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SNJ Posts 2018-2017
2018
- 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 »
- The SEND Jungle 2018: The year parents roared Renata Watts
December 23, 2018It’s been an incredible year in the SEND world, but not because the system has started to work better, or…Continue reading »
- School can demoralise autistic students, help me celebrate our neurodivsersity! Siena Castellon
December 20, 2018Tania's note: We recently featured a post from autistic teenager, Siena Castellon, about her fabulous anti-bullying work. Siena is now…Continue reading »
- A new SEND future promised…but councils are still parent-blaming Tania Tirraoro
December 18, 2018When I wrote the Sunday article, the LGA report had not yet been released, but perusing it since has brought…Continue reading »
- Early Christmas for SEND, or Scrooge dressed up as Santa? Tania Tirraoro
December 16, 2018The Department for Education has announced a £350 million funding package to support children with complex needs and disabilities, along…Continue reading »
- What costs £103.7 million and makes disabled children miserable? Matt Keer
December 14, 2018,, Whether you’re a SEND parent or SEND professional, you’re probably running on vapour right now as we come to…Continue reading »
- Using the Monitoring Officer to hold councils to account for housing, education and social services Tania Tirraoro
December 11, 2018If you're wondering how you could to hold your local authority to account for not obeying the law or refusing…Continue reading »
- Why consistency in parenting is vital, especially for children with challenging behaviours Barbara Follows
December 7, 2018We have adopted a cat, or rather he has adopted us. We' re no strangers to owning cats, but this…Continue reading »
- The struggle in SEND hurts us all. It’s a sign of society gone wrong Tania Tirraoro
December 5, 2018Yesterday I was interviewed by BBC TV news about the Ofsted Annual report. It’s not an unusual occurrence, being contacted…Continue reading »
- My “control freak’s guide” for my disabled daughter’s dignity and care in hospital Catriona Moore
December 3, 2018The thing that worries me most about my disabled daughter as she gets older is who will understand her. Who…Continue reading »
- The devastating impact of the SENCo workload Tania Tirraoro
November 30, 201870% of SENCOs responding to a national survey said they don't have enough time to complete the demands of the…Continue reading »
- Misinformation and misconceptions: Busting some SEND law myths Hayley Mason-Seager
November 28, 2018As many of you will know, half of the battle of getting support for your disabled child is getting people…Continue reading »
- ATU Autism scandal: PDA Society calls for Rescue Mission. You can help Tania Tirraoro
November 26, 2018If you've been following the horrific stories of young people with autism who are locked away or who have died…Continue reading »
- Will teachers strike over cuts to SEND and schools? Education union leaders tell us ‘Enough is enough’ Tania Tirraoro
November 22, 2018Earlier this week an estimated one-thousand parents, teachers and teaching unions took part in a march and rally, through the…Continue reading »
- Nine out of 10 parents fear for their deaf child’s education amid the SEND crisis Matt Keer
November 20, 2018Let’s walk in a parallel world for a bit. A world where there’s never been a better time to be…Continue reading »
- Half-a-billion pound funding gap for SEND says Local Government Association Tania Tirraoro
November 15, 2018Councils are facing a projected shortfall in SEND funding in England of £536 million for this year, according to the…Continue reading »
- “I’ve been bullied at school for most of my life” How Siena’s helping other autistic young people like her Siena Castellon
November 13, 2018Tania's note: I really value being able to feature the voice of young people with SEND on SNJ, as we…Continue reading »
- Reviews: Maths for SpLD, + 101 inclusive Science and Computing lessons Tania Tirraoro
November 9, 2018A new giveaway today – in fact, TWO! Two SEN books for one for maths, and one covering science and…Continue reading »
- Are Early Years funding changes destroying nursery SEND provision? Tania Tirraoro
November 6, 2018There have been a number of surveys recently about funding for council-run nurseries, with fears that their SEND provision is…Continue reading »
- Making secondary schools more inclusive. What’s your experience? Tania Tirraoro
November 1, 2018We've heard a lot about inclusive schools and how many parents have struggled to find one for their child. It's…Continue reading »
- Ambitious about an education: A young autistic woman’s experience Ambitious About Autism Youth Patrons
October 30, 2018Recently, I took part in an Ambitious About Autism panel debate about the difficulties faced by young autistic people to…Continue reading »
- United voices making a stand for our SEND children Tania Tirraoro
October 25, 2018It's been a huge week for SEND so far. Not only have there been stories across mainstream media, including this…Continue reading »
- End of austerity? Not for children, 120 children’s organisations tell the government Tania Tirraoro
October 23, 2018Special Needs Jungle has joined more than 120 national organisations demanding that the Government stop ignoring compelling evidence that essential…Continue reading »
- Updated EHCP Flow charts and a brand new one for the Annual Review! Tania Tirraoro
October 17, 2018The EHCP process flow charts that we collaborated with the Department for Education on in 2014 had become out of…Continue reading »
- Does your school’s website break the law? Tania Tirraoro
October 12, 2018An interesting, if limited, study has been published by the government. entitled "Mental health and wellbeing provision in schools, Review of published policies…Continue reading »
- Teens and mental health: being a supportive parent in a wild online world Angela Kelly
