My name is Tania Tirraoro, founder and co-director of Special Needs Jungle Ltd. We registered SNJ as a non-profit organisation in August 2014.
I am a journalist, author and parent of two young adults with autism, ADHD and Ehlers Danlos syndrome. I also have EDS, often needing to use a wheelchair, and was diagnosed as autistic age the age of 46.
I started this blog back in 2008, to help other parents, who like us, were entering the jungle of special needs education. It's a scary, stressful place. I now live in Surrey, but my northern, single-parent, working-class girl roots formed my character. I firmly believe the weakest among us should be supported and not vilified, victimised or abandoned.

I worked in broadcast news for a decade before we had our children. Going back to work full-time wasn't feasible because we knew instinctively that they were not "your average bears". But it was a journey, and one that many others will recognise, to discover why that was, what it was that was different and how to find the help they needed. There was little help from schools; not because they didn't want to, but because they didn't have the knowledge or the resources.
I realised if I wanted my children to get what they needed, I had to put in the work to do it. I also built up a good relationship with our SENCo who provided me with as much information as I needed, without overstepping the boundaries of what she was "permitted" to do by the council. I wrote long documents, supported by medical and educational reports and, eventually, they landed with fees paid, and an amazing independent specialist school. When they left, they had armfuls of top qualifications and lifelong friends.
My eldest is now a gainfully-employed university graduate and a new father. My youngest is a uni student with the support they need to get where they want to go.
But still, many years and a system change after we began our route through the jungle, it's more difficult than ever for families to get the support their children need. It shouldn't be like this but so far, the new SEND system has caused chaos, pain and confusion for many families.
I hope parents can use this website, now registered as a non-profit, to find useful information and resources and that you will feel able to share your own experiences and resources with you. I hope professionals using it will get an insight into the lives of families and be inspired to learn more about supporting children with SEND.
Bio
- Post-graduate qualified broadcast and print journalist, having worked in local, national and international radio and television as a reporter, producer and presenter
- Published author
- Qualified EFL teacher (TESOL)
- Founder & co-director of Special Needs Jungle Ltd
- Co-founder of SEND Community Alliance campaign collaborative
- Member of Whole School SEND ERG, Every Leader a Leader of SEND
- Member of Ofsted SEND Stakeholder Advisory Group
- Member (via SNJ/SCA) of DfE Ministerial Advisory Group
- Member (via SCA) of Special Education Consortium
- Member of Advisory Group for Royal Holloway University of London Gene and Cell Therapy Centre
- Member of Editorial Board, Gene Therapy Journal
Follow Tania on Twitter
Read Tania's posts
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!Running SNJ takes time and money. As volunteers, we don't mind spending time making the site as useful as possible,…Continue reading »
- The 2019 SEND Advocates’ Stampede🎵 Seems to me nowThat the dreams we had beforeAre all dead, nothing moreThan confetti on the floorIt's the end…Continue reading »
- Join us in the fight ahead to defend the rights of disabled childrenOur hearts may be as heavy today as they were on Friday morning. But there is no more time to…Continue reading »
- Review: Controlling pain with the PainPodSome time ago, Renata and I were asked to review* a device called a PainPod that claims to control pain,…Continue reading »
- Our LA left us feeling so abused
we escaped to Scotland for a better life with our SEND sonwith Harminder Samra, SEND parent Just over two years ago we ran an article by Harminder Samra, the mother of…Continue reading »
- Exemplary Practice: Why this special school is PROUD of its pupil voicewith Mary Isherwood OBE, Headteacher Camberwell Park Specialist Support School, Moston, Manchester There's so much bad, stressful or just plain…Continue reading »
- #VoteSEND: How disabled people & their families can make a difference this electionA poll of families who have a child or young person with SEND suggests that more than two million General…Continue reading »
- What’s a PRU to you? Busting the myths about alternative provisionwith David Mills, Executive Vice Principal, Phoenix Park Academy & Sevenhills Academy When a child is admitted to a pupil…Continue reading »
- SEND Tribunal trial extended – but it needs more than just time to be a successPlans have been announced to extend the current trial that gives the SEND Tribunal powers to make non-binding directions for…Continue reading »
- Launching the SEND Community Alliance: An independent campaign groupwith SNJ's Renata Blower, Gill Doherty (SEND Action) and Nadia Turki & Poppy Rose (SEND National Crisis) An exciting announcement…Continue reading »
- When is a significant injustice to a disabled child, not
a significant injustice?with Claire Ryan Every week the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) publishes the latest set of decisions for…Continue reading »
- SNJ Webinar: Successful strategies for EHCP AppealsToday we're announcing our first SNJ webinar! Expert lawyer and SNJ columnist, Hayley Mason of SEN Legal will be explaining…Continue reading »
- Exemplary Practice: Creating a positive future of meaningful work for young people with SENDwith Matt Silver, Head Teacher, Shaftesbury High School, Harrow Recently I put out a call for positive stories of great…Continue reading »
- Ofsted finds home education is most often not a choice – and off-rolling is a key culpritMore evidence that inclusion isn’t working has come from Ofsted, which has published research to show home education is often…Continue reading »
- The DfE wants to stop LAs filling SEND funding gapswith Gillian Doherty, SEND Action Last week, the High Court found against campaign group, SEND Action in their judicial review…Continue reading »
- A setback at the High Court, but parents’ SEND Action goes onToday on SNJ we want to pay tribute to the SEND Action parent campaigners who took the Government to the…Continue reading »
- Disabled children “increasingly failed” as nearly 9 in 10 EHCP Ombudsman complaints upheldThe Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, says 87%, or 9 in 10, of complaints about the Education, Health and…Continue reading »
- It’s back! Put your burning questions about SEND to the Department for EducationIt's back! Once again we are giving you the chance to ask the Department for Education the questions you want…Continue reading »
- Public Accounts Committee launches SEND Inquiry (yes another one)Another day, another SEND inquiry. It seems that inquiries into SEND are like buses. None for ages then three come…Continue reading »
