SEN Magazine - SEN113 - July/August 2021

July • August 2021 • Issue 113

Accessible science The quiet parent Inclusion in Africa Taking on your local authority AAC • Dyslexia • Video Interaction Therapy • Maths Barriers • Digital Learning • Yoga SEN Law • Autism • PSHE • Visual Impairment • Cerebral Palsy • Looked After Children Moving & Handling • SEN news • Petition Watch and much more!

Welcome I am delighted to join the team at SEN Magazine, and hope that you enjoy this issue. As I begin my role as editor, we all find ourselves in a time of transition.

July • August 2021 Issue 113

As restrictions begin to ease, we naturally think about getting out and about.

Our piece by Andy Keenan (p94) provides an inspiring description of the work of Winchester Science Centre to make STEM accessible to visitors with SEND.

Editorial Team

In this issue we cover several topics around visual Impairment. Emotional support for visually impaired learners is investigated by Craig Brown (p71), whilst Dr Jonathan Waddington (p75) explains cerebral visual impairments. The need for revised habilitation services, to empower the visually impaired is promoted by Clare Messenger and Roy Palmer (p68). Antony Morris (p77) provides tips on reducing visual clutter in the classroom.

Steve Muddiman Kathryn Barber Mary Mountstephen

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

Administration Anita Crossley (left) anita@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409802

Much of the world suffers from significant additional barriers when it comes to SEN. In a heartwarming article Marytina Osuchukwu and Janice Ireland describe their work at fighting for SEN inclusion in a remote setting in Nigeria (p19).

The limitations we have been living under are particularly frustrating for parents, carers and educators of children and young people with SEN. To get us all a bit more active, Kim Griffin takes us on a tour of Sensory Circuits (p79) and Lisa Harwood introduces us to Family Yoga (p96)

Amanda Harrison (centre) office@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409804/800

I am pleased to introduce a new section in the Magazine, listing relevant petitions on the UK Parliament website. These are causes which you can support via a couple of mouse clicks.

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

In future editions, I hope to be able to focus on the good work carried out by smaller and less well supported charities throughout the UK and beyond!

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

As always, your comments are welcome. If you have something to say, contact us at editor@senmagazine.co.uk.

Steve Muddiman

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

CONTRIBUTORS Amy Allen Jo Barclay Isla Billett Nicola Boon Craig Brown Ian Butler Emma Crampton Debbie Elley Kim Griffin Lisa Harwood

Jenny Herd Janice Ireland Rachael Lethbridge Andy Keenan Clare Messenger Zoe Mather Paul Meek Antony Morris Tsachi Moshinsky Mary Mountstephen

Marytina Osuchukwu Rory Palmer Karla Pretorius Laura Robertson-Hayes Douglas Silas Chris Smith Ann Sullivan Jonathan Waddington Grace Williams

Cover image: © Harvey Mills Photography

SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845

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July • August 2021 • Issue 113

19 24 30 34 39 42 44 47 50 52 55 58 64 66 68 71 SEN113

Inclusion overseas All children have the right to an education

75

AAC communications Non-verbal communication

Increasing communication

77

The act of functional communication

Skill of reading

79

A skill for life

VERVE: Video interaction therapy

81

Using video interaction therapy

Language of maths

84

The issue of cerebral vision impairment Supporting students with cerebral vision impairment

Information overload Reduce visual displays in school

Sensory circuits Benefits of sensory circuits

Cerebral palsy Learning about muscle tone

Moving and handling Supporting children with physical disabilities

Breaking the maths language barrier

Digital learning

86

Engage SEN pupils in digital learning

Supporting students with SEN

94

In the classroom and beyond

SEN LAW

96

The law and mainstream education

Taking on your Local Authority Tips for taking on your Local Authority

Future planning What are POAs, Wills and Deputyship Orders?

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Looked after children Understand their educational needs

School trips Making science accessible

Family yoga Enjoy yoga together as a family

SEN recruitment Overcoming hiring challenges

Regulars 10

SEN news

13

Petition watch

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What’s new?

22

Point of view

Challenges of teaching the curriculum

92

Book reviews

Habilitation

100

CPD, training and events

104

SEN resources directory

106

About SEN Magazine

AUTISM : The quiet parent A personal account

Parent teacher relationship Making the relationship work

PSHE update

Visual impairment services need revision

Overcoming additional barriers Supporting children with Visual impairment

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Literacy

Visual impairment

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School trips

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Communication SEN113

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Learning Disabilities

DLD

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SEN services & products

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Derwen College wins at Tes FE Awards 2021 Derwen College in Shropshire has been named as Specialist Provider of the Year in the TES FE Awards – one of the UK’s top awards for recognising those that work in further education.

Judges praised the college for 16-25 year olds with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for doing everything in its power to continue its mission to create a world without barriers even during a pandemic.

When the pandemic hit, staff across curriculum, care and support came together with parents, carers, supporters and industry partners to ensure work, independence skills, health, fitness, sports and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award all continued, despite the challenges.

The college also set up an on-site charity shop, an online eBay shop and a new staff and student takeaway service to ensure that work placements for students continued.

To find out more about Derwen College, go to derwen.ac.uk

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SEN news

Children and young people with SEND disproportionately affected by pandemic Long-standing problems in the system of care for children and young people with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND) have been made even worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report from Ofsted has found.

The report reveals the findings of joint visits to local areas by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It highlights the effects of disruption caused by the pandemic on the health, learning and development of children with SEND. It describes the negative experiences of children and families, including missed and narrowed education, the absence of essential services such as physiotherapy or speech and language support, and long waiting times for assessment and treatment.

By the time of Ofsted’s final visits, inspectors found that families were exhausted, even despairing, particularly when they were still unable to access essential services for their children.

The report recognises that children and families’ experiences are in part determined by the quality of their relationships with practitioners and the strength of partnership working in a local area, as well as the extent to which a local area has implemented the government’s 2014 SEND reforms.

The report makes several recommendations for improvement in the SEND system, including: • more accessible universal services for children and their families, delivered by practitioners with a strong understanding of how to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND • more accurate identification when children need targeted or specialist support and higher aspirations for children and young people with SEND • a greater sense of joint responsibility between partners in a local area, clearer accountability for different organisations within local systems, and greater coordination of universal, target and specialist local services so children get the right support at the right time.

Commenting on the findings, Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said: “Many local area leaders and practitioners have gone above and beyond to support children and young people with SEND and their families during this challenging time. However, our report shows that children and young people were not always getting the education and care they needed, even before the pandemic.

“As the damaging effects of the pandemic on children and young people with SEND become clear, so too does the need to ensure that we are all playing our role in supporting them.

We will work closely with the Care Quality Commission to develop a new framework to support improvement in the way SEN113

■ Keeping active

education, health and care services work together to get the best possible outcomes for children.”

Richard Kramer, Chief Executive of the national disability charity Sense, said: “Today’s report shows yet again how children with SEND and their families are some of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

Disruption to their education, care and support has had a huge impact on their development, as well as their mental wellbeing. Many have regressed in basic learning and life skills as they’ve struggled to access remote education, with some not yet returning to school. This is coupled with other vital support, such as speech and language therapy, being suspended since the start of the pandemic.

“We urgently need the SEND review to be brought forward to address long-standing problems with the system and ensure children with SEND receive the right education, care and support to meet their needs and fulfil their potential. We also need a dedicated recovery plan for disabled children, along with appropriate funding and resources, to support them to catch up on lost learning due to the pandemic. As the report says, reform is now more urgent than ever.”

News deadline for next issue: 14/8/2021.

Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN news

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10 years on - thousands with learning disabilities and autism still in mental health hospitals Following the Winterbourne View scandal 10 years ago, which exposed the abuse of mental health patients in a private hospital near Bristol, the government and NHS England set reduction targets for the number of people held in ATUs. These targets were missed in 2019 and 2020, and have now been moved to 2024.

So even now, more than 2,000 people with a learning disability and/or autism are being held in assessment and treatment units (ATUs) in England.

MPs marked the anniversary of the Winterbourne View scandal with a Westminster Hall debate, initiated by the Labour MP Barbara Keeley, a member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee.

“It’s 10 years since the scandal of Winterbourne View, when the abuse of people in a unit like that first came to light, and

it is a complete failure of government to take the action that they pledged to do when that appalling abuse was revealed,” she told Sky News.

“Why should autistic people and people with learning difficulties be treated this way? I want to show that they’re not invisible, that we do care, and that we are listening to their issues.”

In response, a spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care said: “People with autism and those living with learning disabilities deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and have the best possible quality of life in their community.

“We are determined to continue to reduce the number of people with learning disabilities and autistic people in mental health hospitals and the reliance on inpatient care by investing in community services and supporting discharges with £62m.”

BBC Report: Degrading human rights abuse allegations at residential special school An investigation by BBC Wales alleges that staff at a residential school in Ty Coryton (Cardiff) have subjected young, vulnerable children to degrading treatment, breaching their human rights and causing trauma.The scandal comes ten years after the BBC exposed similar institutionalised abuse at Winterbourne View.

Whistle-blowers have described how children at Orbis Ty Coryton residential school were subjected to restrictions around money, food and sanitary products. They describe how expressions of distress from the children were met with regular restraint, seclusion and other abhorrent human rights violations.

The Restraint Reduction Network has responded to this report: ‘we remain very concerned that similar issues to those described in the BBC Wales report in connection to Ty Coryton are constantly being identified on a day-to-day basis in other schools and services – those concerns are especially acute where children are involved. The government must act to reduce inequalities, and schools must take seriously their duty of care to provide the right culture and care that every human being deserves.’

Bild, a charity which champion the rights of autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities is calling for a number of measures in the light of the scandal: • The immediate implementation of the Reducing Restrictive Practice Framework in Wales, following previous consultation and co-production with people with learning disabilities, families and the Restraint Reduction Network senmagazine.co.uk

(RRN). The RRN brings together people committed to the elimination of unnecessary restrictive practices across education, health and social care.

• A statutory requirement for schools to record, report and reduce all restrictive practices (as seen in health and adult social care in England). It is deemed vital that the Welsh Government considers further strengthening the Reducing Restrictive Framework by making it the law across health, social care and education. Currently, the lack of such legal requirements leaves children at risk of abuse and neglect.

• Strong leadership and better regulation of restrictive practices in school settings. Schools should only use restraint training that has been certified as complying with Restraint Reduction Network’s ethical training standards.

Such standards provide a national and international benchmark for training in supporting people who are distressed in education, health and social care settings.

• Schools to be informed and empowered to adopt preventative approaches, such as Trauma Informed Care and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), to ensure children and young people have their individual needs met and respected in a proactive, person-centred and trauma-informed manner.

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SEN news

Annual Health Checks ahead of schedule Three quarters of people with a learning disability aged 14 and over have received an annual health check two years ahead of an NHS Long Term Plan target.

People with a learning disability who often find it difficult to spot or communicate symptoms can get a full health MOT from their GP who can quickly diagnose and treat any health problems such as cancer, constipation, or cardiac disease before they escalate.

The NHS Long Term Plan set an ambition that by 2023/24, at least 75% of people aged 14 and over on the learning disability register receive an annual health check, in a drive to tackle health inequalities for people with a learning disability.

The latest data shows that the NHS has already hit this target two years ahead of time and at the same time as treating hundreds of thousands of patients with COVID-19, as 74% of eligible people with a learning disability over the age of 14 received an annual health check, following concerted efforts

by GPs to support the most vulnerable in our communities.

20,000 taking valproate to be contacted in bid to avoid pregnancy complications Around 20,000 women and girls taking sodium valproate are to receive advice about the risks of taking the drug in pregnancy, the NHS has announced.

The anti-epilepsy drug sodium valproate has been linked to physical malformations, autism and developmental delay among some children when it is taken by their mothers during pregnancy.

Meanwhile a data registry has been established to better track sodium valproate prescriptions to women with epilepsy.

The letter, from the NHS director of patient safety Dr Aidan Fowler, will urge those with an active prescription to continue their treatment course until their doctor tells them otherwise.

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New NHS Chair appointed The NHS has appointed former Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield OBE to help transform the care of children and young people with a learning disability and autism.

As the new independent chair of the Learning Disability and Autism Children and Young People’s Steering Group, Anne will champion the rights of children and young people to ensure they get the support they need at the right time and work closely with the Ministerial led ‘Building the Right Support Board’.

Claire Murdoch, National Director of Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism welcomed the appointment and said: “Anne has shown remarkable commitment and dedication to improving the lives of children and young people and is ideally placed to continue this work, ensuring the needs of this vitally important group are highlighted and prioritised so their outcomes are improved.”

Anne has over 30 years’ experience working in the children’s sector and recently ended her six-year tenure as the Children’s Commissioner for England. She has also spent time in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit at the Cabinet Office developing and shaping the agenda for children and families.

Anne Longfield OBE said: “This is a time of change and my role will be to ensure that priorities for children and young people are understood and addressed.

“I hope that together we will make real progress and difference to the lives of children and young people with a learning disability and autism and their families.”

Anne will also continue to oversee the work of the taskforce for children and young People’s mental health, learning disability and autism inpatient services, as chair of the Independent Oversight Board.

The taskforce is driving forward a programme of measures to improve the quality of inpatient services.

Anne takes over from Jane Ramsey, chair for the past four years, who stepped down in December.

nasen begins search for new CEO nasen (the National Association for Special Educational Needs) is seeking a new CEO. Professor Adam Boddison, who has been CEO at nasen for the last six years, is stepping down, nasen’s Board of Trustees has appointed Saxton Bamfylde to exclusively manage the search for a new Chief Executive at an exciting time in the organisation’s development.

The charity has seen significant UK and international growth by broadening its support for the sector with new services and resources. nasen’s vision is for the educational experience for learners with SEND to be consistently as good as it is for learners without SEND (equity for all). For further information, or to find out more about nasen’s free membership community, visit nasen.org.uk. senmagazine.co.uk

Petition watch

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Petition watch Our readers are passionate about a wide range of issues. Here we will provide you with opportunities to support initiatives which are of importance to you.

Petition Watch comprises a list of petitions relating to SEN which are currently active on the UK Parliament website with more than 100 signatures at the time of compilation.

To add your name to any of these, go to the relevant page on the UK Parliament website (petition. parliament.uk). The petitions are not just symbolic.

Any which reach 10,000 names will receive a response from HM Government. At 100,000 names, there is a chance that it will receive a debate in Parliament.

We will continue to monitor and update this list in future issues, and of course report in more detail on any which meet either threshold.

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Increase funding to provide support and research into Tourettes Syndrome Tourettes affect 1 in 100 children, yet the support provided is minimal and very patchy across the UK, some areas have NO support.

There’s only a handful of specialist Tourettes centres in the whole of the UK - we need more of these to provide care for EVERYONE! More research leads to more help! petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575370

More Funding For SEN Children To Access Appropriate School Provisions

Increase funding for local authorities to assess and support Autistic children

Changes need to be made so more funding is available for schools and local authorities to offer better provisions for SEN children, especially those who do not fit the criteria for special needs EMS/mainstream schools. So no other child falls through the system.

Government to increase funding for local authorities to provide improved assessment and support for autistic children. What is needed are social workers specialised in Children with disabilities and not safeguarding social workers. Two different assessments and this needs to be recognised.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/584129

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/585737

Ban Applied Behavioural Analysis for autistic people

Fund improved neurodiversity diagnosis, identification and support in schools

The Government should ban Applied Behavioural Analysis (sometimes referred to as “conversion therapy” for autistic people), and accept that being autistic is ok and autistic children shouldn’t be subject to “therapy” like this. Many autistic adults can attest to the horrors of ABA.

Currently few schools have specialist provision for neurodivergent students in public education. Diagnosis for the different types of neurodivergence is not an option for those who cannot afford to pay privately. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/565300

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/578616

Introduce a statutory Mental Health Policy to all schools in England

Make it easier to become a deputy for a person with severe learning disabilities

Introduce a specific policy for schools which follows the Mental Health Act 2017.

The Government should make it easier for people to become a deputy for a person with severe learning disabilities. This should include removing all fees for becoming and acting as a deputy, and making it possible to be appointed as a deputy without needing a court order or solicitor.

This policy should promote inclusion and reasonable adjustments, with the aim to ensure pupils with significant mental health needs can access education regardless of their limitations.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/563685

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/584017

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What’s new?

promotional content

AAT optimises client ability to benefit from a bath

Stanley Black and Decker run technology workshop at Fairfield Farm College

Aqua Liberty is a new concept in supported bathing. The base can be fitted with AAT’s vacuum posture cushions, which mould to support bathers.

It features an easy-fit mechanism for securing the cushions in ANY bath. After use, it can be rolled up for easy storage, freeing the bath for use by other members of the household.

Due to COVID-19, the team at Fairfield Farm College have had to think of additional ways of providing students with work experience opportunities.

Free trials and no obligation assessment can be arranged by telephoning 01978 821875, emailing sales@aatgb.com, or online: aatgb.com/aqua-liberty

Help looked-after and vulnerable children with Letterbox Club Letterbox Club supports children aged 3-13 who are looked after, vulnerable or on the edge of care.

For £135 per child registered, they will receive six separate packages, containing up to 14 books, ten maths games and other quality resources, designed to build confidence in reading and numeracy.

Letterbox Club is managed by BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. All books are selected with vulnerable children in mind by a panel of experts.

Letterbox Club can be purchased through the Pupil Premium Grant or the Pupil Premium Plus allocation.

Fairfield Farm College have started working with Stanley Black and Decker on various careers related projects. Recently, the college were able to welcome a member of the Stanley-Security team to the college, to run a technology workshop for five students.

In this workshop, students learnt about working in the technology sector and the different variety of jobs available.

The students were then able to get hands on and learn about door access systems. ffc.ac.uk

A new addition Gretton School, a day and residential specialist school for students with autism (aged 5-19 years old), have recently recruited a special new furry staff member!

Sherlock Bones joined the dedicated staff team in his new role: ‘School Therapy Dog’. His brother Basil recently joined Quorn Hall School another school within the Cavendish Education group.

Once fully up to speed with his duties, he will gradually join small class groups, spending time with students as a reading dog and for walk times on rota.

Students will benefit from his company and he will help in reducing anxiety, promoting calm, reducing stress and making everyone smile with his delightful nature!

To learn more visit: https://senmagazine.team/Letterbox

Visit grettonschool.com to keep pupdated with Sherlock’s progress!

Become a Foster Care Hero

Henshaws college students deliver braille awareness sessions

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.

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.

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Henshaws College Students Deliver Braille Awareness Sessions Two students at Henshaws Specialist College have recently developed and delivered their own Braille awareness course. Marnie and Hira who are both visually impaired came up with the idea and worked with college staff to make it a reality.

There is a fantastic Visual Impairment Support team at the college, and Marnie and Hira wanted to share the skills they have learnt with other staff. They did an absolutely fantastic job!

To discover more about Henshaws College and the amazing achievements of their students, visit henshaws.org.uk/college

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Could you be a specialist foster carer?

NEW Service for 0-4 year olds

Do you have experience working with children or young people with special educational needs or disabilities, or complex behavioural or emotional needs?

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).

Leicestershire County Council is looking for specialist foster carers with the skills and dedication to offer 1:1 support to a young person in care with complex needs.

With a range of specialist foster care roles, generous allowances, ongoing training and 24/7 support, you could make a genuine difference by providing the extra level of care these young people need and deserve.

Find out about being a specialist foster carer with Leicestershire County Council: leicestershire.gov.uk/ specialist-foster-care-roles or call 0116 305 05 05.

• 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.

Foster for Hackney Across London there are a growing number of teenagers coming into care. Hackney are looking for people with an understanding of therapeutic care and managing challenging behaviours to help provide the support these young people need. Hackney will provide a range of training for all the approved foster carers in addition to a great network of support.

Communication for people with poor cognition 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.

If you have a spare bedroom in your home and would like to know more, please contact us on 020 8356 4028 or email fostering.recruitment@hackney.gov.uk

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.

Makaton at your fingertips... 24/7

Could it be language?

Identifying children with Developmental Language Disorder

Makaton is a language programme that combines signs, symbols and speech to empower anyone living with learning or communication difficulties to understand and be understood.

Membership gives you 24/7 digital access to all the symbols and signs within the Makaton Core Vocabulary. Plus video tutorials, the support of a vibrant online community, and the ability to download frequently used content for easy offline access.

With a choice of individual memberships for teachers, SENCOs, and parents or group memberships for schools and families there’s a membership that’s right for you.

Visit: makaton.org/membership to get started today!

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Visit easylinkuk.co.uk and search for MR3.

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), a subset of SLCN, is the term used to diagnose children when they fail to acquire their own language for no obvious reason.

The Moor House Research & Training Institute are excited to share a new video, poster and checklist to help teachers identify children with DLD, plus strategies to help them access the curriculum.

Visit moorhouseinstitute.co.uk/dld-training to download and share.

The Institute also offers courses designed to help schools and teachers support pupils with DLD. Visit moorhouseinstitute.co.uk/training

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promotional content

The Motability Scheme

nasen Live is back!

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.

This unmissable SEND CPD Conference promises to showcase a variety of highprofile speakers from the SEND community. Experience an outstanding range of seminars and workshops from some of the leading figures within education.

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.

Learn about best practice and the latest sector developments to reinforce and enhance your current skills, leading to improved outcomes for all children within your setting. nasen is delighted to be able to offer complimentary lunch, which you can enjoy whilst networking with other, like-minded professionals. You can also browse a range of exhibitor stalls from leading SEND organisations and services.

Book your ticket today: nasen.org.uk/nasenlive

Muntham House School

Essential tech for reading challenges

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.

The handheld OrCam Read device is a firstof-its-kind digital reader with a smart camera that seamlessly reads text aloud from any printed surface or digital screen.

The solution transforms the reading experience of people with reading challenges – including dyslexia, dyspraxia and mild to moderate vision impairment – by making any text instantly accessible.

Muntham’s 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 pupil’s self-confidence and friendships with other pupils.

Unlike other assistive devices, OrCam Read captures and converts full pages of text into audio.

UK schools are increasingly utilising OrCam Read to empower their students with a high level of reading independence and enhance their learning process.

muntham.org.uk

For more information visit: orcam.com/en/read

Autism in-house training for schools

AA & DSA Interactive Guide

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

Pearson’s easy-to-use interactive guide to Access Arrangements & Disabled Students Allowance is an intuitive way to find a clinical, JCQ or SACS approved range of assessments, that provide the crucial evidence your students’ need to support their application process.

Whether your school is new to working with autistic children or already experienced, they have training to meet your needs. The National Autistic Society’s training team has worked with education providers across the UK and internationally.

They provide live online training on: Understanding stress and anxiety in autism; EarlyBird licensed user training; Autism and continence; Understanding and supporting autistic people and many more.

Find out more: autism.org.uk/training

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With in-depth descriptions and easy to read reasonable adjustment tables, this downloadable PDF will help you find the right test for your student’s unique examination needs.

Find the right assessment for your student: pearsonclinical.co.uk/aadsajuly

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A new staff member at Quorn Hall School Quorn Hall School, a therapeutic day school for students with autism, social, emotional and mental health needs for pupils aged 6-17 years old, has recently recruited a special new staff member!

Basil Bones, aged 10 weeks, recently joined the dedicated team in his new role; ‘School Therapy Dog’. Once fully trained in his responsibilities, and as he gradually joins the small class groups, Basil will be such an asset; to help calm, reduce stress, relieve anxiety and depression. Basil will no doubt dramatically promote and maintain a positive mood throughout the entire school community with his presence.

Visit: quornhallschool.com to keep pup-to-date with Basil’s progress!

