Our wish for a mainstream school turned into a nightmare
We really want to be able to bring you stories of great experiences of the SEND system by families. Sadly, we don’t often get sent them and today’s parent story …
Put your question about SEND to the Department for Education (2017)
Renata and I recently visited the Department for Education and met with the Director of SEND, Ann Gross and Dan Evans, another senior official. We handed to them around a …
Steph’s chronicle of her family’s journey through SEND, cancer and loss
Renata and I first met Steph Nimmo back in 2013 at the Department for Education when a group of SEND bloggers were invited to speak to then SEND Minister, Ed Timpson. …
Deputyship and mental capacity for young people at the SEND Tribunal
Tania’s note: Please welcome another new writer on SNJ, SEND lawyer, Hayley Mason. Hayley will be writing posts that inform parents about legal issues, but note, her posts do not constitute …
GIVEAWAY: SEND & Discrimination in Schools, A Legal Handbook, review.
We’re delighted to be able to offer a giveaway and a discount for this truly fantastic book. I’ve had a read through and you can enter to win a free …
UK government is failing disabled children says United Nations
It’s pretty shameful really, what the UN said about the UK’s treatment of people with disabilities. Last week, as part of a raft of recommendations, the UN Committee on the Rights …
The worrying trend of social care tactics to target SEND ‘problem parents’
Recently on SNJ’s Facebook page, someone accused us of being too hard on local authorities who were ‘trying their best’. Actually, I know first hand that many, many people working …
SEND Blogger showcase 4: Rainbows, Broccoli and Wristbands
And now, what better day to bring you our final fabulous SEND Blogger showcase of this summer than on the August bank holiday! And what’s more, it’s a three-for-two featuring …
Home to school transport policies “inaccurate and inadequate”
So many families of disabled children rely on home to school transport. Whether it’s a shared taxi, minibus or a taxi with an escort, many parents simply could not manage …
Fighting for my disabled child’s right to summer fun
Tania’s note: Today we’re welcoming a new columnist to SNJ, Catriona Moore. Catriona is the parent of a child with complex needs from the rare disease, Rett Syndrome. She works …
Bring your child’s teacher to Whole School SEND’s second summit for free!
Earlier this year, we ran a ticket giveaway for pairs of parents and teachers for the Whole School SEND Summit, held by the London Leadership Strategy. The ‘pairing’ idea was …
SEND Blogger Showcase 3: Life and ASC & A Wheelie Great Adventure
Welcome to the third in our SEND blogger spotlights! Today we feature two more bloggers, Helen, who blogs about life with her autistic son (and the rest of the family) …
IAS Service: Supporting families of children with SEND
When you need help or advice as a parent about your child or adolescent’s education or difficulties with special educational needs, there are a number of options. A while ago, …
SEND Blogger showcase 2: Mum On A Mission & Our Altered Life
Today we have the second in our August SEND blogger showcase and we’re so delighted to be able to share some of these brill bloggers with you. This week we’re …
Would you want your child to be on a national GP autism register?
Would you want your autistic child (or yourself if you’re autistic) to be on a national autism register? The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says that autistic …
SEND blogger showcase: itmustbemum & The Long Chain
When I started out blogging here on SNJ, before social sharing was a ‘thing’, there really wasn’t anyone else out there. Perhaps a few in the US, maybe one other …
Choosing a mainstream school for my disabled child
The issue of the type of placement for a child with special educational needs or disabilities can be a thorny one. For many, including my own sons with Asperger’s, a …
SEND in England, 2017: More in Independents, fewer in Academies
Another day another set of figures to wade through… this time though, it’s the annual school SEND figures from the school census that tells us how many children there are …
Horror stories: Recent SEND research for your summer reading
Dear reader, I am sorry, but I have failed you. A clutch of research reports about SEND have been recently released and I would so love to be able to …
LA watch: Beware the EHCP Assessment Exception “loophole”
It’s the last week of the year in most English schools. A week to take things a bit easier, tidy away, and prepare for what the next academic year brings. But …