- We won a legal point on unlawful exclusion and cleared my disabled son’s nameAdoptive parents expect their new child may deal with issues such as attachment, after living through prior traumatic circumstances, both…Continue reading »
- A free SEND legal advice clinic to guide you through the jungleWhen you find yourself at the start - or even stuck in the middle - of trying to secure the…Continue reading »
- SEND audited: Is the system affordable? What’s the alternative?with contributions from Matt Keer, SNJ Columnist Just last week, Matt mentioned the upcoming report from the National Audit Office…Continue reading »
- The Government must act on legal ruling against discrimination of disabled childrenWith Jane Harris, Director of External Affairs at National Autistic Society Last year we covered a landmark legal ruling that…Continue reading »
- Will the SEND Inquiry report be drowned in the maelstrom of Brexit? UPDATEDI wrote this post yesterday in the wake of the leak of Government schools funding. This evening, Boris Johnson has…Continue reading »
- SEND Transport: Consultation and Missed opportunitiesYou may have seen recently that the government launched a consultation into revised statutory guidance for local authorities on home…Continue reading »
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!Running SNJ takes time and money. As volunteers, we don't mind spending time making the site as useful as possible,…Continue reading »
- Know your child’s rights to social care supportwith Liz Walker, Care Services Emergency Care Co-ordinator and Safeguarding Lead for Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children Social care…Continue reading »
- All rise! SEND figures go up in 2019For the third year running, the number of pupils with special educational needs (SEND) in schools has increased. In January…Continue reading »
- Judge: A remarkable achievement for parents to take the government to courtThe judgement in the Judicial Review of a group of parents against the government over SEND funding, has been reserved…Continue reading »
- The government’s legal day of reckoning looms, as families challenge over SEND failuresWhile most of the country’s politicians are fixated on Brexit and BoJo, vulnerable children have been left to bump along…Continue reading »
- England’s children urgently need a new, accountable, speech and language strategyWith Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists chief executive, Kamini Gadhok MBE, and Caroline Wright, policy adviser for children…Continue reading »
- The First Breath, How my baby had surgery in the wombwith Olivia Gordon Parents of children with disabilities are known for their generosity in sharing their knowledge to help others.…Continue reading »
- Come and meet the Special Needs Jungle team at The Autism Show this Friday and Saturday!This is just a quick reminder for you. The Special Needs Jungle team is at The Autism Show this Friday…Continue reading »
- People power! Parents and disabled children march to end the #SENDcrisisWhat a day it was! On Thursday 30th May 2019, up and down the country, parents, children, young people, professionals…Continue reading »
- Today we make history, taking to the streets in protest to end the #SENDNationalCrisisToday families of children with SEND—and the children and young people themselves too—are making history. Up and down the country…Continue reading »
- Legal bid to change the way “school refusers” are treatedWe’re seeing increasing numbers of parents feeling forced to crowdfund to help secure justice for special educational needs educational issues…Continue reading »
- SEND inquiry takedown: Parents Vs DfEThere have been close to 700 pieces of evidence (and counting) sent in to the SEND Inquiry. Tomorrow, the Department…Continue reading »
- The SEND crib sheet: How you can help school help your disabled childBack when my youngest was in mainstream, he didn’t yet have statutory support. Although the infant feeder school would have…Continue reading »
- Mum’s brilliant home education helped me thrive as an autistic studentYou may have noticed we've been featuring more young people recently. It's a deliberate move to broaden the the conversation…Continue reading »
- Scrap league tables and boost SEND training to beat off-rollingNo sooner had the Exclusions Review announced that off-rolling of pupils is “rare”, Ofsted comes along with research that indicates…Continue reading »
- The Exclusions Review tries hard but falls short of a fix"Schools must be places that are welcoming and respectful, where every child has the opportunity to succeed. To ensure this…Continue reading »
- Are EHCP Annual Reviews being unlawfully delayed by too-busy LAs?When my sons had their first annual review after their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), it happened roughly on…Continue reading »
- Restrictive Interventions: We need to change the way we thinkElly Chapple is back with a hugely important topic. We’ve recently been hearing horror stories about children - many of…Continue reading »
- SEND National Crisis: Marching for our disabled children’s futureWe’ve written many posts here on SNJ about the funding crisis. Renata and I also joined the NEU organised event…Continue reading »
- Parents warn Ofsted it’s missing chances to boost inclusionA few weeks ago, we ran an open letter from a SEND parent, Claire Ryan, to Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Amanda…Continue reading »
- SEND inspections: what do Ofsted and CQC inspectors really think?There have been a few happenings recently that I have intended to write about but meetings and other commitments, plus…Continue reading »
- Visit The Autism Show 2019 (and meet SNJ too!)We’re excited to be able to be at The Autism Show, the national event for autism, in London this year!…Continue reading »
- Creating a PDA coping system, after CAMHS’ strategies failed my sonWe’re hearing much more in the last few years about Pathological Demand Avoidance, a condition on the autism spectrum, although…Continue reading »
- Children with SEND and the emotional impact on parentsI recently came across a research article in the British Journal of Special Education entitled, Children with SEND and the…Continue reading »
- See Us, Hear Us: Supporting siblings of seriously ill childrenAs many parents who read our articles can tell you, when a child has a serious illness, their normal family…Continue reading »
- SEND parents tell Ofsted its new draft inspection framework lets vulnerable learners downParents of disabled children have voiced their anger over Ofsted's new draft education Inspection Framework for England, that's under consultation…Continue reading »
- The power of pacing: Managing energy with a rare disease or chronic illnessIt’s Rare Disease Day, something we traditionally mark, with both Renata's and my own family being affected by rare conditions…Continue reading »
- Ready for school? The importance of Early Years learningThe issue of children arriving at school without being able to speak in full sentences and lacking basic age-appropriate skills…Continue reading »
