SEN MAGAZINE - SEN91 - NOV/DEC 2017

Nov • Dec 2017 Issue 91

Families: know your rights!

Getting the SEN provision your child needs

Time trouble

Useful tips to help dyslexics with time management

Support is out there

Who can teachers turn to for professional support?

SENCOs • autism • hydrocephalus • art therapy • attachment • EHC plans performing arts • messy play • epilepsy • safeguarding • specialist seating SLCN • preventing teenage suicide • yoga • recruitment • CPD and more…

This issue in full Nov • Dec 2017 • Issue 91

Welcome It’s one thing to have an SEN system that promises individualised support for children and young people, joined-up provision across health, care and education, and a clear voice for families; it’s quite another to ensure the system works for those who need it and that parents/carers and young people with SEN can access the provision they need and are entitled to.

In this issue of SEN Magazine, Ed Duff takes a look at parents’ rights (p.25) – how the SEN system is supposed to work for families and what they can do when things go wrong.

Elsewhere, in his regular column on SEN law (p.22), Douglas Silas explains the legal process for conducting assessments for education, health and care plans – the pathway to support for so many people with SEN. Also in this issue, Mandy Grist asks whether things have changed for the better a

decade on from John Bercow’s landmark report on provision for speech, language and communication needs (p.28); James Bowen outlines some of the key sources of professional support for teachers (p.64) and Toby Lee provides practical advice to help young people with dyslexia with their time management (p.68).

You will also find articles on hydrocephalus (p.30), SENCOs (p.34), art therapy (p.36), performing arts (p.41), attachment (p.46), safeguarding (p.51), epilepsy (p.54), specialist seating (p.58), yoga (p.61), preventing teenage suicide (p.74), autism (p.75) and teacher recruitment (p.83).

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Peter Sutcliffe Editor editor@senmagazine.co.uk

06

SEN news

14

What's new?

20

Point of view

22

SEN law

25

Parents’ rights

28

Speech, language and communication needs

30

Hydrocephalus

34

SENCOs

36

Art therapy

41

Performing arts

44

Messy play

46

Attachment

51

Safeguarding

54

Epilepsy

58

Specialist seating

61

Yoga

64

Professional support for teachers

67

About SEN Magazine

68

Dyslexia

72

Book reviews

74

Preventing youth suicide

75

Autism

83

Recruitment

86

Kidz to Adultz North preview

89

CPD, events and training

96

SEN resources directory

98

SEN subscriptions

CONTRIBUTORS

Contacts DIRECTOR Jeremy Nicholls EDITOR Peter Sutcliffe editor@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 810 ADVERTISING SALES Denise Williamson Sales Manager denise@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 808 MARKETING & ADMINISTRATION Anita Crossley anita@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 802

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SUBSCRIPTION ADMINISTRATOR Amanda Harrison office@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409 801 DESIGN Rob Parry design@senmagazine.co.uk Next issue deadline: Advertising and news deadline: 7 December 2017 Disclaimer The opinions expressed in SEN Magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher cannot be held liable for incorrect information, omissions or the opinions of third parties.

SEN Magazine Ltd. Chapel House, 5 Shawbridge Street, Clitheroe, BB7 1LY T: 01200 409800 F: 01200 409809 W: www.senmagazine.co.uk E: info@senmagazine.co.uk

Anika Backhouse James Bowen Mark Chapman Gordon Collins Ed Duff Auriel Sarah Eagleton Lukas Erlebach Karen Ferguson Jane Gill Mandy Grist Toby Lee Carol Long Emma Mackenzie Nicola Marshall Mary Mountstephen Denisa Nenova Adam Osborne Kate Sarginson Douglas Silas Joanne Skapinker Kirsty Stubbs Martina Tierney Andrew H.D. Wynd

SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845 SENISSUE91

In this issue

SENCOs

25

28

34

Families: know your rights!

Bercow: Ten Years On

What’s changed in the decade since John Bercow’s landmark report on SLCN?

30

41

All the world’s a stage…

Using theatre to empower learners with SEN

44

Why kids should get messy

68

Time trouble Useful tips to help dyslexics with time management

74

Igniting hope through inclusivity The role of schools in promoting wellbeing and preventing teenage suicide

75

Unstructured times are the worst!

Simple ideas to help pupils with autism during school break and transition times

81

When autism diagnosis goes wrong The implications of misdiagnosis and how to help get it right

Regulars 6 14

How messy play can promote development

46

Focussing on attachment What can schools do to support pupils with attachment issues?

51

54

58

22

Safeguarding is everyone’s duty

What's new?

The latest products and ideas from the world of SEN

Point of view

Have your say on any issue relating to SEN!

SEN law

The process for assessments for education, health and care plans explained

72

Epilepsy in the classroom

83 Recruitment

Book reviews

Is teaching going part-time?

89

The importance of clinical seating How specialist seating can improve function and independence

61

20

SEN news

Building young people’s independence and confidence through safeguarding

Are schools failing in their legal duty to pupils with epilepsy?

68

Support is out there

Why art therapy?

What neuroscience has to say about the benefits of art therapy

Dyslexia

Who can teachers turn to for professional support?

Can SENCOs train their colleagues?

The role of the SENCO in instructing school staff on SEN

36

64

Learning with hydrocephalus Practical ideas to help teaching staff support pupils with hydrocephalus

34

54

Epilepsy

Using the law to get the SEN provision your child needs

Nov • Dec 2017 • Issue 91

96

CPD, training and events

Your essential guide to SEN courses, seminars and events

SEN resources directory

Bodies in mind The benefits of yoga for children with SEN

SENISSUE91

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22

SEN LAW

PARENTS' RIG

HTS

EHC assess ments

Families: kn ow your

Douglas Silas outl assessments for ines the process of conducting education, health and care plans

Ed Duff explain s seeking suppor how the law can help parents t for their child wit h SEN

Why do we need SEN Assessmen ts?

Current gene ral SEN dutie s require a child/young person-centre d approach, which now calls for more parti cipation by children and their pare nts and young peop le in decision making.

The overall aim is preparing the child or young pers on for adulthoo d and the SEN Cod e of Practice (CoP) expects teac hers, in colla boration with the SEN CO, to asse ss if a child/ young pers on’s progress is slower than expected and whether they may have SEN. But the scho ol only has a “best ende avours” duty to provide for it. However, some children/y oung people need A child’s rate more support of academic progress is than can be provided important in deciding to at school/co conduct an llege and, EHC assessmen in these case writing to the t. s, an assessme LA (there is norm nt for an education, healt ally a form for them to com h and care (EHC plete and subm ) plan may be requ it on the LA’s website). ired.

Some peop le also like to enclose addi tional evidence Which LA is which supports their responsible request and ?

EHC assessme sometimes also obtain a nts (referred report from som to as “EHC needs assessme eone like an education nts”) may be al psychologist conducted when someone (EP). An assessment makes a requ requ est can also est for an assessment, be made on behalf of or otherwise the child/you brings a child young person ng person if / they are ident to the atten ified as someone provider, scho tion of the local authority ol or post-16 who has or may have (LA) who is resp SEN, or has institution to onsible for them. By been brought meet their SEN to the LA’s atten law, the LA resp • evidence tion as someone onsible is that, where prog the one in whic who has or may h the child/you ress have SEN, perh has been mad ng person lives, not wher e, it has only aps by a doctor, socia e their school been l worker or thera as the result or college is based. This of much addi pist. can be conf tional intervention using and I have seen and support What do LAs requests bein over and above that g made to consider? the wrong LA which is usua The CoP state on occasion. lly provided s that the LA An LA may also become should consider spec responsible • evidence ific evidence for a child/ of the child or young person as follows: • evidence young when they are person’s phys of the child notified by another LA or young ical, emotiona person’s acad that they will l and social developm be moving emic attainme into their area ent and healt nt . (or developm h needs, draw ental milestone ing on relevant s in younger child evidence from ren) and rate Who can req clinicians and of progress uest an other health assessmen professionals • information t? and what has been about the natu The child’s pare done to mee re, extent and cont nt(s), the youn t these by othe g person ext of the child themselves r agencies. or or their scho young person’s Where the youn ol/college SEN usually request g person is • evidence over the an EHC asse age of 18, an of the action ssment by LA must also already being taken consider whether they by the early require additiona years SENISSUE91 l time (in comparison to the majority of others of

I

rights!

f your son or daughter is stru ggling to access sch support sho ool, keep up uld be mad with e. This plan their peers, should follo or has a phy w the “assess, sical or learning disa plan, do, review” mod bility, they may el: assess the have special educati need; plan the support; onal needs (SEN do the work with the ).

In England, young person; and there is a syst review any prog em of support for ress and modify the plan learners with accordingly.

SEN which is intended to The review ensure SEN stage should are properly identified and normally be at the end catered for. of each term The vast majority of lear and the plan stage ners with SEN at the beginni will be supported in ng of each term. Parents school. How ever, for thos should be invo with the mos e lved in agreeing targ t complex need nursery can ets for the prog s, additional provide, it assessment, ram and me, is possible you should be support and to secure sup funding is clear on the available from port from you support that is being the local auth r local authority. This provided, by ority. support will who If you think m and how the prog be through your child may a document ress will calle have be monitore SEN, the first d an educatio and evaluate d step will be to n, health and care (EHC d. speak with your child’s ) plan. This is If your child teacher or nurs a lega bind lly ing docume ’s school, nurs ery class leader. They nt that sets ery or college are will then spe out the support and unhelpful in ak with the school plac member of staf providing support, or ement your f appointed child should the support to manage rece SEN – the spe they ive. prov The is not sufficien ide process of cial educationa securing an t, it is possible l needs EHC plan can coordinator to seek additional sup (SENCO). be difficult and is explaine port from you d below. r local authority.

By law, the local authority responsible is the one in which the child/y oung person lives

If the local autho rity agrees to make an assessment, the process should take ten weeks

What should

schools do?

If, following discussion with you, the school, colle ge or nursery, agree that your child has SEN, a plan for additional

What if the school can’t or won’t hel p?

EHC needs

assess

ment The first stag e is to requ est an EHC needs assessm ent. As long as If your child you have not requeste requires sup d an port assessment beyond that which in the last six mon their school, ths, your loca college or l authority must conside r the request.

Within six weeks of the request, the loca l auth ority must confirm whether it will make the assessm ent.

An assessm ent must be completed if your child has SEN and the provision they require might mean that an EHC plan is necessa ry.

If the local auth ority agrees to make an assessm ent, the proc ess should take ten wee ks. The local authority mus secure advice t from you, you r child, your child’s educational placement, educationa l psychologi st, medical professionals, social care and any other experts you “reasonably request”. It is very importa nt to be clea r with your loca l auth Families have ority what asse a legal right ssments you to be involved want underta in decisions ken from the about their child outset. ’s SEN

22 SEN law

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25 Parents' rights

provision.

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SPEECH, LA

NGUAGE AN

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Bercow: Te n Years On

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A decade after Joh provision, Mandy n Bercow’s critical report on SLC Grist asks if mu ch has changed N

PROFESSION

AL SUPPORT

FOR TEACH

ERS

Support is out there

When you’ve got care of yourself, pupils' best interests at heart, don’t forget to writes James Bow en

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n primary scho ols, more child ren hav e spe ech predictor of the , lang uag e qualifications and communicati achieved at school leav on needs (SLC ing age and beyo N) than any other SEN nd. Poor communicati – a statistic on and languag that remains cons e skills at an early age tant year on year can have a lifelo . However, despite the ng impact.

88 per cent fact that SLC of long-term N is so common, it is unemployed men often the case have speech that these , language children’s need and communicati s are misinter on needs. This preted or misundersto is why it is essential that od and this can children are impact on the support given the support they they receive. need as early as possible, The implicat so they can ion of so man reac h their pote y children and young ntial in school, but people with variability in serv also importa SEN having difficulties with ntly in terms ices across loca of their selfl areas. communicat He identified esteem, their ion and a significant language is friendships and opportu need for the huge. The children’s wor nities later into ability to communicate kforce to und adu ltho od. and use lang erstand the importa uage to both nce of speech learn and enjo Support for , language y daily life is and commun chi crucial. The ication, how evidence rela young people ldren and to identify ting to the problems as importance with SLCN early as pos of having goo Nearly ten year sible and put d language effective inte s ago, John skills for rventions in later learning Bercow MP led a cros plac is strong; voc e. But sinc e then, we have s-governmen abulary at age five, t review of seen a significa services for child for example, overhaul to nt ren and youn is a strong the educatio g people with SLCN. At n and health systems and that time, he considerable found huge SENISSUE9 change in 1 the landscap e for children’s services.

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Poor communica tion and language ski lls at an early age can have a lifelong impact

28 Speech, language and communication needs WWW.SENMAG

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e all know that whilst immensely rewarding, there are time Caring for s when your own well teaching can being is not being be tough. selfish or som There may even be mom e kind of indulgence ents when – far from it. you question Think of the whether life airplane safe wouldn’t be ty demonst that little bit ration when easier if you the crew expl had chosen ains what to less demandi a ng career. It’s do in the event that the inevitable; oxygen mas we’ve all had ks fall from days like this. above. The first thing you But of course, are told to you also have do is to put your own mas those days when you k on before can’t imagine tending to thos your ever doin g self e around you. you have mad anyt hing else It’s the same in scho e a differenc : thos e ol. The child moments whe e that keeps you going. ren and your n you feel like colleagues need you were born to teac you to be at h; the times your best and so you need when you connect with to look after Ready for act a pupil and your if self you are going to almost see ion that lightbulb be the teacher When you work flash above they need you to be. with children their head; and the mom Not only is bein you know that the stak ents when g burntout and exha es are very high you know usted bad for you’ve mad . After all, young people you, e a real diffe it’s for them too. bad only get one rence to the life of a child shot at their education. You . know that child Som e of ren and their families my mos t Who can you rely on you. rewa rdin g exp erie nces turn to?

However, such high stak in scho ol The most obvi es can be emo were the moments whe ous form of tiona drain lly n I got through ing and if you’ support comes in the to a child re not careful, who, for wha shape of colle easy to spen it’s tever reason, agues.

Whatever your d all your time was harder to reach than role in school, taking care of the needs most. It’s know you are not alone. Ther of others and ing that e are people to forget to look out for in your school or in yourself as well. othe r loca l schools doin SENISSUE91 the same job g and facing the same

You need to loo k afte yourself if you are r going to be the teache r they need you to be

64 Professional support for teachers

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In the next issue of SEN:

CReSTeD • dyslexia • Education Show preview • hearing impairment • autism assistive technology • outdoor activities • Down syndrome • post-16 options SEN provision overseas • EHC plans • recruitment • CPD and much more…

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SEN NEWS

Teachers don’t know how to support pupils with ADHD Half of children with the condition may be undiagnosed School staff say training does not equip them to recognise signs of ADHD Most teachers (72 per cent) believe that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a great impact on a child’s life chances, but 42 per cent report not being trained to teach these children.

Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of teachers worry about a child with ADHD symptoms being excluded from school and over half (56 per cent) say they are concerned about the risk of children with ADHD symptoms being bullied, according to a ComRes poll of 800 primary and secondary teachers, which was commissioned

by Shire Pharmaceuticals. Overall, 68 per cent of teachers believe that children with ADHD symptoms performed worse at school.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms including inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. It is often diagnosed in childhood but, without appropriate support, can have a serious impact on an individual’s education, work and social life. Previous research has found that 39 per cent of children with ADHD experience exclusion from school.

ADHD is thought to affect up to five per cent of school children in the UK.

Missing the signs For many commentators, the findings of this new poll will add to growing fears that ADHD in children is being seriously underdiagnosed, with teachers lacking the knowledge, confidence and skills to help pupils suspected of having the condition. Many teachers surveyed did not recognise some important symptoms of ADHD, such as impulsive behaviour (41 per cent) and difficulty with organisation (74 per cent). Over half of teachers polled (55 per cent) reported teaching a higher number of children who they suspect may have ADHD than those who have received a confirmed diagnosis.

In September this year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published its draft guidance on ADHD diagnosis and management in which it renewed its call for the Department for Education to provide more education about ADHD for trainee teachers, amid concerns that around half of all cases of ADHD in children were undiagnosed.

The poll also comes as the Government prepares to publish its Green Paper on children’s mental health and the Care Quality Commission continues its review of child and adolescent mental health services.

“These findings confirm what teachers have long been telling us about the need for more professional development so that SENISSUE91

Pupils with ADHD are more likely to be bullied and excluded.

they can put in place effective provision for children with ADHD in their classrooms”, says Adam Boddison, the Chief Executive of the National Association of Special Educational Needs.

“These statistics reveal that while teachers are hugely invested in improving the life chances for children with ADHD, they do not always feel equipped to give them the support they need.”

Life-long impact Dr Tony Lloyd, the Chief Executive of the ADHD Foundation, believes that children with ADHD are being “woefully let down” at present. “Despite the very best efforts of teachers, there is a fundamental lack of support for children with ADHD which is having a detrimental impact on their life chances”, he says. “We know that without the right support, children with ADHD are more likely to be excluded and bullied, and are more likely to face unemployment and commit crime later in life. I hope these findings serve as a wake-up call that urgent action is needed to help and support these children to reach their full potential.”

The independent research agency ComRes was commissioned

by Shire Pharmaceuticals Limited to conduct a poll of teachers regarding their views on ADHD in children they have taught. In total, 803 teachers answered the poll. Of these, there were equal numbers of primary and secondary school teachers spread across the United Kingdom.

The poll results are available on the ComRes website: www.comresglobal.com WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SEN NEWS

Policy on mental health in schools must change Leading academics in the field of mental health research have called for a comprehensive programme of development in mental health for all schools in the UK. The national Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools at Leeds Beckett University has set out a series of recommendations for government, which have been backed by the Centre’s Advisory Board, including Nicky Morgan MP, Former Secretary of State for Education and current Chair of the Treasury Select Committee.

Most people have never met a blind child New research suggests that two-thirds of people in the UK have never met a blind child or young person.

A survey by the Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) has looked at the lives of the 22,000 blind and partially sighted children of England and Wales, in an attempt to raise public awareness of the complex challenges they face. The charity estimates, for example, that ninety per cent of those who lose their sight in childhood won’t work for more than six months of their lives. Most grow up to face poverty and social exclusion as a direct result of their disability. “… there is a real lack of awareness of the appalling prospects for these children and in turn, there are insufficient funds to support them and their parents who very often feel isolated and hopeless”, says Dr Tom Pey, Group Chief Executive at RSBC. “A child who can't see should have the same opportunities as a child who can. This grim cycle of sight loss, poverty and loneliness has to stop.”

The RSBC says that the right expert-led and early emotional and practical support from professionals can make a huge difference to the lives of these children as they grow up.

The Society has launched a nationwide appeal to raise awareness of childhood sight loss and generate funds to enable it to provide services to more blind and partially sighted children in England and Wales. The appeal, entitled No Blind Child Unseen, launched on 12 October 2017 to coincide with World Sight Day. The centrepiece of the appeal campaign will be a commissioned artwork by British artist Robert Montgomery. The internationally acclaimed artist is best known for his light poems, characterised by his iconic use of illuminated poetic text.

For this piece, Montgomery is taking his inspiration from the experiences of blind and partially sighted children with whom he has collaborated as part of the project. The artwork, which will also include a video installation, will be unveiled on 22 January 2018 and it will subsequently tour the country on a custom designed vehicle.

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The Centre, which is working in conjunction with the social enterprise Minds Ahead, states that every school in the UK needs professional development and guidance around mental health for everyone working in and with the school, including a mental health lead in every school. It also states that schools should have access to a regional network for mental health support, a school mental health quality kite-mark, and new research into school based mental health strategies.

The Centre has devised a range of training programmes for school staff, management and governors at all levels and will be organising an annual Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools Day to profile the mental health needs within schools and provide practical advice for schools. The first date is set for Friday 16 March 2018.

“We all have mental health and there are simple yet proven steps schools can take to strengthen the resilience of all their students”, says Dean Johnstone, CEO of Minds Ahead. “These changes are necessary to ensure that mental health difficulties do not limit the success of any child and can only be achieved if a comprehensive programme of school support is in place.”

People with autism wanted by new autism research network Autism experts are asking autistic people and their families to join a new autism research network to help further study into the condition. Organisers are also keen to hear from charities, NHS trusts, hospitals and care providers.

Called “Discover”, the network will link the UK’s top research centres, universities and individuals involved in or supportive of research.

Autistica, the charity behind the new research network, hopes the project will recruit 20,000 autistic people and their families by 2021 who can get involved with various research projects that are planned over the next four years.

Autistic people of all ages and abilities, together with their families or carers, are invited to join the project.

For more information and to take part in Discover, go to: autistica.org.uk/take-part SENISSUE91

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SEN NEWS

Schools breaking the law by not supporting children with medical conditions Children with epilepsy are not receiving the support they need, and are legally entitled to, to keep them safe at school.

In a new report published by Young Epilepsy, less than half of families who have children with epilepsy say their school has a policy on supporting pupils with medical conditions. One in three children with epilepsy do not have an individual healthcare plan (IHP) in school.

School staff numbers fall while pupil count rises Recent statistics released by the National Audit Office (NAO) show that the number of pupils attending secondary school has increased each year since 2013, with the total number of 11- to 18-year-olds at school in the UK now at 3,223,090.

Despite the number of students in school steadily increasing, secondary school staff numbers fell by 10,000 (4.9 per cent) between 2010 and 2016.

The report shows, though, that the number of primary and nursery school teachers rose by 13.2 per cent during the same time period.

Another survey by the NAO found that 85 per cent of secondary school leaders feel they have insufficient support from the Government to help them build and maintain a high quality workforce. Last year, £37.5 million was spent on teacher development and retention and £34.2 million on improving teacher quality. These figures are compared to the £555 million that the Department for Education spent on training and supporting teachers in 2013/14.

Two-thirds (67 per cent) of secondary school leaders said that workload played a major part in persuading teachers to leave rather than join the profession. Commentators suggest that this may account for why 34,910 qualified teachers left the profession for reasons other than retirement in 2016.

In the next issue of SEN Magazine (January/February 2018) Vicky Short, Managing Director of Randstad Public Services, will look at why more people are leaving the teaching profession and what the Government is doing to address this situation.

Despite epilepsy’s significant impact on cognition and behaviour, two out of three children’s IHPs do not consider how epilepsy affects learning. The report also highlights that staff may not be getting the training they need, with only half of families who have children with epilepsy saying that school staff had been trained in how to provide support.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, every school is required to have a policy on supporting pupils with medical conditions, ensuring the support meets the standards set out in government guidance. These standards mean that all children with epilepsy should have an individual healthcare plan (IHP) and school staff should be trained to meet their needs. Schools also need to take into account how a young person’s condition might affect their learning.

The charity is calling for every school to follow the law on medical support to ensure that children with epilepsy are safe and included alongside their peers. The report suggests that more than half of children with medical conditions are left in the dark when it comes to receiving sufficient support in schools.

Families commented on limited resources for school support and limited knowledge about epilepsy having an impact on children’s school lives.

The survey was completed by 661 individuals; 373 respondents were young people with epilepsy at state schools in England (where the law applies) or their parents and carers.

In this issue of SEN Magazine (p.54), Young Epilepsy CEO Carol Long looks in depth at the state of support for epilepsy in schools in England.

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SEN NEWS

Rewriting the language on language difficulties Academics and the children’s communication charity I CAN have joined forces in a drive to standardise the terminology used in diagnosing language difficulties that are believed to affect two children in every classroom.

Following a five-year awareness raising campaign, the charity is supporting a drive from academics to agree a new, streamlined terminology intended to make the “hidden condition” easier to diagnose and ensure those affected receive specialist help.

Pupils with dyspraxia are being failed Dyspraxia is falling “under the radar” in schools, in terms of awareness, support and training, says a new survey by The Dyspraxia Foundation. In a national poll of teachers, 65 per cent said that awareness of dyspraxia in their schools was poor or very poor, with 71 per cent saying that lack of awareness and understanding affected children’s opportunities and achievement.

Of those surveyed, 69 per cent of teachers had not received any specific training to help them identify and support students with dyspraxia. 43 per cent of schools did not have a clear process for identifying students with dyspraxia. Early diagnosis and intervention is thought to be essential in helping young people with dyspraxia to reach their academic potential and develop the skills needed for everyday activities.

The Foundation warns that the lack of understanding of dyspraxia in schools means that teachers are unable to identify children who would benefit from further specialist help, including that provided by health professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. Delays in accessing professional support mean children with dyspraxia are at risk of underachievement, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.

Sophie Kayani, a parent and the Chair of the Dyspraxia Foundation, believes the new survey shows that dyspraxia is the “poor relation” in terms of teacher training and awareness.

“Parents… frequently express frustration at the difficulties they experience getting their child’s needs recognised”, she says. “In some cases, their children have been dismissed as lazy or naughty, when in fact they have been working very hard to try to keep up with their peers.” Ms Kayani says these misunderstandings are the result of “ignorance” because teachers haven’t received training to help them identify children who may have dyspraxia and to adapt their teaching methods to ensure these children can be successful.

The Foundation’s report found that there are pockets of good practice around the country, but that health and education services are often not “joined up”, so parents are passed from one professional to another in the pursuit of a diagnosis and support. This means children are delayed in receiving the professional assistance they need.

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Developmental language disorder (DLD) is the name that campaigners hope will become the consensus term for language difficulties that can include difficulties with spoken language, communication, language understanding and educational attainment.

