SEN Magazine - SEN65 - Jly/Aug 2013

July • August 2013 Issue 65

Who cares?

What does the future hold for children in care?

Supporting the VI learner

Practical tips to aid achievement

Without a voice Are thousands of children being deprived of the communication aid they need?

SEN Code of Practice • bullying • cerebral palsy • manual handling dyslexia • synthetic phonics • conduct disorder • autism • SEN law PSHE • changes to benefits • plus SEN news, CPD, training and more...

July • August 2013 • Issue 65

Welcome After much debate, consultation and criticism, the Government’s overhaul of the SEN system is almost upon us.

The Children and Families Bill is currently making its way through Parliament and its sweeping changes to SEN provision are due to start taking effect next year. Along with it, a new SEN Code of Practice is planned for autumn 2014. The Education Secretary has also announced new-style GCSEs, which many fear will disadvantage learners with SEN. Away from education, Coalition policies are already hitting home. The newly installed “bedroom” tax and Personal Independence Payments are just the start of a major overhaul of the benefits system. Many more changes are imminent.

In this issue of SEN Magazine, parent Jane Raca (p.22) looks at how the Children and Families Bill will impact on families like her own. Kate Saunders (p.58), CEO of the British Dyslexia Association, examines the mix of opportunities and serious concerns for

Contacts DIRECTOR Jeremy Nicholls EDITOR Peter Sutcliffe editor@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 810 ADVERTISING SALES Denise Williamson - Sales Manager denise@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 808 MARKETING & ADMINISTRATION Anita Crossley anita@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 802

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dyslexics, and others with SEN, offered by this important legislation.

Children’s Minister Edward Timpson (p.28) outlines what we can expect from the new SEN Code of Practice and what he hopes it will achieve. He also makes a plea for anyone with an interest in SEN to get involved in a consultation on the Code, to be published later this year.

In SEN news (p.6) we look at Michael Gove’s new plans for GCSEs. On page 24, Derek Sinclair from Contact a Family provides a step-by-step guide to the benefits reforms, explaining what’s happening, when, and how those with SEN and their families will be affected.

Elsewhere, you will find features on bullying (p.30), synthetic phonics (p.34), communication aids (p.41), cerebral palsy (p.44), manual handling (p.49), children in care (p.52), SEN law (p.56), visual impairment (p.64), conduct disorder (p.75), PSHE (p.76) and autism (p.78).

Peter Sutcliffe: Editor editor@senmagazine.co.uk

Subscription Administrator Amanda Harrison amanda@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 801 DESIGN Rob Parry - www.flunkyfly-design.com design@senmagazine.co.uk Next issue deadline: Advertising and news deadline: 7 August 2013 Disclaimer The opinions expressed in SEN Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held liable for incorrect information, omissions or the opinions of third parties.

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This issue in full 06

SEN news

14

What’s new?

20

Point of view

22

Children and Families Bill

24

Benefit changes

28

SEN Code of Practice

30 Bullying 32 Cyber-bullying 34

Synthetic phonics

41

Communication aids

44

Cerebral palsy

49

Manual handling

52

Looked-after children

56

SEN law: making a will

58 Dyslexia 62

Book reviews

64

Visual impairment (VI) provision

70

Supporting learners with VI

75

Conduct disorder

76 PSHE 77

About SEN

78 Autism 86 Recruitment 88

CPD and training

96

SEN resources directory

98

SEN subscriptions

CONTRIBUTORS Mark Baker Stephen Clarke Matt Davis Robene Dutta Liam Hackett Cathy Harris Chris Jolly Sue Keil Kate Lovett Paul Matthias Charlie Mead Joseph Mintz Mary Mountstephen Jessica Parsons Jane Raca Kate Saunders Derek Sinclair Marion Stanton Christine Thornley Edward Timpson Trystan Williams

SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845 SENISSUE65

In this issue

Benefit changes 22

24

30

Bullying

Saved by the Bill?

64

A parent’s view of how the Children and Families Bill may affect families

24

What’s happening to benefits?

SEN Code of Practice

70

Bully for you

75

Tackling cyber-bullying Keeping pupils safe in the digital domain

34

A vision of Britain

Supporting the VI learner Conduct unbecoming New NICE guidance on managing conduct disorders and antisocial behaviour in children

76

What do young people with SEN say about bullying?

32

44

Practical tips to support achievement in the classroom

Children’s Minister Edward Timpson on what to expect from the new SEN Code

30

Cerebral palsy

The decline of specialist educational provision for learners with vision impairment

A useful guide through the benefits maze

28

July • August 2013 • Issue 65

Deafness and sexual health How hearing impairment can affect the reproductive decisions young people make

78 iWonder?

Can mobile devices really make a difference for children with ASD?

More than words can say Using synthetic phonics to alleviate reading difficulties for learners with SEN

41

Without a voice Are thousands of children being deprived of the communication aid they need?

44

High hopes Helping students with cerebral palsy to realise their potential

49

Manual handling FAQs Everything you ever wanted to know about risk assessments

52

Who cares?

Regulars 6 14

20

Will power How making a will can help families protect their child with SEN

58

62

Point of view Book reviews

86 Recruitment 88

Lost aspirations What hope does the Children and Families Bill offer dyslexics?

What's new?

The latest products and ideas from the world of SEN

Have your say!

What does the future hold for children in care?

56

SEN news

96

CPD and training

Your essential guide to SEN courses, seminars and events

SEN resources directory

34 Synthetic phonics 41 Communication aids

52 Looked-after children

64 Visual impairment

In the next issue of SEN:

Asperger’s • safeguarding children • adoption • dyspraxia attachment syndrome • SEN publishing • BESD • autism school visits • choosing the right school • dyslexia • CPD recruitment • SEN news and much more...

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SEN NEWS

GCSE shake-up threatens pupils with SEN Continuous assessment to be abolished Fears that many will under-perform in exams Plans to scrap continuous assessment in GCSEs in favour of final exams at the end of two years have been confirmed by the Education Secretary Michael Gove. SEN campaigners have warned that the new proposals will disadvantage many learners with special educational needs, such as dyslexia, who do not perform well in exam situations.

Speaking in the House of Commons in June, Mr Gove announced wide-ranging changes to the examinations system which will see an end to controlled assessments and modular courses in England, except for science, where a small assessed element for practical work will be retained. Mr Gove said the move would see a shift towards more “demanding” and “stretching” exams, with a greater focus on written work and longer essays. GCSE grades will be changed, with the old A* to G system being replaced by a grading from 8 to 1 (with 8 being the top grade).

Mr Gove has also promised to tighten up subject specifications, saying that current course descriptions are too ambiguous and can be inconsistent across exam boards.

Back to the future The revised GCSEs have been seen by many as harking back to the ethos of the O-level system which was in force until the 1980s. Mr Gove claimed that his proposals would enable pupils to “compete with the best in the world”.

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) has strongly criticised the GCSE plans, saying that measuring achievement solely on final exams will greatly disadvantage those with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (SpLDs).

Students with dyslexia and SpLDs tend to have poor working memory and levels of information processing, which can cause particular problems in high-pressure exam situations. Continuous assessment is a less stressful way of testing pupils and provides a far more accurate measure of these pupils’ ability, the BDA argues.

The charity warns that many young people with SEN will be put off continuing into further education, or will be unable to progress, because of the problems they will face with the revised GCSEs. Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers expressed “serious concerns that the new style GCSE will not give all children the chance to demonstrate what they have learned and will particularly disadvantage children with difficult home lives.”

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Content is king Mr Gove told the House that the updated GCSEs would include an emphasis on improving the quality of course content. "By making GCSEs more demanding, more fulfilling, and more stretching we can give our young people the broad, deep and balanced education which will equip them to win in the global race," he said.

The Education Secretary was critical of what he called the “vague” course specifications provided by the previous Government, which he said had been open to abuse. He cited the example of the GCSE marking fiasco in English in 2012, when large numbers of pupils were forced to resit exams, as proof that the system needed reforming.

Mr Gove’s broad proposals for GCSEs have been welcomed by many in the business world. The CBI’s Director of Employment and Skills, Neil Carberry, said that “GCSEs must change to end the current exam treadmill, which leaves many pupils falling behind, while failing to stretch the brightest.”

Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, Stephen Twigg, was critical of the Government’s proposals, and of the way in which Mr Gove has introduced his reforms. Reminding the House that Mr Gove had already gone back to the drawing board following three previous attempts to update GCSEs, he claimed that the Education Secretary was having his fourth “resit” at GCSE reform.

The revised GCSE system will be introduced in autumn 2015.

The first students will sit the new exams in summer 2017. www.senmagazine.co.uk

SEN NEWS

Care of looked-after children needs better management Independent reviewing officers are not making enough of a positive impact on the quality of care planning and outcomes for looked-after children, says Ofsted.

Independent reviewing officers (IROs) are charged with ensuring that the care plan for a looked-after child clearly sets out the help, care and support they need and takes full account of their wishes and feelings. Local authorities are required by law to appoint an IRO for each looked-after child. Since April 2011, changes to care planning regulations have strengthened the IRO role. IROs are now not only responsible for chairing statutory reviews but also for monitoring children’s care plans on an ongoing basis. IROs should also monitor the local authority’s overall performance as a “corporate parent” for looked-after children.

Ofsted’s survey report – Independent Reviewing Officers: taking up the challenge? – found that IROs did not always sufficiently challenge drift and delay in plans for individual children. Children’s views were not always taken into full account. The IRO role in assessing the effectiveness of local authority support and plans for looked-after children was underdeveloped.

“It is disappointing that, in most local authorities visited, the level of challenge from IROs on behalf of children was not strong enough”, said Jacky Tiotto, Ofsted’s Divisional Manager for Social Care.

The education watchdog is recommending that local authorities take urgent action to implement the full revised IRO guidance and ensure that IROs have the required skills, training, knowledge and time to undertake all elements of their role effectively. It also recommends that senior managers regularly review performance to assure themselves of the quality of the IRO service and the impact and difference it is making for children, young people and families.

The report Independent Reviewing Officers: taking up the challenge? is available at: www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/130113

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Why don’t more disabled people take up sport?

The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) is embarking on a multi-stage project to investigate what motivates disabled people in their everyday lives and how this relates to sport.

The aim is to help inform the work of the charity’s partner organisations, making their offers for disabled people more engaging and relevant.

The EFDS’s recent Paralympic Legacy report showed that eight out of ten disabled people were considering taking part in sport after the Games in London. However, participation still indicates that four out of five disabled people are not active.

The Federation is exploring behaviour change models to see if the charity could make a bigger difference in sport. Everybody, whether disabled or non-disabled, has motivational drivers, triggers and lifestyle needs which steer their actions to do most things in their lives. Unless there is a huge motivation to become a Paralympian, which is only found in a minority of disabled people, then sport and physical activity fits around their lives, not vice versa.

It is still common for many providers within the sport and fitness sector to market their programmes to disabled people as one single target group. There is often not even an age, impairment or gender differentiation.

Barry Horne, the charity’s Chief Executive, believes that greater market segmentation within the broad grouping of disabled people will be necessary in order to consistently attract higher numbers of people with a range of conditions and disabilities to sport. There is “a growing need to develop our own profiles, which represent disabled people as more than just a percentage of society”, he says.

One of the outcomes from the project will be a set of profiles which will highlight the type of sport interventions, likely barriers and communication preferences for different disabled people.

For more information, visit: www.efds.co.uk

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SEN NEWS

Early years literacy in the spotlight The National Literacy Trust has launched a new research project into literacy in the early years. The aim is to better understand literacy development among three- to five-year-olds.

The Trust has launched two new surveys, one aimed at parents and the other at practitioners. The surveys will examine what parents and practitioners do to support children’s language and literacy practices at home and at school, and the role of technology in early years literacy.

Selected schools will also be involved in in-depth research to explore the relationships between the home, school and children’s literacy abilities.

The project is part of wider work, funded by Pearson, to investigate parental and practitioner attitudes to literacy. The Trust plans to conduct annual surveys to track changes over time and help build a continuous picture of early years literacy in the UK. More information can be found at: www.literacytrust.org.uk

Physiological link between sleep problems and mental health Sleepless nights and disrupted body clocks could be linked to mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to research by Professor Russell Foster from the University of Oxford.

People with schizophrenia often complain about sleeping difficulties. It has long been thought that their poor sleep patterns stem from unemployment and the resulting tendency to wake up later than the norm, or are side effects of anti-psychotic drugs.

However, Professor Foster and his team have found that they are not down to medication or lifestyle, but are in fact due to fundamentals of their physiology.

“The appalling sleep-wake in schizophrenia is independent of medication and social constraints”, says Professor Foster.

“There is something fundamentally wrong with the body clock of patients with schizophrenia.”

Foster’s work suggests that the neural mechanisms of the brain behind mental health and normal sleep overlap and share brain circuits, so if your sleep is disrupted, so is your mental health. Studies of schizophrenia patients have found profound disruptions in their sleep patterns, with half also having irregular body clocks that are out of sync with the pattern of night and day.

Foster’s team also identified a genetic mutation that triggers schizophrenia-like symptoms in mice, which also appears to disrupt their circadian rhythm or body clock.

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Teachers lack skills to support dyslexic pupils Nearly three quarters of qualified teachers believe that they started working in the classroom without the necessary skills to teach children with dyslexia.

A new report by the charity the Driver Youth Trust suggests that more than half (52 per cent) of teachers surveyed did not receive any training on dyslexia during their initial training course, while 18 per cent say that the training they did receive amounted to less than one hour. As a result, 74 per cent do not feel satisfied that their initial training provided them with the skills they needed to identify and teach children with dyslexia.

The failure to effectively support learning for dyslexic children has a huge cost, not just for individuals, but also on society, the report argues. Poor literacy, of which dyslexia is a major cause, damages employment and life chances and costs the country an estimated £2.5 billion every year.

Responding to the report, Mel Byrne, Director of the Dyslexia-SpLD Trust, said that it “paints a worrying picture of current teacher training, with new teachers not currently required to teach their students how to recognise dyslexia, or how to help dyslexic pupils in the classroom through dyslexia-friendly teaching”.

The Trust has joined other dyslexia charities, and crossparty Parliamentarians, in calling for a mandatory module on SEN, including dyslexia, to be a part of all initial teacher training courses.

The Driver Trust report, The Fish in the Tree: Why we are failing children with dyslexia, can be found at: http://driveryouthtrust.com

News deadline for September/October issue: 07/08/2013 Email: editor@senmagazine.co.uk Tel: 01200 409810

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SEN NEWS

Thousands missing out on the communication aid they need More than 20,000 people in the UK may be living without access to a powered communication aid that would enable them to communicate more effectively. The charity Communication Matters says that these people are being deprived of a voice, and the opportunity to reach their potential, because communication aid provision is not meeting needs.

The charity has just published its report, Shining a Light on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, which is the culmination of a three-year research project into augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). It found that nearly a third of a million people across the UK (316,000) are benefiting or may benefit from AAC support. While roughly 31,600 of these people could use a powered communication aid, only around 9,000 are currently using one.

Using research conducted by the University of Sheffield, the report reveals wide discrepancies in AAC provision across the country. It points to a lack of consistency in identifying and assessing those with communication issues. Some local areas were found to rely on funding from in-year savings from other budgets to pay for AAC equipment, making planning difficult or even impossible.

The charity also says that many AAC professionals spend a great deal of their time trying to source funding for equipment, which has a negative impact on the service they can provide.

While there were those who were happy with the support they get, the majority of AAC users and their families expressed frustration with all or some parts of the AAC service they receive.

Describing the report as “a wake-up call”, Communication Matters’ Research Manager Katie Holmes said that the commissioning of services, funding arrangements and specialist expertise in the UK was not meeting the growing need for AAC support. “It has confirmed what we knew anecdotally: that there is a postcode lottery of support and provision for both children and adults who use AAC”, she said.

To download the Shining a Light on Augmentative and Alternative Communication report, visit, www.communicationmatters. org.uk/shining-a-light-on-aac In this issue of SEN Magazine (page 41) Communication Matters’ Chair Cathy Harris assesses the implications of the charity’s landmark AAC report.

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New funding for foster carer recruitment The Children's Minister Edward Timpson has announced new funding to help promote foster caring.

Speaking at the National Fostering Agency Group's annual conference in Coventry, The Minister said that the Government was putting up to £750,000 into supporting fostering services over the next two years to boost fostering locally.

Mr Timpson, whose parents were foster carers, said money will be given to three consortia of local authorities and independent fostering services to develop new ways of recruiting and retaining carers. The initiative will also focus on attracting a more diverse range of foster carers, including working professionals and those who can foster difficult to place sibling groups.

The Fostering Network, which organises Foster Care Fortnight, estimates that at least 9,000 new fostering families are needed in 2013 alone. Children with SEN and disabilities often have to wait substantially longer than average for suitable placements.

Website for siblings of children with SEN A new online service aims to provide information, advice and support to siblings of children with disabilities and SEN. YoungSibs, the brainchild of UK charity Sibs, includes a moderated online chat area and a letters section where siblings can receive personalised responses to their questions. It also includes information on disability, illness and a range of SEN such as autism and cerebral palsy.

More than half a million children and young people in the UK have a brother or sister with a disability or SEN, or who has a life-long serious illness, yet the charity believes that their needs are often overlooked. This can lead to social isolation and difficulties with educational achievement.

Young siblings of disabled children can have more worries and responsibilities than other children of the same age. They often have to take a back seat in families where the main focus is on the care and support of the disabled child. “Young siblings need access to information, support and help with the challenges they face every day growing up in a family with a disabled brother or sister”, says Sibs Chief Executive Monica McCaffrey.

For more information, visit: www.youngsibs.org.uk

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SEN NEWS

Big demand for MMR vaccination The national catch-up programme to increase MMR vaccination uptake in children and teenagers who are unvaccinated has so far resulted in more than 95 per cent of GP practices across England ordering additional doses of the vaccine – more than 200,000 extra in total.

The catch-up programme, run by Public Health England (PHE), NHS England and the Department of Health, aims to prevent measles outbreaks by vaccinating as many ten- to 16-year-olds as possible. This age group is the most at risk of measles due to the fall in coverage of MMR that occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when concern around the discredited link between autism and the vaccine was widespread.

The catch-up programme aims to ensure that at least 95 per cent of ten- to 16-year-olds have received at least one dose of MMR. This is estimated to be around 300,000 children (eight per cent). The programme is also keen to reach another third of a million in this age group who need a second dose of MMR to give them full protection, and a further third of a million children below and above this age band who need another dose.

Figures published by PHE show that numbers of confirmed measles cases in England are still high, with 288 cases in April (compared to 175 in April 2012), bringing the total number so far in 2013 to 962. This continues the upward trend seen since early 2012, with monthly totals around the highest recorded levels seen since 1994. However MMR coverage among five-yearolds in England is at its highest ever recorded level, with 94 per cent receiving one dose and 90 per cent receiving two doses.

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New approach boosts children’s communication skills A whole-school approach to supporting children’s speech, language and communication skills can produce a 50 per cent increase in progress in reading skills, says a new report by the children’s communication charity I CAN. The A Chance to Talk approach in primary schools seeks to ensure that learning takes place in communication supportive environments. Teaching assistants are trained to deliver small group activities three times a week, focusing on listening and attention, vocabulary, sentence building, storytelling and conversations. Visual prompts and displays are used, staff monitor their own language and adjust it for different children, and parents are involved with their child’s learning through “talk” homework.

I CAN is calling for primary schools nationwide to replicate the model and it has published a guide to support schools in the commissioning of children’s speech, language and communication provision. This guidance encourages schools to collaborate and pool resources and expertise.

From 2010 to 2012, the A Chance to Talk project involved over 8,000 four- to seven-year-olds, across 30 schools. Results showed that children with delayed language made, on average, three times the normal rate of progress in language development between nine and 18 months after a ten-week intervention.

Up to 80 per cent of children with delayed language moved into the “typical” range of language development. Children with delayed language also accelerated the progress they made academically, with 90 per cent exceeding or meeting the progress expected for all children of their age group in reading, 69 per in writing and 76 per cent in numeracy.

A Chance to Talk was developed by I CAN and The Communication Trust, with support from the Every Child a Chance Trust and funding from the Department for Education.

The commissioning guidance and the project’s evaluation report can be downloaded from: www.ican.org.uk/achancetotalk www.senmagazine.co.uk

SEN NEWS

What's on listings for people with special needs

More teachers working while they commute

An online what’s on service for parents and carers with children, family or friends with special needs has been launched by the learning disability charity Netbuddy.

One in ten teachers today use their journey to and from work to complete work tasks, compared to just one in fifty teachers five years ago.

The listings guide provides details of inclusive club nights, autism-friendly film screenings, live music gigs for and by people with learning disabilities, special needs yoga groups and inclusive festivals. It also covers inclusive dance and drama, exhibitions by disabled artists, relaxed theatre performances and accessible sports.

A new survey by Randstad Education, into the commuting habits of those working in education, suggests that rising pupil numbers and cuts to education funding may be causing teachers to use what was previously seen as “down time” to finish work for school.

People with learning disabilities are facing the full impact of cuts to services, according to a recent Mencap report, which found that one in four adults are stuck at home. Nearly a third of local authorities have closed day services in the last three years, leaving many people with special needs with very few places to go.

The what’s on listing can be found at: www.netbuddy.org.uk/events

Competition to design Xmas stamps For the first time in 30 years, the Royal Mail is giving schoolchildren the chance to design its Christmas stamps.

Primary school children aged four to eleven years are being invited to take part to create the artwork for official stamps for Christmas 2013.

The competition’s theme is “What does the Christmas season mean to you?” The designs can be religious or secular.

Two winning pictures – one to appear on a 1st Class stamp and the other on a 2nd Class stamp – will be picked from 120 regional finalists. Both winning designs will have to be approved by the Queen.

Only twice before have children’s designs been used on Christmas stamps: 1966, the year the first Christmas stamps were issued in the UK, and 1981. The search for the winning designs was launched by children’s author and illustrator Lauren Child, creator of the Charlie and Lola characters.

All entries have to be received by the closing date of 19 July.

Winners will be announced in the autumn. For more information, visit: www.royalmail.com/designastamp www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

“Having to do more with less resource has increased staff workloads and left more teachers having to work while on their way to and from school”, says Jenny Rollinson, Managing Director of Randstad Education. However, Ms Rollinson believes that teachers extending their work-day into travel time may enable them to get additional work done without it affecting their home life and “leaking too much into their work/life balance”.

BMA accuses UK of failing vulnerable children Poverty is one of the main reasons that the UK continues to underperform on child wellbeing, and recent changes to welfare policy could set the country back even further, says a major new report by the British Medical Association (BMA).

Growing Up In The UK is an update of the BMA’s 1999 report on children’s health and brings together the latest global research.

Although the BMA acknowledges that progress has been made since 1999, it is concerned that some government policies, such as cuts to welfare benefits and social care, could reverse these improvements by hitting the most vulnerable hardest, which would exacerbate child poverty and widen social inequalities.

The report highlights research from Action for Children, The Children’s Society and the NSPCC which finds that changes to the tax and benefits system will have a negative impact on vulnerable households.

The BMA report highlights that the UK has moved up UNICEF’s league ratings – it came bottom in the 2007 table of child wellbeing among 21 wealthy countries, but in a more recent UNICEF study moved to sixteenth out of 29 countries. However, there is concern that the improved rating may not reflect the current situation for children as the data relates to 2009/10 and does not reflect the impact of policies implemented since the 2010 election.

The report can be viewed at: http://bma.org.uk/growingupintheuk SENISSUE65

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SEN RESOURCES

The Kimochis® Teacher’s Tool Kit is a fun and easy way to bring personal, social, health & emotional learning (PSHE) into your classroom.

This program will help you create a caring environment: • where your pupils feel included and valued • in a place where significant learning can occur • where everyone can communicate with respect and kindness.

With fun activities to: • practice body language and facial expressions • learn techniques for managing life’s challenging moments • support pupils to communicate their feelings effectively and appropriately • build confidence, resilience, self-esteem, and strong relationships.

