SEN Magazine - Issue 98 - Jan/Feb 2019

Jan • Feb 2019 Issue 98

From child to adult

Preparing young people with SEN for adult life

Adventurous learning

The benefits of outdoor activities for pupils with SEN

Driving attainment for deaf children How can we stop deaf pupils falling further behind at school?

PMLD/SLD • cerebral palsy specialist seating • deafblindness discipline • CReSTeD • assistive technology • dyslexia SENCOs • autism • Down’s syndrome • SEN news • recruitment • CPD and more…

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This issue in full Jan • Feb 2019 • Issue 98

Welcome Leaving school or college can be amongst the most difficult times in a young person’s life. For those with SEN though, the challenges and the opportunities offered by these transitions are often all the more profound. In the post-16 feature in this issue of SEN Magazine (p.56), Clare Howard looks at how further education can help prepare young people with SEN for adult life.

Elsewhere in this issue: John Crosbie outlines the benefits of outdoor activities for pupils with SEN and disabilities (p.61); in our hearing impairment feature (p.69), Ann Bradbury looks at what schools can do to stop deaf pupils falling ever further behind their hearing peers; and in the assistive technology feature (p.66) Sophie Shearer looks at how technology is supporting students in higher education.

Member of the Scottish Parliament Daniel Johnson, who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, makes a call for politicians to stand up and be counted on neuro-developmental disorders in our point of view section (p.22).

Other regular features include a look at special educational provision in education, health and care plans, in SEN law (p.24), as well as a round-up of all the latest conferences, seminars and exhibitions in CPD, training and events (p.94).

You will also find articles on cerebral palsy (p.26), specialist seating (p.28), Down’s syndrome (p.30), PMLD/SLD (p.34), school discipline (p.38), SENCOs (p.40), deafblindness around the world (p.43), dyslexia (p.47), autism (p.78 and p.86) and recruitment (p.102).

06

SEN news

14

What's new?

22

Point of view

24

SEN law

26

Cerebral palsy

28

Specialist seating

30

Down's syndrome

34

PMLD

38

Discipline

40

SENCOs

43

SEN overseas

47

Dyslexia

51

CReSTeD

56

Post-16 options

61

Outdoor activities

66

Assistive technology

69

Hearing impairment

76

Book reviews

78

Autism

94

CPD, events and training

102

Recruitment

103

About SEN Magazine

104

SEN resources directory

106

SEN subscriptions

Peter Sutcliffe Editor editor@senmagazine.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS

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ADVERTISING SALES Denise Williamson: Advertising Sales Manager denise@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409808

Next issue deadline: Advertising and news deadline: 6 February 2019

Charlotte Williamson: Advertising Sales Executive charlotte@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409805

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.

MARKETING & ADMINISTRATION Anita Crossley anita@senmagazine.co.uk 01200 409802

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

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Ann Bradbury Sarah Butcher Siena Castellon Louise Connolly John Crosbie Emma Hollis Clare Howard Daniel Johnson MSP Alison Marshall Stuart Mills Mary Mountstephen Beth Murphy Amanda Richardson Deborah Robinson Sophie Shearer Douglas Silas Margot Sunderland Annette Whitaker Catherine Wright

Disclaimer

SEN Magazine ISSN: 1755-4845

SENISSUE98

In this issue

Down’s syndrome

26

30

38

Discipline

CP support down under

61

Are you sitting comfortably?

Providing the right specialist seating for pupils with disabilities

30 A grown-up’s guide to teens with Down’s syndrome Practical ideas for supporting teenagers with Down’s syndrome

34 Engaging assessments for PMLD and SLD A new approach to statutory assessment for pupils with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties

38

Healing not harming Simple things that can make all the difference when disciplining a student

40

43

Are SENCOs becoming just form fillers?

47

69

Driving attainment for deaf children What can schools do to stop deaf pupils falling ever further behind their hearing peers?

78

Autism and wellbeing Improving the physical, intellectual and emotional wellbeing of young people with autism

86

Misunderstanding autism Awareness may be growing but what do people really know about living with autism?

Regulars 6

22

Testing for dyslexia

The Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils

24 76 94

SEN news 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

EHC plans and special educational provision

Book reviews CPD, training and events

Your essential guide to SEN courses, seminars and events

102 Recruitment

A look at some of the personal characteristics needed to work in the SEN sector

From child to adult How further education prepares young people with SEN for adult life

SENISSUE98

Changing learning How technology is supporting students in HE

Deafblindness: a global view

51 CReSTeD

56

66

14

Spelling, writing and cognitive processing skills in dyslexia assessments

78

The benefits of outdoor activities for pupils with SEN and disabilities

How the quality of a school’s paperwork may be determining whether children get support for SEN

A new report examines the situation of people with deafblindness across the world

Autism

Adventurous learning

What can the UK learn from Australia’s cerebral palsy provision?