The complexity of DLD means that it can have a serious and long-term impact on development. According to The Manchester Language Study, 40 per cent of those with DLD say that by age 16 they had difficulties interacting with their peers, with half experiencing bullying during their childhood. These findings are reflected in a 2008 study by Conti-Ramsden and Botting, which revealed that teenagers with DLD were more than twice as likely to report symptoms of depression as their typically developing peers. Without diagnosis and specialist support, the impacts of DLD can last into adulthood by increasing the risk of unemployment and reducing the opportunity to be independent.

“When a child has difficulty with communication, it has significant and lasting impact on every aspect of their development”, says Dorothy Bishop, Professor of Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Oxford. “This is why it is so important we address confusing terminology that has made it difficult for those affected to receive the help they need.”

The campaign to raise awareness of language difficulties and agree the use of the term DLD was led by Professor Bishop and a number of other leading figures in the field: Professor Gina Conti-Ramsden (The University of Manchester), Professor Courtenay Norbury (University College London), Professor Maggie Snowling (University of Oxford) and Becky Clark (RADLD Editor and speech and language therapist).

It follows research finding that despite nearly 200 years of professionals identifying language problems there is poor awareness of the condition relative to the frequency and severity of DLD. Most commonly, those affected are mistaken as being inattentive, having more general learning difficulties or poor behaviour.

For the latest news, articles, SEN resources, CPD and events listings, visit: www.senmagazine.co.uk SENISSUE91

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SEN NEWS

Government to review guidance on school transport for disabled children The Department for Education has announced plans to reassess its statutory guidance on school transport for children with disabilities to ensure all local authorities are providing school transport for eligible children with SEN and disabilities.

Children’s spelling deteriorates over summer holidays Primary school children’s ability to spell declines after the long summer holiday, according to academics at Northumbria University.

A study, Investigation of Summer Learning Loss in the UK - Implications for Holiday Club Provision, found that after a seven-week holiday, primary school children's spelling was worse than before the start of the holiday.

More than 70 children, between the ages of five and ten years of age, from three schools across deprived areas in Scotland and the North-East of England who did not attend a holiday club over the summer, were tested in spelling and reading ability immediately before and immediately after the school summer holiday, and then approximately seven weeks later.

The research showed that children's spelling scores were significantly poorer upon returning to schools compared to scores at the end of the previous term. Once children had returned to school, they showed significant gains in spelling but it took nearly four weeks to reach the same level of performance shown at the end of the previous term.

Children's reading ability, however, did not improve or get worse after the summer holiday, according to the study.

The study was funded by Brakes and Northumbria University as part of a wider evaluation of the network of holiday clubs across the UK that are being delivered by a range of partners.

It was co-authored by Jackie Shinwell, under the supervision of Professor Greta Defeyter.

“This research adds to a growing body of evidence that shows there is a real need for accessible activity provision during the school holidays for children and young people in the UK”, says Professor Defeyter. “Future research investigating whether children show similar patterns in terms of mathematics, and whether learning loss is attenuated by social class may have important implications for UK educational policy and further inform the need for the type and scope of holiday provision in the UK." SENISSUE91

The decision is the result of campaigning by the charity Contact (formerly Contact a Family) following the charity’s recent School Transport Inquiry. This review found that shrinking school transport budgets and confused policies are pushing many UK families with disabled children “to the brink”.

The Inquiry into school transport for UK families with disabled children included a survey of more than 2,500 parent carers and found that nearly half (48 per cent and mostly mothers) said that school travel arrangements for their disabled child meant that they can’t work or have had to decrease working hours. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) said their child’s journey to school is stressful which makes it harder for their child to learn. Parents also highlighted the poor quality and suitability of some local authority school transport services, with many concerned about vehicle safety as well as the training and communication of staff.

Contact also investigated 59 local authority transport policies for children with additional needs in England and found that more than half (30) included unlawful blanket statements or other restrictive criteria – with many incorrectly maintaining that children needed education, health and care plans in order to be eligible for school transport.

In response to the charity’s findings, a Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are investing £222 million over four years to help local authorities improve special educational needs and disability services and local authorities must provide school transport for all eligible children with SEND. In light of the findings by Contact, the Department will review the statutory guidance for local authorities to ensure it is clear.”

Amanda Batten, Chief Executive of Contact, believes the survey shows school transport for disabled children is in crisis. “Parents tell us that some local authorities are reducing or changing school transport services often with little notice”, she says.

“Some are offering unsuitable transport, charging for it, or removing it altogether. The system is broken.”

News deadline for next issue: 7/12/17 Email: editor@senmagazine.co.uk

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SEN NEWS

£5 million boost to get FE students active Sport England has announced a £5 million portfolio of investments into 49 further education colleges around England, to help them reduce the number of their students who are inactive.

Recent research from Sport England found that nearly nearly one in five (roughly 138,000) FE college students are inactive – that is, they do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.

Nearly two-thirds of the inactive group do no exercise at all.

Students who go to an FE college are typically more inactive than students who attend sixth form in a school or go to university. The research also says that being active can make a big difference to everyone’s health, citing that one in six adults in the UK die as a result of being inactive.

Among the reasons why FE colleges have a higher proportion of inactive students is that for the first time many of them will be in an environment where sport is not compulsory. Colleges also educate more students from lower-socio economic groups, as well as more black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, and students with a disability. These students are less likely to be active, something which the funding will seek to address.

Alongside traditional activities such as gym and fitness classes, archery, yoga and Pilates, and self-defence, colleges have been charged with finding innovative ways to engage students, including the provision of non-traditional activities such as bubble football, “raveminton", tag American football and parkour.

The 49 colleges have designed their inactivity programmes to deliver wider outcomes such as improved leadership and confidence skills, and mental wellbeing.

Some will offer a Fit for Work Programme to prepare students for the physical demands of the workplace. Construction industry students, for example, will be taught safe lifting techniques and ways to develop their personal strength. Inactive health and beauty students, who spend long days on their feet, will be supported to improve their core strength to support their posture.

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Gearing up for Anti-Bullying Week Half of schools in England are expected to mark November’s Anti-Bullying Week, which celebrates difference and diversity.

The Week, coordinated by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, takes place from 13 to 17 November and, this year, is supported

by SafeToNet. Anti-Bullying Week seeks to shine a spotlight on bullying and encourage all children and young people, teachers and parents to take action against bullying.

The theme for 2017 is “All Different, All Equal” and organisers hope to empower children and young people to celebrate what makes them, and others, unique, and to understand how important it is that every child feels able to be themselves without fear of bullying.

There are a number of ways that schools and children and young people can get involved in Anti-Bullying Week 2017. Teachers can access free lesson and assembly ideas, cross curricular activities and other useful resources. Pupils can share their Anti-Bullying Week work on social media using the hashtags #AntiBullyingWeek and #AllDifferentAllEqual and tagging @ABAonline in posts.

For more information, visit: www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

Quarter of young Brits confess to “bullying or insulting” someone online New research from the Demos think tank identifies a high incidence of hostile online behaviour towards peers – often linked to having previously experienced abuse on social media.

It highlights the strong relationship between offline and online character and morality in young people.

The research finds that 26 per cent of young Britons have bullied or insulted someone online, while 15 per cent of young people have been involved with “trolling” a public figure.

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EQUALS

Bridging the gap between therapy and education

SEN PRODUCTS/RESOURCES

Do you live or work with children affected by ADHD, Autism, sensory processing difficulties or anxiety?

Having a child with additional needs (ADHD, ASD, PDA, Anxiety, SPD and medical needs) I have a wealth of experience and a huge knowledge base to share parent to parent.

The products and information provided are from my personal experience, so they are tried and tested products and ideas that I have used with my son.

Potential OT is a paediatric Occupational Therapy service, specialised in supporting pupils in education who are not meeting their potential. Leaving no stone unturned, Potential OT offers a bespoke service to families and schools; utilizing a developmental approach to identify barriers and to support the child’s access to the curriculum.

Contact Phoebe Abrahams at Potential OT to discuss how the service can meet your needs.

www.potential-ot.co.uk admin@potential-ot.co.uk 07746 131892

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My products aim to be affordable, practical and to have a positive impact on our sensitive butterflies, releasing their potential, growing from a cocoon to a butterfly.

Coming soon... Positive Practical booklets with tips, tools and ideas to support children, families and teachers.

Then check out my website and products via Web site- www.sensitivebutterfly.co.uk Facebook- www.facebook.com/thesensitivebutterfly

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

MATHS

SEN LAW

CHOOSE A PUBLIC ACCESS SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS BARRISTER Regulated by the Bar Standards Board

JANICE JOHNSON • Specialist SEND advocate • Legal Advice on Special Educational Needs for children and young people aged 0-25 years • Assessment advice for Education, Health and Care Plans • Reviewing and amending Education, Health and Care Plans • Drafting Grounds of Appeal for SEND Tribunal Appeals • Your advocate at SEND Tribunal Appeals "If appreciation was an ocean I send you the Pacific"

Where to start?

Speak directly to Janice, who will personally handle your case throughout, on 01986 781372 or 07976 396972 or email her at: janicejohnson08@ btinternet.com

Mrs EJ - July 2017

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WHAT’S NEW?

What’s new?

Bett 2018

The BPS Qualifications in Test Use

Bett is the global meeting place for those who are passionate about education, bringing 850 leading companies, cutting-edge edtech start-ups and over 34,700 attendees together over four days each January.

The British Psychological Society offers nationally recognised qualifications for educational professionals who use tests to understand children’s strengths and learning needs.

Bett 2018 takes place from 24 to 27 January at London’s ExCeL and includes leading education providers, a wealth of talks, keynotes and interactive sessions notably for primary and secondary educators at every level. Topics range from being effective with budgets, managing teacher workload and dealing with teacher recruitment and retention issues, to solutions to manage pupil progress and attainment and methods of creative teaching.

The qualifications are available at two levels – Assistant Test User: Test Administration and Test User: Educational (CCET).

Holders of the BPS Test User (CCET) qualification may go on to complete further training to become specialist assessors to progress and write reports for access arrangements. The qualifications offer membership of the BPS Register of Qualifications in Test Use, as well as access to reviews of over 160 psychological tests.

For more information, visit: www.psychtesting.org.uk

For more information, visit: www.bettshow.com

Specialist public sector recruitment from Baltimore Consulting Group

Lifetime warranty on CareFlex chair frames CareFlex has announced that it is offering a lifetime warranty on the steel frames of its chairs.

Baltimore Consulting Group provide local authorities and trusts UK-wide with strategic recruitment solutions across all directorates, with a particular specialist focus around their educational requirements. This includes senior appointments and niche skills within SEN.

The company says it made the move after realising that the problems it’s had with the frames of its chairs over the years have been minimal.

Baltimore provide a tailored recruitment offering through a consultative approach and having established themselves as leading suppliers within these key areas, now have an extensive number of experienced, acclaimed SEN specialists within the market place.

For a free, no-obligation demonstration, call CareFlex on:

From 1 October, all CareFlex chairs are supplied with a lifetime warranty on the steel frame and a one-year warranty on the upholstery and all other parts. Careflex has also been awarded ISO certification: ISO 9001:2015.

0800 018 6440 or email: enquiries@careflex.co.uk

To register your CV or vacancy, call Baltimore’s education team on: 0117 929 3812, or email: education@baltimoreconsultinggroup.com www.baltimoreconsultinggroup.com

Bursary funding for Lake District outdoor activities The Lake District Calvert Trust are in the fortunate position of having a healthy discretionary bursary fund which they need to use up in 2018.

All visits are already subsidised by around 30 per cent, but additional support could help you maximise attendee numbers, or help provide the catalyst needed to get your outdoor learning residential trip off the ground. Allocation is dependent on meeting a range of criteria, with priority given to off-peak periods, and especially weekends.

To find out if your school qualifies, call: 017687 72255 or visit: www.calvert-trust.org.uk/lake-district/bursary-funding-2 SENISSUE91

Diploma in Trauma and Mental Health Informed Schools Running for 12 weekend days, this course is directed by Dr Margot Sunderland, validated

by East London University and organised by The Centre for Child Mental Health and The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education.

The practical skills-based Diploma, underpinned by the latest neuroscience, aims to equip attendees to respond effectively to children who have suffered trauma or have mental health issues. It will help attendees to recognise vital signs and symptoms, and provide positive interventions to change troubled children’s lives and positively impact on school culture and teacher wellbeing.

020 7704 2534 www.artspsychotherapy.org info@artspsychotherapy.org WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

WHAT’S NEW?

Understanding behaviour with Coram’s art and music therapy Coram works with children who have experienced a range of difficulties. They are often unable to understand or explain their feelings, showing their upset or distress through behaviour. Coram’s art and copyright © Coram music therapies provide a safe place where children and young people can express their emotions and deal with their worries using their voice, movement, musical instruments and art making.

Coram work in specialist education settings alongside teachers, and their psychologists offer support to parents.

More than 90 per cent of parents said that their child’s behaviour improved after receiving Coram’s art or music therapy.

Prevention is always better than cure This is often the time of year when decisions about the next phases of a child or young person’s education (such as nursery to primary, primary to secondary or secondary to post-16) are discussed. Specialist SEN solicitor Douglas Silas provides sound legal advice to parents about appropriate transitions.

Douglas says: “Unfortunately, parents sometimes only come to me after already getting into disputes with local authorities, but then find that if they had come earlier, we may have helped them avoid or reduce any dispute.”

For more information, visit: www.SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

020 7520 031 creativetherapyadmin@coram.org.uk

CPD on SEND for FE professionals The Adoption Support Fund The Adoption Support Fund (ASF) was established to help pay for essential therapy services for adoptive families as and when they need it. It has been set up because many families need some kind of support during and following adoption and too many have struggled to get the help they need in the past.

The ASF will enable adoptive families to access the services they need more easily in future. To access the ASF, you will need to have an assessment of your families’ adoption support needs by the local authority.

The Education and Training Foundation delivers a range of continuous professional development courses and resources for the SEND sector in further education.

Courses are designed to help senior leaders, governors, managers and school staff respond to the SEND Reforms; embed SEND in strategic planning; develop the curriculum for study programmes; include SEND as part of whole organisation improvement; improve IAG for learners with SEND and identify opportunities to improve delivery.

For information on SEND resources from ETF, visit: www.etfoundation.co.uk/send Members of the Society of Education and Training receive 15 per cent discount on ETF courses: set.et-foundation.co.uk

For information about ASF and adoption in Croydon, email: adoptionenquires@croydon.gov.uk

Whiteboard Room: new free learning resources from EQUALS The Whiteboard Room has a range of interactive resources for students with severe and profound learning difficulties.

Although targeting interactive whiteboards, most resources are equally useful at the desktop.

This new section launched on the EQUALS website in September 2017 and contains lots of free educational resources.

To view and download materials for free, visit the EQUALS website at: www.equals.co.uk WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

“Outstanding” verdict on Hamilton Lodge Brighton-based Hamilton Lodge has been awarded a rating of “outstanding” by the OFSTED Welfare Sector Inspectorate this year.

Hamilton Lodge is a specialist school for deaf children and has been operating from the same site since 1945. Last year, a new provision opened within the school for children with more complex needs in response to the closure of other specialist schools.

The inspectors considered the care provided to all children in the school as consistently exceeding the standards of “good” and awarded Hamilton Lodge “outstanding”. www.hamiltonls.co.uk SENISSUE91

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WHAT’S NEW?

Difficulties converting to EHC plans This coming year will see the completion of conversion from statements to EHC plans.

HCB provide help and advice to parents, families and young people with SEN during conversion to EHC plans. The process can be difficult as provision can disappear. What’s more, assessments are not always completed prior to writing the EHC plans, leading to outdated content and inadequate provision.

HCB’s team of experienced special educational needs solicitors provide specialist SEN legal advice and its team contains nationally recognised leaders in the field.

Helping families resolve education disputes Education Lawyers specialise in helping families with children who have SEN through the EHC needs assessment process and with appeals to the SEND Tribunal.

Education Lawyers is an experienced and skilled team, providing legal advice and practical solutions in relation to SEN cases. Their lawyers have been providing legal help to families throughout England and Wales for over 25 years.

If you would like to speak to someone from their team about your child’s SEN, email: education@langleywellington.co.uk or telephone: 01452 555166.

For more information, visit: www.educationlawyers.co.uk

Find out more at: www.hcbgroup.com/education-law-solicitors.html

Hesley is accepting specialist college applications for 2018 Hesley Group’s Multi-Disciplinary Team knows what it takes to help young people with autism and/or complex needs to reach their full potential. Experienced education, care and therapy professionals support the development of skills, knowledge and self-belief in preparation for adult life.

They are now taking applications for the next academic year in 2018. You can arrange to visit them and discover more about what their students achieve; parents, families and professionals are all welcome.

Beechwood College is “the happiest place in Wales” Figures recently released by the Office for National Statistics have ranked the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales above all other local authorities in Wales for happiness.

Beechwood College, located in the Vale of Glamorgan, is a specialist day and residential service for young people over the age of 16 with a formal diagnosis of an autistic spectrum condition (ASC).

Contact Hesley on: 0800 055 6789 or visit the website: www.hesleygroup.co.uk

The College welcomes visitors, so you can find out for yourself just how happy they are. Contact the College on: 029 2053220 or: enquiries@beechwoodcollege.co.uk or visit: www.beechwoodcollege.co.uk

New dyslexia blog series for families, teachers and employers

The Magic of Theatre brought to you

During Dyslexia Awareness Month, iansyst have created a series of blogs that investigate a number of issues around dyslexia, aimed at teachers, employers and parents of dyslexic children. The articles are intended to help take the fear away from the condition and offer solutions that will help each individual achieve their potential.

You can read the blogs and keep up to date with forthcoming events and the latest news from iansyst on their website.

More information on conditions such as dyspraxia, dyscalculia, visual and hearing impairments is promised soon: www.dyslexic.com SENISSUE91

M&M Theatrical Productions are committed to combining theatre with education, providing value for money productions that are innovative, colourful and captivating.

Their expertly constructed sets, adaptable to any venue, allow for this experience to be enjoyed by the whole school, in the safety of their own surroundings.

The company aim to provide shows full of fun, laughter, excitement, music and larger than life characters. Produced by their experienced team of professionals; scripts, costumes, scenery and special effects are all designed to ensure the audience will enjoy a magical theatrical experience. www.magicoftheatre.com WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

WHAT’S NEW?

Yoga therapy for SEN MahaDevi Centre is the only yoga centre in the UK that offers “Yoga for the Special Child”, a pioneering yoga therapy for children and adults with SEN. It is located in the heart of Islington and offers regular one-to-one and group sessions.

The Centre also runs training courses, workshops and conferences.

MahaDevi Centre is hosting the first international conference on yoga therapy for SEN (24 to 26 November). Bringing together renowned international speakers from countries including USA, Japan and Canada, it will cover the use of yoga in mental health, overcoming trauma and working with children with profound SEN. www.mahadevicentre.com

Are you the parent of a child with a learning disability?

It can be a worry to think about how your loved one will cope when you are no longer around, so making the right arrangements and planning for their financial future now is vital.

Mencap’s free seminars provide opportunities to get friendly face-to-face advice and information about wills and trusts, to hear from a legal professional with experience in trust and estate law, and to get answers to any questions you may have.

To book onto a seminar or to find out more, call: 0207 696 6925 or visit: www.mencap.org.uk/willsandtrusts

Autism Professionals Annual Conference Tickets are now on sale for the National Autistic Society’s 2018 Autism Professionals Annual Conference.

Held on the 7 and 8 March in Harrogate, this two-day conference is focused on how to empower autistic voice and choice. Attendees can hear the latest information from experts in the field and learn from case studies illustrating best practice. With four different seminar streams to choose from, you can select the seminars which are most relevant to your work.

Visit the NAS website to find out more about this industryleading conference and to reserve a ticket: www.autism.org.uk/conferences

Nordoff Robbins opens Newcastle music therapy centre Nordoff Robbins – the UK’s largest music therapy charity – will open a new centre in Newcastle from 2018, thanks to the Graham Wylie Foundation. Here, people will be able to access their services free of charge, ensuring their lifechanging work is available to those most at need.

Nordoff Robbins music therapists help vulnerable and isolated people through the skilled use of music, using a personcentred approach.

The internationally renowned Nordoff Robbins Master of Music Therapy programme is also available in Newcastle from 2018 (subject to approval from the HCPC and Goldsmiths, University of London).

Find out more at: www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk

SpLD school support for younger pupils Finding an SpLD specialist school for younger pupils is often difficult for parents, with issues surrounding early EHC plans and the lack of early identification processes.

With this in mind, The Moat School has begun to offer a lower school (Year 5 to 6) programme; this new class with a dedicated staff has seen huge success in its first year. Lower school teacher Adam Ford says: “It’s fantastic to see the rapid development both socially and academically from my pupils throughout the year; given the right environment they all excel”. office@moatschool.org.uk 020776109018 www.moatschool.org.uk WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Pre-order the new Wide Range Achievement Test, Fifth Edition (WRAT5TM) Order the WRAT5 Complete Paper Kit, before 31 December 2017 and get a ten per cent pre-publication discount on your order.

WRAT5 is a new and efficient assessment for identifying possible learning disabilities.

Accurate and easy to administer, WRAT5 monitors the reading, spelling, and maths skills in people aged five to 85+.

Administration is now available in two versions: traditional format (paper manuals and record forms) and digitally on Q-interactive®, Pearson’s comprehensive digital assessment system.

You can get the ten per cent discount code at: pearsonclinical.co.uk/wrat5 SENISSUE91

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WHAT’S NEW?

Play Therapy Summer School Play Therapy’s 2017 Summer School at beautiful La Mouline in the South of France had 70 participants and was heavily oversubscribed.

Bookings are now open for 2018 (15 days starting 21 July). This is an intensive short-track route to becoming a registered practitioner in therapeutic play skills.

Alternatively, you can train (15 days spread over eight months) at one of Play Therapy UK’s 13 UK venues.

The course is run in partnership with Leeds Beckett University and is the only course providing entry to the Play Therapy UK Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists (accredited by the Professional Standards Authority).

Scotland’s residential school for visually impaired pupils The Royal Blind School is Scotland’s only residential school specialising in the care and education of visually impaired pupils, including those with complex needs.

It offers day places as well as a range of residential options including, weekly, termly and 52-week a year placements.

The School enrols pupils from P1 to P6 and has a weekly pre-school playgroup. As well as offering a full curriculum, the School delivers independent living skills, mobility and orientation to ensure that pupils become as independent as possible. www.royalblind.org/education

www.playtherapy.org.uk

Rebound Therapy rooms Indoor rebound rooms have, for most schools, been an unachievable luxury. Those who do investigate can find builders with no experience in this area who often suck through their teeth and produce outlandish quotes.

Sunken Trampolines successfully launched their design and build service in 2016. Having now completed a number of bespoke Rebound Therapy rooms for schools across the UK, they are an experienced installation company with expertise and knowledge that has helped many schools and other organisations.

For more information on this and their other options, visit: www.sunkentrampolines.co.uk or contact Joel/Angus at: sales@sunkentrampolines.co.uk

Free consultation and inspiration guide on inclusive, sensory outdoor play The outdoor sensory space in any setting should be fully inclusive and provide the same opportunity for everyone to explore regardless of their ability or special need. It should be a place where diversity is respected and valued, enabling children of all abilities to explore their surrounding in a safe child-centred inclusive environment.

Timotay Playscapes have a free inspiration guide to outdoor sensory play spaces and outdoor sensory play equipment.

For your copy, email: enquiries@timotayplayscapes.co.uk or call: 01933 665151.

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Introducing Sensory Showtime from SpaceKraft Sensory Showtime is SpaceKraft’s new computer programme designed for multisensory environments. Simply drag and drop different pieces of sensory equipment into the timeline to create scenarios which combine projectors, colour changing lights and special effects with video, photos, sound and music.

The system will operate up to 16 switches which can be used to trigger the timeline and pause/resume playback, giving children control. The switches can also be assigned with momentary or latched settings.

Sensory Showtime uses large clear icons that are easy to understand and can be controlled from an iPad with one click.

01274 581007 www.spacekraft.co.uk

Easy News for people with learning disabilities National disability charity United Response has produced the latest edition of the award winning Easy News – the first magazine designed specifically for people with learning disabilities.

Using simple language and visual cues, this edition gives readers a news roundup which includes an update on the natural disasters around the world, the Rohingya conflict, the public sector pay cap, Ryanair flight cancellations, Big Ben going silent, Scotland’s new Forth Road Bridge and more.

To download a copy and sign up for future editions, visit: www.unitedresponse.org.uk/press/campaigns/easy-new WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

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WILLS AND TRUSTS

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POINT OF VIEW

Point of view: careers adviser

Wasted talent Gordon Collins calls for greater careers support for gifted and talent students

I

have been a self-employed careers adviser for over 20 years and I have done a lot of work with the gifted and talented (G&T) cohort in the

state sector.

The term “SEN” conjures up many images, but seldom that of the most able – the G&T stream. However, they also

Funding for G&T programmes is simply not available and corporate sponsors show little interest

have special needs, especially in the

other top universities. Despite the percentage of students from poorer backgrounds going to university, there is a huge class bias in terms of where they go and what they study.

The battle to increase participation has been won, despite fee increases; we need to concentrate on where and what is studied. The middle class go to

increasingly underfunded state sector,

programme. I work with the G&T

traditional institutions, the poor to former

where they are in danger of not making

stream in a comprehensive girls school

polytechnics. The middle class do

the most of their innate ability. There are

in London. The students come from

science, economics, medical sciences

political issues simply in the concept

a wide range of backgrounds, from

and technology; the poor do humanities

of G&T and I know many teachers feel

recent immigrants through to city

and social sciences. To change this

uncomfortable with identifying pupils

professional families.

dynamic you need specialist careers

and with any extra support being offered.