The Kimochis® Feel Guide: Teacher’s Edition will help educators: 1. Develop a whole school approach to PSHE. 2. Who have responsibility for co-ordinating PSHE 3. Provide for pupils who need extra support to develop communication skills.

4. Support pupils with special educational needs and challenging behaviours.

‘Teachers use imaginative resources and strategies to stimulate pupils’ interest and active participation and, as a result, secure rapid and sustained progress’.

OFSTED Outstanding grade descriptor 2012

The Kimochis® Kit is most effective when used both through planned PSHE lessons and as an instant resource to manage behaviours, conflict and feelings.

The Kimochis® Teacher’s Tool Kit includes: • the 296 page Kimochis® Feel Guide:Teacher’s Edition • 5 large Kimochis® characters • 29 individual feelings to be used with the characters

For further information contact: sales@kimochis.co.uk or visit: www.kimochis.co.uk

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SEN RESOURCES

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WHAT’S NEW?

What’s new?

NAS Early Bird Plus programme coming soon to Kestrel House

Kestrel House School in London has announced that, during the summer term, it will be offering the NAS Early Bird Plus programme for parents whose child has received a later diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is aged four to eight years and in Early Years or Key Stage One provision.

To book your place on the course or for more information, contact Lina Lindgren, Parent Liaison Officer, on: 07714178707 or email: l.lindgren@acorncare.co.uk www.kestrelhouseschool.co.uk

Education law expertise from 3PB Barristers 3PB Barristers has a dedicated education law team with a wealth of expertise and experience on a broad range of education law issues. 3PB advise and represent parents, children, LEAs, school governing bodies, further/higher education institutions, students and charities and voluntary organisations.

They offer legal advice and support, in a reassuring and professional manner, on disputes that arise on the path of education from nursery to university, making them barristers of choice for education law issues.

Contact David Phillips, Education Law Clerk, on: 020 7583 8055 or email: david.phillips@3pb.co.uk for an informal first discussion.

The World According to Autism Spectrum Disorder This new resource is suitable for use with all ages by healthcare and education professionals with additional specialist training in autistic spectrum disorders, in settings including child and adolescent services, paediatrics, learning disability services, adult mental health, family services and education.

Developed by Dr Leonie McDonald and Michelle Wilson and published by Speechmark Publishing with help from Health Enterprise East (HEE), the NHS Innovation Hub for the Eastern Region, it is a multifunctional, flexible and comprehensive resource helping facilitate conversations and promote understanding.

It costs £49.99 from Speechmark Publishing: www.speechmark.net/shop ISBN: 9780863889301 Code: 0035806

Team-Teach accredited training courses Hays Education are running Team-Teach accredited training courses at Hays offices across the UK for SEN teachers and teaching assistants. It’s a full day course run by an external team of Team-Teach principle and lead trainers.

The course is fully accredited and valid for three years, and covers best practice in responding to challenging behaviour, risk assessment, physical interventions and positive handling techniques.

To book your place or to find out more, contact Roop Bhumbra on: 0121 236 7933 or email: roop.bhumbra@hays.com

Introducing the Apollo Creative store Along with a new look, Apollo Creative has unveiled its online store – making it easier for people to choose the right sensory equipment for their needs.

From creating a bespoke multi-sensory space to enhancing an existing room, a wide range of equipment is available direct from the manufacturer, including traditional products such as LED bubble tubes and fibre-optic light sources, with interactive and battery-powered options.

The shop also features Apollo Ensemble, the interactive story-telling, musical and sensory room system that can be configured quickly and simply to create the perfect sensory environment.

For more information, visit: www.apollocreativeshop.co.uk SENISSUE65

Henshaws College expands individual learning programmes Henshaws College in North Yorkshire has over 40 years experience of delivering individualised learning opportunities to support young people with SEN. The independent specialist college is now able to share its resources, skills and expertise with a wider range of learners, whilst retaining its specialism in visual impairment.

Programmes focused on communication, independence, employability and multisensory learning can be tailored to meet the needs of students with a broad and complex range of disabilities. Henshaws’ experienced teaching staff, care team and specialist Disability Support Service, including therapists, work with every student to create a flexible programme which increases confidence and independence. www.henshaws.ac.uk www.senmagazine.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW?

Open day at Wilsic Hall School On 13 July 2013, Wilsic Hall School will be holding an open day where families and carers are invited to join them for a tour of their facilities, attend legal and communication workshops and enjoy a free lunch.

Wilsic Hall is a specialist residential school in South Yorkshire offering flexible education and care for young people aged 11 to 19, all of whom have complex needs, including behaviour that may challenge and a learning disability, often in association with autism.

More information and booking details will be available soon on the school’s website: www.wilsichallschool.co.uk

Overwhelmed by your health and safety responsibilities?

Although working in health and social care can be rewarding, there are times when you can feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities. With this in mind, EDGE services have developed a couple of guides that will help unravel the complexities of current legislation and offer guidance and support on best practice.

The EDGE services Guide to Managing Children Handling Training and Guide to Managing Children Handling Activities are concise and informative and cover a number of essential mandatory health and safety topics.

Copies of these free guides can be obtained by visiting: www.edgeservices.co.uk where you can also register for the EDGE Services newsletter.

Strut your stuff for autism

Extra help with learning to read

Young people with autism, and their families, are preparing to take part in a unique fashion show in London.

Wear It For Autism – on Tuesday 10 September at The Vinyl Factory, Soho – will see mums, dads, grandparents and young people on the autistic spectrum getting professional makeovers and strutting their stuff on the catwalk.

Jolly Phonics Extra is a comprehensive kit of multi-sensory resources that help children who are struggling to read and write. The resources have been carefully designed to engage and enable children to learn swiftly.

The event, which runs from 6 to 8pm (doors open 5.30pm), is organised by autism campaigner Anna Kennedy OBE. Heavyweight sponsors include Littlewoods, Toni & Guy, Pineapple Arts, London Beauty Queen and Mahogany.

The inclusion of a TalkingPEN in the kit means children are able to reinforce the teaching. Just by touching a page it: • speaks the letter sound • sings the Jolly Song • models blending • reads a story • asks a question from 4,000 sound files.

Tickets, priced at £25, are on sale now.

Email: lisa.robins@thevines.org.uk

Adam Saye, Assistant Headteacher at Thomas Buxton Primary School, says that "For struggling children, this is fantastic".

annakennedyonline.com/wear-it-for-autism-2

www.jollylearning.co.uk/jolly-shop/jolly-phonics-extra

Integrex – the interactive specialists

Guide to neurodevelopmental disabilities in children

At the forefront of special needs technology, Integrex design and manufacture versatile, interactive systems that offer all ages and abilities the opportunity to enjoy a rewarding learning or working environment. Products include fully mobile, height-adjustable interactive touch screens and tables with cutting edge multi-touch ability.

Integrex’s innovative, immersive sensory rooms provide stunning audio-visual interactivity through a series of original, programmable software applications. A dedicated, experienced team provides bespoke software and hardware, full support and training for all SEN environments. Contact Integrex to arrange a demonstration of their innovative, interactive systems.

Tel: 01283 551551 or visit: www.integrex.co.uk www.senmagazine.co.uk

A new book, Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: the essential guide to assessment and management, examines the wide spectrum of problems associated with paediatric disability (both transient and life-long).

It looks at how to manage conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, attention problems and genetic disorders. The book features lots of practical advice and includes templates for letters, reports, and care plans. Published by Mac Keith Press, the guide is Edited by Arnab Seal, Gillian Robinson, Anne M Kelly, and Jane Williams.

For more information, call: 0800 243407 (freephone, UK only), email: cs-books@wiley.co.uk or visit: www.mackeith.co.uk/guides.html SENISSUE65

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WHAT’S NEW?

Kimochis®...toys with feelings inside

Fresh Start for reading

The multi-award winning Kimochis® Educational toys are for the first time now available in the UK. Kimochi – (KEY.MO.CHEE) which means "feeling" in Japanese – are plush, educational toys designed to help children identify, understand and manage their feelings in a fun, enjoyable way.

Read Write Inc. Fresh Start ensures older pupils aged nine to 13 not only learn how to read but to love reading too. Key to its success are the ageappropriate, phonically decodable stories and non-fiction texts – cleverly written by great authors to include jokes, plays, interviews, edgy reports and amusing stories.

They are a great resource for helping children to: • recognise and manage their feelings • express their feelings appropriately • understand the links between their feelings and behaviour • build healthy relationships • develop positive communication skills.

As well as fantastic teaching support and training to help you deliver the best teaching, Fresh Start also meets most of The Education Endowment Foundation proven strategies to help children make good progress, giving you an effective way to use pupil premium. www.oxfordprimary.co.uk

For the full product range, including the Kimochis Teacher's Kit, and further information, visit: www.kimochis.co.uk

A perfect revision tool for students Olympus offer a range of products that can assist those with disabilities to capture recordings.

The DM-670 digital recorder allows the recording of lectures with an unrivalled range over three microphone settings, whilst allowing up to 99 index marks to identify key areas of the recordings. Files can then be downloaded into the Olympus Audio Notebook software, with the recorded audio file being separated into manageable segments.

Audio segments can then be linked with a variety of information associated with the section of recordings (powerpoint slides, PDF pages, JPEGs, etc).

For information and to obtain an assessor copy of Audio Notebook, email: assistivetechnologies@olympus.co.uk

Kinsale School unveils new short breaks services Options Group’s autism accredited and Estyn “Excellent” rated Kinsale School in Flintshire is offering new bespoke short breaks services ranging from short stays of a few hours to longer stays of up to two weeks.

Short breaks are provided for children and young people aged eight to 19 years with autistic spectrum conditions, including Asperger’s syndrome, learning disabilities and complex needs, and are available to families living in North Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire and surrounding areas.

For more information, call: 08442 487187, email: info@optionsgroup.co.uk or visit: www.optionsgroup.co.uk SENISSUE65

Comfort Audio improves comprehension and communication Comfort Audio Digisystem can be used in the classroom or the work place to overcome the effects of distance and competing noise in communication situations.

Using a Comfort Audio system makes communication easier because the sound is delivered direct to the user, at a consistent volume level, regardless of the distance and without any time lag. Comfort Audio 100 per cent digital technology also dramatically reduces instances of drop outs and interference, even in challenging environments such as outdoors, open spaces and where competing noise can make hearing difficult.

For more information, contact your PC Werth representative on: 020 8772 2700, info@pcwerth.co.uk or visit: www.soundforschools.co.uk

Rapid Stages 7 to 9 support children taking the leap between intervention and mainstream For older children still just a little behind in their reading, the new Rapid chapter books from Pearson Primary will motivate and excite. Part of the much loved and proven Rapid catch-up programme, the books cover Stages 7 to 9 and contain exciting stories, play scripts, fiction and non-fiction all together in one “real” book format.

They are age appropriate, curriculum ready, have boy and girl appeal and are beautifully illustrated and dyslexia friendly. Contact your local Pearson representative to find out more: www.pearsonprimary.co.uk/consultant www.senmagazine.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW?

Real progress, proven results Rapid Plus is an exciting series of finely levelled books and software for SEN and struggling readers at Key Stage 3 for students reading between NC levels 1a and 4c (reading ages 6.6 to 9.6), designed to help them make two levels of progress.

Rapid Plus is built upon the extraordinary success of Rapid, the primary intervention programme proven to deliver twice the normal rate of progress*. It includes age-appropriate content, rigorously levelled and trialled with Key Stage 3 students, and innovative software to support students when reading independently.

Learn more at: www.pearsonschools.co.uk/RP *NFER independent research trial shows 5.7 months progress in 2.3 months.

Switch access for iPads and Android tablets For Apple devices, Pretorian offers a range of assistive technology products, with wireless connectivity, for switch access.

APPlicator is designed for apps with built-in switch access and is suitable for anyone requiring simple switch access to apps, media player and photography.

For advanced switch users requiring access to apps, music and media, iBooks and data entry, Switch2Scan and SimplyWorks for iPad provide comprehensive access to all iPad functions.

SimplyWorks for iPad also gives completely wireless iPad access using SimplyWorks devices such as trackball, joystick, switch or keyboard.

J-PAD is an intuitive joystick device providing comprehensive, wireless access to all iPad functions.

RNIB young people's web pages are now UK wide RNIB hosts web pages specifically aimed at blind and partially sighted young people, offering advice and guidance on all stages of transition from choosing school subjects and planning for the future to starting college, university or moving into employment (including information around work experience, volunteering, interview skills and CV writing).

The young people's section has been co-designed by young people across the UK and includes information on leaving home, as well as emotional support, free time activities, technology and more. The site also features young people's experiences of all aspects of transition, incorporating written, video and audio case studies. www.rnib.org.uk/youngpeople

Joy of reading for children with sight loss This summer, children will be enjoying the national Summer Reading Challenge in libraries nationwide.

Blind and partially sighted children and young people can enjoy this reading initiative too, thanks to RNIB's National Library Service. Books in audio, giant print and braille are sent freepost to young readers all over the country (school or home).

Of course, reading is a great hobby all year round and is essential for education and literacy. To find out how RNIB can work with you to support the reading needs of children with sight loss, call RNIB National Library Service on: 0161 429 1975 or email: childrenslibrarian@rnib.org.uk

www.pretorianuk.com

New videos from specialist centre Oxfordshire’s new autism centre Launching in September 2014, LVS Oxford is a new centre for 11- to 19-year-olds with Asperger’s and autism.

Using the same methods and approach as LVS Hassocks in Sussex, it will offer weekly residential care within its tranquil green campus, with purpose-designed work areas including occupational therapy suites and a teaching kitchen.

Using combined learning methods, real work and employability skills – as well as promoting self-awareness, health and wellbeing – LVS Oxford aims to provide a positive education, helping young people on the spectrum to reach their potential when they leave the school at 19.

LVS Oxford is owned and managed by the Licensed Trade Charity. www.lvs-oxford.org.uk www.senmagazine.co.uk

RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning in Coventry has launched a collection of short videos to give parents, young people and professionals an overview of the Centre's specialist support for children and young people with multiple disabilities, complex needs who are blind or partially sighted.

The videos include: • real life stories about Nicole, Fabian and Anna and their families • information about the Centre's education, care and therapies • tours of the school, a bungalow and conference facilities.

Watch the videos online at: rnib.org.uk/pearscentre or request a DVD by calling: 024 7636 9500.

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WHAT’S NEW?

Moving on at RNIB College Loughborough RNIB College is extending its Bridge Programme for people who want to develop skills to live more independently or in supported living. Funded by personalised budgets, the Bridge programme is available to those aged up to 30 years old, and from six months to two years in duration.

Go to an assessment and show them the skills you have, choose what you want to develop and then work with staff to plan your programme. RNIB will work with you to plan your long-term future.

For more information, call: 01509 611077 or email: enquiries@rnibcollege.ac.uk

RNIB Sunshine House School extends its age range RNIB Sunshine House has announced that it is extending its age range to fourteen from September 2014. This will be a big help to parents at this crucial time in their child's education.

Pupils in every class will benefit from the Tobii Eye Gaze, which accurately tracks eye movements and converts them to a cursor on a computer screen. It provides an accessible communication system for pupils who could otherwise remain powerless to make choices, and offers invaluable aid in selecting the best resources and teaching techniques for individual pupils.

Easy News new edition out now National disability charity United Response has produced the third edition of Easy News – the first ever newspaper designed specifically for people with learning disabilities.

Featuring simple language and visual cues, this edition gives readers a news round-up featuring stories including, the introduction of Personal Independence Payments, the local election results, a new report into disabled people dying too young, the US marathon bombing and the election of the new Pope, amongst other topics.

To download a copy and sign up for future editions, visit: www.unitedresponse.org.uk/press/campaigns/easy-news

Leaders with that special quality Veredus has developed an enviable reputation as a senior executive recruitment consultancy of choice for schools, colleges and other alternative provisions in the SEN sector. Its three core services, Executive Search and Selection, Interim Management and Assessment and Development, complement each other, with each providing an important element of the company’s capacity to deliver flexible solutions tailored to the needs of its clients.

For more information, please contact Paul Horgan on: 020 7932 4233 or email: paul.horgan@veredus.co.uk www.veredus.co.uk

For more information, call: 01923 822538 or email: shsadmin@rnib.org.uk

SEN teachers wanted by VSO

Group holidays for blind students

International development organisation VSO needs SEN teachers to volunteer overseas.

There are big opportunities to make a difference in the poorest and most marginalised communities.

Visually impaired young adults (aged 16+) can now travel to exciting worldwide destinations with Traveleyes, safely guided by students their own age from the world’s top international schools. Students from Hong Kong recently guided students with VI on a hugely successful trip to Prague and Vienna.

Traveleyes can help if you’re a blind student looking to make friends and explore new places within a young, likeminded group, or if you’re a teacher who requires a tailored group trip.

Blind or sighted, Traveleyes pride themselves on seeing the world differently. For more information, call: 08448 040221 or visit: www.traveleyes-international.com SENISSUE65

VSO currently has roles in Rwanda, including SEN advisers, disability advisers and sign language education advisers, all contributing to the development of special needs provision in this rapidly changing country.

VSO asks volunteers to commit for up to two years to make a sustainable contribution to development goals. It provides training, accommodation and a local living allowance.

Many find that volunteering contributes to their professional development.

For more information, visit: www.vso.org.uk/educationrwanda www.senmagazine.co.uk

WHAT’S NEW?

New Connecting Steps assessment app B Squared has released a new iPad app for its Connecting Steps assessment software.

The app gives greater flexibility for teachers to record their assessments.

In the classroom, outside or at home, the iPad makes it easy to not only record achievements, but also tell the story of how they were achieved. Information can also be reviewed with graphs and reports.

The app is part of Connecting Steps, the cloud based assessment software covering P levels, National Curriculum and EYFS across all the areas of the National Curriculum.

For more information, visit: www.bsquared.co.uk or call: 0845 4660 141.

Fast forward to ABILITIESme International assistive technology manufacturers, such as Lewis Reed and Movement Special Needs, have been quick to get involved in the first disability awareness and rehabilitation product showcase event in the MENA region.

The region’s hunger for affordable, state-of-the-art education, health and accessibility products is encouraging the global disability sector to take a closer look at what will be happening in Abu Dhabi, UAE in December.

Advertisement feature

New environmentally friendly equipment enables challenging play Play equipment specialist Sutcliffe Play has launched a new range of environmentally friendly play equipment which encourages physical, challenging play and social interaction.

Orchard, a new range of woodbased clamber units and trim trails, has been designed to fulfil many of the developmental needs of children.

Orchard is suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities, and encourages inclusive play. As well as providing exciting play opportunities for able-bodied children, many of the products in the range also incorporate a variety of challenges for children who have more difficulty accessing play.

“When designing Orchard, we have carefully considered the ways in which children interact with play equipment,” says Dave Brady, Design Director at Sutcliffe Play. “For example, children like to have their own social spaces, and equipment that challenges them and can help to improve their balance, strength and coordination.”

Orchard is manufactured in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way. It is constructed from pine logs which are farmed locally from UK forests in a managed process which ensures the forests are consistently replenished. The rubber components are made from latex which is extracted from trees without damaging them. www.sutcliffeplay.co.uk

Tel: 01977 653 200

ABILITIESme will include a thought leadership conference and a showcase of medical assistive technologies, healthcare innovations and developments in sports infrastructures. It will also explore the latest scientific findings focused on improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. www.abilitiesme.com

Guide Dogs Annual Awards Shaping the future of UK education Technology solutions provider European Electronique has been selected by Microsoft as a supplier partner for its Shape the Future Programme. The programme is designed to help to improve the ratio of mobile devices to pupils in schools throughout England and Wales.

As the first partner in the UK offering devices to all schools across England and Wales, European Electronique is working to support access to affordable Windows 8 devices. The company’s programme gives access to a range of top brand devices designed specifically for education at substantially discounted prices, from partners including Toshiba, HP and Lenovo. www.euroele.co.uk www.senmagazine.co.uk

Nominations are now being accepted for the Guide Dogs Annual Awards 2013. The awards will be celebrating both the partnerships between guide dogs and their owners and the dedication of the people who make these partnerships possible.

The ceremony will be a major fundraising event for the Guide Dogs charity, with an auction, a silent auction and a raffle.

Taking place at London Hilton on Park Lane on 11 December, the event will also include dinner, dancing and celebrity guests.

Nominations are now being accepted for the following categories: • Guide Dog of the Year • Volunteer of the Year • Inspirational Guide Dog Owner • Lifetime Achievement Award • Partner of the Year • Young Persons Achievement Award, in partnership with the National Blind Children’s Society.

Nominations close on 30 July. www.guidedogs.org.uk/awards SENISSUE65

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point of view

Point of view: parent

A problem shared Matt Davis tells how writing about his son’s autism has helped him confront the challenges they both face

L

ong before Isaac was

Professionals, experts, and parents who

regularly involved in discussion forums

diagnosed with autism at the

had accepted their child’s diagnosis, on

compelled me to do more and this is

age of three, I saw how the

the other hand, were awash with facts

what inspired me to start blogging about

world, with all its peculiarities

and immersed in the world of autism.

life with Isaac.

and obstacles, was that little bit more

I quickly benefited by joining an

Simply writing as honestly as I can,

hostile for him – that little bit harsher.

online community about autism where

about the plethora of issues one faces

Seeing him struggle – often articulated

questions were posed and answered,

as a parent of a child with autism, has

as screams, anger and crying – seemed

discussions launched and new

provoked an overwhelmingly positive

so unfair to me. I didn’t subscribe to the

people nurtured with the help of its

response – one I couldn’t have predicted.

terrible twos or naughty toddlers view;

community champions. I also became

People in a similar predicament seem

there was something about Isaac’s tears

aware of its presence as a safe haven

emboldened and appreciative that I’m

that was different.

from the everyday assault course

writing on their behalf too. Family, friends

Then the year-long punishing process

and now strangers who may not be

of tests finally came to a conclusion in

directly affected by autism are grateful

a paediatrician’s room with the words “autism spectrum disorder”, a tonguetwister that deliberately acts as a soft landing for the harsher truth: “your child has autism”.

Autism now affirmed my regular

A chasm existed between what some people knew about autism and what most people didn’t

bouts of heartbreak that accompanied

to be educated. Even professionals have circulated my blog among their staff, which is humbling.

Recalling those early tormented years fuels my campaigning as much as fighting for Isaac in the present does. I know parents whose children haven’t got a diagnosis yet or are in environments

Isaac’s regular bouts of distress. It was the alibi for his perceived anti-social

of discrimination, generalisations,

impervious to the effects of autism. If

behaviour. The subsequent learning

judgements, ignorance, exhaustion

sharing our family’s story helps them in

curve was steep and rapid but was aided

and difficulties that parents of children

any way, then our experiences will be

considerably by Brent, where I live in

with autism battle with – to varying

serving the best purpose they can.

London. Its support structures involved

degrees – day in, day out. Things like

workshops, relevant therapy, advice on

the postcode lottery for support services

education, and bodies to assist Isaac

only compounded the ignorance around

through mainstream or specialist school.

autism.

My wife and I felt reassured that, as long

Crucially, it kick-started a need in

as we fought Isaac’s corner, there was

me to write about autism as a cathartic

a team of people who would fight it too.

personal response, coupled with a

However, what I came to realise

commitment to help spread awareness.

quite swiftly was that a chasm existed

I began writing in the emotional stories

between what some people knew about

section of the site and became an autism

autism and what most people didn’t. If

campaigner by accident.

the condition hadn’t touched them, it

I was able to express how I felt being

seemed not even to be on their radar;

at the beginning of my journey and it

autism awareness was minimal at best.

seemed to be well received. Getting

SENISSUE65

Further information

Matt Davis is a parent patron for the charity Ambitious about Autism. His blog is at: http://mysonisaac.blogspot.co.uk/

www.senmagazine.co.uk

point of view

Point of view: academy principal

Making London 2012 count

Special schools need to innovate if they are to realise the Paralympic ideals, says Trystan Williams

T

he greatest hurdle that so many students with SEN face is that of self-belief. If you can give them a challenging and stimulating environment, they truly begin to believe in themselves and the contribution they can make. You have got to be really creative, though.