28

Jan • Feb 2019 • Issue 98

104

SEN resources directory

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

56 DYSLEXIA

POST-16

47

Testing for dyslexia

From child to adult

Catherine Wright look at spelling, continues her series on dyslexia writing and cog nitive processing assessments with a skills

How further edu cation prepares for adult life, by young people wit Clare Howard h SEN

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I

n the prev ious issue of SEN Magazine (SEN 97, Nov/Dec 2018), I discussed why it was impo rtant for schools and specialist prov iders to understan d the needs of a learner in order to supp ort them effec tively. I focused on the different reading tests that are avail able and why you would use a range of tests to ident ify the areas a learner may find difficult.

In this article, I will focus on gradually getti assessing spell ng more diffic ing, writing and cognitive ult as the test continue processing s. Shorter tests skills, and how assessing may be quicker and these skills can will provide inform teaching and a standard score but will support. often not prov ide you with a good analy sis of spelling Spelling diffic ulties.

In order to support a learn There are man er, it is important to y different spell understand ing tests available to teach how they are spelling. Man ers and psyc y dyslexic learn hologists.

All of them ers spell phonetically; follow the sam they will often e format, asking the learn strug with high frequ gle er to spell word ency irregular s and words and do not have a good gras WWW.SENMAGA p of spelling ZINE.CO.UK

It is no wonder that writing is one of the most difficult skil ls to master for learne rs

47 Dyslexia

oing to scho ol for the first time, moving between schools, leav is not too gene ing school ric or merely a replication and starting of the standard college or work are all school curriculu transition poin m. ts that can be stressful and emotional for A range of lea everyone.

For young peo rning ple with SEN opportunities , however, these transitio ns are often Colleges shou even more ld be able to difficult to man demonstrate age. This is that they have not helped by a funding more than one system whic or two curriculum opti h is hard to navigate and ons. They sho outcomes the a lack of infor uld also be clea you mation about r about how ng person wan the options avai they assure qua ts to achieve? The lable. esp lity, ecially if the culture of the learning prog provider, as Some young well ram as people with the learning me is not accredite SEN are programme d, and the type ready to mov itself, should be firm s of support e into further that are avai ly focussed education lable. Support (FE) at 16, whil on meeting the needs and might need e for others, to change ove exp it may ecta r time to help more appropr tions of the be individual. Wha the young iate to stay person to incre t kind of adu at school a ase their inde bit longer. At lt does the young person pendence, some stage as whateve want to bec between the r they were ages of 16 and ome? used to in The late teen 19, though, man school is not age and earl y young always app people and their y adu yea ropr lt rs are crucial families will be iate in college. Tech in determin looking nology is a to make a cho ing the level of inde key part of ice between independen pendence in a college ce training place, a sup adulthood; and college in addition, ported inte should continu the right edu s rnship, an apprenticeship, cation at this ally be upgradi stage can save voluntary or ng imp and rovin the g what’s avai paid work, public purse or other opti lable for stud huge amounts of ons such as ents. money over residential placements. the course of a person’s But what is avai The right sta life. FE prov lable, how do you decide iders should ff use education, on the right Are the staf health and care option for f well qualified you or your (EHC) assessments and what child, and how specialist sup and the stip can FE port is availab prepare peo ulations of EHC plans ple with SEN le? Staff qualification to crea for adu te s, experience lt life? individual and When people personalised and training move on to should relate learning prog college directly to the (som etim es rammes, thereby ensu afte r more specific circ ring what is bein umstances and than 15 years at the g offered needs of lear same school) ners, and teachers it’s a real should have opportunity for a fresh star specialist t, perhaps involving new friends, new experiences and new cha llenges. So wha tever option is cho sen, it’s imp ortant that the young person exp eriences an adult environm ent, rather than just an extension of their school experience.

Here are som e of the thin gs to look out for to mak e sure that the choices you make will truly prepare the young person concern ed to meet thei r longer term aspirati ons in life.

rules – for exam ple “do” bein g spelt as “dow” or “few” being spelt “foow”.

Many learners miss out or inser t sounds or syllables, use the corre ct letters in the wrong orde r, or confuse sounds (like “th”, “f” and “v”), or words (such as homopho nes, like “thei r”, “they’re” or “there”, or confusable words like accept and except).

It is also impo rtant to look at the way that learn ers spell when they are writing, and are able to choose the words that they use.

Writing

“Overcoming writing prob lems begins with a goo d asse ssm ent. Man y individuals with dyslexia or learning >> SENISSUE98

Programmes

with pur

pose Is there a clea r drive and purp ose to the programme offe red, centred around the

56 Post-16 SENISSUE9

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66

ASSISTIVE

The late teenage and early adult years are crucial in determin ing the level of indepen dence in adulthood

Two students enjoying art and media studi es.

