2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | | 2022-21 | 2020-2019 | 2018-2017 | 2016-15 | 2014-2012 | 2011-2008
SNJ Posts 2022-2021
2022
- 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 »
- Join our call for Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, to PAUSE further SEND reform plans and PUBLISH the SEND Review responses now! Special Needs Jungle
December 21, 2022Christmas is upon us, but we have one more act for this year before we finish. We have decided to…Continue reading »
- The cruelest cuts that jeopardise disabled children’s life chances have become just another day for England’s SEND system Matt Keer
December 15, 2022Laycock Primary School is a mainstream community school in the north London borough of Islington. It has a specialist SEN…Continue reading »
- Making Supported Internships work so young people with learning disabilities and autism can thrive Special Needs Jungle
December 14, 2022with Julie Pointer, Programme Lead for Children and Young People, NDTi Earlier this year, the Government announced plans, as part…Continue reading »
- SEND Tribunal 2022: With a 3.7% LA success rate, what will it take for the Government to finally understand the law matters? Matt Keer
December 9, 2022It’s freezing this week in the Keer stats dungeon – but mercifully, an annual set of statistics about the Special…Continue reading »
- Help us help a SEND family this Christmas: Nominate to win an Amazon voucher or (if you can) donate to help more people! Special Needs Jungle
December 8, 2022++ This giveaway is now closed++ If you nominated, check your email and your spam ++ We’re pushing it for…Continue reading »
- A failure of Children and Families Act implementation does not mean rip it up and start again m’luds Catriona Moore
December 7, 2022The Children and Families Act 2014 – a wide-ranging piece of legislation that includes the legal framework for supporting children…Continue reading »
- Parents call on SEND Minister to invest in deaf children missing vital support in schools Matt Keer
December 5, 2022with Juliet, the mum of a profoundly deaf child I've got two deaf children. They've left the SEND system now,…Continue reading »
- School staff need a pay rise, but when LAs don’t pass on government funding, it’s SEND pupils who suffer most Matt Keer
November 30, 2022Everyone’s feeling the cost of living crisis right now – and the world of SEND hasn’t been spared. Most children…Continue reading »
- Ofsted: New area SEND inspection framework can be a “catalyst for change” Special Needs Jungle
November 29, 2022with Kathryn Rudd, Ofsted Senior HMI for SEND As time has gone on Ofsted and CQC’s SEND area inspections have…Continue reading »
- Don’t write us off before we’ve started, say autistic pupils in new campaign to protect rights and funding Special Needs Jungle
November 29, 2022With Megan Horan, Ambitious About Autism A new campaign to stop autistic children and young people being ‘written off’ at…Continue reading »
- Government plans for Level 2 courses leave teenage learners with SEND out in the cold Ruth Perry, Senior Policy Manager, Natspec
November 24, 2022A high proportion of 16–19-year-olds on courses at Level 2 and below have a special need or disability (SEND). So…Continue reading »
- Why children with SEND in penal detention routinely fail to be given educational needs support Catriona Moore
November 16, 2022The majority of children who find themselves in penal detention have some form of special educational needs. These needs are…Continue reading »
- Chaos, mistrust, poor inclusion, and no communication: How Kent’s SEND provision has failed its disabled children and their families Tania Tirraoro
November 10, 2022With Matt Keer Dear God, Kent, how can you fail children and young people with disabilities and their parents so…Continue reading »
- Ofsted and ONS offer further evidence that lack of funding, training and specialists damages children with SEND Tania Tirraoro
November 8, 2022With Matt Keer Ofsted has found increasing numbers of primary school children with SEND are being referred to alternative provision,…Continue reading »
- No specialists = No support: The future for children with SEND is bleak without a trained workforce to support them Tania Tirraoro
November 3, 2022SNJ is among 114 SEND-related organisations and professional bodies calling for urgent action over gaps in the provision of specialist…Continue reading »
- With no ministerial oversight for months, has the SEND Review lost legitimacy? Here’s what needs to happen now Tania Tirraoro
November 2, 2022Another day, another new SEND Minister – although at the time of writing their identity remains a mystery. It’s become…Continue reading »
- SEND parents under surveillance… is your council watching you online? Matt Keer
October 28, 2022For families of children and young people with SEND, social media is one of the greatest assets we have. It…Continue reading »
- Could the SEND Review’s “big ideas” wither on the vine of political uncertainty? Catriona Moore
October 25, 2022Two Secretaries of State ago, back in the politically distant days of July, the House of Commons Education Select Committee…Continue reading »
- The stark inequalities of social mobility of disabled young adults in England Stella Chatzitheochari, University of Warwick
October 18, 2022Childhood disability has been conspicuously absent from longstanding social mobility and intergenerational inequality debates. This is partly due to the…Continue reading »
- Is NHS England breaking a promise to roll out eye care for disabled children in all special schools? Tania Tirraoro
October 14, 2022with Aylee Richmond, National Eye Care Information Officer, SeeAbility A few years ago I woke up with vision loss in…Continue reading »
- “Global wellbeing” is out of reach while children and vulnerable adults are routinely restrained in places of “safety” Angela Kelly
October 10, 2022This year’s World Mental Health Day 2022 theme is to make a global priority of mental health and wellbeing. It’s…Continue reading »
- Parent-blaming to avoid professional accountability is a human rights issue Special Needs Jungle
October 5, 2022with Katherine Uher, parent and psychotherapist and Benji Uher We’ve run a number of articles that feature the injustice of…Continue reading »
- 10 top tips for moving local authority with an EHCP Special Needs Jungle