Sign up for RNIB’s new Living Well with Sight Loss – Parent Pathways course If you’re a parent or carer of a child who has recently been diagnosed with vision impairment, why not join RNIB’s new free course?

This is your chance to get advice around raising a child who is blind or partially sighted, ask questions and share experiences in a safe, supportive environment.

Topics include early support, play and social interaction, welfare benefits, education and accessing specialist support.

It’s hosted via a weekly online video call, across six informal 90-minute sessions.

For more information or to sign up, visit: rnib.org.uk/pathways

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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. sovereignplayequipment.co.uk

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

Grace Garden School now open

Eco-buildings tailored to your needs

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.

TG Escapes bespoke design process means that every eco-building is tailored to your precise needs and can be compliant with frameworks laid out in the government building bulletins for special needs.

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

senmagazine.co.uk

Designed for low environmental impact, these focused learning centres encourage students at all skill levels to interact socially and work together. Designs can include sensory learning spaces, treatment rooms and breakout areas.

“It’s such a calming environment and I have noticed that the students are much calmer and more engaged. They like the structure of the room: low stimulus really works for autistic learners.” Teacher, Cambian Pengwern.

Visit tgescapes.co.uk for information and video case studies

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What’s new?

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.

promotional content

Alternative communication specialist Smartbox Assistive Technology has seen strong growth over the 15 years it has been in business and in 2021 will be celebrating this milestone with a series of events.

Smartbox will be hosting a celebratory partner event, employee summer party, customer lead initiatives and a competition to win 15 free tickets to UK AAC conference Communication Matters.

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

Dougal Hawes, MD, Smartbox Assistive Technology, “During the past 15 years, we’ve tried to bring a voice and independence to as many people as possible. However, there are still so many people across the globe who are not aware of AAC and we’ll keep trying to raise awareness.”

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

thinksmartbox.com

Your School needs Yoga

Emotional ABCs

There is a strong evidence base for yoga as a tool to reduce stress, improve focus and sleep among young people. Yoga also improves attitudes towards others and creates a harmonious classroom.

Join teachers and counsellors at more than 2000 schools across the UK using America’s most awarded evidence-based Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum for children ages 4-11.

Everyone needs yoga, especially young people.

Yoga in Schools delivers tailor-made yoga and mindfulness practices to schools, bringing calm and a ready to learn attitude. Evidence shows that behaviour incidences drop by 50% with a little daily yoga, by actively reducing the pupils’ cortisol levels.

Yoga in School can make it easy for your community to access yoga.

Emotional ABCs is FREE to teachers and school counsellors at brick-andmortar public and private schools and also an inexpensive parent program. Emotional ABCs is used by educators in 90 countries and in more than 65,000 schools across the USA (including 30,000 special education classrooms.)

Emotional ABCs teaches children how to figure out what they’re feeling, why they may be experiencing that emotion, and how to make good choices.

Learn more at EmotionalABCs.com

Find out more by visiting yoga-in-schools.co.uk

Music & Drama Education Expo | London 2021 Register free for Music & Drama Education Expo | London 2021, Europe’s largest music and drama education exhibition, taking place 24 & 25 September at Business Design Centre, London. Everyone who attends will benefit from exciting, free CPD sessions and a bustling exhibition featuring a variety of brands from the creative field to speak to.

Teachers and practitioners can get involved in a variety of sessions promoting upskilling and introducing new approaches to teaching that will help to liven-up lessons.

Session themes for this year include improving diversity and inclusion, promoting performance health and wellbeing and much more! musicanddramaeducationexpo.co.uk

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TES Special Needs Show register now The UK’s leading SEND show is on track to return to the Business Design Centre, London, on 8th-9th October 2021. This year, the show’s overarching theme is neurodiversity and the social model of disability. Packed with free-to-attend opening keynote panel discussions, specialist SEND exhibitors, free exhibitor-led workshops, this year’s show will continue to shine the spotlight on SEND provision and best practice. Plus, attendees can book onto expert-led CPD seminars for just £17+ VAT with the early bird discount.

But hurry – the price increases to £20+ VAT from 31stJuly!

Register free and book CPD seminars at tessenshow.co.uk.

senmagazine.co.uk

Inclusion overseas

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Embracing inclusion in a remote setting Every child has the right to an education, writes Marytina Osuchukwu and Janice Ireland.

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ccording to UNICEF, the Right to an Education is one of the most important principles in becoming a UN Convention Respecting School. Yet UNICEF estimates there are 93 million children worldwide with diverse learning needs, and they are amongst the most likely to be out of school, often facing barriers to education stemming from discrimination, stigma and policymakers decisions. UNICEF reports that ‘nearly 50 percent of children with disabilities are not in school, compared to only 13 percent of their peers without disabilities.’ (UNICEF, 2021). The longterm consequences of exclusion can be devastating, leaving children marginalised, and families aspirations for the future out of reach.

Six years ago, RA International School (RAIS) recognised that children in the local area with diverse needs contributed to the unacceptably high number of global exclusions. The school began an ambitious journey towards inclusion with a simple aim – to provide all children, regardless of their needs, with a right to an education. Year on year, this move has literally transformed lives and been the catalyst for outreach work which removes barriers and changes perceptions of physical and neurodiversity.

Education Consultant Janice Ireland and RA International School Deputy Head Teacher Marytina Osuchukwu reflect on how this UN Convention Respecting School has embraced inclusion in a remote setting with limited resources.

From exclusion to inclusion RAIS is situated on Bonny Island, in the Rivers States of the Niger Delta. The school provides education to around 700 children between 3 and 12 years of age whose parents work in the Nigerian liquefied natural gas industry. The school is central to a close-knit community within a gated residential area. The nearest city is Port Harcourt, a boat ride or short flight away.

Until 2015, cultural sensitivities and stigma around physical and cognitive differences, coupled with a lack of specialist provision on Bonny Island, had created a group of children unable to access life outside of their homes. The RAIS leadership team acknowledged that change was urgently needed and mapped out a route to inclusion involving awareness raising, upskilling staff, and employing experts in the field of Special Education.

Crucially, the school needed staff with compassion, resilience senmagazine.co.uk

■ Teaching staff at RAIS.

and adaptability, as well as a commitment to the project until it was firmly established and flourishing.

Initial small steps, involving less than five children with complex needs and one specialist teacher, has grown into a thriving Learning Support Unit within the mainstream setting. Today, the Learning Support Unit has 24 children between the ages of 6 and 11 years on roll, with approximately the same number in the mainstream benefiting from the unit’s expertise. The unit has four rooms, six specialist teachers, nine learning assistants, a speech and language therapist and is currently in the process of recruiting two additional specialists.

A respectful culture that challenges negativity and prejudice The school’s respectful approach to inclusion ensures there is a balance of time in the Learning Support Unit for one-to-one and small group learning, alongside mainstream provision tailored to individual needs. Inclusion at RAIS means each child’s unique contribution is valued within a system where everyone learns and develops side-by-side.

Children from the Learning Support Unit are integrated into mainstream lessons such as art, music, physical education and computing, as well as sharing break times and events with peers across the school. School productions are an example of showcasing talent from across the whole school, and children from the unit have played musical instruments such as the violin and keyboards in school concerts. RAIS has a reputation for children excelling in Nigerian and international competitions and

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Inclusion overseas

everyone is encouraged to participate. Recently a child from the Learning Support Unit entered and won an international art competition.

The school sees first-hand the benefits of inclusion for children and adults alike, and challenges negative attitudes and prejudice towards those with differences. It’s unthinkable that until recently some children were excluded from education and social events.

Learning in Partnership RAIS works in partnership with doctors and nurses in a small company hospital situated in the residential area. The hospital helps to facilitate additional support from visiting therapists which cannot be resourced on Bonny Island. With limited access to specialists, such as occupational health and physiotherapists, this external support is essential for children with multiple physical and cognitive needs.

Staff are fully committed to their own professional development, with many self-funding courses and workshops led by internationally-recognised experts across the spectrum of Special Education. RAIS teachers believe that by continuously improving their own knowledge, skills and understanding they will help children access the best possible Individual Education Programmes within the local context.

For RAIS, learning support goes beyond implementing a programme during the school day, and helping children gain life skills that can be applied outside of school is a vital aspect of the curriculum. When COVID-19 closed the school in March 2020, staff knew they would need to work closely with parents so that children were provided with real-life opportunities to use and develop the skills they had learned in school. Teachers offered workshops, supplied resources, and organised virtual meetings with families to ensure that no child’s learning stood still. After a year of remote learning, the results are remarkable and have exceeded expectations. Children are applying life-skills in everyday tasks at home, and parents are seeing their children as capable individuals with varying levels of independence.

■ RAIS pupil at play.

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About the author Marytina Osuchukwu is Deputy Head of School at RA international School, Bonny Island, Nigeria.

Martina’s responsibilities include leading the Learning Support Unit and the Early Years classes.

Janice Ireland has worked with RA International School as an Education Consultant for the past 10 years.

“Embarked on a dynamic outreach programme”

Transition from RA International School With no secondary provision at RAIS, a move to mainland Nigeria or overseas have been the only available options for children transitioning from the Learning Support Unit. This hurdle can sometimes mean leaving one parent working on Bonny Island whilst the other relocates with the child.

Realising the impact this has on families, RAIS embarked on a dynamic outreach programme involving local schools, organisations and families to raise awareness of diverse learning needs, and to demonstrate how it’s possible to provide support on Bonny Island. As Marytina explains, “How can children demonstrate respect and have an awareness of individual needs, if adult role models don’t do this at home, in the workplace or at school?” As a result, RAIS staff have provided workshops to local teachers and children, emphasising that whilst some individual needs can be seen, others such as dyslexia are invisible. Helping the Bonny Island community to embrace diversity and challenge exclusion is slowly reaping rewards.

Green shoots of the trailblazing approach are emerging, with a school on the island now working towards inclusion and offering places to children from the Learning Support Unit.

“We will continue to raise awareness on Bonny Island,” says Marytina, “our outreach work is just the beginning of making inclusion possible beyond the gates of RAIS.” senmagazine.co.uk

SEN Products & Services

Play

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Advertisement feature

AAT’s Paradigm Shift in Prescription for Stairs AAT GB, known as the stairclimber people, has developed its Universal Back accessory to the AAT S-Max. The unit can incorporate a seat or be attached to most common types of wheelchair.

“It’s a paradigm shift in the way OTs can resolve limitations for clients in transferring between levels,” asserts Peter Wingrave, Director at AAT GB. “It improves client’s daily life, and thereby improves their mental wellbeing. It further reinforces our stairclimber suitability for purpose, making it the ‘go to’ option, without the disruption to structure or family life inherent with alternative multi-storey transfer equipment.

To arrange a free assessment, contact AAT via the website aatgb.com, email sales@aatgb.com or telephone 01978 821875. senmagazine.co.uk

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Point of view

Point of view: parent

PDA doesn’t exist, apparently Tom Browne fights for his children’s education.

Let me talk about my son George who is 13 and has autism with the Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile. Whilst we have been living with PDA for a number of years, NHS health trusts up and down the country still refuse to recognise it claiming not enough research has been undertaken. PDA is however recognised by the National Autism Society and there is a very active PDA society. Ironically, if one pays health professionals privately the PDA profile magically becomes available.

What is PDA? Very briefly the main characteristic of PDA is to avoid everyday demands to an extreme extent, even activities the person would normally like. Being in control helps to reduce the chances of overwhelming and extreme anxiety taking over. When living with someone who has PDA the golden rule is to choose your battles carefully.

George can be both physically and verbally aggressive, but he does not want to hurt us and is mortified if he does. PDA is counterintuitive to autism. George has great communication skills, eye contact etc but his anxieties are all consuming with a constant need to be in control. For the PDA child it is an inability to do what is being asked, who will instead come up with any number of excuses just to retain control.

George has a sister Millie aged 17 and a brother Harry aged 16.

In 2017 George’s world and ours quite literally turned upside down. Within days of each other both George and Harry were referred to CAMHS as emergencies after what happened in school. George, just 9 at the time was put on anti-psychotic medication whilst Harry, who is also autistic, had a mental health breakdown after he was given a detention for not doing his homework up to ‘standard’. He remains a total recluse.

Up to this point the boys were just diagnosed as borderline autistic meaning they missed out on vital support and were in effect pushed through mainstream school until it all became too much. The boys were quite literally handed back leaving my wife Becks and I to pick up the pieces. In an attempt to provide a fresh start we moved to Kent in 2018, but this has not gone well.

Fighting for an education All three children have an EHCP, these are not worth the paper they are written on. George has been out of school since May 2017, apart from a few disastrous months in a special school SEN113

About the author Tom Browne is a Litigation solicitor with Kingsfords solicitors in Ashton Kent. @thomasnbrowne tom-browne-5342a62a

which flatly refused to recognise PDA and as a consequence tried to control George’s every move. Following an appeal to the SEND Tribunal, George now comes under the label ‘EOTAS’ meaning he is to be educated at home as there are no schools available that understand his needs. He has recently built up a good rapport with one his online tutors who understands George but the few hours each week hardly make up for what is being lost.

The lockdown has not brought significant change for us, whilst we have to listen to all the coverage about the ‘damage’ it is causing children who have just missed a few weeks of education. No one cares about children with SEND who cannot access education including ours who between them have missed 10 years of education.

In September 2020 we were on BBC Panorama ‘Fighting for an Education’ which just touched the surface. Numerous appeals have been pursued through the SEND Tribunal with more to follow. Investigations have been conducted by the Ombudsman with further investigations ongoing. There is so much to say but who will listen? Our journey through the maze of SEN illustrates just how broken the system is and the fact there is no accountability. It is not a level playing field and no matter how loud you shout no one listens.

Whilst at times it can be extremely challenging, especially for Millie and Harry, the rewards can be immense with George providing so much joy and love. What is so difficult is that those who should be helping George to live a fulfilling and rewarding life fail him at every opportunity. We have even been accused of fabricating the children’s illnesses for money. The situation would surely be so much better if only the NHS would only recognise PDA. senmagazine.co.uk

Point of view

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Point of view: student

Rights of non-autistic children and young persons with PDA Richard Woods highlights the occurrence of PDA in non-autistic children.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a proposed mental disorder, which frequently invokes strong passions advocating for and against its use.

PDA is described as possessing obsessive resistance to demands of “ordinary” life, involving manipulative strategies to avoid demands. Other features include rapid changes in mood, being comfortable in roleplay and pretending. Finally, much, or most behaviour is obsessive in nature.

Developmental features of PDA are not essential for a diagnosis, its most prominent screening tool for children and young persons (CYP) does not require a person’s demand avoidance to be from early infancy. At least four studies suggest PDA’s features reduce as CYP mature, hence, is not pervasive in nature. Nonetheless, many view PDA to be a form of autism.

Almost a decade ago, it was argued that PDA is a common phenomenon, perhaps even a new childhood disorder. Lately, it is recognised that the original research investigating PDA contains non-autistic persons with PDA. This is supported by several studies finding PDA in non-autistic persons. While validating an adult screening tool, it has been found that PDA is present in the general population.

About the author Richard Woods is a PhD Student at London South Bank University. Autimedes Training and Consultancy. @Richard_Autism

This pathway was established to prevent deterioration of wellbeing, and PDA is diagnosed under the universal rights CYP have under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The United Kingdom Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is needs based, not diagnosis based. By demonstrating the clinical need for PDA in autistic persons, its advocates have also established the need for PDA in nonautistic persons. Non-autistic persons with PDA, have the same rights to PDA diagnosis, research, and support as autistic persons with PDA. There is an urgent need for a more equitable debate on PDA.

There has been a consistent view that PDA is seen in nonautistics, initially with its discoverer stating PDA is not autism.

Recently, many experts have expressed the opinion that PDA is seen in non-autistic persons.

It is argued that PDA has different strategies compared to autism, which involves offering choice, and negotiating with persons with PDA. This is partly because reinforcement-based approaches concerning praise, reward and punishments do not work with persons with PDA (including non-autistic persons with PDA). Such approaches can cause escalation of distress behaviours associated with PDA. At worst, this approach can extinguish CYP’s only effective coping behaviours to aversive demands, and in time develop learned helplessness. Therefore, a PDA diagnosis is required to protect CYP with PDA from reinforcement-based approaches commonly seen in caregiving interventions for disruptive behaviour disorders.

Have these pieces inspired you or given you pause for thought?

Your ideas and comments would be welcome.

Email editor@senmagazine.co.uk

A multi-agency assessment pathway for PDA, regularly suggests the use of PDA strategies for CYP without a PDA diagnosis. senmagazine.co.uk

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Communication

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Jenny Herd explains how non-verbal communication can be a vital skill.

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aving a child with no functional speech creates challenges and issues that are not always easy or straightforward to resolve. Many parents feel undersupported, with the implications of their childs’ communication impairments not being properly understood or provided for in too many situations.

“Neural pathways for language development”

Children’s speech and their progress Typically, children as they develop will start babbling by 12 months, use about 20 words by 18 months and around 50 words, plus some short two-three word phrases, by 24 months where they will understand 200-500 words. (I CAN - “Ages and Stages”)

They may understand as many words as other children of the same age, but if they are not able to try out words clearly, or at all, then they do not get any active consolidation and the neural pathways for language development may be affected.

However, not all children will follow this pattern. They may not be able to babble and then progress to speech sounds, so they will already be well behind their peers in terms of expressive language by the age of two.

Ultimately if they are not able to use words clearly, they cannot communicate with their families, or anyone else in their lives, and it is not possible to gauge what level of word knowledge they actually have.

What does AAC look like?

AAC is the term used to describe methods of communication that can supplement, or replace, speech.

This can be needed as the result of physical disability, a learning disability, developmental delay, or illness/accident. Whatever the reason, giving a child a method to learn to communicate, to interact with their family and peers, express their thoughts and views and to access education is vital.

AAC can include simple, no-tech systems such as gestures, facial expression and pointing at pictures, paper-based symbols or spelling boards, through to high-tech computer based “speaking” devices which can be accessed by touching a screen, by eye gaze (looking at the desired word/letter/picture) or by pressing switches to “scan” or scroll through what is displayed on the screen.

Is it all about the technology?

■ AAC in action.

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The single most useful thing to establish, in whatever way possible, is a consistent “yes” and “no” for individuals. This senmagazine.co.uk

Communication

“There are many myths when it comes to a child’s speech and using AAC.” opens up vast areas of control for someone who may otherwise have very little.

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About the author Jenny Herd Communication Matters Trustee and parent of 23-year-old AAC user, who has completed all his education in mainstream school and is now at university.

I have seen children (and adults) who use variants of sign language to indicate this, or who nod or shake their head, or who smile for yes and stick their tongue out for no. It can be anything at all as long as it is consistent.

Another no-tech method that we were shown when my son was about 18 months old (he has athetoid cerebral palsy and no speech) is simply that you can “label” (verbally) each of your hands and hold them apart for the child to either point or look at.

So one hand might be “milk” and the other “juice” and so the child can make an active choice. If the child can cope with more choice, you can label the fingers of one hand and the child can reach out and touch the selected option.

If/once a child can spell, they may well choose word prediction as their favoured method of communicating but it is entirely possible to use symbol-based systems right up to and through adulthood too, if that works best for the individual.

Literacy for AAC users is, however. not as straightforward as just learning to read and spell. This is a whole topic on its own, but in short, many people without speech report that they have no “inner voice” and so sounding out words in order to spell or read them can be very difficult and the current emphasis on synthetic phonics often does not work.

Very young children seem quite able to deal with this apparently very abstract process and therefore the hands or fingers can be whatever you need them to be, wherever you need them!

This has been absolutely invaluable over the years and we still use it now when necessary, and he’s 23 and at university.

However, with the right specialist input children who use AAC can learn to read, but some (like my son) may always have difficulties with spelling words that they cannot “sound out” for themselves, which can make word prediction entertaining!

Moving on from yes and no (which are responses to someone else’s question) very young children can become active communicators by having, for example, photos of family members and everyday items put on cards so that the child can point at them or look at them if finger or fist pointing is not possible, to indicate choice.

There are many myths when it comes to a child’s speech and using AAC. I’ve outlined five key myths I’ve come across below:

If they can use their hands then introducing some signs (Makaton, British Sign Language, baby sign, sing and sign etc.) is a very useful addition to a child’s communication methods. Symbols from a proprietary set, with or without words alongside, can also be used in this way.

Introducing other forms of AAC Children can very quickly progress onto communication books such as PODD, with pages of symbols, and then on to computer-based devices which “speak” when buttons are activated, which can be by direct touch, switch scanning, eye gaze etc depending on what method is assessed as being best for the individual child. Even where symbols are used, they are almost always displayed with the written word, to aid literacy development (though there is now some emerging research to indicate that words alone may be sufficient for many AAC users to become literate). senmagazine.co.uk

AAC myths

Myth 1: “Oh just wait and see, they are still young...”

No, it is never really too early to start introducing alternatives to speech if you have any concerns at all about a child’s language development, do something!

Myth 2: Introducing AAC will hinder speech development Absolutely not, in fact quite the opposite. Having some means of communicating, even if it is very simplistic to start with, is better than having none and actually takes away some of the stress of the pressure to “speak”; a situation which can leave families and children feeling hopeless, upset and demoralised. If a child is able to develop speech, they will, and the introduction of some AAC to assist with frustration will not hinder that, but similarly if the child does appear to have more significant speech delay or absence then all the better that AAC has been introduced at an early stage.

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Communication

Myth 3: A child with severe learning difficulties cannot use AAC effectively This is a biggie not least because if a child has never been able to speak (clearly) and may also have a physical and/or sensory impairment, how can you actually judge that they have a severe learning difficulty? Of course there will be some children, but not very many, who are so cognitively impaired that they are unable to reliably use any form of communication, but the vast majority of non-verbal children will, with the correct assessment, provision and support, be able to use AAC in some way.

Myth 4: “Just give them an iPad with XXXX symbols on” One size of AAC intervention certainly does not fit all. One of the most important stages is a proper multi-disciplinary assessment which looks at all aspects of the child’s dis/ability, including, crucially, hand function and dexterity, posture (esp. if they are a wheelchair user), cognitive stage (though as above, this is very hard to do accurately if someone has not yet achieved reliable communication) and visual/object tracking skills and any sensory impairment. This should be accessed through a speech and language therapist attached to a local AAC service and may also involve the regional specialist centre, depending on the complexity of the child’s needs.

Myth 5: “Children don’t need low-tech symbol / spelling books once they have progressed to hi-tech electronic talkers” Oh yes they certainly do! Low-tech remains a crucial back up for all the situations where hi-tech isn’t available (e.g., flat battery, in the bath, in the car). My own son still makes extensive use of a basic alphabet board, with whoever he is talking to acting as a “human word-predictor” to speed things up, but he has also had electronic talking communication aids since was at nursery school.

Getting and giving support Parents and carers are an essential piece of the communication jigsaw for children learning to use AAC and so it is really important that they are involved at all stages of assessing for and developing a child’s AAC system. But it can sometimes be

“simply assume that parents are ‘uninterested’” hard for families to deal with the fact that their child may never have functional speech, and it is important for professionals to be sensitive to this, and not simply assume that parents are “uninterested” in AAC. On the other hand, sometimes parents report that they feel excluded from the process or that they don’t really know how their child communicates at school because it has not been explained or shared with them. There are many reasons why this happens, but for a child to progress with their AAC it is vital that they have access to consistent methods of communication in all settings, wherever possible.

Often, especially in mainstream settings, a child using AAC may well be the only one in the school, and the school has probably had few, if any, AAC using pupils before. Similarly, the child and its family might never have met any other AAC using children and so for everyone it has the potential to be a very isolating situation.

This is why it is so important not only to get specialist speech and language / AAC support and advice into school and home as early as possible, but also to make contacts and network with others to share information, experience and skills.

