SEN Magazine - SEN118 - May-June 2022

May • June 2022 • Issue 118

ASD: are girls being missed?

SLCN: the power of questions Functional maths Tech: VR in class Nutrition • Minimally verbal • Dyslexia • SLCN • Online tutoring • SEN Law • Mobility Coping with change • Transition • Point of View • Book reviews • Petition watch and more

Welcome May • June 2022 Issue 118

On the 29th March, the UK Government published its Green Paper on the review of the SEND system. Entitled ‘SEND review: right support, right place, right time’, it sets out a series of ambitions, aims and aspirations for the way in which children and young people with SEND, their families and educators are supported through their time within the education system. We have provided a brief outline of the Government’s proposals on p10 of this issue, with a response from Annamarie Hassall MBE, nasen CEO and Chair of Whole School SEND on p12.

Editorial Team

On p20 Douglas Silas gives us the current state of play regarding SEN Law, highlighting the key issues which the SEND review needs to address. Rick Bell (p59) considers how additional SEND funding can be put to the most effective use through the application of technology in the classroom.

Steve Muddiman (right) Mary Mountstephen

These proposals from the Government are open for consultation until the 1st July, which means that everyone can offer their views on the proposals. This can be done online at the following site: https://consult.education.gov.uk/sendreview-division/send-review-2022/.

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

The theme of collaboration and partnership is something that is highlighted in this issue. The sometimes difficult relationships between parents/carers and teachers is highlighted by Debby Elley (p28), showing that inclusive collaboration can transform learning outcomes. Melanie Williams Browne (p78) focusses on the ways in which collaboration between tutoring and classroom education can provide the optimal learning environment.

Charlotte Williamson Advertising Sales Executive charlotte@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409805

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

Speech and language are some of the most important elements in education. Dr Sharon Arnold (p33) demonstrates that being minimally verbal is not necessarily a barrier to literacy. Liz Elks (p38) offers a range of tips and strategies to develop speech and language skills in pupils. Joanne Jones (p42) offers some valuable advice to parents when they are confronted with questions about a child’s language development from friends and family.

Zafer Elcik (p24) gives us an in-depth look at the diagnosis practices of ASD, and presents research findings which indicate that the currently held view of gender differences in prevalence of the condition may be a result of diagnostic practice, rather than a real-world situation.

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

Director

Jeremy Nicholls Disclaimer

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

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

SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845 senmagazine.co.uk

Colin May (p84) reflects on his experience of 40 years to identify the key elements of successful SEN teaching/support. Paul Keenleyside (p80) highlights the value of coaching as a skill in special school leadership.

Technology in the classroom is becoming an increasingly important topic. The use of on-screen literacy assessments is reviewed by Aimee Cave (p52), showing that such methods can provide valuable additional information about a pupil’s reading abilities. Nuno Guerreiro (p55) highlights the use of Virtual Reality headsets in the classroom as a method of introducing students to unfamiliar and difficult, situations in preparation for real world experiences.

If you have something to say about the topics raised in this issue, or if you have ideas for areas we should be covering, but aren’t – or just want to let us know your views and opinions – then contact me at editor@senmagazine.co.uk.

Steve Muddiman

CONTRIBUTORS Sharon Arnold Rick Bell Jennifer Boyd Danny Bennet Aimee Cave Pete Donnelly Zafer Elcik

Liz Elks Debby Elley Nuno Guerreiro Annamarie Hassall Joanne Jones Paul Keenleyside Eileen Lock

Karen McGuigan Sid Madge Colin May Mary Mountstephen Katie Ogden Douglas Silas Melanie Williams Browne

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Footwear

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Assisted performances

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SEN products and services

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May • June 2022 • Issue 118

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38 42 45 48 52 55 59 63 66

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Fostering A challenge that has great rewards

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SEN law Will we still have to wait?

78

ASD Gender bias and diagnosis

80

Autism Turning a parent-teacher breakdown into a successful collaboration

84

Autism Discover the reading abilities of a minimally verbal child

SLCN Developing SLCN in and out of the classroom

88

Maths Teaching functional maths to make it more inclusive

Tutoring How to make online tutoring work for your child’s education

Professional support Supporting the team through coaching

Professional support Is there a golden ticket to successful learning?

Nutrition The importance of nutrition and hydration

Regulars 10

SEN news

When is the right time to talk?

13

What’s new?

Learning difficulties

86

Book reviews

91

CPD, training and events

97

SEN resources directory

98

About SEN Magazine

SLCN

Question time!

Coping with change The 3P’s - personal, permanent and pervasive.

Dyslexia Is technology the answer?

ICT/TECH Exploring life’s challenges through VR

ICT/TECH The use of Tech from school to beyond

Mobility Don’t let wheels hold you back

Play Using fantasy worlds to connect with students

Hearing aids Overcoming the challenges of hearing aids in sports

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ASD

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SLCN

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Play

Dyslexia

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ICT/Tech

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Fostering

Fostering a child with autism

F

ostering an autistic child can be a rewarding experience, but it does come with challenges, especially as change can be a trigger for difficult behaviour. The key attribute for foster parents of children with ASD is patience. Be empathetic to their situation and be resilient.

Children are often confused and scared when moving into a new home environment, and they may also feel anger and resentment towards being taken away from their birth family. For foster children with ASD, this sudden change and unknown environment is likely to be extremely distressing. So it is important to be able to provide the high levels of care and attention required by those with special needs.

Who can foster children with ASD? You don’t need experience of autism spectrum disorder to foster a child with ASD. However there are certain transferrable skills which are highly beneficial, such as empathy, kindness, patience, resilience and being thick-skinned. It’s also important to be able to commit time to caring for a child with additional needs. Consider the impact a child with autism may have on your family, especially if you have birth children is also a priority.

Tips for fostering a child with autism

“Change can be a trigger for difficult behaviour”

Identify triggers and minimise their effect Sensory triggers can upset your autistic foster child, so by learning what they are you can limit their exposure. It’s not always possible to completely eliminate such stimuli, so work with the child to develop coping strategies, such as a sensory safe space mentioned above, or carrying a distractor toy like a stress ball or rubber band.

Keep to a routine People with ASD find comfort and reassurance in consistency, so routine is key when it comes to fostering autistic children.

This means foster parents should make sure the household operates like clockwork. This could be ensuring meals are served at the same times, activities happen at the same table and the school run takes the same route.

Set up a sensory space in the home Hypersensitivity in autism is being over or under stimulated by sensory triggers. Children with ASD tend to be hypersensitive to sensory stimulation like sounds, textures, smells and lights, so a sensory space – usually the bedroom – is a good way to help them relax when they’re feeling overwhelmed.

Find out what colours and textures they find soothing to make their room a haven. Loud or small background noises can also be severely distressing, so turn off radios and TVs when not in use.

Ensure any changes to routine are planned well in advanced Breaks to routine can be extremely upsetting for autistic children, so anything out of the ordinary should be planned well in advance and communicated as soon as possible. Try to build up exposure to the change gradually, by making small, incremental changes.

Help to express emotions with the traffic light technique Autistic children may struggle to understand abstract concepts like emotions, so one way to help them is to turn it into something concrete. Give them green, amber and red cards to use to communicate how they’re feeling. This will also help you prepare for when they’re feeling emotional so you can put measures in place to support them.

Make use of support groups and training Remember that you’re never alone in your fostering journey, and there will be people to talk to when the going gets tough.

Access support groups where you can learn new skills, share experiences and help each other solve problems.

■ Fostering a child with additional needs.

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Identify organisations which provide specialist training to obtain the right knowledge and skills to look after a child with disabilities. senmagazine.co.uk

Fostering

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Lords examines critical issues in the English adoption system On Monday 21 March the House of Lords Select Committee on the Children and Families Act 2014 continued its inquiry examining whether the Children and Families Act 2014 is fit for purpose.

In this session the Committee focussed on adoption and explored some of the most critical issues in the English adoption system with key experts in the field. The committee also explored the impact of the reforms introduced by the Act, with a particular focus on the experiences of kinship carers and birth families.

The committee heard from: • Jo Mitchell, National Service Lead at PAC UK • Elaine Farmer, Professor of Child and Families Studies at University of Bristol • Dr Lucy Peake, Chief Executive Officer at Kinship • Naomi Angell, Consultant at Osbornes Law • Beth Neil, Professor at University of East Anglia Centre for Research on Children and Families senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN news

Government Publishes SEND Review Green Paper The Department for Education in England has published its long-awaited plans in a Green Paper more than two years after its SEND review was launched.

The SEND review sets out the Government’s proposals for a system in England that offers children and young people the opportunity to thrive, with access to the right support, in the right place, and at the right time, so they can fulfil their potential and lead happy, healthy and productive adult lives.

It is a response to the widespread recognition that the system is failing to deliver for children, young people and their families. In particular, the proposals look at the specific challenges facing the alternative provision sector, and proposed potential solutions.

The review has identified 3 key challenges facing the SEND and alternative provision system.

1. Navigating the SEND system and alternative provision is not a positive experience for too many children, young people and their families.

2. Outcomes for children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision are consistently worse than their peers across every measure.

3. Despite the continuing and unprecedented investment, the system is not financially sustainable.

The review concludes that there is a need for much greater consistency in how needs are identified and supported, so decisions are made based on a child or young person’s needs in co-production with families, not where they live or the setting they attend.

The review proposes to: •

establish a new national SEND and alternative provision system setting nationally consistent standards for how needs are identified and met

•

create new local SEND partnerships bringing together education, health and care partners with local government

•

support parents and carers to express an informed preference for a suitable placement

•

introduce a standardised and digitised EHCP process and template

•

streamline the redress process to make it easier to resolve disputes earlier.

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In terms of funding and resources, the review commits to: •

invest an additional £1 billion in 2022 to 2023 to support children and young people with the most complex needs

•

invest £2.6 billion, over the next 3 years, to deliver new places and improve existing provision for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision

•

fund more than 10,000 additional respite placements and invest £82 million in a network of family hubs

•

invest £18 million, over the next 3 years to build capacity in the supported internships programme

•

The review proposes a reformed and integrated role for alternative provision, including:

•

make alternative provision an integral part of local SEND systems

•

give alternative provision schools the funding stability to deliver a service focused on early intervention

•

develop a bespoke performance framework for alternative provision

•

deliver greater oversight and transparency on children and young people’s movements into and out of alternative provision

•

launch a call for evidence, before the summer, on the use of unregistered provision to investigate existing practice

The plans to reform the system are now open for a 13-week public consultation, closing on the 1st July.

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “Every child has the right to excellent education - particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities, who often need the most support.

“We are launching this consultation because too often this isn’t the case. We want to end the postcode lottery of uncertainty and poor accountability that exists for too many families, boost confidence in the system across the board and increase local mainstream and specialist education to give parents better choice.

“I want to make sure everyone knows what to expect, when to expect it and where the support should come from. I know there are strongly held views and I want to hear from as many parents, teachers and children with experience of the system so they can help shape a future policy that works for them.” senmagazine.co.uk

Employment

SEND Group

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Empowering your achievement with

over 200 hours of SEND CPD content Our past webinar library now has over 200 hours of on demand CPD content. You’ll have the choice of wide range of webinars covering topics including: • Dyslexia • Dyscalculia • ADHD

• Literacy • Numeracy • Mental health

and much more from only £17.50 per webinar.

Membership Why not become a member and enjoy unlimited access to our past webinars as well as upcoming live webinars. From only £12.50 a month or £99 annually.

www.sendgroup.co.uk

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SEN news

A response to the SEND Review Annamarie Hassall MBE, nasen CEO and Chair of Whole School SEND, said: “The release of the SEND and AP green paper represents a pivotal moment and we recognise the hard work that has gone into the process so far. nasen will play a key role in mobilising members of the workforce to respond to the consultation. By taking collective action to include nasen’s community of 56,000 members – representing over half of schools – we can ensure this framework is shared widely. The paper’s ambitions must become a reality, and make a real difference in classrooms and all settings across England.

mental health and wellbeing, and ultimately more successes in higher education, employment and independent living.

“Achieving access to an equal and excellent education, for each and every child and young person, is rooted in high aspirations and inclusive environments. Whether in the early years, or through to supporting our young people at age 25, access to a high-quality education, which identifies and meets needs effectively, offers choices, and establishes routes to meaningful employment, is a fundamental human right – it should not be ‘luck of the draw’. In 2022, given everything we know about what works and best practice, continued inequalities between learners with SEND and their peers is unacceptable, and must be addressed.

“This paper clearly recognises that we must urgently resolve the postcode lottery around securing an education, health and care Plan (EHCP). We need to simplify the EHCP process, making it more flexible with less red tape, and supporting parents and carers to make informed decisions without them feeling like they are regularly battling the system. By improving oversight and transparency, we will help drive better outcomes.

“nasen shares the government’s vision for a stronger national system to support children with SEND and their families. Put simply, we want to see better outcomes for learners with SEND being delivered. Our hope is that real change will lead to improved attainment, greater attendance, fewer exclusions, enhanced family satisfaction in provision, better preparation for adulthood, improved

Tim Nicholls, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research Partnerships at the National Autistic Society, said: “We hear awful stories of autistic children who spend months, even years, shut out of education because there’s no school or support to meet their needs. This isn’t new, it’s been happening for years.

“We’re pleased to see long-awaited plans from the Government to improve the SEND system. Commitments to make mainstream schools more inclusive could make a world of difference to the more than 70% of autistic children who go to those schools. But while there are promises to improve training, we’re disappointed that the Government hasn’t taken the opportunity to set a clear target for all teachers to have autism training.

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“We currently face the sad reality that, despite there being lots of excellent practice for SEND in education, our system remains fragile, and has been for years. It has been pushed further to the brink by a long and brutal pandemic, resulting in a staggering impact on the mental health of children and young people, increased absences from school, and a stretched workforce that has operated above and beyond to support children and their families in these challenging times.

“It is also critical that we resolve the inequalities in funding that supports pupils with SEND, and those with additional needs. These inequalities are currently leading to the rationing of vital therapeutic services, such as speech and language therapy, and mental health support. Proposals to strengthen accountability across the education, health and care systems, enabling it to be more transparent and consistent, will boost parent and carer confidence.

We welcome this aspiration to make the right services available at the right time, when they can make the biggest difference, irrespective of where a young person lives.”

“Changes to make the process of getting Education, Health and Care Plans simpler could help families who are too often pushed to breaking point, but parents of autistic children across England will know that the detail of these proposals will be crucial. Our recent research report found that a quarter of parents had to wait over three years to receive support for their child. This is unacceptable.

“We won’t accept a world where so many autistic children are falling behind and so many families are being left exhausted and on the edge of crisis. Today’s proposals are a start. But the Government needs to keep listening to autistic people and their families to make sure the changes create an education system that works for autistic children.”

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What’s new?

Raising awareness of Autistic Catatonia Achieve together are delighted to be speaking at this year’s Autism Show on 17-18 June. Our Health & Wellbeing Director Michael Fullerton and a parent are speaking on Autistic Catatonia, to raise awareness of the challenges associated with this for the person, and their support. This is a rare type of disorder that affects roughly 10% of all autistic adults. Please come and listen in Theatre Hub 2 on Saturday 18th June at 2.30pm.

To find out more about our specialist autism services visit us on Stand B22, or call our Referral Team on 03301 755 332 or visit achievetogether.co.uk

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Ann Arbor Publishers: supplier of clinical & educational assessment and teaching materials Established in 1972, Ann Arbor Publishers is a longstanding supplier of tests and resources to psychologists, teachers, allied health and education professionals and parents. The company is a main UK distributor for several US based assessment publishers.

They provide a free, 365-day a year online consultancy service and a variety of free, downloadable SEND articles and checklists.

Ann Arbor offers a ‘Price Match Promise’, guaranteeing the lowest UK price when comparing VAT inclusive prices & delivery. Delivery is free for orders over GBP80. annarbor.co.uk

Medical classification for home mobility solution

BPS launches autism eLearning with psychological focus

AAT GB has attained Class 1 Medical Device classification for its range of S-Max stairclimbers. The equipment is validated as contributing towards “treatment or alleviation of disease or treatment, alleviation or compensation for an injury or handicap”.

The BPS has three new autism eLearning courses to help you master how you work with and support autistic adults. Designed by autistic consultants in collaboration with specialist psychologists, there’s a course to suit you – whether you work with autistic people on a regular basis or you want to brush up your knowledge.

Controlled by the client’s carer, the battery-powered unit safely transfers the person with reduced mobility from one level to another. The rate of movement is completely controlled by the care giver. When not in use, it can be folded away optimising living space.

Start learning now and get a discount when you buy all three courses at learn.bps.org.uk or contact cpd@bps.org.uk.

Full details can be found at aatgb.com/mobility-stairclimbers

All Aboard Phonics

Brand new children’s footwear collection

This is one of the new DfEvalidated programmes and is unusual for its depth of research into reading intervention processes. All Aboard has an integrated intervention process that assesses the cause of difficulty for each struggling reader and then provides a specific solution for their frustration.

DeNovo Healthcare would like to announce the brand new Children’s Footwear Collection with the same quality, choice and customer service that you expect. They are a dynamic and progressive company focused on providing some of the most innovative products and services from around the world to the UK healthcare market and public.

The impact on school results can be substantial, since the difference between average and outstanding lies in how many children fall behind with their reading development.

The team at All Aboard Learning are so confident of the improvement you will see that they unconditionally guarantee a measurable change over the first year. allaboardlearning.com

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DeNovo Healthcare is proud to work together with Nimco Made4You, in order to supply patients with the most comfortable, high quality and fashionable orthopaedic footwear, for both adults and children alike.

If you would like to see our full range of products, please visit our website on denovohealthcare.com

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What’s new?

Educational resources from EDUCOOT Educoot develops and sells educational resources for students with Special Educational Needs.

Available to secondary schools, adult education centres, prisons and special needs organisations.

The digital resources include worksheets, teaching slides, recordings, templates and rubrics. Subject areas include Literacy, Numeracy, ICT, Science, Preparing for Work, Health & Wellbeing, Horticulture and more!

The resources have been created to teach basic concepts while being modern and relevant for adults and teenagers, without being childlike. The resources provide standardised and quality assured practice and assessment opportunities.

Educoot strives to develop high-quality teaching aids which makes learning exciting for the students and easier for the teachers!

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Approach aspects of your professional learning in an achievable way with Tapestry CPD Designed by Tapestry’s experienced education and support teams, in collaboration with sector experts such as Siren Films, Tapestry CPD offers courses on a range of topics.

From what you might need to know if you are starting a support assistant role, to growing your knowledge of child development as an early years educator, as well as courses about Tapestry to help you get the most from your account.

Free engaging and interactive CPD courses at a time and place that works for you.

Learn more: tapestry.info/features/cpd.html

educoot.org

ESB Qualifications – A golden ticket to social mobility and future success

Into Film seeking to give children a chance to experience film creatively

ESB’s positive and enjoyable assessment experience is a great way for learners to develop their oracy skills, boost their confidence and receive an Ofqual accredited qualification.

A film education charity seeking to give every child and young person aged 5 to 19 in the UK the chance to experience film creatively.

Recommended Home (intofilm.org/films/18373), A Monster Calls (intofilm.org/films/18764) and The Polar Express (intofilm.org/films/4059 films), available on Into Film+ (intofilm.org/intofilmplus)

Its 70/70 Campaign aims to financially support organisations to access its wide range of speech and language assessments which includes its unique Speech portfolio, Building Confidence in Communication, for those with significant learning needs. All are available with teacher support materials.

To learn more about their bespoke Oracy journey, email business@esbuk.org or visit esbuk.org

School stand with the Ukraine Students at Fairfield Farm College have been gathering donations for Ukraine, as well as helping organise and sort donations at Daykin Estates in Westbury. The specialist college based in Dilton Marsh have been inundated with donations from parents, students, tutors and the local village. The Fairfield Farm College Student Council are making regular trips to Daykin Estates in Westbury to deliver the donations. Students have also been volunteering to help organise and pack the donations, which will help to support families and refugees from Ukraine in need.