I undertake the Morrisby aptitude

advice from outsiders coming into

In the past, when money was more

tests with the students and then give

school who have in-depth knowledge

available, there was abuse of the

an in-depth feedback interview to which

of the complex HE system, as well

system, with some schools wanting

parents/guardians are invited. The

as other alternatives, such as degree

to maximise the G&T stream to win

interview uses the test, personality and

apprenticeships. If the only way this can

additional funding. I have seen G&T

interest questionnaire results to paint

be done is by people giving their time for

pupils for specialist careers work simply

scenarios for the pupils and parents,

free, then it is not going to be a solution.

because they were good at food tech

raising aspirations, and making them

I do not expect (although I would

or sports. I have also been told by a

realise what they have the potential

really like) the Government, of whatever

G&T coordinator that she did not believe

to achieve.

persuasion, to fund specialist careers

in any extra resources and if she had

I would love to do this in more schools

work with G&T students but I do wish

her way, the money would just go to

but to do so I would need a well-run G&T

for more enlightened attitudes from

the general school population. Why

programme and an enthusiastic teacher.

corporate sponsors and a more open-

she became a G&T coordinator is a

I would also have to be willing to give

minded attitude by schools themselves

good question but, in broad terms, she

a lot of time for no financial return, as

in recognising that they have a duty to

has got her wish; few schools today

funding for G&T programmes is simply

help the SEN group called gifted and

offer anything but lip service to G&T,

not available and corporate sponsors

talented.

to the huge detriment of the most able

show little interest. Strange as it may

students, who are not in leafy suburbs,

seem, I have had a number of schools

where selection is by house price or

refuse my service even when I offered

church attendance.

to just charge costs; common refrains are that it is too onerous admin wise,

Recognising potential

too complicated, or “elitist”.

Some schools, often through sheer

We complain that not enough state

willpower, still run an effective G&T

school students go to Oxbridge and

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Further information Gordon Collins runs the consultancy Careers and Education Services, based in London: www.ceslondon.com

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POINT OF VIEW

Point of view: mother

Disabled parking strife Laziness is not a disability, so stop using it as an excuse to use disabled parking bays, writes Jane Gill

M

y first born son, Harry, is my little Houdini. Born eight and a half years ago at 24 weeks, he

has lived up to his name ever since.

I never imagined I would find myself

The bays are all taken by selfish people with no blue badges who “aren't going to be long”

in a situation in which I would need a

I have observed a widespread lack of empathy and understanding of why disabled parking spaces are needed by the people they are intended for. Tougher penalties need to be enforced by the Government to deter selfish people from abusing the blue badge system.

On a more positive note, there are

disabled parking space to be available disabled people. The most common

people trying to put a stop to disabled

When my younger son started

excuse given by offenders was “I was

bay abuse. Chris Welch, founder of the

school I did find myself in that precise

only parked there for a short time so I

“Want my Space? Take my Disability”

situation. As I have so far failed to clone

didn't think it mattered”. Well, here’s a

Facebook group has put up a petition

myself, I had to arrange for Harry to be

newsflash: it does matter.

calling for stronger enforcement and for

but I have.

MPs to debate this issue. How about

picked up from his brother’s school in the mornings. This enabled me to get

How would you feel?

putting points on the driving licences

both boys to school on time. The bus

Imagine that you are disabled, or you

of offenders?

driver would use the conveniently placed

have a child with a disability, and you

disabled parking bay as she had a bus

go to your local town centre to get a few

full of disabled children. As there are only

essential items. You hope to be able to

two disabled spaces outside the school

park in the disabled parking bay but when

I parked further away from the school

you arrive someone without a blue badge

and walked my sons the rest of the way.

has parked there. You don't know how

We had no problem doing so but it was

long they are going to be so you drive

rather galling to find that non disabled

on and circle the town to find another

parents of non disabled children had the

disabled space. The bays are all taken by

cheek to park in the disabled spaces to

selfish people with no blue badges who

drop their children off at school.

“aren't going to be long”. Now answer

It is never acceptable to park in a

honestly, would you be infuriated?

disabled space without valid reason.

Most supermarkets also show

It doesn’t matter if you’re only doing it

complete disinterest in the needs of

for a few minutes. It’s still wrong. In the

disabled shoppers. They do have a few

end I gave up the battle and asked the

disabled parking bays but they show

driver to pick Harry up from a nearby

little effort in stopping misuse of them.

road. But I shouldn't have had to.

It is not currently illegal to park in a

In the year to August 2016, 12 million

disabled bay in a supermarket car park

drivers parked in disabled parking bays

but it is extremely selfish. They seem to

without displaying a valid permit. £80

turn a blind eye when the well-off man

million in fines were issued by councils

parks his shiny Mercedes in the disabled

across the country. I'd like to think the

bay outside the supermarket “because

money was put towards services for

he doesn't want to get it scratched”.

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Further information

Jane Gill is a freelance writer who blogs about the challenges faced by families of children with SEN. www.janegillwriter.com https://sensandsensabilityblog. wordpress.com

What’s your point of view?

Email: editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN LAW

EHC assessments Douglas Silas outlines the process of conducting assessments for education, health and care plans Why do we need SEN assessments?

Current general SEN duties require a child/young person-centred approach, which now calls for more participation by children and their parents and young people in decision making.

The overall aim is preparing the child or young person for adulthood and the SEN Code of Practice (CoP) expects teachers, in collaboration with the SENCO, to assess if a child/ young person’s progress is slower than expected and whether they may have SEN. But the school only has a “best endeavours” duty to provide for it. However, some children/young people need more support than can be provided at school/college and, in these cases, an assessment for an education, health and care (EHC) plan may be required.

Which LA is responsible?

EHC assessments (referred to as “EHC needs assessments”) may be conducted when someone makes a request for an assessment, or otherwise brings a child/ young person to the attention of the local authority (LA) who is responsible for them. By law, the LA responsible is the one in which the child/young person lives, not where their school or college is based. This can be confusing and I have seen requests being made to the wrong LA on occasion. An LA may also become responsible for a child/ young person when they are notified by another LA that they will be moving into their area.

Who can request an assessment?

The child’s parent(s), the young person themselves or their school/college usually request an EHC assessment by SENISSUE91

A child’s rate of academic progress is important in deciding to conduct an EHC assessment.

writing to the LA (there is normally a form for them to complete and submit on the LA’s website). Some people also like to enclose additional evidence which supports their request and sometimes also obtain a report from someone like an educational psychologist (EP). An assessment request can also be made on behalf of the child/young person if they are identified as someone who has or may have SEN, or has been brought to the LA’s attention as someone who has or may have SEN, perhaps by a doctor, social worker or therapist.

What do LAs consider?

The CoP states that the LA should consider specific evidence as follows: • evidence of the child or young person’s academic attainment (or developmental milestones in younger children) and rate of progress • information about the nature, extent and context of the child or young person’s SEN • evidence of the action already being taken by the early years

By law, the local authority responsible is the one in which the child/young person lives provider, school or post-16 institution to meet their SEN • evidence that, where progress has been made, it has only been as the result of much additional intervention and support over and above that which is usually provided • evidence of the child or young person’s physical, emotional and social development and health needs, drawing on relevant evidence from clinicians and other health professionals and what has been done to meet these by other agencies.

Where the young person is over the age of 18, an LA must also consider whether they require additional time (in comparison to the majority of others of WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SEN LAW

the same age who do not have SEN) to complete their education or training.

The LA can also develop their own guidelines to help them decide when it is necessary to carry out an EHC needs assessment, but these guidelines must not be applied as a blanket policy to certain children/young people or certain types of need.

Although an EHC needs assessment can, it does not always lead to the preparation of an EHC plan

What if the LA agrees to the request?

How long should a request/ assessment take?

If the LA agrees to undertake an EHC needs assessment, it must seek advice and information from specified professionals and obtain: • advice and information from the child’s parent or the young person • educational advice from the headteacher/principal of the school/post-16 institution • medical advice from a health care professional identified by the responsible commissioning body • psychological advice from an EP • advice in relation to social care • advice from any other person the LA thinks is appropriate • advice in relation to provision to assist any child/young person in or beyond Year 9 in preparation for adulthood/independent living • advice from any person the child’s parent(s) or young person reasonably requests the LA seek advice from.

There should also be advice sought from a teacher of the hearing/visually impaired, if the child/young person has this type of impairment. The LA should not only seek advice on the child’s needs, but also on what provision may be required to meet needs and on the outcomes to be achieved by receiving that provision. The LA must provide the person from whom advice is being sought with copies of any representations made by the child’s parent or the young person and any evidence submitted by them or at their request. Advice and information must be provided within six weeks of the request, or more quickly if possible.

The LA must notify the child’s parent or the young person as soon as possible and, in any event within six weeks of receiving a request for an assessment (or becoming responsible for the child/ young person) of its decision whether or not it is necessary to secure an EHC needs assessment. The LA must also notify the responsible commissioning body, the LA officers responsible for social care for children/young people with SEN, the headteacher, manager or principal (or equivalent) of any early years setting, school or post-16 institution at which the child/young person attends or at which they are registered.

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

What if the LA refuses the request?

If the LA refuses to undertake an EHC needs assessment, the child’s parent or the young person must be notified and they have a right of appeal to the SEND Tribunal.

What happens next?

Having undertaken an EHC assessment, the LA must determine whether or not to issue an EHC plan. The legal test is that the preparation of an EHC plan should be made where “in the light of an EHC needs assessment, it is necessary for special educational provision to be made for a child or young person in accordance with an EHC plan”. If the LA decides that it is not necessary for special educational provision to be made for a child/young person, in accordance with an EHC plan, the notification to the child’s parent or the young person must be given as soon as possible and, in any event, within 16

weeks of the LA receiving a request for an assessment. The LA must also notify the child’s parent or the young person of their right to appeal the decision. So, although an EHC needs assessment can, it does not always lead to the preparation of an EHC plan.

What if s/he already has a statement of SEN? By law, LAs have been transferring statements of SEN to EHC plans since the introduction of the new SEN framework from 1 September 2014 and must complete these transfers by 1 April 2018. Children/young people who have/ had statements at the time of transfer will almost always be entitled to EHC plans. “Transition plans” published by every LA should set out the timetable and process to be followed for transfer, but they should be transferred to an EHC plan whenever there is a significant review of their statement during the transition period, including at specific stages in their education (for example, from primary to secondary school). A transfer is usually done by first holding a “transfer review”, which must be carried out before a child/young person moves from a statement to an EHC plan.

Transfer reviews are also considered to be EHC needs assessments by law and follow the same process.

Further information

Specialist SEN solicitor Douglas Silas is the Principal of Douglas Silas Solicitors and runs the website: www.

SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk.

He is also the author of A Guide To The SEND Code of Practice (updated for 2017/18), which is available for all eBook readers: www.AGuideToTheSENDCode OfPractice.co.uk The advice provided here is of a general nature and Douglas Silas Solicitors cannot be held responsible for any loss caused by reliance placed upon it.

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SEN LEGAL

Let’s make a rainbow in the storm Education Lawyers help families resolve education disputes and specialise in representing families of children with Special Educational Needs.

We can help you with legal advice on: • Special Educational Needs (SEN) for children and young people between 0-25 years • The assessment process from start to finish • Education, Health and Care Plans • Appeals to the SEND Tribunal • Choosing a school • Judicial Review • Compliants to the Local Authority or the Local Government Ombudsman • School Admission and Exclusion Appeals

We have acted for families of children and young people with a range of complex special needs.

www.educationlawyers.co.uk Supporter of the

Organisational Member

Langley Wellington LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales (registered number OC363475).

Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

PARENTS’ RIGHTS

25

Families: know your rights!

Ed Duff explains how the law can help parents seeking support for their child with SEN

I

f your son or daughter is struggling to access school, keep up with their peers, or has a physical or learning disability, they may have special educational needs (SEN).

In England, there is a system of support for learners with SEN which is intended to ensure SEN are properly identified and catered for. The vast majority of learners with SEN will be supported in school. However, for those with the most complex needs, additional assessment, support and funding is available from the local authority.

If you think your child may have SEN, the first step will be to speak with your child’s teacher or nursery class leader. They will then speak with the member of staff appointed to manage SEN – the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).

support should be made. This plan should follow the “assess, plan, do, review” model: assess the need; plan the support; do the work with the young person; and review any progress and modify the plan accordingly.

The review stage should normally be at the end of each term and the plan stage at the beginning of each term. Parents should be involved in agreeing targets for the programme, and you should be clear on the support that is being provided, by whom and how the progress will be monitored and evaluated.

If your child’s school, nursery or college are unhelpful in providing support, or the support they provide is not sufficient, it is possible to seek additional support from your local authority.

What should schools do?

What if the school can’t or won’t help?

If, following discussion with you, the school, college or nursery, agree that your child has SEN, a plan for additional

If your child requires support beyond that which their school, college or

Families have a legal right to be involved in decisions about their child’s SEN provision.

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

If the local authority agrees to make an assessment, the process should take ten weeks nursery can provide, it is possible to secure support from your local authority. This support will be through a document called an education, health and care (EHC) plan. This is a legally binding document that sets out the support and school placement your child should receive. The process of securing an EHC plan can be difficult and is explained below.

EHC needs assessment The first stage is to request an EHC needs assessment. As long as you have not requested an assessment in the last six months, your local authority must consider the request. Within six weeks of the request, the local authority must confirm whether it will make the assessment.

An assessment must be completed if your child has SEN and the provision they require might mean that an EHC plan is necessary.

If the local authority agrees to make an assessment, the process should take ten weeks. The local authority must secure advice from you, your child, your child’s educational placement, educational psychologist, medical professionals, social care and any other experts you “reasonably request”. It is very important to be clear with your local authority what assessments you want undertaken from the outset. >> SENISSUE91

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PARENTS’ RIGHTS

If the local authority refuses to make an EHC needs assessment, you have a right of appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST).

Draft EHC plan On the basis of the information obtained during the EHC needs assessment, the local authority will decide if it is necessary to issue an EHC plan for your child. There is no set format for these plans and each authority uses its only layout. It must, however, set out your child’s education, health and social care needs, the provision for those needs, their educational placement and any personal budget arrangements.

If the authority refuse to make a draft plan, you will again have a right of appeal to SENDIST. If your local authority consider that your child does need an EHC plan, you will be issued with a draft EHC plan.

Once you receive a draft plan, you will have 15 days to make representations about its content. You will also be expected to express a preference for a school or educational institution that you want your child to attend.

Final EHC plan Following receipt of your representations regarding the draft EHC plan, the local authority will prepare a final plan.

The local authority must only make changes to the draft following your representations. It cannot make any other changes. The final EHC plan must name either a specific school or a type of school. The school named in an EHC plan is the school that your child or young person must attend, unless you make alternative arrangements. If the school named is a fee-paying school, the local authority will be liable for those fees unless you have reached an alternative agreement with the authority.

If you have expressed a preference for a particular school, even if it is an independent school, there is typically a strong presumption in favour of that placement. The local authority can SENISSUE91

refuse to name your preferred school only if it is unsuitable, it is significantly more expensive than another suitable school and/or admitting your child to the school would negatively impact the education of other pupils at the school.

If you disagree with the description of your child’s educational needs, educational provision or the placement named, you will have a right of appeal to SENDIST.

Appeal to SENDIST The local authority may make decisions that you do not agree with which can be challenged to the SENDIST, including: • a refusal to make an EHC needs assessment • a refusal to issue an EHC plan following an EHC needs assessment • the content of an EHC plan • the school named in an EHC plan • changes made to an EHC plan after an annual review • a refusal to make a change to an EHC plan after an annual review.

An appeal is started by an appeal form. In many cases, you will need to secure a mediation certificate before you are able to start an appeal. You should check with the Tribunal or take specialist legal advice about whether your type of appeal requires a mediation certificate.

Once the Tribunal receives the appeal form, it will process the appeal and apply a timetable to it. The Tribunal is currently listing hearings using a standard 12-week process. The timetable is normally as follows: • Week 5 – the local authority must send its response to your appeal • Week 9 – all further evidence must be submitted • Week 12 – the final hearing takes place.

Your appeal timetable will be set out in a letter the Tribunal will send you.

It is very important that you read that letter carefully and make a note of all the relevant dates. You must comply with every deadline.

The final EHC plan must name either a specific school, or a type of school

It is very important to be specific when lodging grounds for appeal. Once the case is presented, the local authority will respond. You will receive a copy of this response, following which you will need to file all additional evidence approximately one month before the final hearing. The Tribunal will only allow you to provide evidence after the deadline if it gives you permission to do so.

Witnesses can be called to attend the final hearing, but the Tribunal will usually limit the number allowed.

Currently, the limit is three witnesses for SEN appeals and five for disability discrimination appeals. If you wanted to bring more witnesses, you would need to make a special application.

Further information Ed Duff is Senior Associate Solicitor, Education Law Department at HCB Solicitors: www.hcbgroup.com

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SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION NEEDS

Bercow: Ten Years On A decade after John Bercow’s critical report on SLCN provision, Mandy Grist asks if much has changed

I

n primary schools, more children have speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) than any other SEN – a statistic that remains constant year on year. However, despite the fact that SLCN is so common, it is often the case that these children’s needs are misinterpreted or misunderstood and this can impact on the support they receive.

The implication of so many children and young people with SEN having difficulties with communication and language is huge. The ability to communicate and use language to both learn and enjoy daily life is crucial. The evidence relating to the importance of having good language skills for later learning is strong; vocabulary at age five, for example, is a strong SENISSUE91

predictor of the qualifications achieved at school leaving age and beyond. Poor communication and language skills at an early age can have a lifelong impact.

88 per cent of long-term unemployed men have speech, language and communication needs. This is why it is essential that children are given the support they need as early as possible, so they can reach their potential in school, but also importantly in terms of their self-esteem, their friendships and opportunities later into adulthood.

Support for children and young people with SLCN Nearly ten years ago, John Bercow MP led a cross-government review of services for children and young people with SLCN. At that time, he found huge

Poor communication and language skills at an early age can have a lifelong impact variability in services across local areas.

He identified a significant need for the children’s workforce to understand the importance of speech, language and communication, how to identify problems as early as possible and put effective interventions in place. But since then, we have seen a significant overhaul to the education and health systems and considerable change in the landscape for children’s services.

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SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION NEEDS

These changes, alongside devolution to local government and radical change to the way support for SEN and disabilities is provided has resulted in an unclear picture; is the situation better now than it was ten years ago?

To gain an understanding of how services have changed, I CAN, the children’s communication charity and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists are producing Bercow: Ten Years On, an independent review into services for children and young people with SLCN. A core aim of the review is to learn from what is happening on the ground for children, young people and their families so we can identify and describe features of innovative, effective practice in supporting children and young people with SLCN and make recommendations for systemic change where needed.

An extensive evidence-gathering phase of the review took place throughout the first half of 2017, closing at the end of July. More than 2,500 people shared their views via a number of routes, including written evidence, online surveys, a number of oral evidence sessions and a series of focus groups with children and young people; practitioners, commissioners, families, employers all provided insight into their experiences of SLCN support. Evidence revealed stories of good practice and challenges around the themes of impact of poor support (youth offending, mental health and young people on the edge of care), services for very young children, commissioning, low incidence/high needs and social disadvantage.

The data will be used to inform the outcomes of the review.

The focus of the review has now shifted; this phase includes analysis of evidence, assimilation of information and development of a set of hardhitting recommendations and calls to action for a range of stakeholders.

These will focus on local and national government, systems leaders and practitioners on the ground supporting children and young people with SLCN. WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Where it happens joint commissioning is effective, but it is rare

A robust process of “testing” these out in a number of ways is in place to ensure that as well as being impactful they reflect challenges at each level.

What does the survey say?

At the time of the first Bercow review, the vision was that SLCN would become mainstreamed – an integral part of the fabric of services for children and young people. Has that happened? The truth is probably not, but there have been some positive developments. For example, in 2008, 30 per cent of respondents to the survey felt that expertise of school staff was good or excellent; ten years on, this has increased to 48 per cent.

The evidence therefore tells us that we have a more confident workforce. Of course, positive steps haven’t been seen across the board and there is still more to do but there is a sense of moving in the right direction.

Analysis has identified consistent themes coming out of the evidence.

The commissioning landscape has matured, and where it happens joint commissioning is effective, but it is rare.

Financial cuts in local authorities have meant shrinking specialist services such as speech and language therapy, but although much more is known about the most effective models, cuts do not reflect this. As a result, provision is fragmented and not “joined up” leaving parents frustrated, with unacceptable difficulty accessing support.

In the most effective services, children’s SLCN is integrated into local strategy: children are routinely screened as early as 18 months; schools analyse their data knowing that poor progress in literacy, exclusion and mental health issues are red flags for SLCN; youth offending services know the prevalence

of SLCN and screen in, not out; services regularly collect and analyse outcome data not just numbers of children seen or assessments carried out. Clearly, for many people there is still a need for the case to be made for prioritising, identifying and supporting SLCN; early identification and intervention can save money in the short- and long-term.

Ten years on Of course, recommendations arising from Bercow: Ten Years On must not only identify what will make the most difference for children and young people but also must identify the levers that will allow this to happen.

For example, joint local area SEN and disability inspections are proving to be a driver for change; they provide a vehicle for highlighting best practice.

But where practice is inadequate is there the potential to require a review resulting in a joint commissioning plan for SLCN? Is there the potential to share best practice through thematic reviews similar to those arising from Ofsted surveys in schools?

The publication of the report in March 2018, along with supporting tools, resources and materials, will seek to provide a platform from which the issue of support for children and young people with SLCN can be highlighted and promoted, with the opportunity to influence and inform to make support for speech, language and communication everyone’s business.

Further information

Mandy Grist is Project Manager of Bercow: Ten Years On, a review being conducted by I CAN, in partnership with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, into the state of provision for children’s speech, language and communication needs (SLCN): www.ican.org.uk/What-we-do/ Bercow

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HYDROCEPHALUS

Learning with hydrocephalus Andrew H.D. Wynd outlines some practical ideas to help teaching staff support pupils with hydrocephalus

F

or some children with hydrocephalus, difficulties with learning can be less obvious initially and can become quite challenging to cope with as expectations increase. It’s therefore important, if you teach or support a child with hydrocephalus, to be aware of the condition and the impact it can have on the individual.

What is hydrocephalus?

Everyone has cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which circulates around the brain and spinal cord to protect the brain and keep it healthy by removing unnecessary waste products.

People with hydrocephalus have an excessive amount of CSF which builds up and puts pressure on the brain, squashing the delicate tissues and causing the chambers or ventricles within the brain to swell. Without

No matter how it is treated, hydrocephalus can only be managed but cannot be cured

What does it mean for children? treatment, damage to brain tissues may occur. Symptoms depend on the cause of the hydrocephalus, the age at which it develops and the extent of damage to the brain.

The usual treatment for hydrocephalus is surgery, usually to insert a shunt (long tube) that drains fluid from the brain, normally into the abdominal cavity, allowing the fluid to drain away. With treatment, it’s possible that children may lead an independent life, depending on the cause of the

Most children with hydrocephalus will need an individual education plan.

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condition. However, there may be ongoing neurological problems which affect learning and development. No matter how it is treated, hydrocephalus can only be managed but cannot be cured.

There is a danger that the needs of children with hydrocephalus can often be overlooked or misunderstood and as a result they may under-achieve.

Children with hydrocephalus will have varying degrees of difficulty and, like all children, will have their individual strengths and weaknesses. An essential aspect to helping children achieve is the commitment of staff to creating a positive and purposeful climate for learning, characterised by mutual respect, trust and an understanding of the condition.

Common issues children with hydrocephalus may experience include difficulties with: learning and concentration, behaviour and emotions, attention span, organisational skills, and taking spoken and written words literally.

These children may also experience difficulties with visual processing, coordination, fine motor skills, noise sensitivity and sensory overload.

Things to consider: • ensure every member of staff working with the child knows what support is needed • keep instructions clear and to the point • use visual learning with a range of multi-media, pictures and written prompts WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

HYDROCEPHALUS

• use play strategies • help with de-cluttering and organising their immediate learning environment • use repetition, giving more opportunities to practice new things • use short-term targets • be patient.

Learning challenges Executive functioning Although the neurological implications of hydrocephalus vary between individuals, there are a number of areas where many children and young people may have difficulties. Two of the most common that educators report are motivation and task initiation.

Some children with hydrocephalus may struggle to initiate their learning, and be much more reliant on teacherled activities. These skills are part of individual executive functioning, the “control centre” for behaviour. Executive skills can be divided into two areas: cognition (working memory, planning/ prioritisation, organisation and time management) and behaviour (response inhibition, task initiation, emotional control, sustained attention, goaldirected persistence and flexibility).

Teaching staff should plan for active learning approaches to be a regular and supportive feature of children’s learning. Children’s experiences, particularly in the area of numeracy, need to be meaningful while still allowing for progression in learning.

Communication Language skills, including comprehension (understanding of language) and expression (production of language) are incredibly important for learning in the classroom and in everyday life. There is a need for young people to be able to communicate effectively both face-to-face and in writing through an increasing range of media. These skills can be more difficult for children with hydrocephalus as they may have difficulty with some aspects of understanding of language and literacy.

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

These difficulties are often masked by adequate expressive language skills

These difficulties are often masked by adequate expressive language skills; in fact, many young people with hydrocephalus have excellent reading skills which can further mask problems with language, but we need to be aware that reading and comprehending are two different skills.

Therefore, it is important to think of the language and literacy experiences provided for children.

