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SNJ Posts 2023
- The Unacceptable Truth: 20 SEND legal rights at risk from the Government’s SEND reforms Special Needs Jungle
September 9, 2026You may be feeling like the Department for Education has beaten you into submission this year with confusing consultation after…Continue reading »
- Challenging society’s negative narrative to understand the positivity of caring for a child with disabilities Special Needs Jungle
December 20, 2023with Dr Joanna Griffin, University of Warwick Dr Joanna Griffin is a university researcher, psychologist and a parent carer. She’s…Continue reading »
- SEND Tribunal 2023: When will councils stop wasting public funds defending SEND appeals when they fail almost all the time? Matt Keer
December 15, 2023It’s been a long old year, but it’s not over yet – least of all when there’s a fresh data…Continue reading »
- ‘Inverse care’ and unmet need: How children in poorer areas are less likely to receive the right SEND diagnosis or provision Special Needs Jungle
December 14, 2023by Dr Tammy Campbell, Visiting Senior Fellow at CASE, and Director for Early Years at the Education Policy Institute. A…Continue reading »
- Why Preparing for Adulthood outcomes, from the earliest years, must be an integral part of the new national EHCP template. Special Needs Jungle
December 6, 2023with Julie Pointer, NDTi You may be aware that work is going on on developing a national template for the…Continue reading »
- The urgent need for early and effective support for deaf children – my appeal as a deaf parent with two deaf daughters Special Needs Jungle
December 1, 2023with Rayan Basma, deaf parent of two daughters who are also deaf As our columnist, Matt Keer has written previously,…Continue reading »
- Daydreams that reach around the world: Tackling isolation at the PMLD Conference IV Jo Grace
November 29, 2023Have you ever been reading something and thought, “It would be so much easier just to talk to this person…Continue reading »
- Ombudsman report says councils are “standing in the way of support” by failing to offer personal budgets during the EHCP process Tania Tirraoro
November 24, 2023If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), were you offered a personal budget? Were you told…Continue reading »
- Crowdjustice appeal for court case to allow Ombudsman complaints over council bullying of families with disabled youngsters Zoe Thompson
November 22, 2023We (Zoe and Philip) are a Mum and son team who’ve been around the block a few times in terms…Continue reading »
- SEND Transport costs driven by ‘increased parental expectations’ claims councils’ group, and “something has to give”. Disabled children’s safety, perhaps? Matt Keer
November 20, 2023Over the weekend, the County Councils Network (CCN) issued a report on the spiralling costs of home-to-school transport, including the…Continue reading »
- The Great Christmas Giveaway 2023 for SEND families and SENCOs. NOMINATE NOW! Special Needs Jungle
November 16, 2023It’s HERE! Today we’re launching our Christmas GIVEAWAY — to donate Amazon vouchers worth £20 each to families of children…Continue reading »
- Disability History Month 2023: Focusing on disability, childhood and youth shows inclusion is going backwards Richard Rieser
November 15, 2023UK Disability History Month runs from 16th November to 16th December 2023. UKDHM is now in its 14th year. This…Continue reading »
- Research finds unfounded FII accusations cause “devastating and often life-long impact on children and families” and over 80% of allegations dropped Professor Luke Clements
November 15, 2023by Professor Luke Clements and Dr Ana Laura Aiello There is considerable evidence to suggest that increasing numbers of parents…Continue reading »
- Disabled children increasingly turned away from early years settings. A SEND charity aims to tackle the SEND inclusion crisis Special Needs Jungle
November 14, 2023with Catherine McCloud MBE, CEO, Dingley’s Promise SEND in the early years has historically been much neglected in SEND. The…Continue reading »
- So SEND is “lose, lose, lose”? Not for these private sector winners in the DfE’s SEND Change Programme Matt Keer
November 10, 2023A few weeks ago, Education Minister Gillian Keegan described the English SEND system as “lose, lose, lose.” Plenty of people…Continue reading »
- Partner with us to help SEND families get some 2023 Christmas cheer — OR to offer mainstream SENCOs some free SEND resources! Special Needs Jungle
November 9, 2023For the last few years, we have run a Christmas giveaway offering Amazon vouchers to families in need of a…Continue reading »
- Unfavourable treatment for summer-born children with EHCPs whose parents opt for a delayed school start Special Needs Jungle
November 2, 2023with Beckie, parent of a disabled child and qualified solicitor Parents of children born in the summer months sometimes feel…Continue reading »
- 10 reasons the Change Programme might fail, by experts from across the SEND sector Tania Tirraoro