The Student Council at the college are still fundraising and collecting for more donations, and hope to continue to support this very important cause. fff.ac.uk

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SEND pupil animation is particularly effective as both a practical activity and for communicating new ideas to SEND learners of any age. Also some short films available on Into Film+ that are 2 and 8 minutes long, which are perfect when time is short to watch a full-length feature. intofilm.org/SEND

Make a nomination for the Family Friendly Museum Award!

Charity Kids in Museums is inviting families with SEND to nominate what you think is the Best Accessible Museum, gallery or heritage site in the UK. The Family Friendly Museum Award launched in 2004 to put visitors’ voices first and recognise the venues that are most welcoming, fun, and accessible for families. Each year families decide the winners!

Had a great family day out? Know somewhere with excellent facilities, welcoming staff or inclusive activities? Somewhere you feel comfortable and supported on a day out?

Make a nomination on the Kids in Museums website by 6 June 2022: kidsinmuseums.org.uk/awards

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What’s new?

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Hackney looking for foster carers

Muntham House School

Children in care need foster carers with the skills you have. Hackney are looking for people with an understanding of therapeutic care and experience of managing challenging behaviours to help provide the support these young people need. We provide a range of training for all our approved foster carers in addition to a great network of support through our Foster Carers’ Council and Mockingbird constellations.

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.

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

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The school’s primary residential floor provides 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. muntham.org.uk

Random acts of kindness During World Autism Acceptance Week, held the first week of April, students at Beechwood College took part in random acts of kindness around the local community. Students decorated plant pots and other items to leave as gifts around the community and on the doorsteps of local homes.

One local resident said, “Thank you so much Group 3! We received a lovely bunch of daffodils, such a lovely surprise. My daughter is autistic, this made her so happy when she got home from school!”

All gifts were attached with autism awareness cards to continue building an autism-friendly community.

Don’t miss our essential bundle deal – five for the price of four across online modules Developed by autistic people and professionals, our online modules are designed to enhance your autism knowledge while fitting into your busy schedule.

All of our online training modules are accredited by the CPD Certification Service (the leading CPD accreditation institution) as conforming to continuing professional development principles. autism.org.uk/online-training

beechwoodcollege.co.uk

Maths For Life in schools The Maths For Life programme provides instant support to educators and helps those with learning difficulties develop the essential maths needed for life. The age neutral approach means that it is accessible to all students from infants up to adults, in mainstream and specialist settings. Recommended by the London Borough of Barnet.

“Our staff have found the resources easy to access, clear and strategically broken down into achievable targets.

The children have benefitted and made progress where concepts are abstract, and love using the resources and ideas through Maths For Life.’’

- Emily Osabu-Matthews, SENDCo mathsforlife.com

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‘Grow Your Own Teachers’ with Orange Moon Training Not all of us have a pipeline of newly trained PGCE staff to draw upon at a time when we are developing our staffing body and building capacity. The Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship is an affordable and inviting offer that can be made to existing or new staff.

Funded by the apprenticeship levy, our staff take care of all the administrative tasks and checks and supply top quality training whilst your staff remain in post. The course is salaried and fee-free for the trainees: it’s the most inviting route to QTS. orangemooneducation.co.uk

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What’s new?

Global award-winning personal AI solutions ​​OrCam Technologies are an innovator of globally award-winning, “personal AI” solutions that have created the brand new OrCam Learn.

This handheld, gamechanging tool helps build confidence and enhance any learning experience.

The OrCam Learn empowers students with reading challenges, including dyslexia, to read any text, strengthen reading fluency & comprehension and evaluate progress along the way.

Call 0800 368 9652 for more information and details on the special education pricing. orcam.com/en

Supported Internships Orchard Hill College have partnered with Sutton Council, Sutton Health & Care, Hillingdon Council and Project Search to offer Supported Internships to 17-24 year olds with an active EHCP. This course is for young people who need some extra support to achieve sustainable paid employment. Students will gain the skills they need to be successful at work through learning in the workplace.

For more information or to apply for September 2022 contact them on 0345 402 0453 or email enquiries@orchardhill.ac.uk Visit the website workstart.me.uk

Prior’s Court’s short film “Our impact – Geoff and Shaun’s story” was named as a finalist in the Charity Film Awards At the awards evening in March, the film missed out on the judges’ top three in the £20m to £50m turnover category, but did take silver in the People’s Choice award in the category.

The film tells the story of Shaun, who has complex autism, his path to Prior’s Court and the positive impact made on his life and his family as a whole.

The category winner was the Scouts Association, and MS Society won gold in the People’s Choice award in the category. priorscourt.org.uk

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APP Multisensorial Standing With music, rhythm and vibration the APP changes the game when it comes to engaging users in a standing rehabilitation programme. The restraining elements become vehicles of new stimuli and enjoyment for the child, with sound felt through the feet and vibrations throughout their entire body. The App includes a companion application compatible with most iPhone and Android devices packed full of games and activities designed to stimulate the user in the most dynamic way possible.

Get in touch with RMS Limited on sales@rms-rehab.co.uk or 01795 477280 to book a FREE assessment or product demonstration. rms-rehab.co.uk

New framework to boost education of children with vision impairment The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) has been developed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), VICTAR - University of Birmingham, Professional Association for the Vision Impairment Education Workforce (VIEW) and Thomas Pocklington Trust to support children and young people with vision impairment aged from 0 - 25 access an appropriate and equitable education. The CFVI presents outcomes within 11 teaching areas and aims to clarify and define the elements of specialist skill development, interventions, and best practice.

To find out more about the CFVI visit rnib.org.uk/cfvi

Assisted Performances at the RSC The Royal Shakespeare Company offer chilled, captioned, audio described and British Sign Language performances for all their productions in Stratfordupon-Avon.

This Spring’s exciting season kicks off with Henry VI: Rebellion and Wars of the Roses, playing until 28 May in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Including performers from their Next Generation Act young company and Shakespeare Nation community participants alongside a professional cast, these exciting plays hurtle through one of the most turbulent periods in English history.

Book now at rsc.org.uk

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What’s new?

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Grace Garden School now open 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 they will come to understand the larger world and their place in it, along with the connections between themselves and their community.

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

Sovereign Play creating accessible equipment and play areas for all Sovereign Play always strives to create equipment and play areas that are accessible for all.

From stimulating the senses to interacting with their peers, their SEN play equipment has been carefully developed to encourage all children to reap the benefits of play and engage with the world around them. Developed to encourage the exploration of the senses with musical play items, sensory paths and sand pits. Sovereign’s range of gazebos and play houses provide quiet areas to be used as a safe outlet for children if they are overwhelmed or need some time away from the excitement of the playground to regroup and recharge. sovereignplayequipment.co.uk

Award winning electronic reading aids

Students honing interview skills

Scanning Pens provide award winning electronic reading aids that empower students to read independently, building confidence and unlocking the entire curriculum

St John’s Catholic Specialist School in West Yorkshire welcomed a very wide variety of special guests recently!

Professional visitors from Arla, the multi-national dairy company, spent time with students helping them hone their interview techniques in preparation for Sixth Form and moving into the world of further education, training and work. As well as their human guests, the children were also thrilled to welcome visitors from Animal Club and enjoyed meeting different animals and creatures.

Complete with text to speech functionality and multiple dictionaries, the ReaderPen from Scanning Pens is proven to increase both reading accuracy and comprehension by 13 and 10 months respectively, over just an eight week period.

The perfect assistive technology to accelerate your students’ reading age, build their confidence and enable them to read for enjoyment.

Take advantage of a free trial by visiting scanningpens.com alternatively email quin@scanningpens.com to arrange a demonstration.

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St John’s supports children and young people who are deaf, hearing impaired or have complex sensory or communication challenges in its day and residential settings. stjohns.org.uk

SEND Group has a variety of online courses The SENCO Innovation Course plus Level 3 and 5 Dyscalculia courses are tutored by Professor Steve Chinn and Judy Hornigold.

Each course includes; understanding dyscalculia, maths difficulties and maths anxiety and how to identify them.

Understanding typical maths development and barriers to learning as well as practical solutions to support all learners at their core.

Sunken Trampolines Sunken Trampolines are delighted to announce that they have been chosen to be the UK distributor of Global Playgrounds products, which include Bird’s nest swings and playground trampolines. Global Playgrounds are innovators in trampoline design and have produced wonderful shapes enabling schools to have exciting patterns and trails.

For more information please visit the website: sunkentrampolines.co.uk

The range of courses they offer are expanding to include a variety of short maths courses and further SEND eg Executive Functioning and associated issues. Other courses will also be made available soon.

Contact us at hello@sendgroup.co.uk

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What’s new?

TG Escapes sponsor The Inclusive Learning Environments Show 14th-15th June, Coventry Supported by the DfE, the focus of the event is on the design and delivery of inclusive learning environments that transform lives.

There are some excellent speakers, and it is a fantastic opportunity to build new connections, share best practice and get practical advice on inclusive learning and design.

EDUtech Europe, Amsterdam Taking place 5-6 October in Amsterdam, EDUtech Europe brings together the leading minds in education from across the continent. Educators will gather to showcase innovation and inspire their peers. EdTech solution providers will also be there to demonstrate the latest technology innovations that are changing the way education is delivered. Join 3,500+ educators and EdTech companies from across Europe for 2 days of learning and networking.

Visit website for more information: terrapinn.com/exhibition/edutech-europe/

For more information visit inclusivelearningenvironments.com and tgescapes.co.uk

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

Leading the way to online safety

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

Buckinghamshire Council has led the way in developing an innovative, interactive resource to teach children with SEN about online safety.

Aware of a significant gap in the market, with EU funding, the council worked with a local school and colleagues in France and Sweden to develop the free educational game. Players must guide Bao the panda through the jungle, facing challenges and making decisions on what he should do to stay safe. The game has achieved international acclaim having been chosen by the French government as one of the best education projects of 2021.

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

schoolsweb.buckscc.gov.uk/equalities/erasmusplusprojects/stay-safe-internet-safety-for-sen/

Tough Furniture – Specialist SEN solutions

The Mental Health & Wellbeing Show

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.

Through partnerships with staff of leading SEN schools for students with complex learning needs and ASD a number of additions to the range of classroom furniture have been made.

The company has many years’ specialised experience supplying the most challenging areas of the care sector, and this has been combined with staff experience and knowledge of needs. The result is furniture that actively helps to optimise the SEN learning environment, by delivering durability, safety and good value. Designing and manufacturing to order offers individual solutions for the flexibility needed as circumstances change.

For more information call 01588 674 340 or email sales@toughfurniture.com toughfurniture.com/room/classroom

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A professional allday show in Cardiff City Hall, 10th May 2022 aiming to promote positive mental health through open conversation, promoting awareness and sharing real-life experiences.

Frank Bruno MBE is a keynote speaker at the show and the event will also include a selection of seminars focused on topics such as coping with mental illness, ways to promote positive mental health, and how to support people around you who are suffering with ill mental health. Alongside this is an exhibition with over 60 charities, organisations and companies promoting their helpful resources, services and initiatives designed to support positive mental health and wellbeing.

Tickets can be booked via this link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-healthwellbeing-show-2022-tickets-15104544198

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SEN products and services

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SEN law

The current state of SEN In this issue, Douglas Silas looks at the current state of SEN.

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e are still waiting patiently for the government’s SEND Review report, which we have been told has been coming for a couple of years, but which is still not here yet (knowing my luck it will be here by the time you read this article!) So, the information that I am providing here is what the situation was when I wrote this article at the end of March 2022 [The Green Paper for consultation has just been published! Ed].

What is the current state of SEN? When the SEND framework was reformed in 2014, with the introduction of the Children and Families Act in September 2014 and a new SEND Code of Practice (updated in April 2015), there had been a lot of unhappiness, mainly on the part of parents. A lot of people (both parents and professionals) felt that the old SEN framework, as it was called then, was, in the Education Select Committee’s own words, “not fit for purpose”. There was also a distinct lack of parental confidence in the old SEN framework.

The theory was that a new SEND framework would be more ‘joined-up’ in its approach and interplay between ‘Education’, ‘Health’ and ‘Care’. There were other welcome changes too, such as the new SEN framework covering children and young SEN118

“A distinct lack of parental confidence in the old SEN framework.” people from 0-25 years, the introduction of things like ‘Personal Budgets’ and, most of all, the requirement to now put children and young people at the centre of decision-making about them.

What happened?

The plan was that a new SEND framework would lead to a more child/parent/young person-friendly system and reduce the number of disputes between parents and Local Authorities (LAs), which had become ever more adversarial. However, rather than decreasing disputes, the new SEND framework has actually led to more disputes and appeals to the SEND Tribunal! The latest statistics about SEN appeals are not very heart-warming.

In the seven years since the new SEND framework became law, the SEND Tribunal, which is charged with judging disputes senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“The system is now at breaking point”

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

SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

@douglassilas between Local Authorities (LAs) and parents/young people, have only upheld just about 7% of LA decisions. It seems that still the same percentage of appeals go all the way to a hearing, but the number of appeals brought have now rocketed from between 3-3,500 a year for about the 15 years before 2014, to nearly 9,000 per year currently. It has also been pointed out that LAs are spending an estimated £40-60 million on defending appeals, but the SEND Tribunal is only upholding LA decisions in a very small percentage of cases.

Why has this happened?

There are always many factors at play when something does not go to plan, so we cannot just pin it down to just one thing.

However, what was looming large in the background here, particularly, was the introduction of a new expanded SEND framework, with more legal duties to comply with, at the same time there had been a lot of reduction in the finances available to LAs/schools/other services during the previous few years and which also continued in the years that followed.

This was amplified by what happened with the Covid-19 pandemic from Spring 2020, although the system had been in difficulties already by this time. So, whilst the government was trumpeting how good things would be from 2010-2014 (as it took that long from the promise of a new SEND framework for it to become law), the theory was very different from the practice.

@douglassilas

Have there been any other concerns expressed?

We have had a number of local area SEND inspections of LAs carried out by Ofsted/CQC (the Care Quality Commission) since May 2016. The last annual report at the end of last year found that, in over half of inspections, a ‘written statement of actions’ was still required. There also have been concerns expressed about the quality of children’s and young people’s social care and about exclusions/behaviour management, which is often linked to special educational needs/emotional needs.

There has also been concern about the accountability of LAs who still seem to be ‘fighting’ parents, when the new SEN framework was supposed to reduce this. Some say that the system is now at breaking point because LAs are still too often making flawed decisions, or not making good decisions early enough, so that parents/young people feel that they have no other choice but to challenge their decisions, whilst LAs feel that there is just not enough money/resources now to keep the system moving smoothly.

Will the SEND Review sort this all out?

Past experience shows me that there were a few years between a previous government saying that they would be overhauling the SEN system, to a new law actually being implemented.

The current government says it is about increasing parental confidence in the SEND system and making the system less adversarial and ensuring financial stability. However, this was exactly the same sort of language used last time.

■ Parents need confidence in the system.

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Some people have expressed concerns that the government is going to try to ‘water down’ the current legal framework, which will help resolve the number of disputes being brought to the SEND Tribunal – there will obviously be legislative change on some level, but I do hope that there will be an improvement in the way things are done and this does not lead to a dilution of legal entitlements. We will just have to wait and see what actually takes place. I will bring this information to you in a later article when the SEND Review is out and I have had a chance to consider things properly.

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Safeguarding

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SEN school leverages NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe programme to empower upper primary pupils A recent independent evaluation by the NSPCC confirmed an ongoing need for Speak Out Stay Safe (SOSS) (learning.nspcc.org.uk/services/ speak-out-stay-safe). Whilst most primary children have a good understanding of what abusive behaviour looks like and which trusted adults they can speak to, the children’s charity safeguarding programme is designed to boost schools’ relationships and sex education (RSE) teaching. Primary Teacher Debbie Urry from Heathfield Special School in Fareham shares how her pupils have benefitted from engaging with SOSS. Prior to the NSPCC reaching out to us back in 2016 I wasn’t aware of the programme. But fast forward to today and I now can’t speak highly enough of Speak Out Stay Safe (SOSS). At Heathfield, a special school for pupils aged between three and eleven who have a wide range of moderate or severe learning difficulties, our ethos is all about learning and growing. So, when the NSPCC got in contact, we seized the opportunity to help our children understand abuse in all its forms and ensure they know how to access support from a trusted adult if they need it.

To date we’ve successfully completed three rounds of SOSS across the upper KS2 department with our Year 5 and 6 pupils.

One of the children’s favourite parts has been engaging with Buddy, the NSPCC’s mascot who helps them to know they have the right to speak out and be heard, be safe and get help when they need it. For many of our learners, overlearning and repetition is crucial for retaining information, and so Buddy as a symbol means he’s immediately associated with speaking out and keeping safe. Going over important key messages repeatedly means pupils’ understanding of these is embedded. If I were to show our children a picture of Buddy now, I’m confident they would be able to say who he is and what he represents.

programme is working. Children remember much more than we give them credit for.

With the support of the NSPCC team, adapting the SOSS content for the individual needs of our learners means they have taken so much away from it. Meeting characters such as Mo and Sam who appear in each lesson means they really feel like they get to know them along their learning journey. In turn they feel safe in knowing what we are going to be discussing that day. Through six sessions Buddy and the characters are key in ensuring our pupils feel comfortable discussing extremely sensitive subjects, all while building their confidence within a safe circle.

The programme is also an effective way to support our school’s ongoing safeguarding duties. The SOSS ‘safe circle posters’ are a further visual prompt for the children to know who they

The whole NSPCC programme is very well-structured and builds week to week on previous learnings. This means we can reflect on questions such as who you can talk to and what you see as right or wrong, so pupils get plenty of practice in recognising what is and isn’t okay. It’s been lovely to hear teachers speaking highly of the content and pupils’ responses.

For instance, I recently worked with a child one-on-one for the first time since SOSS. His teacher was worried that he might not remember me but after she introduced us, he turned round and said: “I know her, she tells us about Buddy and Speak out Stay safe.” For me that’s a wonderful endorsement that the SEN118

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full circle with the children. Plus, as we know that technology is a huge part of many children’s lives, we are continually supporting our pupils to understand what it means to be safe on the internet. Tapping into SOSS we advocate talking regularly as the greatest tool to help keep safe online.

can talk to, in addition to the key adult posters that we have in place in every classroom. Typically, we also use lots of symbols to help communicate key messages to our pupils, so being able to adapt those we use for teaching children’s rights and easily incorporate them into lessons provided by the NSPCC is an immense help. Learning visually not only enables our children to easily make connections between their right to be safe and be looked after, but ensures they know how to get support if that’s not happening.

Additionally, as part of our PSHE curriculum we teach units on personal safety, relationships, and growth and change, which all tie back to SOSS. Effectively reinforcing these key messages around abuse and neglect, again tapping into Buddy as a friendly familiar resource, enables us to bring everything

Speak out Stay Safe is a safeguarding programme for children aged 5 to 11 years-old. It is available to all primary schools in the UK and Channel Islands. The programme helps children understand:

Overall, the comprehensive programme is delivered at a level children can understand and with the sensitivity required for such difficult subject matter. I highly recommend SOSS to all teachers across mainstream and SEN schools; the more that can be reached the better. As a SEN school we have added our own resources to run alongside rather than instead of the NSPCC offering which has worked brilliantly. After three rounds of delivering the programme to students all with positive outcomes we are looking forward to delivering the next round in 2023. SOSS has gotten a big thumbs up from me and the rest of the teachers at Heathfield!

This programme provides support and resources to help you deliver messages to your pupils about what abuse is and which trusted adults they can turn to for help.

It is also an effective way to support your school’s safeguarding duties and link directly to the curriculum as well as help reinforce key messages about abuse and neglect as part of your school’s teaching on relationships.

The NSPCC provides access to resources including six session plans and printable props all of which use the friendly speech bubble mascot called Buddy.

Your local NSPCC Schools Service Schools Coordinators can support your school to deliver the programme by briefing school staff at the start and gathering feedback and learning at the end.

• Abuse in all its forms and how to recognise signs of abuse • That abuse is never a child’s fault and that they have the right to be safe • Where to get help and the sources of help available to them, including our Childline service.

The Speak out Stay Safe programme is suitable for schools who work with children with: • Special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) • Additional support needs (ASN) • Additional learning needs (ALN)

Interested in the NSPCC’s safeguarding programme Speak Out Stay Safe? Receive their resources to use in your classroom discussions by signing up your primary school today at: learning.nspcc.org.uk/services/schools-send-form

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ASD

We need better diagnostics for ASD Gender bias in ASD: are girls missing out? Zafer Elcik thinks so.