The best experiences are those that are embedded into everyday routines, which allow children to learn in meaningful contexts.

Health and wellbeing If children and young people are healthy and emotionally secure they will be more able to develop the capacity to live a full life. With a sense of wellbeing, and an understanding of what it entails, they will be better able to deal with the unexpected and cope with adversity.

They should also be able to recognise and deal with the many different pressures in life, make healthy choices and identify when they need support.

It is useful to use the agreed shortterm targets as a weekly working document with the child. This acts as a reminder of the next steps in learning, the child’s achievements and progress.

Staff have a responsibility to ensure that targets are regularly reviewed with the child or young person and parents to ensure the best possible provision.

The need for multi-agency partnerships is essential to ensure that children benefit from the earliest possible intervention. Working alongside and building partnerships with parents is paramount in achieving success for all children. Time invested in finding out wider information about a child who has hydrocephalus and their particular needs and issues is well spent. This may include, finding out which agencies are involved, communicating frequently with parents to create a shared understanding of a child’s needs, being responsive and showing understanding that you value their input and knowledge about their child.

Every child and young person is entitled to the support that will enable them to fulfil their potential. Children with hydrocephalus are no different. If you have a child with hydrocephalus in your class, reflect on what you need to know about that child and what you can do better to help them progress.

Moving forward, this will help you “get it right” for every child.

Working together Supporting children and young people in their learning involves people both within and outside the school setting, including parents and carers, early learning and childcare staff, primary teachers, secondary teachers, support staff and a wide range of other professionals. In most cases, children will require an individual education plan (IEP) or in some cases a coordinated support plan (in Scotland). Plans should take account of the views of the child, their parents, school staff and other relevant agencies. They should contain long- and short-term targets for the child to confidently achieve.

Further information

Andrew H. D. Wynd MBE is CEO of Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland: www.hydrocephalusscotland.org.uk

Photo courtesy of Shine: www.shinecharity.org.uk

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BETT 2018 Advertisement feature

Bett: the hub for inspirational practice in SEN We’re living in a period of rapid change, and the role of education has never been more important. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, in many industries and countries, the most indemand occupations or current specialties did not exist ten or even five years ago. Popular estimates, meanwhile, suggest the jobs that 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will work in don’t even exist yet.

Preparing pupils for this sort of unknown future is challenging and exciting for schools, and it’s one of the primary reasons that so many educators gather each January at Bett – to discuss education, its challenges and the different ways in which educators are rising to meet them. The role of technology, meanwhile, is changing just as rapidly as our economies are. No longer a separate part of the curriculum and no longer used in prescribed ways, edtech can be used to break down the many barriers that SEN pupils often face. From assistive technology and adaptive learning to lesson content that enables easy differentiation, technology and effective practice is key for meeting the needs of all pupils, and for managing data, workload and assessment. But changes in the ways we teach, learn and consume information are combined with the rising importance of skills such as resilience, collaboration and problem-solving. The value in coming together to explore these changes and share the ways in which schools are navigating them has never been higher.

What’s on at Bett Over 200 SEN suppliers will be showcasing their latest products across four days at Bett 2018, offering visitors the opportunity to touch, test and evaluate vital resources. The specialist suppliers join over 800 education suppliers, from global technology giants to exciting edtech start-ups. The opportunity to trial and test resources is perhaps one of the most valuable features of Bett, particularly when purchases need to demonstrate clear value to schools for whom budgets are under pressure. One of the more organic benefits of time at the event meanwhile, is the opportunity to meet other education professionals. These opportunities enable visitors to find out more about the practicalities and realities of meeting the needs of all pupils – including those with SEN – and

build meaningful relationships with other schools amongst the thriving Bett community.

The wide range of resources are complemented by inspirational content addressing the priorities, opportunities and challenges in education. Topics range from meeting the needs of all pupils, being effective with budgets, managing teacher workload and dealing with recruitment and retention issues, to solutions that manage pupil progress and attainment and methods of creative teaching.

Some of the key tech themes being explored will include the effective assessment of computing learning, demonstrating the value of tech to senior leadership teams, infrastructure and having the bandwidth and systems in place to support good tech in the classroom.

Bett’s mission is to bring together people, ideas, practices and technologies so that educators and learners can fulfil their potential. Bett 2018 is future focused in many ways; it’s bringing the future of learning to life, with all its excitement and vibrancy, to help educators not just imagine the upcoming careers of all of their pupils, but really get to grips with how to get them there.

Underpinning it all is the belief that everyone has a role to play in transforming education, and that education should be accessible and exciting for each and every student.

Bett 2018 will run over four days, from 24 to 27 January 2018 at ExCeL London. For more information, to find out more about the programme of content and to register for your free pass, visit: www.bettshow.com

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Can SENCOs train their colleagues?

Kate Sarginson asks if SENCOs have the support and authority they need to instruct staff on SEN

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rom 1992, it has been a requirement to provide beginning teachers with a basic introduction to SEN as part of their initial training. For the fulfilment of the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), competency in teaching pupils with SEN and disabilities is specified, yet academic research has repeatedly shown that the quality of SEN input during initial teacher training (ITT) is poor, and as a result, newly qualified teachers (NQTs) do not feel confident in this aspect of their role.

It may be surprising to learn that no specific guidance is in place which stipulates the content, amount of coverage and nature of delivery of SEN input during teacher training. There SENISSUE91

The reality is often a single practitioner, with sole responsibility, working in isolation

during initial teacher training being widely understood to be inadequate, bizarrely, no alternative strategy has been put in place to specifically address it – perhaps other than the expectation that the SENCO could, and should, advise and train their colleagues.

But how realistic is this for a SENCO to achieve?

are fundamental flaws in the teacher training system regarding SEN, and as a result, academics, Ofsted and the UK government have repeatedly called for improvements, yet no significant changes have ever been implemented.

SEN content in training has changed very little in the last 35 years – a scenario which has been likened to a Groundhog Day. Despite SEN input

A poisoned chalice?

Since the introduction of the SEN Code of Practice in 1994, the SENCO has had a training element specified as part of their role in whole-school strategy development and management. The Code has been revised and updated over the years, but has always continued to refer specifically to the SENCO’s “pivotal” role in training, advising and WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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leading colleagues to improve the quality of teaching for children and young people with SEN. By assigning the SENCO a much more explicit role in leading and instructing others in schools it perhaps goes some way to admit that ITT does not fully prepare teachers for inclusive classrooms, as there is no other area of teaching where the need for additional instruction is required and stated. However, similarly to ITT, it was never specified how SENCOs would ensure they had the opportunity, time, resources and support from colleagues and senior management to train their colleagues. It seemed to be implied that there would be no opposition or challenges to overcome. Yet influencing the practice of others is not an easy feat.

Referred to as a “poisoned chalice” over 20 years ago, the SENCO role was then described as “difficult, if not impossible”. In the years that followed, the SENCO’s remit widened, as policy acknowledged more than the dayto-day operations of the role were needed. Although policy intended that the SENCO position was that of a whole-school inclusive leader who operated with the support of those above them, and their colleagues, the reality is often a single practitioner, with sole responsibility, working in isolation.

Competing demands It can be argued that, sadly, many teachers still do not recognise that they are responsible for students with SEN. I believe that this can be sourced back to having a poor introduction to this aspect of teaching during the initial training phase. Lack of opportunity to discuss the theoretical underpinnings of inclusive education, either in training or when in post, could lead on to the development of negative or uninformed attitudes towards inclusion.

Furthermore, the very existence of the SENCO role and their departments could contribute to the view that teaching children with SEN is a specialist, separate job and therefore limited or no action by mainstream teachers is required. The creation of WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SEN departments, and the presence of other adults in the classroom such as teaching assistants, whose job it is to work specifically with individual children with SEN and disabilities, often by withdrawing them, could be seen to de-skill mainstream classroom teachers and send a confusing message about responsibility.

Lack of status is cited by SENCOs as one of the key inhibitors to their performance

SENCOs are charged with the task of changing practice to be more inclusive, but may not have the authority to do so. Policy expectations assume a leadership role and a rank which commands respect and ensures compliance, and as such it was suggested that due to the level of responsibility and scope, the SENCO should be a member of the school’s senior leadership team. However, initial findings show that this recommendation has not been taken up by schools. In a nasen study of SENCOs, only 33 per cent of secondary school respondents were on the senior leadership team. It is unsurprising that lack of status is cited

by SENCOs as one of the key inhibitors to their performance. If SENCOs do not feel they have the standing to insist upon practice changes and/or their colleagues don’t recognise their authority to train them, then another barrier to practice change has been created. If a SENCO is not on the senior leadership team, what guarantees are there that colleagues will respond positively to the advice, instruction and feedback they are given, and what follow up procedures are in place to ensure accountability?

the form of five outcomes, though “Strategic development” and “Leading, developing and supporting colleagues” are the most pertinent two here, and by including these aspects, the Award reemphasises the leadership and training elements of the role.

Although the routes into teaching are now more varied than ever, what is not changing is the prevalence of children with SEN being taught in mainstream classrooms by often ill-equipped mainstream teachers, supported in an almost impossible task by the SENCO. The SEN Code of Practice was informed by the general principle that schools should and could meet the needs of children, yet the training provision does not seem to have kept pace. This might become increasingly crucial if the role of training teachers is increasingly devolved to educational settings as a replacement for traditional higher education routes. What potential role could and should SENCOs have in this process?

Lagging behind The development of SENCO’s knowledge and skills has been brought into greater focus by the creation of specific CPD for the role. Since 2009, it has been a requirement for every new SENCO in a mainstream school to gain a Master’s level qualification called the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination within three years of their appointment.

Influencing practice is specified in

Further information

Kate Sarginson is an experienced teacher and SENCO who has worked in specialist, mainstream, state and independent education.

She has a Masters in Inclusive Education, is currently completing an MPhil in Education (where she has researched the role of the SENCO in influencing practice) and will be starting a new role as an assistant headteacher in January 2018.

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ART THERAPY

Why art therapy?

Auriel Sarah Eagleton looks at what neuroscience has to say about the benefits of art therapy

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hen asked about his experience of art therapy, a young boy with dyslexia replied, “I feel proud”, while gesturing to his creations. An older boy on the autism spectrum responded to the same question saying: “I feel understood”.

The importance of pride for a child who struggles to keep up at school and suffers low self-esteem, cannot be underestimated. Nor can the significance of feeling understood to a child who struggles with social relationships.

Both of these experiences of art therapy are suggestive, not only of the curative potential of the arts but also of the importance of the relationship between therapist and child, supporting the unique and intimate processes of an evolving sense of self.

What is art therapy?

Art therapy isn't simply about making art, teaching art or instructing a child’s art making. Crucially, art therapy is about making art in the company of a masters level-trained arts therapist who can help to regulate difficult emotions, broaden perspective and work toward equipping the child with the tools they need to navigate life with increased confidence and resilience.

Art therapy offers children a safe form of emotional expression and communication that is unrestricted by language and communication difficulties.

Some art therapists work with the broad array of sensory materials available to the visual arts, such as paint, clay, pastels and collage.

Others integrate further modalities, including sand play, creative writing, storytelling, puppetry, drama, music, SENISSUE91

Art therapy can provide a link between a child’s internal and external world.

dance and movement. Whichever approach is taken, art therapy provides children with opportunities to explore different sensory materials and to express themselves.

Art therapy for SEN Children with learning disabilities can struggle with low self-esteem, isolation and behavioural difficulties related to challenges they might face with communication, academic performance and feelings of not fitting in or not understanding social norms and expectations. For children struggling with such difficulties, art therapy offers a bridge between the child's inner world and the outside world, enabling them to express their inner turmoil in the company of a safe and regulating adult. The therapist can then act as an “auxiliary cortex” (Diamond et al., 1963), empathetically helping the child to recognise, label and regulate emotions whilst, if appropriate, assisting them to understand and adjust to social and cultural expectations.

The art therapist adapts their approach according to the individual needs of the child they are treating and can focus on specific outcomes, for example:

• building self-esteem • supporting mentalization processes (the capacity to read and understand ones own and other people’s emotions and motivations) • developing coping skills • working through trauma in a safe, non-intrusive way • developing interpersonal skills and reciprocity • building frustration tolerance • supporting sensory integration • promoting internal locus of control (developing the child's capacity to identify choice and exercise appropriate levels of control in their life) • teaching and supporting selfregulation • working with children, teachers and families to attend to specific behavioural difficulties.

Some of these goals will be particularly relevant to children with SEN. For example, many children with SEN experience higher levels of external control over their lives and have to develop much greater frustration tolerance to cope with the challenges of “keeping up” with what might seem easy for other children. Emotions WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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associated with feeling different can impact on self-esteem and have an isolating effect, further impacting on the development of interpersonal and mentalization skills.

The arts can offer an emotional outlet whilst simultaneously supporting the child's sense of being understood.

By creating and exploring symbolic images, children are able to develop their own understanding and to communicate their perspective to the arts therapist, without being limited by the words and narratives of the adults in their lives. This can be especially relevant when helping a child to understand and process a diagnosis, for example. Diagnoses are given by adults; children are assessed and spoken about by adults in the process.

Art therapy can support children to explore and express their personal narratives around diagnosis, what it means to them, how they experience their additional needs and how they would like others to support them. Since reflective and communication skills may not be sufficiently developed to do this verbally (this can be challenging for the most articulate adult), the arts can support children to find a voice.

Art therapy for learning Neuroscience increasingly demonstrates the importance of the arts for both cognitive and emotional development (Malchiodi, 2012).

The creative process of art-making activates multiple areas of the brain (Kaufman, 2013; Bolwerk et al., 2014).

Healthy brain functioning is correlated with the integration of different brain structures (Cozolino, 2002). By activating different brain regions, art therapy might provide a means of exercising the whole brain, supporting integration, brain plasticity and healthy brain functioning.

Speaking on education, Louis Cozolino, a psychologist and professor renowned for his writing on the neuroscience of psychotherapy and education, suggests that learning is best supported by a multi-modal approach in which cognitive, emotional, sensory and physical experiences combine: “There is a greater likelihood that learning will generalize outside the classroom if it is organized across sensory, physical, emotional and cognitive networks…"

(Cozolino, 2013).

Cozolino places special emphasis on the significance of visual stimulus for learning: “We have an amazing capacity for visual memory, and written or spoken information paired with visual information results in better recall…"

(Cozolino, 2013).

In art therapy, different modalities and sensory materials are used to explore dominant themes and to support intended outcomes. Even when movement is not explicitly part of the therapy, processes of

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The creative process of art-making activates multiple areas of the brain painting, moulding, playing, gesturing and vocalising add physicality to the areas of emotion, cognition and symbolic representation pursued through the arts. The tactile nature of different art therapy materials and the kinaesthetic processes of creating and embodying art, can provide important opportunities for sensory integration (Hass-Cohen, 2008).

While our cultural perception of the arts often limits creativity to the domain of leisure and recreation, creativity using the arts entails complex thought processes and physical mastery. For example, when painting a picture the brain is engaged in thinking about shape, form, colour, light, scale, relationship, perspective and symbolic meaning. This is an abstract thought process that is then translated into two-dimensional form through careful attention and the action of painting.

In art therapy, this is done with the intention of conveying meaning from one mind to another, expressing or eliciting feeling. The process of making art to convey something of depth and importance to another is very powerful and necessitates a high level of cognitive and emotional planning.

Additionally, the use of the arts to support communication skills and social development can be furthered through small art therapy groups.

This can work well in schools, where children might need extra support to form friendships with peers.

Self-regulation for learning The stress reducing and regulating qualities of art therapy directly support learning. “Stressful situations trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which interferes with neural growth.

“Excited” painting with hands.

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"Prolonged stress impairs our ability to learn and maintain physical health...

Success in school depends upon a student’s ability to somehow decrease their stress..." (Cozolino, 2013).

Studies have demonstrated the stress-relieving effects of art-making, showing reduced cortisol levels after 45 minutes of engagement with the arts (Kaimal et al., 2016). Furthermore, the art therapist attends very carefully to the body language of children they work with, noticing the impact of different sensory experiences

Studies have demonstrated the stress-relieving effects of art-making and any physical tension or signs of distress a child might exhibit. Many art therapists are informed by the growing emphasis on self-regulation supported by neuroscience findings. Selfregulation techniques, involving breath, movement, the capacity to observe and tolerate emotional responses and

painful thoughts, while maintaining choice over behaviour, can be taught during the course of therapy. It can take time to master self-regulation but children with these skills and capacities are better equipped for navigating life challenges and maintaining an internal equilibrium that is supportive of learning and development.

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• Bolwerk, A., Mack-Andrick, J., Lang, F. R., Dörfler, A. and Maihöfner, C. (2014) How art changes your brain: Differential effects of visual art production and cognitive art evaluation on functional brain connectivity. PLoS ONE, 9(7).

• Cozolino, L. (2002) The neuroscience of psychotherapy : building and rebuilding the human brain. New York: Norton.

• Cozolino, L. (2013) The social neuroscience of education : optimizing attachment and learning in the classroom. New York: W. W. Norton &

Whole brain-body benefits As our understanding of development and wellbeing evolves, there is general consensus that interventions that treat the whole person are most effective.

The mind-body integration of the arts therapies certainly offers possibilities for the activation and expression of the whole person. It is also increasingly clear that emotions form a part of cognition and that learning and neural growth and development is best supported by nurturing and enriched environments. As Cozolino suggests, the “magic" of art therapy is perhaps the combination of a nurturing relationship and the enriching qualities of the arts: “...the client-therapist brain can ‘fire together’ in the service of regulating affect, creating new avenues of expression, and enhancing neural connectivity. Pretty good magic…”

(Cozolino, 2015).

Choosing an art therapist

A family portrait in clay.

Bibliography

The scope of art therapy is broad and this article offers only a limited definition of it. Art therapy can be offered individually and in groups, at school and privately. In schools, art therapists can be instrumental in developing creative, inclusionpromoting strategies to support both teachers and children.

If you are looking for an art therapist to work with your child, it is important to ask the therapist about their approach and to explore how they might work with your child's needs.

Early intervention is important and art therapy can be initiated at any age.

Art therapy can be beneficial at any stage in life. It is as valuable to adults as it is to children.

Company.

• Cozolino, L. (2015) Forward. In Hass-Cohen N. & Findlay, J. C. (ed.) Art Therapy and the Neuroscience of Relationships, Creativity and Resiliency. Kindle, New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

• Diamond, S., Balvin, R. and Diamond, F. (1963) Inhibition and choice. New York: Harper & Row. • Hass-Cohen (2008) Partnering of Art Therapy and Clinical Neuroscience. In Carr, R. and Hass-Cohen, N. (eds) Art Therapy and Clinical Neuroscience. Kindle, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

• Kaimal, G., Ray, K. and Muniz, J. (2016) Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making. Art Therapy.

• Kaufman, S. B. (2013) The Real Neuroscience of Creativity. Scientific American. [Online] [Accessed on 2nd October 2017] https://blogs. scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/thereal-neuroscience-of-creativity/.

• Malchiodi, C. (2012) Art Therapy and the Brain.

In Handbook of Art Therapy. 2nd edition, New York: Guilford Press.

• Sousa, D. (2012) How the Brain Learns. 4th ed., Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Further information

Auriel Sarah Eagleton is an HCPC registered Integrative Arts Psychotherapist who specialises in learning difficulties. She is based at the London Art Therapy Centre: www.arttherapycentre.com Auriel is also co-founder of the Art Therapy Cabin, a woodland based therapy centre offering environmental arts therapy to adults and children: www.aurieleagleton.com www.therapycabin.co.uk For further information about art therapy and registered therapists, visit: www.baat.org

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Scotland’s school children invited to enter Fringe Festival Poster Competition The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and champion artist Ursula Kam-Ling Cheng (pictured) have launched the 2018 Fringe Schools Poster Competition. Ursula, an illustrator and live drawing artist based in Glasgow, invited schoolchildren across Scotland to submit their artistic impressions of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe through any form of creative art, with three winning entries to feature as the official posters for the 2018 Fringe.

This year’s competition will be judged in three different age categories, Primary 1 - 3, Primary 4 - 7, and Senior 1 - 6.

One overall winner will be selected in each age category, alongside 14 regional winners. Winning designs will feature in an exhibition, alongside 150 other shortlisted entries, that will take place at Dynamic Earth between June and August 2018.

The Creative Stars award will also return in 2018 for the individual pupil, teacher, class or school who go the extra mile in creating their Fringe poster design. In 2017, the winners of this award were Castlebrae Community High School’s Lunchtime Art Club, who ran a collaborative workshop with pupils, sharing ideas and working together to create their final artwork.

The Schools Poster Competition will be supported again this year by Virgin Money.

Ursula Kam-Ling Cheng has created artworks for Hidden Door Festival, Chemikal Underground Records and Urban Outfitters, amongst others. She will deliver a creative workshop with teachers, sit on the competition’s judging panel and attend the exhibition’s opening event as guest of honour.

“I am thrilled to act as champion artist for the 2018 Fringe Schools Poster Competition”, she says. “This is a fantastic opportunity for students across Scotland to engage in design and expression. The competition encourages imaginative minds to action their creativity and ideas, using any artform that appeals to them.”

The deadline for entries is 9 March 2018.

For information and to submit online entries, go to: www.edfringe.com/poster WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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Connecting the Artsmark community in the East Midlands The Mighty Creatives recently celebrated some of the success stories from the growing community of Artsmark schools, at their first Artsmark Celebration Event, Celebrating Artsmark, held at Nottingham Contemporary. The event recognised the efforts of all schools on their Artsmark journey, with eight levelled schools being awarded “Be Mighty, Be Creative” awards at the event.

Levelled schools so far in the East Midlands are: • Greenfield Primary School • Kirkby la Thorpe CE Primary Academy • Westfield Infant School • The William Allitt School • The Giles Academy • Hollingwood Primary School • St Giles School (Primary Special) • St Norberts Catholic Primary School • Manorfield C of E Primary School • Firfield Primary School • St Luke’s CE Primary school • Bridgewater Primary School • The Linnet Independent Learning Centre • Inglehurst Junior School • Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School • Alvaston Infant and Nursery School • All Hallows’ Church of England Primary School • Holywell Primary School • Hospital and Outreach Education, Northamptonshire SENISSUE91

• • • • • • •

Newton Solney C of E Infant School Abbeyfield secondary Baslow St Annes Primary C of E Academy Haydn Primary School Holgate Academy Queen Elizabeth High School Glebelands Primary School

Artsmark has been designed by schools, for schools, to align with school improvement plans and support core EBACC and STEM priorities, giving the curriculum breadth and balance.

As well as recognising schools that are making the arts come alive, the Artsmark award is a practical and valuable tool for enriching a school’s arts provision, whatever the starting point. www.themightycreatives.com

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All the world’s a stage…

Joanne Skapinker looks at how theatre can be used to empower learners with SEN "The pride that he takes in this, and the passion that he’s got for it, has really come bouncing out of him. And it does wonders for his confidence.

When he’s performing, he seems to be more centred and calm, and his anxieties decrease."

For the young actor described above, performing onstage is a particular joy, offering him the opportunity to tell a story to others, work as part of a theatrical company of young people and surprise himself with his abilities.

It’s especially important for him to find projects which strengthen friendships and decrease anxiety, as these are key challenges which form part of his dayto-day life with complex autism.

Theatre is, at its heart, about finding new ways to communicate with others around us, and about forming an ensemble – a team who will work together to understand each other. For young people facing additional barriers to learning, socialising, communication and participating in groups, it’s infinitely rich in opportunities.

A play is play Theatre can be for absolutely everybody.

Whether you are a teacher exploring drama as part of your curriculum, a carer looking for new activities for young people, or a parent keen to try out fun games at home, there are many accessible and enjoyable ways in. The first big question is where to begin.

When you start to plan for a theatremaking project for young people with SEN, it can be tempting to begin by deciding what the very end will look like: what exactly your young people would do in a performance or final session. If you are planning a show for an audience, it’s tricky and daunting WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Children can learn a lot when working collaboratively with others.

Sensory exploration is a great pathway into drama for many students with SEN to make these decisions at the very beginning. Your young people’s ideas, choices and preferences will provide the most specific, creative ideas to shape your project and ensure students feel a real sense of ownership and pride in their work at the end. Whether you are planning a school performance, or simply exploring activities at home, the best way to discover young people’s ideas is through play.

Games and improvisation activities can introduce the story and characters in a relaxed environment which young people will enjoy. For example, young people exploring Shakespeare’s Macbeth could try the game “Double Double”. Everyone makes a circle as a group and taps their knees to a rhythm.

The group sings the words “Double double, toil and trouble, fire burn and

cauldron bubble. Now it’s time for [participant’s name] to tell, what’s s/he putting in the spell?” Participants invent an ingredient which they would put in a witch’s spell – frogs’ legs or a fairy’s breath – or simply perform an action for that ingredient, which everyone copies.

During games, watch closely while you play and make notes about your young people’s best ideas, what holds their attention or makes them laugh, and which characters and actions they especially like to watch or perform. This will prompt plenty of thoughts about where to go next.

Exploring new worlds The worlds and characters of the story you’d like to tell will provide diverse and interesting opportunities for your young people to learn about the play. Think about all of the settings in the story and write them down. Are we inside or outside? What is the weather like?

Does the place change overtime? For example, does the forest become more overgrown as the story progresses?

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of the senses, including what we might see around us, feel underfoot, hear in the distance, smell in the air, or taste on our tongue.

Sensory exploration is a great pathway into drama for many students with SEN. Consider the space you will be working in: can you turn it into the world of the play so that students can experience it? Once, while studying The Tempest, we projected a big picture of the sea on the floor of the classroom and used a fan and water sprays to experience what the weather would feel like. You might set up a series of small sandboxes, with wet sand and dry sand, to think about the difference between a stormy and a sunny beach.