September 30, 2022with Liz Arriens Troy, a parent of a child with Down Syndrome *Updated Government guidance on this issue was published…Continue reading »
- New SEND Minister, Kelly Tolhurst: many responsibilities but none so important as disabled children’s futures Catriona Moore
September 28, 2022We’d begun to get a little paranoid at Special Needs Jungle that maybe no one really wanted children and young…Continue reading »
- Gendered misperceptions: Research shows girls with ADHD miss out on school support Susan Lenihan
September 22, 2022Attention, Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder, (ADHD) remains a controversial topic for all sorts of reasons. Research illuminates just by how much…Continue reading »
- How will the government-funded RISE partnership improve local areas’ SEND provision? Special Needs Jungle
September 13, 2022with Anna Gardiner, Assistant Director – Health , Council for Disabled Children Earlier this year the Department for Education announced £12…Continue reading »
- What is “special educational provision” in law? How a case of electromagnetic hypersensitivity may help future appeals Special Needs Jungle
September 6, 2022Article by Ed Duff, HCB Solicitors A very interesting SEND appeal in the Upper Tribunal caught our eye recently. A…Continue reading »
- SNJ’s response to the EHCP Annual Review Timescales consultation Special Needs Jungle
September 2, 2022The Department for Education consultation on EHCP Timescales closed last month. We put in our own response, and we’re publishing…Continue reading »
- An Employment Passport to young people with additional needs into paid work Tania Tirraoro
August 23, 2022with Richard Lamplough, My Employment Passport This autumn, thousands of parents will be waving off or delivering their young people…Continue reading »
- What influences the emotional wellbeing of young people with severe dyslexic difficulties? Special Needs Jungle
August 17, 2022with Claire Durrant, Researcher, University of Sussex When our child(ren) have a SEND diagnosis, they can be made to feel…Continue reading »
- How The Wave Project makes surfing possible for disabled children Tania Tirraoro
August 11, 2022With Ian Bennett, The Wave Project A decade ago, I wrote here about a young Cornwall charity that was helping…Continue reading »
- Top tips for introducing a School Dog to help your students Tania Tirraoro
August 5, 2022with Cherryl Drabble, SEND educator Support and animals can have a very beneficial effect on children with additional needs or…Continue reading »
- Helping Businesses Become More Inclusive with SEND Session Guides Renata Watts
August 1, 2022with Dan Hughes I don't think that there are many people reading this that would argue that inclusivity isn't beneficial…Continue reading »
- Why the Down Syndrome Act ‘call for evidence’ is also relevant for people with other genetic conditions Sharon Smith
July 29, 2022Government consultations are like buses. No sooner has one gone by, than another arrives. In the same week the SEND…Continue reading »
- Special Needs Jungle’s #SENDReview Consultation response Tania Tirraoro
July 26, 2022A short post to share with you the SNJ SEND Review Green paper consultation response. It was quite a mammoth…Continue reading »
- Falling Through the Cracks: How children with SEND struggle to access early years education Renata Watts
July 20, 2022with Catherine McLeod, Dingley's Promise Today we're hearing from Catherine McLeod from Dingley's Promise, a charity trying to drive change…Continue reading »
- Using a different lens for neurodivergent children: Don’t treat them as younger, give them the tools to achieve Jo Grace
July 17, 2022A little while ago someone on my Facebook posted a meme that supposedly showed the functional age of a child…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview: National standards plans are an assault on the rights and entitlements of children and young people with SEND Ali Fiddy, CEO, IPSEA
July 15, 2022One of the main, and most worrying, proposals in the SEND Green Paper is the introduction of National Standards. Some…Continue reading »
- Quince back on board with SEND as the Education Committee sends a shot across the bows Catriona Moore
July 13, 2022It's finally been confirmed that Will Quince MP will continue to have political responsibility for SEND, and the SEND Review,…Continue reading »
- Without detailed plans for its planned “Inclusion Dashboards”, the DfE is navigating towards an Inclusion Illusion Dr Rob Webster
July 12, 2022I don’t mean to show off, but my car has a very fancy dashboard. As well as the standard features…Continue reading »
- How will the new ‘Universal SEND Services’ programme help for learners with SEND? Special Needs Jungle
July 8, 2022with Amanda Wright, Deputy Head of Whole School SEND Earlier this year, The Department for Education announced a funding service…Continue reading »
- Legal action launched against #SENDReview Consultation, over “misleading” disability discrimination Tribunal question Tania Tirraoro
July 6, 2022It’s all happening isn’t it? As Nadhim Zahawi scarpers to No11 (don’t let the door to Sanctuary Buildings hit you…Continue reading »
- Are new SEND financial accountability measures compatible with lawful SEND provision? Matt Keer
July 5, 2022Accountability. Ask most SEND parents, and that’s what they’ll tell you is missing from the current system. Most of the…Continue reading »
- WEBINAR RECORDING: Will Quince MP answers YOUR questions on the #SENDReview Green Paper Tania Tirraoro
June 29, 2022If you missed, or indeed want to rewatch, our joint webinar with Children and Families Minister Will Quince on the…Continue reading »
- The Teacher-Parent / Carer Team: Working together for our children by Carrie Grant Dr Carrie Grant (hc)
June 27, 2022Carrie Grant MBE, SEND parent, advocate, and media personality is back to talk about her new book, "Special Educational Needs…Continue reading »
- SNJ in Conversation podcast: Will Quince in our hot seat discussing the #SENDReview Green Paper Tania Tirraoro
June 24, 2022Yesterday, Renata and I sat down virtually with Will Quince MP, Minister for Children and Families for an episode of…Continue reading »
- SEND Stats 2022: How has the pandemic affected the numbers of pupils with SEND? Matt Keer
June 17, 2022It’s the middle of June, and that means the Department for Education (DfE) has just published its annual set of…Continue reading »
