Autism updates, SEN stories and happy holidays!

My top story this week is just out - a 90,000 drop in the number of children identified as having SEN. Do I think that SEN is on the decline? Of course not. The report in the TES says, "Brian Lamb, who led a review of parental confidence in the SEN system for the last Labour government, also identified training and funding as key reasons for the drop. But he said that the most important question to ask was whether children's needs were being met.

"It's positive to see a fall as long as we can be sure this is because of better assessment and the removal of perverse incentives," said Mr Lamb, who is now chair of the SEN charity Achievement for All. "I hope the fall is not because schools are not addressing special educational needs."

This is a point that I agree completely with and was my very first thought. Read the rest of the article for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Also in this week's top stories include using pets to help kids with autism (something we all already knew as well) and Barnardo's report about tackling the causes of bad behaviour and not just the symptoms - this is an issue I have written about myself before.

So, I'm away for a couple of weeks so no round-ups until I get back, but I've scheduled in some great posts while I'm away to keep you company and I'll be armed in Italy with wifi and an iPad...Happy holidays!

• TES: SEN numbers drop by 90,000 after Ofsted rebuke 
• Huff Post parents: Pets For Kids With Autism: New Study Finds They May Help Socially (STUDY) 
• ChaosInKent: How we used an obsession to help our autistic child 
• Telegraph: Baby sensor cap test to learn how autism develops
• National Autistic Society: NAS responds to Work Capability Assessment broadcasts
• Medical Daily: Oxytocin Helps People Read Minds 
• Every Child in Need: Keep minimum standards for vulnerable children  - I've signed this petition - will you?
• Barnardos: Schools must tackle the causes and not just the symptoms of bad behaviour, warns Barnardo’s.
• NUT: Barnardo’s on SEN - press release from the NUT: National Union of Teachers
• Disabled World: PECS and The Pyramid Approach to Education ow.ly/cCsVI
• Chill4Us Carers: Concern at takeover of Wiltshire's autism service
• BBC News: Children 'at risk' in new system.
• NCB: National Children’s Bureau says Forum report sends clear message on children’s health challenges
• The Guardian: Not just a boy thing: how doctors are letting down girls with autism fromThe Guardian
• JKP Blog: Hesitant to enroll your child with Autism Spectrum Disorder in sports?
• Fed for Independent Living: Government refuses to research hate crime impact of special schools

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Tania Tirraoro

Founder, Co-Director at Special Needs Jungle

Founder of Special Needs Jungle. (She/Her) Parent of two young adults with autism. New grandma. Tania, who is autistic, is a leading SEND advisor, working with the Special Education Consortium, Ofsted, and Whole School SEND. She is also an Advisory Board member of the Royal Holloway, University of London Centre of Gene and Cell Therapy and an Editorial Board member of Springer Nature Gene Therapy journal.
Tania is an experienced broadcast and print journalist & author. She also runs a PR, web & social media consultancy, SocialOro Media.
Tania is a rare disease & chronic pain patient advocate with Ehlers Danlos syndrome.

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Latest posts by Tania Tirraoro (see all)

• Ombudsman report says councils are “standing in the way of support” by failing to offer personal budgets during the EHCP process - November 24, 2023
• 10 reasons the Change Programme might fail, by experts from across the SEND sector - October 27, 2023
• For children with SEND and their parents, a compassionate teacher is key - October 20, 2023