October 10, 2018Base photo: Allison Griffith, Unsplash Poor mental health among young people is a huge, and growing, problem. The causes are…Continue reading »
- SEND emergency! SNJ joins the campaign of the UK’s biggest teaching union to fight the cuts Tania Tirraoro
October 5, 2018The pressure is mounting on Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary to act now to solve the crisis in SEND funding.…Continue reading »
- Help SEND parents legally challenge the government over national funding crisis Tania Tirraoro
September 27, 2018The Department for Education has been put on notice: parents have had enough of government and local authorities speaking with…Continue reading »
- SEND Inspections: Moving ahead but illegality must be called out Matt Keer
September 25, 2018Accountability is not a word that parents often used to associate with the world of special educational needs and disability.…Continue reading »
- UK holiday attractions: Gold stars or banana skins for accessibility? Tania Tirraoro
September 19, 2018Now that we’ve saved goodbye to the summer holidays, I was interested to know which UK attractions parents of disabled…Continue reading »
- Adventures of the sensory kind for National Multi-Sensory Storytelling Day Jo Grace
September 17, 2018The 24th of September is National Multi-Sensory Storytelling Day and I'd like to tell you about an exciting event to…Continue reading »
- Help! I’m a parent carer and I’m on my VERY last nerve! Tania Tirraoro
September 14, 2018With contributions from Angel Kelly, SNJ Mental Health Editor It’s not just tough physically being a parent of a disabled…Continue reading »
- Book Review: PDA by PDAers CrossAndGinger
September 10, 2018This post is sponsored by JKP Publishers* I have a lot of neurodivergence in my life and I can’t pin…Continue reading »
- SEND System ‘in crisis’ say Head Teachers Tania Tirraoro
September 5, 2018The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has branded England's SEND, 'a system in crisis'. From over 600 responses to…Continue reading »
- SEND Update: Good intentions…and complaints for young people with SEND Tania Tirraoro
August 23, 2018A brief update today. Despite it being the middle of summer, the Department for Education is still pumping out information that…Continue reading »
- Why your instababy snaps could spell danger to looked-after children Jo Grace
August 17, 2018I am a sensory engagement specialist. I spend a lot of my time looking at how our early sensory experiences…Continue reading »
- Against Human Rights: Landmark ruling against school exclusion for behaviour related to autism Tania Tirraoro
August 14, 2018Thousands of children with disabilities will now be properly protected from discrimination in schools after a landmark ruling found the…Continue reading »
- Legal victory for Bristol parents against SEND cuts – what does it mean for other areas? Matt Keer
August 6, 2018Last Friday, the High Court handed down a judgment with far-reaching implications for families of children & young people…Continue reading »
- Balancing the needs of siblings, when one has ADHD Barbara Follows
August 3, 2018In a class of 30+ children, a teacher’s prime objective is to make sure that everyone is working to the…Continue reading »
- How SEND parent support in England is changing, by Christine Lenehan Tania Tirraoro
July 31, 2018For the first four years of the reformed SEND system in England, families had available to them a free Independent…Continue reading »
- SEND 2018: More children with SEND, but it’s worse if you’re poor Tania Tirraoro
July 27, 2018It’s the end of July so it must be time for the annual SEND figures – the government statistics that…Continue reading »
- Parents’ top tips for summer serendipity with your disabled child Tania Tirraoro
July 24, 2018Ah, the school summer holidays, don’t you just love them? Six, long, glorious weeks of unstructured days stretching out before…Continue reading »
- Exclusions 2018: Children with SEND six times more likely to be excluded Tania Tirraoro
July 20, 2018Pupils with SEND are up to six times more likely to be permanently excluded from school according to new government…Continue reading »
- £1.5 billion funding gap for disabled children’s services in the UK Tania Tirraoro
July 16, 2018As if we're not already drowning in enough bad news about how disabled children and their families are bearing the…Continue reading »
- £600 million SEND reforms: Disabled children have had poor value for money Matt Keer
July 12, 2018Money. A chorus of voices are speaking up, telling us there’s not enough of it. Parents, teachers, unions, local authorities,…Continue reading »
- SEND Inquiry: The Baroness, Brian, the man in the middle and much more.. Tania Tirraoro
July 6, 2018The first hearings into the SEND inquiry were held before the Education Select Committee this week. Three esteemed witnesses were…Continue reading »
- Challenge to the law that doesn’t protect disabled children from exclusion Tania Tirraoro
July 3, 2018Parents of an autistic teenager are going to the Upper Tribunal today to appeal a decision that they say discriminates…Continue reading »
- Survey: Parents have lost confidence in their disabled children’s health and social care services Tania Tirraoro
June 28, 2018Parent-carers’ confidence in the quality of disabled children’s health and social care services is at an all-time low with almost…Continue reading »
- Review: The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting CrossAndGinger
June 25, 2018The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting, by Sarah Naish (JKP Publishing) is one of those books where the title doesn’t do it…Continue reading »
- Matching needs with provision to make a dog’s doodah EHCP (Part 2) Zoe Thompson
June 22, 2018This is the follow up post about the dog's breakfast EHCPs produced by Oldham. In part one, I outlined what's…Continue reading »
- Taking a stand against the dog’s breakfast EHCPs of Oldham (part 1) Zoe Thompson