This enables non-verbal students to enjoy improvising within the play’s world by playing with the sensory environment to contribute their ideas.

Inexpensive sensory resources to explore include feathers, bottles of scent, bubbles, pillows, fabrics and torches. Music is also one of the most powerful and easily accessible tools in your sensory toolbox; consider which genre or instruments would best evoke the universe of your play.

Building your ensemble Making theatre with your young people enables them to learn about working together and becoming an ensemble.

Whilst this can be an initial challenge for some people with SEN, it can

Making theatre with your young people enables them to learn about working together

have a long-lasting legacy in other projects and in teaching, as well as in students’ lives. One teacher reported: “My students find it difficult to relate to others, understand their own feelings and emotions, show empathy or communicate effectively with others.

Through the process the students are precision taught to connect with and support each other. Come the curtain call, my students are often elated; they certainly want to do it again. They have experienced a change. Things they found extremely challenging are overcome.”

To work on creating an ensemble, challenge your group to make a big shape together using just themselves.

For example, you could make a ship, with young people as the bow, rigging and wheel. Use different levels and ensure everyone is linked to someone else in the shape. Everybody in the room is a vital part of your ensemble, so make sure that teaching assistants, carers or even other family members have a part to play too, whether it’s

taking photos so that you can market your production or being a part of the storytelling.

Communicate!

As the “theatre director” for your project, you are also the storytellerin-chief. Young people will imitate your energy and ideas and you are their single biggest motivator. It’s important to model the enthusiasm that you would like to see from the room; show your young people how a character might move, so that they can copy you and feel confident to add their own ideas too.

It’s also important to consider all of your young people’s diverse talents as storytellers. Every way in which human beings can communicate can be a part of how an audience will understand and enjoy your story. So, if your young people use BSL, Makaton, switches, PECS, eye contact, or singing, make sure that these are part of how their character acts onstage. For example, one student with PMLD, who uses eye contact to communicate, played a vital role in a play by stopping an onstage battle with a single look, portraying a hugely powerful character.

Your young people will surprise you with their interests, talents, and enjoyment in the story you are telling together. One teacher reported, “Our dancers were questioned when I submitted our cast list for our show as being too ‘high risk’ a cohort of pupils; they can on occasion display extremely challenging and violent behaviour.

This work has helped to show their true potential and highlighted the importance of letting our pupils have a go and be truly aspirational.”

Further information

Taking part in a production can create an enormous sense of pride.

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Joanne Skapinker is a drama professional with a specialisation in inclusive practice. She works as Senior Festival Coordinator at cultural education charity Shakespeare Schools Foundation: www.shakespeareschools.org

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MUSIC THERAPY Advertisement feature

Changing lives through music The session ends with a massive crescendo: Zac is singing at the top of his voice and beating the drum with two sticks – but he’s not alone, a music therapist is also singing and playing the piano with enormous energy and commitment.

For someone who finds constructing a sentence challenging, Zac seems to have no problem in communicating through music.

The two of them are doing this together – and for Zac it’s a real contrast with most of his relationships with adults, often characterised by confrontation or aggression. Here there is creativity, fun and sharing, potential and possibility.

This is the Nordoff Robbins approach to music therapy – two (or more) people making music together in ways that open up all the valuable aspects of musical experience: anticipation, shared purpose and shared musical expression. These experiences and opportunities can be particularly valuable for people with special educational needs, as they can be difficult to access in other ways.

Nordoff Robbins music therapy Having special educational needs doesn’t mean that Zac doesn’t have musicality or the capacity to be engaged and drawn out into shared musical expression – from a Nordoff Robbins perspective, that’s true of absolutely everyone. It just takes time, listening, work, imagination and craft.

Nordoff Robbins is the largest independent music therapy charity in the UK, dedicated to changing the lives of vulnerable and isolated people, and helping them to communicate and improve their wellbeing through the skilled use of music. Sessions like Zac’s – based in an active musical recognition of his creativity and readiness to engage, and the importance of this in helping him to fulfil his potential – are provided by Nordoff Robbins music therapists across the country every day of the week.

The Nordoff Robbins approach is person-centred, and therapists work flexibly in a range of settings; most sessions happen in places where people already are, like schools, hospitals, care homes, and community centres – but Nordoff Robbins also has dedicated centres and units around the country where people

can directly access their services for free. As well as bases in London and Manchester, from 2018 the charity will be opening a centre in Newcastle upon Tyne, thanks to the Graham Wylie Foundation.

Nordoff Robbins Master of Music Therapy It requires real musical skill on the part of the therapist to ensure Zac’s experience isn’t limited by the fact he’s not musically trained. The therapist continually makes fine judgements for when to wait, listen and hang back, when to accompany, and when to offer something new. To attain and fine-tune these skills, all Nordoff Robbins music therapists are trained on the internationally renowned Nordoff Robbins Master of Music Therapy programme (approved by the Health and Care Professions Council and validated by Goldsmiths, University of London).

The Masters programme is well established in both London and Manchester – and available in Newcastle from 2018 (subject to approval from the HCPC and from Goldsmiths). This means that for the very first time, musicians in the North East of England will have the opportunity to train locally as music therapists.

Music therapy is a demanding but very satisfying direction for musicians to work in: Nordoff Robbins is currently committed to employing at least 50 per cent of its graduates each year, and sees the new centre and training opportunity as the first step in making their music therapy much more widely accessible in the North East.

For more information on how to refer yourself or someone else to Nordoff Robbins music therapy, training as a music therapist, or the range of short introductory courses around the UK, please visit: www.nordoff-robbins.org.uk

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MESSY PLAY

Why kids should get messy

Messy play is a key developmental experience for children with SEN, writes Emma Mackenzie

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yes go wide and giggles escape while hands grip and grasp cooked pasta and shaving foam, tinned tomatoes and scented Playdough.

Fingers slip through the materials as they splash and crash to the floor, leaving hair and faces all around coated.

It’s a scene many parents, teachers and play workers know well – a scene that always ends up much messier than anticipated and leaves one scraping the remaining gloop off a surprising variety of surfaces. And yet, it’s a scene that is so important for children, particularly those with SEN. It’s a crucial developmental stage in a child’s life, says Corinna Laurie, highly specialist occupational therapist at Helen Allison School in Kent. It’s a way for children to learn about their surroundings, what’s hot, what’s cold, what feels nice and what doesn’t. “Every child needs to learn these aspects about their environment,” she says. “Messy play is a fantastic way for them to try new things.”

There’s no right way to do messy play, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Children can experiment however they like in order to develop their skills and understand more.

Some children who have varied abilities are also able to get involved,

adds Ivan Harper, Senior Play Worker at Edinburgh adventure playground The Yard. Sensory play in general – of which messy play is a sub category – is a communicative and inclusive way of playing. Traditionally, he says, many children would play physical games, such as tag, sports and climbing trees.

However, he says, nowadays there’s a push towards sensory style play, which is more inclusive of all children who want to get involved. Communication skills can also be developed through this form of play as children can interact with their peers in a less restricted way than sports or other play forms dictate.

Horses for courses Not all forms of messy play are for every child, though; knowing the individual and their likes and dislikes is crucial.

Allergies also need to be taken into consideration. As many children with SEN are curious creatures, some messy play may ultimately end up in someone’s mouth. In this case, it’s vital to have safe messy play, the kind that is able to be ingested should it happen to pop onto the tongue.

Autistic children often prefer or need control over what they’re doing, says Laurie. Which is why it is so important no-one is forced into playing and that it’s introduced to the child as a gradual

There’s no right way to do messy play, which makes it all the more enjoyable process. “There should always be a way out for a child, just in case the sensation becomes too much. The need for control can be a way of reducing anxiety caused by sensory overload,” she says.

She recommends starting off a messy play segment with dry materials – sand, bark or pasta, for example. And then once the child becomes OK with that, you can move on to the wet stuff such as paint, goop and shaving foam. Play to the child’s preferences too. If they like certain smells, add drops of the scent into goop or dough. If it’s more about colours, dying messy play bright hues is easy enough.

Laurie further stresses that it’s not an issue if clothes get messy. “That’s what kids do,” she says. “They make a mess.” She has noticed society becoming fussier and “germaphobic” when it comes to messy play. And yet it’s for everyone, not just children. Clothes are able to be washed. What’s more important, says Laurie, is that the child is learning and having fun.

Further information

Emma Mackenzie currently works in a special needs school in Edinburgh and as a support worker for autistic adults. She is also a journalist: www.bandt.com.au/author/ emma-mackenzie Bright colours can be a real draw for some children.

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ATTACHMENT

Focussing on attachment Nicola Marshall looks at what schools can do to support pupils with attachment issues

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he culture of any environment is really important. It determines what’s acceptable and what isn’t. It sets the tone for how people are treated and how their needs might be met. Real change happens when we address the ethos of an establishment – the things that are difficult to put your finger on or explain to someone else. It might be the values that are played out through the people or it might be the atmosphere of the unspoken expectations or demands on someone.

Whenever I enter a new school, its culture is the first thing that hits me, be it the feeling of warmth and nurture you get from the receptionist or frontline staff, or the calm, uncluttered nature

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Whatever the culture of a school is, you can guarantee the pupils feel it too of the building. Sometimes, on the other side, you can sense the strict, business-like attitude in some schools, particularly secondary schools.

Whatever the culture of a school is, you can guarantee the pupils feel it too. They know if it’s a welcoming, friendly place or somewhere where fun is in short supply. Of course, a teacher can make a huge difference in one classroom, but if the overall feeling of

the school isn’t compatible with that teacher’s lovely nurturing style, the inconsistency will be all too apparent to the children.

What must be so confusing for young people are the huge differences in teachers’ attitudes and approaches towards them. In any given situation, one teacher might seek to understand what’s behind a pupil’s behaviour whilst another focuses solely on the nature of the behaviour itself and treats the young person accordingly. How is the child supposed to feel when faced with such discrepancies?

Cultural shift So, in this climate, how do we create a culture for our children and young

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people that provides them with the best opportunities for development emotionally, socially, physically, spiritually and intellectually? How can we create an ethos that is proindividuality and celebrates difference, where all children are presented with opportunities to fulfil their potential rather than barriers to learning?

Much has been said in the media in recent years about creating an attachment aware culture in schools, something which I think is very important. However, I’m not convinced that “awareness” goes quite far enough.

Yes, it would be great if all our school staff understood the complex needs of vulnerable children and young people and were aware of the messages these children receive. The behaviour of these children is sometimes confusing and knowing why is helpful. We need more than just awareness, though. We need focus. We need to shift our attention from just academic achievement to look at the whole individual. It’s about flipping our reactive attitude on its head and not singling out the “disruptive” children.

It’s about looking at how we can create a space for recovery for those who need it whilst enhancing the learning experience of those who sit at all stages along the spectrum of attachment, from secure to disordered.

There are three key areas that can help us to focus on good attachment across all our children and young people.

Policy Probably the hardest and most important area for schools to address is our obsession with modifying behaviour. What we have at the moment are systems that essentially work on the premise that children and young people have the same level of respect for authority that they used to have and, indeed, that they all have the same understanding as each other and the ability to change their behaviour when we tell them to.

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points, incentive schemes, yellow and red cards, isolations, detentions, time outs and exclusions all rely on a child’s ability to join the dots between their behaviour and the consequences. If I know that when I speed in my car I might kill someone and end up in prison, does it stop me speeding? It should, and most of the time it does, but there are odd occasions when I forget, or maybe my anxiety over being late, or whatever it might be, takes over and drives my behaviour to ignore the rules.

Children and young people who’ve not had the chance to develop cause and effect thinking and may be operating in the survival part of their brain cannot manage their behaviour just because we move them down the zone board or show them a red card.

In fact, for some children, being “on a red” gets them the most attention and that’s what they most crave. They need someone to notice that they are struggling and to keep them safe.

Moving away from these punitive, shame-riddled systems will take time and can be messy. We have to concentrate on relationships and understanding the child’s experience of school. We may even have to change our approach to certain children, when we consider what their early experiences might have been like.

People Relationships are very important for all of us, but for children who have not formed good attachments so far in their lives, they are vital. For any child to feel safe and calm, and to be able to learn, they need to feel accepted by people, feel that they are valued and have a sense of belonging in their class and school.

Abraham Maslow’s famous “hierarchy of needs” explains how we all have basic needs that have to be met before we can move on to the more sophisticated levels of creativity, independence and self-actualisation.

Feeling loved and belonging and having good self-esteem must be present before we are able to be creative. We

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Moving away from these punitive, shame-riddled systems will take time and can be messy need to focus more on those lower levels of Maslow’s pyramid for our children and young people so that they have the grounding and confidence to be able to reach out into areas of learning.

There are, perhaps, two main ways of building better relationships in schools (see below). The first is the one that most schools already do, but the second is what will change the culture in a school. The first may help and provide support for individual children and young people, but the second has the potential to transform our education system.

1. Appoint a key adult These people make it their duty to build relationships with specific children.

This is essential, particularly for those students who struggle to be in school or have difficult attachment needs.

Often, schools are doing this without realising it; they might be using a teaching assistant or a pastoral worker to “deal” with a child, usually to take them out of the classroom and help them to regulate. This is a good option but probably won’t change things in the long run in terms of the child being able to be in the classroom. Sometimes this is the only option, however, as the child may be too aggressive or unpredictable to be in the classroom.

2. Train and encourage all staff to have a different approach to relationships and teaching If we could get people to understand that how they interact with a child has a huge impact on how that child feels, behaves and learns in the classroom, then we might see a difference in our results. If a child reacts in a negative >> SENISSUE91

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way to a specific teacher, why is this?

They may not like the subject, of course, or they may just take a dislike to the staff member for no apparent reason.

However, it might be something about how that adult makes the child feel about themselves. We spend so much time trying to get children to change their behaviour, but what about us?

Relationships are tough. Even at the best of times, they are rarely straight forward for any of us. For so many of today’s young people, though, they can be even more difficult, as they try to navigate a labyrinth of blended family structures, not to mention all the anxieties related to school.

Practice It’s one thing to have a good strong attachment focused policy and people who are trained and feel confident to build good relationships with their students, but it’s another to have the tools to work this out in practice. Here are some things to consider.

A “key adult” can build an important relationship with a troubled child.

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Children may be acting at a much younger age emotionally due to early experiences

Be proactive not reactive Children with difficult behaviours can elicit a very reactive response from staff. We may feel on the back foot with an unpredictable child. However, there are ways that we can be more proactive, which will allow the child to feel safe and calm and thus lower the triggers for the child: • look at the surroundings; are they too cluttered and stimulating for the senses? We tend to go for bright colours and hanging displays in the UK but other countries, such as Finland, have found bland colours and a clean-cut approach helpful in creating a calm environment (see Elizabeth Jarman’s work on a communication friendly approach) • are there triggers for the child’s dysregulation? Look at break times and unsupervised time; is the child so hyped up that they then can’t regulate when you want them to sit still?

Before lunch, is there a change in behaviour as the smell of food filters through? This may trigger the child’s chief survival concerns – food, safety and knowing when parents are coming back • consider the adults that the child reacts to. Sometimes we focus so much on the child’s behaviour that we forget we are involved too. Is the child different with different members of staff? If so, what’s changed, not the child but the adult. Maybe we need to step back and reflect on our own approach first.

Emotional age not chronological age In many cases, children may be acting at a much younger age emotionally due to early experiences. When they are stressed they may regress a lot further back than you would expect and exhibit behaviour that is in-keeping with a much earlier stage of their development. They will need time to feel safe before they can participate in an activity.

Ask yourself these questions: • what stage of development is this child at right now?

• what would I do if this child was chronologically the age they are acting at?

• what is stopping me from allowing this child to experience those earlier stages of development, if that’s what they need right now?

• how can I help the child to build the emotional development that they’ve missed in early years?

While creating an attachment aware culture is a brilliant first step, focusing on how we can make this culture an everyday reality that pervades everything we do in school is essential, if we are to meet the complex needs of children today, particularly those with serious attachment issues.

Further information

Nicola Marshall is the adoptive mother of three and the founder of BraveHeart Education, which provides training and support services to those living or working with vulnerable children, including looked-after and adopted children: www.bravehearteducation.co.uk

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ROYAL BLIND SCHOOL

PIVOT

Pivot Academy opens its doors Educational and social care consultancy Pivot has officially opened its doors to Pivot Academy, its newly registered independent school which works with and supports local schools and the local Authority (LA).

The 50-place provision, spread across two sites in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, has been developed with the changing needs of schools, LAs and young people in mind and was recently granted registered school status by Ofsted. Its aim is to reduce exclusion rates, promote academic attainment and support young people into successful pathways.

Pivot Academy boasts 12 full-time staff, including teachers specialising in maths, English, IT and other curriculum subjects and will also offer vocational and enterprise pathways and qualifications. The Academy also benefits from highly experienced specialist support staff, an educational psychologist, head of behaviour and a social work team to cater for the complex behaviours of many of the young people within the Academy.

Its alternative provision is based in Cleckheaton with a current capacity of 20 places, with plans to expand in the near future.

Here, young people get access to a targeted assessment process on entry and high quality teaching to ensure that outcomes and progress are measured and that all parties involved are fully working together to improve outcomes.

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The Pivot Academy team.

The second site in Bradley currently has 12 places, based within the former community centre, and will provide assessment and educational provision for permanently excluded KS4 children. The site also offers flexibility for additional places and different needs and is again in response to the changing needs of the LA and schools. It is envisaged that this provision will help to continue to support the downward trends in exclusion rates in Kirklees, with these again having been on the decrease in 2016/17, compared to the previous year.

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Safeguarding is everyone’s duty Anika Backhouse reveals how effective safeguarding can help young people build their independence and self-esteem

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s staff in specialist education settings know only too well, training in safeguarding and “prevent” is essential. The Government has placed a high priority on it and all schools and colleges are challenged to embed it in the everyday work of SEN provision. It is, however, not only an issue for staff; students can also play their part in engaging with safeguarding and explore the new-found freedom and responsibility it brings.

During the first term of the academic year, it is particularly important to get to know the new intake of students, to understand their backgrounds and to encourage them to feel confident to speak out on behalf of themselves or others. At one specialist college in Hereford, safeguarding is part of the new student induction process.

It ensures young people aged 16 and upwards can recognise when circumstances are wrong and right, and provides them with the freedom to ask questions at induction and throughout the rest of the academic year by knowing who they can talk to.

Helping students to express themselves Promoting positive relationships between staff and students is key in ensuring young people feel secure in moving on from wanting to talk only to their parents about everything, including their worries; this is especially important in a residential setting.

Students have to feel confident in their ability to independently speak to one another or a member of staff, if they have any concerns. Having student representatives or ambassadors can WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Real world experiences offer both challenges and risks.

Students have to feel confident in their ability to independently speak to one another or a member of staff be helpful, enabling students to talk to their peers rather than to an adult, as some students feel more comfortable using this approach. Representatives should receive specific training around safeguarding for this purpose.

There is a responsibility for all staff in any setting to help young people think about their independence and how it relates to their own safety, as well as that of others. Students learn about their own responsibilities through friendships, by being part of a community and as general members of the public.

Challenge and risk The environment in which a young person lives and studies will have a big impact on how they learn about safeguarding. Schools and colleges

should provide safe places that encourage practical engagement with the real world. For example, a campus with a busy road running through it may prove to be both a challenge and an opportunity for learning. Crossing at safe points, negotiating parked cars and navigating routes, both with friends and on solo journeys, enables students to develop skills to safely meet situations that they will come across with added frequency as they grow older and more independent.

Some students may already have experience of living and/or travelling independently but for many, there will not be an established foundation of independence, or an understanding of how to meet one’s own safety needs.

Students who received extensive support at school, or in travelling to and from school, may need additional help to develop safe practices, in addition to attaining confidence and enjoyment in their new-found independence. For example, at The Royal National College for the Blind, one visually impaired student had ventured to a local shop >> SENISSUE91

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Students need to understand their vulnerabilities online, especially regarding personal data Online threats

Online safety is an important part of safeguarding.

with his friends by his first October halfterm. He said that this was the first time he had ever been to a shop without a parent or school staff member present.

The setting’s safeguarding and prevent policy and practice should strike the right balance between ensuring young people are protected and allowing them to take appropriate risks. At any age, all children need to explore their own boundaries, lifestyles and abilities. As young people move towards adulthood, it can be particularly difficult to achieve this balance – especially when e-safety becomes a greater factor – but with the support of staff, it is possible.

Schools and colleges use secure firewalls to filter out undesirable websites within their immediate environments. However, using mobile devices, like smart phones and tablets, young people can bypass filters by using data allowances. For this reason, it is especially prudent to include online safety within wider safeguarding conversations with students.

The internet is an excellent way of making new friends and keeping in contact, but students have to know that some people will use it to take advantage of others. Students need to understand their vulnerabilities online, especially regarding personal data.

Wider awareness The curriculum can be used to make sure that issues around safeguarding are part of all students’ development.

Small group discussions in classes and tutorials can support this learning and can also be used to address specific

issues such as the challenges of having a diverse student body and awareness of the values that can help tackle extremism in all its forms. Students can be also encouraged to understand the democratic process, perhaps with the help of local government services.

Staging topical debates and attending local hustings enables students to engage in political processes and voting systems.

Responsibility and respect If safeguarding is embedded in students’ learning of personal responsibility, the school or college environment can provide a safe space for young people to express themselves appropriately, in a way that is respectful of others. Staff awareness of students as individuals is integral to this. By being observant, and not making assumptions about why something may have changed in the young person’s attitude or behaviour, staff can be alert to any potential issues and can help students to raise concerns.

Where there is a behaviour management issue, honesty is needed from staff and peers. This needs to be expressed sensitively, so that the student can reflect on their own behaviour and modify it.

By ensuring a safe environment, staff and students can turn many safeguarding challenges into opportunities for learning life skills in any academic setting.

Further information

Anika Backhouse is PR, Publications and Outreach Officer at The Royal National College for the Blind, a further education college for those aged 16 plus with visual impairments: www.rnc.ac.uk

Learning about safeguarding can be integrated into the curriculum.

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OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

SAFEGUARDING

Priorities for child protection services - multi-agency working, inspections and tackling child sexual abuse Wednesday, 25 April 2018 Central London Following the passing of the Children and Social Work Act, this seminar will examine the next steps for improving multiagency working in child protection and priorities for tackling child sexual exploitation.

Delegates will discuss the implementation of recommendations to improve multi-agency working made in the Wood review in the Children and Social Work Act, including the requirement that safeguarding partners make arrangements to work together in exercising their functions, and the progress so far of joint area inspections.

Further sessions will consider the next steps for tackling child sexual exploitation following the Home Secretary’s announcement of a £40 million fund to combat the issue, including the establishment of the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Exploitation and the launch of Independent Child Trafficking Advocates. Those in attendance will also discuss the outcome of the Government’s consultation on mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect. www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk

Challenging Disability through Outdoor Adventure The Calvert Trust has been delivering residential ‘learning outside the classroom’ experiences for pupils with special educational needs since 1976.

If you are looking for ways to develop your students’ social skills and build their confidence, all while having fun with their friends in a new environment, we have something amazing to offer you.

To find out more, including dates and availability, call us on 017687 72255

enquiries@lakedistrict.calvert-trust.org.uk www.calvert-trust.org.uk/lake-district/ introduction Reg Charity No. 270923

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CalvertTrustLakes

@CalvertLakes

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EPILEPSY

Supporting epilepsy at school Schools are failing to meet their legal responsibility to make effective provision for pupils with epilepsy, writes Carol Long

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ince September 2014, state schools (including academies) in England have been legally required to support children with medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes and asthma. The Government published guidance which explains what schools should be doing to ensure these young people are both safe and included in their school communities. This means that all children with epilepsy should have an individual healthcare plan (IHP) and that school staff should be trained to meet their needs. Schools also need to take into account how a young person’s condition might affect their learning.

It is now three years since the legislation was enacted and earlier this year, Young Epilepsy conducted an online survey to test how the new legislation is working for young people with epilepsy. The aim was to find out whether schools are providing SENISSUE91

support that complies with government standards. In total, the survey received 661 responses, 373 of which were young people with epilepsy (11 per cent), as well as parents and carers of young people with epilepsy (89 per cent), who attend state schools in England. The vast majority (93 per cent) represented a young person at a mainstream school.

Upon analysing the results, it was clear a significant number of responses suggested state schools in England weren’t following the Government’s guidelines. The survey found only 45 per cent of respondents said their school had a medical conditions policy. This figure adds weight to recent findings from the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance (HCSA) that 47.5 per cent of schools had a policy in place. The HCSA also found, when they analysed these policies, only 11.5 per cent of schools had a policy which complied with government standards.

Only 45 per cent of respondents said their school had a medical conditions policy

Planned support Government guidance states that a school’s medical conditions policy should be “readily accessible to parents” but 49 per cent of respondents did not know if their school had one in place. One parent said: “I’ve never been given any information about how the school supports pupils with epilepsy.”

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be anticipated that all children affected by the condition would have an IHP. However, the survey found one in three young people with epilepsy still do not have an IHP at school (36 per cent). This means schools do not have the information they need to keep these children safe and included at school.

An IHP for a child with epilepsy should include, for example, a description of seizures and what to do in an emergency.

Epilepsy can have a profound and wide-ranging impact on children.

Research completed by Young Epilepsy in 2014 found 95 per cent of children with epilepsy experience a level of significant difficulty in learning and in regulating their emotions and behaviours. These needs are not being addressed in children’s IHPs; the recent survey showed two out of three plans do not consider how epilepsy might affect learning (67 per cent), focusing often on medical management of the condition.