- The legal implications of the #SENDReview: WEBINAR RECORDING Tania Tirraoro
June 16, 2022If you didn't manage to get to our webinar about the legal implications of the SEND Review Green Paper, fear…Continue reading »
- And yet another SEND consultation, this time: EHCP Annual review timescales Tania Tirraoro
June 16, 2022Consultations are, it seems, like buses. You wait two years for one, then three come along at once. Or, in…Continue reading »
- Ofsted and the CQC reveal plans for new Area SEND Inspections Tania Tirraoro
June 14, 2022**Watch a webinar on the consultation from Ofsted** Every local authority and health body in England has now had its…Continue reading »
- The SEND Green Paper and the Down Syndrome Act (2022) Sharon Smith
June 7, 2022We're delighted that Sharon Smith, Parent advocate and PhD researcher, University of Birmingham has joined us as a regular columnist.…Continue reading »
- The #SENDReview must embed Speech, Language and Communication skills across education, especially teacher training Special Needs Jungle
June 1, 2022with Amy Loxley, Lead Speech and Language Advisor for I CAN, One of the major criticisms of the SEND Review…Continue reading »
- Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) and Perplexing Presentations – New guidance for social work practitioners Renata Watts
May 30, 2022with Sally Russell, Trustee, The PDA Society Scientific rigour in medicine is, thankfully, the rule rather than the exception. We…Continue reading »
- Behaviour management in schools: legally, the playing field has not been levelled Catriona Moore
May 26, 2022And Alex Stafford, Solicitor, IPSEA legal team member, parent of teenager with SEND The publication at long last of the…Continue reading »
- What’s in the Children’s social care review for disabled children? Tania Tirraoro
May 24, 2022Children who are looked after by the state (CLA) are undeniably among the most vulnerable in the country, and those…Continue reading »
- Human Rights, The Equality Act and Inclusive Education: The 12 changes the #SENDReview Green Paper needs for a paradigm shift Richard Rieser
May 20, 2022Richard Rieser is a disability campaigner and expert in inclusion. This article is his view of how the Green Paper…Continue reading »
- Campaigning for inclusive education for children with Down’s syndrome Hayley Newman
May 18, 2022with Chris Barnes, Down's Syndrome International Diversity and inclusion. Two words we champion daily, the holy grail for those in…Continue reading »
- The EHCP statistics 2022 don’t tell the whole story. And see who topped the new EHCP LA Hall of Shame! Matt Keer
May 16, 2022At the end of last week, the Department for Education (DfE) published their annual statistical summary of Education, Health and Care…Continue reading »
- What are the implications of the #SENDReview for deaf children? Matt Keer
May 12, 2022with Justin Cooke, National Children's Deaf Society I’ve got two deaf boys. They’ve experienced some of the best and the…Continue reading »
- What the evidence says about the 13 crucial areas for quality in Alternative Provision Special Needs Jungle
May 10, 2022with Dennis Simms, IntegratED Hub Lead The SEND Review Green Paper places great emphasis on including alternative provision within a…Continue reading »
- How can the #SENDReview implement new changes while avoiding the same mistakes of the last reforms? Matt Keer
May 5, 2022Let’s kick off with some Green Paper quotes: “Disabled children and children with SEN tell us that they can feel…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview: A vision for Alternative Provision, but where’s the evidence? Special Needs Jungle
May 4, 2022by Susie Lenihan, Renata Blower & Tania Tirraoro Chapter 4 of the SEND Review Green paper is focused on reforming…Continue reading »
- Bureau of Investigative Journalism finds SEND funding black hole grew by 52% in a year, with one child in a SEND school 412 miles from home Matt Keer
April 28, 2022The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation with a mission to hold power to account. TBIJ…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview: Downgrading SENCO training is a mistake but protected time must be mandatory Tania Tirraoro
April 26, 2022with Tristan Middleton, University of Gloucestershire & chair, LLSCIC. Under the SEND Code of Practice, SENCOs must be gain a…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview: What is excellent SEND provision from early years to adulthood? Tania Tirraoro
April 22, 2022So what’s in chapter 3? From the title, you can assume it’s about provision – specifically SEND provision one would imagine.…Continue reading »
- Déjà vu: How will the #SENDReview end the over-promising and under-delivering cycle of support for disabled children? Susan Lenihan
April 20, 2022As you have seen, SNJ are unpicking the detail and supporting parents to have a voice throughout the SEND Review…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview: Why mandatory mediation in SEND appeals isn’t wanted–or needed Special Needs Jungle
April 14, 2022with Margaret Doyle, author, accredited SEND mediator One of the proposals in the SEND Review Green Paper is for compulsory…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview Chapter 2 under the microscope: National standards, EHCP changes, and limiting choice Catriona Moore
April 12, 2022As we continue our analysis of the SEND Green Paper, today we're looking at Chapter two, which includes consultation questions…Continue reading »
- What does the #SENDReview Green Paper say about funding the future of SEND? Matt Keer
April 8, 2022This post includes an explanation of how SEND funding works in the simplest way possible, before looking at funding in…Continue reading »
- Post 16: What’s in the #SENDReview Green paper for 16-25-year-old disabled young people? Ruth Perry, Senior Policy Manager, Natspec
April 6, 2022About SNJ’s SEND review coverage: SNJ is bringing you lots of information and analysis about the SEND Green Paper. We…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview Chapter 5 (part 1): The missing accountability question Matt Keer
April 4, 2022In this article, we'll be looking at the first part of Chapter 5, dealing with Consultation Questions No. 17 &…Continue reading »
- #SENDReview: Defining Alternative Provision and… how about an apology? Tania Tirraoro