I don't even use the word “behaviour” any more. It is about engaging learners and if they are disengaged they won't learn.

I believe that sport can be an excellent way of getting young people with SEN involved and motivated to achieve. An example that comes to mind is that of a young man who came to our school at the age of 13 after being permanently excluded from another special school.

I was asked by the local authority to buy him a three-wheeled bike. I refused and said we would instead teach him to ride a two-wheeled bike. After several weeks of hard work from all concerned, I saw him whizzing past the window on his bike. I knew that he was really pleased with himself. That will stay with me forever. Against the odds, through hard work, perseverance and self-belief, instead of riding a three-wheeled bike with everyone staring at him, he could be as independent as any other 13-year-old because of the aspiration that he could ride a two-wheeled bike.

Students with SEN can benefit greatly from learning about and participating in sport and there is much that special schools can do to help. I am a strong believer in keeping the legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games alive within special schools.

Students should be encouraged to follow core Paralympic values, such www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

as determination, inspiration, courage and equality.

The issue of resources will always be important. There is an independent school, near to the one I work at, with excellent facilities including a swimming pool especially for the students. Children with access to those facilities have a much greater chance of becoming future Olympians than those who can only make use of far more modest facilities.

Many children simply do not get these kinds of life opportunities, and this is

Sometimes great things can be achieved even without much money especially true for a lot of children with special educational needs.

The special school sector needs more money and more effective support to help it sustain a legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is clear. However, sometimes great things can be achieved even without much money. I was recently involved in an Olympic-themed event for children with SEN across seven local authorities. This was a great success despite having no specific funding to back it up.

Young people with special educational needs and challenging behaviours are sometimes the forgotten souls in our society. Official figures consistently show that they are at far greater risk of exclusion than their peers without SEN. I believe, though, that involvement in sport could have a positive effect on

exclusion rates all over the country, not just in SEN schools.

It is crucial that schools are allowed to innovative when it comes to the provision they make for sport and how they engage young people in sporting activities. If there is to be a truly effective Paralympic legacy, the school system must change. Schools must be encouraged to look at new ideas, and to try out new things. Until schools are encouraged to innovate and develop interesting initiatives – especially for young people who are disengaged – there will be an Olympic and Paralympic legacy for some, but not for all.

Further information

Trystan Williams is Principal of The Springfields Academy in Wiltshire.

He was recently called to give evidence to the Parliamentary Education Select Committee on the legacy of London 2012: www.springfields.wilts.sch.uk

What's your point of view?

If you have an idea or opinion to share on any SEN issue, please email: editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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children and families bill

Saved by the Bill?

Parent Jane Raca looks at how the forthcoming Children and Families Bill could affect families like her own

James and his father share some time together.

T

he greatest disillusionment

despite James needing 24 hour care.

I suffered through having a

This nearly destroyed our family.

severely disabled child was

Fortunately, the lack of joined-

I dread that one day he may end up in an old people’s home with no specialist support

not his disability; it was the

up planning for children like James

realisation that despite living in one

– the damage caused by protecting

of the most civilised countries in the

departmental budgets at all cost and

world, I had to fight for so much of what

failing to communicate with parents

he needed. The organisations which

– has been recognised. After many

dispensed services and equipment

decades of families suffering terribly,

consuming and daunting. Although I

seemed to be sitting on pots of money

the Children and Families Bill is designed

use a payroll agency, I have to negotiate

which they wanted to keep and they

to change things. But will it?

wage levels, calculate holiday payments,

rarely talked to each other. They rarely talked to us either.

fill in annual returns for the council and

Opportunities and liabilities

chase them for the money which has

There was the specialist classroom

One change which I won’t be taking

been agreed, but which is usually several

chair, which neither social care nor

advantage of is the option of having a

months late arriving. While there are

health would fund. While they were

personal budget. The very idea makes

experts like James’s current school to do

arguing about it, James grew too big for

my hair stand on end. James’s level

the rest, I shall gladly leave this to them.

it. There was the lack of an occupational

of need is so high that he requires

The Bill brings a positive change

therapist, because the council had

hundreds of thousands of pounds

for my family, however, in that James

decided that physiotherapists could do

worth of services and equipment to

may now be able to have the protection

that job and they could save money. I

be commissioned each year. I have

of his statement – due to become an

had to make James his own adapted

neither the skill nor the time to do that.

education, health and care (EHC) plan

shower, using a garden chair and a

I have directly employed carers for years

– beyond 19, up until age 25. He will

hosepipe. Most seriously, tearful appeals

and, even as an ex-lawyer, I find the

always need one-to-one care, 24 hours

to social care for support were ignored,

paperwork for this one task to be time

a day and he will be better protected

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www.senmagazine.co.uk

children and families bill

by the education system, whatever its flaws, than he will be by the adult social care system. I hope he will be able to stay at his current school as long as possible. He currently gets the intensive speech, occupational and physiotherapy

I burned with shame, even though my efforts to look after James had nearly killed me

councils across the country, it plays for time and space to protect its budgets. It relies on applicants’ lack of knowledge about their rights, to achieve this. When it meets a strong applicant, it adopts the historic Russian military strategy

he needs there. I dread that one day he

of retreating, while it strengthens

may end up in an old people’s home with no specialist support.

a need which it cannot meet. Like other

the window and he puts his hand on it

its position and weakens that of its opponent.”

EHC plans in general sound like

and looks at me. And I say, ‘‘Yes James,

a good thing. They should result in

it’s cold’’. Then he puts his hand on the

Whilst the Bill may make it more

better cooperation between social care,

radiator and looks at me again. And I

difficult for councils to behave like this,

education and health, as these services

say ‘‘Yes James, it’s hot’’. He knows the

I believe they may have no choice but

will have to talk to each other, instead

difference between hot and cold. And

to try. In the end, our ability to have

of remaining in separate kingdoms. I

he wants me to say it because he can’t

our case heard by an independent legal

am still scarred by the experience of

say it. He’s very bright but we can’t give

tribunal, however traumatic, saved us.

weeping at successive social care

him what he needs at home. So we are

Thank goodness that route will still

reviews, asking for James to go to a

showing our love for him by coming to

be open to parents under the Bill. Yet

residential school and being told he was

this tribunal and asking for him to go to

even the Tribunal could not help us

“not eligible to be taken into care”. I

a residential special school.”

with James’s social care; we are still

wasn’t asking for him to go into care;

Then he broke down.

fighting for his holiday provision after five years. And that won’t change.

I have never done that, however awful things were. But that was the mind set

Will things be different?

Parents struggling with no respite and

of social care. I should have gone to the

If the Bill had been in force at that

no home help will still only be able to

education department, but I didn’t know

time, I wonder what would have

go the Local Government Ombudsman

that then. When I finally worked it out,

happened. Perhaps social care, health

or seek judicial review. They will have

the education department refused the

and education would have had to

to exhaust the council’s complaints

residential placement anyway, and I had

get together at a much earlier stage

procedure before they can even think

to take the council to tribunal.

than they did to produce James’s

of the Ombudsman, all of which takes

This was without doubt one of the

EHC plan. If they had not agreed to

months. Judicial review only looks at

most traumatic experiences of my

a residential school, then we would

the council’s original decision; the court

life. On one side of the room sat the

have been directed first to consider

can’t order what it thinks best. Neither

local authority team, including James’s

mediation. The local authority would

of these remedies are appropriate for

headteacher and a barrister. On our

also have in place dispute resolution

exhausted, struggling parents with the

side sat our family, a raft of experts

procedures. Ultimately though, if all

most severely disabled children; when

and our barrister. The barrister for the

this failed, we would still have appealed

the gloves are off, they will be no better

council argued that we were just seeking

to tribunal. My hunch is that indeed

placed than they are now.

social care, which didn’t justify the very

we would still have ended up going

expensive placement we wanted. I felt

along the tribunal route. The reason is

as if I was being accused of being

simple: money. Children like James are

an uncaring mother who couldn’t be

very expensive. Cash strapped local

bothered to look after her son and just

authorities and health services will still

wanted him out of the way. I burned

be looking to their budgets, despite the

with shame, even though my efforts to

greater duties on them to cooperate and

look after James had nearly killed me.

commission services.

After reams of evidence from experts, the pivotal moment came when my

I have obtained this quote from one former senior councillor:

husband stood up and said: “When

“The Council does not have the

I put James to bed we have a little

resources to fulfil all of its statutory

routine. James likes me to walk him to

obligations and so may avoid identifying

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

Further information

Jane Raca is the author of Standing up for James, a memoir about coming to terms with her son’s disabilities, and her fight to get support for him from the local authority: www.standingupforjames.co.uk

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24

benefits

What’s happening to benefits?

The welfare system is changing, with serious implications for families of children with disabilities or SEN. Here, Derek Sinclair offers a useful guide through the benefits maze

T

his year, the Government is undertaking the biggest programme of benefits changes in a generation.

We’ve already seen the introduction of the “bedroom tax” and the replacement

Many local schemes are less generous than the council tax benefit they have replaced

of council tax benefit with local schemes

or two children of the same sex under 16 are normally expected to share. If you have one “extra” bedroom, your Housing Benefit is cut by a figure that is equivalent to 14 per cent of your rent. If you have two or more “extra” bedrooms, the cut is 25 per cent. Pensioner

that may result in many low income

households are exempt from this cut.

families paying council tax for the

set their own rules, it is possible for

Although young children or children

first time.

them to protect other groups as well –

of the same sex are usually assumed

This article aims to reduce any worry

including parents with a disabled child.

to share a bedroom, your award should

and confusion families may have about

Contact your local authority to find out

include an individual bedroom for any

these existing and approaching benefit

if there are any protected groups under

child whose condition prevents them

changes, and increase your chances

the local scheme in your area.

from sharing. You will need to provide

of getting what you are entitled to –

your Housing Benefit office with

something that is more important than

Introduction of “bedroom tax” to

information about their needs and you

ever in the current economic climate. The

council and housing association

may have to provide medical evidence.

changes outlined are expected to apply

tenancies

If your Housing Benefit office refuses

across the UK but their introduction is

Since April, council and housing

to accept that your child can’t share

likely to be delayed in Northern Ireland.

association tenants have faced a

a bedroom, you should challenge

housing benefit cut if their home has

this decision. Contact a Family have

April 2013

more bedrooms than they are seen

produced standard appeal letters for

Council tax benefit scrapped and

to need. When deciding the size of

families to use, available free from

replaced with local schemes

property needed, two children under ten

the Helpline.

The national system of council tax benefit has been scrapped and each area now has its own local council tax support scheme for those on low incomes. However, many local schemes are less generous than the council tax benefit they have replaced. For instance, in many areas, all council tax payers of working age now have to pay something towards their bill, no matter how low their income.

Pensioners are automatically protected from any cuts and since local councils in England are free to SENISSUE65

In the current economic climate it is essential to understand the benefits system.

www.senmagazine.co.uk

benefits

Are families with disabled children exempt from the bedroom tax?

At the time of writing, there is no blanket exemption for families with a disabled child. Instead, the Government has

The benefit cap will be £500 per week for couples and lone parents

25

appointee. Seek advice about whether you are exempt on any other grounds.

June 2013 Personal Independence Payment

agreed that Housing Benefit awards

replaces DLA for those aged 16+

should include an individual bedroom

DLA is being scrapped for disabled

for a disabled child if their condition

schemes vary from area to area, so

people aged 16 or above and replaced

prevents them from sharing. However,

contact your local authority for more

by a new disability benefit called the

other families with a disabled child may

information. Budgeting loans will still

Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

still be affected by the bedroom tax. For

be available for one-off costs but, unlike

DLA will be retained as a separate benefit

instance, if a spare bedroom is needed

community care grants, these need to

for disabled children aged under 16.

to store disability equipment or for an

be paid back.

overnight carer for their disabled child.

Initially, PIP will only apply to those making a brand new claim. Then, from

Families in this position still face a cut

Summer 2013

October 2013, DLA claimants whose

in their Housing Benefit. However, a

Introduction of benefit cap for out

existing award ends, or who report a

number of legal challenges against

of work families

change of circumstances, or who turn

these rules are underway so if you are

Following a pilot in four London

16 will be re-assessed under the PIP

affected, seek urgent advice about

boroughs, the Government intends to

system. Other adults claiming DLA will

appealing your Housing Benefit decision

introduce a new “benefit cap” to all

be re-assessed for PIP from October

whilst also applying for a discretionary

other parts of the country between July

2015 onwards.

housing payment.

and September 2013. This will limit the total amount of benefit payments that a family can receive if they are out of

What are discretionary housing payments?

Discretionary housing payments can be made by local authorities to help make up a shortfall between your rent and your Housing Benefit. They are at the discretion of the local authority, so you have no legal right to a payment. However, as a parent of a disabled child you may be given a higher priority – particularly if your property has been substantially adapted.

work. The cap will be £500 per week for couples and lone parents (£350 for single people).

The benefit cap will not apply if you, your partner or any child you claim child allowance (DLA) or the new personal independence payment (PIP). It also will not apply to any family where someone works sufficient hours to be eligible for working tax credit (regardless of whether

If your child turns 16 on or before 6 October 2013 and their DLA award is ending, they should be sent a DLA renewal pack and will not be invited to claim PIP until a later date.

you actually receive working tax credit or not). Certain other groups are also should seek advice about applying for a discretionary housing payment.

If you have an older child living with

loans scrapped

you who gets DLA, this does not mean

Families on low income benefits are

you are exempt from the benefit cap.

no longer able to apply to Jobcentre

You are only exempt if you, your partner

Plus for community care grants to help

or a dependent child gets DLA. If your

with costs like a new cooker or a new

son or daughter receives benefits (such

bed. Crisis loans offering urgent help

as Employment and Support Allowance)

following an emergency have also been

as a disabled adult, their DLA award

scrapped. Instead, you will need to look

will not protect you from the cap. This

to your local council for help. Council

remains the case even if you act as their

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

From 10 June, PIP now applies to 16-year-olds making a new claim.

However different rules apply to 16-year-olds with an existing DLA award.

benefit for gets either disability living

exempt. Families affected by the cap

Community care grants and crisis

PIP and young people turning 16

If your child turns 16 after the 6 October 2013, they will be invited to claim PIP shortly after their sixteenth birthday. If their current DLA award is due to run out on their sixteenth birthday, new rules will allow these DLA payments to continue for a temporary period until a decision is made on their PIP claim. Special rules will allow a 16-year-old who is terminally ill to continue claiming DLA rather than PIP.

>> SENISSUE65

26

benefits

PIP/DLA – what’s the difference?

used for Employment and Support

At first glance, the new PIP may seem

Allowance (ESA). You can accompany

very similar to DLA. Like DLA it is not

your child to the consultation and send

means tested and has two components:

in any other evidence that you want to

a mobility component and a daily living

be taken into account.

component which considers the need for care and assistance.

October 2013

There is concern that some families with a disabled child will end up worse off under Universal Credit

However, PIP uses entirely new

Introduction of new Universal Credit

rules to decide whether you qualify

Most means-tested benefits for people

for the benefit. A disabled person will

of working age are to be replaced by a

severely visually impaired, their parents’

be awarded points depending on how

new Universal Credit. It is scheduled to

Universal Credit award will include a

limited their ability is to undertake

be introduced from October 2013 for

lower disability addition of £28.45 per

certain specific activities. Their points

new benefit claimants, with those on the

week. Given that equivalent payment

are added up and the score they get

existing benefits and tax credits being

under tax credits is £57.89 per week,

determines whether they qualify for

moved onto Universal Credit between

this represents a cut of £29.44 per week,

PIP and at what rate. There will also

April 2014 and 2017.

or around £1,500 per year.

be a new way of assessing your claim,

The Government says that some

Some working families may find that

involving a face-to-face meeting with a

groups will be much better off under

other Universal Credit work incentives

health professional.

the Universal Credit – particularly many

are greater than the cut in their disability

working families. This is a result of

addition, leaving them better off overall.

PIP assessment

more generous rules designed to make

But other families will be worse off over

As well as having to complete a claim

sure that work pays. However, there

time – particularly out of work families

form and a questionnaire, most people

is concern that some families with a

with a child who qualifies for the lower

will be asked to attend a face-to-face

disabled child will end up worse off.

disability addition.

consultation. This will not be with your

This is primarily because of a cut in

The Government has said that

child’s GP but with a health professional

the basic child disability addition paid as

anyone worse off as a result of moving

working on behalf of the Department

part of the Universal Credit. If a child’s

from their existing benefits onto the

for Work and Pensions (DWP). In this

DLA award does not include the high

Universal Credit will receive a top up

respect, PIP is similar to the assessment

rate care component and they are not

– ensuring that their payments do not drop. However, these top up payments will be frozen, so these claimants will still be worse off over time due to inflation. In addition, this will not help those families who first start to qualify for disability additions after the introduction of the Universal Credit.

Further information

Derek Sinclair is part of Contact a Family’s welfare rights team, and is Senior Parent Adviser on the charity’s national Helpline.

More detailed advice about all of these changes is available from Contact a Family’s benefits experts. For more information, visit: www.cafamily.org.uk Pensioner households are exempt from cuts imposed by the "bedroom tax"

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sen code of practice

28

Rewriting the Code With a new SEN Code of Practice due next year, Children’s Minister Edward Timpson outlines what we can expect, and what the Government hopes it will achieve

I

’m driving forward the Children and Families Bill, and more than half of this substantial legislation is concerned with SEN. That is in

itself a measure of this Government’s commitment to helping some of the

For the first time, further education colleges will have to follow the SEN Code of Practice

country’s most vulnerable young people.

challenging in urging schools to improve the quality of teaching for all pupils – rather than just label “difficult” pupils as having SEN. This is not about lower levels of financial support. It is not about lowering the numbers of young people with SEN

An important piece of our reforms

to get a so-called “right” level.

is the publication of a new Code of

Have your say

Practice, which we expect to come into

The new Code of Practice will be

force from autumn 2014. But we are

shorter, clearer and more concise than

This Code of Practice has been a long

not waiting until then. I have seen the

the current Code. It will aim to set out

time in gestation. We have been working

reforms trialled in Bromley and Bexley,

what should be achieved for children

with a large number of groups, such

and other areas in England.

and young people with SEN, rather than

as the Council for Disabled Children,

detail processes – which can lead to a

Achievement for All and Contact a

one-size-fits-all “tick box” approach.

Family, with an interest in this area.

The current Code of Practice sets out what councils and other public agencies have to do to support families of children

In being clearer, I hope the new Code

Later this year we will publish a full

who have SEN. It was published 12

will go a long way towards ending the

consultation when there will be another

years ago, is 217 pages long, and is

frustration many parents feel when

opportunity for those with an interest in

long overdue a revamp.

they try to get a statement of SEN.

SEN to have their say. I hope you will

Councils will know what they have to

take a close look at the consultation

do to support those families.

when it is published.

people in school, but will go beyond

What’s new in the Code?

so that they deliver for the families of

that to support young people in further

For the first time, further education

young people who have SEN – so that

education, in some cases up to the

colleges will have to follow the Code

the system helps, not hinders.

age of 25. This will give them important

when they provide services to young

new rights.

people with SEN. This will help young

The new Code of Practice, which is currently being developed, will not just apply to children and young

I want you to help shape our reforms

It will stop the cliff-edge effect that

people with SEN to undertake study

too many young people have endured,

programmes that will support them in

whereby a great deal of support suddenly

achieving their aspirations. An important

evaporates when they leave school

part of the reforms is a focus on helping

and they face a completely different

young people prepare for adult life, such

support system in further education. It

as getting a job. The Code will set this

will replace the current alphabet soup

out too.

of frameworks that support those with SEN in adulthood.

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Further information

Edward Timpson is a Conservative MP and the Minister for Children and Families: www.education.gov.uk

It will not change the legal duties schools will face. But it will be more www.senmagazine.co.uk

SEN PRESS

www.senmagazine.co.uk

SENSORY

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29

BULLYING

30

Bully for you Liam Hackett reveals what young people with SEN think about bullying.

basis of difference; all children should

(on a scale of 1 to 10) Reduced self-esteem

through every day. Nobody should

be pigeonholed or excluded on the

impacted your life?

Negatively impacted on home life

pain that many school children go

How severely has the bullying

Negatively impacted on social life

so I understand something of the

Bullies are often the subjects of abuse themselves, either at home or school

Negatively impacted on studies

I

grew up as a victim of bullying,

National average

4.3

5.4

4.3

6.2

Physical disability

6.4

7.4

6.5

7.8

Learning disability

5.6

6.8

5.7

7.3

be inspired and empowered to accept themselves for who they are, and others

every day, with physically disabled

should treat them with respect.

students experiencing the most

Anti-bullying organisation Ditch the

frequent bullying.

Label recently surveyed over 2,000

All SEN groups reported high

British college students, primarily

frequencies of verbal, physical and cyber

aged between 16 and 19, in its Annual

bullying, although verbal was found

Bullying Survey 2013. Of the sample,

to be the most common. Alarmingly,

17.4 per cent declared a learning or

physically disabled students reported

physical disability. The research found

the highest level of physical attacks.

that these groups of young people were amongst the most vulnerable to bullying.

How frequently do you experience the

They were also more likely to exhibit

following types of bullying?

Effects of bullying

and internalise harmful behaviours and

(on a scale of 1 to 10)

Students were then asked about some of the behaviours they exhibited as

Verbal bullying

Physical bullying

Cyber bullying

Sexual harassment

emotions as a result of peer exclusion

National average

6.5

4.7

4.6

3.8

Physical disability

8.2

6.6

7

6.2

anti-social behaviours.

Learning disability

7.5

6.1

6.2

5.3

As a result of bullying, which of

and bullying.

One young male student with cerebral palsy said that when he was at school, bullies would often hit him and push

around the face and push me over. The

the following behaviours have you

Unsurprisingly, the more intense levels

As a result, he would often self-harm

of bullying were found to have a serious

as a way of dealing with the torment.

impact on the lives of students, with

Unfortunately, this kind of experience

those with physical or learning disabilities

is not uncommon.

being most severely affected. Students with learning disabilities ranked only

Targets of bullying

slightly higher than average, but it may

When asked about their experiences

be that many of these young people had

of bullying, young people with SEN

difficulty trying to quantify the impact of

reported that they were bullied almost

the bullying they experienced.

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truant, have suicidal thoughts or project

engaged in?

teachers knew...but they didn’t seem to care.”

a result, were more likely to self-harm,

Anti-social behaviour

would come up to me and smack me

internalise the pain of bullying and as

Suicidal thoughts

“When I was thirteen, I changed school and there used to be a boy who

to be far more likely than average to

Truancy

He described what happened:

with disabilities and SEN were found

Self-harm

him over just for “walking differently”.

a direct result of bullying. Students

National average

36%

30%

38%

31%

Physical disability

55%

50%

61%

53%

Learning disability

52.5%

44.5%

55%

43%

www.senmagazine.co.uk

BULLYING

“The teachers knew...but they didn’t seem to care.” of pro-active management and quality training cannot be under-estimated.

Family members and friends are often the first point of call for any victim of bullying. It is important to maintain an open mind and to be as approachable as possible. For parents, it is likely that your child is feeling very vulnerable and ashamed – bullying can often make the victim feel as though it is his fault that he is being attacked. Children should be reassured that they have nothing to be ashamed of. When appropriate, they It can be hard to ask for help when you are being bullied.

should be encouraged to speak directly to a teacher. In extreme cases, you may

One student with SEN described his experiences in more detail: “Bullying has completely destroyed

• is he isolating himself in social situations?

• how open is he to discussion

also wish to involve the police.

It is important for all teaching professionals to ensure diverse and open

my self confidence; now I have developed

about bullying? Dismissiveness is

cultures in school that encourage the

social anxiety and I find it hard to make

often a sign

victims of bullying to speak up without

friends...it gave me low self-esteem and

• are there any visible signs of

fear of being ignored or reprimanded.

an extreme case of depression, making

self-harm (look specifically at

Part of the responsibility of being a

me scared to leave the house or go

the wrists and thighs)? If so,

teacher is to recognise and respond

to school.”

immediate medical or counselling

accordingly to bullying.