October 27, 2023The SEND Improvement Plan was published earlier this year. We’ve covered this many times but today we’re going to look…Continue reading »
- The award-winning sports podcast created by autistic learners that’s giving them hope and skills for the future Special Needs Jungle
October 25, 2023With Adam Millichip, Tettenhall Wood School, Wolverhampton Podcasts are having a moment right now — even we have one. We…Continue reading »
- For children with SEND and their parents, a compassionate teacher is key Tania Tirraoro
October 20, 2023I recently wrote a post following a case, supported by the EHRC, of a family who were determined to prove…Continue reading »
- The Council for Disabled Children’s new Director on their work to implement the Government’s SEND Change Programme Special Needs Jungle
October 18, 2023With Amanda Allard, Director, Council for Disabled Children You may have seen from our recent podcast with Dame Christine Lenehan,…Continue reading »
- The invisible condition that can scramble sound and speech: all about Auditory Processing Disorder Renata Watts
October 13, 2023By Alyson Mountjoy founder and Chair of APD Support UK What is a hearing problem that affects people who may have…Continue reading »
- A mum’s 5 top tips for action to get a local inclusive playground for your disabled child Special Needs Jungle
October 11, 2023with Sam Bowen, parent carer During the summer, we ran an article from Scope about surveying your local playgrounds for…Continue reading »
- Supported Internships opening doors to employment for young people with SEND Special Needs Jungle
October 9, 2023with Lucie Chiocchetti, Communications Officer, Internships Work, NDTi. We’ve run a few stories on supported internships in the past, but…Continue reading »
- No targets for SEND cuts? Tell us your experiences Tania Tirraoro
October 4, 2023While the Department for Education is busy “monitoring critics of government policy” (how do they have time for anything else?)…Continue reading »
- EXCLUSIVE: DfE answers further questions on “targets” for EHCP cuts, removing children from specialist provision and plans to boost SEND in schools Tania Tirraoro
October 2, 2023After our articles on Matt’s discovery of the apparent 20% cuts targeted for EHCPs for local authorities in the Government’s…Continue reading »
- Research: Cost of Living Crisis having “profound and far-reaching consequences”, increasing SEND needs while forcing cuts to school support budgets Amy Skipp
September 29, 2023Amy Skipp, ASK Resesarch, and Jenna Julius, NFER Over the last few weeks, NFER and ASK Research have published a…Continue reading »
- Dame Christine Lenehan: a career advocating for disabled children’s rights Tania Tirraoro
September 27, 2023Earlier this week, I attended the valedictory lecture in London for Dame Christine Lenehan, the long-time Director of the Council…Continue reading »
- SEND Minister denies the Government is aiming to cut EHCPs by 20% with an emphatic, but unconvincing, explanation Tania Tirraoro
September 22, 2023The new SEND Minister, David Johnston, has denied the Government is working towards cuts of 20% in EHCPs for local…Continue reading »
- The parables of SEND: Is it more like ‘the drowning man’ or ‘the tree and its fruits’? Sharon Smith
September 22, 2023I recently came across two linked articles written by academic Alan Hodkinson discussing the history of the SEND system. They…Continue reading »
- New School Transport Guidance ignores both equality and case laws protecting disabled learners Eleanor Wright
September 18, 2023As well as updated exclusions guidance, the Department for Education also issued updated guidance on school transport just before the…Continue reading »
- Updated exclusions and behaviour guidance and how a thoughtful school culture can avoid discriminating against learners with SEND Susan Lenihan
September 13, 2023It feels like decades since “hopeful beginnings” for a new school year was a reality, even before the actual fabric…Continue reading »
- DBV Part 2: 20% EHCP cuts? After repeated denials, the Department for Education‘s got some explaining to do… Special Needs Jungle
September 11, 2023by Matt Keer and Tania Tirraoro Matt writes: On Friday, we took a look at the Department for Education’s Delivering…Continue reading »
- Miracles and magic: Delivering Better Value in SEND. But better value for whom? Matt Keer
September 8, 2023The world of SEND is swamped with consultants and cost-saving schemes at the moment, and even more are being planned.…Continue reading »
- Contact WEBINAR: Is your disabled child missing out on their free school meals because of their disability or medical condition? Special Needs Jungle
September 6, 2023By Imogen Steele, Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Contact Our post today comes from Imogen Steele of the charity Contact…Continue reading »
- It’s time to end the “double impact” of poor experiences at the intersectionality between Race and SEND: A Call to Action! Frances Akinde