April 1, 2022As we all know by now, the SEND Review was published on Tuesday 29th March 2022. The consultation runs for 13 weeks…Continue reading »
- Publication day: Your first look at what’s in the SEND Review Green Paper. Matt Keer
March 29, 2022Updates Summary of the SEND review: right support, right place, right time Dedicated SEND Review website Open consultation SEND review:…Continue reading »
- Schools White Paper: what are the implications for SEND? Tania Tirraoro
March 28, 2022The Government’s Schools White Paper (herein SWP for short) has just been published, the day before the long-awaited SEND Green Paper…Continue reading »
- The new handbook that’s helping every teacher to be a teacher of SEND Alex Grady
March 25, 2022with Erica Wolstenholme, Whole School SEND National Coordinator As it says in the SEND Code of Practice, Every Teacher is…Continue reading »
- How much impact will Early Years SENCOs in disadvantaged areas make to boosting early identification of SEND? Chris Rossiter
March 23, 2022Recently, SNJ co-hosted Will Quince, Minister for Children and Families, on a parent webinar to talk about the solutions his…Continue reading »
- Moving Towards Neurodiversity Inclusion Siena Castellon
March 21, 2022It's Neurodiversity Celebration Week! When I launched Neurodiversity Celebration Week over three years ago, I never imagined that my campaign…Continue reading »
- SNJ Report: The casual bias and daily discrimination faced by disabled children and their families from ethnic and marginalised communities Special Needs Jungle
March 18, 2022A new SNJ survey has highlighted how racial discrimination and unconscious bias are everyday experiences for disabled children and their…Continue reading »
- The law on educational provision to support Ukrainian children with SEN and disabilities arriving in England Tania Tirraoro
March 16, 2022with Ali Fiddy, Chief Executive of IPSEA Background image: UNICEF Ukraine from Kyiv, Ukraine, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons…Continue reading »
- “Impowering” the future of SEND where parents and SENCOs just need to be less “demanding” Matt Keer
March 15, 2022As the SEND Review Green Paper edges closer - maybe within a week - we decided to look into something…Continue reading »
- LAs: SEND failings are everyone’s fault but ours and it’s too easy to get an EHCP Tania Tirraoro
March 11, 2022with comment from Matt Keer and Ali Fiddy Reports about SEND come and go. Some barely make a mark, some…Continue reading »
- We don’t need ”fundamental SEND reform”. Just sharpen the teeth of the legal system we already have. Catriona Moore
March 10, 2022Getting the Children’s Minister’s attention at a webinar this week attended by 200 parents of children with SEND was an…Continue reading »
- PRE-SEND REVIEW Webinar with Will Quince MP Renata Watts
March 7, 2022Yesterday Special Needs Jungle facilitated a webinar with the SEND Minister, Will Quince MP, ahead of the publication of the…Continue reading »
- Opinion: Birth-injury compensation payouts highlight the disparity in support for children born disabled Rachel Adam Smith
March 4, 2022SNJ note: Parent-carer of a child with complex needs and SEND campaigner, Rachel Adam Smith, joins us as a columnist.…Continue reading »
- Brian Lamb: Will the SEND Review Green Paper deliver lasting improvements for disabled children and families? Prof. Brian Lamb OBE
March 1, 2022SNJ note: Prof. Brian Lamb OBE's Lamb Inquiry in 2009 sparked the last SEND Reforms Green Paper. We're delighted he's…Continue reading »
- Schools need support to implement vital lessons about better SEND teaching, learned from Covid Tania Tirraoro
February 24, 2022with Sharon Smith, SEN Policy Research Forum The pandemic illuminated the yawning gap between schools that put high value on…Continue reading »
- Creative reasonable adjustments for SEND learners that don’t have to cost a thing Susan Lenihan
February 21, 2022Today we welcome a new columnist, Susan Lenihan, SEND parent, former headteacher and a SEND Community Alliance campaigner Some time…Continue reading »
- Lockdown stresses worse in parents and their children with intellectual disabilities. Things haven’t improved since Tania Tirraoro
February 17, 2022with Dr Hope Christie, Edinburgh University While much of the country is going about their business as if the pandemic…Continue reading »
- An essential Guide to SEND Transport Diana Read
February 15, 2022** Please note, school transport guidance was updated in June 2023. We have anupdated article here (from September 18 2023)…Continue reading »
- Helping our disabled children understand that difficult experiences don’t define them or their future Angela Kelly
February 11, 2022Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week 2022 is supporting the theme of ‘Growing Together’. The aim is to help and support…Continue reading »
- Eliza’s searingly-honest film about teenage mental health and how the right help is hard to find Tania Tirraoro
February 9, 2022With Eliza Gardner, teenage mental health campaigner Children's Mental Health Week gives rise to grimmer statistics every year and of…Continue reading »
- £93 million more in SEND funding for respite, supported internships and making LAs do what they’re supposed to Tania Tirraoro
February 2, 2022We seem to have a tale of two governments at the moment or perhaps we are flipping between parallel universes.…Continue reading »
- Why it’s vital for Deaf children’s futures that British Sign Language becomes law Tania Tirraoro
February 1, 2022with Mike Hobday, Director of Policy & Campaigns, National Deaf Children’s Society signing images: british-sign.co.uk I learned the British Sign…Continue reading »
- School Attendance? What if your disabled child isn’t allowed in? Tania Tirraoro
January 26, 2022with Anna C, parent of a child with complex needs The Government has just launched a consultation seeking views on…Continue reading »
- SEND Review: Fait accompli or a real chance for parents and practitioners to shape policy? Special Needs Jungle
January 17, 2022with Christopher Robertson, independent academic and author, policy analyst and adviser The SEND Review is promised before Easter with a…Continue reading »
- Book Review: The Family Experience of PDA Renata Watts
January 14, 2022with Eliza Fricker, SEND parent and illustrator Eliza Fricker is an illustrator and designer, who is also the parent to…Continue reading »