Many young people with SEN did

intervention is essential

Discussion with any suspected bully

initially seek help with bullying from

• is he skipping school or specific

or victim should be undertaken with

family members, teachers and friends,

lessons? Fear of bullying is a

caution; do not approach the subject

but a significantly higher than average

common reason for truancy

head on, as this may be quite alarming

proportion were making use of social networking sites, telephone helplines and counselling services. The majority of those bullied, however, were unhappy with the support they received.

What can be done?

First and foremost, it is important for

• how is he feeling about himself?

how he is feeling or if there is anybody

self-esteem

he knows who is involved in bullying.

• is he employing key escapist

Building a relationship of trust is essential

tactics, such as an obsession

and this can take time, particularly with

with television, games or internet

some children with SEN.

chat rooms?

• Is he bullying other youths?

those working in schools to look out for

Bullies are often the subjects of

any signs that pupils are being bullied. It

abuse themselves.

may be difficult for those with learning

When young people are being bullied,

disabilities to quantify and communicate

it is vitally important that support is

experiences of bullying, so patience

readily available, and perceived as

is essential. Some of the common

being accessible by the young people

questions you may want to ask yourself

concerned. The research indicated that

if you think a child could be the victim

satisfaction with counselling services is

of bullying are:

generally very low, so the importance

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

for some students. Instead, try asking

Bullying is a primary cause of low

Further information 22-year-old Liam Hackett is the founder of anti-bullying organisation Ditch the Label: http://ditchthelabel.org

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32

cyber-bullying

Tackling cyber-bullying Schools must be vigilant to ensure that the digital domain is not a safe haven for bullies, says Stephen Clarke

C

yber-bullying is any form of bullying that involves the use of mobile phones or the internet. According to the

NSPCC, 38 per cent of young people

Many children are too embarrassed to report instances of bullying

have been affected by cyber-bullying,

conduct of pupils when they are offsite or not under the control or charge of a member of staff. Schools should ensure that their anti-bullying policy is clear – that cyber-bullying will not go unpunished and that disciplinary action

with abusive emails (26 per cent) and

to constantly reiterate to students in

text messages (24 per cent) being the

assemblies and class discussions how

Once an incident has been reported,

most common methods (Tarapdar and

they can report it. Many children are

the school can activate its anti-bullying

Kellett, 2011 – cited on NSPCC website

too embarrassed to report instances

policy and, if necessary, contact the

at June 2013).

of bullying, so it is vital that they have a

communications’ service provider to

variety of ways to let the school know,

remove the messages or restrict an

so that something can be done.

account. Facebook, for example has

People get bullied for a variety of reasons, but those perceived as being

will be taken.

different are often targeted. Students

If a student does experience cyber-

with a learning difficulty, for example,

bullying, he must speak to a teacher or

anti-bullying policies and will remove

are significantly more likely to be bullied.

adult and report it in the way he feels

They may also have more difficulty in

most comfortable. The student should

Raising awareness

communicating what has happened.

bullying content when made aware.

remember to keep a copy of any abusive

Local authorities can also help support

Schools have a responsibility to

texts, emails, comments or messages

schools in their jurisdiction. Leicester

ensure that they provide all students with

that he receives and record the date and

City Council (LCC), for example, is very

a means to communicate their concerns,

time they were sent.

proactive in giving advice and support to

ideally early on before the situation has

schools. It runs a number of awareness campaigns, including its anti-bullying

and appropriately, it is also important

Where does cyber-bullying happen?

that staff are presented with the full

Simply banning technology from school

policies for dealing with this issue.

picture, including who was involved,

will not prevent cyber-bullying. Most

Schools know that cyber-bullying

what action was taken and if the parents

cases take place out of school, yet they

happens and that students with SEN

have been informed.

can impact very strongly on the school

are more likely to be affected. Creating

life of the pupils involved. The Education

an atmosphere of openness and

Reporting bullying

and Inspections Act 2006 (EIA 2006)

making it easy for students to report

The most important thing that schools

gives headteachers the power “to such

concerns about cyber-bullying, as well

can do to prevent cyber-bullying is

extent as is reasonable” to regulate the

as emphasising that the school will take

escalated. In order to respond swiftly

awards to recognise schools that have

these reports seriously, will all help to reduce incidences.

Further information

Stephen Clarke is Managing Director of Contact Group, which provides mobile school-to-home and anti-bullying communication solutions: www.the-contactgroup.com

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34

synthetic phonics

More than words can say Chris Jolly looks at how synthetic phonics can help learners with SEN to overcome difficulties with reading

A

A good synthetic phonics programme can nurture key literacy skills

children that words are made up from

daily basis, the argument for using

state that this was the best way to teach

act of synthesising and blending letter

synthetic phonics programmes that

all our children to read and write.

sounds together to work out unknown

s a publisher of educational materials, I am lucky to work closely with SENCOs, teachers and researchers

who share my enthusiasm for synthetic phonics. I see and hear, on an almost

sounds. Children are taught the 42 letter sounds of English as well as being introduced to the alternative vowels and tricky words.

The word “synthetic” refers to the

provide a strategic and interactive

There are still some who argue

words. In school, children are taught

course of study. However, it wasn’t

against phonics, although the phonics

the letter sounds and are immediately

always this way.

screening check undertaken last year in

encouraged to blend words using these

Prior to 2007, when it became an

an attempt to monitor how children were

sounds: for example, s-a-t (sat) or

integral part of the National Curriculum,

progressing, suggested that children

p-i-n (pin).

you had to be careful who you uttered

were showing improvement in reading

the words “synthetic phonics” to

and writing.

Literacy and SEN

because there was an emotional debate

A good synthetic phonics programme

The Rose report of 2006 acknowledged

raging as to whether we were right to

can nurture key literacy skills by teaching

the importance of targeted interventions for pupils with significant literacy difficulties. In its wake, the Labour Government introduced the policy of Letters and Sounds, which placed synthetic phonics at the heart of teaching reading and writing in early years. Synthetic phonics was taken up by teachers and parents across the UK and implemented in schools.

There have been various studies, including a seven year study in Clackmannanshire carried out by Professor Johnston and Dr Watson which concluded that the use of synthetic phonics helped children to learn to read and spell faster than those not on the programme. In 1997, Marilynn Grant, a SENCO at a mainstream primary school, started to collaborate on developing a synthetic phonics system of teaching

Teaching children that words are formed from sounds.

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which aimed to improve the literacy www.senmagazine.co.uk

synthetic phonics

It is important not to panic and throw lots of different strategies at the problem problems engaging. She cannot get him to look at her but he responds very well to the laptop. In a group, he will wriggle and move around and won’t look at his teacher, but if he has control of the laptop, he will sit still and will sound out the letters and read. The laptop, for him, creates a non-threatening situation, and one he is enthusiastic to engage in. In Multi-sensory learning, using actions and games, helps pupils retain information.

the past, his teacher and parent may have been told that “he’ll never read”, but teachers now know that there are

standards of all pupils. The results

Some children find it hard to grasp a

different tools – different methods that

showed a marked improvement in the

new concept and it is often best to teach

can be used to help engage children

reading skills of both mainstream pupils

the letter sounds before sending children

who aren’t engaged in a traditional “look

and those with SEN. Ms Grant said:

home with books. This approach often

and say” setting.

“We did not think that these children

elicits strong feelings from the parents

Teaching synthetic phonics at pace

needed a different form of teaching

who want to see their children coming

is also very important. With mainstream

or programme, but rather that they

home with reading books. However, if

learners, I would usually advocate the

needed a little bit more teaching a little

you send a child with SEN home with

one-letter-a-day strategy. However, if a

more frequently.”

a reading book, it can look too hard for

child has not grasped the letter, there is

Recognising that there is a problem

him and you risk losing him. If you teach

no point carrying on blindly and hoping

is the first step on the road to helping

the child the sounds first, then give him

that things will fall into place. If you are

children who struggle to read and write.

the book, you may find that he is more

leading a group of struggling readers,

If you are teaching a whole-language

successful at blending.

it is important to go at a pace that has

approach, you may not recognise quickly

meaning to them as individuals. You may

that children are struggling, whereas if

Multi-sensory learning

need to slow it down from one letter a

you are asking a child to do something

Memory is a huge problem for struggling

day, to three a week, but it is important

specific with a synthetic phonics

readers and the act of reinforcing

to have pace in mind because if a child

programme, it is more immediately

is the greatest tool we have when

only knows five sounds, he can only

apparent when there are problems.

addressing SEN.

read words with those five sounds; you

When you find that children are

A multi-sensory approach really

need to find a pace that is worthwhile so

struggling, it is important not to panic

helps to reinforce a programme and

that the children have access to reading

and throw lots of different strategies at

makes the act of learning fun. Songs,

books that are interesting to them. Pace

the problem. Children who are having

activities, rhymes, dancing and colouring

is rewarding too. When the letters are

difficulties learning to read need more of

can all be harnessed as part of a

learned at pace, the children begin to

the same; they need repetition. It is not

multi-sensory approach.

build confidence; they start to see their

a trendy concept, but repetition works.

If you have your small group listening,

Children with SEN often have problems

singing, doing actions with their fingers

with short term memory, so dodging

and sounding out the letters, then you

from one thing to another doesn’t

have more opportunities to keep their

reading, it makes sense to teach a

help; it merely adds to the confusion

attention. A teacher told me recently of

and frustration.

a child with autism in her care who has

programme systematically. You can then >>

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

own progress and begin to believe that they can do this.

If children need extra help with

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synthetic phonics

When I have a child with a statement, I know I need to make the phonics more interactive come back and revisit it when necessary and parents can reinforce it at home.

Continuous assessment of the

Phonics in action

By Adam Saye: Deputy Headteacher, Adam Buxton Primary School, Tower Hamlets When I joined the school two years ago, we didn’t have a phonics programme, so I introduced one in the nursery and reception. I split the classes into three groupings (high, middle and lower ability) and streamed the children according to their phonics ability. This provided the opportunity to work intensively at the particular group’s required pace.

pupils is essential in order to track their progress and to help move them into the appropriate group. Quite often, children with SEN are left with the teaching assistant (TA). Many TAs are brilliant, but it is essential that schools ensure that TAs are assessed properly to make sure that they understand the letter sounds themselves.

In my opinion, making synthetic phonics mandatory in 2007 wasn’t just a great step forward, it was a revolution.

Prior to this, teachers and SENCOs were left to their own devices; many didn’t know which sounds to teach first, many

In early years, we have a number of children on the SEN register; we have children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, as well as those with speech and language difficulties who receive help from a speech therapist. We also have a large number of children with English as an additional language (EAL). Children with EAL are not statemented but they do need help when they enter nursery. Typically, 95 per cent of our children enter nursery achieving below age-expected. We teach intensively using synthetic phonics and track the children twice a term. By the time children leave us to go into Year 1, 80 per cent are at age-expected levels and above.

We use a target tracker to track pupils every half term, so we’re very aware of the progress they’re making. Monitoring progress is a great way of recognising the children’s individual needs. If someone is making good progress in the lower group, then we move him up.

were confused, some were scared to teach using synthetic phonics and others were overwhelmed by the task they faced. Six years on, we are beginning to see the difference we can make when we teach using a systematic approach.

I hope that we can all continue to pool our resources, working with SENCOs, teachers and parents to further benefit children with SEN.

Further information

Chris Jolly is the owner of Jolly Learning Ltd, producers of the Jolly Phonics series. Chris was at the forefront of the argument to include phonics in the National Curriculum. Today, he is heavily involved in providing phonics books, materials and training in developing countries: www.jollylearning.com

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When I have a child with a statement, I know I need to make the phonics more interactive; in fact, I make it as interactive as possible. I use games such as What’s in the bag? I use a bag that contains objects, sing songs about the objects and ask what noises they make.

I sing a lot of songs with the children, as this makes things easier. The children may just think that you are singing them a song, but we sing particular songs with letters embedded in them. We always teach the songs first in nursery, then we introduce flash cards afterwards that correspond with the letters from the songs, and then we put the two together. We sing a song about ants, with the sound “a” emphasised within the song. Then, when the children see the “a/ant” flashcard, they already know the sound from the song. We’ll say: “We know a song about ants/a, don’t we?” and launch into the song. This enjoyable and repetitive way of learning really helps the children to remember their letters and sounds.

We send home a special book which contains the letters the children have learned that day. We include letter sound sheets within the book so that parents can go over what the children have learned that day. We also provide the curriculum map for parents so that they know what we’re doing that term. Revisiting what the children are doing is the best way to help them, especially for children with SEN.

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communication aids

41

Without a voice Thousands of children may be missing out on the right to communicate.

Cathy Harris assesses the implications of a landmark AAC report

I

f you are unable to walk, it is natural

There is currently little consistency in

to expect access to a wheelchair. If

how people are identified, assessed and

you cannot talk or express yourself,

offered AAC devices and there is great

why then are you unable to access

variation in service provision across

a communication aid that could change

the UK. The bottom line is that many

your life, giving you the independence a

local areas are failing to make effective

wheelchair gives the non-walker?

provision and support available.

Life for those with speech difficulties can be lonely, difficult and isolating influential Bercow Review of Services for

It is a human right to be empowered

The tides are shifting, though. In

Children and Young People with Speech,

to communicate. Yet in the UK, low

the last few years we have seen the

Language and Communication Needs,

levels of public recognition exist

benefits of increased awareness of the

the work of Jean Gross in her role as

around augmentative and alternative

vital importance communication plays in

the Government’s Communication

communication (AAC) and in particular

our children’s lives and how recognising

Champion, and that of the Hello campaign

the needs and abilities of those who

a language delay or more complex

(National Year of Communication).

need AAC support. Without access

speech, language and communication

to AAC, life for those with speech

needs (SLCN) can change outcomes.

difficulties can be lonely, difficult and isolating.

A new report, Shining a Light on Augmentative and Alternative

This has been thanks to efforts

Communication, places AAC firmly

stemming from John Bercow MP’s

in the spotlight, providing up-to-date information on this important issue.

Explaining AAC Children or adults may have difficulty expressing themselves in a way that is understood by others. This could be due to a lack of speech, difficulties with speech intelligibility or motor speech difficulties (controlling the physical movements necessary for speaking), and can result from many congenital or acquired difficulties, such as cerebral palsy or stroke.

AAC covers a range of strategies, equipment, systems, methods and techniques used by people who have impairments of speech, language or communication.

These approaches may be unaided or aided and used to augment or provide alternative approaches that utilise visual, spoken and written mediums.

AAC can include use of eyes, facial expression, gesture, signing, symbols, Without the right support, communication can be challenging for those with SLCN.

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communication aids

communication boards or books and technology-based systems such as voice output communication aids (VOCAs). AAC may incorporate the integration of a range of different systems in different settings.

The time taken to seek funding for services has a negative impact on provision

The idea behind AAC is to use a

Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.

Commissioned by Communication Matters, the research was carried out by the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with an honorary researcher from Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Manchester

person's abilities, whatever they are, to

Metropolitan University.

compensate for their difficulties and to

It has, for the first time, brought

make communication as quick, simple

Aided communication

together the prevalence figures around

and effective as possible when speech

This describes those methods of

those who are currently using AAC as

is impaired.

communication which involve using

well as looking at any unmet need (see

additional equipment, such as picture,

panel bottom left).

The Shining a Light on AAC report has put forward new definitions including:

symbol, letter or word boards, or books

The research identified that new

and technology-based systems such

technologies have emerged, and

Unaided communication

as voice output communication aids.

continue to develop rapidly, bringing

This refers to those methods of

This may be used alongside speech

more and more opportunities for

communication which do not involve

and unaided communication.

professionals to support those who

additional equipment, such as signing,

have difficulty communicating.

body language, eye pointing, facial

Low-tech aided communication

expression and gesturing.

These systems are those that do

face is a lack of consistency in service

not require power to function, such

provision across the UK, with almost

as picture, photo/symbol, letter or

no services currently having the

word boards or books. It can also

interdisciplinary skills and resources

include objects of reference, or

to meet the most complex AAC needs

Research estimates suggest that: • just over 0.5 per cent of the population could benefit from some type of AAC. This equates to nearly a third of a million people across the UK • more than 75,000 children and young people across the UK are benefitting or may benefit from AAC support • of these, 7,500 children and young people could benefit from powered communication aids • only 2,000 children and young people currently have access to powered communication aids, suggesting that 5,500 of those who could benefit are currently without access.

the use of everyday objects that

for children and young people. The

support communication.

time taken to seek funding to support

The statistics are for children and young people aged from birth to 19 in the UK, based on 2011 midyear data (an update of the 2011 census data, Office for National Statistics).

AAC usage at a glance

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One of the biggest challenges we

these services has a negative impact on High-tech (powered)

provision, and absorbs a considerable

aided communication

amount of professional time.

These technology-based systems

AAC often does not get the same

require some power to function,

amount of attention and resources

ranging from systems such as single

as other areas of SEN and disability

recorded message output devices

provision. Jean Gross recalls an

to more complex systems that take

encounter which clearly highlights

text or symbol input and produce a

this predicament: “I vividly remember

speech output.

a teacher saying to me, of a disabled child, ‘We can get him a special cup to

Communication aid

drink from, but not the means to tell us

A communication aid is a piece of

he’s thirsty; we can get him a specially

equipment that helps a person to

adapted bed, but not the means to

communicate. These aids range from

tell us he’s tired; we can get him an

letter, word, symbol or picture boards

all-singing and dancing wheelchair,

to any technology-based system such

but not the means to tell us whether

as a voice output communication aid.

it’s comfortable.”

The evidence about AAC

arrangements are often inconsistent

The research was the culmination

and sometimes dependent upon in-

of a three-year AAC Evidence Base

year savings from other budgets. This

research project funded by the National

is making it difficult for services to plan

Service commissioning and funding

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communication aids

strategically and to ensure maintenance and replacement of communication aids are built into continuing care plans.

Less than five per cent of the 92 AAC services surveyed in the research reported joint service funding

“We can get him a specially adapted bed, but not the means to tell us he’s tired”

continual specialist training and support.

A welcome contribution to the field of AAC is the development of a case study template that will gather data to advance knowledge around AAC undertaken by Manchester Metropolitan University.

arrangements, which is concerning. Joint

This is an important support tool for

commissioning has been highlighted

local services auditing their outcomes.

as vital in improving the integration of

the AAC service they received, many

The AAC research findings enable

services across health, education and

were satisfied with AAC services –

us to look at the real picture around

care settings and avoiding disputes over

demonstrating what good services

AAC needs and the lack of provision

responsibility for funding.

can offer.

available. It is crucial that everyone

There is a growing need for AAC

Through the research project, a

involved continues to lobby and

in the UK yet what is lagging behind

service model for the provision of AAC

campaign to seek improvements in

is commissioning of services, funding

services, including powered aided

funding for provision of AAC services

arrangements and specialist expertise.

communication, was defined using

and devices.

There is a postcode lottery of support

contributions from those affected by

Enabling people to communicate

and provision for both children and

AAC, their families and the professionals

improves their quality of life and

adults who use AAC. This isn’t just a

who work with them. The model details

offers children and young people new

postcode lottery based on where you

the components of effective service

opportunities in their education and

live but also a lottery based on your age,

provision. Broad categories include:

friendships, helping to increase their

disability and even literacy skills. For

• assessment

independence. It is unacceptable for

those who use AAC, and their families,

• funding

any child, young person or adult to be

the biggest issue is the constant barriers

• training

left without access to a voice.

they face around securing funding for

• customisation and maintenance

services and equipment.

• support • research and development

An ideal service model for AAC

• education and advice.

the majority of people who use AAC

Empowering others around AAC

and their families and carers expressed

It is recognised that professionals

frustration with all or some part of

working with people who use AAC need

The research highlighted that although

Further information

Cathy Harris is Chair of Communication Matters, which provides help and support with AAC to parents and professionals.

A copy of the Shining a Light on AAC report, along with information about sources of funding, assessment services and support services for AAC, can be found on the charity’s website: www.communicationmatters.org.uk The AACknowledge website brings together knowledge, information, research and case studies on AAC in variety of formats. It has been developed to empower AAC users, parents, carers and professionals to improve support and services for people with speech difficulties: www.aacknowledge.org.uk

Access to the right communication aid can transform a young person's life.

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

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CEREBRAL PALSY

High hopes Marion Stanton looks at how we can help students with cerebral palsy to realise their potential

C

erebral palsy (CP) is a

underestimated. The notion of the

most varied condition. It

“least dangerous assumption” has been

can present as a severe

adopted by a number of practitioners

and complex disability

and organisations involved in the

with the person being unable to move

teaching and support of this group. The

or speak. Alternatively, the individual

least dangerous assumption examines

might be able to communicate as well

two scenarios:

There is a danger that assessors might underestimate cognitive ability

as a non-disabled peer but have slight

Scenario 1: Kim is a student whom

their ability with standardised tests,

motor problems. There are many shades

we assume has no understanding. We

unless they only have a mild form of

in between.

have low expectations and provide her

the condition. Dynamic assessment

Students with CP may have

with a curriculum we would deliver to a

enables the assessor to observe the

average or above average cognitive

student who has profound and complex

student informally, measure what she

ability. Some will have mild, severe or

needs. Ten years later we find out that

achieves when she receives appropriate

profound learning difficulties. There are

Kim has normal cognition. What have

input, and change the approach being

a significant number of students with CP

we lost?

used if it is not achieving the goal of

who have communication difficulties as

Scenario 2: Kim is a student whom

supporting the student to learn. In

well as movement difficulties. Students

we do not understand. We don’t know

dynamic assessment, the assessor can

in this group can be very challenging to

if she has any understanding. We take

intervene during the assessment with a

accurately assess in terms of cognition.

a risk and assume that she understands

view to providing the tools to improve

There is a danger that assessors might

and teach her accordingly. Ten years

the student’s current level of learning.

underestimate ability, meaning that the

later we find out that Kim has profound

You may think that this is little more than

student does not receive education

and complex needs. What have we lost?

common sense, and what teachers do

at a level that meets her needs. While

every day in the classroom, and you

overestimating an individual’s ability

Assessment and equipment

would be right. However, students with

might be confusing for the student,

A useful assessment tool is dynamic

disabilities can often be misunderstood

imagine how much more difficult her

assessment. It is often difficult for

and it is the extra mile their teachers

situation is if her cognitive ability is

students with CP to demonstrate

travel to ensure that they have examined all the avenues that might support learning that can make all the difference.

Recent developments in technology are offering new opportunities and changing the way we work with students who have movement and communication difficulties. The use of assistive technology (AT) and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) has transformed the lives of many students who were previously unable to express their thoughts. However, technology is only as supportive as the person presenting it to the student is able

Communication-friendly environments can enable all pupils to learn together.

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CEREBRAL PALSY

opened up some great opportunities in

• indirect access such as switch

the classroom, but it is vexing to read

use. A person who is accessing

articles in the popular press claiming that

a device with a switch needs

individuals have learnt to communicate

software that accepts switch use

for the first time in years with the help

and an ability to either time their

of a free app. If only life was so simple.

movements or the patience to

In reality, the process starts with a

Technology moves on all the time, so ongoing reassessment is essential

use one switch to move between

verbal skills. Some of the most cognitively

comprehensive assessment, performed

choices and a second one to

able students with CP are to be found in

in conjunction with a local centre or AT

select their choice. There are

the population of students with athetoid

and AAC provider who understands the

numerous ways in which switch

CP. However, their skills may be masked

range of technology available. Both the

use can be approached and it is

by the often huge difficulties they face

hardware (the machines themselves) and

best to consult an AAC assessor

with controlling movement and speech.

the software (the apps and programmes

to establish the best access route

Recent developments with eye gaze

for the individual

technology have made a big difference

that go on them) have to be thoroughly analysed to understand the different

• speech recognition software that

to some of these students. Eye gaze

ways a student might access them. It

allows the student to dictate to

technology enables the student to gaze

is then important for the student to trial

their device which then translates

at the part of the screen that they wish

hardware and software to be sure that the

this to the written word. This can

to activate. A camera detects where the

choice made is right for her. Even after

be particularly useful for students

student is looking and effectively turns

this, there will be training and on-going

with relatively clear speech but

her gaze into a mouse curser.

support issues, because technology is

with difficulties with movement.

not yet reliable enough to be trusted

Other features that can optimise access

Testing times

on its own. What’s more, nothing lasts

to learning include, word prediction,

An increasing number of students

forever and technology moves on all

spell checking, electronic highlighting,

with CP are now accessing exams,

the time, so ongoing re-assessment is

specialist software that is grid based

such as GCSE’s, and looking forward

essential. It is rare that a tablet computer

so that the student can target the areas

to futures which include employment

can provide a total solution to a student’s

on the screen effectively, and non-

prospects. Despite this, many schools

communication and learning needs, but

specialist software that is adapted for

still complain that their students with CP

they can be useful if used to complement

grid-based access.

are not treated fairly by exam boards. I

other approaches.