September 4, 2023Today, we are delighted to welcome a new columnist, Frances Akinde. Frances is a former special secondary headteacher and NASENCO…Continue reading »
- A new SEND minister NOW? Disabled children deserve better than to be a government testing ground for ambitious MPs Tania Tirraoro
August 31, 2023It’s not even the start of the school year and I’m already furious. Why, you ask? Apart from the fact…Continue reading »
- What’s new with the government’s SEND Change Programme? Matt Keer
August 29, 2023Four years ago, the Department for Education (DfE) began a review into the SEND system. Six months ago, the DfE…Continue reading »
- Working Together to Safeguard Children: An important consultation Professor Luke Clements
August 18, 2023+++ Note this consultation closes on 6th September so don’t delay ++ A strong sense of despair and hopelessness comes…Continue reading »
- Why can’t my disabled child have the same chance for playground fun as every other child? Join the campaign! Special Needs Jungle
August 16, 2023With Becky Maddern for Scope For most children, a trip to the park is a fun way to pass an…Continue reading »
- Expert group recommends reducing SEND Tribunal appeals by getting decisions right first time Catriona Moore
August 4, 2023How to bring down the ever-rising number of appeals to the SEND Tribunal is a vexing question occupying many minds…Continue reading »
- Exclusion must be a last resort says EHRC as they support a family to justice over their disabled child’s treatment Tania Tirraoro
August 2, 2023Should headteachers and school governors undergo mandatory training in the Equality Act 2010 and, specifically, disability discrimination? I’d like to…Continue reading »
- 84% of Ombudsman complaints about Education and Children’s Services upheld Tania Tirraoro
July 27, 2023Once again, families’ complaints about English councils’ education and children’s services were overwhelmingly upheld by the Local Government and Social…Continue reading »
- What can the SEND Tribunal do if a local authority misses an EHCP appeal deadline? A case study. Dr Alice Irving, Public Law Barrister
July 19, 2023If you have been involved in an EHCP appeal before the SEND Tribunal, then there is a good chance that…Continue reading »
- Uncovering the origin of the evil EHCP ‘Golden Ticket’ Narrative Sharon Smith
July 13, 2023The SEND trope of the EHCP “Golden Ticket” has recently once again raised its pernicious head on social media. Over…Continue reading »
- SNJ in Conversation with Labour’s SEND spokesperson Helen Hayes MP: What are their thoughts on fixing SEND? Tania Tirraoro
July 7, 2023As thoughts begin to turn to the next election, we thought it was about time to find out what the…Continue reading »
- Join us this week at The Schools Week Festival of Education and at nasen live! Tania Tirraoro
July 4, 2023A quick post to let you know about two brilliant events we’re involved with this week: The Schools Week Festival…Continue reading »
- Paula McGowan: We need mandatory autism and learning disability training in education settings to change culture, hearts, and minds Special Needs Jungle
July 3, 2023With Paula McGowan OBE Few of us will be unaware of the scandal of young disabled people abused, mistreated, or…Continue reading »
- 63% of teachers say their school’s insufficient support for children with SEND is a barrier to pupil learning Tania Tirraoro
June 29, 2023A new survey of 6,000 teachers and senior leaders across England shows supporting children with SEND is one of the…Continue reading »
- SEND 2023: Numbers increase, and is SEN (No idea what type) the new Moderate Learning Difficulties? Tania Tirraoro
June 27, 2023The SEND stats for 2023 have been published and the numbers both of children on SEN Support and those with…Continue reading »
- We must keep pushing for more autism education says charity leader, amid growing anger and confusion over Government SEND plans Special Needs Jungle
June 20, 2023with Jolanta Lasota, CEO, Ambitious About Autism There is an information vacuum from the Department for Education about what’s going…Continue reading »
- How H&M and WorkFit helped my daughter who has Down syndrome gain purposeful, paid experience of work Sharon Smith
June 16, 2023In 2022, statistics were published by The British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) showing that only 5.1% of people with…Continue reading »
- A New Hope: The TikTok SEND Parents planning to protest the Government’s failure to support their disabled children Special Needs Jungle
June 12, 2023If you were involved in SEND back in 2019, you will have been aware—or may have participated—in protest marches and…Continue reading »
- EHCPs in England in 2023. More plans but only half on time—and more efforts to take them away. Plus our annual LA Hall of Shame Matt Keer
June 9, 2023Yesterday, the Department for Education (DfE) published their annual statistical summary of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in England.…Continue reading »