- Disability, the Equality Act and the SEND Review Richard Rieser
January 11, 2022Disability campaigner Richard Rieser of World of Inclusion discusses the vital importance for the SEND Review to frame itself around disability…Continue reading »
- Why the SEND Review MUST extend EHCPs to disabled students in higher education Tania Tirraoro
January 6, 2022We’ve been calling for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) to cover all young disabled people in education up to…Continue reading »
2021
- 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 »
- Growing up disabled: Puberty, privacy & positivity with Siena Castellon and George Fielding Renata Watts
December 17, 2021Around one in five people in Britain live with a disability. That's really quite a lot of people, all who…Continue reading »
- Sensory, inclusive, accessible theatre fun for all Tania Tirraoro
December 15, 2021With Sara Cole, Artistic Director, Head2Head Theatre Most people love the pantomime at Christmas. But when you have learning disabilities…Continue reading »
- What’s the point of the Down’s Syndrome Bill? One parent’s view, plus a legal opinion Nancy Gedge
December 13, 2021with Dr Kieron Smith, father of a child with Down's syndrome, followed by legal opinion from barristers, Victoria Butler-Cole QC,…Continue reading »
- Councils wasted £253 million fighting parents at the SEND Tribunal since 2014 reforms Matt Keer
December 10, 2021Somehow, it’s already early December. That means it’s time for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service to release their set…Continue reading »
- The great SNJ Christmas cheer GIVEAWAY! Tania Tirraoro
December 7, 2021It's been another hard year for the SEND community and we're far from calm waters yet. We would like to…Continue reading »
- Ombudsman calls for wider powers to investigate SEND and exclusions in all schools Tania Tirraoro
December 3, 2021The Local Government Ombudsman has recommended extending its jurisdiction to cover how schools deliver provision to all children with SEND,…Continue reading »
- Ask, Listen, Act, so disabled learners’ two years of pandemic misery is never repeated Tania Tirraoro
November 30, 2021With Dr Emma Ashworth (she/her) PhD AFHEA CPsychol, Lecturer in Psychology, Disability Coordinator, School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University For…Continue reading »
- The Government must act to reduce the stark inequalities in disabled children’s health and care Special Needs Jungle
November 26, 2021With Aidan Smith, Campaign Officer at the Disabled Children’s Partnership Even though many services have been restored, we're far from…Continue reading »
- Supported Internships help disabled young people feel valued and socially included Tania Tirraoro
November 24, 2021With Jill Hanson, Debs Robinson and Geri Codina One of the biggest concerns for parents as their young people approach…Continue reading »
- How will the SEND Review create sustainable support that’s also value for money? Chris Rossiter
November 19, 2021SNJ intro: Do you remember the SEND Futures Feasibility study? It was supposed to work out value for money for…Continue reading »
- Let’s rename bullying for what it is: abuse Angela Kelly
November 16, 2021It’s Anti-Bullying Week 2021 and here we are with a new theme to try to stamp out bullying. The chosen…Continue reading »
- Finding the racial minority voices in SEND Marguerite Haye
November 12, 2021with Mala Thapar, parent to a teen with autism The word “inclusive” is often used in the SEND sector, and, just…Continue reading »
- Heidi’s Down’s syndrome abortion case: It’s complicated Hayley Newman
November 10, 2021with input from Colette Lloyd Why have we called this article, "it's complicated'? Because it is completely understandable that a…Continue reading »
- It’s not just SEND teacher training that’s needed. How we educate all children is broken Tania Tirraoro
November 5, 2021with Susan Lenihan, educator and parent of children with SEND After the recent BBC programme, Don't Exclude Me, Joanne Lewis,…Continue reading »
- EOTAS: Education Otherwise Than At School. What is it, and can I get it? Nicole Lee
November 2, 2021You can also watch Nicole participate in a two-part SNJ Conversation on the subject here. It seems that not a…Continue reading »
- New Budget funds for SEND capital spending. But how did LAs spend previous cash? We checked… Matt Keer
October 28, 2021This post contains original research. If you would like to use this, please get in touch. Yesterday, the Chancellor of…Continue reading »
- Coproduction is an illusion for parents and SENCOs Tania Tirraoro
October 25, 2021with Professor Adam Boddison Many parents of children with SEND will have come across the term "Coproduction". It means having…Continue reading »
- Shameful: Birmingham’s SEND has failed a generation of disabled children Tania Tirraoro
October 21, 2021The Department for Education has issued a Statutory Direction to Birmingham City Council over the rotten state of its SEND…Continue reading »
- BBC’s Don’t Exclude Me (pt 2): Resorting to restraint shows desperate need for better SEND training Tania Tirraoro
October 13, 2021with Joanne Lewis parent & ADHD Superpower founder Last week on SNJ, parent of autistic children and ... Joanne Lewis…Continue reading »
- Don’t Exclude Me: Shouldn’t SEND be the first thought? Special Needs Jungle
October 7, 2021The BBC programme, "Don't Exclude Me" has caused something of a mixed reaction among parents of children with SEND. One…Continue reading »
- Dear Will Quince, welcome to SEND…here’s 10 of your top priorities Tania Tirraoro
October 1, 2021Dear Will Quince Welcome to SEND. You will no doubt be feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. And if…Continue reading »
- My experience with EMDR as an autistic young person Philip Milburn
September 28, 2021After a prolonged blogging dry spell brought on by the torture of lockdown, I am back in business with my writing. This time around I…Continue reading »
- Maths for Life – Book Review Renata Watts
September 24, 2021A lot of children struggle to engage with maths taught in 'traditional' ways, especially those with additional needs. Karen McGuigan…Continue reading »
- The new “rights-based” Additional Learning Needs system in Wales Special Needs Jungle