There are a number of organisations, both locally and nationally, which can offer support, information and advice to AAC users and their families and those who work with them.

communicationmatters.org.uk (national) Communication Matters aims to increase understanding, awareness, and knowledge of the needs of people who use AAC. It does this by providing online information, regional AAC information days and an international conference which brings together AAC users, family members, professionals who support them (including speech and language therapists, teachers, technicians) and suppliers & manufacturers of communication aids.

1voice.info (national with local branches)

■ Day to day AAC communication.

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1Voice takes a family and social perspective on communication and recognises the great need for adult role models to inspire children and families alike. 1Voice promotes families supporting each other to overcome the isolation that being unable to speak can bring. They run day and weekend events across the country, which bring families and young AAC users together for networking and support. They use volunteer supporters, often speech and language therapy students who are keen to learn more about AAC and the people who use it, at these events. senmagazine.co.uk

Communication

promotional content

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Four myths about AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) AAC can have a huge impact on achieving educational potential for children who struggle with verbal communication. In this article, Anita Kirby, content developer (and former SEN teacher) at Smartbox reveals four common myths about AAC.

Myth #1: AAC is really complex and high tech People often think AAC is scary and complicated, but it simply stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. This is a term used to describe anything that supports children to understand and use language successfully. This could be signing as you speak, a low tech AAC poster of symbols on a classroom wall that children can point at to express themselves, or an iPad with a grid of symbol supported text. AAC can also work for children with really complex access and communication needs, with high tech devices and accessories to support a range of physical disabilities.

Myth #2: It’ll be down to me alone to make it work Fear not, a good AAC provider won’t simply give you a device and software and expect you to master it overnight! Getting the right solution for a child is just one part of the jigsaw, making sure that both you and they understand how to use it and what the possibilities are is just as important. Make sure you ask potential providers what training and ongoing support is available. For example, we have developed a ‘Simple AAC’ framework, which gives teachers, carers and family members a really easy guide to using our devices and software. There is also a thriving AAC community in the UK, full of useful resources and support which many people find really useful to engage with.

Myth #3: It’s for children who have no speech at all This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions of all.

Children who have some verbal communication might be understood in the home by family members or by a one-toone carer, however in a school setting they may not be. This is where having the option to communicate using AAC can be hugely beneficial and build children’s confidence. Stress can

also impact on a child’s ability to speak, making AAC useful in unfamiliar and challenging scenarios. Sadly, one of the barriers to children with some verbal speech getting access to AAC is the fear from parents that if their child uses it they will never learn to speak. It’s actually quite the opposite, in that hearing what they want to say spoken out loud reinforces how something should sound and helps with the development of language.

Myth #4: AAC devices are just for communication AAC software can often be used for more than just communicating and can enable children with complex physical and cognitive needs to do some truly amazing things. Grid software includes accessible apps that enable the user to use their device for much more than face to face communication, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Spotify. You can even use an AAC device to control your television and other equipment around the home. They really do become a window to the world.

Our team of Assistive Technology Specialists can visit a student at home or school for free, to try a range of devices and find the best alternative access methods to suit their individual needs. We’ll also go through resources for communicating with symbols or text. To find out more get in touch via info@thinksmartbox.com.

Helpful links and resources thinksmartbox.com/simple-aac thinksmartbox.com/news/get-started-with-super-core thinksmartbox.com/news/super-core-learning-grids praacticalaac.org communicationmatters.org.uk facebook.com/groups/smartboxcommunity

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Autistic people find it harder to identify anger in facial expressions – new study Autistic people’s ability to accurately identify facial expressions is affected by the speed at which the expression is produced and its intensity, according to new research at the University of Birmingham.

In particular, autistic people tend to be less able to accurately identify anger from facial expressions produced at a normal ‘real world’ speed. The researchers also found that for people with a related disorder, alexithymia, all expressions appeared more intensely emotional.

This new study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, uses new techniques to explore the different impacts of autism and alexithymia on a person’s ability to accurately gauge the emotions suggested by different facial expressions. Participants were asked to identify emotions from a series of moving images made up of dots representing the key dynamic points of a facial expression. The images were displayed at a range of emotional intensities by varying the amount of movement in each expression, and at a variety of speeds.

This project was supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC, United Kingdom) MR/R015813/1 and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under ERC2017-STG Grant Agreement No. 757583. senmagazine.co.uk

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Communication

Increasing communication easily Karla Pretorius on how to increase functional communication.

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his is a topic of discussion for all parents. As parents, we always look for more appropriate ways for our children to relay their message. We would love a clear vocal request instead of a scream, a cry, a meltdown or a child running away from bath time, or a healthy meal. But first, before we look at how to increase functional communication, let us look at what communication actually entails.

What is communication?

It is actually quite simple - communication is just one person (the sender) sending a message to another person (the receiver). As long as the message reaches the receiver and the receiver understands the message (and responds to it), the communication works. For example - I am in the grocery store with my little one. He sees a biscuit and wants it. He screams. I give him the biscuit. He stops screaming. That was a very successful message conveyed right there, but it was definitely not the most socially appropriate or convenient way of communicating.

Every person needs a way to communicate effectively. It needs to be easy and it needs to be successful. If the way that we want our child to communicate is too tricky or requires too much effort, they will use a different way, such as screaming.

If our child does not communicate in a way that others can understand yet, it is our job, as parents, to help them find a way that works for them. Verbal communication is not always the easiest way for our children to convey their message to us. The goal of this article is not to discuss various reasons for this difficulty, but rather to increase functional communication.

Contrary to popular belief when a second or third mode of communication is introduced to a child or adult, it does not decrease their motivation to communicate verbally. Our children will often feel less anxiety when they have multiple modes of communication available to them. Meaning that if you provide various ways for your child to request, other than requiring a verbal response, they will firstly be more likely

“A scream, a cry, a meltdown”

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to communicate their needs functionally and secondly less likely to engage in challenging behaviours, such as shouting or becoming aggressive due to the frustration they feel.

Effective ways to increase communication Gestures We all communicate via gestures – we might nod our head if we agree to a sneaky snack midday or we might wink to our child if we catch them playing nicely with their sibling. We should encourage our children to also communicate via gestures as these are easily understood by any person regardless of their background and culture and also easily learned. When you go on a holiday to a country where your first language might not be understood, people will all understand a friendly wave. It is a universally accepted form of communication and an excellent backup plan should your child be in need of help from you or the lovely Portuguese neighbour. Here are some important gestures, which you can pair with movements your child can do and will understand: • Hand up for “stop” (when they are tired and they need a quick break)

About the author Karla Pretorius Research Psychologist Co-founder: AIMS Global (aimsglobal.info) Parent course creator: im-possible-parenting.teachable.com

“Respect their way of communicating”

• Thumbs up for “good” (when you ask your child from a distance if he or she is doing okay in a possibly novel social setting) • Hand flip towards the mouth (this can serve a need for a drink of water) • Covering ears (when there are loud sounds and it is a good idea to exit this environment, if possible).

There are many other gestures I can include, but it becomes quite child-specific as well as developmentally and age-specific.

It is important to look at what your child requires most frequently and look at their fine motor abilities and then pair a gesture with an item or action and practice this with them. Show your child that you will respect their way of communicating in these situations as you understand that they might feel a bit overwhelmed and verbal communication might not be possible at that moment. When a child feels comfortable communicating in more than one mode they will more than likely increase their verbal requests too. Throughout the years I have worked with children, I have seen an increase in communication when a child is calm, they feel respected to communicate in whichever mode they choose, and when there is less of a focus on verbal communication. It happens automatically, they start gesturing more, and then this may be paired with an increase in verbal responses.

Speaking about pairing Pairing is a technique that is often only used for younger children that might still be pre-verbal. I feel there is not enough importance placed on this technique for our more verbal and also our older children. This strategy includes a parent, therapist, or friend pairing a sound, word, or phrase with a motivating activity. For example, if your child enjoys jumping or bouncing on a trampoline, you can pair the sounds “j,j,j” or “b,b,b” respectively. Keep the sounds to approximations you have heard your child say before and as appropriate to the word you are working towards as possible. If your child

■ Hand gesture.

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struggles with the sound “j” for “jump”, you can always try the sound “u” for “up”.

This strategy can be modified for our verbal and older children, where we pair a word or phrase to an activity. For example, let us take the same example of the trampoline. If your child is able to imitate some words, we can always pair “j,j, jumping” and then “j,j, jumping u,u, up” with the activity. The idea behind pairing sounds, words, or phrases is that we want our child to pair the motivating activity with the sounds and words and then use these in a request.

We often forget that many therapy strategies are also useful for children without a diagnosis and should be included when siblings join in the fun. Modelling behaviour from a sibling to your child with specific needs is another powerful tool that can elicit more spontaneous language. Keep activities fun, short, and interest-based to increase motivation from not only your child with specific needs but also his or her sibling, cousin, or friends. The more we normalize a bit of extra support, the more people will engage in this natural way of supporting people around them.

“The use of visual choice boards is an excellent tool” Visual support boards I want to include one more and probably my favourite tool in increasing spontaneous and functional communication. As a parent of an SEN child, you probably have been recommended by therapists to increase the number of visual support strategies you have in your home or during outings. The use of visual choice boards is an excellent tool that is highly underrated in most therapies and homes. It is a simple setup where you laminate a poster and have some Velcro strips on it. You then print out some of your child’s favourite activities, toys, people, and items. It is a good idea to start with a limited amount, such as two items that are preferred, and work on increasing the number of choices. You can then ask your child what they want – they have to go to the poster, choose one, pull it from the Velcro strip and hand it to you – this is where the communication occurs. The message from the sender has been received by the receiver and you can then either label the item or your child can do this too if he or she is verbal and willing.

As soon as your child is able to distinguish between various items, you can create different visual choice boards for different areas in the house. You can have one for the kitchen that has all of their favourite healthy snacks on, one for the sensory room with all the fidget toys they love, one for the front door with some of the outings they can choose to go on over the weekend . Only have the items or activities that are available on the choice board and I encourage you to keep track of the increase in your child’s frequency of requesting. We have found that once our children understand that there are various items, activities, people, or places they can choose from, they are more likely to do so. We have also found that this is usually followed by a verbal follow-up.

Increasing communication Our goal should always be on increasing functional communication in a spontaneous manner and not in a rote, forced way. Our children will be encouraged to communicate with us when they know it is on their terms, in a way they choose, and which is focused on their interests.

■ Too loud!

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There are other ways to increase communication, but I have found that these are the most powerful when you want to see a change in your child that is not only positive but also long-lasting. After all, we all communicate more openly, in more detail, and for longer periods of time, when we know the receiver wants to hear what we have to say, when we speak of our interests and when we actually receive the outcome we want without being forced to say it in a certain way. Similar to me writing this article to you – I feel heard and I thank you for that! senmagazine.co.uk

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Petition watch

Continuing with opportunities to become more involved in areas which are of importance to you.

Replace “Special Educational Needs” within the Children & Families Act (2014)

Provide funding to increase school places for students with special needs

The Birmingham Youth Forum proposes that the use of “Special Educational Needs” in the Children & Families Act (2014) and Code of Practice (2015) is outdated. It does not accurately describe the provision that many children need. It should be replaced with the more appropriate term “additional needs”.

I’m sure there’s many parents out there that are or have been in a similar situation. It should not be a fight to get our children in to a suitable special needs school, there should be enough places available for those who need it without all the hassle! My son has not been offered a place at all!

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/584547

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/585658

Make British Sign Language a language option in the national curriculum

Prioritise special school staff in Covid 19 vaccinations

I would like the national curriculum to make British Sign Language an option for students to study at school. The standard Spanish, French or German are quite limited in a society that should be inclusive of all languages whether that be spoken or signed.

The unique requirements of working with children with additional needs means that social distancing and effective use of PPE is virtually impossible. Vaccinating special school staff will also offer protection to the children and their families.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/579898

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/566217

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Literacy / phonics

Can all children learn to read?

Ann Sullivan looks at reading capabilities in children.

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henever asked a question are you, like me, secretly hoping that the answer will be a simple one making things crystal clear? If so, I think you might be pleasantly surprised at the answer to the question in the title.

“Impact on their access to the curriculumn”

Learning a skill for life So, can all children learn to read? By ‘all children’ we are, of course, really thinking about our pupils with SEN who may struggle to acquire this vital life skill. Within the field of SEN, however, this question may mean different things to different people. A person’s perception of what SEN is varies greatly depending on their experience and their situation.

A mainstream teacher may view that a child who isn’t working at age related expectations has SEN. This child may struggle with basic skills such as reading, writing or numeracy or have sensory, communication or concentration challenges, all of which may impact on their access to the curriculum as well as SEN113

reading. For this teacher the question may read as, ‘Can we teach all our children who show delayed reading acquisition to read, including those with sensory impairment or dyslexia?’

A teacher in a special school may view things very differently.

They inhabit a world where children have complex needs that impact on access to the curriculum to such an extent that the curriculum itself requires significant adaptation and modification. For this teacher the question may read as, ‘Can we enable all our children to access reading instruction and find success?’ senmagazine.co.uk

Literacy / phonics

“We all have roughly the same brain” Finding the answer

About the author Ann Sullivan has been a SENCO, advisory teacher and SLE. Her seven book series: Phonics for Pupils with Special Educational Needs. @PhonicsforSEN

The answer may be strikingly similar for both teachers.

Let’s start by thinking about what the evidence from academic and educational research tells us about how we learn to read.

An increase in the number of studies and the depth and range of research over the last 30 years, coupled with advances in technology, such as MRI scanning, has placed us in a much better position to say, with some certainty, how we learn to read at the ‘brain level’. The neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene, in his book Reading in the Brain, states, “It simply is not true that there are hundreds of ways to learn to read […] when it comes to reading we all have roughly the same brain that imposes the same constraints and the same learning sequence.” The insights research gives us points to the best way to teach children to read, all children. Without a doubt, they all benefit from explicit instruction using a systematic, synthetic phonics approach (SSP), although some children will find it easier than others.

Nancy Young’s excellent infographic, ‘The Ladder of Reading’ demonstrates this beautifully.

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@PhonicsforSEN phonicsforpupilswithspecialeducationalneeds.com

an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). In addition to these pupils, a further 12.1% receive SEN Support. Not all of these pupils will have difficulties with reading, but many will. This total of 15.4% of the pupil population corresponds rather nicely to the red section on Nancy Young’s ladder. As Nancy states, these children, including those with dyslexia, require code-based (phonics) explicit, systematic, sequential, diagnostic instruction.

The majority of these children are educated in mainstream schools, with only 0.02% of children placed in special schools.

This 0.02% of children have complex (and often multiple) needs and require specialist support and access to an adapted or alternative curriculum. In terms of learning to read, there is increasing research evidence that for this group of children, like all others, SSP is crucial.

So, can we teach all of these 0.02% of children to read?

We can see that for 50-65% of children (in the red and orange sections) a structured approach is not just advantageous but crucial and, even for those who find learning to read easy, this approach is beneficial.

Additional challenges

There has been much debate around the idea of ‘reading readiness’ which suggests there are prerequisites to becoming a successful reader. For the vast majority of children, it is now generally agreed that the concept of reading readiness has no merit. It originated from the (now discredited) idea that learning to read is natural and the brain just needs lots of exposure to the printed word supported by an adult who reads out loud for them. Learning to read, unlike learning oral language, is not a biologically primary process and needs to be taught. With the ‘learn to read by osmosis’ approach many pupils were doomed to fail and, when they did, it was easy to classify them as ‘not ready’ rather than investigate the validity of the strategy.

Now we know better, we understand that reading needs to be taught by explicit instruction and within the brain the processes

Now, let’s think about those children who have additional needs and learning challenges. According to the DfE census data, January 2020, 3.3% of the UK pupil population have senmagazine.co.uk

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are largely phonological. Phonological awareness and phonemic skills (awareness of spoken words, language patterns, syllables and speech sounds in words) are important in learning to read and in reading itself. So are good phonological and phonemic skills a prerequisite of learning to read? Actually studies show that the very act of teaching the child to read using SSP teaches the child the phonemic skills they need to become good at decoding text.

This ‘reading readiness’ debate focused on typically developing children in mainstream schools rather than those with complex needs in specialist settings. Could the concept of ‘reading readiness’ (with a completely different perspective) be one to consider for this group of children?

We know we can teach phonemic awareness in the context of instruction, but for reading to be possible children also need to be able to: • understand that visual figures or symbols can ‘stand for’ or represent something, • recognise, identify, differentiate between, process, remember and recall visual information, specifically letter forms.

The Simple View of Reading (Gough and Tunmer 2015)6 describes the relationship between decoding and understanding spoken language in developing reading and integrates the two.

It tells us that children need to: • understand that spoken words convey meaning, • have a lexicon of words that they have heard and understand what they mean, • understand that a sequence of words conveys a greater meaning.

“Even these complex pupils can make progress and achieve.”

If we view these as a set of criteria, we can see that the majority of the 0.02% of children with complex needs fulfil them and with good quality structured reading instruction can develop reading and literacy skills. Pupils with autism, SLCN, physical disabilities, SLD and sensory needs can all access phonics if presented in the right way. The pace at which these pupils work through the content may be much slower than peers and a good deal of supported retrieval, practice and application (repetition and overlearning) may be required. Materials, activities and resources may need to be adapted and possibly personalised.

Some pupils may require alternative communication strategies to access the work and enable them to respond to it. If the right adaptations and modifications are made, even these complex pupils can make progress and achieve.

A comparatively small number of children have profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), sensory and multisensory impairments (MSI). According to the DfE census data, January 20202, 0.001% can be described in this way. Some, but not all, of this group of children may be working at a very early developmental level, would not meet the criteria suggested and so may find it difficult to access the written word. Teachers, in consultation with parents/carers, need to consider whether teaching reading is a realistic goal for this very small group of children or whether time is better spent working on other areas of the child’s development. That said, we need to be careful that we do not close any doors to reading for these children. Children grow, develop and change and any decisions should be reviewed regularly so that all children are given the opportunity to learn to read if appropriate.

So, the answer to the initial question is surprisingly simple after all. It’s ‘yes’ (with the exception of a very small number of pupils with PMLD).

The ability to read is an important part of accessing and participating in the world around us. The majority of children, including those with complex and multiple needs, can learn to read if instruction is appropriate, not just SSP but ASSP - accessible, systematic, synthetic phonics.

■ reading together.

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robpdesign.co.uk \ hello@robpdesign.co.uk \ 07962 263 365 SEN113

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Using VERVE in schools Johanna Barclay explains VERVE video interaction therapy.

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peech, language and communication needs (SLCN) is the most common primary type of need for pupils on SEN support, at 23%. Johanna Barclay and colleagues evaluate the use of video interaction therapy to promote changes in children’s communicative participation.

In 2015, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Community Speech and Language Therapy Service ran a pilot project offering ‘Video, Endorse, Respect, Vitalise, Eye’ (VERVE) contact (Cummins, 2015), with nursery practitioners using goal attainment scaling (GAS) as a measure of children’s progress. This project showed promising results and was well received by practitioners. In this article we present our 2016 follow up study.

About the author Johanna Barclay is a speech and language therapist, currently on a two year break from the NHS, working on the small island of St Helena in the South Atlantic.

What is VERVE? VERVE is a form of video interaction therapy focusing on developing and integrating communication and learning abilities, with an emphasis on self-regulation and face watching.

Parents or practitioners (usually teaching assistants) focus on their timing and skill in interaction, using moment-by-moment video analysis and reflection. Several adult child interaction (ACI) approaches have developed over the past decades (for example, ‘Parent Child Interaction’ (PCI); Palin PCI; and ‘Pre-school Autism Communication Therapy’) with a growing evidence base (including Falkus et al, 2015; Fukkink et al, 2011). In practice, these are sometimes used without video, despite this being central to their effectiveness. McDonald et al (2015) found video feedback was key to increased use of communication-facilitating strategies by early childhood educators. Allen et al (2011) also showed that video interaction therapy could be successful with children with communication difficulties aged eight to 10 years.

“VERVE is a form of video interaction therapy” primary school practitioners completed a four-week block of sessions, each paired with a different child from nursery up to Year 6 (age range 3 to 11 years).

VERVE builds on the established ACI approaches, but emphasises the use of video to highlight the fundamental importance of selfregulation and face watching, drawing on neurological research, for example Porges (2011) and Siegel (2015).

To track progress we used the ‘Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six’ (FOCUS) (Thomas-Stonell et al, 2012) rather than GAS because of its breadth and established validity. The FOCUS is based on the ‘International Classification of Functioning framework: Children and youth version’ (WHO, 2007) to detect changes in children’s communicative participation. It rates 34 items (for example, ‘My client is comfortable when communicating’) based on observations. All practitioners completed an anonymous FOCUS for the child during the first session to provide a baseline and at a review session three to five months later.

Project method

Video analysis

After our initial pilot we wanted to investigate whether using VERVE with practitioners in schools leads to clinically significant gains in children’s communicative participation. Using the results of a questionnaire based on The Communication Trust’s ‘Speech, language and communication framework’, we identified five schools to include in the project. Twenty-one

The practitioners met with an SLT for a 20-30 minute introductory session. Following this they shared weekly paired sessions, facilitated by the SLT, over the four-week period. Each week

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participants brought in a five-minute video of themselves and the child at play or completing a familiar activity. Video analysis focused on each practitioner’s use of interaction strategies (e.g. silence/waiting for the child to look towards them) using a self-rating tool. Analysis also explored the timing of the child’s communication and the SLT invited the practitioner to experiment further with a particular strategy.

The practitioners reflected on their use of strategies, the impact of these and any changes in the child with regard to regulation, communicative intent, play patterns or language/speech.

During the session the facilitating therapist freeze-framed the videos to highlight examples of the child’s emerging skills. At the review session participants evaluated progress, compared the first and final video clips, completed the second FOCUS and provided feedback via a qualitative questionnaire.

Results and feedback An average of four to six practitioners at each of the five schools completed the programme, targeting 21 different children.

Figure one shows the FOCUS total change scores for the 21 children in the study Figure one: The FOCUS total change scores for the 21 children in the study

■ Body watching, mirroring and mischief.

The practitioners and special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) gave qualitative feedback through a written questionnaire based on three themes (see table one below).

Conclusion and project limitations The results suggest this project was effective in promoting clinically significant changes in children’s communicative participation over a three to five month period. Based on our clinical experience we feel this is because of VERVE’s focus on the moment-by-moment interactions between the children and the practitioners. Crucially, it gives practitioners a supportive space over consecutive weeks to reflect on their own skills, with the SLT making theory accessible and relevant to the children the practitioners work with, and to celebrate the children’s emerging skills.

Although our project included a small sample size and the absence of a control group, we conducted it within the everyday working school environment. Therefore, it is likely to represent a realistic setting, with findings likely to be representative of routine practice. In addition, we only used one quantitative measure of the child’s communicative participation – a rating scale completed by the practitioner who was not independent and impartial. Future studies should include use of additional objective measures carried out by independent raters.

Table one: Examples of qualitative feedback provide by practitioners and SENCOs Themes

Feedback from practitioners:

Impact on the child

“The child I worked with became more open… more face-to-face interaction more frequently.”

“I have noticed the child is interacting with other adults around the school. He also has new friends that he speaks confidently with.”

Impact on the practitioner

“I was able to identify positive/ negative body language from myself which made me more self-aware and able to consider the impact of both.”

Experience of using video

“I felt less self-conscious and found that reviewing the video was helpful... friendly and relaxed sessions helped me to focus on my aims.”

Feedback from school SENCOs who supported coordination of the training

“Staff were proactive in reflecting on this themselves, despite not being chased up by the school. They remembered their own goals and continued to work on these.”