June 20, 2018I’ve seen a fair few EHC Plans now – those of the pupils at Bright Futures School (BFS), those of children…Continue reading »
- Ten top tips to get a ‘good’ Education, Health and Care Plan for your child Hayley Mason-Seager
June 18, 2018Many of you will have seen Nadhim Zahawi MP – the current Children and Families Minister, talking on BBC…Continue reading »
- Don’t mock my son’s talent just because it’s his autistic gift Special Needs Jungle
June 15, 2018We're not usually mocked for something we're particularly talented at. Yet today's guest post, from SEND blogger, itmustbemum, is about…Continue reading »
- Disabled Person’s Trusts: When making a will is not enough Tania Tirraoro
June 12, 2018Before you have children, we have a reasonable expectation that they will grow up, leave home and live their own…Continue reading »
- Shocking rise in autistic pupils being excluded from England’s schools Tania Tirraoro
June 7, 2018We've seen for some time the rise in children with special educational needs and disabilities, particularly autism, who end up…Continue reading »
- The secrets and lies of special needs and disability Barbara Follows
June 5, 2018A secret: Confidential, untold, not to be made public. In other words something to be hidden. A lie: To speak falsely or…Continue reading »
- Finding support for raising girls on the autistic spectrum Tania Tirraoro
June 1, 2018We've written before about girls on the autistic spectrum a few times before and, of course, I am one myself…Continue reading »
- £50 million extra for SEND school places and facilities. But will it help inclusion? Tania Tirraoro
May 29, 2018As you will have seen from Matt's article last week about the number of Education, Health and Care Plans being…Continue reading »
- EHCPs in 2018: Are we ‘bedded in’ yet? Matt Keer
May 25, 2018It’s the second May Bank Holiday – and for sad people like me, that means a special treat. Because that’s…Continue reading »
- Book review: How to raise a happy autistic child Tania Tirraoro
May 24, 2018There are a plethora of books about autism, written by academics or by parents telling their personal story in the…Continue reading »
- How do expectations influence disabled young people’s educational attainment? Stella Chatzitheochari, University of Warwick
May 21, 2018Tania's note: The statistics speak for themselves:17% of all adults with a learning disability in England are in paid work.…Continue reading »
- 70% of children with Pathological Demand Avoidance missing out on education Tania Tirraoro
May 16, 2018Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a profile of the autistic spectrum, has been increasingly recognised in the medical profession in recent…Continue reading »
- Stress and parenting: Don’t fall into the guilt trap Angela Kelly
May 14, 2018We all experience stress at certain times in our lives whether this is work-related or moving house, a relationship breakdown…Continue reading »
- SEND update: Parental support and EHCP transfer miracles Tania Tirraoro
May 10, 2018Time for a quick update on what's happening in the world of SEND for you today. A while ago, we…Continue reading »
- “Forget the Health and Care and just call them Education Plans”: SENCOs’ perspectives on EHCPs Special Needs Jungle
May 8, 2018New research from the Centre for Research in Autism and Education has explored what SENCOs think about Education, Health and Care…Continue reading »
- Seeing the view from the other side of the parent-teacher divide Barbara Follows
May 4, 2018‘Teachers leave them kids alone’, the line from Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall, must resonate with some parents…Continue reading »
- Ofsted/CQC inspections MUST become a permanent part of SEND. Here’s why. Matt Keer
April 30, 2018We’re almost two years on from the biggest change to SEND accountability in a generation – the introduction of local…Continue reading »
- Undiagnosed, but Dottie’s condition affects the whole family Miriam Ingram
April 27, 20186,000 children are born in the UK each year with a syndrome without a name – a genetic condition so…Continue reading »
- Truth and Tails, four fab books for teaching children about diversity CrossAndGinger
April 25, 2018Today one lucky reader gets one set of Truth and Tails stories by Alice Reeves*, illustrated by Phoebe Kirk and…Continue reading »
- The legal loophole that’s stopping young disabled people from getting to school Tania Tirraoro
April 23, 2018For local authorities, school transport is one of the most expensive part of providing support for children with disabilities. Often…Continue reading »
- National SEND Inquiry: House of Commons Education Committee calls for evidence Tania Tirraoro
April 19, 2018The House of Commons Education Committee has launched an inquiry into support for children and young people with special educational needs…Continue reading »
- Struggling for work-life balance as a mum with a disabled child – and a career I love Tania Tirraoro
April 18, 2018Working and parenthood is the biggest balancing act for so many families. That goes double when your child has a…Continue reading »
- FestABLE, the accessible SEND conference with families at its heart Tania Tirraoro
April 16, 2018Ever looked at all these SEND conferences that get held around the country and wondered why they always seem to…Continue reading »
- Happy 10th birthday SNJ! SEND then and now… Tania Tirraoro
April 12, 2018Happy birthday to us! 10 years ago today, I started writing down some information about how I had successfully got…Continue reading »
- My autistic son is desperate for a friend, but other kids won’t accept his differences Tania Tirraoro
April 10, 2018If, like me, you were a bit 'different' at school, you'll know the loneliness of being the last one picked,…Continue reading »
- How to use the law to fight local SEND cuts: ACT NOW! Steve Broach
April 6, 2018Tania's note: On Monday, we published a post asking you to send us your evidence for cuts to SEND where…Continue reading »