- Research: Meeting the SEND needs of disabled children early delivers £380k return per learner and dividends for society Special Needs Jungle
June 8, 2023With Claire Dorer OBE, CEO of the National Association of Independent Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools (NASS) A new research…Continue reading »
- Innovative use of student specialists has revolutionised our schools’ SEND therapy and cut assessment waits to just 10 days Special Needs Jungle
May 31, 2023by Conrad Bourne, Mercia Trust Our post earlier this year, ‘No specialists = no support’ highlighted a severe shortfall in…Continue reading »
- Is the Government rationing EHC plans? Catriona Moore
May 25, 2023MPs on the House of Commons Education Select Committee invited the Children’s Minister, Claire Coutinho, in for a chat this…Continue reading »
- How well is the Government respecting children with SEND’s right to education? Tania Tirraoro
May 16, 2023The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN Committee) is this year examining the UK on its obligations…Continue reading »
- SNJ in Conversation with Carrie Grant: Supporting children at the intersection of SEND, Race and Gender Identity Tania Tirraoro
May 12, 2023with Carrie Grant and Renata Blower Carrie Grant is a well-known figure for her work on TV and as a…Continue reading »
- Webinar Recording: “We’re not even testing mandatory mediation” SEND Minister, Claire Coutinho answers your questions Special Needs Jungle
May 3, 2023On Tuesday 2nd May, we were joined by Claire Coutinho, Education Minister with responsibility for SEND to discuss the SEND…Continue reading »
- Neurodiversity and Ableism – a young person’s perspective Renata Watts
April 28, 2023With Kyle Thapar Kyle Thapar is a young teen who attends a mainstream provision. As he is neurodivergent, Kyle recently…Continue reading »
- How will the Government’s new NPQ SENCO qualification improve SEND provision? Hannah Moloney
April 25, 2023A school’s commitment to inclusion can easily be measured in three core ways: whether the SENCO is given the time…Continue reading »
- Restricting autism assessment? Not on our watch, say Bristol parents, as they launch legal action Special Needs Jungle
April 21, 2023with Fiona Castle, Assess for Autism, Bristol The below quote from a new NHS autism Framework document illustrates everything about…Continue reading »
- When mental health prevents school attendance: Guidance summary Susan Lenihan
April 13, 2023The DfE has recently published a new document, ‘Summary of responsibilities where a mental health issue is affecting attendance’. Sensible,…Continue reading »
- Better co-production is crucial for improving SEND provision. But are the Government’s plans a case of magical thinking? Sharon Smith
April 4, 2023‘Critically, we agree with what we heard during the consultation: that the national system should be co-produced with families, children…Continue reading »
- How does the Government intend to fund its new SEND Improvement plan? Matt Keer
March 29, 2023Over the last few weeks, we’ve covered some of the main features of the Department for Education’s (DfE) SEND &…Continue reading »
- Will the SEND and AP Improvement Plan improve the lives of 16-25 year olds with SEND? Ruth Perry, Senior Policy Manager, Natspec
March 22, 2023So, at last we have a SEND and AP Improvement Plan. The big question now is: was it worth the…Continue reading »
- WEBINAR RECORDING: Will the SEND Improvement Plan fix provision for disabled children and young people? Special Needs Jungle
March 16, 2023On March 15 2023, Special Needs Jungle held a webinar exploring the Department for Education's long-awaited SEND Improvement Plan, something…Continue reading »
- Will non-statutory National Standards improve SEND or just create confusion and more unlawful behaviour? Catriona Moore
March 15, 2023TONIGHT! LIVE WEBINAR: Will the Government’s “SEND Improvement Plan” fix SEND? Register here! The SEND Improvement Plan published by the…Continue reading »
- SNJ in Conversation: SEND law in 2023. Public law barrister, Steve Broach, answers your questions Special Needs Jungle
March 13, 2023It’s back! the first episode of our podcast, SNJ in Conversation is here— and it’s one that you won’t want…Continue reading »
- How does the the SEND Improvement Plan intend to create more accountability? Matt Keer
March 9, 2023On 2nd March, the Department for Education finally published its plan to improve the SEND and alternative provision system. Over…Continue reading »
- LIVE WEBINAR: Will the Government’s “SEND Improvement Plan” fix SEND? Register here! Special Needs Jungle
March 7, 2023While we’re still working on written analyses of the Department for Education’s now-landed “SEND Improvement Plan”, we wanted to bring…Continue reading »
- The Government’s SEND Improvement Plan: an initial overview Tania Tirraoro
March 2, 2023also with Matt Keer and Catriona Moore “It is time to deliver a more dignified experience for children and young…Continue reading »