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Maths

Barriers to maths breaking through the maths language barrier Rachael Lethbridge demystifies the language of maths.

Helping to achieve potential Maths has one of the largest glossaries of technical terms, these are particularly hard to learn because you are only exposed to them in technical situations, for example, in the classroom.

Multiple words are used to describe the same thing, how many different words can you think of to describe addition? The same word can have different meanings in different situations, a translation will mean very different things in a maths or a French lesson. The new GCSEs put a greater emphasis on language complexity and problem solving. Language and vocabulary are used in all aspects of teaching, it’s in our spoken and written instructions, it’s on worksheets, text books, guides and of course, exam questions. Without significant maths vocabulary knowledge a student cannot achieve their mathematical potential.

I started working as a maths teacher at Mary Hare in 2016. Mary Hare is the largest school in the UK for children who are deaf.

We use the oral communication method, supporting students to use their voice, their residual hearing and lip reading. Deaf students have the same ability range as their peers, but there are barriers to learning and approximately 40% of our students have additional needs. I’ve always worked with SEND pupils, but I hadn’t taught anyone with a hearing impairment before. I quickly learnt that for these students, vocabulary knowledge was one of the biggest barriers to academic success. Deaf children don’t pick up new language incidentally and explicit teaching is considered essential for progress.

Count on words I’ve always considered one of my strengths as a teacher was to recognise a good resource, ‘don’t reinvent the wheel’, was my mantra. Sadly, most of what I found on Maths vocabulary

■ Angles and shapes

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About the author Rachael Lethbridge is the SENDCo, Assistant Principal and a maths teacher at Mary Hare School. maryhare.org.uk

was aimed at Primary aged children and there was no clarity on what words should be learnt. I wrote some simple vocabulary assessments for our end of term tests but given the significance vocabulary knowledge plays, I knew I had to do more. As part of a Masters qualification in Deaf Education, I collated all the technical words used in maths GCSE papers and rated them based on frequency used. The top 210 words became the focus for the vocabulary intervention package; Count on Words.

Count on Words will eventually consist of 14 maths topics and has been developed using available research and collaboration with Teachers of the Deaf, maths specialists and speech therapists. Each topic is a series of 5 lessons with an assessment to enable tracking on a single word level. The lessons include bespoke images for each of the key Maths words to capture students interest, help make connections and support memory retention. The lessons are full of games, jokes and opportunities for discussion. They provide exposure to the key words in a variety of ways including spoken and written forms.

Our students have made statistically significant improvements in their Maths vocabulary knowledge using this intervention.

All students with low language levels could benefit from Maths vocabulary intervention including poor comprehenders, poor readers, students with DLD (developmental language disorder which affects approximately 7% of children), or English Language Learners. The topics of ‘time’ and ‘angles and shapes’ are available freely to download from our school website, with ‘calculations’ and ‘statistics’ soon to follow. senmagazine.co.uk

Maths

promotional content

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How Whizz Education supports SEND students, teachers and parents Fiona Goddard, Education Consultant, Whizz Education Mathematical skills such as counting, problem-solving, and mental arithmetic can sometimes be even more difficult for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

As Educators and parents, we know finding the appropriate maths programme can be a trial-and-error process, as what is right for one child may not be for another.

Making intuitive and informed choices is essential to overcoming their specific barriers and building a positive attitude towards maths. We know how important it is to tailor the learning process to each individual child’s needs.

We also know that teachers and support staff can be challenged with how to deploy themselves in the lesson to support the learning. The learning needs to be broken down into small progressive steps to build on understanding, but it’s not always possible to guide and support each student.

The learning difficulties encountered are often, but not always, associated with literacy and numeracy development. In many cases, students’ needs will be met through appropriate intervention, including the differentiation of tasks and materials.

Our differentiated virtual tutoring service, Maths-Whizz, can be helpful to ensure all students receive targeted support that addresses their specific needs. Maths-Whizz can be used to provide individualised support within different contexts, including identifying gaps, motivation, developing memory and creating a multi-sensory approach.

Multi-sensory approach Multi-sensory teaching techniques and strategies stimulate learning by engaging students on multiple levels by encouraging students to use some or all their senses. Some students who have SEND may rarely attend to their visual environment as they may be affected by difficulties with tracking or visual processing. One solution is to involve the use of more of the student’s senses, especially the use of touch (tactile) and movement (kinetic), so they may need to be taught or guided on how to focus on the Maths-Whizz lessons.

Involving parents and students in communication and reviewing Maths-Whizz Online Tutor can be accessed between home and school, so that students can practise at any time. Parents can instantly understand their child’s true level of ability – strengths and weaknesses, monitor progress and give encouragement.

Teacher and parent can access the same reporting data, so this can be used at parent meetings. Students can also look at the mathometer to check their progress on their dashboard. senmagazine.co.uk

Motivating students and celebrating success Attitude and motivation play a key part in students enjoying maths and ‘having a go’. Some students from prior experiences can have a fixed mindset ‘I can’t do it’. The Maths-Whizz Tutor keeps adapting to their needs, pushing every student to reach their potential with weekly goals, rewards and personal messages. This can really support SEND students by keeping them motivated and supporting retention, and keeping the knowledge and skills simmering.

Maths-Whizz fosters independent learning through the student engaging with the Tutor. Praise, rewards, and encouragement is key to boost confidence and motivation.

We believe one of the keys to supporting learning also lies in the identification of strengths and weaknesses. Maths-Whizz Tutor initial assessment will capture this. Maths-Whizz uses powerful AI to build a completely personalised plan for each child, and then continues to tailor it as they complete lessons.

Maths-Whizz adapts to a child’s needs and pace of learning. If the student is struggling with a lesson, the Tutor automatically provides confidence-boosting prompts and scaffolded support, even intervening to take students back to foundational material.

And let’s not forget what we want for all children is to build a love of maths, the Maths-Whizz animated lessons are engaging with a bit of humour, perfect for showing children that struggle with maths that it can be fun after all!

Read more about how Maths-Whizz can help SEND students here: https://bit.ly/2RXr9sA SEN113

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Dyslexia Educational technology

How can we better engage digital learning for SEN pupils?

Emma Crampton and Isla Billett look at the benefits of tech-enabled learning

A digital divide While the pandemic has challenged most school-age children, it has presented especially tough, unique challenges to SEN pupils, their parents and carers. Though everyone’s experiences in the past year have differed, the pandemic has ultimately exposed a ‘digital divide’, showing how a whole-community approach is needed to support online learning. This is especially true where supplementary SEN-focused devices, software and support are integral to the learning process.

Responses to lockdown have also brought out the potential, and capacity, for technology to support flexible learning in and out of the classroom; something that hasn’t always been possible for SEN pupils until now. Pearson’s recent survey of over 6,800 educators highlighted that digital skills among teachers and students in the UK have soared during the pandemic (81% and 64% respectively). Similarly, 90% of UK learners in Pearson’s Global Learner Survey felt that online learning would be a part of children’s education experience moving forward.

So how can we build on this momentum? As schools undertake a return to life in the classroom, it’s an opportune time to reflect on what we’ve learned about tech-enabled learning this past year. Bolstered by these lessons, we can explore how to harness technology and its advances, not only to support SEN113

“Technology to support flexible learning” educational progress for every child, but to pave the way for a more permanently inclusive society, post-pandemic.

As a starting point, below is a collection of tips, ideas and practical advice we’ve gathered through our research in recent months. The aim: to support you in your reflections and explorations of continuing to create safe, supportive digital experiences for SEN pupils.

The power of collaboration The benefits of collaborative learning are well established – from building key listening, teamwork and conflict-resolution skills, to improving self-esteem, confidence and motivation (Johnson et al, 2009).

With the shift to online classrooms, many tools and platforms have emerged to enable joint creation and shared understanding. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“Pencils toppers and weighted blankets”

If your pupils are receptive to collaborative learning and the technology, here’s what SEN educators have told us they’ve found helpful this year: • Emphasising the familiar – for some SEN learners, teamwork (including remote teamwork) can lead to a certain level of disruption and anxiety. Keeping online schedules similar to those at school can help. Where pupils may use special equipment at school, for instance – certain pencil toppers, perhaps, or weighted blankets – can these be incorporated into the home setting?

• Exploring new technology – as digital learning continues to flourish, the availability of tools and software continues to increase, making it easier to adapt your style and pace to suit individuals.

• Sharing the learning – as well as driving remote collaboration between different groups of learners, the pandemic has opened up ways for SENCOs and teachers to collaborate nationwide. Many hubs offer online advice and resources, such as NASEN, National Star’s EdTech SEND Support Hub and Chatterpack.

Supporting pupil development with strong feedback From what we’ve seen over the past year, every online interaction becomes increasingly important when a teacher or pupil cannot be physically present in the classroom. This is especially true of feedback, and its role in engaging and motivating pupils.

SEN educators have shared with us that, when it comes to giving effective feedback, remote responses should stick closely to what already works well in the classroom: • be timely and thorough • focus on the task and specifics of pupils’ work, not pupils themselves • include targeted information on how to improve, and areas of strength • avoid any presentation formats that could lead to cognitive overload (e.g. multi-coloured, small font, lack of contrast) As part of this, you can also collaborate with families to ensure that sound and screen settings are doing the very best for the pupil, and get feedback on what’s working well. Once you develop a routine that works, keep it up! senmagazine.co.uk

Emma Crampton is a Product Content Accessibility Manger at Pearson. She is part of the team working on the creation of Pearson’s brand-new digital service, ActiveHub, and the development of accessibility within it.

Isla Billett is the Intervention Transformation Lead for Pearson’s UK Schools business, supporting learners and schools through these uncertain times, with a particular focus on accelerated learning and new initiatives for intervention.

To learn more about digital learning and innovation at Pearson, visit: go.pearson.com/digitallearning

Engaging to achieve When we picture a SEN classroom at ease, we most likely visualise a room brimming with engagement and curiosity. It’s a joy to be a part of and is no doubt what brings learning to life and encourages pupils to tune in and learn.

For times when that vibrancy of the classroom is replaced with learning-from-home – or when you’re incorporating more technology in your lessons – the following suggestions may help maintain engagement levels: • Link to pupils’ own lives in the projects you set them – making a sibling or pet a character in their homework, for example • Split full online lessons into small, manageable chunks • Openly and calmly acknowledge when times are tough and suggest breaks when you notice any precursors to rising anxiety • Check that your instructions have been clear and understood – and that learners have a straight-forward recourse to signal when they’re not • Encourage families to display their child’s best work, though not in areas where this might distract them • Ensure that helpful learning tools – such as screen magnifiers, speech recognition, captions or live captions

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and BSL video assistance – are readily available where required. Materials can also be shared for pupils to go through at their own pace and with any assistive technology they need.

• Create variety by switching between project-types – from on-screen to off-screen; collaborative to independent, and so on.

“New ways for schools and their communities to cooperate.”

Encouraging pupil-led learning Feedback we received from teachers in February revealed that the past year has improved independent learning skills, with digital tools now offering myriad opportunities to facilitate pupil-led tasks.

How best to do this in digital settings or utilising more technology in the classroom? Again, the SEN educators we work with advise building on previous successes in the classroom, with: • Scaffolding – initially guiding pupils, then gradually removing that guidance • Modelling – fostering a digital environment in which pupils can observe the behaviour of their teacher, peers, or other important role models • Reflecting – building in opportunities for pupils to reflect on their achievements.

To support pupils with engaging online independently, you can encourage them and their families to keep journals, or find other creative ways to reflect on their learning. In addition, online feedback polls can be helpful indicators of individual progress, highlighting possible areas for change.

Empowering parents and carers Lastly for now, but by no means least, the success of online learning (as with all learning) can be only amplified when it’s paired with support from parents and carers.

The shift to tech-enabled learning is something all educators, pupils and families alike have been forced to adapt to. While this has been a steep learning curve, the move online has also created new ways for schools and their communities to cooperate.

Some top tips that teachers have shared with us to further boost home engagement include: • Providing tech tips and support – when technology and software are being introduced, or pupil access is mediated by a parent or carer, supplying online help and FAQs can help families get to grips with updated systems.

• Considering what’s at home – for example, families with slow Wi-Fi connections may need alternative texts that minimise what’s being downloaded.

• Offering print-out versions of your lessons – essential for any pupil who does not have easy laptop access.

• Planning and facilitating screen breaks, which are key for pupils, families, and educators alike. (To help, you can encourage some positive wellbeing practices where possible – to reduce stress and anxiety, and boost endorphins) • Sharing links to specific support for parents and carers engaging with lockdown learning, such as guides from Pearson, NASEN and the NSPCC. The rise of digital learning through lockdown has the potential to become one of education’s great levellers. Imagine: largescale access to diverse resources, educators and interactive lessons; classrooms that come to pupils, rather than the reverse; the removal of boundaries and borders to connect globally; plus programmes that can be tailor-made for every child’s specific needs, pacing and styles. All of these, and more, are at our fingertips.

■ learning online.

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As we navigate the ongoing impact of Covid-19, it’s important to pause and notice that the digital landscape is one we can still shape and strengthen for all. Digital learning has so much to offer this generation of pupils, but it’s the people who deliver it and support it – educators and wider learning communities – who hold the keys for driving that positive change. senmagazine.co.uk

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The role of intuitive tech solutions Tsachi Moshinsky discusses tech support for dyslexia.

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OVID-19 has impacted nearly every part of daily living , including extensive effects on education.

For many months, educators, parents and students throughout the UK faced extraordinary challenges as schools resorted to near-total closures to slow the pandemic’s spread. Teachers scrambled to adapt to long-term online learning, parents juggled work responsibilities with caring for and educating their children, and students grappled with isolation combined with anxiety about the future, while striving to maintain their learning. Most pupils returned to the classroom in March, and we are still reflecting on the ongoing impact of school closures on students with learning difficulties.

As of 8th June 2021, school closures globally have impacted approximately 11.3% of all enrolled learners, a figure of 198,613,483 individuals affected (UNESCO). Unfortunately, during the transition from face-to-face learning to virtual platforms, accessibility for students with learning disabilities was not adequately addressed. Under typical circumstances, the bustling environments of the classroom and playground can be difficult for any child. Adjusting to a rigorous curriculum, social forces, learning new skills, and the nuances of the classroom, are just a few of the many pressures that students face. But for those with dyslexia and related language processing difficulties, these struggles are amplified even in senmagazine.co.uk

“Learning disabilities were not adequately addressed.” the most ideal learning environments, and the adjustments to COVID-19 posed additional challenges for these students, as they were required to spend additional time reading and writing independently.

Identifying and supporting students with dyslexia Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties, impacting between 6.6 and 9.9 million people in the UK who may have symptoms as varied as word recognition, reading fluency, and spelling and writing difficulties (All Party Parliamentary Group for Dyslexia and other SpLDs). While many people go through life with undiagnosed dyslexia, finding methods to adapt to their condition, students often struggle with various aspects of academic learning.

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Dyslexia

About the author

“Often manifesting as a language processing difficulty.”

Tsachi Moshinsky is the UK Director at OrCam Technologies. orcam.com/en @OrCamUK @OrCamUK

As education progresses and complex language skills are increasingly required, such as grammar acuity, reading extensive textbook materials and literature, and writing longform pieces, these struggles become even more challenging.

Of the many people in the UK suffering from dyslexia, between 800,000 and 1.3 million are young people in primary and secondary education. In the education setting, dyslexia is treated using specific techniques that engage a variety of senses to facilitate comprehension and processing: vision, touch and hearing. For example, a student may be encouraged to listen to a recorded lesson while using a finger to trace the letters of words spoken.

The impact of dyslexia can extend far beyond the classroom.

Often manifesting as a language processing difficulty, those with dyslexia frequently face challenges of expressing thoughts clearly or understanding meaning when others speak. The added pressure of learning with dyslexia can lead to high levels of academic stress on students, which can discourage them from continuing with their education. According to the British Dyslexia Association, over 80% of people with dyslexia leave school without diagnosis and therefore with a lack of support.

Further evidence by the Association shows that early diagnosis, and the necessary support, can positively influence a pupil’s career opportunities in life.

Proven impacts with assistive technology In recent years, academic research has shown that assistive technology can improve the reading and spelling of students, amongst other skills, helping them to reach their full potential.

Increasing a child’s self-reliance and sense of independence, assistive technology can aid students to experience success by working unaided.

Students today have access to traditional supportive technologies, including abbreviation expanders, alternative keyboards, audio books, electronic maths worksheets, graphic organisers, optical character recognition, portable word processors, and variablespeed tape recorders, among many other tools. Now, new developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are now being integrated into education settings and have the potential to significantly enhance personal learning.

The ongoing evolution of AI driven technologies has enabled the development of artificial vision technologies, which is particularly relevant for assisting dyslexia and related SEN113

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conditions. Scrambled letters, blurred words, moving text and letter reversals require tedious concentration for students, especially with long-form texts that become more common as education progresses.

As a result of the effort required, students with dyslexia may find themselves fatigued, nauseous and experiencing headaches on a regular basis. Until recently, the only tools developed specifically for reading and comprehension difficulties were found on computers, which are not ideal when moving between teaching locations and completing home learning.

Accessibility is more important than ever To make assistive technologies truly accessible to those with reading and comprehension challenges, products need to be designed with the user firmly in mind. To support independent learning, comprehension and communication, assistive technologies must meet the needs of students of today, spanning from primary and secondary to further and higher education. Thankfully, recent advancements are making this objective a reality.

Developers are now innovating discreet wearable and handheld devices that accompany students in any setting, inconspicuously reading any printed material or digital screens.

For the first time, texts within books, and on computer and smartphone screens, are accessible to those with language processing difficulties. These technologies are constantly evolving to become even “smarter,” incorporating Natural Language Understanding (NLU) technology – and even voiceactivated features to allow the user to quickly retrieve and identify specific information they need from a piece of text.

Adapting to the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, particularly accessible learning for students with dyslexia and related conditions, must be a priority for educators. As we look hopefully towards the rest of the year with less academic disruption, educators and parents have a responsibility to focus on making positive, meaningful changes. Incorporating advanced, innovative assistive technologies to support students with learning challenges provides them with the best opportunity of success. senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN law

What the law says about mainstream education (again!)

Douglas Silas looks again at what the law says about mainstream education for children and young people with SEN, bearing in mind also, the impact of Covid-19.

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couple of years ago I looked at the law on mainstream education. Although the law has not really changed, the world has now been turned upside down by the Coronavirus pandemic. I therefore thought that it may be a good idea for me to try and revisit the issue here.

What is the general law about mainstream education/inclusion?

The law says that local authorities (LAs) should usually provide a place within a mainstream school for children and young people with SEN. Mainstream schools include maintained schools, academies that are not special schools, maintained nursery schools, 16-19 academies, alternative provision academies, and PRUs. This is often referred to as mainstream ‘inclusion’.

Schools/colleges must also promote disability equality towards individual disabled children and young people, in line with the Equality Act 2010. This means that they must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary (i.e. supplementary) aids and services to prevent for disabled children/young people being put at a substantial disadvantage.

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“The world has now been turned upside down”

According to the SEND Code of Practice (CoP), mainstream placements must always do the following: 1. Use their best endeavours to make sure that a child/ young person with SEN gets the support they need (i.e. do everything they can to meet children and young people’s SEN) 2. Ensure that children/young people with SEN engage in the activities of the school, alongside pupils who do not have SEN senmagazine.co.uk

SEN law

“They are not automatically considered to be disabled”

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

3. Designate a teacher to be responsible for coordinating SEN provision (e.g. the SENCO) (although this requirement does not apply to 16-19 academies) 4. Inform parents when they are making SEP (special educational provision) for a child/young person with SEN.

Are pupils/students with SEN also considered to be disabled?

No, being said to have SEN does not always mean that you are disabled and vice-versa! Although it can often be quite a straightforward thing, this can sometimes be a bit of a tricky issue to determine. For example, even if a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), they are not automatically considered to be disabled.

However, if a child’s parent or a young person makes a request for a particular state-aided mainstream nursery, school or post16 institution (e.g. maintained nursery schools, maintained schools, any form of academy/free school, a non-maintained special school, a state-aided further education/sixth form college (or independent school or specialist colleges which have been approved by the Secretary of State [called a ’section 41’ institution]), the LA must comply with that preference and name the school/college in the EHCP unless it can show that: • it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child or young person, or • the attendance of the child or young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others or the efficient use of resources If the LA considers a particular mainstream place to be incompatible with the efficient education of others, it must also show that there are no ‘reasonable steps’ that a mainstream nursery, school, or post-16 institution in its areas could take to prevent incompatibility.

What are ‘reasonable adjustments’/‘reasonable steps’?

There can be many reasonable adjustments that placements are already making for disabled pupils (such as the use of auxiliary aids, like coloured overlays for dyslexic pupils/students, pen grips, adapted PE equipment, adapted keyboards and computer software). Reasonable adjustments are often inexpensive and only sometimes involve a change in practice, rather than the provision of expensive pieces of equipment or additional staff.

There are also many examples of ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent a mainstream place from being incompatible with the efficient education of others, but there also may be cogent reasons senmagazine.co.uk

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SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk @douglassilas

@douglassilas

why it may not always be possible to take reasonable steps in any given situation. However, any decision not to educate a child or young person in a mainstream setting against the wishes of the child’s parent or the young person should not be taken lightly.

How has Covid-19 affected things?

Where do I start! Covid-19 has really turned the world upside down these past couple of academic years hasn’t it? Between March 2020 and March 2021, it felt for schools/colleges to be a bit like the ‘hokey-cokey’ (‘in, out, in, out…). One thing that became increasingly clear though whilst schools/colleges were closed, was that children/young people with SEN were being affected disproportionately.

However, things seem to be getting back to a bit of normality as I write this. In terms of plans from the Government/Department for Education (DfE), I’m afraid that there seem to be new announcements regularly, so it would be foolish of me to try and say things here, as information may have changed during the time between my writing this and my article being published.

However, one issue that has been agreed to is the need for ‘catch-up funding’

What is ‘catch-up funding’?

‘Catch-up funding’ is to support children/young people to catch up on missed learning caused by the Coronavirus/Covid-19.

It is said to be especially important for the most vulnerable pupils and pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds who have been most affected. In June 2020, the Government announced £1 billion of funding to support children/young people for a number of mainstream and special schools (including funding to LAs for pupils with EHCPs educated in independent special schools based in their area).

However, recently, the person asked by the Government to report on what was required, Sir Kevan Collins, estimated that over £15 billion was needed and he subsequently resigned from his position when the Government only said that £1.4 billion would be made available. Sir Kevan was quoted as saying that this funding for school recovery “does not come close” to what was needed.

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SEN law

Tips for taking on a local authority Laura Robertson-Hayes navigates communication with LAs.

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o parent should have to fight for their child to receive an education. Unfortunately, many parents are acutely aware that the special educational needs (SEN) of their children are simply not being met but when they try to secure adequate provision, they are faced with barriers.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, all local authorities must support children and young people with SEN (up to age 25) to help them achieve the best possible educational outcome.

Government figures suggest that 14.9% or approximately 1.3 million pupils in England have SEN. Of that figure, 3.1% of pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Not all children and young people with SEN require an EHCP. In some instances where special educational provision (SEP) is required, the school has the means to provide this within their existing SEN budget. However, with increasing cuts, schools can no longer afford to provide the same level of provision they once could. Recent figures from the National Education Union estimate an annual shortfall in SEND (Special Education Needs and Disabilities) funding of £2 billion. As parents have

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“An annual shortfall in SEND funding of £2 billion” increasingly found that the provision their child requires is no longer available, they have turned to local authorities to apply for additional support through an EHCP.