- The logic of autism: Fighting fear by studying my son’s ASD Tania Tirraoro
April 4, 2018Often, parents who have a child with autism are driven to learn more about the condition in a more academic…Continue reading »
- Getting the national picture: Tell us your local SEND funding cuts stories Special Needs Jungle
April 1, 2018by Tania Tirraoro and Matt Keer Tania: There is a national SEND funding crisis - we know this, but it seems…Continue reading »
- Hidden isolation: When autism can make leaving the house impossible CrossAndGinger
March 30, 2018How do you feel when your train or bus is suddenly diverted, delayed or cancelled? For most people, it's incredibly…Continue reading »
- Moving on from #Bercow10: What next for Speech and Language Therapy? Tania Tirraoro
March 28, 2018Recently, a review was published by the children's communications charity, I CAN and Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to…Continue reading »
- While you’re reviewing “Children in Need”, can you fix SEND too please? Tania Tirraoro
March 26, 2018Recently, the government announced a multi-pronged review to, "transform education for children with additional needs and ambitious plans to improve…Continue reading »
- The National SEND Tribunal Trial: what does it mean for families? Hayley Mason-Seager
March 23, 2018The National Trial which extends the powers of the First-tier (SEND) Tribunal to make non-binding recommendations about the health and…Continue reading »
- 21 Resources for Trisomy 21 on World Down Syndrome Day Hayley Newman
March 21, 2018Each year families, educators and charities come together to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on 21st March. The date was…Continue reading »
- SEN Support in schools: Finding out what works in practice Amy Skipp
March 14, 2018Tania’s note: We concentrate a lot on EHCPs on this blog, but far more children are on lower levels of…Continue reading »
- Review: 101 Inclusive and SEN Maths and English Lessons Tania Tirraoro
March 12, 2018Jessica Kingsley have published two easy-to-use SEN lesson books, 101 Inclusive & SEN English lessons and the same title for…Continue reading »
- One parent’s seven steps to success for her autistic son’s EHCP Tania Tirraoro
March 9, 2018We have another useful post for you today. Many parents find it difficult to navigate the SEND system and we…Continue reading »
- LA Watch: Dodgy SEND policies, parent power and how to fight the cuts! Matt Keer
March 5, 2018One of the joys of being a parent of a child with special educational needs is working out why schools…Continue reading »
- Partnering with clinicians to reverse Rett, my daughter’s rare disease Catriona Moore
February 28, 2018“Did you say ‘Retz Syndrome’? How do you spell it?” These were the questions I asked the neurologist who speculated…Continue reading »
- Abigail’s rare childhood disease that she won’t outgrow Tania Tirraoro
February 26, 2018It's Rare Disease Day this week and evey year we like to highlight the day, on 28th February, by telling…Continue reading »
- The DfE replies: Accountability in SEND Tania Tirraoro
February 23, 2018This is our final instalment of the answers supplied by the Department for Education to your questions. We grouped your…Continue reading »
- The DfE replies: EHCP issues Tania Tirraoro
February 21, 2018Today is the second instalment of your answers to the questions you put to the Department for Education last year.…Continue reading »
- The Department for Education replies. 1: SEND Provision Tania Tirraoro
February 19, 2018Last year, the Department for Education offered to answer SNJ readers' questions about SEND. It's not the first time they've done…Continue reading »
- Special educational needs reforms in Wales: All change for ALN Special Needs Jungle
February 15, 2018England isn't the only country in the UK to be going through reforms in special educational needs. As Cardiff-based SEN…Continue reading »
- Refused an EHC assessment or unhappy with the plan? Read our next steps Hayley Mason-Seager
February 12, 2018“The Local Authority refused to assess my child for an EHC Needs Assessment," “I have an unacceptable EHC Plan”and “The…Continue reading »
- The stories that prove dyslexia is a superpower! Tania Tirraoro
February 8, 2018We have a book review today about dyslexia written by children with dyslexia. The author, Margaret Rooke, whose daughter is…Continue reading »
- Why boosting internet safety and promoting children’s mental health go hand in hand Angela Kelly
February 6, 2018It’s Children’s Mental Health Week, and the charity, Place2Be, have themed 2018 for children, young people and adults to celebrate…Continue reading »
- Top tips for working on your child’s speech and language targets Helen Coleman SpeechBlogUK
February 2, 2018The speech therapy process is very much a collaborative one. Even if your child is lucky enough to get regular…Continue reading »
- How I learned to take the best advice (and ignore the rest) when raising my ADHD son Barbara Follows
January 31, 2018In my first post on top tips for parenting a child with challenging behaviours, I suggested that you: Seek support…Continue reading »
- Speak your truth on MORE plans to transform children’s mental health care Angela Kelly
January 29, 2018Mental Health is one of the most challenging areas of the NHS, especially when it comes to providing effective, compassionate…Continue reading »
- Legal grey zone lets health body strip vital funding from disabled children Renata Watts
January 26, 2018Dominic is 11 and now in his final year at a mainstream primary school. He is very happy there and…Continue reading »
- The DfE on the EHCP transfer deadline. Plus all change for national SEND support services Tania Tirraoro
January 24, 2018Following Matt's post last week about Transfer Deadlines and zombie statements, we got in touch with the Department for Education…Continue reading »
- Nancy’s tips for writing an EHCP parental statement Nancy Gedge