September 22, 2021with Rukhsana Koser, Senior Solicitor, Education Lawyers, part of Langley Wellington Solicitors LLP While we usually talk on Special Needs…Continue reading »
- Mr Zahawi: Publish the SEND Review—but make sure it solves the RIGHT problem Catriona Moore
September 17, 2021A government reshuffle: it’s as good as anything else for a temporary distraction. There’s always the hope it might result…Continue reading »
- Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: What doctors and schools need to know Special Needs Jungle
September 15, 2021With Sandra Butcher, Chief Executive of The National Organisation for FASD and Brian Roberts, consultant and former Virtual School Head…Continue reading »
- Six top tips for managing meltdown triggers for autistic pupils in school Special Needs Jungle
September 3, 2021with @Cherrylkd, Special school assistant headteacher Twitter seems to be a popular hangout for teachers, and I'm pleased to see…Continue reading »
- Invest More in Social Care Support for Disabled Children: A Mother’s Open Letter to the Chancellor Renata Watts
August 30, 2021with Stephen Kingdom, Campaign Manager for the Disabled Children's Partnership The Disabled Children’s Partnership (DCP) is asking the public to…Continue reading »
- nasen LIVE 2021: Inclusion beyond COVID. An Unmissable Event!* Special Needs Jungle
August 27, 2021Sponsored post from nasen LIVE Are you ready for the return of the SEND events? nasen LIVE 2021 - Join…Continue reading »
- Exploring the “subtle spectrum” of autistic discovery Jo Grace
August 24, 2021What is The Subtle Spectrum of autism? People looking for the genetic roots of autism have identified around a hundred…Continue reading »
- What schools need to know to support learners with hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Tania Tirraoro
August 20, 2021with Dr Jane Green, SEDS Ehlers Danlos syndrome comes in many guises and as such, it often takes…Continue reading »
- The SEND Tribunal single appeal route works. DfE must give families certainty it’s here to stay Catriona Moore
August 18, 2021Tribunal’s powers to make recommendations on health and social care 'to continue' – but why has it not been made…Continue reading »
- What does the Government’s new Autism Strategy actually mean for autistic children and young people? Special Needs Jungle
August 10, 2021With Tim Nicholls, Head of Policy at the National Autistic Society If you're seeking an NHS diagnosis for autism for…Continue reading »
- Failure to specify and quantify SEND reports – what options do families have? Steve Broach
August 5, 2021with Emily Chalke, caseworker at Duncan Lewis Solicitors During the special educational needs assessment that can lead to an Education,…Continue reading »
- Will the Judicial Review Bill torpedo SEND claims or is it damp squib? Special Needs Jungle
July 30, 2021With Eduardo Reyes, Features Editor, The Law Society Gazette Judicial review is the process of asking a court to look…Continue reading »
- Urgent change is needed to stop the institutional culture of parent-carer blaming Professor Luke Clements
July 23, 2021and Dr Ana Laura Aiello Disabled children and their families are one of the world’s most severely disadvantaged groups and…Continue reading »
- Dame Christine: I’d like to set the record straight Special Needs Jungle
July 21, 2021With Dame Christine Lenehan, Council for Disabled Children Now and again, someone says or writes something that's so surprising, that's…Continue reading »
- Is the DfE’s SEND funding “safety valve” on a collision course with schools and families? Matt Keer
July 20, 2021It’s a strange time out there, and it’s a strange time in the world of SEND too. Some sort of…Continue reading »
- Five years at Number One for SNJ Special Needs Jungle
July 16, 2021We don’t often brag about ourselves…but today is an exception so please forgive us… We are delighted to have been…Continue reading »
- Pupils in special settings suffered significant effects of the pandemic but the “Recovery Plan” won’t help them Amy Skipp
July 14, 2021Throughout the pandemic, we have been monitoring what has been happening with special schools and colleges and the pupils who…Continue reading »
- Dying to be seen: Why is it so hard to get help from CAMHS? By Carrie Grant MBE Dr Carrie Grant (hc)
July 13, 2021Tania's note: Recently, broadcaster, Carrie Grant, quoted a tweet (shown below) from Dr Shan Hussein who had not had a…Continue reading »
- Minister admits legal entitlements for children with SEND are “up for review” Catriona Moore
July 12, 2021The Children’s Minister, Vicky Ford MP, has admitted that existing legal entitlements for children and young people with SEND are…Continue reading »
- The Cracks That Let the Light In – Book Giveaway Renata Watts
July 7, 2021with Jessica Moxham Today we're offering a free copy of a new book written by Jessica Moxham, a parent carer…Continue reading »
- An open letter to James Sunderland MP, offering an educational primer in SEND Special Needs Jungle
June 30, 2021During a debate in the House of Commons earlier this month on children and young people’s mental health, James Sunderland, Conservative MP…Continue reading »
- SEND in schools 2021: Waiting for the other shoe to drop? Matt Keer
June 25, 2021Yesterday, the Department for Education (DfE) published its annual set of statistics on special educational needs in England. If you…Continue reading »
- Overworked, underpaid SENCOs mean children with SEND “will be left vulnerable for decades” Hannah Moloney
June 24, 2021For the last few years I've written about the annual National SENCO Workforce Survey that I help to produce with…Continue reading »
- What’s next for Ofsted/CQC SEND Inspections? And is accountability about to nosedive? Matt Keer
June 21, 2021Last week, Ofsted published a report on the experiences of children and young people with SEND during the pandemic. The report is…Continue reading »
- Children’s Social Care Review: Are disabled children ‘someone else’s’ problem? Catriona Moore
June 18, 2021“It’s not the despair. I can take the despair. It’s the hope I can’t stand.” This line from the film…Continue reading »
- Ofsted / CQC: SEND was bad before the pandemic, it’s worse now Tania Tirraoro
June 17, 2021Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission have published a joint report after a series of interim “listening and learning” visits…Continue reading »