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utism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are difficult to diagnose because there is no definitive test – like a blood test – to conclusively confirm that a person has this condition. ASD presents differently in each individual, so although there are diagnostic tools and guides that clinicians use to observe for certain markers of the disorder, the diagnosis can still be missed depending on how a clinician approaches the condition.

Currently, one in 44 children in the US is identified with an ASD. When it comes to sex breakdown, boys are diagnosed four times as frequently than girls.

When ASD was first described by Leo Kanner, MD in 1943, he noticed social and communication deficits and that boys were affected four times more frequently than girls. This, in turn, caused most of the autism research conducted to focus only on how the disorder presents in males. There is also an obvious effect of the description of the condition on later diagnostic methods.

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“Autism research conducted to focus only on how the disorder presents in males.”

ASD is a big diagnosis. When parents get the diagnosis, they then have to figure out which services they need to provide their kids in terms of healthcare and educational support. When there appears to be a barrier for girls and women in terms of getting this diagnosis and accessing the subsequent support that is needed, we have to ask ourselves: what’s missing in the diagnostic process?

Today, researchers and clinicians are more aware of this discrepancy, that the current diagnostics, criteria, approaches, senmagazine.co.uk

ASD

“Autistic girls were found to have different patterns of connectivity compared to boys.”

and interventions are not developed with autistic girls and women in mind. We have to get over the perception that autism is a “male condition” that also affects females.

One of the reasons there is a persistent difference between boys and girls relies on that first description, based on the presentation in boys and men. The estimations are calculated with a bias of the condition. This revelation prompted researchers to decrease or eliminate this bias, and they found that the ratio of gender difference in prevalence of ASD could be as low as 1.8 to 1.

Building diagnostics upon male-centric deductions and descriptions affects many steps before getting a diagnosis.

Even when suspected of having the condition and referred, girls are still being diagnosed late. Moreover, it causes parents and caregivers to miss symptoms or interpret them differently, and so not mention their concerns during their first visits to the doctor.

A recent study published on February 15, 2022 suggests that we need to think differently about the diagnostic methods.

Researchers analysed MRI scans of a total of 773 children, 637 of which were boys and 136 were girls. Even during the study, researchers were challenged with including a sizable number of girls in the study.

When the researchers tried to analyse the images through existing and traditional methods, they found that these relied on the number of groups to be roughly equal. However, when there is a four-fold difference between the sizes of the group, the algorithm would again point to “male autism.” Then a new statistical approach by Tengyu Ma, PhD at Stanford, also a co-author on the study, was applied to the data.

This newly developed algorithm could distinguish between boys and girls with a high accuracy rate of 86%. When tested on the images of the brains of typically developing boys and girls, the algorithm could not make a distinction, showing that the difference found between the sexes is in fact unique to autism.

The results researchers found were compelling: autistic girls were found to have different patterns of connectivity compared to boys. These different patterns were observed in various brain centres like language, motor, and visuospatial attention systems. Also, the largest difference between the sexes senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Zafer Elcik is the CEO and cofounder of Otsimo, an EdTech company that focuses on developing special education apps with the aim of democratising special education by making it affordable and accessible for everyone. otsimo.com/en/ @Otsimo @Otsimo

among autistic children was found in a group of motor areas, including the primary motor cortex, where a signal is sent for the production of skilled movements of the muscles and the body.

Researchers also found a link between the severity of the motor symptoms marking autism in girls with the differences in motor centres. This means that the brain patterns observed in autistic girls that were most similar to autistic boys tended to present the most pronounced motor symptoms. The language areas were also found to be different between boys and girls with autism.

For decades, we have assumed that autism is more prevalent in boys than in girls. This hypothesis, that stemmed from the initial description of the condition, has been further perpetuated by following studies that focused on boys or did not accurately represent girls. The data may have been analysed with a bias towards autism being a male condition.

Today, we realise that sex ratio estimation may not be entirely accurate. There are many factors at play, and bias in diagnostics is one of them. The differences that are laid out in front of our eyes through this recent study confirm that the differences seen in the brain regions are linked to the clinical symptoms of autism.

All in all, there need to be different tests for autistic girls, and we need a shift in perspective when it comes to identifying the hallmark symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. The findings of this study, and hopefully more studies to be conducted later on to increase our understanding, should be a guide for the entire medical community to improve and better the diagnostics that are in use today, as well as the treatment and intervention options available for girls and women to account for the behavioural and neurological differences between the two sexes.

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Autism

The golden ticket of parent-teacher collaboration Debby Elley describes how inclusive collaboration between parents and teachers can open improve outcomes for autistic pupils.

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s co-editor of the positive parenting magazine AuKids, the majority of the letters I received from parents of autistic children concerned problems at mainstream secondary schools. In particular, they were commonly centred around a breakdown in understanding between carers and teachers. I was quite regularly ‘Bcc’d’ on a dismal thread of irritated emails sailing to and forth and asked for my view.

My view was generally that it would be preferable for the two parties to meet face to face rather than sending emails flying like an unsuccessful game of virtual frisbee. As difficulties became apparent when a child returned home, it often seemed easier for parents to set their keyboards alight in the evening.

Once that approach had been made, staff then felt obliged to answer in kind and they could unsurprisingly come across as a little defensive. The result was that things could get rather heated quite quickly.

Speaking as a parent of autistic twins, there’s nothing worse than being faced with an upset child and feeling powerless to SEN118

“Things can get heated quite quickly”

do anything about it. So I quite understand the need for quick communication when faced with a youngster who has come home distressed. However, responding to one situation with a critical email isn’t going to get to the heart of the problem, and here’s why.

The missing key Examining the scenarios I’ve witnessed, problems aren’t usually caused by negligent staff. What’s missing is an early identification of how an autistic youngster is likely to interact with their school environment at every stage in the school day. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Debby Elley is co-founder of AuKids magazine and author of 15 Things They Forgot to Tell You About Autism and co-author of the best-selling children’s book The Ice Cream Sundae Guide to Autism, both published by Jessica Kingsley.

Championing Your Autistic Teen at Secondary School by Debby Elley with Gareth D. Morewood is out on May 19, published by Jessica Kingsley. aukids.co.uk @aukidsmag debbyelley@aol.com

“Autism doesn’t exist in a vacuum”

Knowing their likely responses would mean that staff could plan strategies that would head off problems at the earliest opportunity. And who is best placed to identify those likely responses? Parents and carers. So, although a problem may appear to be caused by an unpleasant event at school, the deeper issue could well be that it wasn’t predicted in the first place.

Autism doesn’t exist in a vacuum and the so-called ‘behaviours’ that are the target of those email exchanges are often coping mechanisms. They arise as a result of a student experiencing the ‘fight or flight’ instinct when interacting with a challenging environment and having no decent escape routes available.

But consider this: Supposing you were driving along quite happily and your car’s steering went a bit awry. Would you simply turn on the hazards and keep driving, or would you analyse the problem and put it right?

If a child is struggling to engage with their environment, an email exchange is the equivalent of turning on the hazards and keeping in the fast lane. senmagazine.co.uk

What’s really needed is for parents and teachers to stop the car, look under the bonnet and as experts in their own spheres analyse together what’s going to fix the problem.

Studying the gap between those with good experiences of their children’s school and those with poorer ones, I noticed that the schools which were getting positive results (and by that I mean happier autistic students) enjoyed a great early collaboration with their families.

Successful collaboration from the start meant that they had the ability to take on information from home and use it for the student’s benefit at school.

I teamed up with former SENCo turned inclusion trainer Gareth D. Morewood to understand the situation from an educator’s viewpoint. Together we wrote Championing Your Autistic Teen at Secondary School, which is out this month. Gareth and myself had collaborated effectively on my own son’s education and the idea was to advise parents on how to work with their child’s mainstream school successfully. However, anyone working with SEN pupils in an education setting will also benefit from its contents, which tackle key sources of misunderstanding and how to avoid conflict.

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Autism

“It’s far more helpful to congratulate the school on what they did right” A blueprint for inclusion Gareth had worked with education researchers Wendy Symes and Neil Humphrey on the ground-breaking Saturation Model (2011), a blueprint for effective inclusion that was put into practice in his own setting. This model plays a key part in our argument for collaboration. It shows how the flow of information between parents and teachers should, via an ‘agent of change’ at the school (an internal SEN champion) trickle into all aspects of the setting. Rather than the accumulated wisdom being kept to within one classroom or one individual, the model shows how it cascades into every interaction that pupil has, whether it’s with teachers, the admin team, canteen staff or peers.

Proactive, not reactive At the heart of our advice is the notion that most difficulties can be reduced, if not headed off completely, by taking a proactive rather than reactive approach to potential stumbling blocks.

At Gareth’s school, this meant sitting down with parents and students face to face to create a stress support plan – an individualised document noting likely causes of distress and strategies to avoid them. This accompanied other information, such as a student passport – an at a glance guide on a student’s key needs for each teacher.

The advantage of decent preparation is that it creates ‘background calm’ – a sense in the child that should they stumble, a safety net is ready to catch them. School is no longer a tightrope walk. This means that when challenges do arise, anxiety levels aren’t as high and teenagers are more able to cope with them.

In order to be proactive, both family members and teachers need to meet regularly and get to know each other, building a trusting working relationship. The advantage of regular chats rather than crisis talks is pretty self-evident. Instead of tense exchanges and a distressed child in the forefront of parents’ minds, trust is built as you discuss practical ways of negotiating hurdles as a team of equals. If things do go wrong, at least you have built up a good foundation from which to problem solve.

Owning your fragility And whatever happens, don’t be tempted to get into long email diatribes. I always tell parents not to hide their emotions or let them leak out in hints or aggression; openly state what your fears are and you’re all set for an honest discussion.

From a teaching viewpoint, Gareth advises education staff to be brave enough to ‘own their own fragility’ as he calls it – that SEN118

is to be able to admit that either knowledge was lacking, or a situation could have been handled better, and then being flexible enough to take on new ideas and to learn from experience.

This isn’t weakness but a strength, and parents – believe me – deeply appreciate that honesty. What we hate most is problems being swept under the carpet, blamed on others or avoided altogether.

A good collaboration also means that rather than discussing a strategy and then leaving well alone, it’s re-visited after an agreed amount of time and fine-tuned for efficacy.

The point here is that mainstream schools aren’t designed with autistic pupils in mind. Therefore it is not a question of if their anxiety levels will rise, but rather when. Collaborating on strategies not only means that challenges will occur less often, but that when they do everyone concerned knows exactly what to do. As part of this, it’s important that the student and their family are both instrumental in decision-making and have a say in the practical measures put in place to offset stress.

It’s also vital that the youngster knows exactly what to do if they encounter a self-regulation battle as a result of their environment or someone in it.

Little and often Regular small catch-ups (please don’t call them ‘meetings’, it will put people right off…) needn’t be time consuming – Gareth used to supply me with a cup of tea 15 minutes before the end of the school day every few weeks. As a parent, I felt heard and valued. This trust allowed us to nip problems in the bud and also highlight what was going right. Incidentally, it’s far more helpful to congratulate the school on what they did right and focus on repeating good practice, rather than picking up the pieces when things go wrong.

Regular exchanges should also include small courtesies that can make all the difference. If your child is angry or upset when you drop them off at the school gates, it’s a good idea to let school know.

Parents sometimes forget to tell teachers about their child’s ‘pivotal comforts’ as I call them. Often autistic kids use the positive associations of comfort items to block out negative thoughts or environmental stressors. Sometimes this is something as simple as a fidget toy, or it might be photographs to stare at, or in my son’s case it was a plush toy Pikachu. In our book, Gareth and myself addressed these comforts in their own chapter. Teachers may see them as optional distractions, but in fact, they are self-regulators. More often than not, they provide the child with a coping mechanism, and removing them can cause both a loss of focus and distress.

With pro-active collaboration and honesty on the part of families, plus a willingness to be flexible and reflect openly on practice on the part of schools, we hope to see improved relationships in schools, leading to better outcomes for autistic students. senmagazine.co.uk

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The road into adulthood can sometimes feel challenging, but our expert teams can guide and support young people and their support network when transitioning from a family home or residential college. We are committed to providing stability and transformative support for people who have experienced ‘placement breakdowns’ or inpatient stays.

We provide a welcoming safe home in a range of accommodation options, including Supported Living or Residential homes. We can support adults and young people across the autistic spectrum, including people with severe learning disabilities, and autistic people who do not have a learning disability though experience significant challenges in their life with social anxieties.

Our specialist teams and approach Our teams provide the best specialist support because we commit to professional development and ensure our teams have access to forward thinking, evidence, and research-

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based learning in relation to many aspects of autism including supporting autism in females and sensory processing differences. Our approach to coproduction allows for truly person-centred support, with a focus on Inclusive Communication, Intensive Interaction, employment, education, and relationships.

Our experienced teams support autistic people with significant sensory processing differences, pathological demand avoidance or specific and rare diagnosis such as Autistic Catatonia. If you wish to learn more, why not join us at the London Autism Show (17-18 June), Stand B22 and hear from Achieve together’s Health & Wellbeing Director and a parent as they speak about Autistic Catatonia in Theatre Hub 2 on Saturday18th at 2.30pm.

Contact us To find out more about our specialist support call 03301 755 332 or visit achievetogether.co.uk

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Don’t judge a book by its cover!

Supporting readers with autism who are minimally verbal Dr Sharon Arnold presents a case study which shows how pupils who are minimally verbal can be encouraged to develop skills in reading.

Reading is the gateway to all other learning. If you can read, you can learn anything about anything!

Issues around language, and other core features of autism, mean that children with autism can be at high risk of experiencing difficulties with reading. When a child with autism is minimally verbal, the situation is further complicated. As they are unable to demonstrate their skills by reading aloud, discovering the reading abilities of a child who is minimally verbal is a major, but worthwhile, challenge.

“He could exchange a symbol for some stuff like food and drinks”

Paul’s story

I was curious to know about his use of the ‘Picture Exchange Communication System’ because Paul was minimally verbal.

He was six years old, and he didn’t have any words that he could say.

“Paul is our least able pupil in the class. He is very disruptive, he breaks everything, he rips everything up. If you are getting ready for a lesson don’t put anything out beforehand, he’ll just wreck it.”

“He used to use it. He could exchange a symbol for some stuff like food and drinks, but he stopped. Now he just chews the symbols in his book.”

As the new teacher, this was the first piece of information I learned about Paul during handover from his teacher of the previous year. “What about PECS?” senmagazine.co.uk

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I soon discovered that the teacher was right about how much mess Paul liked to make! His favourite pastime was tipping out equipment from any box in which it was stored. To try to distract Paul from tipping everything, while still giving him something he liked to do, I provided a box of old books which he was encouraged to ‘tip and then tidy’ whenever he felt the urge.

Before long, I noticed that rather than just put the books straight back in the box Paul liked to examine the books. I started to make a point of sitting with Paul during these ‘tip and tidy’ sessions and he would grab my finger and point it to words, his face lighting up with joy every time I read it aloud.

Other behaviours, such as being able to find the file names of favourite videos and pictures (without visual images displayed) and pointing to words on poster displays around the school, made me suspect that Paul may be able to read. Asking the literacy coordinator for advice, I pointed out that Paul wouldn’t be able to read the words aloud on the test she was giving out.

The advice was that Paul wouldn’t be able to take the test.

It was my concern about Paul’s exclusion from the kind of literacy provision his verbal peers were able to experience that inspired a range of research studies aimed at measuring the reading abilities of children with autism who are minimally verbal. The results demonstrated that Paul’s situation was far from unique!

“During these ‘tip and tidy’ sessions and he would grab my finger and point it to words” Children with autism who are minimally verbal Children who are minimally verbal make up around 25 – 35% of the ASD population. The term minimally verbal is often used interchangeably with words such as nonverbal and preverbal, all terms which have no real clear definition. However, in practical terms, children with autism who are likely to be classed as minimally verbal are those children who have a very small (if any) number of words at their disposal, and difficulties with making use of language in any kind of functional way. This includes children who use echolalia, which means that they repeat sounds, words, or even sentences that they hear.

Speech and reading Speech errors while reading aloud can be disruptive, which means that issues with articulation can be a bit of stumbling block for children with speech disorders. However, when it

■ Encouraging and supporting the reader.

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About the author Dr Sharon Arnold is Deputy Headteacher of a school in Cardiff for children with additional learning needs and autism. She is author of the thesis: ‘Exploring Word Recognition and Listening Comprehension Abilities of Children with Autism who are Non-verbal’. researchgate.net/profile/Sharon-Arnold @dr-sharon-arnold-phd-51106bb2

■ Engaging with books.

comes to the ability to read, there is no direct role for speech.

This means that we can’t assume that just because a child doesn’t speak, they won’t be able to read.

Of course, there can be other barriers to reading for children with autism. Autism itself can be a barrier due to issues around language and social understanding experienced by children on the autistic spectrum, and autism can be accompanied by a learning disability. However, this can apply to any child with autism and not just those who are minimally verbal. There are just less challenges involved in knowing the reading ability of someone who is verbal, as opposed to someone who is unable to say the words they see aloud.

Back to Paul and what we did As part of our research, we presented children with and without autism (verbal and minimally verbal) with a standardised reading test which had been adjusted to remove the requirement to verbalise answers. Utilising a multiple-choice method would help us to know if children like Paul were able to identify words and understand their meaning.

Reading is a complex set of skills, which when they interact, enable us to translate into words from which we get meaning.

Word recognition and listening comprehension are important elements of the reading process. Paul’s word recognition skills were beyond what we expected, what’s more, he could demonstrate his understanding of those words.

Having a new understanding of Paul’s abilities helped us to better understand his behaviours and improve his provision.

Paul had stopped using his symbols because he didn’t want to communicate in pictures when he was able to communicate in words! We introduced Paul to a device and began supporting him to communicate in words, and later, short phrases. senmagazine.co.uk

“He’s a teenager now, having a say in how he communicates is more important than ever.”

The changes in Paul were obvious and almost instantaneous!

As Paul’s frustrations eased, his behaviour improved, and we were able to put things out before lessons without them being destroyed. The following year, all of Paul’s other assessment scores demonstrated dramatic improvement. Not just in literacy but even in maths and science!

Paul continues to communicate his wants, needs, and thoughts by typing words on to a digital screen which then reads the words aloud for others to hear. He sometimes uses symbols on the screen as ‘shortcuts’ and he doesn’t seem to mind this as long as the device says the whole sentence and not just the word for the symbol. For example, if Paul uses the symbol for ‘toilet’ he likes the device to say, “can I go to the toilet please?” and not just the word ‘toilet’. He’s a teenager now, having a say in how he communicates is more important than ever. He accesses books in a way far beyond tipping them out of a box and putting them back again!

Supporting children who are minimally verbal Paul’s experience teaches a valuable lesson. We cannot assume that a child has no reading skills just because they can’t talk.

The research carried out offered clear evidence that Paul was far from an isolated case. This means that you could have a child in your classroom who is minimally verbal, and who can read.

If we are to open up that gateway to learning that we know reading can be, we must take the view that every child in our classroom has the potential to be a reader, regardless of their verbal ability!

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The Autism Show

promotional content

Get ready for the return of The Autism Show this June The Autism Show, the national event for autism, in partnership with the National Autistic Society, is returning to London, Birmingham and Manchester this June. It’s packed with over 100 hours of specialist talks and one to one advice clinics, plus 100s of products and services. Once inside the event, all content is free to access and CPD certified for professionals.

If you’re looking for the latest information on autism and common co-occurring conditions, are facing daily challenges, or approaching significant transition points, then The Autism Show can help you.

■ Melanie Sykes

Highlights this year include talks from the broadcaster and Editorin-Chief of Frank magazine Melanie Sykes, who will be speaking about her experiences of being an autism parent and receiving her own late autism diagnosis; and the BAFTA award winning broadcaster Dr Carrie Grant, who will be speaking about shapeshifter parenting, being seen and heard and finding yourself again.

■ Dr Carrie Grant

masking can make autistic people vulnerable; Insights from an autistic teacher; How I navigated through work life being autistic; An introduction to sensory differences; and An autism friendly guide to periods.