- Keeping up with the politics of SENDOh it’s all going on in the world of politics isn’t it? Labour Party defections, Brexit shenanigans… it’s almost as…Continue reading »
- The thorny issue of attendance awards and children with SENDIf your child has a SEND or a medical condition, it's very likely they will need time out of school…Continue reading »
- The Deafblind world: The ‘Shoeness’ of a ShoeImagine a world you can neither see nor hear, yet you must find a way to grow and thrive within…Continue reading »
- Help get support right from the start for autistic childrenLast week, I attended the first meeting for a new Reference Group "Right from the Start" established by the charity,…Continue reading »
- SEND parents of school refusers criminalised instead of supportedUniversity researchers have discovered that most of the children of parents who've been fined or threatened with a fine over…Continue reading »
- SEND children are being “traumatised” by not getting the help they need in schoolsWatching the parliament TV broadcasts of the SEN Inquiry has been an interesting affair, but yesterday’s brought tears of outrage…Continue reading »
- The SENCo – parent relationship: Making it work to benefit the SEND childSNJ is read by lots of SENCos and other school staff, which is pretty amazing, considering it started out as…Continue reading »
- Plans and promises: Will the new NHS really be brighter for disabled children?Earlier this week the NHS’s Long Term Plan was published. It’s a pretty big document and, as I’ve been away,…Continue reading »
- I think my child has a special educational need. What can I do?So often on SNJ we talk about the difficulties faced when getting SEND help. But if you're new to the…Continue reading »
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!Running SNJ takes time and money. As volunteers, we don't mind spending time making the site as useful as possible,…Continue reading »
- A new SEND future promised…but councils are still parent-blamingWhen I wrote the Sunday article, the LGA report had not yet been released, but perusing it since has brought…Continue reading »
- Early Christmas for SEND, or Scrooge dressed up as Santa?The Department for Education has announced a £350 million funding package to support children with complex needs and disabilities, along…Continue reading »
- Using the Monitoring Officer to hold councils to account for housing, education and social servicesIf you're wondering how you could to hold your local authority to account for not obeying the law or refusing…Continue reading »
- The struggle in SEND hurts us all. It’s a sign of society gone wrongYesterday I was interviewed by BBC TV news about the Ofsted Annual report. It’s not an unusual occurrence, being contacted…Continue reading »
- The devastating impact of the SENCo workload70% of SENCOs responding to a national survey said they don't have enough time to complete the demands of the…Continue reading »
- ATU Autism scandal: PDA Society calls for Rescue Mission. You can helpIf you've been following the horrific stories of young people with autism who are locked away or who have died…Continue reading »
- Will teachers strike over cuts to SEND and schools? Education union leaders tell us ‘Enough is enough’Earlier this week an estimated one-thousand parents, teachers and teaching unions took part in a march and rally, through the…Continue reading »
- Half-a-billion pound funding gap for SEND says Local Government AssociationCouncils are facing a projected shortfall in SEND funding in England of £536 million for this year, according to the…Continue reading »
- Reviews: Maths for SpLD, + 101 inclusive Science and Computing lessonsA new giveaway today – in fact, TWO! Two SEN books for one for maths, and one covering science and…Continue reading »
- Are Early Years funding changes destroying nursery SEND provision?There have been a number of surveys recently about funding for council-run nurseries, with fears that their SEND provision is…Continue reading »
- Making secondary schools more inclusive. What’s your experience?We've heard a lot about inclusive schools and how many parents have struggled to find one for their child. It's…Continue reading »
- United voices making a stand for our SEND childrenIt's been a huge week for SEND so far. Not only have there been stories across mainstream media, including this…Continue reading »
- End of austerity? Not for children, 120 children’s organisations tell the governmentSpecial Needs Jungle has joined more than 120 national organisations demanding that the Government stop ignoring compelling evidence that essential…Continue reading »
- Updated EHCP Flow charts and a brand new one for the Annual Review!The EHCP process flow charts that we collaborated with the Department for Education on in 2014 had become out of…Continue reading »
- Does your school’s website break the law?An interesting, if limited, study has been published by the government. entitled "Mental health and wellbeing provision in schools, Review of published policies…Continue reading »
- SEND emergency! SNJ joins the campaign of the UK’s biggest teaching union to fight the cutsThe pressure is mounting on Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary to act now to solve the crisis in SEND funding.…Continue reading »
- Help SEND parents legally challenge the government over national funding crisisThe Department for Education has been put on notice: parents have had enough of government and local authorities speaking with…Continue reading »
- UK holiday attractions: Gold stars or banana skins for accessibility?Now that we’ve saved goodbye to the summer holidays, I was interested to know which UK attractions parents of disabled…Continue reading »
- Help! I’m a parent carer and I’m on my VERY last nerve!With contributions from Angel Kelly, SNJ Mental Health Editor It’s not just tough physically being a parent of a disabled…Continue reading »
- SEND System ‘in crisis’ say Head TeachersThe National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has branded England's SEND, 'a system in crisis'. From over 600 responses to…Continue reading »
- SEND Update: Good intentions…and complaints for young people with SENDA brief update today. Despite it being the middle of summer, the Department for Education is still pumping out information that…Continue reading »
- Against Human Rights: Landmark ruling against school exclusion for behaviour related to autismThousands of children with disabilities will now be properly protected from discrimination in schools after a landmark ruling found the…Continue reading »
- How SEND parent support in England is changing, by Christine LenehanFor the first four years of the reformed SEND system in England, families had available to them a free Independent…Continue reading »
- SEND 2018: More children with SEND, but it’s worse if you’re poorIt’s the end of July so it must be time for the annual SEND figures – the government statistics that…Continue reading »
- Parents’ top tips for summer serendipity with your disabled childAh, the school summer holidays, don’t you just love them? Six, long, glorious weeks of unstructured days stretching out before…Continue reading »
