Using Minecraft to engage children with science learning
Minecraft is beloved of thousands of teens and pre-teens across the country, but it seems to have a particular fascination for young people who have Asperger’s and similar conditions. The …
Category: Disability
The Care Act when transitioning from children’s to adult social care
One of the biggest concerns for parents of disabled young people who are about to pass 18, is the move to adult services. Sometimes it goes smoothly, but often it …
Talking about alcohol with your special needs teen
My boys are both at the age where they are discovering many aspects of adult life, including alcohol. They now go to parties on occasion and want to be like their …
Removing the barriers to bedtime for children with disabilities
I have to admit that for a while, R and I joined the ranks of Smug Parents. We didn’t mean to. Most of the time we are running around in …
Can you help harness parental knowledge about genetic intellectual disability?
When I was at the Cambridge Rare Disease Network Summit the other week, I saw a very interesting presentation that has something of interest for every family of a child …
The high costs of living with a disability, especially if it’s rare
I don’t need to tell regular readers of this blog that dealing with the symptoms of the condition that affects you or your child is often only half the battle. …
SEND reforms a botch job? Another report shows families are being failed
The SEND reforms are failing to meet the needs of autistic children, according to a new report from the National Autistic Society. The report, written by Catriona Moore, says far …
Exam Access Arrangements: what are they and who gets them?
It’s that time again when students anxiously await their exam results. We all hope for good passes all round, but not every student will have achieved the grades they’d hoped …
Join the world’s first fully-inclusive, fantastically fun, Super Sensory race!
Tania’s note: Jo Grace is back to tell us about something you may like to get involved with! Parallel London is the world’s first fully inclusive fun push/run event being …
Inclusion for Primary teachers: Nancy shares her SEND secrets
Last summer I sat down at my kitchen table and I wrote a book. Well, it wasn’t quite like that, if the truth be told; I started it in the …
How will #Brexit affect children and young people with Disabilities?
I was going to start this piece with “As the dust settles after the #Brexit vote…”, but every day the dust seems to get more dense and choking as the enormity …
The real message the EHCP stats should give to the Ministers
Yesterday’s new SEND statistics reported worrying progress on SEND reform up to January 2016, amid soothing words from the Ministers in charge that the reforms are “boosting the life chances …
Edward Timpson and Jane Ellison: “Our reforms are boosting the life chances of children with SEND”
As parent carers we often measure our successes in the little victories we achieve on a day to day basis. They may not seem significant to some, but to us …
The joyful sensory world: Our differences and how we are all the same
Tania writes: A few years ago, I ran a guest post from Jo Grace who was crowdfunding to raise funds to launch a Sensory Stories project. I was happy to …
How do Apprenticeships support young people with SEN?
Only 6% of people with learning difficulties are currently in employment. No, I didn’t make that shocking figure up, it was mentioned in the announcement of a new government ‘Taskforce’ to help …
My #Undiagnosed Day video to say thanks to those who get care right.
I have three children. All three have an undiagnosed genetic condition. One is a wheelchair user, has feeding tubes, and complex medical needs, one is a bit wobbly on his …
Work and the parent carer: a choice or a right?
Today I am delighted to introduce Sarah Down who has agreed to write a guest post for us. Sarah is mother to a lively four and a half year old …
Honest and useful assessment for children with SEND is not just about attainment
A couple of months ago I was invited to speak at the Academies Show in London on the subject of assessment for children with SEND. It was very exciting (and …
Believe me: it’s not awareness that’s the problem with autism
So here we are again, Autism Awareness Week. Every year people go to great lengths to fundraise, stage events, write posts and generally try to raise the profile of what …
Ten Top tips for when your child is diagnosed with a rare disease
Where were you when you you were told that your child had a medical diagnosis? Like many major events in the world and in our own lives, that point in …