January 22, 2018One of the things I get asked regularly, in my capacity of mother of an older child with Down’s syndrome,…Continue reading »
- Reforms, what reforms? Lancashire fails SEND children and mistreats parents Tania Tirraoro
January 18, 2018Just over a year ago, I wrote about the dreadful SEND inspection report for Surrey from Ofsted/CQC, as part of…Continue reading »
- Zombie Statements: Councils to miss legal EHCP transfer deadline for thousands of children Matt Keer
January 16, 2018After a turbulent 2017, we’re all hoping for better things for the world of SEND this year. But however things…Continue reading »
- SEND on the rocks: Can a new minister rescue the reforms from certain disaster? Tania Tirraoro
January 10, 2018It's all change at the Department for Education. Not only was Justine Greening knocked off her stool as Education Secretary…Continue reading »
- Good news to inspire your SEND parenting in 2018 Tania Tirraoro
January 9, 2018We hear all the time about the bad things that are happening in the world of special educational needs and…Continue reading »
- Are Teaching Assistants bad for children with SEND? Bren Prendergast
January 4, 2018I often hear that, "Research says that Teaching Assistants (TAs) are bad for children, so we don’t do them here"…Continue reading »
2017
- The Unacceptable Truth: 20 SEND legal rights at risk from the Government’s SEND reformsYou may be feeling like the Department for Education has beaten you into submission this year with confusing consultation after…Continue reading »
- SNJ in 2017: Revealing the truth & explaining the facts about SEND2017 has been, I'm sorry to say, a year of almost unrelenting misery for families of children with special educational…Continue reading »
- Merry Christmas from SNJ: Here’s some brilliant SEND videos you won’t want to miss!It's our last post before we take a break for Christmas. It's an opportunity for me to bring you three…Continue reading »
- The £70 million council costs of fighting – and losing – against parents at the SEND TribunalWe all know that money's tight in public services, not least in providing for children with disabilities. It's not surprising…Continue reading »
- Shining a light on the stars of speech, language and communication**update: Closing date now 25th January! ** Get nominating!** As we have the past two years, we are again helping…Continue reading »
- A sensory being’s Christmas wish listRecently I posted a Christmas Shopping List on Facebook that has done its best to go viral. As someone who…Continue reading »
- Seven tips for a calm Christmas for children with special needsKids love Christmas, don’t they? You’d think so, but for many children with autism or other disabilities, it’s often edged…Continue reading »
- Have a care for the carers working 100-hour weeksFour years ago, we were on our metaphorical knees. The previous 18 months of getting a diagnosis, attending endless medical…Continue reading »
- Battle of The Bands: The rise of ‘banding’ for funding SENDIs your child getting an EHCP? Have you talked to your school about SEND support recently? Has your LA tried…Continue reading »
- Parliament autism group calls for more autism training, speedier support, more understandingA couple of months ago, accompanied by my younger child, I attended the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism in…Continue reading »
- Tips for spotting the signs of dyslexia in a child or young personOne in ten of us are affected by dyslexia. While many schools have got much better at spotting a potentially…Continue reading »
- NHS liaison: The Designated Clinical /Medical Officer for SENDAs some of you may know, I have been doing my bit to help improve local SEND where I live…Continue reading »
- Is there meaningful accountability for illegal exclusions?Over the years Special Needs Jungle has frequently highlighted the unacceptable practice of illegally excluding children with special educational needs…Continue reading »
- My child still has a Statement of SEN: What should I do?For all parents of children/young persons who currently have a Statement of Special Educational Needs, your local authority is required…Continue reading »
- What causes autism… what doesn’t?If your child has been diagnosed with autism and you’re wondering what could have caused it, I would strongly recommend…Continue reading »
- Book reviews: Kids in the Syndrome Mix and All Birds Have AnxietyBook review of Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Autism Spectrum, Tourette’s, Anxiety, and More! By Martin L…Continue reading »
- 10 tips for parenting a child whose behaviour is challengingTania's note: Difficult or challenging behaviour can be one of toughest things you can face as a parent of a…Continue reading »
- Book review: Special Educational Needs and Legal EntitlementToday we have another review for you of an essential SEND Legal Handbook: Special Educational Needs and Legal Entitlement. The…Continue reading »
- Our Ofsted/CQC Facebook chat: What you asked and they answeredOur Facebook chat last week had a pretty overwhelming response, thank you to everyone who participated. We had a bit…Continue reading »
- SEND Tribunal will rule on EHCP health and social care issues in extended trialWhen you appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) SEND Tribunal about an issue surrounding a child or young person's Education, Health…Continue reading »
- The SEND system is fractured, if not broken. Three new reports prove it.SEND reports are like buses. Nothing for ages, then one, two and now three come along at once, this latest…Continue reading »
- Ofsted SEND Facebook chat to be hosted by Special Needs Jungle!As you may have seen at the end of our post on the Ofsted/CQC one year on report, we're delighted…Continue reading »
- Ofsted and CQC report on one year of SEND inspections. It isn’t pretty.Yesterday we ran a disturbing survey saying two-thirds of school leaders didn’t feel they were sufficiently supported to give the…Continue reading »
