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 (NAO). And lo, this week, here it is. As expected, …
SEND Review: A game-changer or playing politics with vulnerable children?
While the biggest political and constitutional crisis that anyone can remember rages all around us, ministers resign, MPs are purged and no-one is quite sure who will be in Government …
The Government must act on legal ruling against discrimination of disabled children
With Jane Harris, Director of External Affairs at National Autistic Society Last year we covered a landmark legal ruling that was supposed to mean thousands of children with disabilities would …
What does ‘£700 million for SEND’ actually mean in reality?
4.55pm on a Friday doesn’t normally mean good news for SEND parents. It’s often a time when bad news pitches up in your email inbox from LAs, health teams or …
Will the SEND Inquiry report be drowned in the maelstrom of Brexit? UPDATED
I wrote this post yesterday in the wake of the leak of Government schools funding. This evening, Boris Johnson has made the announcement official – more than was expected for …
Navigating adult mental health services as an autistic young person
I go by the name of Philip Milburn but you are welcome to call me Phil, I’ve spent some of my time interacting with the adult mental health service and …
SEND Transport: Consultation and Missed opportunities
You may have seen recently that the government launched a consultation into revised statutory guidance for local authorities on home to school travel and transport. This covers all children, but we’re …
SEND crisis: 6000+ SEND appeals is the ‘new normal’ in a ‘broken system’
As many of you will know, the SEND system is in crisis. There are more appeals than ever coming before the Special Educational Needs and Disability First-tier Tribunal (FTT), as …
First-time minister given one of the toughest jobs in government: Fixing the #SENDcrisis
The last week has brought a succession of big changes at all levels of government. The appointment of a new prime minister was followed by a more wide-ranging purge of …
Why mixed attainment teaching can benefit children and improve social justice
NEW POST: Should schools use streaming or setting? Views vary but for expert educator, Jules Daulby, it’s pretty clear cut, as she explains in today’s post on SNJ
SEND funding “completely inadequate,” says Education Select Committee report
For well over a year now, the House of Commons Education Select Committee has been running an inquiry into the state of special educational needs in England. It’s turned into …
Join the SNJ Squad as a “Patron” and get exclusive content!
We have a brilliant new offering to tell you about – one that gets you exclusive content! We’ve linked up with a service called Patreon, as we mentioned in passing …
Know your child’s rights to social care support
with Liz Walker, Care Services Emergency Care Co-ordinator and Safeguarding Lead for Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children Social care can conjure lots of different images in parents’ minds. Often …
All rise! SEND figures go up in 2019
For the third year running, the number of pupils with special educational needs (SEND) in schools has increased. In January 2019, the percentage rose to 14.9% from 14.6% of the …
DfE Research: Mainstream Teaching Assistant cuts negatively impacting SEND pupils
Amy Skipp with Rob Webster, Associate Professor in the Centre for Inclusive Education, UCL Institute of Education At the start of this academic year ASK Research were commissioned by DfE …
Judge: A remarkable achievement for parents to take the government to court
The judgement in the Judicial Review of a group of parents against the government over SEND funding, has been reserved after a two-day hearing. But whatever the ruling, the parents …
The government’s legal day of reckoning looms, as families challenge over SEND failures
While most of the country’s politicians are fixated on Brexit and BoJo, vulnerable children have been left to bump along the bottom of the agenda. But not tomorrow. Tomorrow, all eyes …
England’s children urgently need a new, accountable, speech and language strategy
With Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists chief executive, Kamini Gadhok MBE, and Caroline Wright, policy adviser for children and young people in England Ask any parent about the …
The latest SEND Tribunal figures paint a troubling picture
It’s raining cats and dogs outside where I live. More happily for me, it’s also raining statistics – the latest set to drop into my inbox comes from Her Majesty’s …
The First Breath, How my baby had surgery in the womb
with Olivia Gordon Parents of children with disabilities are known for their generosity in sharing their knowledge to help others. It’s one of the things this community shines at. Sometimes, …