- Exclusions 2018: Children with SEND six times more likely to be excludedPupils with SEND are up to six times more likely to be permanently excluded from school according to new government…Continue reading »
- £1.5 billion funding gap for disabled children’s services in the UKAs if we're not already drowning in enough bad news about how disabled children and their families are bearing the…Continue reading »
- SEND Inquiry: The Baroness, Brian, the man in the middle and much more..The first hearings into the SEND inquiry were held before the Education Select Committee this week. Three esteemed witnesses were…Continue reading »
- Challenge to the law that doesn’t protect disabled children from exclusionParents of an autistic teenager are going to the Upper Tribunal today to appeal a decision that they say discriminates…Continue reading »
- Survey: Parents have lost confidence in their disabled children’s health and social care servicesParent-carers’ confidence in the quality of disabled children’s health and social care services is at an all-time low with almost…Continue reading »
- Disabled Person’s Trusts: When making a will is not enoughBefore you have children, we have a reasonable expectation that they will grow up, leave home and live their own…Continue reading »
- Shocking rise in autistic pupils being excluded from England’s schoolsWe've seen for some time the rise in children with special educational needs and disabilities, particularly autism, who end up…Continue reading »
- Finding support for raising girls on the autistic spectrumWe've written before about girls on the autistic spectrum a few times before and, of course, I am one myself…Continue reading »
- £50 million extra for SEND school places and facilities. But will it help inclusion?As you will have seen from Matt's article last week about the number of Education, Health and Care Plans being…Continue reading »
- Book review: How to raise a happy autistic childThere are a plethora of books about autism, written by academics or by parents telling their personal story in the…Continue reading »
- How do expectations influence disabled young people’s educational attainment?The statistics speak for themselves:17% of all adults with a learning disability in England are in paid work. There will…Continue reading »
- 70% of children with Pathological Demand Avoidance missing out on educationPathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a profile of the autistic spectrum, has been increasingly recognised in the medical profession in recent…Continue reading »
- SEND update: Parental support and EHCP transfer miraclesTime for a quick update on what's happening in the world of SEND for you today. A while ago, we…Continue reading »
- The legal loophole that’s stopping young disabled people from getting to schoolFor local authorities, school transport is one of the most expensive part of providing support for children with disabilities. Often…Continue reading »
- National SEND Inquiry: House of Commons Education Committee calls for evidenceThe House of Commons Education Committee has launched an inquiry into support for children and young people with special educational needs…Continue reading »
- Struggling for work-life balance as a mum with a disabled child – and a career I loveWorking and parenthood is the biggest balancing act for so many families. That goes double when your child has a…Continue reading »
- FestABLE, the accessible SEND conference with families at its heartEver looked at all these SEND conferences that get held around the country and wondered why they always seem to…Continue reading »
- Happy 10th birthday SNJ! SEND then and now…Happy birthday to us! 10 years ago today, I started writing down some information about how I had successfully got…Continue reading »
- My autistic son is desperate for a friend, but other kids won’t accept his differencesIf, like me, you were a bit 'different' at school, you'll know the loneliness of being the last one picked,…Continue reading »
- The logic of autism: Fighting fear by studying my son’s ASDOften, parents who have a child with autism are driven to learn more about the condition in a more academic…Continue reading »
- Moving on from #Bercow10: What next for Speech and Language Therapy?Recently, a review was published by the children's communications charity, I CAN and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to…Continue reading »
- While you’re reviewing “Children in Need”, can you fix SEND too please?Recently, the government announced a multi-pronged review to, "transform education for children with additional needs and ambitious plans to improve…Continue reading »
- Review: 101 Inclusive and SEN Maths and English LessonsJessica Kingsley have published two easy-to-use SEN lesson books, 101 Inclusive & SEN English lessons and the same title for…Continue reading »
- One parent’s seven steps to success for her autistic son’s EHCPWe have another useful post for you today. Many parents find it difficult to navigate the SEND system and we…Continue reading »
- Abigail’s rare childhood disease that she won’t outgrowIt's Rare Disease Day this week and evey year we like to highlight the day, on 28th February, by telling…Continue reading »
- The DfE replies: Accountability in SENDThis is our final instalment of the answers supplied by the Department for Education to your questions. We grouped your…Continue reading »
- The DfE replies: EHCP issuesToday is the second instalment of your answers to the questions you put to the Department for Education last year.…Continue reading »
- The Department for Education replies. 1: SEND ProvisionLast year, the Department for Education offered to answer SNJ readers' questions about SEND. It's not the first time they've done…Continue reading »
- The stories that prove dyslexia is a superpower!We have a book review today about dyslexia written by children with dyslexia. The author, Margaret Rooke, whose daughter is…Continue reading »
- The DfE on the EHCP transfer deadline. Plus all change for national SEND support servicesFollowing Matt's post last week about Transfer Deadlines and zombie statements, we got in touch with the Department for Education…Continue reading »
- Reforms, what reforms? Lancashire fails SEND children and mistreats parentsJust over a year ago, I wrote about the dreadful SEND inspection report for Surrey from Ofsted/CQC, as part of…Continue reading »
- SEND on the rocks: Can a new minister rescue the reforms from certain disaster?It's all change at the Department for Education. Not only was Justine Greening knocked off her stool as Education Secretary…Continue reading »
- Good news to inspire your SEND parenting in 2018We hear all the time about the bad things that are happening in the world of special educational needs and…Continue reading »
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!Running SNJ takes time and money. As volunteers, we don't mind spending time making the site as useful as possible,…Continue reading »