- LA fails disabled young man repeatedly over a decade. Are stronger deterrents needed? Tania Tirraoro
June 15, 2021The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is this week issuing two separate reports into the way the London Borough…Continue reading »
- Why there needs to be a moratorium on school exclusion Marguerite Haye
June 11, 2021SNJ Note: It’s important to understand views that don’t necessarily align with your own. If you disagree with the views…Continue reading »
- How to help our children: 10 top tips from parents for SEND Case Officers Tania Tirraoro
June 8, 2021Recently, I wrote an article based on positive things schools/teachers had done to help your child, based on parental contributions…Continue reading »
- Free course: Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in children with mental health difficulties Tania Tirraoro
June 4, 2021With Melanie Cross, Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists One of the most common elements of additional needs is…Continue reading »
- Whole School SEND Spotlight: Developmental Language Disorder Guide Alex Grady
May 31, 2021Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) can, and do, have a lifelong impact, particularly when not recognised and supported. Effective…Continue reading »
- Will the DfE learn lessons about supporting disabled learners before the next big crisis? Tania Tirraoro
May 27, 2021What would your concerns be if a teacher commented that a pupil was unprepared, failed to assess past actions, and…Continue reading »
- Exemplary Practice: How a Circle of Friends and other easy adjustments change lives for disabled children Tania Tirraoro
May 25, 2021On SNJ, we aim to highlight injustice and call out unlawful behaviour. But among the doom, there is also a…Continue reading »
- Therapy resources for families of children with additional needs Angela Kelly
May 20, 2021I often get asked lots of questions by parents looking for support for their children. Naturally, parents are keen to…Continue reading »
- Emotional Wellbeing in Parent Carers – Day by Day book Renata Watts
May 17, 2021As a parent carer looking after our own emotional wellbeing can be a challenge at the best of times, this…Continue reading »
- 15,000 disabled learners with EHCPs but no provision: The EHCP figures for 2021 Matt Keer
May 14, 2021It seems like an ice age since the last time we this rather than just a year – but yesterday,…Continue reading »
- Ofsted asks: How well do mainstream schools support SEND? Tania Tirraoro
May 13, 2021with Matt Keer Ofsted has published a new piece of research entitled “Supporting SEND”. It’s a limited, qualitative piece of…Continue reading »
- Is Excluded being Expelled? The DfE is sneaking in outdated language, hoping it’ll catch on Tania Tirraoro
May 11, 2021** Update** As a result of the advocacy on this issue, the SEND Minister, Vicky Ford, has replied to the…Continue reading »
- The inequalities in Post-16 education and work for young disabled people Stella Chatzitheochari, University of Warwick
May 5, 2021By Stella Chatzitheochari (University of Warwick) & Sanne Velthuis (University of Warwick & University of Manchester) Official figures reveal that…Continue reading »
- Let’s MOVE! Supporting disabled children to get their movement skills back on track Tania Tirraoro
April 29, 2021with Charlotte Peck of Enham Trust and Move Europe During the pandemic, thousands of disabled children and young people who…Continue reading »
- 10 top tips to boost Working Memory in children Alison Vaughan
April 27, 2021Tania's note: You may remember Alison's first post on dyslexia here. We're very pleased she's agreed to write more for…Continue reading »
- Coping with uncertainty: Supporting teens who “learn differently”* Tania Tirraoro
April 23, 2021With Clare Ward, Speech and Language Therapist/ CBT Practitioner, and James Galpin, Developmental Psychologist *This post is in partnership with…Continue reading »
- Whole School SEND Spotlight: The Autism Resource Suite Alex Grady
April 21, 2021Autism is one of the most commonly identified needs in England, with more than 82,000 school-age children with an Education,…Continue reading »
- It is time employers realised the benefits of employing young people with learning disabilities Renata Watts
April 19, 2021Educating businesses on the benefits of employing Neurodivergent people and those with Learning Disabilities is key to making the changes…Continue reading »
- Top tips to get your disabled child confidently back into post-pandemic life Tania Tirraoro
April 15, 2021with Rajvinder Singh Gill, Head of Wellbeing at St Piers School, Young Epilepsy With most children back at school, attention…Continue reading »
- NEU teachers’ union votes to build inclusive mainstream education for children and young people with SEND Richard Rieser
April 13, 2021Editorial: Notes about the SEND motions at the 2021 NEU Conference Last Thursday (8th April 2021) the largest education union in…Continue reading »
- The audiobook service that’s free for disabled people, with 3,000 books for children and young people Tania Tirraoro
April 12, 2021While children are always encouraged to read books, for many diving into a good story or even a school text…Continue reading »
- SEND judicial review and how LAs spin tales about “litigious” parents Matt Keer
April 8, 2021Over the years, we’ve written a lot at SNJ about the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) First Tier Tribunal.…Continue reading »
- Who benefits from inclusive education – and how? Dr Rob Webster
March 31, 2021with Prof Brahm Norwich & Dr Peter Gray, SEN Policy Research Forum Who benefits from inclusive education? It is an…Continue reading »
- Helping autistic learners recover from pandemic educational losses Tania Tirraoro
March 29, 2021with Louise Bull from the Autism Education Trust Today is the start of Autism Awareness Week 2021, with the focus…Continue reading »
- Research call-out for Y11s with autism, dyslexia or cerebral palsy Stella Chatzitheochari, University of Warwick
March 26, 2021Editor's note: Today we're helping get out the work for a university-led research programme about educational pathways and work outcomes.…Continue reading »
- How we fired up our disabled children’s home learning with the specialist kit they need Tania Tirraoro
March 25, 2021It looks like many more children with SEND have been able to go back to school this month, latest government…Continue reading »