Common Hurdles Before an EHCP can be issued, an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment has to take place. Where it is suspected that a child or young person has SEN, this assessment can be requested by the child’s parents, the young person themselves or a teacher on behalf of the school. The decision to perform this assessment falls to the local authority.

The local authority will gather information to help them decide whether the child or young person requires SEP that needs senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Laura Robertson-Hayes is a Senior Solicitor in the Child Brain Injury Team at Bolt Burdon Kemp boltburdonkemp.co.uk

to be set out in an EHCP. If the local authority decides not to carry out an assessment, they must notify the child’s parents of this decision and their rights to a mediation or an appeal.

Once an EHC needs assessment has been carried out, the local authority will decide whether to issue an EHCP. It is not uncommon for local authorities to decide not to issue an EHCP on the basis that in their view, the child or young person is already able to access the SEP they require in their school setting. When parents are notified of this decision, they should also be advised of their rights to mediate and appeal.

Steps to Take Mediation is a non-adversarial process where attempts are made to resolve disputed issues. Mediation should be a useful tool for settling disagreements but as the local authority is able to instruct their choice of mediator, parents are often left feeling at an immediate disadvantage. Furthermore, in my experience when parents have legal representation, local authorities have refused to meet them in a mediation. This is in spite of the fact that the local authority is represented by their own legal team and often, a barrister specialising in education law. It is not an even playing field.

Should mediation be unsuccessful, or should parents choose not to mediate, the next step is to lodge an appeal with the SEND tribunal.

Although a daunting prospect, parents should not be put off appealing a local authority decision. Figures show that success rates are high; in 2019/2020, 95% of cases decided by the tribunal were found in favour of the person bringing the appeal on behalf of the child or young person.

Legal representation is advantageous but not a requirement.

When bringing an appeal, the person representing the child or young person is known as the Personal Representative. The tribunal members are aware that many Personal Representatives do not have legal representation and a non-adversarial approach is adopted throughout the appeal process. That being said, it is always worth contacting a solicitor for advice to see whether legal representation is an option for you. Bringing an appeal is a complicated process with strict deadlines. Legal support would always be beneficial.

For parents and young people going at it alone, the focus should be on building up the evidence to demonstrate the senmagazine.co.uk

child or young person’s SEN and the provision they require to meet this.

The first step in gathering this evidence is to involve the child or young person’s school. Meet with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and explain the situation. Ask them to write to the GP to request a referral for an Educational Psychologist’s assessment.

Request copies of your child’s educational records. Collate these into a format which demonstrates that your child is in need of additional educational support. Consider asking a teacher to provide a written report documenting your child’s needs and any recommendations for support they may require.

If the child is receiving NHS care, seek support from their NHS practitioners. Write to the doctors or therapists. Ask them to document the reasons as to why this child or young person has SEN and requires assistance in an educational setting.

If you have the means, instruct a private Educational Psychologist to prepare a professional report documenting your child’s needs. If you have particular concerns about a certain area, for example, communication, instruct a therapist to prepare a report evidencing the need for provision.

Write down your own concerns as a parent or carer. If your child attends any extracurricular clubs, ask if club leaders would be willing to write a short letter backing provision.

Finally, take advantage of the support services provided by specialist organisations such as IPSEA or Contact. IPSEA are able to offer telephone appointments and Contact also have an advice line.

Taking on a local authority might feel like an intimidating process but my advice to all parents and carers is to be bold and act confidently. The steps are not insurmountable and ultimately, the difference that a successful appeal can make to a child’s education is immeasurable.

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Special Educational Needs Public Access Barrister Barriers to Learning Challenge Unfair Decisions Challenging decisions made by your local authority can be daunting. So if you believe that your child or young person is being treated unfairly, you need specialist advice and support from an experienced advocate. Janice Johnson will meet your needs regarding requests for an Education, Health and Care Plan, Therapeutic Assessments, Annual Reviews, Drafting Grounds of Appeal and be your advocate at a Special Educational Needs Tribunal.

Break down barriers to your child’s or young person’s learning to make the most of their potential.

Whether you need legal support for all or part of your case Janice Johnson will wish to hear from you.

For a free initial 20 minute enquiry speak directly to Janice on 07976 396972 or email janicejohnson08@btinternet.co.uk

ADVERTISE IN

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Want to reach school leaders, teachers, SEN professionals and families?

Advertise with the UK’s leading special educational needs magazine In print (over 36,000 readers) • online • email newsletter Contact Denise | 01200 409808 | denise@senmagazine.co.uk

Subscribe to SEN at subscribe@senmagazine Free issues available at issuu.com senmagazine.co.uk

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Wills / LPA

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Future planningwhat it really means Nicole Boon describes POAs, Wills and Deputyship Orders.

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hen the phrase ‘future planning’ is brought up in a conversation, most tend to think of making sure that you have a big enough house to accommodate a growing family, or ensuring that your mortgage is paid off or that you have enough income or capital to continue your lifestyle during your retirement years.

What some don’t consider is what happens if you’re unable to make these decisions, manage your finances, or make decisions on your health.

Lasting Power of Attorney Lasting Powers of Attorneys (LPA) are documents which allow you to formally appoint one or a couple of trusted family members or friends (known as your Attorneys) to look after your finances or make health decisions on your behalf, if you are unable to. There are two types of documents, one covering Finance and Property, and one covering Health and Welfare.

The Finance and Property document allows your Attorneys to manage your finances, pay any bills and buy or sell property on your behalf, should you not be able to. The Health and Welfare document allows your Attorneys to liaise with doctors on your behalf regarding medical matters, it allows your Attorneys to discuss your long term care needs with any relevant authority and you also have the option to grant your Attorneys the authority to make decisions on life sustaining treatment, which can include (but is not limited to) being kept artificially alive, cancer treatment, or being resuscitated. senmagazine.co.uk

“Thousands of people pass away without leaving instructions” These documents are important for anyone, no matter the stage of life, but for those who care for vulnerable family or friends, or who have children with Special Educational Needs, ensuring that your future is safeguarded against as many unknowns, allows for your children’s future to also be safeguarded.

The importance of a will A common myth is that future planning only applies to a living future, rather than one where you have passed away. Every year, thousands of people pass away without leaving instructions for their loved ones, on how their estate should be divided and who it should be divided between. Without a valid will being in place, that person is deemed to have died intestate and therefore, the intestacy rules will apply. In most cases, the intestacy rules may not change where the deceased wanted their estate to go, but sometimes it causes issues.

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Wills / LPA

About the author

“The key to future planning is planning”

Nicole Boon is a Private Client Solicitor for Langley Wellington LLP. langleywellington.co.uk @LangleyWellington

For example, under the rules of intestacy, a surviving spouse will inherit all personal possessions, the first £270,000 of the estate (correct as of April 2021) and, depending on whether the deceased had any children, they will inherit an additional one half of the leftover assets, or the whole of the leftover assets.

What some don’t realise is that, should you not be married to the deceased, under the rules of intestacy, you will not inherit from the deceased’s estate. Past experience has shown this to be the most common dilemma, as the surviving Partner may need to move elsewhere, or may even be left homeless as a result of their Partner passing away.

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yearly reporting procedures and the Court of Protection will assess your ability to act as a Deputy, based on the application form submitted and during the ongoing reporting procedures.

Any payment made on behalf of the person who has lost capacity will need to be accounted for, and justification for the payment will be required, if the Court of Protection deems it necessary. A Deputy acts in very much the same way as an Attorney, but a Deputy can be appointed for a child who is under the age of 18.

Having a will which has been drafted and executed correctly, will provide instructions on how your estate should be distributed, and will likely provide financial or personal security for those family members who may not otherwise have this following your death. A will is even more important for those family members who may be vulnerable and rely both financially and personally on you. A will helps you provide for those family members, and correctly provided legal advice will ensure that this is completed in the most efficient and personalised way possible.

In respect of health matters, whilst there is a Deputyship Order for health matters, these are less common. The Court of Protection only has a limited scope for allowing health Deputyship Orders, as usually, the Court of Protection will deem a health Deputyship Order unnecessary, as care is often best delivered collaboratively, rather than by one person solely deciding on a person’s care. This is very common in cases where someone is applying to be a Deputy for a younger child.

Deputyship Order

The key to future planning

As well as taking care of your family by taking out LPA’s or a will, you have the option of ensuring security for those who may have already lost mental capacity, or for those who may not have mental capacity to deal with their finances. A Deputyship Order is an order awarded by the Court of Protection to deal with someone’s finances or health matters. The purpose of this order is to have someone, or a couple of people, appointed by the Court of Protection to manage someone’s affairs should they not have, or have already lost mental capacity. Due to the nature of the order, the applicant for this order will need to complete a lengthy application, which will be assessed by the Court of Protection, to ensure that they are the correct person or people for caring for someone’s finances. It will also take several months to implement, and will require an insurance policy to be taken out, to protect that person’s finances further, should there be any misappropriation of funds.

The key to future planning is planning. It is easy to be complacent when life seems steady, but it is never known when there may be a detour from that journey. By planning ahead and ensuring that wills and LPA’s are put in place and regularly reviewed, you are ensuring that your future is as uncomplicated as possible for those who may be struggling or adapting to changing times.

No matter what your personal circumstances may be, seeking legal advice into how best to protect your futures and those of your family is of utmost importance. Every day I have clients telling me how they have put wills or LPA’s on the back burner as life got in the way. Whilst the majority have been lucky and managed to sort matters out before any complications arise, some have not been so lucky and are, or have been, dealing with loved ones passing away with no wills or loved ones losing capacity and not being able to pay for their care needs.§

For example, if you have a child who has advanced Special Educational Needs, and will not, at any stage of their life, be able to deal with their finances, a family member can apply to the Court of Protection to act as their Deputy. The role of a Deputy is more stringent than that of an Attorney, as there are SEN113

My advice would be not to leave discussions of wills, LPA’s or possibly even a Deputyship Order for a cold winter’s day, as it is never known when it may be too late. I urge anyone who has not sought this advice to make contact with a local solicitor and take any steps necessary to ensure that another, equally important, aspect of your future planning is put in place. senmagazine.co.uk

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The quiet parent:

Twelve reasons we avoid asking for help Debby Elley’s account of being a quiet parent.

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hose who shout loudest get what they want. It’s a well-worn saying among parents in receipt of social care, sometimes used as a complaint, sometimes as encouragement to be more forceful. Practitioners are well aware of this, and our social care system is based on assessments designed to give help where it’s most needed, rather than simply rewarding ‘loud hailer’ parents.

Yet in my own experience, deserving families are still falling under the radar when it comes to getting social support. There are many reasons for this. In my case, I’m what I call one of the ‘Quiet Parents’. I didn’t shout loudly or cause a fuss. I’m the mother of autistic teenagers and it took an experienced social worker to identify what our family’s needs were and support us in getting them met.

So, why don’t we put our hands up for help when we need it?

Through my work with families as well as personal experience, I’ve come across a dozen common reasons.

We don’t know it’s out there For whatever reason, paths to the right kind of support aren’t always accessible. If you’re working, and the time not spent working is spent caring, researching what you’re entitled to is rather difficult.

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“Families of SEN children need more than that”

My twin sons are both transitioning to adult care. I’ve attended courses, been given pamphlets, and a long list of website links…none of this was tailored to my own situation. I’m a journalist with a tenacious nature, but I still find the constant decision making for both my twins overwhelming at times. It’s not enough just to say ‘the information is out there if you want to find it’ – families with SEN children need more than that.

If help is out there, it needs to be personalised, face to face advice that kicks in by default. Without this, needs will certainly be missed.

We compare ourselves Whilst those who shout loudest are determined that their son or daughter will shoot to the top of the list when it comes to senmagazine.co.uk

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“To be proactive requires time, effort and energy”

help, there are others who have the opposite problem. Keenly aware of government cuts and limited budgets, we tend to selfassess whether we are as deserving of help as other families.

For a long time, I self-assessed sufficiently to talk myself out of asking for respite. There were those worse off, we were managing, we are quite a resilient family… We were tired, but others were tired, too… I was unable to be objective about our needs.

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About the author Mother to autistic teenage twins, Debby Elley is co-founder and co-editor of AuKids magazine together with Tori Houghton. She is the author of 15 Things They Forgot to Tell You About Autism and co-author of a new children’s book, The Ice Cream Sundae Guide to Autism. aukids.co.uk

@aukidsmag

We’ve run out of physical energy In the town where I’m based, there’s a fantastic organisation called Signpost for Carers. The volunteers who work there have immense knowledge and experience. They aren’t called upon nearly enough despite advertising on parent forums and on social media. You’ve got to ask yourself why parents and carers seem so apathetic. To be proactive requires time, effort and energy. Day calls are hard to make if you work, and by the evening you’re too tired to do much even if an advice centre is open. It’s a Catch 22 – you need respite in order to find out how to seek respite!

We’re tired of explaining In addition, some of us are quiet because we are tired of going through lengthy explanations. We’ve done it so many times, and sometimes we’ve given organisations great detail on our lives only to find that they haven’t been that helpful.

There’s a certain skill required when it comes to reducing your entire history into a nutshell. It can be exhausting. The best professionals are the ones who realise this and ask guided questions, explaining what sort of information is needed and why as they go along.

We’re not used to being negative In order to ask for help, we have to highlight those aspects of our lives that cause us the most difficulty. Sometimes, we struggle to admit this to ourselves. I’ve forged a career encouraging others to champion their autistic children, and to focus on what they can do rather than what they can’t, to emphasise what’s great about them before the more challenging aspects of their nature. If you view autism in terms of positivity and opportunity, you enable your children to be confident in who they are.

In order to ask for support, parents like me need to entirely switch that thinking. This is something we aren’t used to doing.

We’re seen by the outside world as ‘copers’ and our positive energy may well give us great resilience. But there’s a limit – and sometimes we just don’t recognise when we’ve reached senmagazine.co.uk

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it. And even if we sneakily suspect we have, we just don’t have the inclination to sound like a ‘moaner’.

We’ve adapted to stress When you have a child, you expect life to be stressful. Once you know they have autism, that extra stress doesn’t really reduce, your system just accommodates it as the ‘new normal’, to coin a topical phrase. It usually takes someone else to point out that you’re constantly on red alert.

Alarmingly, research shows that even when carers aren’t reporting feeling stressed, they still have increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked to heart disease.

We’ve given up on the system By the time your child has moved through junior school, you have sat through a lot of meetings and been in contact with

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many professionals. Inevitably some will be more effective than others and if you’ve drawn the short end of the straw and have had bad experiences, it erodes your trust in the system as a whole. Professionals would do well to identify this disillusionment and approach it head on, rather than listen to acerbic responses without asking a carer why they aren’t on board with what’s being offered.

“Entitlements are not always clear”

We’ve got guilt Whilst some parents are happy to request all the help they can get, others feel that it is their duty to provide an upbringing without outside help. Added to that, if you’re feeling in some way responsible for your child’s condition, then you may also feel that since this is your ‘fault’ it’s up to you to deal with everything that comes of it.

I’ve experienced this. One of my autistic sons had an accident that left him with brain damage when he was nearly two.

The lasting guilt that I’d allowed this accident to happen is something that I’ll probably never get over. Without realising it, when my son became aggressive towards me, there was a small part of me that felt I deserved it. No matter how many people told me his situation wasn’t my fault, I could only think that it certainly wasn’t anyone else’s.

We’re not singing from the same song sheet One half of a parenting partnership may want support; another may not. In my experience, and I’m sorry to generalise so clumsily – men tend to be more private in general about their difficulties. It is after all rather unusual to let strangers observe your private battles.

It’s a good idea to try and support both parents. If one carer isn’t present, ask what the other’s reaction would be to the various options you’re discussing. Try not to assume that the more visible partner in a parenting couple will translate complex information and acquire the agreement of the other party.

Even if partners are in agreement, the wider family may not be. Here is where cultural differences can play a part. Having a professional from a similar background is sometimes helpful, but not always possible.

We don’t understand the system We really don’t. People assume we’ve read the law relating to disability. We do if we have to, if we suspect something is lacking that’s a legal requirement. Entitlements are not always clear. Sometimes we suspect this obscurity is deliberate, and it makes us cynical. Is it because if everyone asked for the help they were entitled to, the system couldn’t sustain it? There’s a large number of people out there not asking for help because they aren’t sure of their entitlements. That’s masking a huge social care need and it needs to be addressed.

We don’t want to get emotional Dwelling on difficulties can make us feel really upset. If our method of coping has been to distract ourselves from unwelcome thoughts, then we have to be really careful that once these upsetting experiences have been shared, they can be dealt with swiftly and healthily rather than becoming like an evil genie who can’t return to its bottle. They don’t call it ‘bottling up your problems’ for nothing!

Ideally, we need to be in the right mood to tell you. Paradoxically, that right mood tends to be when we’re coping brilliantly, and don’t feel deserving of additional support. So it’s up to insightful professionals to be able to understand what the worst looks like when parents are at their best.

We fear being judged When it comes to understanding your child’s needs, we’re all on a learning curve. The usual parenting strategies need to be ‘tweaked’ for SEN youngsters. It’s something that parents have to learn, and sometimes the only way of learning is to hit a difficulty first. But too many parents see their lack of knowledge as a failure. They hide behind shame. It takes work to help them acknowledge that they’re deserving of help.

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There’s no magic solution to these difficulties, but simply having an awareness of them will help practitioners to delve a little deeper when a family announces that ‘they’re fine’. senmagazine.co.uk

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promotional content

Petra’s Place Petra’s Place is an inclusive nursery and early-intervention therapy centre for mainstream children and children with special needs and autism aged 2 – 6 years.

The first few years of a child’s life determines their ability to learn for the rest of their lives which is the reason why earlyintervention is so vital.

Our OFSTED registered nursery is open 48 weeks a year from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday to Friday with SEN experienced nursery practitioners offering a high ratio of care (1:3).

Children have direct access to Speech and Language therapy, Sensory Integration Occupational therapy, Music and Art therapy sessions and intensive nursery and therapy packages for the children where a multi-disciplinary approach will achieve the best outcome.

Our clinical approach is to learn from the best evidence-based interventions for children with developmental and autism, however, we have developed our own unique programme which draws on this ever-developing evidence base which combines early development, creativity, therapy and learning in one package. Our intensive nursery and therapy programme uniquely combine’s therapy, early learning and child development and specifically targets the areas that children with autism struggle with: social communication, joint attention, motor skills and sensory issues.

Parents feedback has been overwhelmingly positive about all areas of the service from the many developments they are seeing in their children, to the calm and child friendly environment, to the skill of the nursery and therapy staff and the opportunity to mix with and learn from other parents.

Parent 1 I started to look at private SEN nurseries that could help my daughter. I contacted Petra’s Place nursery, who have been absolutely amazing. They carried out an intensive hour-long SEN113

assessment on my daughter a week later and were able to tell me what her needs were and what she needed more help in. They placed her at the nursery and have worked hard to apply for and get her EHCP finalised. A month after starting at the nursery, Mia’s understanding had improved drastically.

I was shocked and extremely impressed as I was worried, she would never get there so quickly. She absolutely loves the nursery and her key worker, who has been fantastic with her. It’s truly a home from home and I love the fact that Petra’s Place really care about each child who attends, with the ultimate aim of helping them make sense of the world and providing and teaching them the life skills they need for mainstream.

Parent 2 Sophia had difficulty relating to and socialising with others including with her twin sister. She would often lash out at family members when she became frustrated. Her fine motor skills and speech were also quite delayed. She is now interacting with other kids a lot more and she plays with her sister. Her speech has improved considerably as well since starting in the program and she is finally saying more than 2 or 3 words together at a time.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff. They are just amazing! They are some of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met and even when things have been tough for us as a family they have tried to find ways to help us - not just Sophia but all of us.

The centre is a warm, inviting and secure environment where kids are made to feel instantly at home. They feel comfortable from day one and this helps them to adjust quickly and learn and develop. Petra’s Place is definitely the place that you want to be if you have a child with special needs.

For more information about our services or to register your child, please contact reception@petrasplace.co.uk or visit our website petrasplace.co.uk. senmagazine.co.uk

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Parents / teachers

Nightmare parents or lack of understanding?

Grace Williams provides the parent’s perspective.

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n 2020, 275,604 children were reported as having an educational, health and care plan (EHCP) in the UK with 12.1% of students on special educational needs support without a diagnosis. Yet parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities are still often misunderstood and seen as ‘difficult’ by professionals, which may be due to a lack of understanding. I invite you to take a step back and try to understand the daily battles parents face.

The struggles parents face Having a baby is an exciting but nerve-wracking experience for everyone, becoming a parent is extremely difficult. However, it is even more challenging to become a parent of a child with special needs. Families with children who have disabilities want the same things as other families (S’lungile et al, 2015).

They want to see their children reach their full potential, they want to be included and accepted by their community and they want to enjoy things together as a family (Baker & Fenning, 2007). For this to happen, children with special needs must receive the best support and professionals must recognise the value and expertise of their parents (S’lungile et al, 2015).

Therefore, the relationship between parents and professionals is extremely important.

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“Misunderstood and seen as ‘difficult’” Grief It is important to think about what a parent goes through when their child is diagnosed with special educational needs.

During the diagnosis stage and for a long time after, parents feel disbelief, sadness and often experience feelings of loss or grief (Fernańdez-Alcántara et al, 2016). This is because parents must now accept that their child has special needs, and this may mean that their child is not the child they imagined they would raise. They will have imagined their child’s first words, first day at school and when they learn to read and write. They may have imagined watching them play football and the many birthday parties with their friends. Unfortunately, for a lot of parents of children with special needs, these things will never come true. This may cause some parents to grieve, and this is a long and painful process that may continue throughout senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Grace Williams has nearly completed her school-based teacher training and has secured an NQT position in a special school, teaching children with autism. @gracewilliams1x

“Parents have to fight for their children” families face daily. Teachers and professionals working with these families must understand this in order to support them effectively.

Positive relationships their whole lives. They may always think what if, what if my child did not have special needs? What would they be like?

What would they grow up to be?

Alongside this they must care for their child and support them. They have to deal with sleepless nights and their child’s challenging behaviour. They must learn about their child’s needs and how best to support them while their world feels like it is moving at a million miles an hour.

Fighting for their child

There is a growing recognition that the establishment of a strong relationship between parents and educators is a key element to effective collaboration and improved education for students with disabilities (Allred, 2015). Parents need to feel like they are understood, and that their needs and opinions are listened to.

Parents know the most about their children and will support them for the rest of their lives. Teachers should use this to their advantage and work with the parents to understand the child’s needs and the steps they need to take to reach their potential.

To help their child reach their potential and get the right support parents have to fight for their children. They have to fight for a quality education for them whether that is extra support in a mainstream school or a place in a special school which meets their needs. It can be extremely difficult for parents to accept that their child needs support from a specialist setting also.

They also have to fight for extra support such as respite care and most people think this would just be given to you.

Parents may be lonely and not have anyone to talk to about their child and the challenges they face. Their family and friends may not know how to support them so they may distance themselves. Therefore, teachers may be the only support network they have. They may want to rant and discuss their child’s needs with you. I am aware teachers have a highly pressured job which comes with many challenges, but it would mean the world to parents if they felt they had someone on their side.

In 2016, 46.7% of permanent school exclusions were children with special educational needs and this number is growing.

For these children that means that their parents were caring for them full time. During the covid-19 pandemic we have all experienced lockdown and feeling isolated and hopeless. This is how many families with a child with special needs feel daily.

They may not be able to go on days out, holidays or even to the local supermarket because of their child’s challenging behaviour. These are just some of the things parents and

To conclude, when working with children and young people with special educational needs, take a step back and think about the struggles their families face each day. Their parents are fighting every day for their child and this battle will never end.