Schools are required to provide suitable training to staff who support children with medical conditions.

However, only 51 per cent of people who responded to our survey said school staff had been suitably trained to support a child with epilepsy.

Some parents highlighted a lack of understanding of the impact the condition, and medication used to control it, can have on young people’s learning. “If it wasn’t for me pushing and demanding that they be aware, our son would be at risk every day”, said a parent responding to the survey.

“Training was given by me as the school felt money could not be spent on ensuring the safety of our child.”

Inclusion One of the aims of this survey was to uncover the extent of stigma surrounding epilepsy. Schools are required to ensure young people with medical conditions are supported to enable them to have “full access to education, including school trips and physical education”. However, the survey revealed that one in six young people with epilepsy (18 per WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

cent) are excluded from activities at school. These include assemblies, outside break times, swimming and other sports, after school clubs and school trips. One young person, who responded to the survey, was excluded from a particular subject because lessons were held upstairs.

In another instance, however, a school was able to move lessons downstairs to accommodate a young person with epilepsy.

While some young people with epilepsy are unable to take part in activities due to specific medical advice, in most circumstances they can be included with the right support in place. Under the Equality Act 2010, young people with epilepsy are protected from disability discrimination.

Schools are also required to make reasonable adjustments for disabled young people to ensure they are not at a substantial disadvantage, compared with their peers.

Outside school In addition to schools’ own responsibilities, local authorities are required to provide home-to-school transport for children “who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school because of associated health and safety issues related to their special educational needs or disability”.

However, the survey found one in six families (17 per cent) are concerned about home-to-school transport for young people with epilepsy. This rises to one in three (34 per cent) for young people at secondary school (eight per cent for pupils at primary school). This older group are often expected to travel further and/or independently to get to school.

A number of families also spoke about their concerns that seizures might go unnoticed on school transport. They have had to adjust their schedules to enable them to take their children to and from school. “I don't get the school bus anymore. I don’t know what they would have done if I’d had a seizure on the bus”, said one young person.

If it wasn’t for me pushing and demanding that they be aware, our son would be at risk every day

It is clear schools and local authorities must work together with families and healthcare professionals to ensure children with epilepsy are given the support they need. We urgently need: • all schools to have a policy on supporting pupils with medical conditions and for these policies to be published on schools’ websites • school inspections to include a routine check for support for pupils with medical conditions • schools to ensure all young people with epilepsy have an IHP. These three aims are achievable. If we all work together, we can create a better future for young people with epilepsy and other conditions.

Further information Carol Long is CEO of Young Epilepsy: www.youngepilepsy.org.uk

The charity is a member of the Health Conditions in Schools Alliance. This Alliance is made up of over 30 organisations including charities, healthcare professionals and trade unions working collaboratively to try to make sure children with health conditions get the support they need at school: medicalconditionsatschool.org.uk

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EPILEPSY Advertisement feature

How assistive technology can aid independent living Almost five years ago I asked my son (Technical Director) to design a product that would help my ageing parents remember daily tasks, such as taking medications and their various weekly appointments. He did a splendid job and came up with the MemRabel 2. It soon proved its worth and more so now that dad is in a care home.

The MemRabel can be used in a number of ways to create personalised reminders. There are, for example, over 100 preinstalled media files with typical daily reminder videos, pictures and voice memos. Even better, you can create your own videos, graphics and voice reminders and use them for timed reminder playback using MemRabel’s powerful media player.

Here is an example how MemRabel 2 has helped to organise a young Autistic man’s day: John gets up at 8.00am.

8.15am: “It’s time to have a wash” 9.00am: “Good morning, it’s time to make breakfast” 9.30am: “It’s time to take your morning tablets” John is going shopping today at 10.30am.

10am: “It’s time to get ready, you’re going shopping today” John returns home from shopping at lunchtime and likes to prepare his own lunch.

12.30pm: “Time to make lunch” 1.30pm: “It’s time to take your afternoon tablets” John likes to telephone his sister in the afternoon.

3.30pm: “It’s time to phone your sister” John has exercises he has been advised to do by the physiotherapist.

5pm: “It’s time to do your exercises” John enjoys preparing his own evening meal.

6.30pm: “Good evening, it’s time to make dinner” 7.30pm: “It’s time to take your evening tablets” 8.00pm: “It’s time for your favourite TV programme” 9.30pm: “It’s time to go to bed, make sure the doors are locked” www.medpage-ltd.com

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PLAY

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TRAMPOLINING

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SPECIALIST SEATING

The importance of clinical seating Martina Tierney explains how specialist seating can improve function and independence

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t is easy to underestimate just how important a chair might be to the quality of a child or young person’s life. However, to sit uses high levels of energy and can be challenging for those with a disability. When we sit on our sofa or arm chair at home, most of us are able to reach for a cup of tea or read a book with little thought as to how we are sitting. For a child with a disability, though, everyday tasks can be a challenge and higher levels of seating support are required.

The right seating is vitally important in increasing functional ability and independence. Function can be broken down into three areas:

Activity related functions With good sitting posture and a stable base of support, a child should be able to increase their level of activity and therefore maintain their level of independence. Activity related functions include standing up from a seated position, reaching for a glass of water independently or feeding themselves.

Psychological functions We sit for many reasons – to talk, read or watch TV, for example. There are many people who have postures which restrict them from completing these psychological functions and therefore inhibit their social interaction and affect their self-esteem and quality of life.

Physiological functions Good sitting posture improves the ability of the body's organs to work more efficiently and can facilitate physiological functions such as respiration, swallowing, digestion, elimination and circulation. Poor sitting posture can cause organ compaction and muscle contractions if a person is leaning to one side over a long period of time.

An ill-fitting chair will leave the user unsupported and at risk.

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Good sitting posture improves the ability of the body's organs to work more efficiently

feel unsafe, unstable or at risk of falling or sliding, they will use their trunk and limbs to help stabilise themselves in the chair, limiting their function.

A seating assessment is also a great option when assessing for a chair. It will identify particular medical conditions and ensure the needs of the client are recorded and evaluated.

Common mistakes when choosing seating

How can we improve function in seating?

Chair is too wide A chair which is too big for the patient will have a detrimental impact on their sitting posture. This will have the knock on effect of limiting their functional ability. A chair with the correct seat width will support and stabilise the pelvis, providing a good base of support for the body and leaving the arms free for functional activity and interaction. Chairs should be adjustable to cater for changing needs of clients.

It is fundamental that the chair is the correct fit. When there is the appropriate level of support, it is much easier to relax and the user’s function and independence is maintained. When clients

Seat is too deep The user won't be able to reach the ground with their feet if the seat depth is too great. In order to feel grounded they may pull themselves forward in their chair, increasing the risk of falls.

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Arm rests are the wrong height If this is the case, the patient will typically use their own arms to stabilise themselves or “fix” themselves in the chair. They do this to feel more secure, more comfortable and less at risk of falling out. This means they are unable to use their arms for functional activity such as eating and reading, which impacts on their quality of life.

Spinal deviations are not accommodated A tilt in space facility and the correct upper body support from the chair will accommodate spinal issues such as kyphosis or scoliosis. Tilt in space allows the visual field to open right up, so instead of looking at the floor, the patient can see what’s in their environment and make eye contact with those around them. This can dramatically improve their psychological function and communication. This also offers benefits in terms of physiological function, improving the ability to eat and breathe and reducing the risk of choking.

ulcer prevention is a priority, the child or young person should use a chair with 45 degrees of tilt.

Lateral support Posture can kill; for many health and functional reasons, it is so important to maintain a midline (symmetrical) position. The trunk and thoracic region can be further supported by the addition of lateral supports, if required.

Tilt in space can help increase function in patients who have poor sitting posture

Getting it right

What to look for in a chair Adjustability A chair should be multi-adjustable, particularly in relation to seat height, seat depth, seat width and arm height. This is important for many reasons, as a patient's needs will change over time, especially with growing children.

Tilt in space Tilt in space can help increase function in patients who have poor sitting posture and who are affected by gravity. Tilting them back whilst maintaining the angles in their hips, knees and feet creates a safe position, redistributing weight through their back and neutralising the effect of gravity, creating a comfortable, stable and functional position.

The optimum angle for improving positioning and improving function is 15 to 30 degrees. However, if pressure WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

The right seating will aid comfort, function and health.

Head and shoulder support This is particularly important for those with a spinal presentation which affects their head control or a cognitive issue which prevents them from maintaining head control. When the head and shoulders are supported, psychological functions such as communication, interaction and self-image are improved, as well as physiological functions such as eating, breathing and eliminating.

Footplates Patients who are still independent might be able to load their feet onto the floor.

For those with low mobility, though, a footplate is vital to properly load the body. This manages pressure going through the body ensuring an even weight distribution, as well as giving the patient that feeling of stability, making them feel safe and secure.

Whether you are a clinician or a family member, choosing the right chair can be life changing for the child or young person who will use it. A great deal of attention is often focused on finding the correct bed or wheelchair to meet the individual’s needs and circumstances, but seating should not be overlooked. The choice of chair will be fundamental in ensuring the user’s comfort, independence and function.

Further information

Occupational Therapist Martina Tierney is Clinical Director at Seating Matters, which produces clinically evidenced seating.

She presents clinical research at education workshops and trainings worldwide on the importance of seating: www.seatingmatters.com

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Theraposture launches new website Theraposture has launched a new website so professionals and consumers have easier access to its guidance regarding appropriate adjustable beds, chairs and care cots.

Theraposture provides quality products that continually seek to raise standards in safety, ergonomics and comfort.

Its progressive approach to business and client-centric approach are reflected in its new user-friendly website. Acting as an information hub, the site will continue to expand with new product and educational material so end users are empowered to make more of an informed decision.

The platform on which the new Theraposture website has been built provides flexibility for optimum viewing on all the latest electronic devices.

It combines simplistic and stylish typography with a clean and open design so readability and accessibility is maximised – all housed in a fluid wire frame that is especially effective on mobile phones.

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professionals, families and end users on the move. One of the fundamental purposes of the new site was to provide faster access to the knowledge base within Theraposture. Over and above the detailed product and educational information available, the new live chat feature provides immediate interaction with “trusted assessors”.

Visitors can browse the complete product range in an easier manner and benefit from a vast range of educational content.

Theraposture produces informative videos, case studies and advice guides which are available to view and download for free. Content ranges from films of end users talking about their Rotoflex bed through to documents that help with cot funding. There is also an informative guide to “The Importance of Appropriate Seating”, which delivers insight into why tailormade adjustable chairs are essential.

Liam Braddell, Theraposture Sales Director summarises: “We have invested extensively in our new website as we believe it is business critical. The whole concept has been based around improving the user experience and providing a more diverse range of material and formats.”

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YOGA

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Bodies in mind Denisa Nenova explores the benefits of yoga for children with SEN

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ore than just postures, yoga originated in India as an ancient science to enhance the wellbeing of the body, mind and soul. It is about providing holistic health through physical exercise, breathing, relaxation, diet and philosophical practices.

The wonderful thing about yoga is that it is accessible and beneficial to every person – old and young, female and male, religious and secular – through disability, illness and good health. True yoga is completely noncompetitive and non-goal-driven and this is what sets it apart from many other forms of activities or therapies for children and adults with SEN. It also does not put a strain on the heart, joints and working systems of the body. Instead, the yoga postures (called asanas) are designed to stimulate and support the body’s internal organs and processes, to promote a long and healthy life. Regular practice provides countless health benefits and, in addition, is about bringing awareness to our mental and emotional health.

There are many different forms of yoga – such as Hatha, Vinyasa and Iyengar to name just a few – and similarly, a number of methods have been developed specifically to help children with SEN. The method referred to in this article is called Yoga for the Special Child: The Sonia Sumar Method. It was created by yoga teacher Sonia Sumar over 45 years ago, following the birth of her second daughter Roberta, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Yoga can help children and young people with a wide range of conditions and disabilities. I will briefly outline below how yoga can be used with people with some of the most common SEN.

Cerebral palsy The key characteristic for children diagnosed with cerebral palsy is that they often have both high and low muscle tone which affects their movement. Learning a sequence of asanas builds greater strength, flexibility and coordination in the limbs and body. Incorporating forward bends,

Yoga postures are designed to stimulate and support the body’s internal organs and processes backward bends, lateral bends and twists, the body is moved in every direction working the bones, muscles, cartilage and nerves within.

Of particular note is that yoga poses stretch and realign the spine, the telegraph pole of the body. The Spinal Twist pose, for example, will create space between the vertebrae, reduce pressure on the discs of cartilage and relax the nerves that radiate out of the spine. This, in turn, releases muscular tension throughout the body and enhances overall nerve function. Over time, a child is able to develop an increased range of movement and coordination, meaning increased independence.

Down syndrome As yoga works holistically, the practice can improve strength, coordination, balance, respiration, eyesight and many other key areas for children with Down syndrome.

The condition is categorised by weak muscle tone and since all the internal organs are themselves muscles there is a tendency for children with Down syndrome to have weaker internal systems. Through regular practice of yoga this can be addressed and improved. This is one reason why yogic breathing exercises are so beneficial, as they not only improve the respiratory system but also strengthen the internal Yoga can help with health and fitness without straining the body.

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organs, improving general health and development.

Over time, these exercises will improve the central nervous system’s functioning and impact on motor and cognitive development, boosting body awareness, concentration and memory to have a positive effect on the child’s everyday life and learning abilities.

Joint dislocation is also quite commonly suffered by children with Down syndrome, so working on body strength and core strength is fundamental. Therefore, asanas such as the Plank are of great benefit in terms of strengthening the whole body.

Autism First and foremost with autism, yoga neutralises and calms the sympathetic nervous system bringing inner peacefulness. For the child, this means better sleep, better concentration, and better ability to self-regulate.

Soft chanting and sitting postures at the beginning of class are important for children with autism, it supports their sensitivity to the external world by bringing inner balance so they can make the transition to do yoga, as well as other activities.

A key breath technique for children with autism is deep belly breath. It is very beneficial as often their natural breathing is shallow and fast, and they are often mouth breathers. This means the quality of air is not the same as with

The teacher patiently enters the world of the child, meeting them on their own level

a child who breathes through the nose, which is designed to filter the air before it enters the lungs.

Building mutual trust and friendship with their yoga teacher is also a fantastic benefit for children with autism. A bond can be developed naturally in a yoga session precisely because the practice is free-flowing and flexible, rather than focused on achieving set positions or outcomes. The teacher patiently enters the world of the child, meeting them on their own level rather than telling them that their world is the wrong one.

ADD/ADHD For children diagnosed with ADHD, the most valuable benefit of yoga is calming them down and improving their concentration and focus.

Again, yogic breathing exercises are highly important to this process.

There is a fundamental link between the breath, the mind and the emotions.

All are intimately connected, so by bringing awareness to the breath and fostering calm, controlled breathing

patterns, we automatically see a more peaceful and relaxed child.

Physically, yogic breath work (pranayama) stimulates vital areas of the brain and central nervous system.

Regular practice helps the child to relax and focus more and more, enabling the teacher to introduce the practice of deep relaxation, enhancing all the benefits of calmness, awareness and concentration.

Deep relaxation is an essential part of yoga. In our modern lives of ongoing choice, stimulation and distraction, real relaxation is often overlooked. This is where the spiritual element of yoga will first appear, as a child is given an opportunity to be with their own silence and internal awareness.

For a child with ADHD, their yoga practice can have significant results, increasing their capacity for schoolwork and peaceful social interaction.

What makes yoga different The core aim of yoga practice with children is to promote a happy child. It is completely focused on the individual, not on the child’s condition. Often, for children with SEN and disabilities, physical needs are the primary focus and physical milestones become the measure of their health and identity, while essential tools for a happy life like self-esteem and self-acceptance are not considered.

With yoga, the emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing of the child is given as much importance as the physical. This is what makes yoga so unique and life affirming for children with SEN.

Further information

Denisa Nenova is the founder of the MahaDevi Yoga Centre and senior therapist in The Sonia Sumar Method: Yoga for the Special Child: http://mahadevicentre.com Yoga seeks to promote wellbeing and happiness.

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PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS

Support is out there When you’ve got pupils’ best interests at heart, don’t forget to take care of yourself, writes James Bowen

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e all know that whilst immensely rewarding, there are times when teaching can be tough.

There may even be moments when you question whether life wouldn’t be that little bit easier if you had chosen a less demanding career. It’s inevitable; we’ve all had days like this.

But of course, you also have those days when you can’t imagine yourself ever doing anything else: those moments when you feel like you were born to teach; the times when you connect with a pupil and almost see that lightbulb flash above their head; and the moments when you know you’ve made a real difference to the life of a child.

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You need to look after yourself if you are going to be the teacher they need you to be

you have made a difference that keeps you going.

Ready for action When you work with children you know that the stakes are very high. After all, young people only get one shot at their education. You know that children and their families rely on you. However, such high stakes can be emotionally draining and if you’re not careful, it’s easy to spend all your time taking care of the needs of others and to forget to look out for yourself as well.

Caring for your own wellbeing is not being selfish or some kind of indulgence – far from it. Think of the airplane safety demonstration when the crew explains what to do in the event that the oxygen masks fall from above. The first thing you are told to do is to put your own mask on before tending to those around you. It’s the same in school. The children and your colleagues need you to be at your best and so you need to look after yourself if you are going to be the teacher they need you to be. Not only is being burntout and exhausted bad for you, it’s bad for them too.

Who can you turn to?

The most obvious form of support comes in the shape of colleagues.

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PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS

challenges as you. Whether in a formal or informal way, it’s so important to reach out to your colleagues. Small steps like ensuring you eat lunch in the staffroom at least once a week can be a step in the right direction. This chance to let off steam and share your experiences of the week so far can be incredibly cathartic.

You may prefer a more formal approach to working with colleagues.

If so, looking for a mentor or a coach either within or beyond your own school might be worth considering.

A mentor should be an experienced colleague who understands your role and can offer advice. A coach is slightly different. Rather than providing advice, they are there to help you find your own solutions. Both can be equally powerful relationships, think about what might work best for you. Plenty of schools are now working to establish coaching cultures and there is no shortage of reading material available if this is something you are interested in doing.

Social media can be another great form of support and it’s an opportunity to interact with teachers from across the entire nation, and even internationally.

Depending on your role in school, there are plenty of different forums and online chat options. Whether you work in the early years, primary, secondary, special

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A mentor should be an experienced colleague who understands your role and can offer advice.

school or post-16 sectors, there are lots of great social media groups out there, where you can share and discuss ideas and learn from your peers.

of your career not needing this support, but it’s reassuring to know it’s there should you ever need it.

Wherever you go for support, or whoever you choose to lean on, just make sure that you do it regularly and often. Looking for support ought not to be an afterthought, but an essential.

Your impact as a teacher is one thing, but looking after yourself is always the most important thing you can do. If you’re in a good place, you’ll do more good for the children and young people around you.

Advice and representation There are times, however, when your need for support will go beyond this, and it’s crucial that in these situations you know where to turn. Hopefully, there are people within your own school on your senior leadership team who can help. However, not everyone feels comfortable taking this route. Teaching unions remain an excellent source of help and advice. The support unions offer comes in two forms. There is the support that you can draw from the community of members. However, if things get really difficult, your union should also have specialist advisors to provide tailored advice and support based on the situation you find yourself in. With luck, you will go through much

Further information

A former headteacher and SENCO: James Bowen is Director of NAHT Edge, a trade union for teaching leaders: www.naht.org.uk/naht-edge Information on looking after your wellbeing as a teacher is available on the website of The Education Support Partnership, which also runs a 24/7 telephone hotline for teachers: educationsupportpartnership. org.uk

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DYSLEXIA

Time trouble

Toby Lee offers some useful tips to help dyslexics with time management

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eople with dyslexia, like me, tend to have poor time management skills. There are a number of reasons for this: we usually have very poor short-term memory, we have issues around organisation and we often have difficulties with planning and processing information.

We shouldn’t blame ourselves for any of this; it’s simply that we are born with a very active right side of the brain (which tends to make us creative), while time management is very much a function of the left linear brain. However, many dyslexics get frustrated by their time-keeping issues and it therefore has to be worked at and improved for the sake of everyone.

As a child, my time keeping was terrible but it has now swung the other way. I leave myself twice as much time as most people to get going and I always arrive at functions or meetings early. To this day, I still set all my clocks five to ten minutes fast.

In my experience, there are some simple things that young people with dyslexia can do to help them organise their day: • use a colour coded diary for school and social time • buy a sand timer for home and use it for studying and fun time; we notice movement much more readily than we would a watch or clock • use the alarm and calendar on a smart phone (if you have one),

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As a child, my time keeping was terrible but it has now swung the other way so you get both a visual and an audio reminder • write messages and reminders to yourself on post-it notes and put them somewhere prominent; I also hang things on the door that I need to take with me • use a smartphone to take images of things you will need that day, such as school books • use a notice-board on the wall for important information.

Getting ready for school Your preparation for the new school week should start on the Sunday before. Get yourself organised whilst you are fresh and alert; don’t leave it until Monday morning when you are half asleep. You might even find that you sleep better, as you have already organised things that are on your mind.

Don’t forget to be organised, and to use visual reminders, for your social activities, such as sports or outings.

You could even do a road map of your activities, or an A to Z of your week ahead.

Schedule your study time so you can get ahead with school work. If possible, try to work at some point

over the holidays and at weekends to give you a bit more space in the week. However, it is also important to schedule in free time. Plan in breaks within your homework – maybe ten minutes every hour – but be disciplined and don’t stretch the free time.

Don’t play video games before you go to bed. Take an hour or so to do something less stimulating to help you sleep.

Being untidy is often a sign of poor organisational skills and it is far harder to find things quickly in a cluttered space, so try to keep things in their place. Always put important items, like your keys and phone, in the same place every time; do this as soon as you get in and soon the routine will become subconscious.

Poor time management effectively robs you of more time, as you’re always living in chaos and chasing your tail.

It also causes increased stress and anxiety for you, and for those around you. As we’ve seen, though, there are things we can do to help us get organised. The ideas above worked for me and I have continued to use most of them throughout my adult life.

Further information

Toby Lee is a semi-retired dyslexic practitioner/teacher, who has both dyslexia and dyspraxia: www.dublin-cetc.com

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BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviews

by Mary Mountstephen

Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination in Schools: A Legal Handbook S. Hannet, A. McColgan and E. Prochaska Legal Action Group and Service Trust Limited £45.00 ISBN: 978-1-908-407-76-4

This comprehensive guide is aimed at a wide audience of carers, lawyers, educators and local authority officers, as well as voluntary sector advisers and health and social care professionals, working with children and young people with SEN. Its authors are barristers specialising in public law, human rights and disability discrimination.

The book’s main aim is to guide those involved in the process of SEN tribunals, in the context of legislation such as The Children and Families Act of 2014.

It opens with detailed legal background references covering statutory instruments, national and international legislation and conventions, and a table of associated legal cases, followed by a useful guide to abbreviations.

Chapters include: General Principles, EHC Assessments and Plans, Content of EHC Plans, The Management of the Appeals Process, Challenging the Decision of the First Tier Tribunal, and Inter-Authority Disputes.

This impressive text enables the reader to swiftly identify specific details/references, with each paragraph identified in the introduction to the chapter and linked to footnotes.

This makes the detailed legal information more accessible to the non-specialist reader, and the authors avoid the use of obscure vocabulary where possible. The content is complex, though, and the authors’ knowledge of the field is distilled into a manual that many would find of value when seeking guidance on the process of obtaining EHC plans.

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The Brain: The Story of You D. Eagleman Canongate £8.99 ISBN: 978-1-78211-661-5

David Eagleman is a wellknown neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author. He is best known for his work on sensory substitution, time perception, brain plasticity and aspects of our neural functions that we are unaware of.

In this book, he aims to get away from a textbook model and to bridge the gap between academic literature and a more reader friendly format. The chapters are relatively concise, and Eagleman uses many stories to illustrate facts about the brain and how it changes over time. These range from the long-term impacts of deprivation on infants and young children in Romanian orphanages to the effects of ageing on the brain.

Eagleman produces some fascinating research about the effects of movement on, for example, the development of effective visual skills and the synchronisation of senses.

He explains how the brain processes sensory information at different speeds and how brains can generate their own imagery, if they have previously been exposed to rich experiences. This is in contrast to the Romanian infants’ experience, where their brains have been deprived of sensory input.

The brain also needs social interaction and Eagleman links this to research in the field of autism and concepts of empathy and social functioning.

This is a very interesting and accessible book that takes complex research about the brain and its interaction with the senses and motor functioning and presents it in a format that will appeal to a wide audience.

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BOOK REVIEWS

Sensorimotor Interventions: Using Movement to Improve Overall Body Function C. Koscinski Sensory World: A Future Horizons Imprint £14.50 ISBN: 978-1-9335-677-2-1

The author is an occupational therapist and author of several books and many articles about sensory processing, autism, social skills training and other associated areas. She is a recognised expert in her field and presents widely.

She also home-schools her children with SEN and has produced a series of fun handwriting books inspired by Pokemon and Minecraft.

This book is based on her course, Building a Better Brain, focusing on developing the skills that form a stable base for classroom and daily functioning.

The book opens with information relating to the basics of neuroscience, brain development and sensory processing.

Following this introductory section, Koscinski provides a step-by-step illustrated guide to a range of exercises to develop core stability, body awareness, and vestibular functioning, for example. Each exercise is illustrated and follows a set format, detailing equipment, benefits and adaptations.