If you’re looking for personalised advice with a specialist advisor, you can book a free 30 minute private consultation in the One to One Clinics. Subjects covered include managing distressed behaviour; SEND tribunals; best practise for organisations providing services to autistic children and adults; and securing your child’s long term financial future.

The Autism Show is filled with presentations from the UKs leading autism professionals. Prof Karen Guldberg, Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) at the University of Birmingham will look at the causes and implications of exclusion for autistic children and young people; Dr Sebastian Gaigg, Deputy Head of Department in the Autism Research Group at City, University of London, will be exploring the topic of anxiety and autism; and Dr Elizabeth Shea, Consultant for Neurodevelopmental Services at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, will be examining eating challenges in autism.

Visit the Hub Theatre 2 to access a huge variety of practical talks which can make an immediate difference to you and the children and adults you support. Just some of the presentations you will find here include: Top ten tips for a tip top plan – how to get the best out of your child’s Education, Health and Care Plan; The Safespace: challenging behaviours, sensory processing and sleep disorders; Understanding dyscalculia in adults; An educational robot for improving the learning opportunities in children with autism; and Achieving true independence post 19.

Next door, you’ll find the Hub Theatre 1, in partnership with Brain in Hand, which provides a voice for autistic adults to talk about their experiences of living with the condition.

Their insights can throw light on your own past and present, and help to shape how you view the future. This year topics covered include: How to survive as an autistic teenager; Why

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■ Cubbie

This year we’re particularly excited about Cubbie - Personalised Sensory Regulation (PSR), an easyto-use, immersive personal space of sound and vision for students with sensory needs, driven by software and wheelchair friendly. Developed in Ireland, where it is widely used, the Cubbie is newly available in the UK. Visit their stand to learn how the Cubbie is benefiting the lives of autistic pupils and meet its creator, David McIntyre.

Threaded throughout the theatres and show features, you can also meet specialist suppliers of learning tools, visual aids, sensory equipment, furniture, advice and support services, residential care, specialist schools and much more in the exhibition.

Book your tickets now and save 20 percent at: www.autismshow.co.uk.

Manchester Central: 10 to 11 June 2022 ExCeL London: 17 to 18 June 2022 NEC Birmingham: 24 to 25 June 2022

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Design services

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robpdesign.co.uk hello@robpdesign.co.uk 07962 263 365 senmagazine.co.uk

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Don’t take me out again!

Liz Elks offers a range of useful tips to develop speech and language skills in children.

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f we’re not careful, children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) can spend as much time outside of the classroom as in it, meaning that they can fall further behind their peers as they miss out on class teaching.

Specific interventions are great to facilitate children’s speech and language development, but we talk to the children all the time (or at least we should!) so what can we do to help children develop their speech and language all day every day both in the classroom and outside of it?

How big is the problem?

The report ‘Bercow: Ten Years On’ found that the ability to communicate is fundamental to learning, to relationships and to life. More than 10% of all children and young people, over 1.4 million in the UK, have communication difficulties.

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“In typical development, understanding always comes before talking.” development. Communication is everybody’s business and we all need to play our part.

How can I change my teaching to help the children learn?

Develop their understanding…

To be able to use words in sentences and speak it is necessary for children to understand what is being said. In typical development, understanding always comes before talking.

These simple ideas below should help you to do just this. senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Liz Elks Director Elklan Training elklan.co.uk @elklantraining @elklantraining

“If it was too difficult then simplify and try again.” book and pen. Put them in your drawer. Go to the toilet. Now you can go outside.’ If they find it hard to respond to one short instruction, then repeat it and add an action or a gesture. If they still don’t understand, reflect on what you have asked, if it was too difficult then simplify and try again.

Say what you mean!

Tell the children what you want them to do, not what you don’t want them to do. Negative statements are harder to understand. So, say, ‘Walk’ rather than, ‘Don’t run’. In this instance what they are likely to hear is ‘run’ and keep going!

First things first When speaking with the children ensure they are looking at you and concentrating before you speak with them. Talking to their back is unlikely to result in understanding or action! It also means they won’t be able to see all that lovely non-verbal communication you use! So make sure that you use gestures, visuals, objects, and your facial expression when teaching new words and ideas. You can also use other forms of non-verbal communication including symbol boards and other visuals to reinforce their learning and understanding.

Develop their memory skills So often we try to develop children’s memory by asking them to remember things they find difficult to learn and aren’t very interested in, so it’s not surprising that they don’t remember!

Consider the dinosaurs, Pokémon cards, football players etc… that they can recall when they are motivated to learn them! So, work on memory as a skill. Ask them how they remember the things that interest them, do they visualise the object, animal or person, or maybe they repeat the name, or maybe they link it to something they already know? Once they and you understand how they remember these things then apply this style of learning to their schoolwork. You will need to make it motivating and interesting though as that’s half the battle!

Don’t overload them with information Ensure that if you are giving them things to do that you give instructions one at a time AND in the order you want them to complete the tasks.

Playing memory games like ‘My Granny went to market and she bought…’where children have to remember what previous participants have said can be fun and helpful. See how far around the classroom you can get!

Reflect on how many commands you might give in one sentence. Try simplifying what you are asking so: ‘Before you go outside you need to put your book and pen in your drawer and then go to the toilet’, could be simplified to: ‘Pick up your senmagazine.co.uk

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Mind your language Teachers are encouraged to question children as this promotes learning but be careful of the types of questions you are asking children who find it hard to follow what you are saying.

Most children aged 5 plus can understand ‘who, what and where’ questions but some may still find ‘why and how’ challenging. So be careful of the questions you ask and provide a model of the answer for those who are struggling. For more information refer to the ‘Blank Language Scheme’ for useful tips and to develop your understanding of this complex area.

Elklan Training have produced a poster which may be helpful to you, https://www.elklan.co.uk/Shop/blank_poster

How you interact does matter!

Always remember to use appropriate adult child interaction strategies when talking with the children to ensure they have the best chance of understanding what you say. This means stop what you are doing or want them to do, listen to what they are saying to you and watch what they are doing and then respond by affirming what they have said and either following on with a comment or modelling back to develop their talking further.

DON’T overload with lots of questions and take time for them to process what has been said to them, up to 10 seconds to allow them time to understand and make a response.

Develop their talking…

When children can talk it makes everything so much easier! It leads to fewer behavioural outburst as it reduces frustration.

There is something very easy that we can all do to help develop talking skills. The secret is ‘modelling language ‘or ‘re-casting’.

Modelling is repeating back what the child says but providing an accurate example. This can be done anytime, anyplace and anywhere!

Modelling involves repeating what the child says, putting emphasis on the words you want them to listen to and expanding the phrases so that they hear how to develop their talking further.

So in the following example, if the child says, ‘I seeed fishes in the pond’, say, ‘You saw the fish in the pond’. Emphasise slightly the words which you want the child to listen to, ‘You saw the fish in the pond’. Expand your sentence by one or two more words so that you are developing their sentence structure, e.g. ‘You saw shiny fish in the pond’.

DON’T ask them to repeat it back after you. The most important thing is that they hear the correct sentence, if you ask for it to be repeated it will be likely to come out wrong, this is counterproductive and will only add to the frustration.

In addition make sure that you wait and give children plenty of time to organise their thoughts before they talk. Have you ever tried learning a new language? If so, consider how hard it is and how long it takes to remember the words and construct a sentence. This is true for children who have SLCN when learning to talk, so give them time and encourage the other children to do that too.

All of these ideas and 100s more can be found in our Language Builders range of books available from the Elklan shop, elklan.co.uk/Shop/Language_Builders_series All these simple ideas should help develop children’s understanding and talking within the classroom so you don’t need to be taking them out, and they don’t miss those all important lessons that you have worked so hard to provide.

■ Talking to a child reduces frustration.

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Have they started talking yet?

Joanne Jones provides helpful advice on how to cope with unwelcome comments from friends and family.

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ave you ever been with your child at a party or a family get-together and someone asks: “Are they talking yet?” Even worse: “They don’t say much, do they?”

It’s a stomach-dropping moment as your throat gets tense, and you wonder how best to respond.

Parents in my community tell me stories like this all the time.

Having some well-meaning and less well-meaning relatives and friends question your child’s development can be hard to cope with. It pours fuel on your own anxieties.

Explaining the situation to someone who knows nothing about late-talking children is a massive task!

As the saying goes: ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’. This quote is never truer than when your child is developing.

Parents can find it tough to compare their own child’s development with that of a friend’s child – and so, when a family member or friend brings up a comparison-related question (in a moment when it was least expected), it can feel like a stab in the heart!

Sometimes, the conversation gets even worse – leading to unhelpful generalisations such as: “It’s because he is a boy!” or “She will do it in her own time” or “My son didn’t speak until he was four and he is ok.” Often people try to be reassuring but, instead, can minimise your concerns and leave you feeling dismissed or unheard.

What is the best way to manage this in the moment?

Jane* shared with our bootcamp members that she had an upsetting encounter at a family barbecue. “My heart stopped,” she said. “I was already very self-conscious

“It pours fuel on your own anxieties.”

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About the author

“The responsibility lies with adults to listen a little more carefully”

Joanne Jones is a Consultant Speech and Language Therapist with more than 20 years’ experience of working with Early Years children in the NHS and as the founder of her own preschool. thehomeofcando.com @candospeechtherapy

that Rory* was behaving differently to the other children at the party; then, my uncle said: ‘He’s very quiet… can’t he talk?’ I was shocked and upset, and I didn’t know what to say. I just smiled and walked off. Later, I was so annoyed with myself for not being able to advocate for my child.”

Together, we explored different ways to handle a situation like this. Bootcamp members recognised that, in Jane’s position, you want to be able to advocate for your child; to get across the fact that, just because they can’t yet talk, it doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say. Also, the responsibility lies with adults to listen a little more carefully, slow down and say less.

Helping others to see that your child still has a lot to offer the world, even though they are finding parts of development difficult – and giving the family member some practical tips on interacting with the child – emerged as the priorities.

Jane said she may follow these ideas up with tips such as: “He likes it when you get down to his level” or “He loves bubbles” and “Chasing is the way to make friends with Rory.”

It was helpful to reframe the conversation by recognising that Rory’s uncle had the right intentions and wasn’t trying to be hurtful. While the way the question was asked felt critical, he most likely wanted to know more. There is an opportunity here to bridge the gap between your child and the ‘well-meaning’ adult’s knowledge.

If you find yourself in this situation this summer, here are my top tips: 1. Take a breath, reframe the question and see it as an opportunity to help your child make a new friend.

2. Keep your explanation simple, such as: “He is not communicating by talking yet, but he has other ways of letting you know what he is thinking.”

3. Give the relative some examples of things they could do to connect with your child.

@candospeechtherapy

What should you do when a relative or friend is dismissing your concerns?

Parents tell me that sometimes, when they express their concerns about their child’s development or what the future holds, the person they are confiding in makes dismissive remarks such as: “They are still little”, “Don’t worry” or “My neighbours’ child didn’t talk until four… Lots of children talk late.”

Although on the surface these statements can feel kind and reassuring, they also make parents feel confused as to what to do next.

So, what can you say?

Firstly, think about what you are looking for from the other person. Are you seeking reassurance? Wondering what to do next to help your child? Or do you just want to talk and release your concerns?

You can then structure your response more specifically, such as: “I know lots of children do start speaking, but I would like to try and find some professional help. Do you know where to start?” or “I am so worried… I just need to talk about it, if you have a listening ear for a moment?”

Being specific about what we need from the other person gives them the chance to offer the right support.

One of the biggest concerns I hear from families I work with is uncertainty about the future: “Will my child be happy, talk and have friends?” These are common concerns, and you are far from alone if you feel this way.

4. Don’t let your brain get derailed. Questions come from their lack of knowledge, not because you are doing anything wrong – and definitely not because of your child.

My advice is: Never put a glass ceiling on your children.

Worrying about the future isn’t helpful. The power is in the now. When you understand where your child is up to; what the next tiny step forward is; and how to support them to get there, you know you can keep climbing.

5. Give yourself a pat on the back. You have taken an unpleasant situation and dealt with it well.

* not their real name

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Learning diff iculties

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The secret power of questions Jennifer Boyd discusses how questions boost engagement and build language.

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ave you ever found yourself in a power struggle with a two-year old? Do you find yourself thinking, ‘if I could only get them to clean up their toys, put on their coat, or get in the car seat?’ What if I told you there is a simple secret that will not only help build your child’s cooperation but also build your child’s language skills? The secret lies in the questions you ask. You can access power to boost your child’s cooperation and language when you commit to reshaping both the questions you ask yourself and the questions you ask your child.

The questions you ask yourself When you walk into a room and see your child’s toys strung across the floor you might ask yourself, ‘how can I make my child clean up their toys?’ The common question, how can I make my child...? focuses on control and limits problemsolving potential to only one specific outcome. With a simple tweak this question can be transformed to foster cooperation senmagazine.co.uk

“How can I make my child...?”

and help develop executive function skills including timemanagement, organisation, working memory, emotional regulation, prioritisation, etc. Executive function is how our brain works to plan, focus, attend, and remember. According to the Harvard Center for the Developing Child, executive function skills support our ability to ‘filter distractions, prioritise tasks,

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“Offering positive choices encourages your child to cooperate.” set and achieve goals, and control impulses’. Next time you find yourself asking, how do I make my child…? Try shifting your question to how can I help my child successfully…? In the case of the toys, for example, you could ask, ‘how can I help my child successfully learn the skill of organisation?’ This new question turns the focus away from control and provides the perspective of a partnership where your desire is to teach your child a skill that they are missing. Focusing on teaching a skill opens the door to an endless set of solutions. For a child learning a new skill, it is important to start by providing choices to eventually set them on the path of being able to generate their own solutions.

About the author Jennifer Boyd is a SpeechLanguage Pathologist and Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, certified AuditoryVerbal Therapist. She currently works across AVUK’s clinical, training, and outreach teams remotely from Edinburgh. avuk.org

The questions you ask your child Offering positive choices encourages your child to cooperate.

In a moment of desperation, you might have found yourself asking your child, ‘do you want to clean up your toys or go to time-out?’ Or ‘do you want to clean up your toys or do you want me to throw them away?’ The structure of these questions offers one positive option and one negative option, and the focus of these questions is control and coercion. According to psychologists Dr. Lisa Legault and Dr. Michael Inzlicht, ‘choices made from internal desires enhance self-regulation and intrinsic motivation; choices motivated by external control do not.’ Changing the structure of your question to include two positive choices changes the focus from control and coercion to supporting your child’s autonomy and building their skills of executive function. Try reframing your question with twopositive choices: ‘do you want to pick up fast or slow? Do you want to pick up the blue blocks or the red blocks?’ Structuring your question to support two positive choices also provides an opportunity for language building. Consider the language skills you want to support and highlight that language in the choices you offer. You can choose two positive choices that highlight the language of categories, function, size, shape, colour, order, concepts, numbers, time, and location. See the table below for some examples.

Two positive choices CATEGORY Do you want to pick up the animals or the food?

FUNCTION Do you want to pick up the things we wear or the things we eat?

SIZE, SHAPE, COLOUR Do you want to pick up the big/square/red blocks or the small/circle/blue blocks?

ORDER Do you want to pick up puzzles first and the blocks next or the blocks first and the puzzles next?

CONCEPTS Do you want to pick up fast or slow?

NUMBERS Do you want to pick up 3 books or all the blocks?

TIME Do you want to pick up before or after your snack?

LOCATION Do you want to put the blocks on the shelf or in the box?

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■ Positive reassurance.

Are you willing to give it a try?

By changing the questions, you ask yourself, you can partner with your child to support the development of their executive function skills. Are you willing to shift the question you are asking yourself from how do I make my child…? to how do I help my child successfully…? By restructuring the questions, you ask your child, you can help them build autonomy, skills of self-regulation, and language. Are you willing to change the questions you ask your child from one positive and one negative option to two positive options with a focus on language? Now that you know the secret power of questions, how will your next interaction with your child be different? senmagazine.co.uk

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Six strategies for coping with change when you’re young Sid Madge describes ways in which change can become something to be embraced rather than a source of concern.

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he global pandemic has brought huge change to all our lives. Many of us, and especially children with learning difficulties have struggled to make sense of the change. But the upheaval also presents an opportunity for growth. Helping children with learning difficulties to embrace change and see it as an adventure can be one of the most important life skills they ever learn.

I’m a great believer in instant change, little ‘micro-moments’ of learning or adaptation that allow us to actively take charge of our situation and emotions in the moment, reset and bring more of our best to help ourselves and others. These microshifts are particularly useful for children who can find change especially challenging.

Here are some simple ways to cope with change and build resilience.

1. ‘Failure’ is the stepping-stone to success By definition, change means a wanted or unwanted move away from our known comfort zone. It took time and practice to get comfortable in that comfort zone. Too often we forget that process and just remember the comfort. But change of any type involves progressive failure.

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“Encourage children with learning difficulties to embrace change”

Next time you need to encourage children with learning difficulties to embrace change, try to remind them of the need for failure. As Elizabeth Spiegel once said, “losing is something you do, not something you are”. Failure is not something to be avoided but celebrated. It means you are one step closer to the new comfort zone. It means progress. Just keep going.

And help children to manage their expectations. Immediate perfection is impossible but consistent effort and aiming to beat your personal best will always result in improvement.

2. Happy habits Isn’t it interesting that we seem to be great at creating negative and unhelpful habits, but not positive ones? When faced with change, encourage children with learning difficulties to stop senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Sid Madge is a transformation and change specialist and founder of Meee. meee.global meeebooks.com @Meee_HQ @MeeeHQ @meeehq

“Forget about the upheaval and consider what makes them happy.” for a moment and consider what they love about life. Forget about the upheaval and consider what makes them happy.

Is it spending time with friends, listening to really loud music or singing at the top of their voice? Is it reading or watching their favourite TV show? Maybe just hanging out with family is fun. Identify what it is and encourage them to do more of these happy habits.

One positive habit that punches way above its weight in terms of impact is the art of appreciation. Encourage children with learning difficulties to spend a few minutes every day, to bring to mind three things that they are most grateful for in their life.

Their family, friends, a special teacher, a pet at home. Just taking the time to appreciate those gifts can make the change seem more manageable.

■ Difficulties coping with change.

challenges in their life as personal, permanent and pervasive.

In other words, when things get tough they will assume the problem is a personal failing on their part. They‘ll believe that it is permanent and that the problem in one part of their life will automatically pollute other parts. This is clearly nonsense – a missed bus or a failed exam does not mean the end of the world or that the person is now going to get sick or fall out with a friend.

Try the opposite approach for learned optimism. Next time a child with learning difficulties is struggling, talk them through the 3Ps. Instead of assuming the challenge is personal, somehow their fault, encourage them to see it as something outside their control. Next help them to appreciate that whatever it is, it’s short term and that it is not going to mess up anything else.

3. Employ the 3Ps In his research, Professor Martin Seligman found that pessimistic people tend to explain life to themselves using the “3Ps”. Essentially, pessimists always meet the inevitable senmagazine.co.uk

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So not personal, not permanent and not pervasive.

There is a clear balance to be struck here. A failure to get something done may be down to lack of effort so it’s important to run through the 3Ps while asking questions about what they could have changed to create a different outcome.

4. Encourage and reward the right attributes Esther Wojcicki, mother of three talented daughters and author of How to Raise Successful People believes that as parents and teachers we should not focus purely on success and achievement, but rather focus on the development of trust, respect and independence.

She talks of the importance of giving children control over their own lives by making choices. But not a free for all – “Is it a banana or an orange that you want?” or “Do you want to paint a picture or play in the yard?”

Children, including those with learning difficulties, can do far more than we assume and the quicker they can appreciate that, the faster they gain confidence and learn to trust themselves.

Whatever the change, even children can exert some control over it. Encouraging them to take personal responsibility and

“The importance of giving children control over their own lives by making choices.”

working out what they can do to make things easier is a great skill to learn.

5. The Natural Health Service As well as the wonderful National Health Service, we also have access to the even more amazing Natural Health Service.

Change, even positive change can cause disruption and elevated stress levels. This can impact those with learning difficulties even more. Unfortunately, stress can cause havoc to our health and mental wellbeing.