They need positive relationships with professionals involved in their child’s care and learning. Lastly, parents want the best for their child and will do everything they can to achieve the most effective support. Think about this before naming them ‘nightmare parents’.

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PSHE

What’s new with PSHE? An update on PSHE by Zoe Mather.

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hat are some of the challenges of teaching the curriculum to learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and how can you work to overcome them?

“There will be a renewed focus”

The changing face of PSHE In my time as a teacher, this was the subject that has had the most name changes, going from PHE (Personal and Health Education) through to the mouthful that was PSHECB, or a variant of this acronym, with the introduction of sex, economics, citizenship, and British Values. It has been taught within all schools since the first national programme of study in 2000, including the statutory sex and relationships education guidance – so what’s new?

In short, after a number of years of campaigning, the Department for Education (DfE) has designated the majority of the PSHE curriculum statutory from April 2021 and set out the topics that must be covered by the end of each key stage. Schools still have autonomy to decide what to teach and when, to suit their context. Relationships, Sex and Health Education covers

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roughly 80% of the current PSHE curriculum and although schools are already covering this curriculum, there will be a renewed focus.

Finding the baseline As you all know, the challenges of teaching children and young people with SEND can be as individual as the children themselves. The new curriculum prescribes what must be delivered by the end of a key stage, with the allowance that “schools should ensure that their teaching is sensitive, ageappropriate, developmentally appropriate and delivered with reference to the law”. Ensuring suitable differentiation with a senmagazine.co.uk

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“Less socially aware and leaves them vulnerable” pace that suits learners and using high-quality resources will be a great first step, however, with the PSHE topics, finding the baseline can be a challenge.

Children and young people with SEND may be less socially aware and this leaves them vulnerable. They may have less lived experience of some of the issues to draw upon or, conversely, they may have experience and require a safe space to explore the issues with trusted adults. The PSHE Association have produced a free SEND planning framework, designed with both mainstream and specialist settings in mind, covering all the PSHE curriculum including the new statutory RSHE curriculum. This will help to support all learners from those with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) who may be at ‘Encountering’ sensory engagement and response to stimuli, right through to those who are at the ‘Enhancement’ level working towards the statutory level of the topic.

Looking at the ‘how’ for children and young people with SEND, the guidance states that establishing ground rules with all pupils and utilising distancing techniques, are the necessary precursors to delivery. This can be challenging with pupils with SEND as the ability to have the theory of mind to ‘put themselves in someone else’s shoes’ can be difficult, so what can you do to help your children and young people:

Pre-teach Pre-empt any difficulties and consider pre-teaching some of the materials; this allows for sensitive topics to be explored in a small group or one-to-one context allowing for baselining, giving time for processing of the information and for any potentially sensitive or personal questions to be asked.

Overlearning Overlearning opportunities and a system for asking questions discreetly may further support those who take longer to process and may ask questions a day or more later and not always to you - so prepare your lunchtime staff and parents! More specific areas that may require additional overlearning are the personal and private aspects of relationships with explicit reference to the online implications.

Young people are at home in the online world, with some feeling more comfortable than in the ‘real’ world and, in a lot of cases, more accepted. This can blur the lines between the personal space and public space. Supporting parents to have those same conversations within the home is necessary for reinforcement in context. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Zoe Mather is Education Officer at nasen - a charity that supports and champions those working with, and for, children and young people with SEND and learning differences. nasen.org.uk

Engage parents When working with children and young people with SEND it is essential that engaging parents around the topics that will be studied is handled sensitively. Puberty is one of the areas that has moved from sex education into health education meaning that parents cannot opt out. They may not be ready to consider the onset of puberty in their child who has a cognitive age of a year 1 pupil though physically their body will develop in line with their chronological age.

In talking about relationships, the aspirations of pupils with SEND will often be similar to those of their peers. They may see peers engaging in relationships that they too want to engage in; supporting this in a way that ensures the pupils are aware of how to stay safe and reduces their inherent vulnerability, is a key part of the PSHE curriculum.

Preparing for adulthood You may already consult parents about the topics that will be taught within PSHE over the year, but it would be advantageous to do this on a class-by-class basis or on an individual basis.

Linking the PSHE curriculum to Preparation for Adulthood may help frame the conversation as a longer-term, forward-looking process. Highlighting the advantages for safeguarding, such as the teaching of consent and how that looks at each stage of development, should help allay any fears of inappropriateness and may need to be sensitively explained to parents prior to the topic being taught. Open, honest discussion and listening to parent and carers views has always been the best way to approach this.

To conclude, there is not so much that is new, other than schools will be asked to prove the curriculum is being taught, whereas before it was just accepted. It may even be an area for external reviewers to ‘deep dive’. Be mindful that these lessons are too important to reduce to a paper exercise for ‘evidence’ and continuing to deliver these topics in an engaging and real way for your pupils will always be outstanding practice.

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Visual impairment

Visual impairment habilitation study Habilitation services need revision, argue Clare Messenger and Roy Palmer.

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very day across the UK around four children will be registered blind or partially sighted. That’s almost 1500 families this year who will be told their child is losing their sight. In the UK today there are 28,000 young people under-18 who have a vision impairment, and Guide Dogs believes every young person should be empowered and supported to achieve their full potential and live the life they choose.

Habilitation support is vital for children and young people with sight loss, teaching them how to learn independent living skills for the first time and supporting them in their development journey. A child’s existing skills are the starting point and habilitation will develop personal mobility, navigation and independent living skills. Children and young people may receive habilitation training and support at different ages, but the primary objective remains the same – to maximise a young person’s independence.

We know that when a young person receives support from Habilitation Specialists alongside Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVI) strong and empowering outcomes can be secured, making a lasting and positive impact for the young person. That’s why there should be widespread concern at the inconsistency of provision and access to habilitation services across the country.

Research carried out by Guide Dogs and Thomas Pocklington Trust shows the current system is ‘fractured and confusing’ when it comes to referral routes, eligibility criteria and provision - and we believe this is leaving significant unmet need. Based on Freedom of Information requests in 2019 to local authorities our research shows a vast range in the proportions of children

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“Habilitation support is vital”

and young people receiving habilitation support across different local authorities: over the 12-month period our research showed almost a third (33%) of local authorities supported less than ten children or young people with habilitation services, and just over half (53%) supported less than 20 young people.

And reinforcing just how mixed this picture is, a fifth of local authorities could not provide data on this, most citing that they do not record the information.

Given the vital importance habilitation makes in supporting children and young people to develop their independence and essential life skills, it is alarming to find gaps at both ends of the age range: referral arrangements in the early years and pre-school ages are often inadequate and older young people (16+) are less likely to be offered habilitation support by local authorities. Our research found that 20% of local authority habilitation services will only accept referrals from a QTVI or medical professional. Inconsistent approaches to referrals are matched with restrictive eligibility criteria in some places: 13% restrict access to just those young people registered as having a serious sight impairment and 8% of local authorities state that to receive habilitation support a young person must have a EHC (Education, Health & Care) Plan in place; it is important senmagazine.co.uk

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to note that 80% of children and young people with visual impairment do not have a EHC Plan.

This situation of inconsistent and varied approaches across different local authorities causes frustration and confusion for families. Services and support for children, young people and their families are too often not joined up and can feel inconsistent and unfair, and parents will often speak of not knowing where to turn when their child receives a diagnosis of visual impairment or sight loss. The lack of a universal approach in how habilitation provision is accessed only serves to reinforce this frustration, with parents often left to fight lengthy, tiresome and stressful battles to secure the support their child needs to develop vital independence skills.

And beyond the challenges of accessing support and services we should be concerned at how children and young people – and their parents or carers – perceive their own sense of independence and wellbeing, and how that relates to the availability of specific services and support. Our research shows that 56% of parents feel their child was not independent and 40% feel their child lacks confidence.

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About the author Clare Messenger is National Head of Children & Young Peoples Services at Guide Dogs. clare.messenger@guidedogs.org.uk

Rory Palmer is Senior Policy, Public Affairs & Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs. rory.palmer@guidedogs.org.uk

At Guide Dogs we don’t believe this situation is acceptable. As a provider of habilitation services we recognise and understand just how vital this provision can be in empowering children and young people with vision impairment to lead happy and fulfilling lives. We also recognise that to secure better outcomes and more equitable access to services and support for all children and young people with vision impairment and their families, we need to see bigger and whole-system change.

Children and young people with sight loss and their families should not face a situation of uncertainty, confusion or inconsistency when it comes to accessing and securing vital services. It is unacceptable that many parents are left not knowing where to turn; the referral and service pathways should be joined-up, person-centred and consistent in all parts of the country.

To help secure that system-change and to lead towards an improved situation for children and young people with vision impairment Guide Dogs is bringing together young people with lived experience, parents and professionals working in frontline services to shape new ideas and thinking on what needs to change and what that change should be. Through assessing the landscape as we find it today, exploring recent research and data and through co-production our Creating the Future Commission will set out recommendations for a truly universal, joined-up and consistent pathway of services and support for all children and young people with sight loss, from birth of their point of diagnosis to their transition to adulthood.

It should be noted that some local authorities referenced plans to improve and widen habilitation provision and to revisit referral routes when responding to our research in 2019. However, we know from our experience working with children, young people senmagazine.co.uk

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and families every day that the situation remains one of acute concern in relation to habilitation provision and access. The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on education and childhood development are not yet fully known and the financial challenge facing local authorities and service providers has not improved.

This perfect storm demands urgent focus from decision-makers at all levels. We believe that whole-system change is needed to lead to that more joined-up, universal and consistent pathway of support for all children and young people with sight loss to secure better outcomes and to ensure every child, young person and family receives the specialist support they need.

You can find out more about the Guide Dogs Creating the Future Commission and read the full research report on habilitation provision, Making Childhood Equal (Guide Dogs & Thomas Pocklington Trust, 2019), at www.guidedogs.org. uk/CreatingTheFuture SEN113

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Emotional support advice for children with vision impairment Craig Brown helps breakdown barriers.

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he Covid-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Those with a vision impairment had new barriers to overcome with no forewarning.

Alongside the difficulties of accessing educational materials and specialist provision, came a high volume of concerns from parents, carers, and young people themselves regarding the need for emotional support.

Some of these were themes common to all children and young people such as issues with confidence, resilience, and self-esteem. All children and young people face hurdles and challenges as they grow, live, and learn. Learning to manage feelings, face problems, resolve differences and difficulties and develop resilience and coping strategies is a common part of growing up. This was amplified during a time of real uncertainty where daily structure and routine was taken away, pretty much overnight.

Children and young people with vision impairment experience the same everyday experiences, feelings, and reactions as many of their peers. There may also be some particular issues relating to having a vision impairment, where it is helpful for parents, siblings, friends, family and other people to give support. This article will look at some of the concerns that parents, carers, and young people highlighted that are specific to having a vision impairment.

Many parents and carers will have experienced concerns for their children around isolation and anxiety but there was an additional element for those with children having a vision impairment. Children and young people across the UK were being guided towards a virtual world in which video senmagazine.co.uk

“All children and young people face hurdles” communication software, social media platforms, messaging apps and video gaming were not always accessible for those with an eye condition. This heightened the feeling of isolation for some as they were unable to socialise with friends in person and were coming across barriers to accessing alternative options.

The importance of maintaining relationships through phone calls, socially distanced meetings and creating accessible ways of interaction was - and remains – imperative for their wellbeing.

Even those who were able to attend their education settings found new systems for social distancing such as one-way routes. While there were practical and logical reasons for these routes to be put in place, often the impact of these on students with a vision impairment were missed. This added an extra layer of anxiety for some children and young people. It was, and still is, vital that these concerns are communicated and finding solutions must always involve the relevant specialists such as Qualified Teachers of Vision Impairment (QTVI) or Habilitation Specialists (RQHS). Guidance is available to articulate clearly and directly the responsibility settings have and the ways in which they can make suitable adjustments to support students.

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About the author Craig Brown is Specialist Lead for Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) UK in the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). rnib.org.uk/children @RNIB

@RNIB

■ Learning to read

For parents and carers, often one of the most difficult and distressing parts of finding out their child has a vision impairment is knowing how to talk to their child about it. This challenge has been amplified during Covid-19 because support from professionals has been difficult to access at times, with nonemergency visits to medical professionals often being cancelled and face to face support groups ceasing. So the pull to hold off on having these conversations is heightened. This lack of support for parents has a knock-on effect for the children and young people they care for. There is no set way or right time to have a conversation with a child about a vision impairment.

If a child starts asking questions about their sight, it’s a great opportunity to have that conversation. An important aspect is making sure that parents and carers feel supported and have all the information they require. They are the experts when it comes to their individual child and there are several resources available to support with that difficult but essential conversation.

Over the last year, parents also reported an increased concern about their children being able to talk to other people about their eye condition. This may be friends, family, school staff or any other individual they are in regular contact with. This was possibly due to notable differences in the way students with a vision impairment were accessing online classes and resources.

RNIB believes that raising awareness and understanding of

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“This supports understanding and acceptance” vision impairment is essential. Many sighted people do not know what it actually means to be registered severely sight impaired (blind) or sight impaired (partially sighted). Various websites, resources and apps are available to model how a particular vision impairment may affect individuals as well as give specific information on the variety of different eye conditions. If awareness of those around children and young people with vision impairment can be raised, this supports understanding and acceptance. Some children find it useful to give explanations of their eye condition themselves; some prefer to have a class presentation/ discussion. It could be held by a class teacher or another professional who can help the child’s classmates know more about different eye conditions and how the child sees and accesses the world around them.

Education settings may have a general discussion about difference and diversity if this feels more comfortable. The importance is that children and young people feel supported and understood, and that they can access the same provision and experiences as their peers.

When a child or young person is having to deal with issues affecting their wellbeing, it will inevitably have an effect on their educational attainment. Education settings should be aware of the additional emotional and social support that may need to be put in place for students with a vision impairment. It is vital that parents, professionals and all those around children and young people with a vision impairment are aware of the additional concerns they may have, and work together to support them to feel equipped to overcome barriers. RNIB has created a series of podcasts in partnership with a Specialist Vision Impairment Clinical Psychology service which start to address some of these emotional support issues, but it is imperative that specialist provision such as a QTVI and RQHS are contacted and their advice sought about the needs of any child with a vision impairment. senmagazine.co.uk

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Award for Read-Aloud App for the Blind Solo developer Winston Chen, who designed an app for people with visual impairment while living above the Arctic Circle in Norway, has been named one of 12 winners worldwide of the prestigious Apple Design Award.

Chen’s “Voice Dream Reader” supports text-to-speech as well as visual reading for people who are blind or have low vision, people with dyslexia, or people with impaired motor functions.

“For thousands of years, reading meant decoding phonetic symbols in black ink printed on white surfaces,” Chen said. “But the human brain is not wired for that, which is why it takes years to become a proficient visual reader. In fact, our brains are wired to communicate orally. I wanted to explore how technology could allow everyone to learn more naturally -- by listening.”

Available on the App Store, Voice Dream Reader has now seen over 350,000 downloads worldwide. The Apple Design Awards recognize excellence in innovation, ingenuity and technical achievement in app and game design. There were 36 finalists in this year’s award.

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Sensory support for students with Cerebral Vision Impairments Dr Jonathan Waddington explores the issue of CVI.

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erebral Vision Impairments can affect as many as one in thirty children, yet it can be hard to identify in a classroom

So, you have a student in your class who’s bumping into other students in the playground, often seems distracted in the classroom, and has a meltdown whenever there’s a whole school assembly. These behaviours might seem like red flags for a range of learning difficulties related to conditions such as developmental coordination disorder, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, or autism. On the other hand, these could be indications of a sensory processing disorder such as Cerebral Vision Impairment (CVI).

What is cerebral vision impairment?

Recent studies have indicated the prevalence of CVIs has been significantly under-appreciated in the UK. As many as one child in a primary school classroom of thirty students may have learning difficulties associated with CVI. Part of the issue with identifying these students and giving them appropriate support is that experts still aren’t fully agreed on a definition of CVI and how it should be diagnosed. Additionally, many of the senmagazine.co.uk

“Significantly under-appreciated in the UK” behaviours associated with CVI overlap with the behaviours we commonly observe in other developmental conditions.

This lack of clarity can lead to sensory needs being missed or misattributed to other learning difficulties.

The current working definition of CVI, at least in the UK, is a ‘verifiable vision dysfunction that cannot be attributed to disorders of the anterior visual pathways or any potentially co-occurring ocular impairment’. What that means in layman’s terms, is that the brain is not able to consistently process sensory information from the eyes, or interpret that information

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“A complex multisensory environment can be completely overwhelming” in a meaningful way. A wide range of visual dysfunctions can be covered by this definition, from reduced clarity of vision to difficulty with processing the salient features of a face in order to recognise a friend in the playground. One particularly common dysfunction is difficulty dealing with complexity, whether that’s the visual complexity of an object, a complex array of objects (i.e. cluttered spaces), or the complexity of competing sensory information. This has significant implications for some of the most complex multi-sensory environments in the modern world, like the classroom or the supermarket.

What it’s like living with CVI Try to imagine walking through a supermarket. You might picture the sights first, aisles of multi-coloured food packaging and other shoppers rushing by. You might also imagine the sounds of the tannoy, the beeping from the self-service checkout counters, and other shoppers chatting. The scents of food from the deli counter and the bakery, the weight of the heavy shopping basket or veering trolley, and internal senses such as hunger all add to the sensory information that the brain has to sort through and interpret. This type of complex multisensory environment can be completely overwhelming for someone with CVI, leading to sensory overload and feelings of discomfort that can range from mild to intense. In some cases, the competing sensory information can appear to overwhelm the visual information entirely leaving the child unable to recognise or respond to the visual scene around them.

How we can adapt classrooms for sensory needs Arguably, the average UK primary school classroom can become just as overwhelming, with brightly coloured student projects on the walls and ceilings, and other students busily chatting away or moving about. This all adds to the sensory

■ Mirror reflection

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About the author Dr Jonathan Waddington is a VI Advisor at WESC Foundation and a Psychology Lecturer at the University of St Mark and St John. wescfoundation.ac.uk @wescfoundation

@wescfoundation

complexity of the environment. Creating an accessible environment for students to learn should be a priority, otherwise they simply won’t be able to learn. Simple adaptations that create an accessible environment include keeping the ceiling and one wall free of hanging visual clutter, and painting the walls a saturated plain colour for contrast. You can create individualised learning environments within the classroom, using either cubicle partition walls or a tent that can reduce sound and block visual distractions. Teaching materials and toys can be designated to specific areas and returned there when not in use. Open shelving units can be covered with a plain coloured cloth. Seating position, blinds, and non-reflective surfaces can be used to minimise distractions and discomfort from bright daylight.

How children with CVI can improve their functional vision There are additional benefits from adapting the classroom to the sensory needs of children with CVI beyond the obvious access to learning. Studies have indicated that more than four out of five children with CVI do improve their functional vision as they develop. While the child’s vision impairment may not fully resolve, they can learn strategies that allow them to make the best use of their vision. That can range from learning structured scanning strategies to search a supermarket shelf for the item they need, or learning to recognise friends and family by matching features that they are able to perceive such as hair colour. It’s still not clear whether interventions can be used to improve functional vision for children with CVI but it seems unlikely that children will make improvements if their visual environment isn’t accessible.

In theory, if we create a visually accessible learning environment, students will have the opportunity to practice using their vision to understand the world around them. If the learning environment remains inaccessible, that opportunity for incidental learning is lost. The benefits of making the classroom more visually accessible are likely to extend to other students who don’t have CVI, who will benefit from less sensory distractions in the environment. So, even if you’re not sure whether a child in your classroom is having difficulties due to a CVI or another developmental condition, there’s no reason not to adapt the classroom for the sensory needs of someone with CVI. senmagazine.co.uk

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Display dismay Antony Morris argues for reducing visual clutter in the classroom.

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o colourful displays and wordy noticeboards adorn the corridors of your school? Have you ever questioned their presence? Do they impact your day? There is a strong possibility they affect countless pupils on the autistic spectrum.

“Tokenistic sensory clutter”

Looking at displays with fresh eyes As a Teaching Assistant (TA) working one-to-one with numerous autistic individuals, there have been many times when I have cursed what is, for the most part, tokenistic sensory clutter.

While displays have been a mainstay in schools for decades, our much-improved knowledge of the range of sensory processing impairments - that affect a significant number of pupils with special educational needs - should prompt a discussion on how we decorate our schools.

Displays can be loosely split into two categories: informative and decorative.

Informative displays

Additionally, informative displays may include: school notice boards, rules, slogans and awards that the school has achieved.

Much of the legal stuff will be required to be on show and in a particular colour and format. Where possible, it is perhaps best to designate a specific area for these.

Classrooms often include much of this information with additional displays about pupils’ needs and/or educational targets. These often come with information relating to how schools track and record progress.

This form of display highlights information that is often required by law: Building regulations and standards on doors, walls and equipment, signposts to different areas or members of staff and health and safety protocols e.g. emergency evacuations. senmagazine.co.uk

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“Time we re-evaluate their impact” In an age of online updates and instant access to records, it is fair to say that news notice boards and awards – in areas that students access - are perhaps obsolete. While these could go elsewhere, it is hard to argue against classrooms displaying their pupil’s needs, particularly if they are medical. For items that are not regulatory, but otherwise necessary, thought should be given to their location, colour and formatting. Could they be placed together with minimum writing and softer colours?

About the author Antony Morris, former Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) and Special School Governor, currently studying to become an Occupational Therapist. @AMorris1986

@antony.morris.54

Regarding targets being displayed in some classrooms, this is a somewhat tokenistic gesture for visitors. A simple folder containing information on targets and attainment would suffice for such occasions. Support staff, on the other hand, know their pupils, and if they do not then they also have access to that same folder.

should suffice for inspectors who are often well informed about the benefits of a low stimulation approach.

Of course, every single school will be different in their use of signage, but with legal requirements alone our walls are already filling up with sensory clutter. Hopefully, this section may prompt a rethink on how we present the information that is necessary to display. Gone should be the days that we plant the same bit of information on every wall.

Teachers and support staff who have worked with autistic individuals in any school setting will be aware of the potential for something in the environment to impair student’s progress.

This may be a range of stimuli that affects their ability to freely transition from one area to another, or, it may be specific visuals or sounds that distract from educational tasks. It is not uncommon that many pupils who have sensory processing issues cannot articulate their experiences, particularly those autistic individuals with additional intellectual impairments.

So, my question in regards to inescapable sensory clutter is: is it worth the risk?

Decorative displays Schools often cover large swaths of their corridors and classrooms with pupils’ work. As heartless as it may sound, these displays offer a pleasant viewing for some, but are a sensory bombardment for many others.

There are three strong cases for displays: The first is decorative: they ‘brighten’ the place up and showcase schoolwork to visitors. In my experience people often cite the colourful environment of a school as a positive aspect of their visit. Similarly, I have heard negativity expressed about schools that have blank walls and employ a low stimulation approach throughout.

Secondly, it is an opportunity to showcase examples of good work to parents and inspire others. It may be argued that, upon seeing their own work, these displays may contribute positively to a pupils self-esteem. This may be the case, but to what degree? Can work be shown in a less intrusive and more concise way? Could the work be put in a specific room or folder?

The final reason for decorating the walls with pupil’s work, is because Ofsted inspectors may consider these displays as evidence of spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning (Toyer, 2013). Again, a specific room or folder with adequate evidence SEN113

Weighing up the potential cost and rewards of unnecessary sensory clutter, I believe it is perhaps time we re-evaluate their impact.

Starting the conversation While I mostly sympathise with the autistic people walking the sensory gauntlet on a daily basis, I also feel for the teachers who work hard on their displays and have them pulled down on a regular basis, only then for me to suggest that they do more harm than good.