- Two-thirds of England’s schools lack support for best outcomes for SEND pupilsA survey of more than 1,000 school leaders has revealed that more than two-thirds (68%) say they lack the support…Continue reading »
- Does child protection guidance discriminate against disabled children?Safeguarding has become such an integral part of the language we use about children that it is hard to remember…Continue reading »
- Schools breaking the law on helping children with medical conditionsA report published by Young Epilepsy says one in three schools in England are effectively breaking the law by not…Continue reading »
- Post-Rochford, will primary SEND really improve?with Simon Knight, Whole School SEND The best thing about going to SEND conferences isn't just having the opportunity to…Continue reading »
- What does it take to get a disabled child to preschool?In our summer SEND blogger showcase, we featured Alex Davey's blog, The Long Chain. Alex has three children, the middle of…Continue reading »
- School leadership and SEND ignoranceIn an earlier SNJ blog in 2015 I wrote about the critical role of the SENCO in schools. The SEN…Continue reading »
- Why sixty minutes of low-sensory shopping will be bliss for my autistic son and me.I bet many, many parents of children on the autism spectrum can relate to the hideousness of having your child…Continue reading »
- Our wish for a mainstream school turned into a nightmareWe really want to be able to bring you stories of great experiences of the SEND system by families. Sadly,…Continue reading »
- Put your question about SEND to the Department for Education (2017)Renata and I recently visited the Department for Education and met with the Director of SEND, Ann Gross and Dan…Continue reading »
- Steph’s chronicle of her family’s journey through SEND, cancer and lossRenata and I first met Steph Nimmo back in 2013 at the Department for Education when a group of SEND bloggers…Continue reading »
- Deputyship and mental capacity for young people at the SEND TribunalDeputyship- Don't wait till it's too late As many of you will know, the Children and Families Act (CFA) 2014…Continue reading »
- SEND and Discrimination in Schools, A Legal Handbook, review.We're delighted to be able to offer a discount for this truly fantastic book, Special Educational Needs and Discrimination, Authors: Sarah…Continue reading »
- UK government is failing disabled children says United NationsIt’s pretty shameful really, what the UN said about the UK’s treatment of people with disabilities. Last week, as part of…Continue reading »
- The worrying trend of social care tactics to target SEND ‘problem parents’Recently on SNJ's Facebook page, someone accused us of being too hard on local authorities who were 'trying their best'.…Continue reading »
- SEND Blogger showcase 4: Rainbows, Broccoli and WristbandsAnd now, what better day to bring you our final fabulous SEND Blogger showcase of this summer than on the…Continue reading »
- Home to school transport policies “inaccurate and inadequate”So many families of disabled children rely on home to school transport. Whether it's a shared taxi, minibus or a…Continue reading »
- Fighting for my disabled child’s right to summer funTania's note: Today we're welcoming a new columnist to SNJ, Catriona Moore. Catriona is the parent of a child with…Continue reading »
- Bring your child’s teacher to Whole School SEND’s second summit for free!Earlier this year, we ran a ticket giveaway for pairs of parents and teachers for the Whole School SEND Summit,…Continue reading »
- SEND Blogger Showcase 3: Life and ASC & A Wheelie Great AdventureWelcome to the third in our SEND blogger spotlights! Today we feature two more bloggers, Helen, who blogs about life…Continue reading »
- IAS Service: Supporting families of children with SENDWhen you need help or advice as a parent about your child or adolescent's education or difficulties with special educational…Continue reading »
- SEND Blogger showcase 2: Mum On A Mission & Our Altered LifeToday we have the second in our August SEND blogger showcase and we're so delighted to be able to share…Continue reading »
- Would you want your child to be on a national GP autism register?Would you want your autistic child (or yourself if you're autistic) to be on a national autism register? The National…Continue reading »
- SEND blogger showcase: itmustbemum & The Long ChainWhen I started out blogging here on SNJ, before social sharing was a 'thing', there really wasn't anyone else out…Continue reading »
- Choosing a mainstream school for my disabled childThe issue of the type of placement for a child with special educational needs or disabilities can be a thorny…Continue reading »
- SEND in England, 2017: More in Independents, fewer in AcademiesAnother day another set of figures to wade through... this time though, it's the annual school SEND figures from the…Continue reading »
- Horror stories: Recent SEND research for your summer readingDear reader, I am sorry, but I have failed you. A clutch of research reports about SEND have been recently…Continue reading »
- LA watch: Beware the EHCP Assessment Exception “loophole”It’s the last week of the year in most English schools. A week to take things a bit easier, tidy…Continue reading »
- End of school SEND report: Must try harderIt's the end of the school year and children are arriving home up and down the land with their school…Continue reading »
- Hayley’s EHCP Save-Our-Sanity SOS planIt seems that at every milestone and crossroads in your child’s life, your pride, relief and excitement at their achievements…Continue reading »
- Helping autistic children experience the joy of connectionRecently Lucy has started to experience-share more with us at Bright Futures School. She has come a long, long way…Continue reading »
- Going to Uni: The Disabled Students Allowance assessmentIt’s all change for us this September at home, as Youngest heads off to start a three year BSc at…Continue reading »