- SNJ in 2017: Revealing the truth & explaining the facts about SEND2017 has been, I'm sorry to say, a year of almost unrelenting misery for families of children with special educational…Continue reading »
- Merry Christmas from SNJ: Here’s some brilliant SEND videos you won’t want to miss!It's our last post before we take a break for Christmas. It's an opportunity for me to bring you three…Continue reading »
- Shining a light on the stars of speech, language and communication**update: Closing date now 25th January! ** Get nominating!** As we have the past two years, we are again helping…Continue reading »
- Seven tips for a calm Christmas for children with special needsKids love Christmas, don’t they? You’d think so, but for many children with autism or other disabilities, it’s often edged…Continue reading »
- Parliament autism group calls for more autism training, speedier support, more understandingA couple of months ago, accompanied by my younger son, I attended the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism in…Continue reading »
- NHS liaison: The Designated Clinical /Medical Officer for SENDAs some of you may know, I have been doing my bit to help improve local SEND where I live…Continue reading »
- What causes autism… what doesn’t?If your child has been diagnosed with autism and you’re wondering what could have caused it, I would strongly recommend…Continue reading »
- Our Ofsted/CQC Facebook chat: What you asked and they answeredOur Facebook chat last week had a pretty overwhelming response, thank you to everyone who participated. We had a bit…Continue reading »
- The SEND system is fractured, if not broken. Three new reports prove it.SEND reports are like buses. Nothing for ages, then one, two and now three come along at once, this latest…Continue reading »
- Ofsted SEND Facebook chat to be hosted by Special Needs Jungle!As you may have seen at the end of our post on the Ofsted/CQC one year on report, we're delighted…Continue reading »
- Ofsted and CQC report on one year of SEND inspections. It isn’t pretty.Yesterday we ran a disturbing survey saying two-thirds of school leaders didn’t feel they were sufficiently supported to give the…Continue reading »
- Two-thirds of England’s schools lack support for best outcomes for SEND pupilsA survey of more than 1,000 school leaders has revealed that more than two-thirds (68%) say they lack the support…Continue reading »
- Schools breaking the law on helping children with medical conditionsA report published by Young Epilepsy says one in three schools in England are effectively breaking the law by not…Continue reading »
- What does it take to get a disabled child to preschool?In our summer SEND blogger showcase, we featured Alex Davey's blog, The Long Chain. Alex has three children, the middle of…Continue reading »
- Why sixty minutes of low-sensory shopping will be bliss for my autistic son and me.I bet many, many parents of children on the autism spectrum can relate to the hideousness of having your child…Continue reading »
- Our wish for a mainstream school turned into a nightmareWe really want to be able to bring you stories of great experiences of the SEND system by families. Sadly,…Continue reading »
- 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…Continue reading »
- Steph’s chronicle of her family’s journey through SEND, cancer and lossRenata and I first met Steph Nimmo back in 2013 at the Department for Education when a group of SEND bloggers…Continue reading »
- UK government is failing disabled children says United NationsIt’s pretty shameful really, what the UN said about the UK’s treatment of people with disabilities. Last week, as part of…Continue reading »
- 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'.…Continue reading »
- SEND Blogger showcase 4: Rainbows, Broccoli and WristbandsAnd now, what better day to bring you our final fabulous SEND Blogger showcase of this summer than on the…Continue reading »
- 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…Continue reading »
- 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,…Continue reading »
- SEND Blogger Showcase 3: Life and ASC & A Wheelie Great AdventureWelcome to the third in our SEND blogger spotlights! Today we feature two more bloggers, Helen, who blogs about life…Continue reading »
- IAS Service: Supporting families of children with SENDWhen you need help or advice as a parent about your child or adolescent's education or difficulties with special educational…Continue reading »
- SEND Blogger showcase 2: Mum On A Mission & Our Altered LifeToday we have the second in our August SEND blogger showcase and we're so delighted to be able to share…Continue reading »
- 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…Continue reading »
- SEND blogger showcase: itmustbemum & The Long ChainWhen I started out blogging here on SNJ, before social sharing was a 'thing', there really wasn't anyone else out…Continue reading »
- Choosing a mainstream school for my disabled childThe issue of the type of placement for a child with special educational needs or disabilities can be a thorny…Continue reading »
- SEND in England, 2017: More in Independents, fewer in AcademiesAnother day another set of figures to wade through... this time though, it's the annual school SEND figures from the…Continue reading »
- Horror stories: Recent SEND research for your summer readingDear reader, I am sorry, but I have failed you. A clutch of research reports about SEND have been recently…Continue reading »
- End of school SEND report: Must try harderIt's the end of the school year and children are arriving home up and down the land with their school…Continue reading »
- Going to Uni: The Disabled Students Allowance assessmentIt’s all change for us this September at home, as Youngest heads off to start a three year BSc at…Continue reading »
- How I became a better child physio after parenting my sick newbornWe love sharing good practice with you that can help both parents and professionals offer improve the lives of children…Continue reading »
- The Secret Life of Holly, from the Disabled Children’s PartnershipIn England today, there is an unacceptable gap between the quality of life and opportunities available for disabled children, when…Continue reading »
- Exploring Autism and Music, a chance to listen, learn and participateResearch into different aspects of autism can reveal many unexpected and interesting findings, which can sometimes help to improve the lives…Continue reading »
- Helping carers and disabled children with QigongWe are all living in stressful times. World events, both near and far, can leave us feeling anxious, fearful and…Continue reading »
- How do you help a disadvantaged child build confidence and find success? [Conference]Aside from having a special educational need or disability, one of the biggest barriers to success at school is your…Continue reading »
- SEND 2017, the state of the special educational needs system revealedThe annual figures for special educational needs came out yesterday and I spent the day poring over them and making…Continue reading »