For students who have difficulty

believe, though, that the real situation

Going beyond tablet computers is a

with communication and who rely

is more complex. There are clear

range of equipment, including dedicated

on technology to communicate

guidelines set out by The Joint Council

devices that have been built for the

and demonstrate their learning, the

for Qualifications (JCQ) regarding

purpose of enabling communication,

acquisition of literacy is paramount. Not

access arrangements for disabled

and computer-based solutions that

everyone will be able to learn to spell

candidates. Within these guidelines, the

allow full access to anything on a normal

fluently, but even knowing initial letter

most important consideration is that

computer, in addition to specialist

sounds and then using that knowledge

the arrangements made for the student

software that enables communication

to access word prediction can be

to access the exam should reflect the

and learning.

liberating. For students who really aren’t

student’s normal way of working. If exam

More important than the device,

able to learn literacy conventionally there

centres ring their exam board and ask

though, is how the student will access

are creative options available using

broad questions about how an individual

it. Access can include:

symbol and picture based support.

student can access an exam, they are

However, I would urge teachers never

highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory

might be pointing with a finger, a

to give up on providing literacy learning

answer. The individual officer at the

fist, the eyes or a head pointer.

opportunities to students. Sometimes,

exam board will not know the student

For people using direct access,

a change of approach can make all

or her normal way of working. It is up to

the size of the screen and

the difference.

the exam centre to work with those who

• direct access by pointing. This

It is generally recognised that

know the student well to ensure that a

arranged on it can make a huge

cognitive ability and learning potential

difference to how successful it is

are not commensurate with mobility or

portfolio of evidence of the student’s >>

the way in which options are

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CEREBRAL PALSY

Features such as “listen again” can be particularly useful, as students are often reluctant to ask live readers to repeat a question or other

Differentiation can be very effective for some young people with CP

information as many times as needed.

Such differentiation can be

39 years old. Once he had access to

very effective for some young

the right support and an electronic

people with CP, enabling

communication aid, he was able to

previously struggling learners

move into his own home and set up his

to keep up and access lessons

own business.

alongside their non-disabled

My own son, who is 25 years old,

peers. There is one problem

was more fortunate. His intelligence

with tailor-made grids like

was always assumed; he enjoyed a

these, though: they take a

mainstream education which was very

long time to prepare. By and

much tailored to meet his needs. This

large, tailored differentiation

meant that he had a restricted timetable,

of this type requires the

because his CP is quite severe and

same amount of time to put

it takes him a long time to complete

together as the student will

work. He is now living in his own flat

needs is built up over time. It is then

spend completing the work – an hour of

with support from a number of personal

the responsibility of the exam centre to

preparation for every hour the student

assistants. His disability is too severe for

inform the exam boards and explain in

spends in the work situation.

him to be able to contemplate work but,

Grid-based software can be very useful in exam situations.

detail how and why the student requires

It is difficult to differentiate on mass

thanks to the education he received, he

the particular access arrangements

because every student’s needs are

is able to make choices, have a social

being asked for. The JCQ guidelines

different. The key to this becoming

life and enjoy cultural activities in his

make it clear that access arrangements

a more cost-effective way to provide

local area.

are decided on a case-by-case basis,

education is to train staff to understand

which means that the clarity of the exam

differentiation demands and techniques,

centre’s submission will be crucial to

so that teachers can take this into

the outcome.

account when they plan lessons. There

In preparation for forthcoming

is still a way to go before this way of

GCSE’s, some of the students I am

working becomes standard practice in

working with are taking tests that have

education.

been designed for them to access their work independently using grid

Reasons for hope

based software.

The options available to the student

The pictures above demonstrate

with CP are continuing to broaden out.

grid based software for taking tests.

A good friend of mine recently graduated

Instead of ringing or writing an answer,

with an MA. When she was young, her

the student who is only able to point

school had very low expectations of

and not able to speak can point to the

her potential and her mother played a

questions, listen to them again, choose

large part in her education outside of

the correct answer and, if literate, write

school. But that was twenty years ago

an answer using an on-screen keyboard.

and the education world has moved

The wording of the tests is not changed

on. Another friend of mine, who has

in any way, so the student is accessing

sadly now passed away, was assumed

them in the same way as her non-

to have very low intelligence and no

disabled peers.

capacity to communicate until he was

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Further information

A former SEN teacher, Marion Stanton is now Lead Trainer and Assessor for Communication and Learning Enterprises Limited. She is the author of the Cerebral Palsy Handbook and the mother of an adult son with cerebral palsy: www.candleaac.com

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CEREBRAL PALSY

Advertisement feature

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education, care, therapy, medical support and independence

P level to A level, with independence and life-skills training, an

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seven to 25 years) with physical disabilities. Our aim is to prepare these young people for adult life, giving them the confidence and skills they need to achieve their full potential, and become socially and economically active in their home communities.

Lucy, a student at the School, has cerebral palsy and attended a mainstream school before joining Treloar’s in 2011.

Unfortunately, at her old school she lacked both the learning and postural support needed in class to help her achieve.

During her time at Treloar’s, though, Lucy has begun to thrive; her parents, Claudine and Richard, have noticed a big difference in her: “Since Lucy has become a student at Treloar’s we have seen her confidence grow. We can see that she is so happy because at last she has access to the right equipment and is benefitting from all the skills of the fantastic staff to help her education and wellbeing on a daily basis. When we ask her if she enjoys going to school, she gives us a big beaming smile.”

www.senmagazine.co.uk

To find out more, visit: www.treloar.org.uk email: admissions@treloar.org.uk call: 01420 547425

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manual handling

49

Manual handling FAQs Kate Lovett answers common questions about risk assessments in schools and care settings What is a risk assessment?

Ergonomics is concerned with the relationship between people and their working environment

A risk assessment is a careful

Why do we have to undertake assessments?

examination of procedures and

There is a requirement in law to

practices, in your school, care setting

undertake “...a suitable and sufficient risk

or any place of work, that could cause

assessment” under the Management of

harm to people. The aim is to enable

Health and Safety at Work Regulations,

you to make an accurate judgement

1999 (MHSAW) and the Manual

about whether suitable precautions

Handling Operations Regulations,

have been put in place or whether you

1992 (MHOR). Legislation explains that

us to consider an ergonomic approach

should do more to prevent harm. A risk

where there is a risk to the health

when undertaking risk assessments.

assessment considers two independent

of employees whilst at work, or

variables:

indeed anybody else affected by

• the nature and extent of the worst

a work activity (this could include

What is an ergonomic approach?

case harm that can reasonably

the children/young adults you work

Ergonomics is the study of the design of

be foreseen

with or visitors to the school such

equipment, systems and environments

• the various factors determining the

as family members, volunteers

concerned with human use. Essentially,

likelihood that the potential harm

or contractors), then a risk assessment

it is concerned with the relationship

might be realised.

must be undertaken. The MHOR asks

between people and their working environment. An ergonomic approach considers manual handling activities as a whole and takes into account a wide range of factors, including: The nature of the task • Is it repetitive?

• Is there sufficient time for rest and recovery?

• Is it a new or unusual task?

The person (or load) being moved • How much can she do for herself?

• Is her behaviour unpredictable?

• Are her limbs likely to move involuntarily?

• Is she in any pain or discomfort when moving?

• Might her behaviour be challenging/non-compliant?

• Am I able to communicate effectively with her?

Risk assessments must take account of the individual's particular circumstances.

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manual handling

• Are there attachments to consider

“Child X has high postural tone affecting

when moving, such as peg-feed

both legs. This means that the legs are

tubing or limb braces?

often stiff, and flexion of the knees and ankles is limited to about a quarter

The working environment • How much space is available to enable safe movement?

• Is it noisy?

• Are the floors cluttered?

that of a ‘normal’ movement pattern.”

Information on the child’s weight bearing ability would also be helpful here.

Another area of the assessment in

Simply saying that a child has cerebral palsy is far less useful than describing her specific symptoms

which detail matters is in the selection of equipment. It is not sufficient to

The capabilities of the handlers

simply write: “use a hoist and sling

• Are they appropriately trained

for transfers”. It would be much more

all, you know your setting much better

helpful, and indeed safer, to state which

than those who compile and enforce

• If two or more staff are involved,

type and/or model of hoist and sling

legislation. A good rule of thumb is to

are they working well together

(including details of the size) should be

ask yourself two questions:

and communicating effectively?

used and for which types of transfers.

and skilled in the task?

• have I done enough to keep

This gives handlers clear, unambiguous

everybody safe and healthy?

In practice, these factors are rarely

information to help them avoid incidents,

• could I appear in a court of law

considered in isolation as they interact

and discourages guesswork.

Who should undertake risk assessments?

and justify my decision?

If the answer to both questions is “yes”,

with and are affected by each other.

Do we have to risk assess all people handling activities?

you should be on the right track.

It is likely that you will have to assess

To comply with the legislation, the risk

virtually all such activities, because

Does the assessment have to be written down?

assessor must be “competent”, which is

people handling will generally qualify

Assessments should be accessible to

defined as “having sufficient knowledge,

as potentially “hazardous workplace

those who are at risk of harm when they

training and experience” for the role. The

activity”. However, the law asks the

are undertaking the activity. Generally,

assessor should understand the working

assessor to be reasonable and realistic

they are recorded on paper, but they

environment, workplace activities and

in judging the level of hazard and the

could be made available on screen.

the equipment in use. Familiarity with

likelihood of harm. So, for example,

accident and incident trends in the

when considering the case of a young

setting is also important.

person who requires only occasional

How often should risk assessments be reviewed?

and very minimal guidance with walking,

According to legislation, a risk

What makes a good assessment?

the risk to the young person or an

assessment should be reviewed if there

assisting staff member would probably

is reason to believe that it is no longer

An effective risk assessment should

be very low. A risk assessment may

valid, or if there have been significant

be detailed, providing the reader with

therefore be unnecessary. However,

changes to the situation or individual’s

a comprehensive understanding of

if you are transferring a child onto a

circumstances – for example, if a

the realistic hazards when handling

changing table for personal care using

child’s

the person concerned, and how you

a hoist and sling, transferring a heavily

deteriorated or if a child’s weight or

propose to manage these risks.

dependent youngster from the floor to a

height has changed.

The details of the child or young

wheelchair for therapy or play activities,

person’s physical impairments, and

or assisting a person in a wheelchair

the impact they may have on handling,

onto a bus for transport home, the

should be on the document. It is not

hazards are increased significantly and

enough just to state the person’s

risk assessments should be undertaken.

diagnosis. Simply saying that a child

The legislation does not specifically

has cerebral palsy is far less useful than

say what activities you should assess

describing her specific symptoms. For

for; as a competent person, you have

example, an assessment might say:

to make that decision yourself. After

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medical

condition

has

Further information

Kate Lovett is the Director of manual handling training company EDGE Services: www.edgeservices.co.uk

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52

looked-after children

Who cares?

Without rapid systemic change, the future for children in care looks bleak, says Charlie Mead

“All children should grow up in a

but we are losing some every day. In

supportive and stable environment. The

some cases this is a physical loss,

government works to protect children

through the relatively high mortality rate

and support the professionals who care

for this population, but they are also

for them and their families.”

disappearing socially and emotionally.

(Government website: www.gov.uk)

T

We lose them as potential contributors

Why can’t or won’t we protect, educate and cherish children in care as our own?

to society. oday, children are being

More than 60 per cent of all children

ignored, abandoned and

in care are there because they were

returned to their parents, are being put

abused both in the care

abused or neglected, and 25 per cent

into independent living or are having

system and when they leave

(18,000 children) are in children’s homes.

their support terminated due to financial

it. Children in care are some of the most

Children in care are less likely to attend

decisions which are not based on their

vulnerable people in the country, yet

or succeed at school and are more

need – sometimes against their wishes.

they are given no more priority (and,

likely to end up in prison. The statistics

Why can’t or won’t we protect,

in many cases, less) than those from

are all available on the Government’s

educate and cherish children in care

stable and wealthy backgrounds. They

website and they make grim reading.

as our own? Why can’t we provide them

are denied access to the basic rights

What about those who leave the care

with the means to live the independent

of most children: the rights to security,

system, though?

life that is available to the majority

protection, opportunity and equality.

of 18-year-olds? They have already

They are also denied access to the

Life after care

experienced degrees of rejection and

“supportive and stable environment”

Children leave the system when they

loss of control that are hard for others

spoken of so fondly by local and national

reach the age of 18, or voluntarily if

to imagine, before the system neglects

governments. What’s more, when they

they are on a Section 20 order and in

their needs to the point of losing

leave the care system, they are even

voluntary care – either on their own

them altogether.

more vulnerable.

account or by agreement with their

These young people do not have

We now have more than 73,000

parents or authorities. However, an

a voice and their parents are often

children in care in England and Wales,

increasing number of children are being

ignored or dismissed, especially if they

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www.senmagazine.co.uk

looked-after children

Children are blamed for being who they are, and are refused opportunities to develop

have learning difficulties or addictive

and agencies. Central government is not

behaviours of their own. Their social

prioritising resources for those most at

workers and care workers are also rarely

risk, or supporting those who want to

consulted or heeded. Many children in

bring about change. Local authorities

care do not have the language, social

are often guilty of dysfunctional buck-

skills or opportunities to present their

passing and poor multi-agency planning.

case, even if they were to be listened

This can lead to huge waiting lists for

to. The rights of these children are

mental health services, poor educational

routinely flouted by a whole range of

support and, in extreme cases, child

that can be delivered immediately and

agencies. Even safeguarding issues

deaths in care. Private providers can

locally. Here are a few things that could

are ignored if duty officers and social

charge high fees, while delivering low

help improve the situation:

workers make poor decisions based on

levels of service. Our communities can

lack of knowledge – decisions that are

also be guilty of tolerating complacency

the outcomes of children in care

rarely rescinded.

in the systems that are meant to

• fund the child not the place (with

serve them, and of perpetuating bias

flexibility to move if necessary)

The following are a few examples of young people I have worked with who have left care in the past two years: • a child who was allowed to return

and discrimination.

When challenged about their policies and practices, government agencies

• give care staff responsibility for

• ensure that support systems for 18- to 25-year-olds are much more robust

to his abusive and neglectful

tend to fall back on the national

parents because he had made

obsession with reducing the deficit –

aspects of their transition from

significant progress while in care

budgets being the principle driver behind

child to adult, and don’t just pay

• involve young people in all

policy decisions. So, children in care are

lip-service to their views at

a home, arrived at his abusive

better not educated, especially after 16,

review meetings.

parents’ house and was left there

but should be kept in residential care

We cannot rely on the system that

because no social workers were

units where costs can be kept down.

has failed for so long; we must make

• a child who absconded from

The systems in place for children

changes. If we do not, many young

in care are not applying the principals

people and adults will remain lost,

released from a secure unit at 16,

they claim to be based upon. Agencies

poorly provided for and without the

entered care and was then put

act in isolation, without engaging with

basic care we all need. The next 12

into independent living before

local people and communities. All too

months is likely to see an increase in

disappearing (and has still not

often, children are blamed for being who

the number of children leaving the care

been found)

they are, and are refused opportunities

system. If change is not forthcoming,

to develop

we will perpetuate the cycle of loss

on duty • a young person who was

• a girl who was exploited as

For those who leave the care

that currently damages both the

system, the situation is even more

young people involved and society as

sexually and financially exploited

desperate. They no longer have a

a whole.

by a gang known to prey on girls

group of professionals who can support

in care

and guide them. They are left to their

a drug mule, was placed in independent living at 17 and was

• a young person with Asperger’s

own devices and, with little education

syndrome (with a statement of

and fewer opportunities to work, can

SEN), with little ability to risk-

easily fall victim to criminal elements,

assess her own behaviour, who

exploitation and poverty.

was placed in independent living and became an alcoholic and

What can be done?

highly sexually active.

Children in care respond best to localised, dynamic groups of adults

Who is responsible?

who are focussed on their needs.

The failure to provide appropriate

Complex problems need complex

support for children in care can be laid at

solutions, which means individualised

the feet of many different organisations

assessments and recommendations

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

Further information

Charlie Mead was Headteacher at a school for excluded teenagers.

He is now a consultant child and educational psychologist and Managing Director of Choices Psychological Services: www.cpsforchildren.com

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54

LOOKED-AFTER CHILDREN Advertisement feature

Fostering: a rewarding career Foster carers come from various walks of life, but they all make an enormous contribution to the lives of children and young people in care. Here, specialist foster carer Hennie tells us why she started fostering, the challenges that come with looking after young people with complex needs and the rewards of a career in care with Core Assets Fostering.

“I’ve always worked with children, and fostering was something I had thought about for a long time. I used to run a pre-school but then my husband, Colin, and I decided to take a year out and went travelling around the world. When we came home we decided the time was right to look into fostering; our children were grown up and had left home and we felt we had a lot to give a young person.

“Six years on and we’ve looked after more than 15 children and young people, including youngsters who have previously lived in residential units. Caring for teenagers with complex emotional needs and difficult behaviours can be challenging but I’ve never looked back on my decision; it’s compelling and rewarding and you really can make a difference to a young person.

“The training Core Assets Fostering has provided has been really helpful and I cannot fault the ‘Out of Hours’ support.

Training in teenage behaviour, child brain development and dyslexia really helps you to empathise and understand the young people you look after and there is always someone at the end of

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the phone when you need advice or even just a kind ear. Core Assets provides carers with support and therapy groups too, which gives us an opportunity to meet up and share stories.

“The best part of fostering is being able to show young people a safe and stable environment, include them into your family and teach them what life can be like in a caring home. And even if you don’t see a change in a young person right away, the work you do will stick with them and could make a big difference in their future.”

If you have a spare bedroom suitable for a young person and would like to find out about a rewarding career in fostering, call Core Assets on Freephone: 0800 023 4561, visit www.coreassets.com/fostering or search for “Core Assets Fostering” on Facebook.

www.senmagazine.co.uk

SEN LAW

56

Will power Christine Thornley explains how making a will can help families protect their child with SEN

M

aking a will is not just about deciding who gets what. There are also wider issues to consider,

particularly for parents and carers of

Many vulnerable people are unable to manage their own finances

vulnerable children. A will provides an

Trustees usually use the trust fund to provide for things that the state doesn’t, and ensure that your child is looked after in accordance with your wishes.

Leaving your assets on trust means that your child will retain any means-tested

opportunity to ensure that your child

Even if you have a will, unless it has

receives appropriate financial support

been prepared with your particular

Once your child turns 18, she is

after you’ve gone. In your will you can:

circumstances in mind, it can cause

legally an adult and considered able

•

appoint guardians for your children

problems, as any inheritance could have

to deal with her affairs. An adult is

•

ensure that your children and

a huge impact on benefits your child or

presumed to have the required level

family are provided for

relative receives.

of mental capacity to make a decision,

•

•

until it is shown that she lacks capacity.

ensure your assets are left in

In addition, many vulnerable people

such a way that they can be

are unable to manage their own finances,

If a person is deemed capable of

managed on behalf of anyone

particularly if they inherit a large lump

managing her own affairs, then she can

who might find it difficult to

sum, which leaves them open to being

prepare lasting powers of attorney to

manage their own affairs

taken advantage of, spending or giving

appoint people to manage her property

ensure your assets are left in

away their inheritance rather than using

and other affairs when she needs help,

such a way that any means-

it for their future.

and make important decisions about her health and welfare when she is no

tested benefits or funding •

state benefits.

won’t stop

A matter of trusts

ensure that your children and

A correctly drafted will can ensure

If a person does not have capacity,

family can maintain and enhance

that your child or relative can benefit

someone can apply to the Court of

their quality of life.

longer able to do so herself.

from your estate but be protected from

Protection to be appointed as her

If you don’t have a will, the rules of

owning the money and assets outright.

deputy. This will enable that person

intestacy apply, where the law dictates

This can be done by placing the assets

to manage the child’s property and

who will take your estate on your death,

into a trust. Using a trust in your will is

financial affairs.

and how. Quite often, the people you

the best way of protecting your assets.

There are legal processes in place

want to benefit will not automatically

There are two groups of people involved

to help you ensure that the right level

do so.

in this process: the beneficiaries and

of care and support is provided to your

the trustees.

child after you are gone. It is important

You select your beneficiaries, who

to speak to a legal specialist in this field

will usually include your vulnerable

and to take the right steps to plan for

child, other children and grandchildren,

your child’s future.

family members and charities. You also choose the trustees who are responsible for making the decisions about who benefits and when. You provide your trustees with guidance about how you want them to use the funds in the trust. The trustees’ decisions must be unanimous, which offers an extra level

Further information Christine Thornley is Wills, Trust and Probate Partner at Gorvins Solicitors: www.gorvins.com

of protection.

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www.senmagazine.co.uk

SEN LAW

Second anniversary for Achievement for All 3As Education charity Achievement for All 3As is celebrating its second anniversary with further evidence of the success of its work in over 1500 schools across England.

The charity, established in May 2011, has grown from a makeshift office in a dining room in Newbury, to a staff of more than 355 education professionals working with 1500 schools throughout the country. Together they are committed to improving

counterparts in other schools. Schools see such success from

progress in reading, writing and maths for more than 85,000

these children, who have previously struggled, that many are

vulnerable and disadvantaged children. A further 450,000

rolling out the programme across their whole school population.”

children are benefitting from the positive impact of this work in

Achievement for All 3As is now expanding its work, focusing

their schools.

on other opportunities to improve the lives of vulnerable and

An independent review of data from the past year demonstrates

disadvantaged children and young people, through developing

a significant impact on these children. Many are making as good

partnerships across the sector in other settings such as early

or better progress than the national expected levels of progress

years and abroad including in the United States.

for all children across all three subjects. Wider outcomes such as behaviour and attendance are also shown to improve.

Brian Lamb OBE, Chair of Achievement for All 3As, said: “The difference that Achievement for All 3As has made in just

Sonia Blandford, founder and CEO of Achievement for All

two years is outstanding. Throughout the country parents and

3As, said that “It’s been a privilege to be part of the Achievement

children are seeing for themselves the positive impact on their

for All 3As journey. The impact on the children and the schools

lives and ultimately their children’s future chances.”

involved has been profound. Many of the children involved are making faster progress in reading, writing and maths than their www.senmagazine.co.uk

www.afa3as.org.uk SENISSUE65

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58

dyslexia

Lost aspirations The Children and Families Bill offers up an uneasy mix of opportunities and concerns for dyslexics, says Kate Saunders

T

Very few dyslexic people will qualify for the new education, health and care plans

he Government’s Children

SEN is a positive move. Those in the

and Families Bill will bring in

dyslexia world have been fighting for a

the biggest reforms to SEN

long time for dyslexia to be recognised

for 30 years. The Bill has

as a neurologically based, lifelong

good intentions to involve young people

condition, not just an educational

in their own provision and to connect up

issue. It is vital for children’s GPs to be

education and healthcare professionals

able to recognise the signs of dyslexia

in searching for the right answer for a

and signpost appropriately. Hopefully,

child. However, the reality of many of

EHC plans are a step towards this.