A great way to reduce stress levels in children is to get into nature. Get out of the classroom, leave the challenges behind, even for a few minutes. Pay attention to the sights and sounds of nature and simply enjoy some quiet time. The growth in ‘Forest Schools’ have proven to be extremely beneficial to children’s wellbeing, especially those who may find the classroom environment challenging.

When children are stressed or struggling with change this type of outdoor activity can be a great way to encourage discussion. Sometimes it can be hard to talk face-to-face, it feels too direct. But talking shoulder-to-shoulder while they are doing something else like walking in nature often makes it easier to share what they are feeling.

6. Social media detox There are now countless studies into the negative impact of social media and too much screen time prior to bed.

Encourage children to get rid of social media – even for a few hours a night before they go to sleep. Nothing helpful will ever come from checking Facebook, YouTube or TikTok before bed.

It is also better for their phone to charge in another room. The light and notifications interrupt sleep patterns.

Ask them to check in and see how that feels. If it feels good (and it usually does) encourage a complete social media detox for a day. Start small and have them notice if they feel better.

Make it into a game.

■ Get into nature.

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By encouraging children to follow some of the suggestions above you can put them in the best possible state of mind to manage change successfully. Change is constant and the sooner we all accept that and get good at change the happier we will be. senmagazine.co.uk

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New framework to boost education of children with vision impairment Vision impairment organisations have launched a new single unifying framework to underpin the specialist education of children and young people with VI. The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) has been developed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), VICTAR - University of Birmingham, Professional Association for the Vision Impairment Education Workforce (VIEW) and Thomas Pocklington Trust to support children and young people with vision impairment aged from 0 - 25 access an appropriate and equitable Education.

The CFVI presents outcomes within 11 teaching areas and its main aim is to clarify and define the elements of specialist skill development, interventions and best practice support that are considered to be essential for children and young people with vision impairment.

To find out more about the CFVI visit the RNIB website www.rnib.org.uk/cfvi senmagazine.co.uk

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Less paper, more productivity – can screens support literacy improvement?

Aimee Cave promotes the use of on-screen literacy assessments as a tool to enable teachers to tailor support for SEN pupils.

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earning to read is vital so that children can read to learn and fulfil their potential. But children with special needs can find reading progress even more challenging than most, especially after the educational disruption caused by Covid.

Adults with poor literacy skills have a much higher risk of social exclusion and life-long illiteracy, and over 16% in England fall into this category. Worryingly, last year, government figures showed one in five 11-year olds were entering secondary schools without attaining the expected standard of reading.

Early and regular assessment is the key to creating targeted support for children with special needs to ensure they can make the progress we want for them.

How can teachers most efficiently help children with special needs?

The ideal is to do assessments as speedily as possible, to maximise the time we spend creating the necessary interventions and working with each child. Regular assessment is essential but marking and scoring paper tests is very timeconsuming for teachers and SENDCos. This is a major challenge as we try to maximise the support for children who most need it, and especially at a time when Covid means more have gaps in their learning. When we got back SEN118

“Testing children’s reading ability isn’t easy.” into the classroom after lockdown the first thing we did at my school was to test to identify what interventions were needed.

Can technology help?

We all know children love screens and technology, and the good news is that, when used the right way, they can help us to develop young readers. For children with additional needs, making tests a fun and positive experience is particularly important. Some of the screening we do using technology is so popular, our pupils ask us if they can take the test again. It’s also popular with the teaching team, who can save hours of precious planning and classroom time by doing some literacy testing using technology.

Testing children’s reading skills, ability and comprehension isn’t easy. There are so many different cognitive and linguistic processes in action. Each time a child reads what they already know – or don’t know – these processes are reinforced. Reading aloud means words are transformed into speech and gain senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author Aimee Cave is SENDCo and assistant head at Pocklington Junior School in York. To read Lexplore Analytics recent report comparing paper and hybrid models of reading assessment, visit the link below. bit.ly/LexplorePaperVsTech

“Scoring highly in a phonics assessment can mask other issues”

meaning by being matched to the child’s vocabulary and language knowledge.

Paper-based tests have many strengths, but can’t always tell us everything we need to know.

Children with dyslexia can score highly in a phonics assessment masking other issues with their reading. Phonics tests check whether children can sound out syllables and words – but not whether they can understand or infer the meaning of what they read. Auditory processing issues can interfere with some children’s ability to detect different letter sounds.

As teachers of children with special needs, we need more than what can be a meaningless test score or percentile Assessments which focus on comprehension don’t give detail on how a child is reading, so two children with the same score – on paper – can have very different needs in practice, especially where special needs are involved. For example, does the child know the meaning of the word they’ve read? Are their eyes struggling with where to go on the page? Can they decode accurately, but have difficulties in recalling words quickly enough to read fluently? Are they having difficulties with morphemes?

That’s why I believe using technology to assist with assessment has a lot to offer. For example, my school has used an onscreen assessment for two years, and it’s transformed our routine reading assessments. Artificial intelligence and the eye-tracking technology in the Lexplore Analytics assessment we use measures when, where, and how children’s eyes move as they read, giving us an analysis of their skills, attainment and possible problems seconds later. senmagazine.co.uk

It helps that we can see the actual reading issue and we can support the child as we have identified it earlier. If children can’t decode words and can’t read, they can’t do anything else. That’s different from comprehension, which the paper assessments can examine.

It’s useful that technology takes care of the scoring process, too.

We have cut the assessment and scoring time taken from about two days for a class to about half a day, freeing up teachers to support reading.

We do this every term, sometimes following up with more specific paper tests, so we have a better understanding of our pupils’ needs.

Now, teachers have a choice about assessment Paper-based assessments will remain because children need to be familiar with the SATs format and because some aspects of reading are better assessed this way.

But we can enjoy a mixed economy of technology for on-screen assessment supported by paper assessments to give us the best possible information on our children.

Choosing a hybrid system gives us the best of both worlds: children who are used to taking paper tests plus extra hours of teacher time to support struggling readers. For example, using on-screen testing termly with practice paper SATs tests could free up nearly 90 hours a year.

Every school can choose the right approach for them, taking advantage of the huge range of ways to assess children which are now available to us.

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Digital resources

“Cruel practice of detaining people with learning disabilities and autism in hospitals must end” The national disability charity, Sense, is calling for urgent investment into community care services after a report published by CQC revealed that people with learning disabilities and autism are still being kept in mental health hospitals for too long, with restraint still commonplace.

The Out of Sight – Who Cares progress report also found that not enough progress is being made to improve this, with only four out of 17 recommendations from the Out of Sight report from 2020 being partially met. It highlighted a

lack of appropriate housing options and community support for people with learning disabilities and autism.

Sense is backing the CQC’s calls for a renewed effort to meet the individual needs of people with learning disabilities and autism, along with additional funding for community social care services.

Sense Chief Executive Richard Kramer said: “People with learning disabilities and/or autism should be living in safe, suitable environments where they receive the right care and support. But as this latest review shows, many are still trapped in mental health hospitals unnecessarily, often far from their families.

“Not only does this cause great anxiety and distress, but there have been too many instances of abuse and safeguarding violations, including restraint and isolation, in these settings – this cruel practice must end now.

“We need urgent investment in community social care services so that people with learning disabilities and/ or autism have the right support and don’t reach crisis point in the first place. It’s a scandal to see yet another of these damning reports. Instead, it’s time for action and for people’s lives changing for the better.”

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Virtual reality in the classroom Nuno Guerreiro looks at how Virtual Reality headsets in the classroom can lead to greater, more varied life opportunities.

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he unknown causes anxiety for anyone, but for young people with autism and SEN, this anxiety is heightened and with it can come severe upset and distress.

How can you reduce unknowns around even everyday experiences like riding on a bus or being in an airport, which significantly impact the quality of life of people with complex autism and their families?

Technology within the classroom has a huge role to play, with Virtual Reality being one form of technology.

Within a wider approach Virtual Reality fits into the Prior’s Court approach for supporting those with complex autism of allying clearly-defined structure (via tools such as schedules and work activity systems) with methods of communication (from verbal instructions to use of symbols, through to the physical layout of a room) that are individualised to young people based on their preferences and strengths. Other techniques used include social stories which can help to outline what experiences one might encounter in certain scenarios or what tasks one might have to perform.

But how can you create, say, what a journey on a bus might feel like while retaining the comfort of an environment that young people feel safe and secure in?

(students under the age of 16). The sensation and anxiety around wearing a headset itself first needs to be overcome with small amounts of usage time, before experience-led activities can be introduced.

Use of the headsets in lower age ranges is about relaxation via stimulating sensory experiences. This provides the groundwork for comfort with the headsets and so is the gateway to encountering scenarios that are directly transferable to “real world” situations.

The real-world scenarios can be put into two categories: •

To provide our students with experiences they may not be able to otherwise access, such as skiing, deep-sea diving, or being in a hot air balloon.

•

To prepare students for encountering scenarios they struggle with in the outside world which therefore limits their life opportunities. This includes use of public transport, accessing the world of work, and phobias such as undergoing medical treatments. These latter two aspects are particularly important given underemployment for those with SEN and the consequences being unable to receive medical support causes.

Virtual Reality is used to provide experiences of being in crowded medical settings, or, using a 360-degree camera, making use of footage the actual workplaces young people

This is where Virtual Reality comes in.

Into action Used as a complementary education and therapy device, Virtual Reality headsets are first introduced within the Lower School senmagazine.co.uk

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“VR is used as a substitute for experiences young people miss out on”

About the author Nuno Guerreiro is ICT Lead at Prior’s Court Foundation, which operates a residential special school and young adult provision for individuals with complex autism. Nuno is also a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert for 2021/22.

may go to for work experience or placements. As such, young people can see precisely what they are going to see and experience, thus curtailing anxieties. On a careers angle, this makes the process of our young people transferring the skills they have learnt on-site to their work placement smoother.

And from a medical perspective, it heightens the chances of a visit to a medical setting being successful.

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During Covid-19 lockdowns, Virtual Reality was also used as a substitute for experiences young people at Prior’s Court were missing out on, such as horse-riding or going on a roller coaster at a theme park, alleviating frustration caused by these activities being unavailable to conventionally access.

Elsewhere, using virtual reality with two students to explore a real-life city supports learning around communication, road safety, geography and more.

Success story The use of Virtual Reality has given the family of one of our young people an experience they had not been able to have for nine years – going on an overseas holiday.

For up to 20 minutes at a time over the course of three weeks, one of our young people, Bryony (the student’s name has been changed), used VR with Nuno and other members of staff.

Bryony experienced walking inside an airport, the noises and activities within an airport, and the sensations of being inside a plane. Simultaneously, staff members could wear a headset to see what Bryony was seeing, and so explain and reassure her.

VR gave Bryony the closest possible experience of being in an airport and on a plane without actually being there, breaking down a huge amount of the unknown which would cause her anxiety and extreme stress.

The VR headset usage was alongside airport and air travelthemed learning in class and in Bryony’s residential home on-site, with learning techniques such as matching activities and a schedule of tasks Bryony would need to complete at the airport.

Without this intensive work, in all likelihood Bryony’s parents would not even be able to attempt to fly with their daughter due to stresses caused on all parties.

Bryony’s mum reported: “It was so nice to have a family holiday abroad together. Thank you so much to the Prior’s Court staff for your support to make our holiday abroad possible.”

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Looking forward Prior’s Court has recently completed the creation of a dedicated Virtual Reality room (sessions were previously held within an IT suite) as a sign of the commitment to continuing to expand the range of the VR programme. This allows for one-to-one work and more intervention-led approaches.

Work is underway university researchers to explore if Virtual Reality is a more effective tool than visual instruction for developing and maintaining skills, particularly around vocational learning in Prior’s Court’s on-site bakery, Bread & Beyond.

Other projects include dog phobia therapy, supporting selfregulation approaches, and further one-to-one interventions, such as the project with Bryony.

Technology in the classroom Reflecting the pioneering IT career of its Founding Patron Dame Stephanie Shirley, Prior’s Court aspires to embed technology across its provision.

This includes: •

the use of gathering and analysing big data on its Prior Insight platform to better understand autism as a condition;

•

use of Microsoft tools to empower students to care for the environment, learn more about environmental issues, and share their progress;

•

creating communications and marketing design and print documents for on-site events as part of a work experience programme;

•

exploring using drones to support learning in literacy, numeracy and geography.

This approach is coupled with promoting safer use of technology across the Prior‘s Court community senmagazine.co.uk

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Providing the right SEND support at school – and beyond Rick Bell, Chair of the British Assistive Technology Association and Head of Education at Texthelp discusses the ways in which increased funding for SEND can best be used to promote positive outcomes

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ducation Minister Will Quince recently told MPs that the government’s long-awaited SEND review, published a few weeks ago, will be a “huge overhaul” of the system, with £2.6 billion in capital spending announced for special educational needs provision.

First launched in 2019, the review’s publication has certainly been a long time in coming. With more than 1.4 million pupils in English schools identified as having special educational needs, educators across the UK will be expecting to see a substantial sea change around SEND support in the report’s recommendations. There’s no doubt that more needs to be done to address the many failings in this area, both within education and beyond, especially following OFSTED’s warning about pupils facing a SEND cliff-edge once they leave school.

Technology as a learning tool Described as “game-changing”, the £2.6 billion mentioned in the review will clearly have a significant impact on the level of support provided to SEND pupils. While part of it will be invested in building more special schools, there’s considerable room, too, for improvements to be made in SEND support in mainstream schools.

“To create a far more inclusive and integrated learning experience” and customers at Texthelp, the ability for SEND pupils to learn in the same environment with their peers while making use of tools to subtly help their learning is an important factor in helping them feel integrated into the mainstream school setting.

As Hazel Lynch, an Education Officer, remarked on implementing edtech: “Our aim has been to ensure that we meet our accessibility requirements, while also giving every student with unidentified requirements unrestricted access to all the tools they need.”

Until recently, many products designed to make learning easier for these pupils were visibly obvious, somewhat counterproductive given that many students with SEND are anxious not to be singled out as being “different”.

Greater investment in dedicated educational technology products, games and services, for example, has the potential to create a far more inclusive and integrated learning experience for pupils with SEND. We know from feedback from our users senmagazine.co.uk

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“Support shouldn’t stop when a student leaves school” That’s not to say that all learning technology should be inconspicuous. Tools that transform speech to text or vice versa also encourage SEND pupils to independently demonstrate their learning which can be transformative in the home environment without direct teacher support.

Now, though, by allowing students to work without the need for visible assistance, and the attention this could draw to their learning difficulty, the use of edtech not only improves the learning experience but also removes a significant stress factor for many students with SEND. Tania Mackie, ICT in Learning Team at The Highland Council, sees ‘the value in every pupil having access to tools that help them access their learning’ as it can ‘only be a win-win for attainment and for outcomes for young people.’

Lifelong support Support shouldn’t stop when a student leaves school, of course. Norway offers an example of an approach to financial support that follows an individual from childhood into their working life. Students are invited to apply for the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) - similar to the UK’s Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) - from diagnosis, allowing them to access lifelong support through school, into higher education, and in the workplace.

The key aim of this approach is to provide citizens with SEND with the right services at every stage of their lives, and prevent them from being on benefits unnecessarily. In the UK, it’s hoped the proposed “disability passport” will do something similar, by preventing individuals with SEND from having to prove their right to help and support throughout their lives.

■ Find the right tech support.

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About the author Rick Bell is Head of Education at global technology company, Texthelp, and Chair of the British Assistive Technology Association.

He leads the Texthelp Education team in its mission to help students around the world to achieve their full potential. texthelp.com @TH_RickB @texthelp

Investing in training In addition to investment – in infrastructure, in technology, and in welfare of the students themselves – it’s vital that regular continuous professional development for educators in SEND is funded.

Training to work with SEND students is specialised and is critical if educators are going to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to integrate SEND student’s learning into mainstream lessons. This can involve educators receiving training on complex learning differences as well as social, emotional and mental health concerns.

With only 30% of specialist SEND educators receiving a formal, recognised certification, it’s increasingly important that continuous professional development becomes a focus - staying dynamic and keeping pace with the ever changing landscape of SEND challenges. The net must be cast wider to ensure that training moves beyond exclusively the SEND specialist and into the wider education community with a real purpose to ensure that every teacher can support SEND, and that every leader embeds and develops SEND provision. This must start in initial teacher training and aim to be formally embedded throughout a teacher’s career. With current training and certification focused heavily on awareness and practice, it’s clear that there is a need to create an approach to better embrace assistive technology (AT). Directly addressing a lack of awareness of AT and focusing on how AT can be best integrated into meaningful outcomes is key.

There’s a widely held feeling that SEND support and education has been overlooked and underinvested for too long, and it’s hoped that the publication of the government’s review will go some way to address this. Yet, there’s still a lot to be done if we are to improve the future for those students with special educational needs. senmagazine.co.uk

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Thousands of children and young people with a vision impairment lacking vital support in the classroom New research reveals that two in three primary and secondary school teachers lack confidence in teaching children with a vision impairment.

In a poll of just under 5,000 teachers, conducted by Teacher Tapp on behalf of Guide Dogs, 85 percent of teachers said working with specialist professionals would increase their confidence in helping students with visual impairments.

These findings come following the publication of the Government’s SEND Review, which contains policy proposals that could have a positive impact on the lives of children and young people with a vision impairment.

Guide Dogs is calling on the Government to prioritise the role of specialist professionals, such as habilitation workers or Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (QVTI), in the education of blind and partially sighted children.

Accessing services and support at the right time can be a gateway to increasing the confidence, happiness and independence of children and young people with a vision impairment, and can have a positive impact for parents, carers and families. senmagazine.co.uk

Guide Dogs is calling on the Education Secretary during the SEND Review consultation process to ensure that children and young people with vision impairment are not forgotten.

Guide Dogs is asking people to sign our open letter to make #AllThingsEqual: https://e-activist.com/page/92750/data/1 SEN118

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World Environment Day

promotional content

Engage with the environment this summer Fiona Goddard Education Consultant, Whizz Education Practical application in problem solving is a productive way to engage children of all abilities with new topics, particularly so with SEND students. With World Environment Day coming up on 5 June 2022, it is a great time to encourage children to learn about climate change and the environments in which they live and to support the development of a sustainable world. This huge, wide-ranging topic can be approached from an open perspective focusing on accessible tasks which are relevant for individuals or groups of students with different educational needs.

This summer, Whizz Education is partnering with PiXL (Partners in Excellence) to deliver a suite of free summer learning activities across disciplines that will focus on the topic of ‘Building for a Greener Future.’ Activities will be based around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 7, 9, 11 and 13. They will encourage children to learn about the environments in which they live and to support the development of a sustainable world using different cross curricular skills over the summer term and summer break.

By using rich and varied challenges, the key success factor is exploration rather than outcome. Involvement may be as simple as going for a walk and observing the patterns in bricks in the build environment. Discuss how different structures are made to withstand the elements. Maybe (with permission!) take some rubbings of the brick patterns or use Lego to construct a building or a bridge? Perhaps go and find out what’s in the recycling box and see what it could be re-used for?

The project is designed to be accessible for a range of abilities and guided by teachers or parents. A series of eight sections all contain open ended activities encouraging children to ‘go and investigate.’ Combined with appropriate support, they

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are designed to appeal, be as hands-on as possible and drive curiosity. Rather than instigate a prescriptive approach, we have put together some fun facts, suggested resources and discussion and starting points in the process of investigation.

From ‘Water is Power’ to ‘Energy in the Wind’ to ‘Build a Town’ there are no expectations, and students can work to their individual level focusing on small elements or all of a project.

It will work well for those with a range of learning difficulties as the extent of involvement can be individualised.

Developing an interest in climate change will help students to learn new skills in a practical way to increase learning. For example, students could measure rainfall, elevating maths skills by collecting and recording how many millilitres of liquid are captured on a daily basis. It may be possible to discuss how to make records and how they could be useful, fair and impactful in the future? Getting involved with Whizz Education’s collaborative summer project with PiXL might provide other inspirations for local interests too!

Discussing climate change, celebrating world environment day, having visitors speak about climate change, initiating projects for students to improve the sustainability of their own school (for example, by reducing food waste) or starting clubs to save the environment could have a profound impact on the future of the planet and can be used to cultivate cross curricular skills including mathematical knowledge too.