TECHNOLO

GY

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Changing le arning

Sophie Shearer

looks at how tec

hnology is suppor

ting students in

HEARING IMP AIRMENT

higher education

69

Driving att a for deaf ch inment ildren

Ann Bradbury look pupils falling eve s at what schools can do to stop deaf r further behind their hearing pee rs

I

t’s hard to avoi d technology.

For many of us, it people in the is ingrained in classroom with almost the use of every aspect descriptive artifi of day-to-day cial intelligen life. It is integral to our ce tools.

Computer app social life and s are also how we work, so providing assistance with it makes sens writing to thos e to expect educational e with dyslexia, and institutions there are a rang to effectively embed tech e of tech solutions to nology in thei help reduce r systems and processe stress for all and enable s. students to feel University can mor e in control of their be a life-cha studies. nging experience that It is importa provides opp nt to note, thou ortunities for students gh, that quite often to gain kno the students wledge and fulfil their drea with SEN or disabilities ms. Technolo disability that who manage gy plays a can be misu key role in enh to get to university com nderstood ancing this expe or missed com e from very rience pletely by teac for all students supportive hom es and hing staff and it can reall and fellow stud edu cati on y help to break dow ents. IBS, mig netw orks The . y can therefor n the barriers raines or fibromyalgia, that some e experience for may face with exam ple, a real shock when can all have their learning. a detrimental they are inde imp act Adv anc es pen on learning. dently studying awa in tech nolo All students y from hom gy are accelerating should share e for the first time and at lightening how they are feeli they pace ng may find that with their stud ; many of the changes strategies that the ent support we are witnessi service and worked for them ng offer find the righ fantastic opp when completing GCS t technology ortunities for solutions that Es and A Leve disabled work for them students to ls are no longer sufficien work indepen . t. dently and overcome diffic Som ulties which etimes people Disabled Stu inhibit their may be reluc success. In way dents’ to disclose tant s that were unim Allowances their conditio aginable just a few dec n to their university or ades ago, tech Government to fellow stud nology funded Disabled is being used ents, which can lead to Students to help stud Allowances difficulties stud ents with (DSA) are avai disabilities and ying, poor results and, lable if you SEN to attend are a student for some, men classes with a learning both physicall tal health concerns rela y and remotely difficulty, heal th problem or ting to pres . disability. Tho Students with sure and their fear se who visual impairm of failure. Stud are eligible can receive ents, ents may also for example, have addition help with the can “see” costs of spec al health and objects or ialist equipme physical challenges nt, including a compute linked to thei r, as well as SENISSUE9 r SEN 8 or additional costs incurred relating to non -medical

Many students do n’t know about DSA and can miss out on the support they are entitled to

66 Assistive technology

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I

n 2018, deaf children were reported to be achieving understanding more than a of their need whole grade less s, a deaf young person at GCSE than could not achi their eve in line hearing peer with a hearing s¹. Further child. figures revealed that more than 55 per cent of young deaf Behind the people in Engl num and did bers not achieve Many deaf more than one young peo A-Level by the age of ple across the UK are 19.² It was a highly succ year when students with essful both academically no SEN were and socially. shown to have opened They achieve qualifications up the biggest , and good ones attainment gap – almost at that.

They go to colle 25 per cent ge and universit – over their deaf peers since y, and have vocation 20121. s and care These are start ers. They have families ling statistics things, for the , enjoy a wide indeed. majority, their But what drive range of interests academic s them and can attainment is and a large anything not as close be done to clos network of frien to that of ds. These are e the gap in pupils with no attainment all measures between youn hearing impa of their success – achi irment as g deaf peo it should, or eved with the ple and could, be. their peers? supp and dedicatio ort Many things n of parents and teachers drive these While deafnes with no sma statistics s brings its and it is easy ll amount of own difficulties, it to point the hard work and determin is not a learn finger at funding, whic ation on the ing disability and should h as we all part of the young person. not be treated know, is being hit hard as such. In principal, there in the curre nt climate.