This leaves a real concern about what

the changes is that the provision for

Another positive to EHC plans is that

provision will be available for dyslexic

children with dyslexia and other special

they cover a pupil with SEN from birth

pupils, especially since the current

educational needs will be weak.

to 25 years. At present, statements only

cover for them under the School Action

last until the age of 16. This means that

and School Action Plus system will

Education, health and care plans

those who need longer to complete their

be stopped.

These are the first major change that

their education are covered for longer.

Local offer

will be brought in by the Bill. Education,

This extension of support will also, it is

The main provision in the legislation

health and care (EHC) plans will replace

to be hoped, help with the transitional

for those who do not qualify for EHC

statements of special educational needs

period to sixth form and further

plans will be the “local offer”. The Bill

as an assessment of need for those

education that many dyslexic people

requires local authorities to publish the

with severe difficulties. The plans require

can find difficult. Higher education

provision available in their area and

local authorities and healthcare services

provision will continue to be covered by

those services outside their area which

to join-up their services and plan for

the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).

they feel would benefit the children they

the whole range of needs of the child.

However, there are real concerns

are responsible for. This publication will

Healthcare services becoming more

about the form of EHC plans. At the

be called the local offer. It is hoped that

involved with the needs of children with

moment, statements have a prescribed

this will improve transparency and help

form set out in the regulations. This is

parents and children to decide what

not currently the case for EHC plans.

provision they need. The increased

This means that each local authority can

empowerment of parents and pupils

have its own system, which may lead to

to choose the provision they need is

huge variations in how an EHC plan is

a very positive measure. However,

obtained and what provision is outlined

there is no mandatory requirement

in it. Charities are also worried that the

regarding what has to be in this offer.

lack of regulations will make it very hard

This may lead to a postcode lottery for

for them to advise parents and young

resources. Furthermore, there does not

people on the processes involved in

appear to be any obligation for the local

EHC plans – for example, how to apply

authorities to actually provide any of

for them and what they will cover. This

the services that are listed within the

will leave parents and young people on

local offer. This is a real concern for

their own to work through what is likely

dyslexic pupils because if this

to be a very complicated system.

legislation is not strengthened, the

Dyslexics may suffer under the new SEN arrangements.

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education or have to take time out from

Unfortunately, very few dyslexic people will qualify for the EHC plans.

provision they have access to may be severely reduced. www.senmagazine.co.uk

dyslexia

Identification and assessment The Children and Families Bill puts responsibility on local authorities to make sure their services are geared towards identifying all the children in their area with SEN. It is extremely important that dyslexic children are

If this legislation is not strengthened, the provision dyslexic pupils have access to may be severely reduced

identified early, as this enables them

the graduated approach that School Action and School Action Plus provided has been removed. The concern is that this will cause difficulties in receiving escalated support within a school.

In addition, parents, local authorities and tribunal judges may struggle to determine if a school has responded to a child’s needs and provided increased

to be taught in the way that they learn

for a dyslexic child at the moment is a

support, information which is necessary

and to develop coping strategies from

long and difficult process. Making these

to a statutory assessment for an

the beginning of their schooling. This

decisions take longer will harm children

EHC plan.

means that children are caught before

who desperately need help. Dyslexic

Furthermore, although the draft SEN

they fall too far behind and start to

children who are put forward for an

Code of Practice recommends the

lose confidence. In the long run, early

assessment are typically already around

provision of a plan within the school to

identification also saves money, as less

five years behind their age in terms

implement support, this will no longer

intensive interventions are necessary

of their reading skills. Time is of the

be an individual education plan (IEP) that

and all dyslexic people are then more

essence to help them gain the skills they

parents have an automatic right to be

able to contribute to society as they

need. The Government’s Green Paper

shown. There are no rights written into

have the literacy and numeracy skills

on SEN, Support and aspiration: A new

the Bill for parents to see this plan or the

they need to get jobs.

approach to special educational needs

reports written from reviews, although

A parent or young person retains the

and disability, from which the Children

parents may be able to demand to

right to ask for a statutory assessment

and Families Bill sprung, focused on

see these under other legislation. The

in order to receive an EHC plan, as

trying to make support more timely for

removal of IEPs will also reduce the

they currently have with statements.

parents and young people. This seems

consistency across schools.

This means that parents and pupils do

to be being reversed by the Bill.

not need the backing of their school

The Children and Families Bill has the ethos of providing parents and young people with more information

will also be able to launch an appeal

School Action and School Action Plus

themselves against a local authority’s

School Action and School Action

for their children. However, the Bill may,

decision about their EHC plan. At the

Plus have been removed in the new

in reality, lead to reduced support for

moment, only parents are able to do so.

(draft) SEN Code of Practice. They will

pupils with dyslexia. Campaigning is

This is particularly welcome given that

be replaced with a single category of

ongoing, by a wide range of parties,

the plans will last until the age of 25,

Additional SEN Support (ASS) for all

for amendments to be brought to the

and many people may therefore want

children needing SEN support who do

Bill to make it more in keeping with the

to represent themselves.

not qualify for the EHC Plan. Additional

original positive plans of the SEN Green Paper.

to ask for an EHC plan. Young people

Sadly, the timelines that govern a

SEN Support requires schools to ensure

local authority’s response to a request

that parents and young people are

for a statement have been removed for

fully consulted and that an agreement

EHC plans. At present, a local authority

is reached with them regarding how

has two weeks from the statutory

the child’s needs will be met. It also

assessment to decide whether it will

requires there to be a review held at

issue a statement, and to notify the

least once a term to judge the progress

parents of this decision. This is not in the

of the child. A plan should then be

draft regulations for the EHC plan. The

created that focuses on the outcomes

only time limit is that a local authority

that are expected and the support that

has to issue a final plan within 20

will be provided. Parental and pupil

weeks. This leaves parents and young

involvement and regular reviews are

people in limbo as it is not until the local

vital in providing the correct support

authority has made a final decision that

for dyslexic students, so it is good news

they can appeal. Gaining a statement

that ASS will focus on this. However,

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

and more choice about the provision

Further information

Dr Kate Saunders is the CEO of the charity the British Dyslexia Association: www.bdadyslexia.org.uk Information on the Children and Families Bill and the new SEN Code of Practice can be found on the Department for Education website: www.education.gov.uk/ a00221161/children-families-bill

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60

DYSLEXIA

EyeBrain dyslexia trial EyeBrain, which develops markers of cerebral function for neurological and psychiatric conditions, has announced the launch of an international clinical trial of its application for dyslexia.

The trial will include 120 French, 120 German and 120 English children aged between six and 15. It will validate the assessment of ocular motor function indicated by the results of the company's medical device and determine whether ocular motor dysfunction is the same in all these children, or whether it differs according to their mother tongue. The trial will be conducted at the Robert Debré hospital in Paris, France, in partnership with the French national institute of health and medical research, and the University of Lübeck in Germany.

EyeBrain is in discussion with potential partners for the Englishspeaking component of the trial.

The application that EyeBrain has developed focuses on the measurement of ocular motor dysfunction in children whilst reading. It offers specialists a means of evaluating parameters of ocular motor function quickly and automatically when their patients are reading. A two-minute ocular motor examination will enable the detailed qualification of specific parameters of ocular motor function in reading. This may help improve early detection of these disorders. www.eye-brain.com SENISSUE65

www.senmagazine.co.uk

DYSLEXIA

www.senmagazine.co.uk

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62

book reviews

Book reviews

by Mary Mountstephen

The Practical Well-Being Programme: Activities and Exercises

Let’s Get Talking!

Penny Moon

Michael Jones and Jo Belsten

Speechmark Publications 148 pages + DVD £35.00 ISBN: 978-0-86388-971-4

Lawrence Educational 50 pages, spiral bound £13.00 ISBN: 978-1-903670-88-0

This book aims to introduce the

This useful and practical book provides non specialists with a guide to how children learn to talk, and many activities to improve communication. It focuses on children in early years settings and on older children who are causing concern. It has been devised by Michael Jones, an early years trainer, and writer Jo Belsten, who is also an independent speech and language therapist specialising in early years.

The authors set out to provide the reader with an overview of the needs of reluctant talkers and they use simple examples and drawings to illustrate their points.

Activities are linked to specific skills, such as “help me relax and be happy away from my parents”, and each activity opens with a short explanation of how it can help a child. There are 42 activities in total, which cover a range of situations, and links are provided to supporting resources and websites.

An additional book by Maggie Johnson and Michael Jones, Supporting Quiet Children, is available from the same publishers; it focuses more on quiet, shy and sensitive children and those with extreme anxiety about talking in early years settings and the first years of school.

Both books would be very useful for teachers and other practitioners.

holistic approach in education to a wider audience.

Penny Moon has been responsible for the creation of A Quiet Place within mainstream education in schools in the UK and the Channel Islands. These centres provide therapeutic places for children, staff and parents to experience relaxation, meditation, storytelling and other sensory activities in order to develop emotional intelligence and address children at danger of exclusion.

Centres have been designed to generate feelings of calm, wellbeing and wonder.

Each chapter of this book is divided into two main parts.

The first focuses on information and background and the second on activities which can be used in the classroom or by the reader as a means of experiencing this approach directly. One of the rules of A Quiet Place is that you never do something with others that you haven’t tried yourself.

Stillness is also a key feature of this approach and there is much interest in mindfulness and the concept of silence currently. Penny Moon has been working in this field for many years and here she has distilled the best of her practice; it is inspirational to read.

I recommend this book as an excellent introduction to the holistic approach, both for the individual reader and as a valuable classroom resource.

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book reviews

John Catt’s Which School? For Special Needs 2013/14 (22nd Edition) Editor: Jonathan Barnes John Catt Educational Limited 98 pages £19.99 ISBN: 978-1-908095-78-7

Supporting Education: Ten Top Tips Eileen Fursland with Kate Cairns and Chris Stanway British Association of Adoption and Fostering 122 pages £9.99 ISBN: 978-1-907585-71-5

This is a fully revised and

The British Association for

updated edition of the well-

Adopting and Fostering has

known guide to independent

produced this compact book

and

non-maintained

to support the knowledge

schools and colleges in

and practice of workers

the UK which provide for

and carers involved with

children and young adults

looked-after children and

with a wide range of

young people.

learning differences.

The book is divided into several sections, opening with an editorial section which includes a number of articles written by different contributors. This section helps to guide the reader through the appropriate sections of the book where schools are listed by type/ category (for example, sensory or physical impairment) and by geographical area.

The book is very attractively set out, with numerous colour photographs and a bright, cheerful and informative layout. It would be extremely useful for professionals advising parents and for teachers and SEN professionals who need up-to-date information about schools and colleges and what they can offer.

The authors have wideranging experience in this field. They have produced a useful and informative guide covering topics such as resilience, turbulence in the child’s life, legal aspects and transitions.

The tips begin, most obviously and importantly, with learning about the child; the authors outline the potential legacy of trauma, disassociation and hyper-arousal which can dominate the child’s relationships and daily functioning.

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms are described and the school-based implications outlined.

The book is set out clearly and in a straightforward,

A section on associations and websites provides a

direct format. The authors pose questions, and then provide

comprehensive source of further information and it is

responses which would be very helpful to people new to

interesting that there are also Facebook and Twitter

this field. They include a section on useful organisations and

references, where these exist, for specific schools and

resources and the book provides information covering early

organisations.

education to transitions to higher and further education.

This is an essential reference book which I recommend

It is a credit to the authors that they have provided

as a well-trusted guide that is thoroughly up-to-date in all

a simple, understandable and useful guide to this often

senses of the phrase.

emotionally charged subject.

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visual impairment

A vision of Britain Sue Keil asks if specialist educational provision for learners with vision impairment is in decline

S

ince the beginning of the

During the period covered by the

as the data sources are highly

1990s, RNIB has been

surveys, the number of children and

variable. This is because the figures

carrying

national

young people on VI service caseloads

are collected for different purposes

out

questionnaire surveys of

has increased. The number educated

and at different times by education,

local authority (LA) vision impairment

in mainstream schools has also risen.

health and social care agencies and

(VI) education advisory services for

These increases have been matched

researchers. Consequently, definitions

blind and partially sighted children.

until very recently by a corresponding

of VI can also vary greatly.

The most recent survey of services in

growth in the size and scope of LA

I compared the population estimates

England and Wales was undertaken in

specialist advisory services for

obtained in five RNIB surveys carried

the summer term of 2012. The aims of

learners with VI. In this article, I reflect

out from 1995 to 2012, and found

all the surveys have been to obtain:

upon some of the changes that have

that the estimated number of children

• an estimate of the numbers of

taken place over the past 30 years

and young people with VI receiving

children and young people with

and ask whether, as a consequence of

specialist educational support has

vision impairment who receive

recent public sectors cuts, we are for

risen in each successive survey. In

specialist educational support

the first time seeing a decline rather

1995, the estimate for the whole of

than a growth in specialist educational

Britain was 19,370, while by 2012 for

provision for learners with VI.

England alone it was 23,540.

How many children and young people have VI?

people with VI receiving specialist

practices underpinning their

Obtaining a reliable estimate of the

have increased over the same period,

educational provision.

number of children with VI is difficult,

to a national figure of three per 1,000 of

• information about where learners are being educated

The proportion of children and young

and the type of educational provision they receive • an overview of the policies and

educational support also seems to

The RNIB survey aims to provide an overview of VI services across England and Wales.

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visual impairment

Increasing numbers of children with VI have been taught in the mainstream sector

the 0 to 16 pupil population in England.

in special schools for learners with

This is a substantially higher number

VI has declined from seven per cent

(and proportion) of learners in England

in 1995 to just over one per cent in

than that recorded by the Department

2012. For secondary aged learners,

for Education (DfE) as having a vision

the percentage has decreased from

impairment as their primary SEN (DfE,

13 per cent to just over three per cent.

2012). It is unclear from the survey

The number of special schools for

reports what the reason might be for

children and young people with VI

this increase in population. It could

has also reduced during this period

qualification to teach learners with VI.

be, though, that as services have

and of the nine remaining schools in

However, what is evident from the data

grown in size, they have been able to

England (there are none in Wales) that

is that the number of teachers working

extend their support to a wider range

are designated for learners with VI,

with learners with VI has increased

of children including those with less

three are now specifically for learners

over the 18-year period.

severe VI as well as learners with

with complex needs in addition to

The number of non-teaching support

complex needs in special schools.

their visual difficulties. One outcome

staff, such as specialist teaching

of the current pressure on local

assistants, ICT and reprographics

Educational settings

authority VI service provision could

technicians and mobility (and most

Following the implementation of the

be a resurgence in parental demand

recently, habilitation) officers for

1981 Education Act in 1983, increasing

for places in VI special schools.

teaching independent mobility and

numbers of children with VI have

everyday living skills, has also risen.

been taught in the mainstream sector

Specialist staff

In 1995, 21 VI services had a mobility

who may previously have attended

Clunies-Ross and Sharpe (1995)

officer in their team, several had a

specialist VI schools. Reporting on

explored in some detail the effects of

keyboard skills or typing teacher and

the findings of the 1995 survey, Louise

the change in policy towards inclusion

most had teaching assistants (TAs)

Clunies-Ross (1997) observed that

on models of specialist educational

and/or nursery nurses who supported

over a six year period the proportion

provision for learners with VI. As

children with VI in mainstream or

of blind and partially sighted children

they describe in their report of the

special schools. By 2012, of 84 VI

in mainstream schools in Britain had

1994 survey, up to the early 1980s,

services in England, 60 employed their

increased from 53 per cent to 59 per

teachers of children and young people

own mobility and/or habilitation officer,

cent and the percentage in special

with VI had been employed in special

37 employed a resource technician, 24

schools designated for learners with

schools where they provided direct

had an ICT support technician and 12

VI had decreased from 22 per cent to

teaching to learners. The new model

included dedicated early years staff

ten per cent.

that was developing during the 1980s

on their team.

Moving ahead to the 2012 survey,

and 1990s was for teachers to be

we can see that this trend has

attached to a central, local authority

Effects of public sector cuts

continued, although the most recent

VI service, from where they provided a

Despite occasional concerns about

figures do not include Scotland. The

peripatetic advisory service to learners

perceived threats to VI services as a

proportion of primary-aged children

and schools. By the mid 1990s, most

result of government policies (such

in mainstream schools has risen by

LAs had their own VI service or had a

as delegation of school budgets and

over five per cent since 1995 to an

joint arrangement with a neighbouring

local government re-organisation), the

estimated 68 per cent in 2012. For

LA, and only a few bought in support

general trend over the period of the

secondary-aged learners, there has

from an external provider (Clunies-

surveys has been one of improvements

been a six per cent increase to 60

Ross, 1997).

in terms of staffing and resourcing

per cent of young people with vision

The staffing of VI services has of

of services. Evidence from the most

impairment in mainstream schools in

course, been fundamental to their

recent survey indicates, however,

2012.

development. Because the number

that as a result of public sector cuts,

The most dramatic change, however,

of participating VI services has varied

this trend is now in reverse. Between

has been seen in relation to special

from survey to survey, it has not been

2010 and 2012, VI services in England

schools for VI. The proportion of

possible to track the absolute numbers

primary aged children being educated

of teachers who hold the mandatory

and Wales lost a total of 34 qualified >>

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visual impairment

teachers of the visually impaired and

of referrals, support has recently

due to the raising of thresholds for

46 non-teaching posts. Indeed, this

had to be reduced to those with the

support will have any impact on overall

figure is likely to be considerably

'best' vision. Following referral, and

estimates of the population of children

higher, as we have evidence from other

assessment, decisions are being made

with VI.

sources that some services that did

about reducing the frequency of visits."

not take part in the survey are also

So far, it is England that has borne the brunt of these cuts but we are

losing staff through cost-cutting re-

"Service reorganisation may result in

receiving anecdotal evidence that

organisation. Non-teaching posts

having to reduce caseload numbers

services in Wales have also started

known to have been lost include 14

in order to meet the needs of the

to be affected. As things stand,

centrally employed TAs, eight ICT or

more severely impaired children in

the future for VI service provision

resource technicians, seven mobility

mainstream who have not opted for

looks uncertain.

officers and two early years workers.

resourced provision."

It is inevitable that, at some point, reductions in staff numbers will impact

It is a matter of considerable concern

on support for children and young

if children and young people with less

people and we know that in a number

severe levels of vision impairment are

of LAs, VI service support for certain

having their specialist support reduced

groups of children is being reduced or withdrawn and thresholds for support are being raised. The most vulnerable groups appear to be learners in special schools and those with less severe vision impairment. In the most recent survey, one in five services said they

Reductions in staff numbers will impact on support for VI children

had reduced or withdrawn support for children who no longer met their

or withdrawn. Criteria for support

(increased) threshold for support or

should be based on functional use of

were considering doing so in the

vision (which can vary considerably

future. For example, comments from

from child to child) and not just clinical

services included:

measures. I am particularly concerned about children with a “mild” vision

"We have reduced input to some of

impairment combined with another

the lowest need children".

“mild” SEN who may be at particular risk of low attainment.

"Due to the capacity of the early

It is too soon to know whether

years team, and the constant stream

reductions in VI service caseloads

References

Clunies-Ross, L. and Sharpe, K., LEA visual impairment services: the challenge of change, British Journal of Visual Impairment (1995) 13:1.

Clunies-Ross, L., Where have all the children gone? An analysis of new statistical data on visual impairment amongst children in England, Scotland and Wales, British Journal of Visual Impairment (1997) 15:2.

Clunies-Ross, L., Franklin, A. and Keil, S., Blind and partially sighted children in Britain: their incidence and special needs at a time of change, RNIB report for the Nuffield Foundation (1999) RNIB: London.

DfE, Children with Special Educational Needs: An analysis – 2012 (17 October 2012). DfE statistical release SFR24/2012.

Keil, S. and Clunies-Ross, L., Survey of educational provision for blind and partially sighted children in England, Scotland and Wales in 2002, (2003) RNIB: London.

Keil, S., Who's counting? Insight, Issue 43, January/February 2013, RNIB. Keil, S., RNIB survey of VI services in England and Wales 2012: Report for England, (2013) RNIB: London.

Morris, M. and Smith, P., Educational provision for blind and partially sighted children and young people in Britain: 2007, (2008) NFER report for RNIB: London.

Weedon, E., Ahlgren, L., Riddell, S. and Sugden J., The education of children and young people with sensory impairment in Scotland, (June 2012). Scottish Sensory Centre and Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity, University of Edinburgh.

Further information Sue Keil is National Research Officer (education, transition and employment) at the vision impairment charity RNIB: www.rnib.org.uk New technologies have helped VI children to access the same textbooks as their peers.

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70

Supporting the visually impaired learner Robene Dutta explores common issues faced by blind and partially sighted students, and provides tips for achievement in the classroom

I

t is estimated that around 25,000 children and young people in England and Wales have a sight impairment that requires specialist

education support. Of these, more than 60 per cent are educated in mainstream schools where their requirements might not be so easy to address. As

"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes, doesn't mean he lacks vision" Stevie Wonder

many as half of young people with a

is the same. A person’s “functional revision” is a key concept here, referring to what can be seen, rather than what can’t.

Adopting this mindset allows educators to consider how a learner’s level of useful vision can be maximised.

Considering the practical implications for the individual learner is vital; the

sight impairment also have additional

moderate visual impairment can have a

distinctions in their educational needs

disabilities. So how can schools ensure

notable impact. So what are the learning

will have a direct impact on the teaching

that blind and partially sighted learners

issues that schools should consider?

and learning approaches required.

are best supported?

The main functional effects of visual

According to the Royal National

impairment include central or peripheral

Impact on learning

Institute of Blind People (RNIB), severe

vision loss, poor image sharpness, low

Stevie Wonder said, "Just because a

visual impairment or blindness can

contrast sensitivity or adaptability to

man lacks the use of his eyes, doesn't

substantially delay early childhood

light, and impaired eye movement or

mean he lacks vision." This is an

development and learning. Even a

colour loss; but not all visual impairment

important lesson; we may be inclined

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71

Partially sighted learners

Partially sighted learners still work primarily through the visual medium, and make up the majority of learners with visual impairment. Their needs vary considerably and many work with normal print, which can create difficulties as their needs may be underestimated.

The attitudes of others can lead to a lack of self-confidence in VI learners.

subconsciously to have different

have some additional needs that may

expectations of academic achievement

affect their learning.

for learners with visual impairment, but

Of course, additional barriers can

there is no direct correlation between

affect a number of areas, such as the

visual impairment and intelligence.

speed of working, communication

Most learners with visual impairment

skills (particularly reading or writing),

Questions to consider: • is the student’s level of sight stable or variable and under what conditions?

• is the learner’s field of vision restricted?

• what size/style of print is comfortable for the student?

• does the learner have particular preferences for the learning environment, in terms of, for example, lighting or choice of seat?

have the same range of intelligence and abilities as their sighted peers, just with additional barriers. More than a third will

Blind learners

Educationally blind learners have a level of sight that is insufficient to learn visually, and so rely on their other senses. Distinguishing between those who have had some past sight and those who have never seen, may influence the visual concepts they can understand.

Questions to consider: • how much sight, if any, does the learner have and how useful is it?

• how competent is the student with Braille and tactile skills?

• what experience of vision does the learner have, if any?

• how competent is the student in moving around the classroom independently?

of support. They should have access

Inclusion is key to the successful education of students with visual impairment

time and, if possible, in the same way to participate in and enjoy mainstream settings to the best of their abilities, whatever their needs. Leoni Masterson, qualified teacher of the visually impaired (QTVI) at Linden Lodge School, explains: “Blind and visually impaired students

environmental and spatial awareness,

face barriers to learning. If we can break

and social interaction, with a reduced

down these barriers through tactile

ability to recognise body language and

resources, we are promoting inclusion.

facial expressions. As a result, students

They can take part in activities they’ve

can suffer from lower self-confidence

not been able to before.”

which can have a negative impact on learning.