The function of displays is just one area all schools will consider in regards to their environments. While I personally advocate for wholesale change regarding tokenistic and unnecessary sensory clutter, I am not suggesting that anything less is inadequate.

On the contrary, many schools have a good understanding of the sensory processing needs of their autistic pupils and have begun to make initial adjustments such as providing low stimulation working spaces and sensory equipment e.g. ear defenders and squeeze vests.

Displays play into a much wider conversation regarding sensory processing impairments and the entire environment. A low stimulation approach involves much more than a school’s décor, but I would stress that an honest conversation about the function of displays is a good place to begin. senmagazine.co.uk

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Creating successful sensory circuits Kim Griffin explains sensory circuits.

What is a sensory circuit?

Sensory circuits are similar in function to a gym circuit, but instead of focussing on fitness, they focus on supporting arousal. Arousal is the body’s level of alertness and it can range from sleeping to highly stressed. In order to learn, a student needs to have adequate arousal to focus. Sensory circuits can help students with this.

Sensory circuits have evolved from the sensory diet concept.

Sensory diets are a set of specific sensory strategies created for one student to help to support their readiness to learn. The term ‘diet’ was used to liken sensory needs, often movement, to the body’s need for food as fuel. Some children benefit from additional sensory input as fuel for learning.

The benefit of using a circuit is that more children can be involved at the same time. A well designed sensory circuit will support each child’s individual arousal needs. So, if the student needs to increase their arousal, the circuit should support this.

If they need to get organised, the activities in the circuit should help with this. For individuals who are sensitive, it should help them to calm down.

“Arousal is the body’s level of alertness” Before you start It is important to consider the individual needs of the children, setting a goal is a great way to monitor if the circuit has been helpful. If your students are super fidgety and inattentive, the goal may be that they are able to sit and concentrate on lesson input for 15 minutes. If your child is really overloaded when they come home from school, then the goal may be that they calm down in a safe and organised way.

If you have a lot of children who are very fidgety in class, then movement to increase their arousal coupled with heavy work to finish should help. This could include pushing, pulling and yoga.

If you have children who are more sluggish and struggle to maintain sufficient alertness, then more movement could be the best choice as they will need to increase their arousal.

If a child needs to calm down, yoga, heavy work and breathing activities should be in the circuit.

Setting up a circuit Circuits will look very different from school to school and house to house, as it will depend on what space and equipment is available. It should also depend on the needs of the children that are doing the circuit!

It can be helpful to schedule the circuit into the daily timetable.

Some schools do them first thing in the morning, other teachers use them as a break between lessons to help children to refocus. Parents of children who are easily overloaded find them helpful when their child arrives home from school.

You will need to consider the time, space and resources you have available. At school the PE hall and equipment can be great, or potentially the trim trail in the playground. Some ■ Circuit at school

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schools have additional sensory equipment, like scooter boards and trampolines. At home you can also make use of playgrounds, your garden and even your sofa.

Example Circuits At school Willow class set their circuit up in the hall. There is a jumping station, a stretching station, a dancing station and a balancing station. The teachers vary the activities at each station through the term but always set up the four stations, one in each corner of the hall.

The jumping station includes: jumping on the spot; star jumps; scissor jumps; tuck jumps; hopscotch; jumping side to side and jumping backwards. Stretching includes yoga style stretches.

The dancing station usually follows a video on screen, with the volume down low so as not to disturb the other children. The balancing station sometimes uses the balancing equipment in the hall but also includes balancing on one foot, tree pose from yoga and lifting legs or arms (or both) when on all fours.

Children with really low arousal (slower sensory responses) alternate between the jumping and dancing station completing each station twice. Children who need to regulate and calm down alternate between the stretching and balancing station.

Those who need to increase their arousal but who also need to organise their thinking (typically called sensory seekers) complete all stations in this order, jumping, balancing, dancing, and finishing with stretching.

At home Sarah is usually pretty overloaded after school. When the weather permits, her mum leaves the car at a local park close to school and meets Sarah at the school gate with her scooter.

She has created a circuit which includes scooting to and around the park. Next, Sarah goes on the swing for five-ten minutes and she finishes her circuit by climbing up and down the climbing frame.

About the author Kim Griffin is a paediatric occupational therapist. She has extensive experience working with children who have sensory and/or motor skill challenges, including those with autism and dyspraxia.

GriffinOT.com @Griffin_OT

@GriffinSensoryOT

If the weather doesn’t permit, they create an indoor circuit at home. First, they pull all of the cushions off the sofa and create a ‘tunnel’ by putting two cushions down on top of each other. Sarah has to crawl between the ‘tunnel’ whilst her mum or dad add some resistance to the top cushion. Next, they have a wrestle with the cushions. They stand one cushion up between them and Sarah tries to push the cushion over using her hands then her feet. To finish, Sarah lies over the top of her gym ball and rocks backwards and forwards using her feet for five minutes.

For her snack, Sarah will have something chewy, like a flapjack or dried apple or mango and some raw carrots. She also has a straw style water bottle (e.g. Camelback). Because this snack gives a lot of proprioceptive feedback, it helps to decrease her arousal.

Practicalities If you are running a circuit with multiple children who have different sensory needs, then you will need a system to ensure they access the most appropriate activities for them. There are two ways you can do this.

Firstly, you can colour code the circuit. This could be done with coloured numbers which the children need to follow in sequence. Or, you could just use coloured cones to show the children which activity they should move to next.

Or, you can give each child an individual activity schedule. The schedule will show them which activities they should go to in the circuit. If your circuit stays the same each half term, you can print off static schedules, or have them up on the smart board. In some cases, children could have their own laminated schedule which changes each week.

Finally

■ Exercise outdoors.

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Remember, there is no one size fits all solution for any sensory support. You need to consider what the aim of your sensory circuit is, and monitor to see that it has the desired impact.

It may take a few attempts to get it right and that’s OK! senmagazine.co.uk

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Setting the tone Chris Smith explains muscle tone.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

There are many definitions for cerebral palsy. One of the most useful definitions for me is that it’s a physical injury to the developing brain that occurs before, during or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy is not a genetic condition, it is acquired through an injury to the brain. There are many ways such an injury can occur, such as a bleed in the brain, a car accident or a lack of oxygen during birth. In a child with cerebral palsy the brain injury doesn’t increase with time. However, it often impacts on further development so that the effect of the injury is not unchanging, it ripples throughout the child’s further development.

What is muscle tone?

Most caregivers of children with cerebral palsy are familiar with the language around muscle tone, having had several years of reports from paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists and other professional reports describing their child’s condition. However, when I speak with families, they are often familiar with the terms but not the actual meaning. In order to be specific, professional medical language can be a lot of jargon and not easy to understand for many caregivers. Many can quote terms such as spasticity, dystonia or hypertonicity but many don’t understand how this presents and specifically impacts onto their child’s movement disorder.

Children with cerebral palsy don’t drop into neat categories, most have a range of challenges associated with their brain injury which is not just difficulty with movement. Many children will have issues around swallowing or speech, understanding and communicating their needs. This is often specific to the senmagazine.co.uk

“Children with cerebral palsy don’t drop into neat categories”

nature, size and location of the brain injury. These physical, sensory, emotional and cognitive difficulties often impact a child’s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and subsequently how they participate in society as a whole.

When it comes to describing the way children with cerebral palsy move, professionals will often refer to some of these characteristics. Such as hypertonicity (high muscle tone), hypotonia (low muscle tone), spasticity (difficulty moving a joint quickly) or dystonia (movement that happens on its own).

These are often associated with injury to specific parts of the brain relating to the injury. It might be useful to clarify these terms by first starting to talk about typical muscle tone.

So, what is ‘typical muscle tone’?

This term has been widely used within the fitness industry and in a way, has made it difficult for parents to relate it to their child. Firstly, muscle tone has nothing to do with how strong

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or weak you are but is all about how ready you and your body are to move, the resting tonus or tone. In a typically developed individual our brain and body work together to get the muscles to put in just the right amount of effort to maintain our posture or move as we wish. This coordination of brain and body provides the correct muscle tone for the movement. Both the front and back muscles of each joint work reciprocally to ensure that one side lengthens and the other shortens. We call this reciprocal innervation and the amazing thing is that we don’t even have to think about it as it’s automatic.

For example, if we are standing on one leg, the supporting limb joints are working harder, so the brain/body recognises this and increases the muscle tone around those joints. This isn’t hypertonicity, it’s simply the body responding to increased demand for stability. Alternatively, if a person is laid on the floor the body doesn’t require such a high level of muscle tone and so reduces it significantly. Again, this isn’t hypotonicity this is the brain/body responding appropriately to the demand, which is less.

About the author Chris Smith, Director of Clinical Services/Physiotherapist. cpotential.org.uk @C_Potential

@CPotentialTrust

What are the effects of less movement?

An individual without a brain injury is able to move and quickly change their muscle tone automatically in response to need.

This is often not the case for children with cerebral palsy as the brain injury causes excessive co-contraction of muscles which prevents movement. This results in less movement, less activity. The knock-on effect from this is the child develops learned disuse and muscle weakness. We all need a little bit of success to motivate us to learn and this becomes difficult to achieve for a child with cerebral palsy. Movement opportunities need to be carefully developed often with the support of a physiotherapist. A typical 18 month’ old child will walk over 2300 steps a day (Adolf et al, 2012), but a child with cerebral palsy misses a lot of this movement practice and it’s the role of a Physiotherapist to help address this.

What are hypertonia and hypotonia?

These terms often refer to the underlying state of the muscle tone. Hypertonia means the resting tone is higher than it needs to be and so movement is stiff and difficult to achieve.

Hypotonia means the resting muscle tone is lower, so it can be hard to recruit enough effort to move and as a result the joints can struggle to keep their position and be very floppy.

What are spasticity and dystonia?

Parents and new therapists alike often tell me that they struggle to tell the difference between spasticity and dystonia. They are very different in terms of the location of the brain injury but they both can prevent the muscles moving in a typical way. Dystonia is involuntary movement, and it is something that you will see, with the child moving in a way which is not effective. Spasticity is something that you will feel. Spasticity is an exaggerated response to a stretch and is speed dependent, in as much as when you try to move the muscles around the joint they will stop at a certain point. This is often called the ‘catch’. In the foot it is often possible to move the toes up slowly but with increased speed you feel the catch preventing movement. This SEN113

■ Physio session

is a particular problem in function when walking as the foot swings through it moves from toes down to toes up quickly and so spasticity prevents the foot coming down and heel touching the ground first.

Muscle strength - ‘My child has cerebral palsy but is strong and I can’t move his legs apart when standing.’

A common misconception is that some children with cerebral palsy have strong muscles. Muscle weakness has long been identified as one of the key features of Cerebral Palsy. When caregivers perceive their child as strong it is often when they are trying to move the child. This can be explained by a child presenting with either spasticity or general hypertonia which makes it difficult for the child to be moved due to the excessive co-contraction discussed earlier.

What’s the best way I can help my child learn to move?

The great news is that children learn movement and pretty much anything else faster than adults. Progress can be made by getting your child’s muscles stronger and practising activities.

We learn best by doing fun things that have meaning to us, repeatedly. Try to make any exercises engaging, functional and have a muscle strengthening component. It is possible to make great progress with the support of your child’s rehabilitation team. senmagazine.co.uk

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Manual handling

Moving and handling of pupils in an educational setting Paul Meek takes a look at manual handling in education.

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upils with physical disabilities have in the past been excluded from participating in activities that were previously deemed to only be accessible for ablebodied children.

The special education sector has seen significant progress in the way they educate their staff on moving and handling, which now allows pupils, able-bodied or not, to participate in activities for therapeutic purposes or just for fun. A major enabler of this change was the introduction of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992), which required schools to conduct risk assessments and take steps to reduce risks to both staff and pupils.

In 1995, when the regulations were biting, the author was extensively involved with all the special schools and many mainstreams in West Sussex looking at how the provision of equipment and training would achieve the objectives of keeping staff and pupils safe plus giving pupils new opportunities.

Equipment manufacturers worked in partnership with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, school nurses, and teaching staff to produce an amazing range of hoists, standing frames, and other aids to promote inclusiveness and maintain mobility and independence.

About the author Paul J Meek Chartered F.C.I.P.D. A former ambulance paramedic tutor Paul established the company to deliver moving and handling training. solutionstraining.co.uk @SolutionsTandA

However, generic training does not provide school staff with specific skills and knowledge, as each pupil has their own unique challenges. This means that the way companies train staff has to evolve. A recent alternative to face-to-face or online training has been the use of video conferencing sessions, whereby small groups of staff can be trained in practical skills based on the specific equipment they use within their school. Many schools complete the moving and handling theory qualification online before conducting the practical training, this has been proven to be a successful way to train teaching staff.

Special education schools have adopted new skills and techniques to ensure that challenging needs are met with ease and dignity. My team at Solutions Training & Advisory Ltd has been offering accredited Moving and Handling Train the Trainer programmes for over 20 years. We have found that video conferencing training has been widely received, effective, and extremely cost effective. Bespoke training with no need for classroom-based training is perfect for this unique sector.

Cumulative strain due to poor postures, static muscle loading, and repetition are still risks in many schools. This is an area where more work needs to be done to reduce risk. So, what training should staff receive? In England there is no detailed guidance, but in Scotland and Wales, there is a manual handling passport scheme that prescribes both theoretical and practical competencies.

■ Chair hoist at the pool.

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So “What constitutes effective manual handling training?”, I am happy to share the findings of the research which was conducted by Loughborough University. If trained in the right manner the solution to safe and dignified handling is available. If you would like a copy of the research, please email enquiries@solutionstraining.co.uk. senmagazine.co.uk

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN DELIVERING OUR MOVING & HANDLING TRAINING SOLUTIONS TO SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR 25 YEARS! have been extensively praised as being “easy to use” by trainers as they include audio, on screen exercises, film clips to review along with thought provoking exercises. A free demo of our online “People Moving People 2021” online course can be run at solutionstraining.co.uk

Working within the Special Education sector has its own unique challenges. The children and their individual needs are becoming increasingly more complex as is the new equipment used for Moving and Handling them.

Our mission has been to develop solutions based on the unique challenges school staff face when handling and moving them. We do not supply bland “off the shelf” training but a variety of inspiring, engaging programmes relevant to the needs of each team.

Training is delivered through various methods including train the trainer programmes (at Level 3 on the R.Q.F.) plus practical skills training via video conferencing, sector-specific unique online People Moving People Training course, classroom-based specific training, and refresher training. Whatever the training needs be for each school we deliver tailored and effective solutions.

Our training is engaging, effective, and recognised nationally as being industry leading. The practical training solutions are delivered by Paul Meek, the founder of Solutions Training, whose career after the N.H.S. includes having supported special and mainstream schools since 1994.

Paul holds a wide range of qualifications in training, manual handling, and training design. The course materials for both e-learning and practical training are focused on the special school community and

We aim to ensure that special school staff are equipped with our very latest knowledge and skills to ensure their pupils are moved and handled in a manner that is safe, comfortable, and dignified whilst ensuring that school staff also keep themselves safe when conducting manual handling tasks. All training materials having been updated during lockdown for launch in 2021 be it the online or train the trainer materials. Solutions also provide moving and handling equipment which can be viewed at our online shop movingandhandling.equipment To find out more about our unique courses developed specifically for the special education sector please contact us: Email: mandiepearson@solutionstraining.co.uk Tel: 01932 880147 Or visit our website to view details on all our training solutions: solutionstraining.co.uk

TESTIMONIALS People Moving People Train the Trainer Course “This train the trainer course has been the best moving and handling course I have ever attended. It has given me the skills to deliver the programmes effectively to over 90 staff.

The trainers are so knowledgeable and informative of new equipment and new techniques. The annual refresher courses are invaluable as we are given a great opportunity to problem solve real life issues that occur in our places of work. Our trainer guides us through risk assessments that are relevant to the tasks our staff carry out daily. I have had excellent help with difficult problems and if I email Paul for support, he generally gets back to me almost instantly. Not only is it fantastic to get Paul’s perspective on any issues, but it is also great to speak to a specialist trainer who reassures me that I am following correct procedures. For me, the ongoing support is one of the best things that Solutions trainers offer”.

Julia O’Connor Integrated Services Coordinator at Pear Tree School

People Moving People Blended Learning (Online and Face to Face Practical Training) “In late 2020 during COVID we asked Solutions to assist us by providing training to a small group of our staff who required hoist training, most of whom had not participated in this type of training before. We completed all the theory on how to move and handle pupils in a manner that is safe and dignified by completing the sector specific online People Moving People 21 course which was hugely valuable and reduced the total hours needed for classroom training. On completion of the online course, Solutions came to the school and provided practical training relating to the handling of one specific pupil. We found this blended method of training greatly beneficial and cost effective”.

Jan Wyatt School Governor at Sir John Thursby School

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Looked after children

Looked After Children Ian Butler details the needs of looked after children.

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aving been to many personal education plan (PEP) meetings and listened to a multitude of children, young people and their carers and teachers, it is important to understand that the educational needs of young people are often met in mainstream education with the support of dedicated teachers and special-educational needs professionals.

Sadly, looked after children have historically fared less well in mainstream school; although it is important to look behind the raw statistics to uncover success stories and advance our understanding of the very specific needs that many looked after children may have, and bring this to the classroom. Using research and a wide experience of working with looked after children, their carers and teachers, this article will look at practice here and abroad to unpick some of the issues facing these students.

More than a statistic The DFE statistics published in 2020 make unpleasant reading for people looking to improve the life chances of looked after children.

“Achieved significantly lower scores” Looked After Children achieved significantly lower scores at KS4, scoring an average Attainment 8 score of 19.1 compared to 44.6 for all children; the percentage of LAC achieving the threshold in English and maths at grade 5 or above decreased from 7.7% in 2018 to 7.2%.

At Key Stage 2 LAC tend to perform slightly better across reading, writing and mathematics compared to children in need.

First year DfE has published destination measures for LAC and Children in Need.

The rate of permanent exclusions for looked after children has fallen and is now less than the rate for all children and continues to be much less than the rate for children in need.”

“Educational attainment gap continues…

Educational outcomes for LAC continue to lag behind nonlooked after peers by between 25-30% at KS2.

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Equal Education: DfE releases latest outcomes data for Looked After Children 6 April 2020 senmagazine.co.uk

Looked after children

“Creating a commonly shared situation” It is easy to look at this data and forget the very real progress and educational achievements that have been gained by some young people in the care system. Studying that success is just as important as looking at the difficulties that are so profoundly detailed by the DFE.

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About the author Ian Butler is a social work and social care trainer and consultant, and has over 30 years experience of working with young people in child-protection, looked after children, and with children and young people in the criminal justice system. sbiginitiative.org @IBSPTraining

Certainly, my experiences as a social worker, consultant and trainer have led me to investigate educational successes, especially at university level. Whilst they are rare - as indicated by the DFE statistics - the successes of these young people are often rooted in good care, and emotional stability, as well as the skills and abilities of the young people and the relationships they build at school, with teachers and other young people.

Differing priorities The success of these young people indicates how other countries, especially in Europe, achieve much better educational attainment than the UK. Denmark in particular has a proud record and statistics spell this out with up to 60% of looked after children attending university. Of course, the widely respected methodology of social pedagogy and the huge investment in looked after children, has a profound impact on this success.

This is of course costly and reflects the differing priorities in social policy between this country and the Scandinavian countries in general. Denmark places a high premium on developing an understanding of individual young people, their emotional health and safety, and developing relationships that build on their interests, creativity, and strengths.

The implications for young people in Denmark mean that attention is paid to their education in the context of a complex understanding of their welfare needs and understanding the complexities of their lives. This social pedagogical approach is a holistic one that focuses on a comprehensive understanding of interests, strengths, and a knowledge of these gained through developing relationships.

The Common Third Social pedagogic tools can appear deceptively simple. One example of this is the Common Third which in simplistic terms can be best described as a device that focuses on a child’s strengths and interests that allow a carer to connect with a child.

According to the organisation Thempra, a specialist agency who develop, train, and assess social pedagogic approaches in the UK: This could be any activity, be it cooking pancakes, tying shoelaces, fixing a bike, building a kite, playing football together, going on a fishing trip together – the exact activity really isn’t important as long as it has the potential to be more than merely doing something.

The Common Third is about creating a commonly shared situation that becomes a symbol of the relationship between us as the professional and the child, something third that brings the two of us together. It allows us to share an activity in a way that we can both be equal, two people connected by something we both enjoy doing. If we undertake the activity with the intention of enhancing our relationship and learning together, it can become a Common Third, but it would be wrong to assume that all activities are automatically Common Thirds (just like blowing into a trumpet does not automatically create a harmonious sound).

■ In discussion

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Looked after children

For individualised care and education scenarios the Common Third is a great tool, but in a busy classroom scenario it has an obvious set of drawbacks - but the idea of drawing on a pupil’s interests and strengths has great appeal to many teachers and social care staff.

What is important is that this model, which as stated before is the bedrock of social pedagogical interaction in Europe, must be seen in the context of an understanding of the child or young person’s emotional safety. Young people who are in the looked after care system have often been exposed to neglect, violence, abuse, and trauma. An understanding and appreciation of the needs of such young people is vital therefore alongside the possible impact that it may have on the child’s development and also on the ability to learn. It is also understood that this set of disadvantages will be amplified by a young person’s experiences in school, from bullying and a poor sense of self-esteem and possibly poor levels of emotional regulation.

The effects of trauma We know for sure that trauma can impact many aspects of a child’s life, and it is important to understand this in detail.

According to a report by Alexandra Cook, Joseph Spinazzola, and Julian Ford in 2005, entitled Complex Trauma in Children and Adolescents, they listed a number of effects that result from even short-term exposure to trauma.

“Exposure to traumatic experiences has the potential to alter children’s brains, which may cause longer-term effects in areas such as:

“Trauma can impact many aspects of a child’s life” • Attachment: Trouble with relationships, boundaries, empathy, and social isolation.

• Physical health: Impaired sensorimotor development, coordination problems, increased medical problems, and somatic symptoms.

• Emotional regulation: Difficulty identifying or labelling feelings and communicating needs.

• Dissociation: Altered states of consciousness, amnesia, impaired memory.

• Cognitive ability: Problems with focus, learning, processing new information, language development, planning and orientation to time and space.

• Self-concept: Lack of consistent sense of self, body image issues, low self-esteem, shame, and guilt.

• Behavioural control: Difficulty controlling impulses, oppositional behaviour, aggression, disrupted sleep and eating patterns, trauma re-enactment.”

All of this can prevent young people from achieving the best outcomes in education and in a great many other aspects in their lives. So, what can be done? There are obviously no simplistic answers but building the best relationships at school and elsewhere are very important. Otherwise, we will continue to hear stories like the one I heard the other day from a looked after child.

“My form teacher sees me as an individual with emotional needs and gives me time to process them. Another teacher who is also the deputy head treats me like a problem and like a bomb waiting to go off. A careless word from her will undo hours of work by my form tutor.”

Understanding the impact of trauma It is important that all professionals working with young people understand the impact of trauma and the power of good relationships, but the government needs to as well. The statistics around education are not the only barometer we need to look at. Care leavers make up to 27% of the adult prison population at any one time despite less than 1% of under 18s entering local authority care each year according to Harker, R. & Heath, S. (2014) Children in Care in England: Statistics.