For further information and to access free resources from Whizz Education’s summer climate project please see: https://www.whizz.com/summer-challenge-2022/

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Wheelchair skills training Pete Donnelly has been using a wheelchair for 15 years. Here he tells us about his experience of wheelchair skills and what motivated him to start up The Wheelchair Skills College.

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don’t remember the accident itself. I think that a defence mechanism of the body to block out the trauma. What I do know is that when I woke up, life was in contrast to what it been a week earlier.

Leaving hospital, I was keen to get back to things that gave me a sense of normality. It was a mix of going back to adapted ways of doing old things like going back to college and trying out new things as well – playing wheelchair sport and driving with hand controls.

A motorbike accident at 19 years old had caused a shopping list of injuries. The most significant of my injuries was the break in my back that damaged my spinal cord causing paralysis from chest level down and thrusting me into a life I knew nothing about and cared little to know about before this point.

It was only through wheelchair skills training that I got an insight into what could really be achieved using a wheelchair. It was brilliant. No one can teach you as well as someone who has already walked, or rolled, that path.

Now that my legs didn’t work, I needed an alternative way to get around. Often seen as a symbol of disability, I was going to learn that the wheelchair was going to become my freedom.

There was no stopping me now. I returned home and was pushing myself further than I had before. No pun intended.

Learning these skills had such a big impact on me that I wanted

Having the skills to use any piece of equipment is essential to make sure that you can use it effectively. Having the skills to use a wheelchair is no different. It takes time, patience and dedication. senmagazine.co.uk

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“All of a sudden, the world seemed a lot more ... possible”

About the author Pete Donnelly, Founder and Managing Director, The Wheelchair Skills College.

Photo credit: Liva Puce

to give something back. A year later I trained to be a wheelchair skills trainer and have been doing it ever since.

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Learning wheelchair skills changed the way I looked at everything.

All of a sudden, the world seemed a lot more…possible.

@wheelchairskills

@wheelchairskill

Growing up I’d always had aspirations to travel, but the barriers had always seemed too big to make these dreams a reality.

Ironically, now I was using a wheelchair I no longer saw those barriers as something that was going to stop me, but obstacles that I needed to overcome.

I was lucky enough to go on a lot of trips over the next couple of years. The one that stands out as the ultimate test of my wheelchair skills started when I was volunteering at a spinal rehabilitation centre in Bangladesh.

It was my first time out to the sub-Asian continent. Or any of the Asian continent, come to think of it. I had the best time over there and for me it’s what travel is all about. Different sights, smells, tastes, language, cultural norms.

Case study ■ Learning wheelchair skills.

Katie Chapman, PMLD/Physical Development Lead at Watergate School Lewisham tells us about their wheelchair skills session.

The Wheelchair Skills College provided a fun and instructive session for our wheelchair sports team, the Watergate Whizzers. The session was tailored to meet the needs of each child and they all made progress as a result. Pete’s enthusiasm and a variety of activities kept them engaged and eager to learn throughout the morning.

Our pupils are determined to be as independent as possible and they all left the session with increased confidence and a greater ability to navigate their environments via self-propelling. They also learned some new skills to use in our rugby games. Each pupil demonstrated pride in their achievements and they were eager to show off their certificates!

The session was also beneficial to the school staff as they are now better equipped to encourage our children to be independent in using their wheelchairs throughout the school day.

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In a moment of inspiration, or madness depending how you look at it, I decided to travel back home to the UK from Bangladesh without flying. I called it ‘Rolling Back Home’ – 5,000 miles, 15 countries, 2 continents and 1 set of wheels.

It took me 5 months to roll back home. It was far from an easy journey. Most of it was inaccessible and a real challenge. Exactly what I wanted. There were a lot of times when my stomach dropped looking at the path in front of me. But I always found a way to keep moving forwards.

Wheelchair skills have made such a difference to my life.

Everything that I have achieved has been built on a foundation of being able to confidently use my wheelchair.

That’s why last year I set up The Wheelchair Skills College, with the aim of teaching wheelchair skills to every wheelchair user – all ages, all abilities.

To find out more about The Wheelchair Skills College visit wheelchairskills.org senmagazine.co.uk

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Play

Painting fantasy miniatures as a therapy Danny Bennet shares his experiences of the therapeutic effects of creating and painting fantasy miniatures in the classroom.

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n an Additional Support Needs (ASN) setting, we as practitioners are always looking for new approaches to engage our pupils and build developmental relationships that will help us to connect and teach the young people in our care. Over the last few months, I have been using the scifi and fantasy miniatures game Warhammer as a therapeutic tool to connect with my students and enable them to build relationships.

In the game, players collect forces of miniature plastic models and use them to play out clashes on a tabletop. Unlike a board game, where players’ moves are restricted to defined areas, players freely manoeuvre their units in any direction. Before playing, however, players must first assemble and paint their army miniatures. Historically, Warhammer has been a maledominated hobby so I am happy to report my findings in supporting sessions with a mostly all-female cohort.

Our school Closeburn House which is situated in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway, is a specialist, therapeutic educational establishment attached to a residential care unit, with facilities SEN118

“A therapeutic tool to connect with my students” for both day and residential pupils. We have a good reputation for providing a high standard of education to vulnerable young people with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. We are part of Outcomes First Group, innovators in education and care, and the UK’s leading provider of children’s services.

I was mostly able to resource our sessions with kind donations from a local toy shop, United Bricks based in Castle Douglas, and from the manufacturers of Warhammer, Games Workshop who supplied us with some paints, brushes, and models through their Warhammer Alliance schools initiative. senmagazine.co.uk

Play

“Playing would provide a relaxed therapeutic environment for the pupils” I hoped that an hour session a week of Warhammer building, painting, and playing would provide a relaxed therapeutic environment for the pupils to relax, de-stress and raise selfesteem by completing small manageable projects together. I hoped that pupils would work together, build relationships and mentor one another in the more relaxed setting and behaviours witnessed elsewhere in the school, like refusals, disagreements, arguing, swearing, and absconding would not manifest at the Warhammer club.

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About the author Danny Bennet is the Maths, Computing, and Business Studies teacher at Closeburn House school in Dumfries. holisticchildcare.co.uk @DannyJamesW92

It is also worth noting that Warhammer is an accepted hobby in the skills section of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. This means pupils participating in the club can develop these skills as progress towards their award, which is both prestigious and meaningful.

We begin each session by sitting together as a group and sharing paints, brushes, and models. The pupils talk about what they did the week before and excitedly discuss the progress they want to make that day. As their teacher I offer advice and provide some structure, however, the lessons are mostly pupil-led. Consistently the entire room feels settled, calm, and collaborative, with no outbursts, swearing, or pupils standing up and leaving the table. This prolonged type of behaviour is ■ Photo credit: David Rounce

unlike what is usually present in the rest of the school day and the children remark that they felt considerably more settled and relaxed having spent time painting and modelling with their peers. Typically, the pupils can be unwilling to work together and are very competitive but, in this setting, something changes, and the pupils are helpful, supportive, and kind.

As the pupils focus on their work the room is mostly silent with chatting occurring mostly about the models, however at one point a conversation did organically arise between three of the female pupils around posting pictures on Facebook, the pupils discussed the implications of being unsafe online and had an incredibly mature and insightful conversation about the potential dangers of being online and even shared some personal stories to the group. With our youngest pupil in the group being 13 and the oldest 16 this was a very positive conversation that possibly would not have happened in another context. The older pupil felt comfortable enough in the setting to share knowledge as a role model for their younger peer.

■ Photo credit: David Rounce

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“They could open up and talk about things they usually couldn’t for fear of being judged.”

■ Photo credit: David Rounce

For subsequent sessions, it was decided by pupils that we should hold a painting competition and that the staff and pupils of the school would vote for a winner!

Pupils worked hard on their models and gleefully showed them to each other and to the adults in the room. They theorised about who would win the competition and most of the pupils suggested pupils other than themselves would win. This seemed less about having low self-esteem about their own work and more about praising the work of their peers. The atmosphere in the class was positive and energetic.

With all models painted and presented a winner was chosen!

Pupils congratulated the winner with applause and all accepted the vote and were genuinely pleased for the winner who beamed with pride!

Other adults in the school who have observed the lessons have remarked at how calm, focussed and peaceful the pupils have been. During lesson time at the Warhammer club no arguments, disagreements, refusals, or absconding have taken place. It has been observed that pupils who have previously not had a good relationship were far more talkative and cooperative in the Warhammer lessons. These relationships continued more positively out in the wider school.

All students who participated in the Warhammer lessons were polled after each session, asked for their level of stress before the activity and then after. On every occasion, pupils rated their stress and anxiety as significantly lower after the session than what it had been before. Pupils reported feeling calmer, more relaxed, and no longer feeling upset or angry about problems that had happened earlier in the day. One student commented that during the sessions they could open up and talk about things they usually couldn’t for fear of being judged. Whilst at the club they felt listened to and cared for.

I have found leading these sessions to be an amazing opportunity to develop the relationships I have with the pupils and get to know them in a different context and setting in which we are usually based. Pupils in my other lessons have now started to show me more respect and have opened up and trusted me with information about themselves that they have not shared with others. This has resulted in me being able to fine-tune my professional practice to better support these individuals providing higher quality education and care.

My next steps will be to continue the club and aim to build the mastery of the students further in their building and painting.

I will also start to introduce the army building aspect of the game so that the pupils can participate in the gaming aspect of the hobby. This I hope will help the children develop deeper relationships with each other and develop further coping strategies for disappointment, competition, loss, and disagreement.

I enthusiastically recommend this hobby for use in all schools as a therapeutic tool for pupils to build relationships with one another and to gain confidence and self-esteem within an activity that develops an incredible amount of transferable skills.

■ Photo credit: David Rounce

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Don’t wait, give it a go, the results speak for themselves! Please don’t hesitate to reach out through email, or any of my socials for advice, guidance, or further information. senmagazine.co.uk

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Hearing Aids in Sport Katie Ogden, Training Manager of ReSound North-West Europe, has compiled a list of answers to common questions surrounding wearing hearing aids for sport.

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earing hearing aids for sport is recommended for a number of reasons, including improving safety, benefitting performance and bettering communication with teammates or those around you.

Benefits of using hearing aids for sport Playing sports outside can often be difficult for hearing aid users, with wind affecting their ability to hear clearly. That’s why it’s beneficial to choose a hearing aid that has been designed to eliminate wind interfering with your hearing, so you can enjoy playing sports outside.

Running Wearing a hearing aid whilst running, not only allows you to feel safer as you can hear your surroundings more clearly, but it also allows you to easily stream music for extra motivation or even listen to an encouraging podcast.

Cycling Wearing hearing aids will ensure you can enjoy a safer cycling experience and hear any directions or signals from others if you’re cycling in a group. Alternatively, if you’re cycling alone and want to listen to some music, you’ll be able to do so safely, whilst retaining the ability to hear surrounding noise like approaching traffic.

Golf Golf is a particularly windy sport, which means that there is often a lot of distracting background noise that makes it hard to hear others that you’re playing with. Wearing a hearing aid that is designed for tough weather conditions and reduces wind noise, will improve your hearing and make your day golfing a more pleasant experience.

Team sports Many team sports like rugby, football, basketball and cricket require you to easily and quickly hear and communicate with teammates. That’s why wearing a hearing aid is so important, as it allows you to better locate where noise is coming from and also hear the sound more clearly, making communication much easier.

How to make sure hearing aids stay in the ear Sport lock – The sport lock can be attached to your hearing aid by you and is designed to keep your hearing aid securely in place. The lock rests in your concha bowl, which is the area just outside of the ear canal, to prevent your hearing aid from falling out. senmagazine.co.uk

Hearing aid headband – Another option is choosing a headband specifically designed to hold your hearing aids securely in place, to avoid them being knocked out in any contact sports.

Children’s hearing aid clip – For younger children playing sport, there are also hearing aid clips that can be attached to the back of your child’s t–shirt and to the hearing aids, to prevent the aids from becoming lost if they fall out.

How to protect your hearing aids from moisture?

While hearing aids aren’t waterproof, the majority of them are water–resistant, meaning that they should be okay when coming into contact with rain or sweat. Some extra measures you can take to avoid any water–related damages to your hearing aids include: Hearing aid sweatbands – These absorbent bands fit right over your hearing aid to protect it from moisture, whether that be sweat or heavy rain.

Choice of hearing aid – Choose a hearing aid that has a protective coating inside and out to reduce the amount of moisture–related repairs in hearing aids.

Hats/helmets – Depending on the type of sport you’re playing, a hat or helmet can help to protect your hearing aids from heavy rainfall.

How to take care of your hearing aids?

After playing sport or exercising your hearing aids are bound to have come into contact with some form of moisture, whether that be rain or sweat, so how do you take care of them afterwards?

Frequent cleaning – If your hearing aids often come into contact with sweat, it’s important to clean them frequently to keep them in good condition. This includes wiping away any moisture on your hearing aids to prevent bacterial growth and removing any earwax or debris that could have built up.

Dry box/dehumidifier – After cleaning your hearing aids, you also need to make sure they dry before putting them back into your ears, and a great way to do this is with a dry box/ dehumidifier. You just need to keep in mind that some are not compatible with rechargeable hearing aids.

Cleaning kit – It’s also a good idea to invest in a proper hearing aid cleaning kit, to ensure you have the right tools and brushes to remove any debris safely from your hearing aids.

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First study of its kind to shed light on TV viewing habits of BSL users In a new study, researchers at Heriot-Watt University will undertake a comprehensive review of the television viewing habits of British Sign Language users.

interviews to build a detailed analysis of television viewing patterns.

At present, most television programmes are subtitled but not all include British Sign Language (BSL). This is despite advocacy groups estimating that 151,000 people rely on BSL in the UK, of whom 87,000 are deaf.

Dr Adam explains: “This project is an exciting milestone in deaf TV programming and it is hoped that this research will help identify preferences and trends.

This new 12-month study, entitled ‘Deaf BSL users’ preferences for watching television’, gets underway at the end of May and is funded by the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT), which commissions programme makers to include BSL in its output. Its findings will better inform decision-makers at the BSLBT when tailoring their TV programming schedule for the deaf community and put BSL at the centre of Deaf TV programming.

Principal investigator, Dr Robert Adam from the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies, will lead a team with Dr Annelies Kusters, Professor Jemina Napier and Professor Graham Turner from Heriot-Watt University.

They will gather data from BSL users from across the UK in the form of focus groups, video diaries and one-to-one senmagazine.co.uk

“Entertainment is very much a part of deaf lives and this study will go a long way in helping us to understand what deaf people like to watch.”

The Chair of the BSLBT Tim Patterson adds: “I am delighted that BSLBT will be working in partnership with Heriot Watt on this very important audience research project which will help us to get a better understanding of how our core target of Deaf BSL users engages with television in its broadest sense.”

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Numeracy

The national curriculum for maths is not inclusive Karen McGuigan presents research which demonstrates that an alternative approach to the GCSE Maths curriculum can have benefits for learners with SEN.

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he current National Curriculum for Mathematics is designed to achieve a GCSE. The GCSE syllabus is divided up into eleven years of schooling with the government advising the content, structure, and order to be covered year on year. Most mainstream schools nowadays purchase an off the shelf scheme of work to follow.

They provide lesson plans, videos, worksheets, homework, and some even offer ‘differentiated’ levels of bronze, silver, and gold challenges. They advocate ‘learning blocks’ – study a topic for several weeks and then move on. But don’t worry if you don’t get it, they will review everything you were meant to have learnt this year in a brief review session next year. It is like a skyscraper; students move up a floor every year. The issue is that, instead of taking the stairs and securing each incremental step, students can just hop in the lift and skip levels. They can take that lift right to the top, sit their GCSE, fail it, take a re-sit, fail that too. It’s only at this point they are offered an alternative path. “Why don’t you try Functional Skills maths at college?”

This GCSE focused curriculum is not inclusive. It is designed for a neurotypical average student and, in most cases, will be the most challenging maths students ever do. Teaching methods rely heavily on the use of short, long and working memory and many children with learning difficulties have challenges with one or more of these memory functions. To enable them to learn effectively, they need a different approach. They need an alternative pathway that enables them to secure the simple, functional, and relevant maths they need to use in everyday life.

“Systematic curricular approaches give pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils a better chance of success.” – OFSTED, Research review series: mathematics, May 2021.

There is an alternative to GCSE maths already in existence – the Functional Skills qualification – however, these are considered adult qualifications and largely only available after a student has failed at GCSE twice. The overwhelming majority of mainstream schools do not offer Functional Skills qualifications as they do not contribute to their ‘Progress 8’ score. Functional Skills are not on the DfE approved list of qualifications used to calculate a pupil’s Attainment 8 score.

The concept and structure of the Functional Skills qualification are more suited to students with SEN. They are based on SEN118

“No appetite, motivation, or commercial gain to invest in a different approach.” everyday life scenarios. Teaching and assessments can be delivered flexibly. There are five levels of attainment that students can work through and achieve. Ofqual has confirmed that there is no restriction on the Functional Skills qualification being used for younger students. However, all current awarding bodies focus on the adult market and existing content is not age appropriate for schools – primary or secondary. Without Government support and sanction there is no appetite, motivation, or commercial gain to invest in a different approach.

And even if the Government supported the concept, the last national curriculum maths change took five years from Michael Gove’s commissioned review in 2010 to roll out in schools in 2015.

Background statistics…

• 1.4 million (15.8%) of pupils in England have a Special Educational Need (GOV.UK 2020/21) • Almost 180,000 students had to re-sit GCSE mathematics in 2019 – of these, only 22.3% achieved a standard pass (grade 4) or above (Ofsted, May 2021) [I’ll do the maths for you… that’s appropriately 140,000 students who failed a second time!]

• 6% of adults with a learning difficulty known to their local authority in England are in paid work (NHS Digital 2018); 4.2% in Scotland (SCLD 2018) “Good numeracy is the best protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health.”

– Andreas Schleicher, OECD

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Numeracy

“Aims to provide a ‘functional’ path for students” Lance is 10 years old. He has Down syndrome. In five years’ time he will be doing his GCSEs. It is already too late for him.

It is a good job for Lance that his Mum saw this when he started school and has designed a path for him to follow. The Maths For Life programme aims to provide a ‘functional’ path for students from pre-school to enable them to work towards the Functional Skills qualification from the onset of their schooling.

Making the best use of their eleven years of maths education by focusing on understanding relevant life maths and ability to complete independently.

The Maths For Life programme can be implemented at school, college or at home. The age neutral approach to content means that it is accessible to all students from infants up to adults. It is currently in use at both mainstream and specialist settings at all educational levels – preschool, primary, secondary, and further educational college. It is recommended by the London Borough of Barnet for all students with Down syndrome.

Not only is the programme providing structure and content, Maths For Life is also taking the time to gather research on the maths learning profiles of students with SEN. Project Baseline launched over a year ago to establish an accurate view on mathematical attainment – considering not only the understanding of a mathematical concept but the ability to apply it independently. Using the Hierarchy of Independence, educators completed a baseline assessment with a student and submitted it for review (see figure 1). Supported by the Down syndrome community, the project has already amassed a large amount of data on students with Down syndrome.

The analysis was recently presented at the Down Syndrome Research Forum as part of a Maths Symposium with UCL and Surrey University.

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About the author Karen McGuigan is an education consultant with a goal to improve the image and attainment levels in maths for everyone. She is the author and founder of the Maths For Life programme. mathsforlife.com @themathsmum learn@mathsforlife.com

The overall attainment graphs (figure 2 & 3) show that there is continuous learning throughout primary school but the rate of learning plateaus in secondary school – whether mainstream or special. In primary school the rate of attainment is higher in KS1 than KS2. This suggests that a lack of differentiation or a tailored path to follow is a limiting factor to attainment.

■ Figure 2

■ Figure 3

■ Figure 1

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Numeracy

■ Figure 4

Trends at a maths topic level (figure 4) have identified strengths and weaknesses across all students with Down syndrome.

Conversation of numbers, cardinality in a non-linear format, subtraction, understanding of time passing and value of money have all been highlighted as topics of significant weakness. The Maths For Life programme is designed to ensure that these gaps, and all the foundations building blocks, are secured to enable attainment to continue onwards.