In mainstream settings, it is important to make the most of specialist support that is available. Many mainstream

What is needed to succeed?

educators will not have the skill set to

Inclusion is key to the successful

teach specialist areas such as Braille,

education of students with visual

but QTVIs can visit and work closely with

impairment. According to The Centre

schools to advise how to meet children’s

for Studies in Inclusive Education,

needs through inclusive teaching and

inclusive education means disabled

learning methodology. Each local

and non-disabled young people

authority has a vision impairment service

learning together in ordinary school

which includes at least one QTVI.

provision, with appropriate networks www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

to the same information, at the same

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Educators should also consider what they can do to enrich the learning process. As Leoni notes, “Visually impaired and blind children need a rich learning environment as sometimes they miss out on the visual

“The chief handicap of the blind is not blindness, but the attitude of seeing people towards them”

clues.” Sighted children’s learning

Helen Keller

is constantly reinforced by things such as colours, shapes, people and

If you don’t have time to modify items, look out for pre-created versions; a wide range of Braille materials, audiovisual resources, and tactile pictures and diagrams is available from various educational suppliers.

Role of access technology Access technology has enormous

landscapes. These give us a wealth of

here are some questions to consider for

potential for supporting learners with

information subconsciously. Learners

your classroom:

visual impairment across different ages

with visual impairment have reduced opportunities for incidental learning,

• is the space clear and tidy to allow easier movement?

and abilities. Assistive technology, such as audio-visual devices or software,

so it is important to include as much

• are frequently used resources

allows students to work at their own

multi-sensory learning in the classroom

kept in the same accessible

pace and, with the right training, often

place, and labelled?

independently. Technology isn’t a

as possible, such as touch or smell.

Also consider that visual and spatial concepts need more explanation; many learners with visual impairment struggle

• is the level of lighting right for the

magic wand, though; to be a success, it requires the right device, training and

learner?

• are learners with visual

time. When this is achieved, students

with concepts such as brighter versus

impairment sitting close to a

can take control of part of their learning

darker, or telling which object is bigger

power source if they are using

journey, improving not only their

accessible ICT devices?

academic progress, but also their self-

at a glance.

Social inclusion is also important.

Helen Keller said that “The chief handicap of the blind is not blindness,

• do you use real objects to support your teaching?

• have you allowed adequate

confidence in learning and wider life.

If we can metaphorically open our eyes to the specific needs of visually

but the attitude of seeing people

space for any special equipment

impaired students, and take the time

towards them.” To reduce the risk of

or large print resources to be

to recognise the impact they have on

the student being ostracised by peers,

stored and used?

their learning and social integration, we

consider the Circle of Friends approach,

can take the first steps towards making

designed to enhance inclusion in a

Accessible resources

mainstream setting. It creates a support

Jennifer

network for the student, with a peer

technician at Joseph Clarke School,

group encouraged to look at their own

highlights the importance of accessible

behaviour, and understand the behaviour

resources: “For students who have

and difficulties of the student with

visual impairment, it is really important

visual impairment, in order to develop

to strengthen their learning; therefore,

strategies and practical solutions to help

learning materials need to be interesting

them. In time, this can close the gap

enough to engage them.”

whilst strengthening core social skills.

Williamson,

education an inclusive process.

resources

Consider the issue of time for both staff and students. Visually impaired

Tips and ideas for the classroom

learners will often require extra time to

The classroom environment can have

so using the simplest formats can help

a significant impact on the success

them. Make sure you and any support

of teaching and learning. On top of

staff have the time to modify materials

dealing with core health and safety

to include, for example, larger print or

issues, it is important to consider the

bolder colours. Providing both a print

room’s sensory nature. Your school

and a digital copy can be useful as this

might have had an audit conducted by

can be further adapted by the student

a QTVI to suggest improvements, but

to suit, if needed.

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process information and complete tasks,

Further information

Robene Dutta is Managing Director at educational publisher Mantra Lingua: www.mantralingua.com

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VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Quick guide to nystagmus Nystagmus (involuntary movement of the eyes) is a difficult and complex eye condition. It can be hard to understand, so here’s a ten-step guide to what it’s like.

1. Glasses don’t fix nystagmus and it often occurs with other conditions.

2. We may have a stable image in one direction only, and then not a very good image.

3. We usually need more time to read and process information.

4. Nystagmus affects the speed of our reactions, our handeye co-ordination and sometimes our balance.

5. Our vision varies during the day and will be worse when we’re tired, anxious or unwell.

6. Just because some people with nystagmus can read a 12-point font for five minutes doesn’t mean they can do it all day long.

7. Often we can’t see well enough to recognise people.

8. Sometimes we involuntarily turn, nod or shake our head to see better.

9. We need to get close to see things.

10. Nystagmus often affects our self-confidence and self-esteem. www.nystagmusnet.org

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behaviour

Conduct unbecoming Mark Baker outlines new NICE guidance on managing conduct disorders and antisocial behaviour in children

C

onduct disorders are a serious, but frequently unrecognised mental health condition in children and

young people. A new NICE guideline highlights the central roles of healthcare,

The costs to individuals, families and society of untreated conduct disorder are enormous

education and social care in the

or conduct disorder as a result of any of the following factors: low socio-economic status, low school achievement, child abuse or parental conflict, separated or divorced parents, parental mental health or substance misuse

management of conduct disorders and

whole lives, as part of a family, school

problems, or parental contact

antisocial behaviour.

and local community. That is why it is

with the criminal justice system

Conduct disorders, and associated

crucial that everyone in health, social

antisocial behaviour, are the most

care and education works well together

programmes for parents of

common mental health and behavioural

to provide the information and person-

children and young people aged

problems in children and young people

centred care necessary.

between three and 11 years who

• group parent training

and they have real consequences for

A number of effective interventions

children and their families. Schooling is

have already been developed for

being at high risk of developing,

disrupted, family life can become very

children with conduct disorder and

oppositional defiant disorder

stressful and problems with drug and

related problems. However, uptake of

or conduct disorder, or are in

alcohol misuse and the criminal justice

these programmes has been variable.

contact with the criminal justice

system are common. The problems

The new NICE guideline, developed

system because of antisocial

associated with conduct disorder

jointly with the Social Care Institute for

are often lifelong; people who had a

Excellence (SCIE), is the first national

• child-focused programmes,

conduct disorder during their childhood

clinical guideline in this area and

offering group social and

are far more likely to develop another

includes a number of recommendations

cognitive problem-solving

mental health disorder when they are

to support healthcare professionals to

programmes to children and

an adult. Indeed, nearly half go on to

accurately diagnose and treat conduct

young people aged between

develop antisocial personality disorder.

disorders. Recommendations include:

nine and 14 years who have

The costs to individuals, families and

• selective prevention, involving

have been identified as having, or

behaviour

been identified as having, or

society of untreated conduct disorder

interventions targeted to

being at high risk of developing,

are enormous.

individuals or groups whose risk

oppositional defiant disorder

All children can be naughty, defiant

of developing a conduct disorder

or conduct disorder, or are in

and impulsive from time to time, which

is significantly higher than

contact with the criminal justice

is perfectly normal. However, some

average, due to individual, family

system because of antisocial

children exhibit extremely difficult and

and social risk factors

behaviour.

challenging behaviours that are outside

• classroom-based emotional

the norm for their age. Recognising

learning and problem-solving

and accurately diagnosing a conduct

programmes. These should be

disorder is vital to ensuring children

offered for children aged typically

and their families are able to access

between three and seven years

the treatment and support they need

in schools where classroom

to manage the condition.

populations have a high

It is important not to concentrate

proportion of children identified

solely on the clinical needs of these

to be at risk of developing

young people, but also to consider their

oppositional defiant disorder

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Further information

Professor Mark Baker is Director of Clinical Practice at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The new NICE guideline on conduct disorder can be found at: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG158

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PSHE

Deafness and sexual health Jessica Parsons examines how hearing impairment can affect the reproductive decisions young people make

W

hat is the connection between socks, cling film and crisp packets?

They are all things that

young deaf students have said they could use as a condom. Research

35 per cent of deaf people did not receive any sex education at school

worker will often not know the correct signs for the topic. As signs of this nature are very visual, the communicator can also become embarrassed. This is a difficult topic for most teachers and pupils alike; add in communication pressures and it becomes even harder.

shows that these students have an alarming gap in their knowledge around

Deafness itself is not a learning

sex, particularly when compared with

Case studies of deaf people

difficulty; learning difficulties arise when

their hearing counterparts. Deaf pupils,

and health professionals regarding

deaf children cannot access information

and indeed others with SEN, are not

their experiences uncovered some

and communication. Social and

gaining adequate information in the

shocking scenarios. One teenage deaf

practical barriers, rather than inherent

areas of puberty, appropriate behaviour,

mother said:

inability, prevent deaf young people from

consent and readiness, contraception

“I didn’t know anything about sex,

gathering the facts and information to

and sexually transmitted infections

contraception or relationships when I

make informed choices. We know that

(STIs) – meaning that their reproductive

left school. There was never anyone to

if deaf people receive suitable deaf-

decisions cannot be safe, informed

ask who could explain properly to me in

friendly training and support, they are

and healthy.

sign language. I didn’t know how many

every bit as capable as hearing people

Understanding our body, and what it

sexual partners were ‘normal’. When I

and have the same range of ability.

needs to work well, is crucial to ensuring

left school and left home, I was raped by

Sex education needs to be

that we lead healthy lives. Imagine

a man. Then I had lots of men coming

empowering, using methods that meet

missing out on all that vital information

to my flat and asking me for sex, I just

these young people’s cultural and

or, worse still, only accessing bits of

thought that it was what I was supposed

linguistic needs. Inadequate provision

it. Specialist provision is essential to

to do.”

leads to misinformation, high-risk

improving the health of young deaf

situations and unnecessary worry.

How can we make a difference?

De-marginalising young deaf people

change they are given the right support and information in a way that they

Deafness raises many misconceptions

of confident, informed young people

can access.

and stereotypical attitudes. Without the

who can take responsibility for their own health.

people, ensuring that as their bodies

The research, carried out by Deafax

provision of specialist information, some

(EARS Campaign, 2012), revealed higher

health professionals and teachers feel

than average levels of STIs, pregnancy

at a loss regarding how best to convey

and inappropriate behaviour within the

information around this difficult subject.

deaf community. It showed that:

Where schools do deliver information

• 35 per cent of deaf people did

about sex and relationships, deaf

not receive any sex education

pupils are often caught out by receiving

at school

the information third hand, through

• 65 per cent said that sex education was inaccessible • 36 per cent learnt through direct sexual experience.

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a communication support worker.

Without having specialist training on

is central to creating a new generation

Further information

Jessica Parsons is from Deafax, a charity providing practical support to the deaf community: www.deafax.org

the standardised signs for sex-related discussion, the communication support www.senmagazine.co.uk

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77

autism

78

iWonder?

Joseph Mintz asks if mobile devices can really make a difference for children with ASD

I

magine for a second that the world

at the University of Montreal, published

you take for granted suddenly

an article in the scientific journal Nature,

became

Is it, as with so much education tech, just another flash in the technology pan?

You

in 2011, where he talked about how he

no longer understand people’s

employs people with autism in his lab

facial expressions, everyday social

because they have excellent attention

interactions become confusing and

to detail and can often make unusual

unsettling, and your ability to organise

and creative connections between

your life, make plans and control your

concepts. In a similar vein, many people

emotions is seriously impaired. For many

with autism, including Temple Grandin,

are actively experimenting with how

young people on the autistic spectrum,

have written about how their autism has

mobile technology – smartphones and

this is what life can be like.

unpredictable.

been, in many ways, a positive aspect

tablets – can be used as learning aids

Autism is a cluster of impairments

of their lives. Nevertheless, in order for

in the classroom. So can we bring the

in social communication, social

young people on the spectrum to make

two together? Can mobile tech help

interaction and flexibility of thought.

a success of their time in school, they

young people with autism be successful

So someone with autism might have

need the support of their teachers. Many

inside and outside of the classroom?

difficulty understanding gestures, facial

teachers and schools are increasingly

There has been some level of interest

expressions or tone of voice. They

aware of autism as a condition, and are

in this question since the smartphone

might find it hard to recognise their own

adopting a range of strategies to include

revolution took off, back in 2007. Now,

feelings and those of others, and may

young people with autism effectively in

in 2013, as the mobile tech market

be more comfortable with set routines.

mainstream school life.

has shown massive development and

If you have had the opportunity to

At the same time, concerns about

tablets have become a part of everyday

work with children with autism in your

kids playing with their mobiles in

life, there has been a similar boom in

classroom, a classic phrase used by

class notwithstanding, some schools

interest in the possible benefits of

autism practitioners – “if you’ve worked with one kid with autism, then you’ve worked with one kid with autism” – might resonate. It’s called the autistic spectrum for a reason, because although we can identify broad patterns, how the condition is expressed can vary enormously from child to child.

There are also varying perspectives on how to think about autism. For example, Lauren Mottron, Professor of Psychiatry

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www.senmagazine.co.uk

autism

No autism app is going to be a “magic cure” for autism

apps for autism. For example, in April,

and help them with some aspects of

AT&T held an Autism Hackathon in

their condition, but no autism app is

conjunction with leading autism charity

going to be a “magic cure” for autism.

“Autism Speaks”. This event, held in

Another related point is that apps that

San Francisco, challenged developers

allow some degree of customisation

to come up with their best mobile app

may well produce better outcomes. If

for people with autism. The prize for

you can tailor the app to the specific

the parent prompting the child to use

best overall app went to a design which

needs of the individual child, it’s more

the app, at least at the beginning.

seeks to relieve sensory overload by

likely to have an impact for them. So

Simply reminding the child to charge

allowing the user to concentrate on a

an app for emotional management that

his mobile device can also be important;

calming, fun scene involving playing

allows you to choose the images that

if there is no charge, there is no app.

with a guinea pig.

the child or young person is presented

In actuality, given the fact that many

with when he is feeling angry should be

young people with autism have issues

An appetite for apps

more appropriate than an app which

with organisational skills, schools should

As well as developers, parents and

just uses a set of stock of images. If the

probably think about putting in place a

teachers getting involved in making

app allows the user to upload a picture

strategy for charging the device, if they

apps, the autism research community

of his favourite footballer, his mum or

want apps for autism to be a success

has been giving some thought as to how

dad, or whatever it is that will work for

in their school. Of course, the device

we can investigate if mobile tech really

him, it has got more chance of making

itself can be used to help with this,

can make a difference to the educational

a difference.

with the use of things like programmed

and social inclusion of users with ASD

reminders. App designers can also help

– or is it, as with so much in the history

How can schools help?

by making sure that the app itself does

of education tech, just another flash

There is also the question of whether

not drain the battery unnecessarily.

in the technology pan? After all, it is

mobile tech is something that

On a more advanced level, the

relatively easy to come up with an idea

young people can effectively use by

teacher might work with the child to

and not that difficult to create an app,

themselves. This may well be the case

help him customise the app to meet his

if you have the right skills. That’s a long

in some instances, and it’s important,

specific needs, as well as sitting down

way, though, from being able to say with

of course, to make sure that mobile

with him regularly to reflect on how the

confidence that your app will actually

tech makes young people with autism

app is or is not helping him, and how

be of real value to the person using it.

feel more, not less, independent and

to modify its use so that it continues to

For young people with autism, as well

in control of their lives. However, the

be effective. One significant thing that

as for their teachers and parents, this

research experience suggests that, a lot

the research evidence suggests is that

is a significant issue. A school might

of the time, apps will be more effective

apps will only be effective in changing a

decide to commit significant financial

if their use is mediated by adults,

particular behaviour if the young person

and other resources to implementing a

particularly in schools. As with much

with autism is signed up to making that

mobile tech solution for their students

other educational technology, it is the

change. So if the child thinks it’s fine

on the spectrum. Before doing so, they

teacher, quite possibly in conjunction

to act out in class whenever he feels

may well want to have some idea of

with the parents, who needs to work

angry, just introducing an app about

whether the use of these resources

with the young person to fit the use of

emotional regulation is not going to

is likely to be effective or not. Luckily,

the app to his needs.

make him magically change. The child

there have been a few research projects

The teacher also needs to think about

has to want to change, and again this

that have explored the use of apps for

how the use of the app will fit in to the

is where the online intervention offered

autism, including HANDS, Azahar and

broader context of working with that

by the app needs to be integrated with

ECHOES-2.

child. So, if the app is concerned with

the teacher’s offline intervention.

So what are the issues? Well, going

emotional management, the “offline”

You might well be thinking that this

back to “if you’ve worked with one kid

interventions – what the teacher and

sounds like it could all involve a lot of

with autism..”, it is unlikely that any one

the school say and do to help the child

work for the teacher. If so, you would

app is going to be a wonder panacea.

manage their emotions – needs to be

be right. Teachers and schools need

Autism is too complex a condition for

integrated with the “online” intervention

to think carefully about the workload

that. An app or a suite of apps might

coming from the app. This might, at

make a difference to some children,

a basic level, involve the teacher and

involved in using mobile tech effectively. >>

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

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80

autism

Cooperative working with parents, who can potentially share the burden, can be important here. Working in tandem with parents is, in any event, more likely to make for successful use of an autism app, particularly as many issues around

Schools need to think carefully about the workload involved in using mobile tech effectively

social inclusion spread across home

the technology tells them something. In other words, it can increase their sense of empowerment and autonomy, a key objective for any teacher working with young people with autism.

The possibilities with apps for autism are there, but it’s up to teachers and

and school. Increasingly, in fact, it is

parents to help young people make the

parents who are taking the initiative in

However, the phrase “some children” is

introducing the use of apps, but again

crucial. Not every app will work for each

they need the cooperation of teachers

child with autism, and some trial and

if the use of an app is to make a real

error is needed to work out which ones

difference to the life of their child. So

might work with which child. Neither are

if your child has issues with anger

there any quick fixes; it will often take

management, this problem will express

time and effort on the part of teachers

itself, in many cases, as much at school

and parents to get the most out of

as at home. Consistent use of an app

an app.

across home and school may lead to

Just before you decide it’s probably

increased impact from the use of the

not worth the bother, think about this

app. In fact, the use of an app can serve

research finding: it seems that for

to develop closer and more cooperative

some children with autism, they may

home-school links.

actually prefer to receive messages about behaviour change from a mobile

Different strokes

device than from a teacher or parent.

So, the overall message is that mobile

This is probably because they can take

tech can make a difference to the lives of

their time to process the information at

some children with autism. The research

the speed they want to and because, in

evidence suggests this quite strongly.

some cases, they feel less nagged when

most of them.

Further information

Dr Joseph Mintz is Lecturer in Education at the Institute of Education, London. He was the UK Principal Investigator on the HANDS (Helping Autism Diagnosed Navigate and Develop Socially) autism apps project.

The findings of the project are discussed in his book Touching the Future Technology for Autism?: joemintz-innovation.blogspot.co.uk

Using the same app at home and school can increase its effectiveness.

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www.senmagazine.co.uk

>>

84

AUTISM

WLCC is an established special with autism spectrum condition syndrome. Providing a 44-wee including.

Social Drama • Func Vocational Skills • Work E Horse Riding Classes Life Skills • Image in Actio

Sessions are carefully geared to level of ability GCSE’s and ASD into the timetable.

For information call 01 visit the NEW

www.autismcon

Hillingdon Manor

The largest school for children with autism, in th Specialist independent day education for children aged between 3 and 19.

The following open mornings are planned for parents and carers wishing to find out more about Hillingdon Manor school:

Yiewsley Grange (Lower School) Tuesday 23rd October 2012 at 10:30 • Tuesday 27th November 2012 at 10:30 Tuesday 11th December 2012 at 10:30

Tel: 01895 420315 for further information

The Manor (Upper School) Thursday 25th October 2012 at 11:00 • Thursday 29th November 2012 at 11:00 Thursday 13th December 2012 at 11:00

Tel: 01895 813679 for further information Local Authority referrals accepted. • Access to the National Curriculum.

For more information about admissions, open days and events, visit www.hillingdonmanorschool.org.uk or contact the Head Teacher, Akinyi Dulo on 01895 813679

Hillingdon Manor

The largest school for children with autism in the UK and Europe Specialist independent day education for children aged between 3 and 19.

The following open mornings are planned for parents and carers wishing to find out more about Hillingdon Manor school:

Yiewsley Grange (Lower School) Tuesday 9th July 2013 at 10.30am • Tuesday 17th September 2013 at 10.30am Tel: 01895 420315 for further information

The Manor (Upper School) Thursday 11th July 2013 at 11.00am • Thursday 19th September 2013 at 11.00am Tel: 01895 813679 for further information “Baston House is a wonderful facility that is so desperately needed in our country and I am delighted to be associated with helping children with autism achieve their full potential in education and life outside school”. Esther Rantzen Patron - Baston House School

Baston House School Thursday 4th July 2013 at 11.00am • Thursday 19th September 2013 at 11.00am Tel: 020 8462 1010 for further information Local Authority referrals accepted • Access to the National Curriculum For more information about admissions, open days and events, visit:www. hillingdonmanorschool.org.uk or contact the Head Teacher Akinyi Dulo on 01895 813679

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www.senmagazine.co.uk

AUTISM

www.senmagazine.co.uk

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RECRUITMENT

86

SEN teachers in demand SEN expertise is becoming much sought after in teaching circles, says Paul Matthias

T

he shortage of SEN teachers is well documented and has been fuelled by a number of factors. The lack of dedicated training courses and SEN specialists coming to retirement age have inevitably left a gap in schools’ SEN resources. Historically, there has also been a trend of student teachers shying away from SEN due to the challenging nature of the job and misconceptions about the lack of career development opportunities. However, the tide is beginning to turn as professionals recognise that SEN teaching is one of the fastest growing and most rewarding areas within the profession.

Schools too are increasingly dedicating budget in this area to ensure that they have the right teachers in place to help pupils with SEN to reach their full potential.

In recent years, we have seen the demand for SEN skills steadily grow across mainstream schools, as well as in the expanding specialist schools sector. As awareness grows, schools are increasingly looking for teachers with the experience and knowledge to meet the needs of children with complex behavioural issues, and the skills to manage these behaviours in the classroom, often alongside mainstream pupils. Demand is also rising for those with a good understanding of communication and language issues, and knowledge of conditions such as autism and dyslexia. School staff with experience of using specific SEN interventions are particularly sought after. In addition, a wide

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range of career development opportunities and qualifications are now available across the SEN sector.

All of this points to a promising future for SEN teaching.

However, it is imperative that newly qualified teachers are made aware of the opportunities available to ensure a steady and wellinformed stream of professionals prepared to consider SEN as a career choice.

Further information

Paul Matthias is National Director for recruitment experts Hays Education: www.hays.co.uk

www.senmagazine.co.uk

RECRUITMENT

Veredus Interim Management-paying special attention to your needs Veredus has an outstanding reputation in recruiting interim senior leaders to the SEN sector. The types of roles that our interim managers undertake include: • Covering vacant senior roles while permanent recruitment is undertaken • Managing change programmes and projects including new models of governance • Providing coaching and mentoring to improve the performance of existing teams, particularly in settings that are in Ofsted category We are also keen to expand our network of interim managers due to an increased demand for certain skills, particularly in the areas of behaviour and autism.

If you would like to join our market-leading network of interim managers, or to hear more about how our interim managers can help improve, stabilise or transform your school, college or provision then please contact Paul Horgan: e: paul.horgan@veredus.co.uk t: 020 7932 4233 m: 07833 481 211

www.senmagazine.co.uk

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CPD, training and events

Keep up to date with the latest developments in special educational needs, with SEN Magazine's essential guide to the best courses, workshops, conferences and exhibitions

We take every care when compiling the information on the following pages. However, details may change, and we recommend that you contact the event organisers before you make arrangements to attend.

CPD and training Rebound Therapy Staff Training Courses The National Rebound Therapy Consultancy - with founder Eddy Anderson. The official UK body of reference and provider of nationally accredited, certificated staff training courses in Rebound Therapy.

01342 870543 www.reboundtherapy.org

MSc Profound and Complex Learning Disability University of Manchester

2 to 3 years part time.