A section on using balance boards explains how to design and create your own in order to provide a range of vestibular activities using balls, dances and yoga poses.

This concise text (70 pages) is crammed full of information to support parents, specialist teachers and therapists in linking theory to practice and in reaching an understanding of some of the reasons for observable behaviours such as constant movement, postural weaknesses and clumsiness.

This is a useful and informative publication.

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Mindful Teacher, Mindful School K. Hawkins Sage Publishing ISBN: 978-1-5264-0286-8 £25.00

Hawkins has worked with children and adolescents in various contexts in education and social care, with a focus on developing the whole child through a balance of the academic, social and emotional aspects of learning. He is the co-founder of MindWell Education.

The book is divided into eight chapters, opening with an overview of the author’s perspectives on modern life in relation to the nature and functions of schools and concepts such as resilience, self-awareness and the capacity to make sense of complex systems.

Hawkins also aims to help individual teachers gain a greater awareness of the importance of their role, and develop ways to sustain themselves and avoid burnout.

Further chapters provide a combination of theory, short snippets of research and practical activities that illustrate his points.

The layout of the book is fresh and visually appealing and there are numerous links to websites for further information.

Hawkins makes links between mindfulness and other aspects of wellbeing, such as mental, physical and emotional health and stresses the importance of this as a whole-school, integrated and holistic approach. He provides examples of this in practice from an international context.

This book offers a well-argued and well-resourced approach to supporting the whole school community in shifting the school’s culture and making changes at a deep, fundamental level. It is of value to all teachers in developing mindful strategies for themselves and their school.

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PREVENTING YOUTH SUICIDE

Igniting hope through inclusivity Adam Osborne looks at the role of schools in promoting wellbeing and preventing teenage suicide

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very generation struggles with a significant issue that changes hearts and minds.

With the current rise of communication technology and social media, youth suicide is once again infiltrating and devastating our schools, communities and families.

Teachers in schools are some of the greatest influencers on building hope in young people. Schools have the critical role in providing the toolkit that each student needs to flourish and the approach schools take is crucial. Being delicate with serious and substantial matters is often hard to navigate and even harder to become consistent in.

Educational leaders know that being able to communicate appropriately is a formidable force when dealing with sensitive issues. With the growing awareness of the effects of wellbeing on academic performance, there is a genuine interest in investing energy, resources and ideas into helping young people understand suicide.

We must be proactive. An inclusive approach allows initial buy-in and engagement, empowering young people by building a safe, confidential space for ongoing dialogue and expert help to be made available. It incorporates daily dedication to helping each student to flourish, through direct and intentional interaction with the issue of youth suicide prevention and how students can help themselves and others.

Recent research by the London School of Economics indicated that a child’s emotional health is the biggest factor driving success and wellbeing in adult life. It also showed that an inability of educational institutions to recognise the importance of a child or teenager’s SENISSUE91

Be brave, so students feel they have the permission to be brave

mental health to future success leads to less successful adults.

Positive relationships At my school in Australia we are introducing inclusive and holistic approaches to student emotional and mental health, with an emphasis on frameworks that anchor and inspire students in an age appropriate way.

We intend to grow bravery and courage in students. This process has a sixfold platform: 1. Connect – build intentional positive and professional relationships with students.

2. Equip – create learning frameworks that enable quality and research-based information to be shared in a safe and supportive environment where it can be questioned, pondered and applied.

3. Challenge – engage the difficult, painful and awkward with clarity, hope and purpose. Be brave, so students feel they have the permission to be brave.

4. Appreciate – intentional cultivation of gratitude, thankfulness and hope through targeted initiatives.

5. Serve – enable action through service to others to grow capacities in students to be carriers of messages of hope

and change for other young people.

6. Anchor – reimagine the story of wellbeing and mental health in your context, reinforce the help available and allow space to create opportunities for dialogue that is safe and supportive.

Schools need to start an ongoing conversation with students, specifically (though not exclusively) with those aged between about 12 and 16, and provide clear channels of communication for and with students. We need to equip staff to be able to engage with students and track their mental health, using a holistic approach to wellbeing that enables students to thrive.

Being proactive in this area gives our students the ability to become informed decision makers, equipped with the skills and tools to identify areas of selfimprovement and self-empowerment.

Improved student wellbeing has direct links to the lowering of negative and high-level risk taking.

As we continue to shine a light on sensitive subjects with our students, let us be brave and proactive as communities when dealing with issues such as youth suicide. We should empower our young people to help build a framework that is flexible and dynamic enough to change their world and the world around them.

Further information

Adam Osborne is Deputy Headmaster of The Blue Mountains Grammar School, New South Wales, Australia: www.bmgs.nsw.edu.au

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AUTISM

Unstructured times are the worst!

Karen Ferguson provides some simple ideas to help pupils with autism during break and transition times at school

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ithin a school environment, many strategies are in place to support students on the autistic spectrum.

They tend to focus on key areas of difficulty around social interaction, communication, thought, imagination and sensory stimulation. However, when unstructured times come along, such as breaks, lunches and lesson change-overs, routine and structure can be quickly forgotten, dramatically exacerbating the anxiety and stress of students with autism.

During these challenging times, a range of difficulties can occur, one of the most frequent and upsetting being sensory overload. Break times mean a dramatic increase in the number of pupils, as well as a lot of new colours and smells, Pupils often describe the noise during breaks and lunches as being like having lots of radio stations playing at once and not being able to tune in to a single one.

There are, though, some simple strategies and techniques that can help alleviate anxiety and stress during these unstructured times. The training and education of pupils is very important here; by helping pupils to understand the issues that their peers with autism might face you can enable them to be more understanding and considerate.

Providing some structure for break time is a fairly easy fix. Having a designated quiet area for students with sensory overload can help, as can planned games that are organised by staff members or peer mentors.

Another interesting activity is the challenge bag; this is a set of cards with challenges on to allow students to WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Parents and school staff can share the strategies and techniques that work work independently or in groups. The challenges should ideally involve both physical and academic challenges.

For example, who can do the most star jumps in one minute? How many items beginning with the letter B can you name?

Working with families Effective communication between home and school is important when considering the challenges of unstructured times; parents and school staff can share the strategies and techniques that work and, more importantly, don't work for them, in order to make these times more manageable and enjoyable for pupils.

Being able to discuss possible triggers for anxiety or meltdown can facilitate a preventative approach that is beneficial for all concerned.

Additional difficulties that need to be addressed centre around the unwritten social demands and rules that neurotypical students seemingly know and understand automatically.

This can cause a lot of anxiety for those on the spectrum. Who should they speak to? How close should they stand? What should they talk about?

A solution, which can be very effective, if not the easiest or quickest to implement, is to teach these skills.

Working with small groups to develop basic communication skills will aid understanding, addressing both the

social side of communication and the more abstract non-verbal signs. The amount of information communicated using non-verbal signs can be far more valuable than what is actually said and, of course, is the most difficult for students on the spectrum to understand. Using emojis can be a great way of starting the process, as many students will have an understanding of them; relating these simple emotions to real life is often where the biggest challenges emerge.

The key to supporting pupils with autism during unstructured times is to reduce the anxiety and stress they feel, using all the tools in the teacher’s box of tricks. Being proactive is always going to be more successful than being reactive.

Further information

Karen Ferguson is Director of Linrow Education, which offers training and support services on autism to schools: www.linroweducation.co.uk

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Autism Champions course Living Autism is now offering the Autism Champions course to all organisations across a broader geographical base.

Living Autism has successfully delivered Autism Champions courses in York in collaboration with City of York Council over the past two years.

The course is now being offered to any organisation open to becoming autism inclusive or to furthering their autism inclusivity. It is suitable for employers, local businesses and shops, public services, tourist attractions, hospitality venues and other community organisations.

It is an in-depth, two-day course covering aspects of how autism can affect individuals across the spectrum and how businesses and organisations might become more easily accessible to autistic people. Champions will be able to share the information with their colleagues as appropriate for their own setting.

The courses are being run in York during the following months – November 2017, January 2018 and February 2018.

To book, visit: www.autismconference.co.uk

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AUTISM Advertisement feature

College – a positive next step for Tom Tom came to Hesley needing high levels of support. He displayed extreme levels of anxiety, low self-esteem and had regular crisis outbursts. Tom also displayed lower levels of engagement across the wider curriculum and always sought out computer time, remaining unwilling to engage in a number of opportunities presented to him.

It was clear that Tom had difficulties with social communication and he showed a disregard and even aggression towards other students. This was a clear barrier to his learning and progression and presented as a real challenge for his adult life. Naturally, following our person-centred principles, this became an obvious focus area for our supportive work in the college.

Careful, person-centred support was provided through work by multidisciplinary (MD) colleagues in both the school and then college. Regular interdisciplinary consultation and partnership work was put in place to support the key learning opportunities as well as providing a solid platform for regular monitoring and review. This allowed the team to adjust his programme where necessary in response to his needs at the time.

We reviewed and adapted his learning programme to reflect his sensory needs as well as focussing on his key strengths.

This was supported by the MD team input. Tom was prepared for the world of work through in-house work experience which allowed for positive reinforcement at a pace he could cope with. He was placed on a work-related pathway that gave him opportunities to see he can achieve great things and has skills he can do something tangible with, skills that contribute to the community and build his self-esteem.

Tom started a one day a week work placement with a social enterprise programme in Sheffield. This formed part of his larger college timetable and offered him an opportunity to transfer the skills he has learnt during his internal Hesley Group work experience. He learnt to get up on time, prepare himself for work and even call in if he was ever ill.

Since starting the programme a year ago, he has completed qualifications in the work place, established himself as part of a team and become a valued member of the organisation. This has done wonders for his confidence and provided him with opportunities for developing his experience of working WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

with and alongside colleagues. He has learnt more about the impact he can have on others in a team and demonstrated both empathic understanding and responsible working practice This careful, person-centred support was provided through work

by MD colleagues allowing Tom to gradually build his resilience and openness to explore beyond the small boundaries of his world at the time.

Real change Tom’s adult life now better matches his aspirations and involves both work and further education studies in a busy general further education college. This is a very different picture to the life he had; a few key aspects of change include: • Tom has made new friends; he is developing social and professional relationships in the wider world and widening his social circle beyond Hesley. He has moved into more independent living and uses public transport to get to his further education provision • he is finding out much more about workplace requirements, work ethics and responsibilities that will stand him in good stead for his next steps • he is much less anxious about his life and which direction this is going because it has meaning and he has more skills, knowledge and understanding than before; his world makes more sense • he is challenged more and has to deal with more complex experiences, change, dilemmas and even some confrontation that supports his need to develop better independent coping strategies • he is not only travelling to college by public transport but also learning to use money in more appropriate contexts • his functional literacy and numeracy have developed via his work placement because it has been made contextual and meaningful to him • Tom is ultimately now better equipped for his adult life and is less fearful of the future.

Tom’s potential continues to be realised. He is doing things his parents never thought he would and he himself has gained insight into what he really can achieve and where his life might go. Well done Tom! You can find out more about Hesley Group’s Specialist Colleges for people with autism and complex needs aged 18 to 25 by visiting our website at: www.hesleygroup.co.uk or call us on: 0800 055 6789.

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Autistic students take on business challenge Students at a school for young people with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum are embarking on a project to run their own business initiative alongside their lessons. The goal of the school’s innovative scheme is to give students the business experience and social skills they will need to go on to lead independent lives when they leave LVS Oxford.

No 2 Things, a new upcycling enterprise created by a group of BTEC business students at the school, held a successful trial launch at the school’s annual Celebration of Achievement at the end of last term. Now the business is being taken on and grown by a new group of students who have recently started their business studies. The enterprise was created as part of the students’ BTEC qualification, which last year’s cohort all successfully passed in the summer.

No 2 Things’ initial product collection included items such as cassette tape pen holders, decorated bottles and jars, and homemade bath bombs. The enterprise proved a big hit with guests at the launch event, and the students were delighted with the sales they made.

Future plans include workshop facilities to enable No 2 Things to embark on bigger upcycling projects, meaning the students will be able to offer a wider range of products, including upcycled furniture and produce made from fruit and vegetables grown at the school.

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Learner Craig Harris who has been involved right from the start says, “I feel that being part of the No 2 Things enterprise project has helped me become more confident when it comes to working as part of a team and dealing with customers. I’ve enjoyed having an active role in the company. It’s been a big hit.”

You can watch Craig and fellow LVS Oxford student Morgan Callaghan (both pictured) demonstrate the business initiative and discuss the benefits they are getting from it here: http://bit.ly/LVSOxfordBusinessVideo WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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When autism diagnosis goes wrong Mark Chapman and Kirsty Stubbs look at the implications of autism misdiagnosis and how to help the professionals get it right

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his article explores what happens when autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is misdiagnosed – either when a child receives a diagnosis even though their behaviour can be explained by other factors, or a child not being diagnosed or being wrongly diagnosed when they are on the spectrum.

Children are usually referred for a diagnostic assessment – commonly carried out by a neurodevelopmental team found in local or specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) – if there are concerns regarding their social interaction, social communication or rigidity in thought, all of which are potential indicators of ASD. Evidence of a child’s behaviour across different settings (including home and school) is collected from parents and teachers and combined

with behavioural observations and their developmental history following a faceto-face assessment. All of this evidence helps the assessing clinicians to reach a conclusion regarding a diagnosis.

Giving a diagnosis is, unfortunately, not always as clear or as easy as we would all hope. There are no medical tests that can help diagnose ASD, so it can often be a complex process.

It is possible that certain behaviours typical in autism (for instance, a lack of eye contact) could be explained by a different cause (in this case, potentially, social anxiety or cultural norms). It is therefore possible, although not common, to misdiagnose ASD.

The cost of misdiagnosis If a diagnosis of ASD is given in error, when in fact the presenting behaviour could be explained by other factors –

Being diagnosed with autism can have a big impact on a child’s self-esteem.

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A child given an autism diagnosis will carry that “label” with them for the rest of their lives such as attachment difficulties, trauma or social anxiety – the implications can be significant. A child given an autism diagnosis will carry that “label” with them for the rest of their lives, and it is therefore important to make sure it tells the correct story for that individual. A diagnosis of ASD can mean an individual does not qualify to enter specific professions (for example, the army or being a pilot) or enjoy certain types of training or employment opportunities.

Sometimes, parents believe that once their child is diagnosed, a world of resources will open up for them.

However, being diagnosed incorrectly or for the wrong reasons would not guarantee additional support or, indeed, the correct support.

What’s more, multiple ongoing assessments with different professionals and extra support or special treatment at school can be tiring for both parents and the child involved. Young people can also develop a degree of nervousness about health professionals and assessments or, conversely, a reliance on the professionals involved (especially when it comes to classroom support). The impact of misdiagnosis on a child has not been well documented; however, an ASD diagnosis can have a serious >>

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impact on a child’s self-esteem and their feelings of belonging to their peer group. Even if a misdiagnosis is rectified, the impact of this may involve psychiatric problems for the child concerned, and it could lead to a medico-legal conflict.

If a diagnosis is not given, when in fact a child meets the criteria for ASD, this can have serious implications for the level of support offered by the education system and later in life for the individual’s chances of finding and maintaining employment. It is, of course, possible for an individual to display traits of ASD without meeting the criteria for diagnosis and this should always be taken into account when outlining a need for additional support.

How can schools help?

Unexplained psychological symptoms in young people are some of the most common problems in today’s schools, accounting for a lot of the concerns about pupils held by teaching staff and SENCOs. In addition, without a diagnosis, a child is currently unlikely to receive significant extra support at school. This often means that a child’s difficulties can be represented in an incorrect or misleading way in order to create a sense of urgency within the system to assess them. The information presented to those who are conducting an assessment does not therefore always provide the best, most accurate picture of the child’s needs and difficulties.

When asked for information to support an assessment schools should provide clear objective descriptions of a child’s behaviour. So rather than just saying “John has good social skills”, it is better to provide a fuller, more accurate account, such as: “John is able to initiate and maintain conversations with known peers on a regular basis across contexts, including the playground and classroom, but finds it more difficult with new peers and adults.”

Schools should also avoid using school-specific acronyms or jargon when SENISSUE91

Sometimes, prior to an assessment, parents are adamant that their child does or does not have autism

explaining the support they provide and their behaviour management strategies.

They should also present information about the child’s strengths, not just about their difficulties.

How can families help?

Parenting a child with complex and challenging behaviour can seem like a journey with many mountains and obstacles. Often, a parent may feel they need to find an answer as to why their child displays difficult or odd behaviours. Parents can easily stumble upon check lists of behaviour that almost mirror their child in exact detail. On occasion, parents can attend an ASD assessment and recall information which is, in fact, a direct replica of these checklists. This is not always a helpful and does not provide a genuine account of the child’s difficulties. Similarly, parents can also reach conclusions about their child by listening to what other parents have to say (for example, “maybe it’s actually undiagnosed autism”).

Parents contribute a great deal to the assessment process and it is important that the information presented is clear, accurate and not influenced by the opinions of others. Sometimes, prior to an assessment, parents are adamant that their child does or does not have autism; this can lead to them, however unwittingly, providing biased information which makes it hard for the professionals glean the real facts of the case.

If you are a parent wanting to support the autism assessment process as best you can, it would be useful to:

• remind yourself of your child’s developmental milestones beforehand • bring along any previous reports from assessments your child has already had, perhaps from an educational psychologist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist or behavioural support professional • be as clear and as factual as you can about your child’s presenting difficulties, using particular examples of their behaviour in certain circumstances, as opposed to presenting your (or somebody else’s) opinion as to what caused the behaviour • compare your child and another child of the same age, as this can be useful in order to understand whether you believe your child is able to do the same things as someone of the same developmental level • come to the assessment without a set agenda and provide information about your child in the form of direct answers to the questions asked, rather than building a picture of your child’s presentation in advance.

Further information

Dr Mark Chapman is a Clinical Psychologist, and Kirsty Stubbs an Assistant Psychologist, at Springfield University Hospital, Tooting: www.swlstg-tr.nhs.uk

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RECRUITMENT

Is teaching going part-time?

Lukas Erlebach detects changes in the UK teaching job market that could have a big impact on schools

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he emergence of teacher shortages in the UK has been widely publicised in the press in recent years, with MPs calling for strategies to cope with rapidly growing pupil numbers and the resulting demand for teachers.

However, statistics show that the UK’s teaching job market has seen a three per cent growth in the past 12 months which, although this could suggest confidence in the market, is more likely to highlight the problem of fewer teachers being able to match the demand. Research has also indicated that teaching contracts have seen a shift from permanent full-time roles, to shift work and job sharing opportunities – possibly a method to fill the teaching vacancies.

Steady growth According to a study by Joblift, using data collated from a wide range of UK job websites, 271,170 teaching jobs have been posted in the UK in the last 12 months. The number of these positions has increased by around three per cent every month, on average.

To put this in context, the whole UK market has increased by two per cent monthly on average, meaning teaching vacancies have increased by 1.5 times the UK average.

There has been much discussion that teaching vacancies have becoming increasingly more difficult to fill, which can be confirmed by the statistics that teaching positions stay active online for an average of 17 days before being filled – three days more than the whole UK job market average of 14 days online.

The study also highlighted the most in-demand teachers according to the WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Teaching positions stay active online for an average of 17 days before being filled subjects they teach. Physics teachers are the most requested, subject-wise, as these positions have accounted for eight per cent of all teaching vacancies posted since August 2016.

Mathematics and English teachers follow closely behind with each subject speciality making up seven per cent of all teaching vacancies in the last year.

These statistics show that the need for physics and mathematics teachers remains high despite the Government relaxing immigration restrictions to combat this labour gap last January, with these subjects being the particular focus.

Interestingly, vacancies for physics and mathematics teachers have both decreased by an average of five per cent monthly each since last January, which would suggest that this relaxation of immigration restrictions has had a positive effect for these subjects.

Changing contracts The research also shows that whilst permanent contracts continue to dominate in terms of quantity, temporary and job share roles have had more than double the growth rate in the last 12 months. Permanent contracts still make up 73 per cent of all teaching job vacancies but temporary contracts (which make up 23 per cent of vacancies) have experienced 2.5 times the growth, with an average monthly

increase of five per cent (compared to two per cent growth in permanent contracts).

In addition, although teaching positions advertising shift work made up just three per cent of all vacancies, these roles have increased by an average of four per cent monthly, compared to the one per cent average monthly increase experienced in regular working hour vacancies. Furthermore, around 2,611 teaching positions posted in the past year have been advertised with the option to job share. Whilst these account for only one per cent of all teaching positions, job share vacancies have seen a huge average monthly increase of nine per cent, three times more than the teaching average.

This could highlight the Government’s initiatives to re-structure contracts and offer more flexible working patterns.

Further information

Lukas Erlebach is CEO of Joblift, a meta search engine for jobs: https://joblift.co.uk

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Innovation in classroom recruitment In this era of teacher shortages, leading education recruitment company Supply Desk has implemented innovative strategies to recruit quality staff for UK classrooms.

Supply Desk recently hosted two headteachers on a twoweek tour of Australia, where they interviewed dozens of prevetted, top quality teachers interested in teaching in Britain.

Recruiting for a range of early childhood, primary, secondary and SEN positions, headteachers Mike Jones and Joanne Garlick performed a dual role of selecting the best Australian teachers to work in British schools, as well as “selling” the concept of teaching in England to these young educators.

Additionally, they delivered professional development sessions on behaviour management, to prepare teachers for differences in UK and Australian schools. Supply Desk believe that this type of professional support, alongside ensuring international teachers have inspiring local mentors, increases the length of time teachers work in the UK. Supply Desk have successfully placed hundreds of international teachers in UK schools over the past 15 years.

International Manager Gemma Yates explains: “In addition to filling teaching vacancies across England, recruiting enthusiastic teachers from overseas adds a different perspective to local school communities. What has been interesting about this recent headteacher tour is that we’ve also piqued the interest of experienced SEN support staff, who we will be placing into roles in UK schools’.

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Mike Jones (pictured right), Head of Holmer Green Senior School, said of the strategy: “Recruiting Australian and international teachers adds a great dynamic to the staffroom as well as enriching our children's cultural learning. We are excited to recruit Australian teachers who bring energy and passion to their curriculum areas.”

This innovative strategy comes soon after Supply Desk’s recent call out for parents, friends and relatives with experience caring for children with SEN to consider turning their valuable skills into a career in education support. Typical roles include (but are not limited to) dyslexia support, ADHD support, ASD support, art therapists, horticultural therapists and behaviour support specialists.

To register your interest in working in SEN, visit: www.supplydesk.co.uk

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KIDZ TO ADULTZ NORTH 2017 Advertisement feature

FLEXIRODS and SOFTYTOPS Gentle connections - making switch use gentle and inspiring Using 20 years of experience in switch training, motivation and assessments, Smile Smart Technology have developed a new approach in switch comfort with our two new in-house inventions SOFTYTOPS and FLEXIRODS.

FLEXIRODS FLEXIRODS may look very unobtrusive because that’s how we designed them to be, however the softening and practical effects of its provision are completely brilliant – even if we say so ourselves!

FLEXIRODS overcome the “hard fix” of mounts, allowing the switch to move away when pushed hard or if a spasm occurs.

FLEXIRODS bend and return to their original position with no adjustment required afterward and no discomfort.

Unique to Smile Smart Technology, FLEXIRODS have been created to replace the rigid rod, so that when the switch is pressed in the normal way the power to operate the switch is less than needed to bend the FLEXIRODS. If a tonal spasm occurs and the head pushes harder, the FLEXIROD absorbs the additional pressure in any direction, then returns to its original position when the spasm subsides.

FLEXIRODS are designed to be used in conjunction with: SMILE Switch Mounts + 10mm rods, connectors + headrests or + Buddy Buttons/Jelly Bean/ Piko switches + SOFTYTOPS.

SOFTYTOPS In addition to the fantastic FLEXIRODS we also have our new and already popular SOFTYTOPS. SOFTYTOPS cover the surface of the world’s leading brands of button switches, enabling users to apply pressure without discomfort. They are particularly effective for those using head switches and tender parts of the body for connection.

SOFTYTOPS inspire and motivate round button switch access, making the hard challenge of pressing switches a soft and pleasurable action. By simply placing the SOFTYTOPS over a switch, the experience of driving or using a communication device is transformed.

SOFTYTOPS fit snuggly over switches making the process of activating a switch far more comfortable than hitting hard plastic with sensitive areas of the body. In conjunction with SMILE Switch Mounts and FLEXIRODS they can make the repeated use consistently more adaptable for those with strong tone fluctuation.

We encourage you to try them. We have received universally positive feedback.

The added depth and texture of SOFTYTOPS enable the slightest connection to be amplified. First time users and those training with switches will find the experience motivational and comfortable. The welcoming texture of WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SOFTYTOPS are warm to the touch and provide gentle, hygienic cushioning to switch users.

Sady Paulson, the face of Assistive Technology at Apple is a professional video editor, cinematographer and Apple Distinguished Educator who uses head switches for her many hours of daily work. She has been using them for a few months now and loves them. Sady tells us that they “make her work much more comfortable” and that she “uses them all the time”.

Sady uses two SOFTYTOPS over her head switches.

SOFTYTOPS are now available in the four colours of red, blue, pink and black and three sizes from Buddy Button switch size down to a small Piko switch size; all are adaptable to fit the varying switch brands.

SOFTYTOPS should be wiped regularly and replaced when worn as part of good hygiene practice.

Please contact us at The Smile Centre to discuss your individual needs or order online via the details below. We look forward to hearing from you.

Be a part of switching for the future!