- The SNJ #GE2017 Manifesto for Special Educational Needs and DisabilityYou can’t have failed to notice that, here in the UK, we’re hurtling towards the snap general election called for…Continue reading »
- Tackling the lack of diversity in books for deaf childrenIt's Deaf Awareness Week and a new book has been published, written to boost deaf awareness and tackle the lack of…Continue reading »
- The frustration and heartbreak of Pathological Demand AvoidanceWe've covered Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which is a condition on the autistic spectrum, a few times on SNJ and…Continue reading »
- Good mental health support needs one thing: proper fundingIt’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the latest…Continue reading »
- SEND, support staff and challenging behaviour in schools.You may remember that we had Tess Philbert on the site not so long ago, talking about person-centred planning. Tess is…Continue reading »
- Your views invited to help set the agenda for Whole School SENDLast month Barney and I participated in the Whole School SEND Summit, spreading our message in a roundtable at the…Continue reading »
- Explaining new funding rules for early years children with SENDFunding is always a hot topic in local authorities and schools and nowhere more so than in special educational needs. From…Continue reading »
- Special needs lawyer calls for election pledge to solve SEND disarrayA young lawyer specialising in special educational needs, who himself has SpLD, has warned the parties in the upcoming election urgent…Continue reading »
- Holly’s autism film starring role helped raise her classmates’ awarenessLast week, I said Autism Awareness had graduated from a day to a week. Dear reader, I was wrong. It's…Continue reading »
- Children with SEND risk rejection by mainstream schools over funding gapPupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are at risk of being turned away by mainstream schools due to…Continue reading »
- Is autism a difference or a disorder? The truth is in-betweenI don't think anyone is unaware of the word 'autism' these days. The problem still lies in understanding how vast a…Continue reading »
- Supporting families to participate in making person-centred decisionsOne of the big things that was supported to be improved for disabled children and families was person-centred planning. De-jargonned,…Continue reading »
- What’s in a name: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome gets an important makeoverIt's rare for a medical condition to have its sub-types reclassified. It happened to autism a couple of years ago…Continue reading »
- All about ALLFIE and its campaign for truly inclusive educationMy sons' headteacher at their independent special(ist) school, once said to me that inclusion was about being included in society…Continue reading »
- How a parent held her council to account for its SEND failuresToday's parent story is a classic case of a local authority's disregard of the SEND reforms: poor communication and lack…Continue reading »
- £215 million cash boost for local areas to improve SEND facilitiesThe Department for Education has today announced £215 million funding for SEND. It's to be split between almost every English…Continue reading »
- The SEND Superheroes ready to spruce up your school’s provisionI started Special Needs Jungle with the intention of spreading knowledge to parents about how to get themselves organised and…Continue reading »
- The heartache that lives alongside our son’s very rare diseaseRare Disease Day is almost upon us and we have the third of our parent posts today about their lives…Continue reading »
- Finding my son near death started our rare journey to his genetic diagnosisIt's bad enough when your child has a severe illness, but when you discover it's a condition few have heard…Continue reading »
- YouGov survey: Teachers blame “parental pressure” for misdiagnosis of SENA YouGov poll of more than 800 teachers across the UK, has shockingly revealed what is potentially one of the…Continue reading »
- Post 19: Education, health, care and training support for disabled young peopleA quick post today to let you know about guidance the Department for Education has published for 19-25 year olds…Continue reading »
- A 16 year quest to diagnose our rare bendy daughterIt's often difficult to cope and find support when your child has an uncommon or rare condition. Often, there is…Continue reading »
- Whole School SEND Summit: learn, contribute & share good practiceThe changes to the special educational needs system in England are over two years old but many parents have seen…Continue reading »
- Parents of children with learning disabilities lonely, distressed and under pressureIt can be hard to cope with having a child with a disability. It can be particularly hard on relationships.…Continue reading »
- Interweb Safety Day: The stuff you don’t know as parents but shouldThe interweb is a big and scary place, and that’s just for the grown-ups. While we think our kids may…Continue reading »
- Using Minecraft to engage children with science learningMinecraft is beloved of thousands of teens and pre-teens across the country, but it seems to have a particular fascination…Continue reading »
- The Care Act when transitioning from children’s to adult social careOne of the biggest concerns for parents of disabled young people who are about to pass 18, is the move…Continue reading »
- How satisfied are pupils, parents and teachers about SEND in schools?At the end of last week, a couple of surveys were published by the Department for Education. One was a…Continue reading »
- Will more cash guide the battered ship of SEND reform to calmer seas?Just a quick post after Matt's epic blog yesterday on SEND Inspectors (we have been asked for a right of…Continue reading »
- A new year, a new leaf? What’s your SEND wish for 2017?And so, we leave behind the detritus of 2016 with its never-ending celebrity deaths, seismic political upheaval and general air of…Continue reading »
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!
- SNJ’s Christmas SEND wish-list for Santa and a few thanks too…
- Tips for keeping up your child’s literacy over the holidays
- Shining a light on great practice in SLT and communication
- Surrey gets a spanking from Ofsted in its SEND inspection
- Adelle’s dyslexia helped her find her strengths as a GB athlete
- Talking about alcohol with your special needs teen
- New format for SNJ’s SEND system Flow Charts
- Future in Mind? Progress on child mental health plan a national disgrace
- Can you help harness parental knowledge about genetic intellectual disability?
- The Scott Schools and Colleges SEND report: It’s really rather depressing
- Parent pens The Children’s Guide to Autism
- #CRDN2016 Looking to the future where patients and carers are always involved in their care
- Testing for children with SEND: The Rochford Review
- Why sharing best practice in autism benefits everyone
- We challenged our son’s school over disability discrimination
- Amplify your experience of rare disease with Rare Barometer Voices
- Why did my PDA son have to fail in five schools before I was listened to?
- Autism Hero Awards: A win for SNJ!