■ Therapy

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We live in a country where a care leaver is more likely to end up in prison than go to university and that must require a bold response from all levels of government and all the individuals working with the looked after population of the UK. More understanding of trauma-informed practice and looking at the best practice of other countries is a vital first start. senmagazine.co.uk

Looked after children

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Book reviews

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Book reviews Mythbusting for Trainee Teachers J. Glazzard & S. Stones

Professor Glazzard is based at the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, and his coauthor is a doctoral student, lecturer and researcher at Leeds Beckett University. In this book, they explore some key educational myths and they begin by pointing out that schools and teachers need to be trusted to use their own initiative and to make pedagogical decisions that are in the best interests of their students. At the same time, school leaders and teachers are demonstrating greater interest in evidence-based educational practices that justify funding, as well as proven effectiveness in the classroom.

differentiation is interesting in the evidence the authors outline, to make the case that the notion of differentiation is often misunderstood and associated with streaming and in-class ability grouping. They provide a number of strategies for teachers to try out, based on its capacity to produce both academic and motivational aims.

The chapters in this book are concise, well-structured and it is clear that they rest on an extensive research background. They provide the reader with information that can have a significant impact on the ways in which teaching and learning can be adjusted to meet the needs of all students, without reliance on, or belief in, pervading pedagogical myths.

Overall, this is an excellent guide to the subject.

The chapters follow a similar format, beginning with ‘What will you learn?’ and key points about the particular myth.

This is followed by research references, case studies, strategies and a guide to further reading. The chapter on

Learning Matters (Sage Publishing) ISBN: 978-1-5297-0986-5 £23.99

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD):

Identification , Diagnosis and Strategies for Parents and Professionals

A. Mountjoy

Alyson Mountjoy is the founder of APD Support UK, with over 20 years experience of supporting families, as well as researching and writing about APD. She also has related personal experience, as her son has a diagnosis of APD. The book is based on the author’s ‘journey’ starting almost twenty years ago, when looking for answers for her son. In this book, she aims to provide accessible and objective information about what it is like to live with APD and to dispel myths and misinformation around this diagnosis.

Mountjoy stresses the advice to help students with APD by recognising that they may show all the signs of listening ,

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but understanding that they are not actually able to make sense of what is being said.

In the chapter on ‘Additions’, Mountjoy provides an outline of other conditions that may be associated with APD, and points out that Autism, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder can all be confused with APD. She also states that APD is not a learning difficulty, but can cause them in many children.

This is a useful and practical text that is reassuring and informative, written from both a professional and personal perspective.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78775-282-5 £19.99

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by Mary Mountstephen

Building Sensorimotor Systems in Children with Developmental Trauma: A Model For Practice S. Lloyd Illustrated by L.R. Whitfield

Sarah Lloyd is a specialist occupational therapist, with decades of experience working in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and with a commitment to Looked After Children. She has developed training in Building Underdeveloped Sensorimotor Systems (BUSS), which she and her team run throughout the UK , to address the needs of those who have experienced trauma , neglect or significant loss and early adverse circumstances.

Lloyd explains that the book is aimed both at practitioners and parents, but it is not intended to be a treatment manual, rather it provides deep insights into the BUSS approach and how it differs from Sensory Integration.

She uses short case studies of children of varying ages

to illustrate particular points and, in the final chapter, she includes five different accounts of using the model from the perspective of parents and carers.

This interesting book provides a useful overview of early development, linked to activities for assessment and intervention that are simple, practical and don’t require specialist resources. She provides indicators that might suggest where, for example, a child’s vestibular system is underdeveloped and links this to developing focused observational skills. She also encourages parents and practitioners to try out the movements themselves.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78592-629-7 £22.99

The Kindness Principle: Making Relational Behaviour Management Work in Schools

D. Whitaker Dave Whitaker is an Independent Thinking Associate and the Director of Learning for the Wellspring Academy Trust. He has former experience as executive principal of social, emotional and mental health needs special schools and alternative provision academies. He is a regular speaker at conferences and an active campaigner for educational change.

The author has an accessible writing style and his beliefs are clearly explained, supported by examples from practice and linked to ‘Try this’ activities to audit the readers’ own settings.

He explains that many schools’ behaviour policies assume that misbehaviour is a choice, and that this system focuses

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more on punishing the behaviour rather than understanding it, and the underlying needs that might be causing it.

He advocates for schools providing an emotional safe space for children, that accepts them for what they are and uses strategies to build more empathetic systems.

This is an excellent book that champions the central role of building relationships and creating a culture of trust where all staff and learners are valued and understood and where kindness and acceptance matter. Whitaker makes a very strong case for building school communities where success and kindness are equally valued.

Independent Thinking Press ISBN: 978-1-7813538-5-1 £16.99

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School trips

Making STEM subjects accessible Andy Keenan highlights how to give SEND visitors a great day out.

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veryone loves a day out at a visitor attraction. And with the year that we’ve all just experienced it’s more important now than ever that everyone can look forward to an enjoyable, fun day out. At Winchester Science Centre we are on a mission to ensure that STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) is accessible to all no matter their age, ability or background. One way that our charity does this is through providing engaging, inspiring and fun experiences at our visitor attraction.

Making simple improvements makes a huge difference Visitor attractions such as ours, are venues filled with people having fun, so naturally they can be overwhelming, and sometimes uninviting, places for people with accessibility requirements or sensory sensitivities. Most visitor attractions will provide basic accessibility requirements such as designated parking, level or ramp access and dedicated toilet facilities, but often this isn’t enough. With such a unique venue as ours, which includes a pyramid-shaped building and a huge domed planetarium, it could have been easy to fall into this trap.

However, by making simple improvements, listening to visitor comments, taking advice from advisory panels and rethinking the way we do things, we are identifying ways to go above and beyond, to allow visitors to engage with our experience in ways that they have not been able to before.

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“We listen to the opinions of our visitors” In 2019 we successfully won a grant to support upgrades that were needed in our planetarium. We made some small changes that created a big difference to the experience, including adding an induction loop, running subtitled shows and improving the lighting on the stairways. We installed wheelchair access to the stage for presenters and reserved wheelchair spaces with seats for carers. We also introduced personalised audio tracks and 3D printed tactile resources to enable people with hearing and visual impairments to better share the planetarium experience alongside friends and family.

Listening to feedback As well as identifying changes ourselves, it is hugely important that we listen to the opinions of our visitors. They are the best source of information when it comes to understanding what is and isn’t working. In 2018, we were approached by one of our visitors whose son had cerebral palsy. The little boy loved science and visiting the Science Centre, but with no easy way senmagazine.co.uk

School trips

“No decision about me without me” of helping him use the toilet, a day out was a challenge for his family. We realised that there must be so many other families missing an opportunity to have an enjoyable day out because of this very same reason. As a result, we started a fundraising campaign to raise money to install a Changing Places facility.

In October 2019, our efforts paid off and we were able to open the facility and go one step further by making it accessible 24/7 with access via an NKS radar key even when the visitor attraction is closed.

Rethinking how we do things and generally thinking outside of the box has become a big part of how we approach our accessibility and inclusivity. This was never truer than when we decided to improve our acoustics. With a unique pyramidshaped building constructed of concrete, glass and steel, the venue could get extremely noisy, something that our visitors had told us was a problem for those with sensory sensitivities. We therefore worked with specialist acoustic engineers, Sustainable Acoustics, to identify ‘noise hot-spots’ where acoustic solutions could be installed to improve the environment for all visitors.

The strong evidence that acoustic treatment could help overcome sound challenges, won us the support from global acoustic specialist, Ecophon, who worked with us to deliver the products needed. From a calming wave-like installation above the welcome area to fun pink patchwork squares over the café to an exclusively designed acoustic tree with leaves shaped like those of the English Oak, each set of acoustics focuses on solving sound problems, improving ambient noise and providing an aesthetically pleasing environment.

■ Thrilled by STEM.

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About the author Andy Keenan is Head of Widening Participation and Engagement at Winchester Science Centre. winchestersciencecentre.org @WinSciCentre

@winchestersciencecentre

Constantly evolving As well as improving the facilities, we are constantly evolving our public offering, to ensure we are providing the best possible experience for every customer. We’ve learnt that accessibility needs to be a strategic priority at the top level, so that it filters into every aspect of development, from planning to delivery.

Creating accessible experiences isn’t solved simply by throwing money at it, it’s as much about understanding the barriers and investing the time to do this properly.

We have a guiding principle when it comes to accessibility and inclusivity – ‘no decision about me, without me’. As a result of this we set up an advisory panel in 2018 to inform the decision making process regarding accessibility improvements.

The panel includes individuals who represent a wide range of disability and impairments and they have played a major role in supporting the charity in a number of ways, especially through providing valuable advice on new initiatives.

One such initiative was the creation of a ‘Recombobulation Room’. By consulting with our panel, we were able to identify that the Science Centre can become a bit overwhelming for some visitors. There’s a lot of noise and activity so it was suggested that a quiet place was needed away from the hustle and bustle of the visitor experience. These conversations led to the creation of the Recombobulation Room, which has been welcomed as a sanctuary for those with sensory sensitivities and a place for deaf visitors to escape when things have got a bit too busy and a reset is needed.

I started this article by saying that everyone should be able to look forward to and enjoy a fun day out and I want to finish with the same thought. Many visitor attractions may not realise that they are creating barriers to this by not implementing simple changes. It is therefore crucial that customers feel empowered to voice their concerns when something is not working and praise attractions that are doing it right. At Winchester Science Centre, we’re not stopping yet. We’re planning British Sign Language interpretations of our exhibits, sensory maps and increased training of disability-confident staff. We’re determined to make a difference, because after all, everyone deserves to have the opportunity to create memorable experiences with friends and families.

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Yoga

Family yoga Lisa Harwood discusses the benefits of family yoga.

Introduction Yoga has been practised in the East for thousands of years and has been gaining popularity in the West since the 1960s. It is a practice consisting of gentle stretching, breathing exercises and meditation as a mind-body intervention, which has benefits for physical and emotional health and well-being. Yoga is delivered in a calm and peaceful environment, is non-competitive and is an ideal activity for children, teenagers and adults with learning disabilities.

Yoga in Schools is a CIC that brings yoga teachers to schools across the UK and director Charlotta Martinus says “We have found a statistically higher percentage of SEN schools take on yoga than regular schools. I think this reflects the enormous impact it can have on students with learning difficulties.”

Benefits of yoga for SEN children and teens Research on the benefits of yoga for children with SEN has shown that it has wide ranging benefits. ‘Students show significantly increased balance and coordination… and… increased self-esteem and social communication skills’ (Kenny, 2002). Similarly, White (2009) identified that yoga for children improves balance, flexibility and coordination. For young children with special needs, yoga ‘improves concentration, focus and creativity’ Mochan (2017). In the SEN teenage group, Beauchemin et al (2008) found that mindfulness meditation ‘decreases anxiety and detrimental self-focus of attention, which, in turn, promotes social skills and academic outcomes’.

Similar findings are reported in research on the benefits of yoga for adults.

Benefits of family yoga Family yoga, which includes parents/guardians, siblings, aunts, uncles and grandparents, is often offered by many children and teen yoga teachers who are keen to promote families enjoying activities together. Throughout the lockdown periods during Covid-19, many people explored options for activities online, with many yoga teachers moving their classes to an online platform. Many families, mine included, started doing

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Yoga

“Embracing a new activity with someone they trust” activities that the whole family could do together including yoga. For many people the online experience provided an opportunity to try new activities in their own home, at a time that suited them in a safe and familiar environment. According to Tessa Welsh (2019) ‘Family Yoga can encourage a sense of playfulness, fun and creativity in interactions between parents and their children to help enrich communication, support closeness and personal connection and enhance everyone’s development in a nurturing way’. Some children in my family yoga class had tried yoga as part of the wellbeing curriculum within their school and family yoga gave them an opportunity to share their learning with family members.

Partner yoga poses are a great way to develop understanding, develop sensory awareness with touch, have fun and act as a conversation point for family members outside of the yoga class. Sitting cross legged back to back is an ideal pose to bring awareness to the breath, the movement of the body when you breathe, focus the mind and bring a sense of calm. The family bonds and conversations that are initiated within the yoga class can be taken to the home to enjoy and develop and share with other family members. Many of my yoga students love to share, and show, what they have learnt to members of their family and friends.

Relaxation is often the favourite and most important part of the yoga class. It provides an opportunity for stillness, calming the mind and body, focusing on breath and increasing body awareness. For some SEN children the time to be still and relax is something they have previously not experienced. Jodie Hendricksen, Children and Teens yoga teacher in Cardiff, reported that during relaxation in family yoga the bonds strengthen between children and their families.

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About the author Lisa Harwood is a Senior Staff Nurse, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, RYT 200 (YA) and Teen Yoga teacher. She is co-author of the ‘Yoga for Me’ approach to teaching yoga to teens and adults with Learning disabilities. echoyoga.co.uk @lisa_echoyoga

Why should people consider doing family yoga?

For SEN children returning to the pre-covid routines, coming into a strange environment, or even trying something new can induce feelings of anxiety and stress and be extremely challenging. However, embracing a new activity with somebody they trust, and whose company they enjoy, can bring them that confidence that they need to take the first step. This support provides positive feedback for any achievements in the yoga class, they have fun together and enjoy doing the activity together. It provides an opportunity to socialise, meet new people and families that they may not have met before, making new friends, catching up with old friends and integrating into the local community. The yoga class practice can easily be transferred to the outdoors. Families can enjoy practicing yoga together off the mat in the garden, the park or beach. Doing mindful activities such as identifying shapes in the clouds, listening to the sounds around them or even practicing yoga poses.

If you are interested in bringing yoga to your school, you might like to connect with Yoga in Schools at info@yoga-in-schools. co.uk, a unique agency that has links to 10,000 schools and over 2,000 specialist yoga teachers across the country and can match your needs wherever you are. It is a company that understands the importance of experience in working with different age groups and needs and many of the teachers are also trained subject teachers. They will be very happy to discuss your needs with you and explore avenues that might work for your community, whether it be a day, a term or a year of yoga for pupils, families or staff.

Conclusion

■ Practising yoga

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Practicing yoga together is an activity that the whole family can enjoy regardless of age or abilities and can strengthen the bonds between the generations. It provides the opportunity for families to discover the benefits and value of self-care, an important life skill, as they develop their yoga practice.

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Recruitment

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Hiring challenges in the SEN sector and how to overcome them A career in SEN? Amy Allen explains.

D

uring the past year we have seen an increase in the numbers of people wanting to join the SEND employment sector.

Looking to make a difference The pandemic has made people re-evaluate their career paths and think more clearly about what they want to achieve through their job. Many people are now looking for a role within the SEN sector that makes a difference in their communities.

Unfortunately, despite this boost to the sector, there are still some problems that need to be discussed, and solutions found, to make this positive change last.

It is really encouraging to see that lots of people are moving into SEN from a wide variety of sectors, bringing important transferable skills. However, we still need to make sure that the appropriate training is given to all who enter the field.

Anyone who shows the dedication, passion and focus to do a SEN role must be welcomed with open arms, and given the right support.

Employers should consider a more ‘attitudinal recruitment’ approach when hiring in the future. We all have to learn new SEN113

“Personality is the most important factor” skills to succeed in SEN jobs and so, really, an applicant’s personality is the most important factor in telling us if they are suitable for a particular role.

Career expectations in the SEND sector In special needs settings, employers should provide new staff with: • An induction period, • Full training, updated as regularly as possible, • Access to mentors, • Opportunities for further training, • An awareness of a wider network of SEN staff to provide further advice and support • The chance for career progression. senmagazine.co.uk

Recruitment

“A very effective ways of building confidence and skills”

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About the author Amy Allen, Founder and Managing Director of Senploy. senploy.co.uk

If these requirements are met, then people will feel more incentivised to find a career in SEN, and those within the sector will feel they have a bright future.

@senployjobsite

@enployjobsite

One major hurdle when hiring staff for SEN education roles, is that applicants do not feel they have had enough experience and training to support a special needs class. Research spanning the last ten years suggests that new or trainee teachers are not confident, or comfortable, to enter the field after completing their training course.

So how do we overcome this?

Many university courses now make it a requirement for trainees to gain experience in a SEN school, either during the programme or before they apply. Also, education recruitment agencies, which provide short and long term roles in schools, offer teachers and teaching assistants temporary roles in the SEN sector. This means that employees can get to know the expectations and day to day life of a special needs setting, before they decide to commit to a long term position.

Encouraging trainees and new staff to follow this route can be a very effective way of building confidence and skills.

Looking for opportunities How do we help build up the confidence and experience of those who are looking to work in other areas of SEN, such as carers and therapists?

Well again, there are some fantastic agencies that can provide temporary placements, and applicants will learn all sorts of tips and skills that can help them into a permanent role. However, it

is also important not to forget that there are many volunteering websites that can connect trainees with groups and care settings, boosting their skills and experience.

Sometimes we just need to remind people about the opportunities in their own area, and that they can actively seek them out.

Keeping morale high If all these training and confidence-boosting considerations are taken into account, then hopefully we will have amassed an effective and happy community within the SEN sector. But once staff have come through the door, we need to work hard at retaining them.

For example, roles which are widely (and wrongly) labelled as being ‘unskilled’, such as that of the support worker or teaching assistant, often come with a rate of pay that is barely more than the minimum wage. This shocking fact reduces any motivation to stay in SEN because employees feel undervalued.

On a more personal level, there is no doubt that some SEN jobs are very physically and emotionally challenging. This can affect the mental health of staff.

To address the possibility of a high staff turnover, some organizations are finding ways to boost morale. There has been a great push to support employees with their mental and physical wellbeing. Incentive awards are becoming very popular and discount schemes are being set up, ensuring that the incredible work being done is recognised.

■ Interview time

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Now that we are coming out of lockdown and the number of SEN roles increase, we all have to work together to ensure that our current problems do not obscure what our job really means – life changing support and freedom for those who need our help. If you are a manager, experienced worker or are just starting out, you can make a difference to the working lives of your colleagues by talking with them about their problems and supporting each other.

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CPD, training and events

VIRTUAL CPD EVENTS ICEP Europe

Online CPD Courses Online

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

Online training The Skills Network

Level 2 Certificate in Behaviour that Challenges in Children

Gain an understanding of behaviour that challenges 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

ICEP Europe

Autism Course ICEP Europe

This course will equip teachers, parents and other practitioners with evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of children and young people with autism, from preschool to further education. icepe.eu/cpd/Understanding_ Autism

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Online training

Online training

Online training

The Skills Network

The Skills Network

Online Education from New Skills Academy

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

Online Course ICEPE Europe

ADHD Course

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

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

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 course ICEPE Europe

Teaching Hope & Optimism Course

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

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

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

JULY July to 26 August ICEP Europe

Summer Term Courses Designed for teachers and other professionals who wish to up-skill, each course will give you the tools and understanding to get the most out of your students. icepe.eu/cpd

6, 7 and 8 July 2021 National Autism Society

EarlyBird licensed user training Online training

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

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14 and 15 July 2021

20 and 27 September 2021

National Autistic Society

National Autistic Society

Understanding stress and anxiety in autism This 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

21 July 2021 National Autistic Society

Understanding autism in the workplace Increase your understanding of autism and identify and implement reasonable adjustments for your autistic colleagues. autism.org.uk/training

Autism and eating challenges

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

21 and 22 September 2021 National Autistic Society

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

21 and 22 September 2021 National Autistic Society

AUGUST 3 and 4 August 2021 National Autistic Society

Autism and SPELL in higher education

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

Autism and SPELL in higher education Online training

An introduction to autism and the SPELL framework for higher education professionals.

Liverpool Hope University

Learning and Teaching Expo

Postgraduate Certificate Advanced Mentoring & Coaching

Cost - £1,733. Theoretical and practical knowledge and understanding of mentoring and coaching in an educational context. hope.ac.uk/postgraduate/ postgraduatecourses

Online from October 2021 Liverpool Hope University

Postgraduate Certificate Education Leadership & Management ONLINE Cost of Postgraduate Certificate - £1,733 for UK students, £2,600 for International students

hope.ac.uk/postgraduate/ postgraduatecourses

22 and 23 September 2021

National Autistic Society

Social Stories

This workshop aims to support people in understanding how to develop and use Social StoriesTM

24 and 25 September 2021

Online from September 2021 / January 2022

MA Exhibitions

Liverpool Hope University National Award for SEN Coordination ONLINE Cost of Postgraduate Certificate NASENCo - £1,733

Business Design Centre, London

hope.ac.uk/postgraduate/ postgraduatecourses/

8 to 10 December 2021

12 and 13 October 2021

National Autistic Society

Music & Drama Education Expo 2021 Register free for Europe’s largest conference and exhibition for anyone involved in music & drama education

musicanddramaeducationexpo. co.uk

Sexuality, relationships and autism training Explore issues related to autistic people and sexuality including boundaries, friendships and relationships. autism.org.uk/training

Hong Kong In 2021 the Expo enters its eleventh year. It continues to provide a platform for education buyers, governments, school leaders, teachers and educators in Asia to discover and source the latest developments in educational resources and learning technology.

LTExpo.com.hk

8 to 9 December 2021

Asia-Pacific International Schools Conference (AISC) Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Bringing together school communities to explore topical education issues and international speakers who will provide expertise and provide actionable strategies which can be implemented in class and school. aisc.com.hk

JANUARY 2022

20, 21 and 22 October 2021

Online from January 2022

National Autistic Society

Liverpool Hope University

EarlyBird Plus licensed user training

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

NOVEMBER 2021 11 November 2021 Revolution Events

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. theeducationpeopleshow.co.uk

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Online from October 2021

autism.org.uk/training

autism.org.uk/training

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER 2021

Postgraduate Certificate in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) Cost - £2,600. Become a specialist teacher and/or assessor for SpLD (dyslexic) learners. hope.ac.uk/postgraduate/ postgraduatecourses

Online from January 2022 Liverpool Hope University

Church School Governance Online Training Programme Cost - £350 (Early Bird Discount - £299, apply by 1st October 2021) hope.ac.uk/postgraduate/ postgraduatecourses

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SEN resources directory

SEN resources directory Information, advice and support for all things SEN. NEW! Full directory now available on the SEN Magazine website - senmagazine.co.uk/main/resources ADHD ADHD Foundation Training and awareness raising around ADHD. adhdfoundation.org.uk

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

Autism

Dyslexia

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

British Dyslexia Association

National Autistic Society

bdadyslexia.org.uk

Information and support for people

Dyspraxia Dyspraxia Foundation UK

Autism research charity. autistica.org.uk

Dyspraxia advice and support. dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

Brain conditions

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

Epilepsy

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 SEN113

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

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

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

Rebound therapy

Advice and information on epilepsy. epilepsy.org.uk

Young Epilepsy Support for children and young people and training for professionals.

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

youngepilepsy.org.uk

Learning disability

Bullying UK

Cerebral palsy

IPSEA

Epilepsy Action

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

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

SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

National Literacy Trust

Autistica

Charity for children with brain related conditions. cerebra.org.uk

Douglas Silas Solicitors

affected by dyslexia.

Help and information for those affected

by ASD. autism.org.uk

Cerebra UK

Law

BILD Charity offering support and information on learning disabilities.

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

bild.org.uk

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

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

Communication Matters Support for people with little of no clear speech. communicationmatters.org.uk senmagazine.co.uk

SEN resources directory

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

I CAN Children’s communication charity. ican.org.uk

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

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Visual impairment The Partially Sighted Society Bold-lined exercise books and resources for schools and individuals for visual impairment and visual processing difficulties. partsight.org.uk

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

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

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

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

NEW! Full directory now available on the SEN Magazine website See details below

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Looking for specialist help?

Equipment? Resources?

Visit the new SEN Magazine Resource Directory online. senmagazine.co.uk/resource-directory If there’s something you’d like us to include in the directory, please let us know! Send an email to feedback@senmagazine.co.uk, mentioning “Resource Directory” in the subject line.

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