- The virtual workshops helping disabled children and their families with Dogs for Good Renata Watts
March 23, 2021A new online service from UK-wide charity Dogs for Good, which supports families with an autistic child, says the pandemic…Continue reading »
- This Education Policy Institute research proves why every teacher MUST be a teacher of SEND Tania Tirraoro
March 19, 2021The thing about SEND research, is that to the families it's about, it's not news at all. Of course, decision-makers…Continue reading »
- The ABC of the LGSCO: How to complain to the Ombudsman over SEND failures Special Needs Jungle
March 18, 2021with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman What can you do if you believe the local authority (LA) has…Continue reading »
- Why does Josh’s review seem to think disabled children are “Not Known to Social Care”? Catriona Moore
March 16, 2021From what I can see, the independent review of children’s social care doesn't seem to be much interested in finding out about…Continue reading »
- Why Person-Centred Planning is vital for better lives for children and adults with disabilities Tania Tirraoro
March 10, 2021with Linda Jordan of NDTi We have probably all heard of person-centred planning and that it's a jolly good idea…Continue reading »
- Protecting Parents from False Allegations of Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) Renata Watts
March 8, 2021False allegations of Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) are on the rise in the SEND community. Parent and Carer Alliance…Continue reading »
- #ProvisionDenied Return to School SEND Legal Webinar *recording + questions answered* Tania Tirraoro
March 5, 2021Our webinar earlier this week in the wake of our #ProvisionDenied report was hugely informative and we'd like to say…Continue reading »
- Poor advice for Post-16: Why Katie & Harvey Price’s long hunt for a suitable college is far from unique Ruth Perry, Senior Policy Manager, Natspec
March 2, 2021with Ruth Perry, Senior Policy Manager at Natspec We're approaching the 31st March deadline for updated Education, Health and Care…Continue reading »
- Free back-to-school legal WEBINAR! What to do if your child’s SEND education rights are denied when schools fully-reopen Tania Tirraoro
February 25, 2021WEBINAR: What to do if your child's SEND education rights are denied when schools fully-reopen When: Monday March 1st What…Continue reading »
- SNJ’s 10-point “Grab & Go” version of the DfE’s Back-to-School Guidance for SEND learners Tania Tirraoro
February 23, 2021With the news that it's "everyone* in school/college" from March 8th, until at least lockdown 4, the Department for Education…Continue reading »
- Ombudsman responds to our #ProvisionDenied report with news of a COVID team Tania Tirraoro
February 22, 2021Last Friday we published our report #ProvisionDenied, that showed children and young people with SEND have had their needs and…Continue reading »
- Provision denied: Children with SEND have had their needs and education “pushed to one side, for the convenience of the majority.” Special Needs Jungle
February 19, 2021Special Needs Jungle survey shows a widespread failure to restore disabled children’s SEND provision when children returned to school in…Continue reading »
- Top Teaching Tips for Children with SEND Renata Watts
February 17, 2021This post is sponsored by Tutor House As lockdown continues and many parents are still struggling to teach their child…Continue reading »
- Why does every school need to know about Whole School SEND? And how you can help Alex Grady
February 12, 2021Tania's note: Have you heard of Whole School SEND? If you're a keen reader you certainly will be, after our…Continue reading »
- Can you help Josh fix children’s social care? His review is calling for your advice Tania Tirraoro
February 8, 2021Last month, the long-awaited review of children's social care was launched. It is being led by 'social entrepreneur', Josh McAlister,…Continue reading »
- SEND researchers identify key lessons for teaching children with special education needs in lockdown Amy Skipp
February 4, 2021We've just launched our new report (PDF link) with Nuffield (Amy Skipp, Vicky Hopwood & Rob Webster With Jenna Julius…Continue reading »
- Why is He Still Here? Book giveaway Renata Watts
February 1, 2021Today we're offering a free copy of a new book written by the youngest author that we have featured so…Continue reading »
- Ofsted: Two-thirds of disabled children “disengaged” from remote learning, while less than half of schools offer extra help Tania Tirraoro
January 25, 2021UPDATE 2 March 2021: Ofsted has published further information and a video, which is embedded below New research from Ofsted…Continue reading »
- Neurodevelopmental Neurodiversity Network: A collaboration to advance understanding of neurodevelopment and neurodiversity Tania Tirraoro
January 22, 2021A short while ago I happened upon a website for something called the Neurodevelopmental Neurodiversity Network, which being autistic myself,…Continue reading »
- If we truly want effective SENCOs, the government must act to make it possible Hannah Moloney
January 18, 2021The Special Needs Jungle Coronavirus Survey sought the views and experiences of over a thousand parents and carers of children…Continue reading »
- How the National Tutoring Programme can be a powerful tool to help SEND pupils during lockdown Tania Tirraoro
January 15, 2021with Robbie Coleman, Secretariat Director, National Tutoring Programme. You are almost certain to have heard of the National Tutoring Programme, set…Continue reading »
- How to reclaim a positive mental attitude while parenting in a pandemic Angela Kelly
January 12, 2021Happy New Year (if it's not too late to say that)… But it's more like out of the frying pan…Continue reading »
- Lockdown 3: What does it mean for the rights of children with SEND? Tania Tirraoro
January 6, 2021with Hayley Mason, SNJ SEND legal columnist So here we are again, the whole country in full lockdown and back…Continue reading »
- More parents seeking children’s mental health support in pandemic, with growing pessimism over support delays Special Needs Jungle
January 5, 2021We need to look out for ourselves and others as Child and Adolescent Mental Health waiting times increase warn Karen…Continue reading »