FLEXIRODS and SOFTYTOPS are available from Smile Smart Technology Ltd. The Smile Centre, 105 Greenham Park, Newbury, Berks. RG19 6HN UK. www.smilesmart-tech.com Tel: +44 (0)1635 37550 Email: tech@smilesmart-tech.com

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KIDZ TO ADULTZ NORTH 2017

Join

at

SEN Magazine is delighted to be part of Kidz to Adultz North again this year. Drop by stand D5 to sign up for a FREE trial copy of SEN Magazine.

Special show offer: Subscribe to SEN Magazine for just £25 for a year (six issues) That’s virtually half price!

This offer is only available from the SEN Magazine stand at the show.

SEN Magazine info@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409800 www.senmagazine.co.uk

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CPD, events and training Keep up to date with the latest developments in special educational needs, with SEN Magazine's essential guide to the best courses, workshops, conferences and exhibitions

We take every care when compiling the information on the following pages. However, details may change, and we recommend that you contact the event organisers before you make arrangements to attend.

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS Rebound Therapy training courses

Autism and Learning – PG Certificate/Diploma/MEd

“ReboundTherapy.org” – the official UK body and international consultancy for Rebound Therapy. Responsible for the development and delivery of the genuine accredited and approved staff training courses.

With founder Eddy Anderson MCSP Cert Ed.

University of Aberdeen

01342 870543 www.reboundtherapy.org

Online Education from New Skills Academy New Skills Academy pride themselves on providing the best online education courses to further your career.

Their experienced tutors have meticulously created some incredibly well received diplomas. Their diverse portfolio includes courses in the following areas: Autism Awareness Diploma; ADHD Diploma; Asperger Syndrome Awareness Diploma. newskillsacademy.co.uk

Speech and Language Sciences MSc University College London

A clinical training programme as well as a challenging academic degree, the core subject is speech and language pathology and therapy. Students consider approaches to the investigation and management of clients with communication and swallowing problems. www.ucl.ac.uk

Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties MEd/ Postgraduate Diploma/ Postgraduate Certificate

The programme aims to give practitioners an in depth understanding of the condition and the working of the autistic mind. It will equip participants with a range of practical approaches and interventions that will enable children and young people on the spectrum to access learning, participate actively, experience success, gain independence, and fulfil their potential. autism@abdn.ac.uk www.abdn.ac.uk

MA in Education (Early Years)

online and part-time at Middlesex University. Learn best practice teaching children with Specific Learning Difficulties - see the impact on your own work and advance your teaching career. www.mdx.ac.uk

Various dates

Autism/Asperger Syndrome Training of learners with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs): a day course

Accredited by Birmingham City University and recognised for their practice based approach, the modules are intended for practitioner researchers looking for a framework and academic recognition of their current research and work. Popular modules include: Learning Outdoors in Early Childhood, Early Years Music, Leadership and Management and others

designed to enable successful

www.crec.co.uk

Network Autism: free online discussion group on SEN reforms

inclusion of learners with autism and Asperger syndrome. Various dates; see website for more details. www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

Promoting Positive Behaviour Designed to enable successful inclusion of a broad range of individuals and groups of learners including those with neurological conditions such as autism, Asperger syndrome,

www.networkautism.org.uk

dates and times; see website for

Middlesex University

www.birmingham.ac.uk

www.mdx.ac.uk

2 November

A Creative Day with EQUALS University of Manchester

Morning: music creativity for students with PMLD and complex needs using iPads and the ThumbJam app "The improvise Approach" with Carrie Lennard.

Afternoon: "interactive storytelling" with Keith Park using a very simple call and response method, in which one person calls out a line of the story and everyone else repeats it. http://equals.co.uk

8 November

Outreach Open Day New College Worcester

Practical support and advice on teaching young people who are visually impaired. Specific curriculum areas such as maths, PE, music, science and Braille. £50 with lunch and refreshments included.

01905 763933 Various dates

Take part in the new policy group dedicated to SEN reforms, read the latest research and collaborate with others.

MA Leading Inclusive Education

November 2017

Strategies for effective inclusion

for teachers and/or support staff,

This part-time, campus-based, blended learning programme has been developed for a range of professionals/practitioners who work with children and adults with learning difficulties in educational settings across the severe and profound range (SLD/PMLD) such as teachers and lecturers, nurses, therapists, psychologists and support staff.

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Study MA Inclusive Education

Centre for Research in Early Childhood

The MA Leading Inclusive Education provides career development for teachers working in inclusive education, allowing them to explore the best ways of leading and managing children and teachers in an inclusive situation. The course provides an insight into the skills needed to deal with various conditions affecting children's learning, and allows teachers to gain a deeper knowledge of how good, effective leadership can impact children's learning and development.

University of Birmingham

Study Specific Learning Difficulties with Middlesex University

ADHD, ADD and related disorders whilst fully meeting the needs of their peers. Various more details. www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

Various dates

Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome (PDA) Workshop A course that focuses particularly on the understanding

www.ncw.co.uk

8 November

FASD in Education Leeds

FASD in Education training days offer opportunities to learn more about FASD, its impact in the classroom, adapting to the learning style and needs and raising standards of attainment amongst affected children/young people. www.fasdineducation.co.uk

8 November

EduKent EXPO and Conference Kent Event Centre, Detling near Maidstone, Kent

EduKent EXPO and Conference is Kent's event for effective school management, learning and teaching – featuring inspirational keynotes, interactive workshops and an exhibition. www.edukentexpo.co.uk

that individuals with these conditions may communicate/ present differently to neurotypical learners but can still achieve their potential with the implementation of appropriate interventions. Various dates and times; see website for more details. www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS

Mobility Roadshow to close after 34 years The Mobility Roadshow, which has been providing opportunities for disabled and older people to find out about driving and other mobility options since 1983, is to close.

The decision has been taken by the Board of the Charity, Mobility Choice, which has run the event since 1998, in the light of falling exhibitor numbers over recent years. In particular, the growth of the Motability One Big Day and other events, which many of the Mobility Roadshow exhibitors can attend free of charge, has had a significant impact on the viability of the Mobility Roadshow.

Ann Frye, chair of Mobility Choice commented: “Over the years, many thousands of disabled and older people have benefitted from the Mobility Roadshow, in particular from the ability to test drive a wide range of adapted vehicles in a safe off road environment. For many this has been the starting point on the road to independent mobility.

We are immensely sad that we have to close the event. We still believe that there are many disabled and older people, outside the remit of Motability, who need the unique opportunity we offered to find out if they are able to begin driving.

We are in discussion with Driving Mobility, the charity representing the UK’s mobility centres, and with Disability Driving Instructors, about opportunities for them to organise local events under our “Get Going Live!” banner which WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

focusses on driving opportunities for young and newly disabled people.

We would like to say that we are enormously grateful to Motability for their generous sponsorship of the Mobility Roadshow and Get Going Live! events over the years, both in terms of financial support and the provision of vehicles for adapted test drives.”

More details will be available in due course from Driving Mobility: www.drivingmobility.org.uk SENISSUE91

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS 11 November

Adoption UK’s Annual Conference – Attachment and Trauma in the Classroom This conference focuses on alternative learning methods to improve educational outcomes for adopted children. Experts who’ve helped enhance the experiences of vulnerable children in the classroom will provide parents and schools with strategies to meet adoptees’ needs. www.adoptionuk.org

11 November

Brain-Based Attachment Interventions to Transform Troubled Lives With international experts Dr Dan Hughes and Dr Jonathan Baylin.

10.00 - 16.30 Cost: £174 The Centre for Child Mental Health

020 7354 2913 info@childmentalhealthcentre.org www.childmentalhealthcentre.org

14 November

Understanding stress and anxiety in autism and their impact on behaviour London

This course looks at how you can help autistic children and adults to reduce stress and anxiety, how to understand their behaviour, and how to support them during difficult times.

15 and 16 November

Best Asia Kuala Lumpur

Supported by Malaysia’s Ministry of Education, this event will bring together the region’s education community to discuss the transformation of education and to discover the innovation that will inspire change. 2,000 education policymakers, leaders, practitioners and innovators from over 35 countries will attend the twoday Leadership Summit and Expo, where the latest trends, challenges and advancements in education and technology will be addressed, with a distinct focus on Asia. asia.bettshow.com

15 November

Confidence in your Tests, Statistics and Interpretation: SASC Authorised Manchester

An opportunity for assessors/ specialist teachers to gain confidence in the more subtle and complex areas of diagnostic assessment, refresh their knowledge of statistical concepts in psychometric testing and enhance their skills in the analysis of data and interpretation of standard score profiles. www.patoss-dyslexia.org

16 November

Developing your Dyslexic Students’ Self-Esteem London

01905 763933

Research has demonstrated that 70 per cent of academic success depends upon the belief of the student that they can succeed.

The dyslexic student’s constant failure with regard to literacy skills has been shown to lower their self-esteem. These negative feelings are likely to have longlasting effects in the way they manifest themselves, which is likely to be complex, taking the form of vulnerability to stress, feelings of learned helplessness and depression.

www.ncw.co.uk

www.patoss-dyslexia.org

www.autism.org.uk/training

15 November

Professionals Welcome Day New College Worcester

NCW opens its doors to professionals from support agencies, charities and local authorities to take a closer look.

Includes the NCW offer, tour and lesson observations. Free.

We take every care when compiling the information on these pages. However, details may change, and we recommend that you contact the event organisers for up-to-date information before you make arrangements to attend.

16 November

Kidz to Adultz North EventCity, Manchester, M17 8AS

A free event supporting children and young adults up to 25 years with disabilities and additional needs, their families, carers and professionals. 150+ exhibitors.

Boost your CPD – ten free seminars accredited by The CPD Certification Service.

9.30am - 4.30pm

0161 607 8200 www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk/kidz-north/

21 November

Women and girls on the autism spectrum conference Manchester

Join us to get up to date with the latest research and practice in diagnosis and support for autistic girls and women. www.autism.org.uk/conferences

22 November

JCQ Access Arrangements: Assessment and Management 2017/2018: SASC Authorised Llandudno Junction

An opportunity for those involved in assessing for access arrangements to gain or refresh their knowledge of the assessment and reporting procedures for Access Arrangements in GCSEs and GCEs for SpLD learners. www.patoss-dyslexia.org

23 November

Presenting Materials for VI students New College Worcester

This course will provide hints and tips on how to produce a tactile diagram for science, mathematics and geography, using CorelDRAW and formatting documents. £50 with lunch and refreshments included.

01905 763933 www.ncw.co.uk

Continence problems in autistic children Barnsley

This one-day course will focus on the common toileting difficulties in children on the autism spectrum. www.autism.org.uk/training

30 November

Autism, self-harm and self-injury masterclass London

With Dr Khalid Karim and Sarah Baines, this masterclass will look at why autistic people may selfharm or self-injure, and explore helpful strategies and resources. www.autism.org.uk/training

December 2017 4 and 5 December

PECS Level 1 Training Workshop Birmingham

PECS is an approach that teaches functional communication skills using pictures. This workshop will give you all the practical details you need to start implementing PECS immediately, including: demonstrations, videos and opportunities to practice.

01273 609 555 www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

5 December

Autism and Sensory Issues conference Leicester

Join us to hear the latest insight and best practice for supporting autistic individuals with sensory processing issues, as well as useful coping strategies to help overcome challenges. www.autism.org.uk/conferences

7 and 8 December

PECS Level 1 Training Workshop Canterbury

23 November

PDA – strategies for schools Manchester

This course will explore the potential sensory differences experienced by children and adults on the autism spectrum, exploring potential strategies to support these differences. www.autism.org.uk/training

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PECS is an approach that teaches functional communication skills using pictures. This workshop will give you all the practical details you need to start implementing PECS immediately, including: demonstrations, videos and opportunities to practice.

01273 609 555 www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS

HALLIWICK ASSOCIATION OF SWIMMING THERAPY TEACHING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO SWIM Affiliated to the International Halliwick Association (IHA)

Halliwick AST Courses 2018 Foundation Courses The Halliwick Concept 4 days

Advanced Course Teaching and Applying Halliwick Skills

Hull East Hull Pools February Monday 12th to Thursday 15th (4 consecutive days) (This course accredited by Certa)

York Queen Margaret’s School, Escrick August Monday 20th to Thursday 23rd (4 consecutive days) Residential accommodation available

North London Ar nos Grove June 9th & 10th and 16th & 17th (2 consecutive weekends)

Course fee £400 for the 4 days Discounts may be given to people from groups who have been affiliated to Halliwick AST for a minimum of 2 years.

York Queen Margaret’s School, Escrick August Monday 20th to Thursday 23rd (4 consecutive days) (This course accredited by Certa) Residential accommodation available Oxford April / May TBC (2 weekends) Hull East Hull Pools Autumn half term Dates TBC (4 consecutive days) (This course accredited by Certa)

Application forms and posters can be downloaded from the website www.halliwick.org.uk or by e-mail or post from the course organiser (enclose a s.a.e.)

Course organisers Hull & York: Gill Wilkinson T: 01377 256 229 E: gill.will9x@btinter net.com London: Alison Skinner T: 0208 560 2034 E: at.skinner@ucl.ac.uk Oxford: Ann Gresswell E: ann_gresswell@hotmail.com

Other courses may be arranged in the year. Please look at the website www.halliwick.org.uk INAUGURATED 1952 Registered Charity Number 250008

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS 13 to 15 December

Learning and Teaching Expo (LTE) Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

LTE is Asia’s Leading Education Expo in Hong Kong, which is an ideal platform for SENCO and schools to discover the latest development and explore educational resources. www.LTExpo.com.hk

14 and 15 December

Asia-Pacific International Schools Conference (AISC) Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

AISC is the annual event for international school leaders to explore topical education issues.

Professor Michael Fullan and Dr David Gleason are going to be keynote speakers. www.AISC.com.hk

January 2018 8 January

Masterclass on managing feelings: CBT for autistic people to manage anxiety, sadness and anger London

A one-day masterclass with Professor Tony Attwood, explaining why autistic people are more prone to have intense emotions and to develop mood disorders and giving strategies to help and support. www.autism.org.uk/training

9 January

SENCOs and Access Arrangements London

The event will cover roles and responsibilities of centre staff; appointment of appropriate assessors; common access arrangements; evidence gathering and reporting; JCQ Form 8 assessment and interpretation; processing applications and the centre inspection process. This event is for SENCOs/learning support managers who are involved in the access arrangements process for GCSE/GCE level qualifications within a school or college. www.patoss-dyslexia.org

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11 January

Rocket Science or Basic Life Skills? – Developing Metacognition and Critical Analysis Skills for HE Students with SpLDs London

To provide educators working in higher education with a broad range of structured activities and strategies they can use to help students develop metacognition and critical analysis skills for use in lectures, reading, writing.

The emphasis will be on making metacognition and critical analysis easier to understand and apply. www.patoss-dyslexia.org

12 January

Tony Talks Autism 2018 Manchester

A one-day event. An opportunity to learn with world autism expert Dr Tony Attwood, one of the world's most respected experts on autism.

0141 638 4098 carolyn@medicacpd.com www.medicacpd.com

17 January

23 January

Outreach Open Day New College Worcester

Practical support and advice on teaching young people who are visually impaired. Specific curriculum areas such as maths, PE, music, science and Braille. £50 with lunch and refreshments included.

01905 763933 www.ncw.co.uk

25 and 26 January

2-Day SCERTS Training An introduction and application and assessment using the SCERTS framework Led By Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP Director, Communication Crossroads. www.autismuk.com

24 to 27 January

Excel, London Bett’s mission is to bring together people, ideas and technologies so that educators and learners can become game changers of the next generation.

Over four days in January, over 35,000 visitors from the global education community come to Bett to celebrate. www.bettshow.com

Autism and Social Skills conference

February 2018

Leeds

With three different seminar streams to choose from, this conference will provide attendees with the tools and strategies to support autistic people in social settings. www.autism.org.uk/conferences

18 and 19 January

Makaton Safeguarding Workshop Birmingham

An in-depth progression route for settings already on-board with Makaton. Takes practice to a new level with safeguarding at centre of planning. £240.00.

1 February

SoSAFE! Social and Sexual Safety/ Safeguarding Workshop London

How safe are your students in their relationships? The need to educate children and young people about relationships and social safety is not being met at the moment. SoSAFE! is a visual teaching tool which enables learners to develop their abilities in managing and communicating about their relationships.

1 and 2 February

PECS Level 2 Training Workshop Manchester

Learn practical ideas for advanced lessons in expanding language and communication within functional activities, plus tools for identifying communication opportunities across the day. Successfully problem solve PECS implementation and take it to the next level.

01273 609 555 www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

5 to 9 February

Five-Day TEACCH Course Inspirational, intensive course combining active learning sessions with direct experience working with students with autism. Led by trainers from Division TEACCH, University of North Carolina and experienced practitioners and TEACCH trainers from Prior's Court.

Prior’s Court Training and Development Centre, Newbury, Berkshire

01635 245911 training@priorscourt.org.uk www.priorscourt.org.uk

7 February

Professionals Welcome Day New College Worcester

NCW opens its doors to professionals from support agencies, charities and local authorities to take a closer look.

Includes the NCW offer, tour and lesson observations. Free.

01905 763933 www.ncw.co.uk

20 February

Sensory considerations training London

01273 609555

This course will help you understand more about, and learn practical ways of giving support to autistic people living with Sensory sensitivity and their families.

www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

www.autism.org.uk/training

http://coursebeetle.co.uk

22 to 24 January

3-Day TEACCH Training Course TEACCH 3 DAY training course led by Professor Gary Mesibov, former Director of Div. TEACCH. www.autismuk.com

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS March 2018 7 and 8 March

June 2018 18 and 19 June

The Autism Professionals Annual Conference 2018

2-Day TEACCH Training Course

Harrogate

Led by Professor Gary Mesibov, former Director of Div. TEACCH. £TBA.

This two-day conference is focused this year on how to empower autistic voice and choice. Hear the latest information from experts in the field and learn from case studies illustrating best practice. www.autism.org.uk/conferences

14 and 15 March

The Pyramid Approach to Education Workshop Cardiff

Establish effective learning environments through the use of ABA. This approach provides the foundation for a positive environment for growth. The Pyramid emphasises how to teach, rather than simply what to teach, in order to maximise an individual's learning outcomes.

01273 609555

www.autismuk.com

20 to 22 June 2018

3-Day SCERTS Training An introduction and application and assessment using the SCERTS framework Led By Emily Rubin, MS, CCC-SLP Director, Communication Crossroads. £355. www.autismuk.com

We take every care when compiling the information on these pages. However, details may change, and we recommend that you contact the event organisers for up-to-date information before you make arrangements to attend.

Autism

T.E.A.C.C.H. Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children

2 & 3 DAY TRAINING COURSE January 3 Day 22-24 2018 £395 June 2 Day 18-19 2018 £TBA

Course led by: Prof Gary Mesibov Div. TEACCH

This induction training is most appropriate for educators, therapist, administrators, paraprofessionals & families AM/PM refreshments & light lunch

199-203 Blandford Ave Kettering Northants NN16 9AT Tel/Fax: 01536 523274 Email: autism@autismuk.com Book on-line: www.autismuk.com

www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

NYMAZ SEND Music Network Gathering 2017 Wednesday 15 November 2017 1pm - 5pm Pavilions of Harrogate Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, HG2 8NZ The Gathering is open to all those in North Yorkshire and Teesside who are working with (or interested in learning more about working with) children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities, including music leaders, classroom teachers, SENCOs, music coordinators, headteachers, parents/carers and freelance practitioners.

Tickets £20 (NYMAZ SEND Music Network members £15) includes tea and cakes.

Visit: www.nymaz.org.uk/for-professionals/send to join the Network for free.

How to book: https://nymazsend2017.eventbrite.co.uk Email: info@nymaz.org.uk Tel: 01904 543382

Introduction & Application to the

SCERTS Model

2 & 3 DAY TRAINING COURSE

January 2 Day 25-26. 2018 £263 June 3 Day 20-22 2018 £355 Using the SCERTS curriculum & practice principles to design programming for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Course led by: Emily Rubin MS, CCC-SLP Director

This training is appropriate for: educators, therapists, administrators, paraprofessionals & families AM/PM refreshments & light lunch

199-203 Blandford Ave Kettering Northants NN16 9AT Tel/Fax: 01536 523274 Email: autism@autismuk.com Book on-line: www.autismuk.com WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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SEN RESOURCES DIRECTORY

SEN resources directory Information, advice and support for all things SEN...

ADHD

Bullying

Epilepsy

ADDers.org

Bullying UK

Epilepsy Action

Information and support forum for those

Support and advice on bullying:

Advice and information on epilepsy:

affected by ADD/ADHD:

www.bullying.co.uk

www.epilepsy.org.uk

www.adders.org

Childline Advice and support for those suffering from bullying:

National Attention Deficit Disorder www.childline.org.uk Information and Support Service (ADDISS) Cerebral palsy Resources and information for ADHD: www.addiss.co.uk

Autism/ASD Asperger Foundation UK (ASF) Support for people with Asperger’s syndrome:

www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk

Autism Awareness Forum for sharing experience/advice for those affected by ASD:

www.autism-awareness.org.uk

Autistica Charity raising funds for medical research into autism:

www.autistica.org.uk

National Autistic Society (NAS)

www.researchautism.net

Bullying Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) Charity dedicated to reforming attitudes and policy towards bullying:

www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

Beat Bullying

www.youngepilepsy.org.uk

FASD

Help, advice and support for children and adults affected by cerebral palsy:

www.scope.org.uk

Down syndrome Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA) Information, support and training for those affected by Down syndrome:

The FASD Trust www.fasdtrust.co.uk

The National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome UK Support for those affected by foetal alcohol spectrum disorder:

www.nofas-uk.org

General SEN

www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

The Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation UK (DSRF)

British Institute for Learning Disabilities

Charity focussing on medical research into Down syndrome:

Charity for learning disabilities:

www.bild.org.uk

www.dsrf-uk.org

Cerebra UK

Dyslexia

Charity for children with brain related conditions:

www.cerebra.org.uk

Child Brain Injury Trust Supporting children, young people, families and professionals when a child has acquired a brain injury:

www.autism.org.uk

Charity focused on researching interventions in autism:

Support for children and young people with epilepsy plus training for professionals:

Scope UK

Help and information for those affected

by ASD:

Research Autism

Young Epilepsy

British Dyslexia Association (BDA) Information and support for people affected by dyslexia:

www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Driver Youth Trust

www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk

Department for Education (DfE) The UK Government’s education department:

www.education.gov.uk

Charity offering free information and resources on dyslexia.

Mencap

www.driveryouthtrust.com

www.mencap.org.uk

Dyspraxia Dyspraxia Foundation UK

Learning disabilities charity:

National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN)

UK bullying prevention charity:

Dyspraxia advice and support:

Organisation for the education, training, advancement of those with SEN:

www.beatbullying.org

www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

www.nasen.org.uk

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SEN RESOURCES DIRECTORY

General SEN SEN.fyi (App) Everything You Wanted to Know About SEN – all in one place! Download this app free to your Smartphone or Tablet for iOS (on Apple App store) or Android (on Google Play store):

www.specialeducationalneeds.co.uk/ senfyi-app.html

PMLD

Visual impairment

PMLD Network

National Blind Children’s Society

www.pmldnetwork.org

Support and services for parents and carers of blind children:

Information and support for PMLD:

Rebound Therapy ReboundTherapy.org

www.nbcs.org.uk

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)

The UK governing body and international Support and advice to those affected by consultancy for Rebound Therapy: visual impairment:

www.reboundtherapy.org

SEN law Douglas Silas Solicitors

Hearing impairment

Douglas Silas Solicitors are the legal experts specialising exclusively in SEN, helping parents successfully throughout the SEN process:

Action on Hearing Loss

www.SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

Hearing impairment charity:

Independent Parental Special Education Advice

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk

Deafness Research UK

Legal advice and support for parents:

www.ipsea.org.uk

Charity promoting medical research into hearing impairment:

www.deafnessresearch.org.uk

National Deaf Children’s Society Charity to help deaf children and young people:

Spina bifida Shine

Information and support relating to spina bifida and hydrocephalus:

www.shinecharity.org.uk

SLCN

www.ndcs.org.uk

Home education

ACE Centre

Advice on communication aids:

The Home Education Network UK

www.ace-centre.org.uk

National organisation for home educators:

Afasic

www.thenuk.com

www.afasicengland.org.uk

Learning outside the classroom Council for Learning Outside the classroom (CLOtC)

Help and advice on SLCN:

Communication Matters

Support for people with little or no clear speech:

www.communicationmatters.org.uk

Awarding body for the LOtC quality badge:

The Communication Trust

www.lotc.org.uk

www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk

Literacy National Literacy Trust (NLT)

Raising awareness of SLCN:

Tourette’s syndrome Tourette's Action

Literacy charity for adults and children:

Information and advice on Tourette’s:

www.literacytrust.org.uk

www.tourettes-action.org.uk

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For the latest news, articles, resources, cpd and events listings, visit: www.senmagazine.co.uk

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M&M Theatrical Productions are the UK’s largest and most respected provider of theatrein-education, specialising in Classic Literature Adaptations and Pantomime Productions for Primary and SEN School audiences.

We transform gyms and dining halls into a magical theatrical experience, using state of the art sets, sound, lighting and special effects. Our Productions are renowned for their high quality and attention to detail, ensuring that children of all ages and abilities are equally engaged, educated and entertained.

understand y e th re u s e k s ma are als and alway n io s s arning needs fe le ro p h it g w in d n n re ta d il ch re outs ith, ensuring w “The actors a g in rk o w re they a the audience erformance” p e th t u o h g at ease throu

www.magicoftheatre.com