Starting in February 2021, a collaboration with the Down’s Syndrome Oxford charity group began. The goal was to run a year-long pilot to assess the impact of a parent-led Maths For Life programme on students ranging from age 4 to 18, attending both mainstream and specialist education settings.

Out of the 23 students who completed the programme, 100% demonstrated an improvement in overall mathematical attainment and increased independence at the +12-month review point. With the baseline data as a reference, the age adjusted attainment shows a positive impact, with primary age children improving by between 18 and 24 months on their peer averages. (Figure 5)

■ Functional teaching.

The Maths For Life programme is now being used for students with learning difficulties as well as an ‘intervention’ programme for those students affected by Covid. ‘’Our staff have found the resources easy to access, clear and strategically broken down into achievable targets. The children have benefitted and made progress where concepts are abstract, and love using the resources and ideas through Maths for Life.” - Emily Osabu-Matthews, SENDCo, Danegrove Primary School

■ Figure 5

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The Maths For Life programme opens the world of maths to a range of learners for whom the national curriculum timescale and structure just doesn’t work. It provides instant support to educators and helps those with learning difficulties develop the essential maths they need for life; improving their self-esteem, encouraging independence, and increasing their potential to achieve gainful employment as an adult. senmagazine.co.uk

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Tutoring

Online tutoring & SEN:

Common challenges, and tips for success Melanie Williams Browne looks at how tutoring and classroom education can work together to provide SEN pupils with the best learning experience possible.

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he last few years have seen a huge amount of change and demands on entire school communities. Whilst this has without doubt caused some challenges for children and young people with SEN, there is now the opportunity to provide bespoke support for pupils through online tutoring The recent NFER report, The Impact of Covid-19 on pupil attainment, painted a concerning picture with evidence of children and young people negatively impacted across the key stages. The report suggests that interventions and resources would be beneficial, especially reading in Key Stage 1 and maths in Key Stage 2, amongst other areas. So, where does tutoring fit to reduce this ‘Covid-gap’.

While some are a little unsure about how tutoring fits alongside their lesson plans, and are perhaps yet to see their schools engage in tutor-related activity, thousands of primary and secondary pupils continue to benefit. Pupils with SEN, in particular, could make significant leaps in their learning through the supplementary support of a tutor – and, with careful planning and processes in place, your own classes could reap the rewards.

What support is on offer?

Beginning in November 2020, the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) was launched, offering tuition for pupils whose education was affected by the pandemic. Originally intended to provide support for a year, the NTP has since been extended to run until 2024, now offering state-funded schools and academy SEN118

“Unsure about how tutoring fits alongside their lesson plans”

trusts specialised ring-fenced grants to source their own tutoring provision.

With Pearson seeing average assessment scores improve by two-thirds thanks to their online tutoring programme, which uses only qualified teachers, there is much to be gained for pupils, schools and settings.

Tutoring to support pupils with SEN – teachers’ perspective Whatever the level and aim for each pupil, whether to boost progress in reading, writing or maths at primary, or deliver subject-specific support and GCSE exam preparation at secondary, tutoring sessions have been shown to boost not only students’ academic progress but increase confidence, understanding and engagement.

With good, solid communication between teacher and tutor, students will benefit from the additional support on offer, and by using tutors who were previously qualified teachers, tutors senmagazine.co.uk

Tutoring

About the author

“Tutoring is a proven form of successful intervention”

Melanie Williams Browne is Head of Schools Tutoring at Pearson. pearson.com/uk/ educators/schools/ pearson-tutoringprogramme.html

can ensure they enhance classroom based teaching and ensure a joined up approach.

We’ve heard from several teachers how liaising and communicating with tutors, especially at the very start of the tutoring journey, ensured their pupils felt comfortable, fully supported and ready to learn.

Adele Key, a Year 6 teacher and deputy headteacher, who has several students with SEN being tutored with Pearson’s Tutoring Programme, said: “Using time at the start of a block of tuition sessions to meet the tutors online allowed us to develop a relationship from the start, which made it easier for the tutor to hit the ground running, and because they are all experienced teachers, they didn’t really need very much guidance at all once we’d given them the background to the children and their abilities.

“Working closely with the tutors and taking the time to marry up the tuition sessions with the concepts that we’re teaching in class also allows the children to benefit from additional support, working on the same topic at the same time with the tutors being able to pitch the work at just the right level for each child.

“We have met all of our children’s tutors and have built good relationships with them and as a result, our students are thriving.”

Tutoring to support teachers – a tutor’s perspective Pearson tutor, Natalie Musker, former primary school class teacher, has been tutoring students for the past 18 months and often tutors students with SEN. When considering her experience, Natalie said: “If teachers and tutors work together as a team, they can be a valuable, flexible resource for teachers to achieve maximum benefits for their pupils.

“I began my career as a primary school teacher so I understand the challenges and demands of a busy classroom and how difficult it is, as a teacher, to meet the individual needs of all the children in the class, particularly pupils with SEN and the highest attainers. I can use my knowledge, skills and experience to not only assist pupil learning but help ease teachers’ workload too.

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and even challenged the most able. For pupils with SEN, who often prefer the online style of learning, focus much better in smaller groups or need one-to-one tuition, and a quieter learning environment, students can progress their learning alongside their peers.

“Personally, I have found it extremely rewarding to work with pupils with SEN, in particular two boys with autism. My own nine-year old son has autism and is non-verbal. This was my reason for leaving teaching in the classroom but tutoring has given me the opportunity to use my teaching experience and the knowledge I have about autism and SEN as a parent to support pupils online.”

Tutoring is a proven form of successful intervention across the key stages. Although this is an approach you may not have embraced yet, as Emma Morris, Assistant Principal at Carshalton Boys Sports College has said: “Whether you feel tutoring is the right answer or not for your students, it’s definitely something to consider. It has worked for our students, and it could do the same for yours too.”

Top tips from teachers on tutoring •

Take the time to read tutor bios before booking sessions, one may suit a particular student over another

•

Talk to your tutors. It is vital that all tutors you decide to go with are provided with as much information as possible about their student. Likes and dislikes, ways of working, any challenges that may be experienced.

This could be a written document but conversations are invaluable

•

Be prepared for some admin and IT issues. Have support on hand, especially for the first sessions

•

Consider whether each pupil has the right devices/ connectivity to make the most of their tutoring experience

•

If you can, attend the first session. Although this may be time consuming, it will help your student feel at ease, allowing them to build a relationship with the tutor with the comfort of a familiar face.

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Professional support

Grace under pressure Paul Keenleyside describes methods of coaching used as a tool to support wellbeing and resilience in special school leadership.

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ver the last five years I have worked as a leadership and performance coach with a number of special school leaders and teams - from Executive Headteachers through to emerging leaders and classroom teams in complex needs settings. No matter their role and what faced them, each leader has displayed professionalism and resilience – ‘Grace under Pressure’.

Thinking about coaching for a leader’s wellbeing is so important for internal and external coaches in schools, and also for leaders who adopt a coaching style in their day-to-day work. So, how can this be achieved?

The importance of context Coaching in education is researched and familiar to many of us through the development of the national leadership programmes over more than a decade, including the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) and National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) etc.

Over that same decade schools nationally and internationally have developed their own internal coaching teams and SEN118

“The individual already has the insights and answers to the problems they face.” structures to support their development as institutions. School leaders are also well aware that coaching is one of the two most impactful and effective of leadership styles. It is a process that has at its core, the belief that the individual already has the insights and answers to the problems they face.

A skilled coach asks those questions that help an individual find the answers they need. ‘Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.’ (John Whitmore).

Coaching in special education settings has a specific contextual dimension. It has something to do with who we are, our inclusive values and how we live them – referred to by Martin Seligman as senmagazine.co.uk

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About the author

“If they are functioning well, they can help others better.”

Paul Keenleyside is Executive Director at Nisai Education Trust. nisai.com Paul was a key speaker at nasen Live 2021, exploring neurodiversity and online education.

Values In Action (VIA). Whilst leadership in our contexts is often distributed and takes the form of an interrelated High Performing Teams, wider organisational resilience relies extremely heavily on the personal resilience of the Senior Management Team of the school.

nasen.org.uk

That resilience has been sorely tested by the events of the last few years. Leaders at all levels in special education (as in all schools) have been repeatedly impacted by change and external direction over which there has been little or no control.

Learning about ‘good decisions’ Delivering workshops and coaching through late 2019 and 2020 helped to shape thinking about what the pressure of the pandemic was doing to our sense of being leaders. A recurring feature of the conversations was that making consistently ‘good’ decisions was becoming ever more complex and difficult despite pragmatic adaptation to different situations.

Colleagues would come into a coaching discussion with a ‘traditional’ subject to talk through – planning, team development, student concerns, relationships with stakeholders - but were also acknowledging some level of wider concerns about their leadership environment.

The conversations highlighted three areas where internal (school) and external (consultant) coaching could support leaders in making these ‘good’ decisions: •

Establishing awareness around all the different factors affecting the environment and performance. This is core to any good coaching conversation

•

Providing space for self-awareness and self-care, and prioritising wellbeing so that we are being ‘who we know we are’

•

Confirming, reminding and perhaps even re-finding the school leader as an ‘expert self’. This is often called having ‘conscious competence’.

Coaching differently As a coach there has been a value in creating a more structured form of conversation which gives space and time to look at professional wellbeing - and in supporting teachers and leaders to strengthen their sense of resilience and of being an ‘expert’.

If you are a coach in school, or if you are a coaching leader, what could you look at doing?

1. The most important thing is to help others – and particular leaders – to recognise that talking about themselves and putting themselves first is OK! If they are functioning well, they can help others better. The often used analogy from flights is crucial here – the ‘put the oxygen mask on yourself first’ principle.

2. Recognise that ‘time to talk’ in a professional and supportive space is precious. It won’t be taken for granted and no one will treat it lightly. It is helpful to make sure that there is a clear understanding (contract) that talking about personal wellbeing and concerns is OK and welcome as part of the conversation.

■ Reflect on the coaching.

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3. Think about the wellbeing questions and your own approach to them. Coaching conversations often start with a broad contextual question – one which shows regard for the person being coached and provides a starting point for the conversation. It is often something like ‘How are you coming into the room? What is happening for you? What is your level of resourcing/ energy at the moment?’ These questions are more important than ever so consciously use them - it is worth collecting some questions that you can use and that you are comfortable with.

4. Acknowledge when something around wellbeing and professional resilience appears in a conversation and make a clear response to it. Much of this we do naturally as part of line management – signposting to external support or HR for example - but in coaching conversations colleagues often identify small but significant actions and targets about their wellbeing that they want to achieve. They just need a positive and professional space to look at how to reach those targets for themselves - I’ve lost count of the number of ‘Dry January’ and ‘Sober October’ conversations I’ve had in the last two years!

5. There are some really good resources which help promote clarity and focus. These range from mindfulness and meditation sessions on YouTube to structured approaches to leadership that recognise the importance of our physical self in our work. It’s a good idea to have some ideas of where you could signpost colleagues to – and perhaps also explore some of these things ourselves.

Over the last few years I have used somatic and embodied leadership practices as tools to help leaders ‘listen’ to what their body is telling them (it is an incredibly valuable source of information) and to gain ‘centre’ and clearness in confusing and uncertain situations.

“Coaching others is an immensely powerful tool in schools” 6. Finally - accentuate the positive! There are some very useful models to support great conversations with colleagues that taps into their sense of ‘self as expert’ and the richness of their own experience. This allows for reflection on previous success and the translation of this into now and future actions. I use an Appreciative Inquiry Model for conversations – as teachers, it is familiar to us as the www/ebi construct: a. What successes would you like to acknowledge? b. What challenges have you encountered? c. What supported you in handling these challenges? d. How could you make the outcome even better?

If needed this can be expanded into the ‘SOAR’ framework to help colleagues manage more complex situations: e. Strengths – what can you build on? f. Opportunities – what are people asking you for? g. Aspirations – what do you really care about? h. Results – how will you know you’ve been successful?

Coaching others is an immensely powerful tool in schools and we are just beginning to really appreciate just how great the potential is. What we may have learned over the last few years is that it can be a tool that supports ‘whole person’ decision making when we face uncertainty and complexity.

■ Coaching a colleague.

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Professional support

Getting teaching right Colin May offers guidance and advice to SEN teachers and support workers, identifying the key elements of successful teaching practice.

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ver the past 40 years, I have worked with people with additional needs. I have felt inspired and energised by the children, young people and adults I have taught and worked with but as I am sure you have experienced too, it can be all too easy to become a little disheartened.

A good day can sometimes be tarnished by a difficult end and will be the one thing we reflect upon when we go home.

However, now that I have retired from my post as a Deputy in a special school and can relax in my new role as a learning support assistant, I can happily ponder on the fantastic opportunities I have had and the many things I have learnt!

From me to you, here is what I feel is important in teaching and learning.

Getting the right team There is never one thing that is the golden ticket to successful learning, but I do know that positive relationships are the key to all of our work. Just recently I attended a training day in a large, mainstream community secondary school on restorative approaches and was so heartened that the trainer focused from the start on the importance of developing genuine, empathetic and reciprocal relationships.

To ensure that we are valuing everything that our students bring, leaders must foster and model positive relationships with their team. I have had the benefit of working with an amazing head teacher who quietly demonstrated what she believed in through all of her interactions.

However, it’s important to note that no amount of role modelling can change the approaches of everyone so it is vital to ensure that you surround yourself with the right people from the start.

This means people who share the same values, who are able to foster and develop and fundamentally, ensure that the needs of your students are at the heart of everything.

“Positive relationships are the key to all of our work.”

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Professional support

“Outcomes need to be reinforced through day-to-day conversations”

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About the author Colin May was awarded the SEN Leader of the Year at the 2021 nasen Awards.

Effective training and learning Teachers and supporting staff need to have access to regular, high-quality training and CPD. Granted, it is never easy to get people out of class or even attend training after school but ensuring that specialist training is gained, shared and embedded in practice is vital.

However, don’t always think external training is the best option.

Good quality in-house training is where you can really ensure that the school’s values are communicated. Outcomes need to be reinforced through day-to-day conversations but nothing replaces those lovely moments in whole school training when you can see the room buzzing with conversation about a new initiative. Some of my most special memories over the years are of short, punchy whole school meetings where we are all together discussing things that really matter.

It’s also essential that you keep abreast of new developments but for me, there have been two fundamental learning initiatives that have formed the bedrock of my practice.

A workshop on Gentle Teaching, led by Dan Hobbs 25 years ago was so enlightening for me. His principle of interdependence, and the importance of loving and caring relationships seemed to encapsulate all that I had felt for years but had never really seen presented as a cohesive programme. When I began to embed the principles and understand the world from our students’ perspective, it really helped.

Equally, seeing the simple, intuitive work of Phoebe Caldwell has been crucial in my understanding of the fundamentals of communication. The importance of being able to observe and move into a young person’s world without imposing your own will or opinion is vital and to me, it’s the ‘Holy Grail’ when it comes to working with children and young people with additional needs.

Over the years, communicating these approaches to my team has been imperative, creating a common way of doing things.

Sometimes I feel that we can be swept away by the latest scheme, diverted from what we know best – it is important that we hold on to those things that we know to be right.

Creative planning An effective, flexible, focused, individualised, child friendly, responsive and meaningful curriculum should be what we deliver, but of course it is so hard to weave all that we feel is important into an integrated whole. senmagazine.co.uk

In my current role I am directly supporting children with additional needs. I could spend every evening planning and creating resources for the children I work with. However, to make learning truly individual and targeted, we need huge amounts of resources. But there are many tried and tested approaches out there that can help you.

The attention autism approach of Gina Davis has really helped me find ways to support children to focus and I am still a big fan of the Derbyshire scheme and the work of Charlotte Childs when it comes to speech and language resources.

Trying to fit everything together into an engaging whole is elusive. However, I have always tried to remember the words of education expert Charles Desforges who told us to ‘watch the till’ – make sure that what we are doing is making a difference.

Understanding our children The progress around neurological research and understanding mental health has helped make huge strides in how we approach our children’s needs. Nobody ‘blames’ children for their anxiety and distress anymore. I have found the work of Dr Margot Sunderland and Dr Andrew Curran truly inspirational and it has had a clear impact on our practice in school. Likewise, the work of Louise Bomber on attachment and the research into early trauma is helping us to create an environment where we can focus on the individual needs of the child and contextualise their experiences.

I have been lucky enough to work at a time when we are really beginning to try and get to the heart of the needs of children with additional needs. There is a wealth of knowledge out there to ensure that we have the right tools and resources to get things just right for our children and young people. But what I do know is that we need to have the right team of people to use those tools, who are supportive, conscientious, reflective and kind. With the right group of people, working to a collective goal, our children and young people can, and will, flourish.

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Book reviews

Book reviews What Really Works in Special and Inclusive Education: Using Evidence -Based Teaching Strategies ( 3rd Edition)

D. Mitchell and D. Sutherland

The authors are based at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, with many publications in the fields of special and inclusive education, human communication and evidence-based practice.

This is a fully revised and updated edition, which presents teachers with a range of up-to-date evidence-based strategies to support inclusive education.

Each strategy is clearly outlined and the associated evidence summarised , with identification of any associated risks and further reading recommendations. The strategies for helping students with improving phonological

awareness, for example, are broken down into listening, word-level and syllable strategies, as well as activities to develop awareness of sound structures in words and rhyming. The authors also provide extensive research evidence relating to this, and make specific references to learners with complex communication needs.

This is a well-structured and readable book that provides the reader with excellent summaries of an extensive range of approaches that ‘really work’ for inclusion. It combines very thorough academic research with best professional practice and is essential reading, particularly for leadership teams.

Routledge (Taylor Francis Group) ISBN: 978-1-138-39315-8 Price: £34.99

Across the Spectrum:

A Journey Towards Understanding and Supporting Individuals With Autism

F. Brower and K. MacKenzie Cox

The authors share experience of working as headteachers in specialist schools/ provision and Francine Brower has also worked as a review team leader and area coordinator for the National Autistic Society. They have been involved in a variety of settings, supporting individuals with autism from early childhood to adulthood and this book contains examples taken from these settings and in consultation with staff, parents and the diversity of the children, young people and adults on the spectrum of autism.

The ethics of the book draws on a quote from Temple Grandin: ‘You can’t make me into something I’m not …

You’ve got to meet halfway’.

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Chapters include useful tips that are in highlighted boxes for ease of access and conclude with ‘takeaway’ summary points. There are also illustrative case studies, a glossary and a guide to further reading and resources.

This is a readable and informative text that covers the diverse presentations of autism and helps all those who work with those on the spectrum and support them in their daily lives.

There is a focus on practical solutions, creative strategies and interventions, based on the author’s belief that all individuals should be given the respect and the value that is deserved and that communities will be welcoming and supportive.

Bloomsbury Education ISBN: 978-1-4729-8452-4 Price: £24.99

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by Mary Mountstephen

Interoception and Regulation:

Teaching Skills of Body Awareness and Supporting Connection with Others

E. Goodall and C. Brownlow

The authors share university research experience as well as publishing in the of autism and leading a Neurodiversity research team in the centre for Health Research at the University of Southern Queensland.

the identification of interoceptive skills in a school-based intervention in Australia. This includes a number of statements such as: ‘I know when I am starting to get anxious’, linked to an understanding of her internal signals related to this and ways to respond in a helpful way.

Activities are also included with simple line illustrations to describe and explain how interventions work in action.

Dr Wenn Lawson provides an insightful introduction to the book, which is followed by an opening chapter that provides information about interoception, based on the authors’ experiences as researchers exploring this ‘eighth sense ‘.

This is a useful introduction to the concept of interoception and its significant role in self-regulation.

The book includes a useful tracking tool developed by Emma Goodall to help support

Jessica Kingsley Publishers ISBN: 978-1-78775-728-8 Price: £13.99

The Headteacher’s Handbook:

The Essential Guide to Leading a Primary School

R. Snape

Rae Snape has extensive experience in leadership and is currently head of a primary school, a National Leader of Education and the co-founder of a festival of education.