- The advocate leading a summit to make patient and medical collaboration less ‘rare’
- What parents wish teachers knew about their autistic child
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!Running SNJ takes time and money. As volunteers, we don't mind spending time making the site as useful as possible,…Continue reading »
- What we said, where we’ve been, what we made in 2015!As promised, we've rounded up some of our articles from the year by type, which will help many of our…Continue reading »
- Merry Christmas from Special Needs JungleWe've had a busy year at SNJ in 2015 and we just wanted to wish you all a happy Christmas…Continue reading »
- One family’s wild ride in the pursuit of post-16 provisionOne of our favourite things at SNJ is to share parents' experiences of their family's experiences of the conditions that…Continue reading »
- Will these figures make councils think twice before forcing parents to the SEND Tribunal?At the end of last week, the government published the detailed statistics from the Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal…Continue reading »
- What parent carers told the Minister at his SEND reform stock-taking sessionEarlier this week I attended a round-table event at the Department for Education hosted by the SEND Minister, Ed Timpson.…Continue reading »
- Disabled Students Allowance cuts: Is it time to extend the EHCP to universities?What do you call it when someone says one thing but their actions show they really mean something quite different?…Continue reading »
- Patient Solidarity Day 2015We should all have access to the healthcare we need: good quality, affordable care without fear of discrimination. This…Continue reading »
- Don’t let over 16s fall through the EHCP information cracks[caption id="attachment_12537" align="alignright" width="350"] Luca, who's 18 today and in Surrey Youth Music Theatre[/caption] Today is Son1's (Luca) 18th birthday!…Continue reading »
- Some Sunday wisdom from Maya AngelouIt is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is…Continue reading »
- #WiseWords: Strong souls come from sufferingOut of suffering have emerged the strongest souls The most massive characters are seared with scars. ~Khalil Gibran~Continue reading »
- Have your say to lift the barriers to play for children with complex disabilitiesSense, the charity that helps people who are deafblind or who have sensory impairments, are running a public inquiry into the provision of…Continue reading »
- An SNJ Infographic of the latest SEND statistics 2015Last week the DfE released its annual "Special educational needs: an analysis and summary of data sources". It was late, as pointed out…Continue reading »
- Best Practice: a parent’s view of a good EHCP Transition experienceMany families have not had a great experience so far with the transition of their child from a Statement to…Continue reading »
- Ask the DfE: Put your SEND queries directly to the man at the ministryWe have something special for you today - a chance to ask the questions you want about SEND to the…Continue reading »
- Selective Mutism: When anxiety shuts down the power to speakThe days are slipping by so quickly that we're already into October half-term and three quarters of the way through…Continue reading »
- Mental Capacity and young people with SEND: A quick primerEarlier this week I attended the SEND seminar of the law firm, Boyes Turner who represent families having difficulties getting…Continue reading »
- The what, when and how of Independent Support for the EHCP processWe haven't carried an article about Independent Support for a while and now we have one today and another coming…Continue reading »
- Inspirational SEND education events and a speech that says it all[caption id="attachment_12121" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The gathering[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12119" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The launch team with Sarah Driver, centre[/caption] Yesterday Angela and…Continue reading »
- Driver Youth Trust report: SEND reforms led to “Fragmented provision, chaos and confusion”Later on today, Angela and I will be attending the Westminster launch of "Joining the Dots" a report out today…Continue reading »
- Consultation on SEND Accountability launched. We look at the big pictureSo finally, what we have been waiting for – the public consultation for setting up a system of accountability for…Continue reading »
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!
- Merry Christmas and thank you from SNJ
- £31 million extra SEND reform funding- but is money the whole problem?
- Flu vaccination available for children & young people with learning disabilities in England
- Childhood acquired brain injury- Would you know if your child was affected?
- How goes the development of the Local Offer?
- A shameless shout out for a very special school
- National survey launched: Are SEND Further Education students getting the choices they deserve?
- Anti-Bullying Week: Violent Bullying of SEND children widespread in England’s schools
- The power of reflexology on children with special needs
- Mum of dyslexic children launches Drive for Literacy
- Our flow charts included in latest official SEND reform info pack!
- An unintentional Mystery SEND Shopper
- Transfer from LDA to EHCP? Can I be bothered?
- Our SEN legal Twitter #SNJSENchat with IPSEA: Read it here
- Don’t miss the first answers from SNJ’s “Ask Jane” legal agony aunt!
- Trainee teachers rate SEN as one of poorest aspects of their training
- How a school’s Nurture programme is supporting students from ‘catch-up’ into ‘heads-up’
- Teaching teachers and parents about social media safety
- Some ideas for teachers get started with parental co-production
- The SNJ week in review – posts, presentations and parties!
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!
- Our best personal posts of 2013
- Merry Christmas from Special Needs “Jingle”!
- Cerebra supports a seat enabling family activities for disabled children
- Christmas is coming and my son is getting stressed…
- Join us & back Jane’s campaign to improve legal rights in SEN Bill
- Two big days in one – one global, one personal, both huge news!
- Some SEN statementing questions answered
- Join Carers UK and act now so parent carers are not left behind
- When Tania went to #BlogFest and other stories
- Confirmed: No statutory support for Uni Students in SEN reforms
- The letter ‘D’ for Disability, M’Lud
- Crossing over: have your say on moving to the new SEN system
- How to help manage your children’s pain
- Warrior to worrier: When an SEN mum drops the ball
- Something for the weekend: Draft Code of Practice published and lots more
- SEN Reform: It’s going to be a busy autumn
- NEW Special Needs Jungle site launched!
- Add the power of your voice to #ThisIsMyChild
- Gently changing perceptions: DownSideUp, a blog we love
- NICE guidelines for treatment of autism in children and young people published
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!
- Merry Christmas from Special Needs Jungle!
- SEN Pre-Legislative Scrutiny report- a précis and my views
- My pick of parents’ guest posts on Special Needs Jungle this year
- Vitamin D deficiency – ASD Youngest suffers, your child might too.
- What now for Asperger’s?
- Son1 is 15 today-and proof that the right support can work miracles
- Pathfinders, politics and parental co-production
- SEN Minister offers assurances to parents over Bill wording
- Speech Therapy to stay within educational provision – so said the man from the DfE
- Charlotte’s amazing brain – a heartfelt story about childhood stroke
- Keep Us Close – Scope’s campaign for better local disability services
- Can you help with Pathological Demand Avoidance Research?