- How I became a better child physio after parenting my sick newbornWe love sharing good practice with you that can help both parents and professionals offer improve the lives of children…Continue reading »
- Overcoming barriers to help my deaf children succeedI’ve got two deaf boys. They’re brighter than I am. They’re more determined than I am. They work harder in…Continue reading »
- The Secret Life of Holly, from the Disabled Children’s PartnershipIn England today, there is an unacceptable gap between the quality of life and opportunities available for disabled children, when…Continue reading »
- Key points of SEN Support in schools: What it is and how it should workIn Tuesday’s post on the outcomes for children and young people with SEND but no EHCP I concluded by drawing…Continue reading »
- SEN Support: Poorer outcomes when needs aren’t thoroughly assessedLast week I wrote about the problems facing parents of children in mainstream school whose special needs have been persistently…Continue reading »
- Exploring Autism and Music, a chance to listen, learn and participateResearch into different aspects of autism can reveal many unexpected and interesting findings, which can sometimes help to improve the lives…Continue reading »
- Fixing our broken SEND system: The next Minister’s ‘To Do’ listOn the morning of the General Election, Thursday 8th June, I supported a parent in a meeting with her school’s…Continue reading »
- Helping carers and disabled children with QigongWe are all living in stressful times. World events, both near and far, can leave us feeling anxious, fearful and…Continue reading »
- Irlen syndrome: a screener’s perspectiveBack in 2012, we ran a parent story about her son's difficulties, "When the words move by themselves – it…Continue reading »
- How do you help a disadvantaged child build confidence and find success? [Conference]Aside from having a special educational need or disability, one of the biggest barriers to success at school is your…Continue reading »
- SEND 2017, the state of the special educational needs system revealedThe annual figures for special educational needs came out yesterday and I spent the day poring over them and making…Continue reading »
- The SNJ #GE2017 Manifesto for Special Educational Needs and DisabilityYou can’t have failed to notice that, here in the UK, we’re hurtling towards the snap general election called for…Continue reading »
- Tackling the lack of diversity in books for deaf childrenIt's Deaf Awareness Week and a new book has been published, written to boost deaf awareness and tackle the lack of…Continue reading »
- The frustration and heartbreak of Pathological Demand AvoidanceWe've covered Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which is a condition on the autistic spectrum, a few times on SNJ and…Continue reading »
- Good mental health support needs one thing: proper fundingIt’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the latest…Continue reading »
- SEND, support staff and challenging behaviour in schools.You may remember that we had Tess Philbert on the site not so long ago, talking about person-centred planning. Tess is…Continue reading »
- Your views invited to help set the agenda for Whole School SENDLast month Barney and I participated in the Whole School SEND Summit, spreading our message in a roundtable at the…Continue reading »
- Explaining new funding rules for early years children with SENDFunding is always a hot topic in local authorities and schools and nowhere more so than in special educational needs. From…Continue reading »
- Tilly’s “tried on” lots of diagnoses, but none fit her mystery ultra-rare conditionHappy Undiagnosed Children's Day! Did you know that around 6,000 children are born in the UK each year with a…Continue reading »
- Who’s writing your child’s EHCP? Your outsourcing questions answeredAbout six months ago, SNJ began looking into something that local authorities have become increasingly keen on - outsourcing the…Continue reading »
- Special needs lawyer calls for election pledge to solve SEND disarrayA young lawyer specialising in special educational needs, who himself has SpLD, has warned the parties in the upcoming election urgent…Continue reading »
- A young autistic campaigner asks, What’s ‘normal’ anyway?I've always found normal to be rather dull. But I have children with autism and a diagnosis myself, so maybe…Continue reading »
- Inclusion and putting the ‘Disability’ back into SENDTania writes: A leading advocate for inclusive education, Richard Reiser, says he is increasingly concerned about the direction of inclusion…Continue reading »
- Holly’s autism film starring role helped raise her classmates’ awarenessLast week, I said Autism Awareness had graduated from a day to a week. Dear reader, I was wrong. It's…Continue reading »
- To medicate my anxious child or not. It’s an emotive questionMy son, Monty, has autism as well as many other, co-morbid conditions. Co-morbidities are conditions which overlap with the ASD…Continue reading »
- Speech, language and communication needs: have your say and help change the futureWe've covered the Bercow: Ten Years On review last year, when Barney looked at its recommendations a decade ago and what…Continue reading »
- Two-thirds of parents were happy with their 2015 EHCP experience…Along with the slew of information released by the DfE last week came a very long, detailed survey of family experience…Continue reading »
- Act now to protect the NHS funding of rare disease medicines like Ava’sHaving a child with rare disease can mean that you are given very little information about their condition. Parent carers find…Continue reading »
- Tribunal research shows getting it right at the start improves disabled children’s outcomesThe most consistently effective way to resolve disagreements about SEND is to appeal to the Tribunal, according to the evidence…Continue reading »
- Children with SEND risk rejection by mainstream schools over funding gapPupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are at risk of being turned away by mainstream schools due to…Continue reading »
