EHCPs in 2019: Bedded in, or bogged down?
Early Thursday morning, whilst thousands of families and allies were preparing to march to draw attention to the national crisis in SEND, the Department for Education published their annual set …
Category: Columnists
SEND success is a journey, apparently, one with no end in sight
“It’s a journey.” That’s what SEND minister Nadhim Zahawi said, repeatedly, at the final hearing of the House of Commons Education Select Committee’s SEND inquiry. This time, he and school …
The emotional impact of parenting a disabled child
Instead of writing my own post for Mental Health Week, I’d like to share my column today with Jo Griffin, a Counselling Psychologist and parent carer. I met Jo through …
The DfE’s out of SEND Funding ideas. Can you help out?
Last week, the Department for Education put out a call for evidence about SEND funding. What are they asking about, what are they asking for, and why are they asking …
Poor leadership and SEND law ignorance fails disabled children
Anyone who has had to grapple with the SEND system to get their child’s needs acknowledged and met knows that the system is not currently working as it should. Not …
We’re the country’s future. We demand our right to a properly funded education!
Imagine living in a country where the government and politicians are robbing their youth of their futures? Where budget cuts have decimated the education system? Where students attempt to learn …
Does spending time with peers help autistic people to improve their social ‘skills’?
I’m sharing this post with my 19-year-old autistic son, Philip, who is looking for the experiences of other autistics who’ve been told they need to spend time with peers because …
Social skills: How to understand and support autistic students
by Georgia Harper The complex social hierarchy within the school gates – a hierarchy which often punishes anyone who stands out as different – is daunting even for some neurotypical …
An inspector calls. Again. But are they improving SEND provision?
Matt Keer looks at the latest picture for the SEND inspections and re-visits. It iisn’t a pretty picture in many places
SENCO basics: My research defining the role of the modern SENCO
Tania’s note: Hannah Moloney was the author of a research study into the SENCo workload that I wrote about on SNJ here. She’s a current class SENCo, researcher, and sits …
Is Ofsted a “force for good” in improving the education of SEND learners?
Ofsted’s draft Education Inspection Framework and School Inspection Handbook are currently out for consultation. An Ofsted inspection is a critical moment in the life of any school and the framework …
Shane’s story of being autistic in school: ‘I was the odd one in the class’:
Tania’s note: My ASD youngest often complains to me about hearing only the parent voice and not the young person (I’m still waiting for their own contribution 😉 ). However, …
Phase Transfer deadline: what to do if your child’s EHCP isn’t finalised on time
The transfer deadline day for all settings except post-16, is fast approaching! If your child is transferring between phases of education, then the statutory deadline by when your local authority …
Coming to terms with your child’s hidden Special Educational Needs.
Not all Special Educational Needs are immediately obvious. Some are initially hidden, such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD. When parents approach me about their child with SEN of this kind, …
How can children be traumatised just by going to school?
In a post titled Send Children Being Traumatised By Not Getting Help Needed in School, Tania recently touched on the subject of SEN children becoming traumatised by the education system. She wrote about …
Getting Help with EHCPs: Be Careful Out There!
Just before Christmas, we took a look at some of the latest figures to come out of the Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal (SENDIST). Those figures shone light on …
The SEND Jungle 2018: The year parents roared
It’s been an incredible year in the SEND world, but not because the system has started to work better, or because families are routinely at the centre of decision-making. It’s …
School can demoralise autistic students, help me celebrate our neurodivsersity!
Tania’s note: We recently featured a post from autistic teenager, Siena Castellon, about her fabulous anti-bullying work. Siena is now pulling in schools and organisations across the country to support …
What costs £103.7 million and makes disabled children miserable?
Whether you’re a SEND parent or SEND professional, you’re probably running on vapour right now as we come to the end of the longest term. If you can though, spare …
Why consistency in parenting is vital, especially for children with challenging behaviours
We have adopted a cat, or rather he has adopted us. We’ re no strangers to owning cats, but this is the first time in our renovated home. There is …