The book is divided into eight parts: • Settling into your new headship • Vision and culture • Building a staff team • Accountability • Building a community • Curriculum, assessment and pedagogy • Handling the day-to-day • Staying the course

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Snape draws on the experience of other professionals and each chapter follows a similar format providing expert advice about all aspects of headship, from practical matters such as induction checklists to formulating and maintaining the school vision.

The book addresses inclusion, equality and diversity, behaviour management and SEN, providing clear, practical advice that would be of value to all new and aspiring headteachers.

Bloomsbury Education ISBN: 978-1-4729-7542-3 Price: £24.99

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TITLE Nutrition

Nutrition and hydration for children and young people with complex care needs Eileen Lock outlines the key principles for providing a balanced nutritional regime.

T

he food and drink we consume plays a vital role in our health and wellbeing, including how we function and feel. This is especially true for children and young people with complex care needs as they are growing and developing.

Generally, this should include a carefully balanced diet that encompasses all the nutrients children and young people need for energy, strength and immune support. Without it, they are vulnerable to a variety of complications that can be detrimental to their health.

What does good nutrition and hydration look like?

“A variety of complications that can be detrimental to their health.”

Protein Found in dairy products like milk, eggs and cheese, as well as meats and fish, protein is important in assisting the body to replenish or repair cells and tissue.

Good nutrition and hydration goes beyond eating an apple and drinking a glass of water. To ensure children and young people remain healthy, they need a varied diet with a healthy balance of:

Vitamins

Carbohydrates

Minerals

This provides energy for basic human functions such as breathing, circulation, producing hormones and new tissue.

Examples of foods in this group include pasta, bread, rice and potatoes.

Minerals like calcium and iron support us to maintain healthy bones, teeth and transport good levels of oxygen through blood cells. Milk products provide calcium and leafy spinach is full of iron.

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Vital in supporting the absorption of energy from foods, blood clotting, and developing a strong immune system. The best way to get vitamins is from a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.

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Fibre What goes in, must come out. Fibre is the body’s key to removing waste products via the bowel. Nuts, seeds, wholemeal foods, fruit and vegetables are typically high in fibre!

About the author Eileen Lock is the Managing Director for Children’s Complex Care by Voyage Care. She has over 30 years of experience in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, Clinician and Manager in both the NHS and private sector.

Water Water is the main chemical component of the human body, accountable for between 50% to 80% of us, depending on our age. Without it, our bodies can’t complete the functions we need to live. This includes digesting food, absorbing nutrients, maintaining brain function, controlling our temperature, removing waste products, avoiding infection and blood circulation.

voyagecare.com/childrenscomplex-care/

Why is it important?

@VoyageCareLtd

Nutrition and hydration plays a vital role as children and young people grow and develop. If neglected, it can lead to malnutrition and dehydration, both of which can have serious implications on quality of life and medical outcomes, by increasing susceptibility to illness and infection.

Malnutrition This term is often used if someone’s diet contains an imbalance of nutrients required to function properly. This could include lack of protein, vitamins and minerals, all of which can cause adverse effects on body functioning, health and wellbeing.

People lacking essential nourishment suffer from:

@voyagecareltd

“Reducing functionality and increasing their risk of clinical implications.”

•

muscle weakness

•

extreme tiredness

•

increased infections

•

constipation

•

lack of energy

•

gaining or losing weight

Signs of dehydration can include:

•

changes in behaviour

•

tiredness

•

poor wound healing

•

headaches

•

lack of concentration

•

feeling thirsty

•

dry mouth, lips and eyes

•

dark and strong-smelling urine

•

lightheaded and dizziness

Dehydration Children and young people typically have more water in their bodies than adults. This makes them more vulnerable

to dehydration. If there’s a lack of fluid in the body, they’re unlikely to maintain good health, reducing functionality and increasing their risk of clinical implications.

It’s important to remember our bodies lose water throughout the day; when we go to the toilet, when we sweat, and even when we breathe. Ensuring children and young people drink plenty and often, is the best way to avoid accidental dehydration.

Children and young people with complex care needs Children and young people with complex care needs sometimes have poor nutrition or are at risk of dehydration due to health conditions, medications or illness. There are several factors to consider when developing a tailored nutrition and hydration plan for these children and young people.

■ Providing the right nutrition.

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Nutrition

For example, they may be unable to suck and swallow, meaning food can enter the lungs rather than the stomach, typically known as aspiration. In these cases, nutritional support might be required in a liquid form via a tube to ensure they receive the right nutrients.

Similarly, certain medications can influence appetite, food intake, nutrient absorption and bowel functions. This has a direct impact on children and young people’s ability to sustain the right levels of nutrition and hydration, and adjustments to intake will be required to counteract side effects.

Children and young people with complex care needs can also develop food aversions, which is an intolerance to certain textures, flavours and food groups. This can limit the variety of foods consumed and cause a deficiency in nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

In addition to this, children and young people might require a specialist diet to manage their symptoms for certain medical conditions. For example, a ketogenic diet may be used to control epilepsy. This requires high fat and low carbohydrate intake, and supplementation is needed to support nutrient intake.

Finally, some children with mobility problems can also become severely constipated. This will dictate the food and drink they need to consume to overcome this, for example, eating more fibre than a typical daily intake.

Support and interventions Often, children and young people with complex care needs will need additional support to eat or drink. This is sometimes done through a tube and a liquid feed, but other simple steps can also ensure vulnerable people get enough nutrients and fluids to function and remain healthy.

Fortified Foods Fortified foods add nutrients, vitamins and minerals to foods that don’t typically contain them. This increases nutritional content and provides additional health benefits. These foods are important for children with complex needs who struggle to gain nutritional value from food.

Texture modification Texture modification is a simple way of making food and drink safer to consume. There are four key categories; liquidised, pureed, minced and moist or soft and bitesize. The texture chosen is dependent on the needs of the individual and is usually advised by a dietician. This technique is ideal for children and young people with swallowing difficulties, and for those with food aversions.

Portion size Portion sizes are a good way of controlling the nutritional value children and young people receive. For example, those with mobility issues may need smaller portions to reduce the risk of obesity.

Most of these interventions are short-term fixes, but others can be permanent, long-term solutions, depending on the child or young person’s needs. Either way, they help to remove nutrition and hydration barriers, ensuring those that struggle to eat and drink, receive vital nutrients and fluids to keep them as healthy as possible.

Useful Resources For children and young people with complex care needs, nutrition and hydration support should be supported by an expert dietitian and speech therapist.

They will monitor growth measurements carefully and ensure that children and young people meet their expected milestones.

Some informative resources for parents or care givers that provide useful information about children and young people’s nutrition and hydration needs include: British Nutrition Foundation – Hydration posters for different ages: nutrition.org.uk First Steps Nutrition Trust - Independent public health nutrition charity: firststepsnutrition.org Start 4 Life by the NHS: nhs.uk/start4life PINNT – national, independent charity for families adapting to life on home artificial nutrition: pinnt.com/Home.aspx Contact – Charity for families with disabled children: contact.org.uk BAPEN – charity that works to raise awareness of malnutrition in the UK: bapen.org.uk Unilever – texture modification guidelines: bit.ly/3jg8zWo

■ Drinking plenty of water.

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CPD, training and events

ARFID: An Introduction to Diagnosis and Management Winchester University

The Centre for Child Mental Health

SENCo’s can be instrumental influences in helping children with ARFID to not just cope but thrive.

To book your place on a CPD accredited course search ARFID:

Webinar 020 7354 2913

Course Leader Rosan Meyer

https://bit.ly/3jrXKke

Functional Skills in English and Maths

Orchard Hill College & Academy Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust offer Functional Skills in English and Maths for individuals without a Level 1 or 2 qualification who wish to improve their skills.

To find out more or to apply for September 2022 email enquiries@orchardhill.ac.uk or call 0345 402 0453

Online education from New Skills Academy Online

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 a 76% discount on all courses this month. newskillsacademy.co.uk/ courses/teaching/?ref=32

senmagazine.co.uk

Attachment: What every teacher and child professional needs to know info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

SEND Group

The SENCo Innovation Course Online Course

This course offers the opportunity to explore and develop your practice related to the role of SENDCo £79.00

sendgroup.co.uk/product/thesenco-innovation-course/

The Centre for Child Mental Health

Using arts and imagery to help children and teenagers talk about their life

Webinar with Dr Margot Sunderland (child expert, award-winning author)

020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

The Centre for Child Mental Health

Attachment play for primary aged children (4-11 years) Webinar 020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

childmentalhealthcentre.org/ webinars/webinars-singleviewers

British Psychological Society

Free equality, diversity and inclusion webinars

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‘ReboundTherapy.org’ The official UK body and international consultancy for

Online courses

Rebound Therapy. Responsible

Log into BPS Learn for free webinars on EDI topics including decolonising the curriculum, men’s mental health, talking about class in psychology, and diversity among LGBTQ+ people. cpd@bps.org.uk

for the development and delivery of the genuine ‘Eddy Anderson model’ accredited and approved training courses.

Founded 1972.

0330 122 5684 reboundtherapy.org

learn.bps.org.uk

National Autistic Society

Autism inclusion Award Online course

British Psychological Society

Introduction to childhood trauma, eating and weight

An award aimed at mainstream providers in education, general health, community activities and the criminal justice system.

Webinar

autism.org.uk/what-we-do/bestpractice/accreditation

trauma and shame in eating

British Psychological Society

How to support neurodiverse individuals working remotely during the new normal and COVID-19

This recorded webinar will help you to understand types of childhood trauma, the role of disorders, and how to go about discussing eating disorders with students or clients. cpd@bps.org.uk learn.bps.org.uk

Webinar

A webinar for those who work with neurodiverse people to learn more about what neurodiversity looks like in the workplace and what support can be useful for neurodiverse individuals when working remotely. cpd@bps.org.uk

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

learn.bps.org.uk

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CPD, training and events

MAY 2022 7 May 2022 (Saturday) The Centre for Child Mental Health

Enabling Children to Speak About Feelings through Art and Clay 10:00 - 17:00 | Cost £99

020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

19 May 2022 The Centre for Child Mental Health

Tricky Behaviours, Troubled Souls: Working with Children with Challenging Behaviours Live Stream Event

Thursday event 17:00 - 18:30 | Cost £20

020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

childmentalhealthcentre.org

childmentalhealthcentre.org

10 May 2022

21 May 2022

Ajuda Training Academy

The Mental Health & Wellbeing Show The Mental Health & Wellbeing Show is an inspiring live show in Cardiff City Hall. Frank Bruno MBE is a keynote speaker with another 40 seminars and 50 exhibitors to see, all focused on improving mental health!. eventbrite.co.uk/e/mentalhealth-wellbeing-show-2022tickets-151045441983

17 May 2022 Disabled Living

Kidz to Adultz South

Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre Back Live! 09:30 - 16:30 An event dedicated to children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs, their parents, carers and the professionals who support them. Book your free ticket: kidzexhibitions.co.uk/kidz-south

NAPLIC

Conference - Developmental Language Disorder (DLD): Thinking Of The Future

Join NAPLIC, the national organisation and community of teachers, speech and language therapists and other professionals, to receive member benefits, including a discounted rate at this year’s Conference naplic.org.uk

24-27 May 2022 Edge Services

Level 4 ROSPA Accredited Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainers Certificate Edinburgh

This course will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to train others in the moving and handling of children/young adults and how to conduct manual handling risk assessments. edgeservices.co.uk

JUNE 2022 7 and 8 June 2022 National Autistic Society

Understanding and supporting autistic people

An introductory course based on the SPELL framework that builds your knowledge of autism and how to support autistic children and adults. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

7 and 8 June 2022 National Autistic Society

Sexuality, relationships and autism training Explore issues related to autistic people and sexuality including boundaries, friendships and relationships. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

7-9 June 2022

10 and 11 June 2022

The Autism Show

in association with the National Autistic Society Manchester Central

The Autism Show, the national event for autism, attracts over 10,000 parents, carers, and professionals looking for trusted information, practical advice, and specialist products and services. Choose from over 100 hours of CPD certified talks, clinics and workshops.

Book your tickets now and save 20% manchester.autismshow.co.uk

13 and 14 June 2022 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.

National Autistic Society

autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

Online training

15 June 2022

EarlyBird licensed user training

This licensed user training is for professionals who support parents and carers of autistic children under five years through out EarlyBird programme. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

9 June 2022 The Centre for Child Mental Health

Therapeutic Storytelling: Key Tools, Techniques and Interventions Live Stream Event Thursday event 17:00 - 18:30 | Cost £20

020 7354 2913

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

Chiltern Music Therapy

Using Music to Support Children and Young People with SEND

Online training 16:30 - 18:30 | Cost £35 This training explores the use of music to support learning, development and mental wellbeing for children and young people with SEND, leaving participants full of ideas, inspiration and strategies to try out. chilternmusictherapy.co.uk/ training-events/send

17 and 18 June 2022

The Autism Show

in association with the National Autistic Society ExCel London

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

The Autism Show, the national event for autism, attracts over 10,000 parents, carers, and professionals looking for trusted information, practical advice, and specialist products and services. Choose from over 100 hours of CPD certified talks, clinics and workshops.

Book your tickets now and save 20% london.autismshow.co.uk

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TEACCH®

Autism programme 3 DAY TRAINING COURSE 20-22 June 2022 - 3 days - £410.00 January 2023 - 3 days dates TBA

23 June 2022

28-30 June 2022

The Centre for Child Mental Health

National Autistic Society

How to Have Conversations with Child Survivors of Domestic Abuse and the Facilitation of Parent-Child Dialogues Live Stream Event

Thursday event 17:00 - 18:30 | Cost £20

Course led by:

Professor of Psychiatry Laura Grofer Klinger Clinical psychologist, PhD Executive Dir. of the TEACCH® Autism Programme This induction training is most appropriate for educators, therapists, administrators, paraprofessionals & families AM/PM refreshments & light lunch

199-203 Blandford Ave Kettering Northants NN16 9AT Tel/Fax: 01536 523274 Email: autism@autismuk.com Book on-line: www.autismuk.com 21 June 2022

22 June 2022

National Autistic Society

National Autistic Society

EarlyBird Upgrade licensed user training This training is for licensed EarlyBird Plus users that want to upgrade their licence to include EarlyBird. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

21-22 June 2022

EarlyBird Plus Upgrade licensed user training This training is for licensed EarlyBird users that want to upgrade their licence to include EarlyBird Plus. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

T: 020 7354 2913 E: info@ childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org/

24 and 25 June 2022

The Autism Show

in association with the National Autistic Society NEC Birmingham

The Autism Show, the national event for autism, attracts over 10,000 parents, carers, and professionals looking for trusted information, practical advice, and specialist products and services. Choose from over 100 hours of CPD certified talks, clinics and workshops.

Book your tickets now and save 20%

EarlyBird Plus licensed user training This licensed user training is for professionals who support parents and carers of autistic children aged four to nine. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

28 June - 1 July 2022 Edge Services

Level 4 ROSPA Accredited Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainers Certificate Birmingham This course will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to train others in the moving and handling of children/young adults and how to conduct manual handling risk assessments. edgeservices.co.uk

JULY 2022 5, 6 and 7 July 2022

birmingham.autismshow.co.uk

28 and 29 June 2022 National Autistic Society

Autism and SPELL in higher education An introduction to autism and the SPELL framework for higher education professionals. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

National Autistic Society

EarlyBird licensed user training This licensed user training is for professionals to support parents and carers of autistic children under five years old through our EarlyBird programme. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

Edge Services

Level 4 Advanced ROSPA Accredited Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainers Certificate (Refresher/Update) Brighton This course will further advance your professional development training others in the moving and handling of children/young adults and provide you with a valuable opportunity to trade experience with others. edgeservices.co.uk

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Introduction & Application to the

SCERTS Model

2 DAY TRAINING COURSE 23-24 June 2022 - 2 days - £280.00 January 2023 - 2 days - TBA

Using the SCERTS curriculum & practice principles to design programming for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Course led by: Emily Rubin MS, CCC-SLP Director

This training is appropriate for: educators, therapists, administrators, paraprofessionals & families AM/PM refreshments & light lunch

199-203 Blandford Ave Kettering Northants NN16 9AT Tel/Fax: 01536 523274 Email: autism@autismuk.com Book on-line: www.autismuk.com

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7 July 2021

12-15 July 2022

Disabled Living

Edge Services

Kidz to Adultz Wales & West International Convention Centre Wales (ICC) Newport, Wales Back Live! 09:30 - 16:30 An event dedicated to children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs, their parents, carers and the professionals who support them. Book your free ticket: kidzexhibitions.co.uk/kidzwales/

7 July 2022 (Thursday) The Centre for Child Mental Health

The Use of Clay in Therapeutic Work with Individuals and Families Live Stream Event 17:00 - 18:30 | Cost: £20

020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org childmentalhealthcentre.org

12 July 2022 National Autistic Society

Understanding autism in the workplace This course aims to introduce autism through discussing the main areas of difference and providing an increased awareness of how autistic people may experience the workplace.

Level 4 ROSPA Accredited Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainers Certificate Brighton This course will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to train others in the moving and handling of children/young adults and how to conduct manual handling risk assessments. edgeservices.co.uk

13-15 July 2022 National Autistic Society

Teen Life licensed user training Become a Teen Life licensed user and help support parents and carers of young autistic people aged 10 to 16. autism.org.uk/what-we-do/ professional-development/ training-and-conferences

21 July 2022

SEPTEMBER 2022 8 September 2022 Disabled Living

Kidz to Adultz Scotland

Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh

Back Live! 09:30 - 16:30 An event dedicated to children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs, their parents, carers and the professionals who support them. Book your free ticket: kidzexhibitions.co.uk/kidzscotland

OCTOBER 2022 5-6 October 2022

Live Stream Event Time: 17:00 - 18:30 | Cost: £20

autism.org.uk/what-we-do/

020 7354 2913

professional-development/

info@childmentalhealthcentre.org

training-and-conferences

childmentalhealthcentre.org

NSM Training & Consultancy

The National Education Show Cardiff

The organisers are committed to provide education staff with the knowledge, resources and expert guidance to inspire, support, empower and develop great learners.

As well showcase the latest products and services with over 140 exhibitors, making it an event not to be missed. Visit our website here for further information. nationaleducationshow.com

7-8 October 2022 Mark Allen Group

Terrapin

Tes SEND Show 2022

RAI Amsterdam

The UK’s leading SEND show returns in October and gives you the tools, resources and support to empower young learners with SEN. Register your interest in the show now and ensure you’re the first to know when our packed programme of content is released!

EDUtech Europe EDUtech is coming to Europe.

Leading minds in education from across Europe will be presenting stories, showcasing innovation and inspiring educators across the region.

Plus, the very best EdTech solution providers will be demonstrating the latest technology innovations that are changing the way education is delivered. terrapinn.com/exhibition/ edutech-europe

Centre for Child Mental Health

Addressing TraumaBased Shame in Children Who Hate Themselves

7 October 2022

Islington, London

tessendshow.co.uk/registerinterest

18-21 October 2022 Edge Services

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

Level 4 ROSPA Accredited Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainers Certificate Glasgow

This course will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to train others in the moving and handling of children/young adults and how to conduct manual handling risk assessments. edgeservices.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2022 17 November 2021 Disabled Living

Kidz to Adultz North NEW VENUE! Exhibition Centre Liverpool

Back Live! 09:30 - 16:30 An event dedicated to children and young adults with disabilities and additional needs, their parents, carers and the professionals who support them. Book your free ticket: kidzexhibitions.co.uk/kidz-north

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SEN resources directory

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SEN resources directory Information, advice and support for all things SEN. Full directory now available on the SEN Magazine website - senmagazine.co.uk/sen-resources ADHD

Learning disability

Rebound therapy

ADHD Foundation

BILD

ReboundTherapy.org

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

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

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

Law

Autism National Autistic Society

Douglas Silas Solicitors

Help and information for those affected

by ASD. autism.org.uk

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

SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

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

Literacy National Literacy Trust Literacy charity for adults and children. literacytrust.org.uk

Mental health

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

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

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

MIND

RNIB

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

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

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

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

Epilepsy Epilepsy Action Advice and information on epilepsy. epilepsy.org.uk senmagazine.co.uk

The esSENtial read

Looking for specialist help?

Equipment? Resources?

Visit the new SEN Magazine Resource Directory online. senmagazine.co.uk/sen-resources 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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