- Is autism a difference or a disorder? The truth is in-betweenI don't think anyone is unaware of the word 'autism' these days. The problem still lies in understanding how vast a…Continue reading »
- Explaining the Annual Review for a child with an Education, Health and Care PlanAlthough Statements of special educational needs have been around since 1981, for many parents, the Annual Review (AR) remains a…Continue reading »
- Supporting families to participate in making person-centred decisionsOne of the big things that was supported to be improved for disabled children and families was person-centred planning. De-jargonned,…Continue reading »
- Co-regulation in Autism: synchronising emotions, intentions and thoughtsIn a previous post in my series on co-regulation in autism, we looked here at what it is and how…Continue reading »
- What’s in a name: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome gets an important makeoverIt's rare for a medical condition to have its sub-types reclassified. It happened to autism a couple of years ago…Continue reading »
- All about ALLFIE and its campaign for truly inclusive educationWhile the government says it is dedicated to children being educated in mainstream schools, the fact is our education system…Continue reading »
- Half a billion and counting: Tracking the SEND reforms spendingWe’re now well over two years into the SEND reforms, and the reform journey so far has been long, winding,…Continue reading »
- How a parent held her council to account for its SEND failuresToday's parent story is a classic case of a local authority's disregard of the SEND reforms: poor communication and lack…Continue reading »
- £215 million cash boost for local areas to improve SEND facilitiesThe Department for Education has today announced £215 million funding for SEND. It's to be split between almost every English…Continue reading »
- The SEND Superheroes ready to spruce up your school’s provisionI started Special Needs Jungle with the intention of spreading knowledge to parents about how to get themselves organised and…Continue reading »
- Rare disease research is vital to patients. Now let’s use it to improve services.Rosie Collington of Rare Disease UK writes... The UK has a reputation internationally as a leader in rare disease research.…Continue reading »
- The heartache that lives alongside our son’s very rare diseaseRare Disease Day is almost upon us and we have the third of our parent posts today about their lives…Continue reading »
- Finding my son near death started our rare journey to his genetic diagnosisIt's bad enough when your child has a severe illness, but when you discover it's a condition few have heard…Continue reading »
- YouGov survey: Teachers blame “parental pressure” for misdiagnosis of SENA YouGov poll of more than 800 teachers across the UK, has shockingly revealed what is potentially one of the…Continue reading »
- Post 19: Education, health, care and training support for disabled young peopleA quick post today to let you know about guidance the Department for Education has published for 19-25 year olds…Continue reading »
- A 16 year quest to diagnose our rare bendy daughterIt's often difficult to cope and find support when your child has an uncommon or rare condition. Often, there is…Continue reading »
- The SEN reforms in Wales: What parents need to knowFor the last year, I've been monitoring the start of consultations and legislation for the Welsh government's reforms to their…Continue reading »
- Whole School SEND Summit: learn, contribute & share good practiceThe changes to the special educational needs system in England are over two years old but many parents have seen…Continue reading »
- Parents of children with learning disabilities lonely, distressed and under pressureIt can be hard to cope with having a child with a disability. It can be particularly hard on relationships.…Continue reading »
- Interweb Safety Day: The stuff you don’t know as parents but shouldThe interweb is a big and scary place, and that’s just for the grown-ups. While we think our kids may…Continue reading »
- Using Minecraft to engage children with science learningMinecraft is beloved of thousands of teens and pre-teens across the country, but it seems to have a particular fascination…Continue reading »
- Our children, “managed” out of mainstream schools and denied supportIn just 11 astonishing days, the denial of young people’s rights to education, health and care in England has been…Continue reading »
- The Care Act when transitioning from children’s to adult social careOne of the biggest concerns for parents of disabled young people who are about to pass 18, is the move…Continue reading »
- How satisfied are pupils, parents and teachers about SEND in schools?At the end of last week, a couple of surveys were published by the Department for Education. One was a…Continue reading »
- Putting Social, Emotional and Mental Health at the top of our schools’ agendaAt Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), where I'm Executive Director for SEND and Inclusion, we’ve been thinking about Social, Emotional and…Continue reading »
- Improving autism training in schools: A good practice example.Tania's note: One of the things we need to see more of is easily accessible good practice in SEND teaching.…Continue reading »
- Will more cash guide the battered ship of SEND reform to calmer seas?Just a quick post after Matt's epic blog yesterday on SEND Inspectors (we have been asked for a right of…Continue reading »
- Ofsted Local Area SEND Inspectors: The good, the bad & the uglyIf you’re reading this, then you’ll know that the Government reformed the English SEND system in 2014. Inspectors from Ofsted…Continue reading »
- A new year, a new leaf? What’s your SEND wish for 2017?And so, we leave behind the detritus of 2016 with its never-ending celebrity deaths, seismic political upheaval and general air of…Continue reading »