- Review: Why building a nurturing environment is vital for supporting autistic young people Special Needs Jungle
March 1, 2023with Cathy Wassell, The Autistic Girls Network It’s time for another book giveaway! We have TWO copies of SEND parent,…Continue reading »
- New SENCO research questions the SEND Review’s “irresponsible” plans to downgrade the NASENCO award Special Needs Jungle
February 27, 2023with Dr Graeme Dobson, University of Birmingham We are anticipating the publication of the Department for Education very shortly. One…Continue reading »
- SENDInTheSpecialists: The campaign to boost investment in the SEND specialist workforce grows, and how you can get involved Special Needs Jungle
February 24, 2023with Peter Just, Royal College of Speech and Labguage Therapists Last November we joined with a coalition of more than…Continue reading »
- Nowhere to go: The lack of provision for young people with complex needs Renata Watts
February 22, 2023with Sarah London, mother to a 17-year-old, severely autistic young man We are all painfully aware of the lack of…Continue reading »
- Survey reveals “systemic bias” of professionals and parental blame linked to family profiling of autistic children with Pathological Demand Avoidance Special Needs Jungle
February 20, 2023with Alice Running and Danielle Jata-Hall Research of more than a thousand families of autistic children who also have Pathological…Continue reading »
- Serially flawed, frequently unlawful: DfE-ordered SEND “Rapid Improvements” still barely visible in England’s biggest council Matt Keer
February 16, 2023“Every child and young person with special educational needs or disabilities should have access to high-quality services. Where a council…Continue reading »
- A response to our letter to Ministers about the SEND Review Special Needs Jungle
February 14, 2023Before Christmas, we wrote to the Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan to outline our concerns about the direction of the SEND…Continue reading »
- Helping your child make positive connections that support their mental health Angela Kelly
February 9, 2023It’s Children’s Mental Health Week again. It doesn’t seem possible a year has passed since the previous one; my life…Continue reading »
- ‘Why making maths accessible is so close to my heart’ by Carol Vorderman (Free offer) Special Needs Jungle
February 7, 2023Carol Vorderman was already a pioneer by being the first woman to appear on Channel 4 in Countdown. Her love…Continue reading »
- Can you legislate for love? The Government’s plans for children’s social care aims to Tania Tirraoro
February 3, 2023Ambitiously titled “Children's social care: Stable Homes, Built on Love” the Department for Education has published its response and an implementation…Continue reading »
- In support of striking teaching staff… SEND children need the right support and so do their teachers Special Needs Jungle
February 1, 2023As anyone with a child or young person in a state school or further education college will know, the vast…Continue reading »
- Why the DfE’s SEND Adviser,, Tony McArdle, is wrong, wrong, wrong: Matt’s Director’s Cut Matt Keer
January 27, 2023Earlier this week Schools Week ran an article from us responding to their earlier interview about the SEND system with…Continue reading »
- Don’t make it harder to get EHCPs warns Equality and Human Rights Commission as DfE considers “raising the bar” Tania Tirraoro
January 26, 2023As education ministers review the upcoming “SEND Improvement Plan” it’s to be hoped they have found time to read this…Continue reading »
- How social class deepens inequalities experienced by disabled young people in England’s mainstream schools Stella Chatzitheochari, University of Warwick
January 19, 2023By Angharad Butler-Rees, University of Warwick. [Reseach team: Stella Chatzitheochari, Angharad Butler-Rees and Melissa Chapple] The SEND deficit for councils…Continue reading »
- A guide to Ofsted and CQC’s “new, improved” Local Area SEND Inspections 2023 (Part 2) Matt Keer
January 16, 2023Early this year, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will be kicking off a new approach to inspecting local…Continue reading »
- Leadership, strategy and EHCPs most significant weaknesses in England’s local area SEND Inspections (Part 1) Matt Keer
January 13, 2023This article comes to you in two parts. The first, below, explores the statistics of Ofsted and CQC’s Area SEND…Continue reading »
- The autistic girls are out there: Losing the gender bias in diagnosing autism Special Needs Jungle
January 10, 2023by Dr Felicity Sedgewick and Hannah McLinden, University of Bristol It has always been the case that the number of…Continue reading »
- Supporting SEND pupils and their families: 20 free top tips for instant impact Tania Tirraoro
January 6, 2023Our SEND parent community is wise and knowledgeable, and we like to tap them for their views now and again.…Continue reading »