Distance learning with annual study school. Topics include communication, inclusion and behaviour. www.manchester.ac.uk/education/pcld

Postgraduate Certificate Profound and Complex Learning Disability University of Manchester

1 year part-time. Distance learning plus autumn study school. Study inclusion, communication and an option from a wide range. www.manchester.ac.uk/education/pcld

Understanding visual impairment in children and young people (RNIB) Online

This online course looks at how visual impairment affects children and young people, issues of growing up and learning with a visual impairment and the resources, skills and strategies required for support. The course involves around 50 hours study, has regular start dates and leads to an RNIB certificate.

Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties MEd/ Postgraduate Diploma/ Postgraduate Certificate University of Birmingham

This part-time, campus-based, blended learning programme has been developed for a range of professionals/ practitioners who work with children and adults with learning difficulties in educational settings across the severe and profound range (SLD/ PMLD) such as teachers and lecturers, nurses, therapists, psychologists and support staff. www.birmingham.ac.uk

Autism and Learning - PG Certificate/Diploma/MEd University of Aberdeen

The programme aims to give practitioners an in depth understanding of the condition and the working of the autistic mind. It will equip participants with a range of practical approaches and interventions that will enable children and young people on the spectrum to access learning, participate actively, experience success, gain independence, and fulfil their potential. autism@abdn.ac.uk www.abdn.ac.uk

Sounds of Intent training days In-house training packages for schools

A clinical training programme as well as a challenging academic degree, the core subject is speech and language pathology and therapy. Students consider approaches to the investigation and management of clients with communication and swallowing problems.

Training days will allow schools to begin using the Sounds of Intent framework of musical development, which was designed particularly (though not exclusively) for children and young people with learning difficulties, including autism and sensory and motor impairments. The training package/day(s) can be tailored to suit the needs of individual schools, primarily to fit in with how music is delivered.

www.ucl.ac.uk

www.soundabout.org.uk

www.rnib.org.uk/onlinetraining

Speech and Language Sciences MSc University College London

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

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CPD and training MA In Education (Early Years)

Accredited Teaching Assistant Diploma

Strategies for Successful Special Needs Support

Centre for Research in Early Childhood

The Blackford Centre offers a distance learning diploma course which aims to teach the necessary skills and methods of a teaching assistant.

• Study at your own pace • NCFE Level 3 qualification • 1:1 Tutor support

Online

You can now apply online for the CREC MA in Education (Early Years) modules 2013/2014. Accredited by Birmingham City University and recognised for their practice based approach, the modules are intended for practitioner researchers looking for a framework and academic recognition of their current research and work.

Popular modules include: Learning Outdoors in Early Childhood, Early Years Music, Leadership and Management and others www.crec.co.uk

NAS Training and Consultancy The NAS can offer in-house and open access training to suit your timetable and learning outcomes. www.autism.org.uk/training

Accredited Diploma in Dyslexia The Blackford Centre offers a fully accredited distance learning diploma course for those who wish to build their knowledge of dyslexia, or to specialise in it.

• Study at your own pace • NCFE Level 3 qualification • 1:1 Tutor support The Blackford Centre

0800 781 1715

The Blackford Centre

0800 781 1715 www.inst.org/teaching-assistantcourses

Working with the Autism Spectrum (Theory into Practice) Edinburgh

This undergraduate SCQF level 8 (equivalent to SHE level 2 or SVQ level 4) course is a collaboration between The National Autistic Society and Edinburgh Napier University. Comprising of six, one-day units, the course is very much practice-based.

The assessment will enable candidates to reflect upon their own practice and integrate the knowledge gained to further improve the care and support they carry out. The course will be relevant to anyone working with or caring for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder, including parents, health professionals, support staff, social services and staff from education. www.autism.org.uk/training

www.inst.org/dyslexia_courses

Accredited Diploma in SEN The Blackford Centre offers a distance learning diploma course which aims to build the knowledge and skills of support staff so they are better able to provide highquality support to children with special educational needs.

• Study at your own pace • NCFE Level 3 The Blackford Centre

0800 781 1715 www.inst.org/special-educationalneeds-courses

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Certificate in Understanding Autism in Schools A three-day programme leading to a Certificate in Understanding Autism (accredited at 40 credits level 4 or 5 by Canterbury Christ Church University). The course is usually taken one day per school term. Courses are purchased by local authorities who then make places available to staff working in education. www.autism.org.uk/training

Strategies for Successful Special Needs Support is an introductory online course accredited by The College of Teachers at Certificate of Educational Studies level. The course is for teachers and others working with children with special needs and includes full tutor support. www.collegeofteachers.ac.uk

Leadership for Teachers and Trainers Online

This course will help develop your strategic leadership skills and is aimed at teachers and leadership teams in schools including senior and middle managers within a school or training organisation. www.collegeofteachers.ac.uk

Level 4 CPD Certificate in Dyslexia in the Classroom Online

Dyslexia Action's continuing professional development online course has been developed specifically for classroom teachers and teaching assistants working in the primary and secondary education fields. Many units are also suitable for those working in further education.

This CPD course is primarily intended for UK based applicants. However, UK teachers working overseas in an English speaking international school may also apply. dyslexiaaction.org.uk

Learning Works Advanced Diplomas Accredited CPD by the University of Worcester: • Managing the Role of the SENCO (starting 14/10/13) • Overcoming Barriers to Learning Mathematics (starting 17/10/13) • Teaching Children with Specific Learning Difficulties (7/10/13). www.learning-works.org.uk/cpdcourses

Autism Seminars for Families: sensory needs insert now available A resource pack to enable you to deliver autism seminars in your local area. A cost effective way to help you support families. www.autism.org.uk/familyseminarpack

Network Autism: free online discussion group on SEN reforms Take part in the new policy group dedicated to SEN reforms, read the latest research and collaborate with others. www.networkautism.org.uk

Free one hour webinars on education and autism The National Autistic Society and Axcis Education Recruitment have produced webinars to help teachers and educators learn the tools and strategies they need to support children with autism. www.autism.org.uk/webinars

Various dates as required

People First Education SEN INSET training Effective, personalised, in-house training delivered by experienced, qualified and approachable trainers.

01427 667556 Full details and booking available online: www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

Various July

People First Education: Dyslexia Day 1 July: Holiday Inn, Lancaster 2 July: Premier Inn, Watling, Cannock 4 July: Premier Inn, Trafford Centre, Manchester 11 July: Premier Inn, Albert Dock, Liverpool

Effective inclusion of learners with dyslexia: a day course to enhance the literacy skills of learners with dyslexia. £175 + VAT

01427 667556 Full details and booking available online: www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

www.senmagazine.co.uk

CPD and training Various July

People First Education: Visual Interventions and Social Stories Day 5 July: Holiday Inn, Lancaster 9 July: Holiday Inn Express, Burnley 12 July: Premier Inn, Albert Dock, Liverpool

Visual and auditory social and behavioural strategies for learners with ASDs, ADHD and related conditions. £225 + VAT Full details and booking available online www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

01427 667556 Various July and August

NAS Training: The SPELL framework for intervention 2 July: Cardiff 15 August: London

A framework for understanding and responding to the needs of children with autism. Learn how to structure information for people on the spectrum. www.autism.org.uk/training/spell

Various July and August

NAS Training: Understanding and supporting people with autism 4 July: London 13 August: Manchester

An introductory course for anyone who supports people with autism. Gain an understanding of the triad of impairments and how autism affects people in different ways. www.autism.org.uk/training/support

Various July to October

Introduction to Autistic Spectrum Condition (including Asperger’s Syndrome) 3 July: London 10 September: Glasgow 26 September: Peterborough 7 October: Birmingham 8 October: Chorley 14 October: Wrexham 16 October: Doncaster

Various July to December

Implementing the Pupil Premium 8 July: Newcastle 25 September: Manchester 16 October: Bristol 26 November: London 5 December: Leeds

The conferences are timed to address the implementation challenges facing schools and local authorities as they decide how the pupil premium grant should best be spent. With the pupil premium rising in April 2013 from £600 to £900 per eligible pupil, it is essential for schools to understand how this resource can effectively meet the needs of pupils receiving free school meals, those in care and those from service families. www.capitaconferences.co.uk

July 2013 4 and 5 July

The Engage in Their Future 2013 National Conference Holiday Inn, London Stratford City

The theme is "B Inspired!

Engage in a Collaborative Future" and an exceptional line-up of speakers and effective practical workshops are guaranteed. There will also be plenty of opportunity to network with colleagues. www.engageintheirfuture.org

9 July

NAS Training: Sensory considerations Manchester

Increase your understanding of the potential sensory differences experienced by children with autism. www.autism.org.uk/training/sensory

Accredited at level 2 by the Open College Network. This course is for anyone working with or caring for either adults or children with Autism.

Concept Training Ltd

01524-832828

www.concept-training.co.uk

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

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CPD and training

92 10 July

Early Intervention: joining up services, targeting support and the role of the Foundation London

Speakers include, Graham Allen MP, Chair, Early Intervention Foundation; Mark Fisher, Department for Work and Pensions; Michael Kell, National Audit Office; Professor Martin Knapp, London School of Economics and Political Science and Professor Rod Thomson, Director of Public Health, Shropshire Council.

The event will be chaired by Andrea Leadsom MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sure Start Children’s Centres and Baroness Massey of Darwen, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children. www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk

10 July

Housing and benefits in transition London

This free seminar for parents and carers of young people with a learning disability will cover supported living, tenancies, housing benefits and what housing entitlements young disabled adults have. www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk

12 July

Go Great Opportunities Careers Event Central London

A unique careers event for Year 12 students with a disability or long-term health condition.

Travel expenses reimbursed.

Participating companies: Citi, EDF Energy, Ernst and Young, Linklaters, National Grid, Shell. go-greatopportunities.com

We take every care when compiling the information on these pages. However, details may change, and we recommend that you contact the event organisers for up-todate information before you make arrangements to attend.

12 July

Launch of Education Forum on FASD Peterborough

Special one-day conference at which the FASD Trust will formally launch its FASD Education Forum. The Trust is seeking to develop consensus guidelines around learning and teaching strategies which can be used for all children and young people affected

by FASD, with the ultimate aim of ensuring that all those of school age affected by FASD in the UK can thrive and achieve their full educational potential. www.fasdtrust.co.uk

Preparing for changes in the SEN law – An independent school’s perspective 10 September: The Royal York Hotel, York 11 September: Kings House Conference Centre, Manchester 17 September: Thistle Hotel, Heathrow 18 September: Eastwood Park, Bristol 19 September: Colmore Gate, Birmingham

The new arrangements for SEN, if all goes well, are planned for implementation

17 July

Reforming the Primary Curriculum: Promoting Stronger and Meaningful Learning London

The Government's reform of the National Curriculum is designed to promote higher standards across primary schools by introducing pupils to concepts and ideas earlier in their school lives. The new curriculum is expected to be finalised in the autumn and introduced into classrooms from September 2014. This Policy Knowledge briefing is an opportunity for delegates to discuss and debate the need for primary curriculum reform, examine ways to support professional development and delivery of the new curriculum, as well as network with fellow professionals and policymakers. www.govknow.com

17 to 19 July

Three-day Structured Teaching course

from September 2014. So it makes sense to use the autumn term to start making preparations for what has been described as the biggest shake-up to the world of special educational needs for 20 years. This event will: • provide an interpretation of the changes from an independent school’s viewpoint • identify priorities for action • provide practical resources, e.g. templates for planning, policy writing, monitoring and evaluation www.learning-works.org.uk

Various September and October

This course uses film and discussion to look at the different sensory experience of children and adults with autism. It looks at how their understanding can be helped through visual, auditory and physical interventions.

It also covers the use of body language to build up “conversations” with nonverbal and semi-verbal individuals.

Concept Training Ltd

01524-832828 www.concept-training.co.uk

September 2013 9 September

People First Education ADHD Day Course National College for School Leadership, Nottingham

Strategies for the effective inclusion of learners with ADHD: A day course for educators and/or support staff, designed to enable successful inclusion of learners with ADHD. £175+VAT www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

Kidz Scotland Edinburgh

11 September

01524-832828

The largest free UK exhibitions dedicated to children with disabilities and special needs, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them. Source and test the latest products and services on the market. Find advice and information on funding, mobility, seating, beds, accessible vehicles, communication, sensory, bathing, continence, wellbeing, sports and leisure, specialist schools and colleges, benefits and more.

www.concept-training.co.uk

www.disabledliving.co.uk

20 September: Edinburgh 1 October: Birmingham

training@priorscourt.org.uk

19 September: Glasgow 7 October: Middlesbrough 11 October: Chorley 15 October: Manchester 21 October: Cambridge

5 September: Glasgow 30 September: London

01635 247202

Intensive Interaction (Phoebe Caldwell) Sensory Issues and Communication Using Body Language

Practical and Effective Ways of Using Multisensory Equipment

An intensive course for all working with individuals with autism which provides both the theory and the practical applications of structured teaching. Delivered by trainers with extensive TEACCH and practitioner experience. £295 professionals/£145 parents/ concessions Prior’s Court Training & Development Centre

Various September to October

• offer up-to-date information

Prior’s Court, Newbury, Berkshire

www.priorscourt.org.uk

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Various September

Find out everything you need to know to get the most out of a multi-sensory environment.

Gain a greater understanding of how to apply multi-sensory principles and learn new ideas you can take away and use the next day.

Concept Training Ltd

www.senmagazine.co.uk

CPD and training 18 September

Supporting Adults with Autism Holiday Inn London - Bloomsbury

Meeting the National Strategy to achieve inclusive services beyond transition. Book by 13 September for reduced rate of £199. www.communitycareconferences.co.uk/ autism2013

18 and 19 September

Naidex Scotland SECC Glasgow

20 September

People First Education: Dyslexia Day Big Sleep Hotel, Cheltenham

Effective inclusion of learners with dyslexia: a day course to enhance the literacy skills of learners with dyslexia.

01427 667556 £175 + VAT Full details and booking available online: www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

25 September

rehabilitation exhibition,

A Death within Your School Community: “Let’s Talk About It”

enabling you to touch, test

Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire

and compare the latest

Child Bereavement UK’s second annual schools conference. This year’s event aims to develop a further understanding of the needs of bereaved pupils and staff, and is a unique opportunity to learn directly from bereaved pupils, a parent, a teacher and from professionals. Workshops will include: • Forces Children and the Impact of Loss • Ideas for Assemblies and Memorials • Culture, Diversity and Death – The Impact on Schools • Understanding Challenging Behaviour - Practical Tools to Help • The Power of Stories - Using Books to Help Bereaved Pupils

Homecare, disability and

products to aid independent living. Attendance is free to all healthcare professionals, retailers, buyers and members of the public, and will include access to free educational and informative seminars. www.naidex.co.uk

19 September

Sure Start and Early Years: Delivering Standards and Affordability London

Childcare for children under five remains a critical policy priority area for government, with significant change being implemented, bringing new challenges, while economic

www.childbereavementuk.org/training

models for childcare are altered and new providers encouraged. This conference will address these key issues, giving Sure Start, children's centres and early years' managers up-to-date leadership briefings on a range of topics including financial and regulatory targets for providers, the changing role of local authorities in the provision of early years services, developing two year olds and meeting the developmental needs of staff. www.neilstewartassociates.com

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

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CPD and training 25 and 26 September

Scottish Learning Festival Glasgow

The Scottish Learning Festival is the only free national education conference and exhibition in Scotland.

The theme of SLF 2013 is “Raising the Bar in Scotland – transforming lives through learning”. The festival will enable practitioners to develop skills and expertise which will help them ensure they plan and deliver learning experiences which appropriately challenge and engage their learners and which support learners to achieve their potential. SLF 2013 gives you access to: • internationally renowned keynote speakers • over 100 professional development seminars • lively round table discussions • over 150 exhibitors offering relevant and innovating educational resources • opportunities for discussion and professional networking with colleagues www.educationscotland.gov.uk/slf

30 September

Special Educational Needs Conference Central London

Preparing you for the most radical changes to SEN support for 30 years, key speakers will give an update on the Children and Families Bill, changes to inspections and smoothing the transition to adulthood.

Contact Naomi Wood, quoting booking code: ADSEN naomi.wood@capita.co.uk

020 7202 0571 www.capitaconferences.co.uk

We take every care when compiling the information on these pages. However, details may change, and we recommend that you contact the event organisers for up-todate information before you make arrangements to attend.

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Various October

Accredited Safeguarding Individuals with an Autistic Spectrum Condition in Educational Settings 3 October: London 15 October: Manchester

Research indicates that 60 to 90 per cent of young people who offend have speech, language and communication needs. This course highlights the significance of this research and the need for preventative measures and additional support for young people with ASC if they are to remain safe and stay out of trouble.

Concept Training Ltd

01524-832828 www.concept-training.co.uk

16 October

Henshaws College Open Day Harrogate

Henshaws College provides specialist further education to students aged 16 to 25 with a range of disabilities, specialising in visual impairment. Potential students, their families and professionals working with them are invited to visit the fully accessible campus and meet current students and staff. Open Days must be pre-booked.

01423 886451 admissions@henshaws.ac.uk www.henshaws.ac.uk

21 to 25 October

TEACCH five-day course Various October

Intensive Interaction (Janet Gurney) Connecting with people who are difficult to reach 3 October: Birmingham 16 October: London 8 November: Taunton 12 November: Cardiff

Learn how to identify the “brain-body language” a person uses to talk to themselves. Gain a thorough understanding of how to communicate with people who do not speak or respond due to their disability or behavioural difficulties Concept Training Ltd

01524-832828 www.concept-training.co.uk

Prior’s Court, Newbury, Berkshire

Inspirational and intensive course combining active learning sessions with direct, supervised experience working with students with autism in a structured setting. Led by TEACCH trainers from Division TEACCH and trainers from Prior’s Court with extensive training and experience with the TEACCH approach following more than seven years working with Division TEACCH. Three-day course also available. £1095 professionals/parents Prior’s Court Training & Development Centre

01635 247202 training@priorscourt.org.uk

October 2013 11 and 12 October

TES Special Educational Needs Show

www.priorscourt.org.uk

November 2013 5 to 8 November

15 November

Inaugural National Conference for Teachers of English Working in Independent Prep Schools Gerrards Cross

Full details to be released soon. To receive details of the conference, register your interest by contacting: info@learning-works.org.uk

21 November

Kidz Up North EventCity Manchester

The largest free UK exhibitions dedicated to children with disabilities and special needs, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them. Source and test the latest products and services on the market, with over 120 exhibitors. Find advice and information on funding, mobility, seating, beds, accessible vehicles, communication, sensory, bathing, continence, wellbeing, sports and leisure, specialist schools and colleges, benefits and more. www.disabledliving.co.uk

26 and 27 November

Occupational Therapy 2013 NEC, Birmingham

Free, national event dedicated to OTs and designed by OTs. Find practical CPD and the opportunity to meet innovative new suppliers. Speakers will include Esther McVey MP, Minister for Disabled People. www.theotshow.com

December 2013

Explore inspiring CPD seminars and dynamic free workshops, get advice and training from a host of professionals with SEN expertise, and discover fresh ideas to take back to the classroom. Thousands of SEN resources from hundreds of exhibitors will be on display at the capital's dedicated SEN event.

Children Handling and Risk Assessment Key Trainers Certificate

ABILITIESme

Birmingham

ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Gain the knowledge and skills to train others in the moving and handling of children/young adults, and in the conducting of manual handling risk assessments.

01904 677853

ABILITIESme is the first special needs event to be held in the UAE. ABILITIESme's core mission is to enhance inclusiveness and bring the special needs community into mainstream society.

www.teachingexhibitions.co.uk

www.edgeservices.co.uk

www.abilitiesme.com

9 - 11 December

www.senmagazine.co.uk

CPD and training

www.senmaGAZINE.co.uk

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sen resources DIRECTORY

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

ADHD ADDers.org Information and support forum for those affected by ADD/ADHD:

www.adders.org

Bullying

Dyspraxia Foundation UK

Bullying UK Support and advice on bullying:

Dyspraxia advice and support

www.bullying.co.uk

www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

Childline National Attention Deficit Disorder Advice and support for those suffering from bullying: Information and Support Service www.childline.org.uk (ADDISS) Resources and information for ADHD:

Cerebral palsy

www.addiss.co.uk

Autism/ASD Asperger Foundation UK (ASF) Support for people with Asperger’s syndrome:

www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk

Autism Awareness Forum for sharing experience/advice for those affected by ASD:

www.autism-awareness.org.uk

Scope UK Help, advice and support for children and adults affected by cerebral palsy:

www.scope.org.uk

Down syndrome Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA) Information, support and training for those affected by Down syndrome:

www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

Autistica Charity raising funds for medical research into autism:

www.autistica.org.uk

The Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation UK (DSRF)

National Autistic Society (NAS)

www.dsrf-uk.org

Help and information for those affected

by ASD:

www.autism.org.uk

Charity focussing on medical research into Down syndrome:

Dyslexia

Research Autism

Charity dedicated to reforming attitudes and policy towards bullying:

Epilepsy Action Advice and information on epilepsy:

www.epilepsy.org.uk

Young Epilepsy Support for children and young people with epilepsy plus training for professionals.

www.youngepilepsy.org.uk

General SEN British Institute for Learning Disabilities Charity for learning disabilities:

www.bild.org.uk

Cerebra UK Charity for children with brain related conditions:

www.cerebra.org.uk

Child Brain Injury Trust Supporting children, young people, families and professionals when a child has acquired a brain injury.

www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk

The UK Government’s education department:

www.researchautism.net

Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA)

Epilepsy

Department for Education (DfE)

Charity focused on researching interventions in autism:

Bullying

Dyspraxia

www.education.gov.uk

British Dyslexia Association (BDA) Mencap Information and support for people affected by dyslexia:

Learning disabilities charity:

www.mencap.org.uk

www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Dyslexia Action

National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN)

UK bullying prevention charity:

Charity providing services to those affected by dyslexia:

Organisation for the education, training, advancement of those with SEN:

www.beatbullying.org

www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

www.nasen.org.uk

www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

Beat Bullying

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www.senmagazine.co.uk

sen resources directory

General SEN National Parent Partnership Network Network of local partnerships providing information, advice and support for parents and carers of those with SEN:

www.parentpartnership.org.uk

Home schooling

Support for people with little or no clear speech:

National organisation for home

www.communicationmatters.org.uk

educators:

www.thenuk.com/

PMLD Network Information and support for PMLD:

www.pmldnetwork.org

Hearing impairment Hearing impairment charity:

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk

Deafness Research UK Charity promoting medical research into hearing impairment:

Rebound therapy The National Rebound Therapy Consultancy UK governing body for rebound therapy.

www.reboundtherapy.org

SEN law

www.deafnessresearch.org.uk

National Deaf Children’s Society Charity to help deaf children and young people:

www.ndcs.org.uk

Independent Parental Special Education Advice

The Communication Trust Raising awareness of SLCN:

www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk

Tourette’s syndrome Tourette's Action

Information and advice on Tourette’s:

www.tourettes-action.org.uk

Visual impairment National Blind Children’s Society

Support and services for parents and carers of blind children:

www.nbcs.org.uk

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)

Support and advice to those affected by visual impairment:

www.rnib.org.uk

Legal advice and support for parents:

www.ipsea.org.uk

Learning outside the classroom Council for Learning Outside the classroom (CLOtC)

Communication Matters

The Home Education Network UK (THENUK)

PMLD

Action on Hearing Loss

SLCN

Spina bifida Shine

Awarding body for the LOtC quality badge:

Information and support relating to spina

www.lotc.org.uk

www.shinecharity.org.uk

bifida and hydrocephalus:

Literacy

SLCN

For the latest news, articles, resources, cpd and events listings, visit: www.senmagazine.co.uk

ACE Centre Advice on communication aids:

www.ace-centre.org.uk

National Literacy Trust (NLT) Literacy charity for adults and children:

www.literacytrust.org.uk www.senmagazine.co.uk

Afasic Help and advice on SLCN:

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eazine for special SthuebUK'sslecadrinib g mag

to ar (6 issues) educational needs - ÂŁ48.50. aForye call 01200 409800) international subscriptions please online. (UK only UK subscription discount available

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