Diploma and Asperger Syndrome Awareness Diploma.

Use code SEN76 for up to an 76% discount on all courses this month. newskillsacademy.co.uk

WEBINARS with Dr Dan Hughes (International expert & clinician, founder of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)

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

Cost: £49 (30-day subscription)

Centre for Child Mental Health 020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

Certificate / Diploma in Counselling skills with children using the Arts Autumn 2020 start - P/T Training

The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education 020 7704 2534 info@artspsychotherapy.org artspsychotherapy.org

Understanding autism, asperger’s and ADHD This free short online course will encourage you to challenge your own definitions and perceptions of autism and ADHD. You will get an opportunity to examine several key themes around both autism and ADHD in order to obtain skills to help people with these conditions. derby.ac.uk/short-coursescpd/online/free-courses/ understanding-autismaspergers-and-adhd

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

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

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MAY 5 May 2021 National Autistic Society

Sensory considerations Explore how sensory differences can impact autistic people and what supportive approaches may help. autism.org.uk/training

8 May 2021 NAPLIC

NAPLIC Conference Join the Online conference exploring and celebrating LANGUAGE: THE BRIDGE ACROSS THE GAP. Focusing on all aspects of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and SLCN, the event will look at how the latest research, innovations and best practice can be utilised to improve outcomes.

Book your place now (from £30) naplic.org.uk/conferences

10 May 2021 Autism Education Trust

Making sense of autism (Tier 1)

11 May 2021

19 May 2021

National Autistic Society

NSM Training & Consultancy

Online training

Practical knowledge and strategies to help support Autism, PDA, ODD and Dyslexia

Autism and SPELL in higher education An introduction to autism and the SPELL framework for higher education professionals. autism.org.uk/training

11 May 2021 National Autistic Society

EarlyBird Plus licensed user training Online training

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

19 May 2021 National Autistic Society

Understanding stress and anxiety in autism

Online course | Early bird discount £155.00 +vat (will be £185.00) Designed to give participants an insight, understanding and provide a kit bag of strategies.

To book your place:

bit.ly/3adkEaY

autism.org.uk/training

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

The Sensory Projects

What is Happening in Our Multisensory Rooms?

Sheffield A research driven day promoting a reflective personalised approach.

Eventbrite booking, early bird and group discounts available.

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

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. qatarsummits.com

22 May 2021 (Saturday)

3 and 4 June 2021

BAAT

The Sensory Projects

Art Therapy with Groups of Children

https://bit.ly/3siR0XN

20 May 2021

The Mental Health & Wellbeing Show A new 30-day virtual, interactive conference and exhibition connecting mental health and wellbeing professionals. The event aims to promote positive mental health through open conversation, promoting awareness and sharing real-life experiences. Suitable for all teaching and SEN Staff with lots on youth mental health. http://ow.ly/yGSR50DVolX

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Birmingham

Qatar Digital Learning Summit

10.00 - 17.00 Delivered online (Zoom invite will be sent day before) Suitable for those registered as or training in Art’s Therapies.

This course will support your understanding of what you need to consider in order to set up and begin facilitating Art Therapy Groups with Primary aged Children.

Book online

EarlyBird licensed user training

Sensory Engagement for Mental Wellbeing

20 May 2021

19 May 2021 National Autistic Society

The Sensory Projects

2 to 3 June 2021

sensorystory@gmail.com

16:00 - 17:30 BST This will be held virtually via Zoom | Cost £15pp Basic autism awareness training for all staff within school-age education settings, mainstream and specialist services.

For further information:

2 June 2021

bit.ly/3acRJnw

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

JUNE

The Super Sensory Lexiconary Birmingham

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

7 June 2021 National Autistic Society

Postgraduate certificate in autism and Asperger syndrome

The Postgraduate certificate in autism and Asperger syndrome is run with Sheffield Hallam University. autism.org.uk/training

8 June 2021 National Autistic Society

Teen life licensed user training

This licensed user training is for professionals to support parents and carers of young autistic people aged 10 to 16. autism.org.uk/training

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8 June 2021

15 June 2021

19 June 2021

Behavioural therapy for tics Institute (BTTI)

National Autistic Society

The Centre for Child Mental Health

Non-clinician workshops (teachers/parents)

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: https://buytickets.at/ neurodiverseorg/462088

14 to 19 June 2021

The Autism Show: Webinar Week Online event

In association with the National Autistic Society, The Autism Show: Webinar Week will be broadcasting over 50 live sessions of online learning in just six days, plus many more pre-recorded webinars to provide practical help and support for home and the classroom. All content is CPD certified. Price includes access to recordings of all webinars for 30 days. Book your tickets today. autismlearns.co.uk/the-autismshow-webinar-week-2021/

Essential Autism licensed user training Online training

A three day training course that licenses autism experienced professionals to deliver the Autism and SPELL course to their staff teams. autism.org.uk/training

15 June 2021 National Autistic Society

Understanding and supporting autistic people

This introductory course builds your knowledge of autism and how to support autistic children and adults. autism.org.uk/training

JULY

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

22 June 2021 National Autistic Society

The Sensory Projects

The Super Sensory Lexiconary Norwich 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

Autism and continence

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

NOVEMBER 11 November 2021

autism.org.uk/training

Revolution Events

19 April 2021

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

9 July 2021

National Autistic Society

Autism and eating challenges Live online over 2 days

This one day course will focus on understanding and supporting autistic children with eating challenges. autism.org.uk/training

The Education People Show The 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.

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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.

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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 SEN112

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

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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 SEN112

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About SEN Magazine

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