By Emma McDonnell Emma McDonnell’s story is going to be familiar to many readers. “We don’t see that here,” or words to that effect, tell you they think you’re the …
By Dr Kim Collett, Associate Lecturer and Researcher specialising in inclusive education and SEND Mealtimes, as most parents know, can be a child-sized minefield, whether or not there are additional …
with Katherine Uher, parent and psychotherapist and Benji Uher We’ve run a number of articles that feature the injustice of staff in local authorities and health services using parent-blaming as …
This week Boris Johnston announced that schools may start reopening to certain year groups again from June 1st. Around 80% of schools have remained open to “vulnerable” groups (disabled children with …
Every child with SEND has a right to access the best provision to help them reach their potential. Their families must be treated with respect and dignity. Far too often, …
I recently came across a research article in the British Journal of Special Education entitled, Children with SEND and the emotional impact on parents by John Holland with Gabriella Pell, …
It’s been an incredible year in the SEND world, but not because the system has started to work better, or because families are routinely at the centre of decision-making. It’s …
In a class of 30+ children, a teacher’s prime objective is to make sure that everyone is working to the best of their ability. Their attention is inevitably drawn to …
The A-Z of Therapeutic Parenting, by Sarah Naish (JKP Publishing) is one of those books where the title doesn’t do it justice. It’s aimed at the parents and carers of adopted …
Tania’s note: The statistics speak for themselves:17% of all adults with a learning disability in England are in paid work. There will be many reasons for this figure, but one …
We all experience stress at certain times in our lives whether this is work-related or moving house, a relationship breakdown or financial problems. Whatever the cause, stress can make everything …
Working and parenthood is the biggest balancing act for so many families. That goes double when your child has a disability. And if you’re a single parent, the challenge is …
We hear all the time about the bad things that are happening in the world of special educational needs and disabilities. The local authorities who aren’t doing what they’re supposed …
Tania’s note: Difficult or challenging behaviour can be one of toughest things you can face as a parent of a child with ASD or ADHD (and other conditions that can …
One of the things that can cause big conflicts in a relationship, particularly where there is a child with special needs, is differing styles of parenting. We’ve had our own issues …
How many of us have stayed home rather than face the potential ordeal of your autistic child having a melt-down at an unfamiliar place or event? How do you get …
I’ve noticed there is a lot of information on social media about Pathological Demand Avoidance, now recognised as part of the Autism Spectrum (by The National Autistic Society). It’s a …
We started the week with a heart-felt letter from a mum about her disabled child. Just as I was thinking I wouldn’t bother with a post for today, I checked SNJ’s …
The theme of last week’s Children’s Mental Health week was Resilience and, although I’ve written about this subject on SNJ before, I thought it was worth revisiting because, in my …
I post a lot of information on the SNJ social media accounts; it’s part of my role as one of SNJ’s Directors. However, there are always going to be posts …