- Common sense prevails with more time to test the SEN reform proposals
- The Brain Injury Hub – a brilliant resource
- 10 Tips for Developing Your Child’s Language Skills
- SEN Reforms: professional views to the select committee
- Beech Lodge: A new school offering a practical approach to learning
- Parents on the Warpath…and other stories
- Stop the DLA Takeaway campaign – your help needed
- When SEN Tribunal looms, seek legal advice
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!
- Special Educational Needs stories of the week
- Christmas Giveaway – a copy of my SEN Book
- SEN & Special Needs Stories I’ve spotted this week
- “What’s the difference between a problem child and a child with a genuine problem? – Video
- SEN round up for this week
- Book Review of Special Educations Needs: Getting Started with Statements
- IPSEA – A wonderful charity for free advice and support for SEN
- SEN stories that caught my eye this week (w/e2nd Dec)
- SENAC for Special Needs Advice in Northern Ireland
- Why I’m backing the call for a revolution in ICT teaching
- Finished at School – Important Campaign by Ambitious about Autism
- SEN Stories of interest in the last week
- What do parents of a newly-diagnosed child need?
- My article in SEN Magazine: Can teachers recognise SEN in bright pupils?
- SEN stories that caught my attention this week.
- 1-2-3 Magic – the discipline system that saved my sanity
- Autism diagnoses are more common in an IT-rich region.
- A brilliant review of my SEN book from an award-winning blogger
- Education and Training (Young People with Autism) Bill introduced.
- Groundbreaking dance DVD to help kids with autism.
- Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!
- Should children with Asperger Syndrome automatically be statutorily assessed?
- The Lamb Inquiry – a review
- The Lamb Inquiry
- New Autism Act Passes Final Hurdle
- Don’t Write Me Off – NAS campaign
- Daily Mirror Launches Caring For Carers Campaign
- Back to school – but is it the right one?
- More House – A School To Be Proud Of
- Books I recommend for Special Needs
- Journey’s End for our Statement – And a Brighter Future.
- Rose Dyslexia report – will it be enough?
- An Actor’s Life For Him.
- Asperger’s Links Blog
- Give ASD children the school provision they need
- Mother behind autism advert meets Brown – London Evening Standard
- Child-Free.. as free as the wind blows..
- See my other blog – Not As Advertised
- UK lacks Adult Autism/Asperger’s Services
- Long ago..when I was somebody
- Many autism cases ‘undiagnosed’ – BBC News
If my son is already at a special independant school. Should I say why we think he should continue in this school and that this is the school for him
Karen – yes you should point out what this school is doing for your son and why you do not think it can be replicated in a mainstream school.
Thank you for sharing. You did an amazing job advocating for your sons. I, too, had to do much advocating for my middle son. Beautiful boys!
Thank you for your kind words and I hope your son has the provision he needs now x
My son is currenlty in yeat 3 main stream with a full 25 hour statement, but latey his behaviours have become extreme and he has been refusing to attend school. He isnt managing his school work and it usually very bright and itelllgent, we just dont know what to do and the school seem to be no helo. we kow he would be much happoer in a specialist school were he would get full support in the right form, but dont know how to go about this. We are based in manchester. any advice would be most helpful
amanda
I think my son had PDA and am fighting to get it recognised. Would love to add you on FB or twitter but can’t find you xxx
I’m @TaniaLT and @SpcialNdsJungle and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/specialneedsjungle. There is an article on SNJ about PDA- have you spotted it? Tania
Tania, i have just come across your website and it is such an apt title because it really is a jungle. i am trying to find a way of having information in a more structured way for parents to understand the system of special educational needs and how to get the help their child needs. i am going to look at everything on your website in more detail but in the meantime, do you think this is possible and if so, can you help me start. It just seems so much confusion in what you can get or not get, what is available,etc.
smita
Hi Smita
I have a paperback and Kindle book that details how to get started with a statement and you can find more information on the Contact a Family site as well
Tania
I just wanted to say what a great website,my little boy starts school this year. He is very behind in his speech and Early years have recommended for him to be statemented. Speech and language have finally agreed to back early years and myself in wanting this for my little boy. Still a long road I know! He was born at 26 wks and has had numerous issues with bronchial and tummy problems/feeding and food sensitivities.
I will be ordering your book to help me along my way.
Regards
Janine
Hi Janine
Good luck to you, I’m sure you won’t have any problems with the statement as he is such a young age. Just make sure it says everything it needs to say (my book will help with this). Depending on where you live, you may be able to be part of a pathfinder trial (there are 31 local authorities)
When he gets a statement it will be changed in due course to an EHCP when the new system comes in, in 2014. Be informed and be your boy’s advocate. To do this, you need to take care of yourself – do not put your own needs and health last, but equal.
Best wishes to you
Tania
Hi!
I’m trying to use the contact form, however an error message keeps popping up when I press send!
I’m a freelance journalist based in London working on a series of stories about children with disabilities/special needs in the UK. This is part of my final master’s project and parts of it will be published for an NGO called Safe World for Women. The organisation focuses on women and children’s rights.
Hayley Goleniowska from Down Side Up suggested I contact you concerning the Children and Families Bill and SEN reforms. If you’re interested in talking to me, I prefer to do an in-person interview, however, I can also via phone or Skype. My deadline is July 29.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Kulsoom
Hi You can email on info@specialneedsjungle.com
Tania and Debs – I am new to the SNJ site but wanted to tell you that it is a brilliant resource for parents! – thank you SO MUCH for all the work that has gone into making this site very easy to understand and VERY VERY helpful! I have a 15YO son with ASD and feel very scared about all the upcoming changes. It’s wonderful knowing that you guys are out there!
Hi Melanie, thanks for your kind words. If you haven’t already, why not sign up on the top left of the site for new posts to be emailed to you, so you know when something new is out? I have a 14.5 year old and a 16 year old with ASD, so I know what you’re going through!