But the num are few, if any, However, it’s bers at the begi reasons impo why, with the rtant we don’ nning of this article show right support t focus on funding as in place and that although the “be all and we do see young deaf end all” people achieving WWW.SENMAG great AZINE.CO.UK

69 Hearing impairment

While deafness brings its own difficulties, it is not a learning disabi lity and should not be trea ted as such

>> SENISSUE98

In the next issue of SEN:

World Autism Awareness Day • learning outside the classroom • respite care multi-sensory issues • music and performing arts • accessible vehicles • dyslexia • ADHD Tourette’s syndrome • transition to adult life • recruitment • CPD and much more…

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SEN NEWS

Patients’ rights should underpin mental health reforms Review recommends changes to Mental Health Act Advance choice documents and patient advocates to promote service users’ wishes People with mental health issues should have more choice and autonomy regarding the services they access, says a new review of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Commissioned by the Prime Minister Theresa May in October 2017, the report suggests changes to the Act and associated practice. The Review was chaired by Professor Sir Simon Wessely of King’s College London and it sets out recommendations covering four principles that should underpin the reformed Act: ensuring service users’ views and choices are respected; ensuring the Act’s powers are used in the least restrictive way; ensuring patients are supported to get better, so they can be discharged; and ensuring patients are viewed and treated as rounded individuals.

The Review looked at rising rates of detention under the Act, the disproportionate number of people from black and minority ethnic groups detained under the Act, and processes that are out of step with a modern mental health care system.

“One of the recurring messages from our extensive engagement with service users is that the process of being detained under the Act is too often experienced as awful”, the Report states. Many service users said that being compulsorily admitted to hospital will worsen, rather than improve, their mental distress.

The right to advocacy for those who find it difficult to make their wishes and preferences known is a key element in the report: “we propose reforming the outdated system of choosing (which actually means not being able to choose) one’s nearest relative”, it says.

Other recommendations include, introducing advance choice documents to enable people to explain their wishes regarding their future care and treatment. “At all times, whether a patient

Campaigners want fundamental changes in the law on mental health.

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has capacity or not, we are insisting that it becomes the norm to have the wishes and preferences of patients recorded, principally on the care and treatment plan, and that any reasons why these should not be followed, are recorded”, the Review says.

The Review calls for a principal of “least restriction, to ensure detention is always used as infrequently and for as short a period as possible, and that less restrictive alternatives must always be considered. It also states that police cells should no longer be used as a “Place of Safety” for anyone of any age, and that police vehicles should not be used for taking people to hospital.

Systemic change Mental health charity Mind has welcomed “the Review’s recommendations to increase people’s choice and dignity when they are subject to the Mental Health Act”.

Mind is disappointed, though, that the Review has not recommended getting rid of Community Treatment Orders (CTOs), which the charity says “have not reduced hospital readmissions and are often experienced as intrusive and coercive, especially by people from black or black British backgrounds.” While Mind believes the Review’s recommendations would “make significant improvements to people’s rights and experience of mental health care”, it is calling for more fundamental, long-term shifts in the law.

United Response, a charity supporting adults and young people with mental health needs, has endorsed the Review’s recommendations “to restore dignity to people and to the system”.

Its Chief Executive Tim Cooper describes the Review’s findings as “deeply worrying”.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that more than seven years after the Winterbourne View scandal some people with a learning disability or autism are still being ‘warehoused’ in locked and unsuitable rehabilitation wards which only serve to exacerbate their problems”, he says.

The recommendations must be viewed in relation to the “stark reality” that adult social care faces a funding gap of £3.5 billion by 2025 just to maintain existing levels of care, Mr Copper believes. “[The] recommendations are meaningless without genuinely new investment in social care infrastructure, funding for local authorities to pay care stuff at National Minimum Wage rates and a drive to fix the sector’s well-documented recruitment crisis”, he says.

To find the report, search “Modernising the Mental Health Act” at: www.gov.uk/government/publications WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

SEN NEWS

NHS programme has failed autistic people, charity claims Increase in number of people with autism in mental health hospitals Call for changes to funding for autism support There has been a significant rise in the number of people with autism in mental health hospitals in England.

An analysis by the National Autistic Society (NAS) of NHS data shows a seven per cent increase in autistic people reported in mental health hospitals since 2015. For autistic people without an accompanying learning disability, this rises to 24 per cent.

More than one in four people with autism reported in mental health hospitals have been there for five years or more, and four in ten autistic people reported in mental health hospitals are under the age of 25.

355 autistic people in mental health hospitals have been identified as not needing inpatient care anymore. This represents 30 per cent of all autistic people under NHS England’s Transforming Care programme, which the NAS believes “has failed autistic people”.

The charity says it is scandalous that autistic people are “being left behind in mental health hospitals” (including assessment and treatment units), which are often a long way from their friends and family, and “are being subject to unnecessary seclusion, restraint and overmedication”.

The report finds “an alarming increase” in the number of autistic people reported in mental health hospitals, despite NHS England promising in 2015 to reduce reliance on inpatient settings. Although NHS England says these increases may be at least in part due to under-reporting in the early stages of data collection, the NAS believes far too many autistic people are currently ending up in mental health hospitals.

Inpatient settings should be avoided wherever possible, the charity says. If someone in crisis is admitted, their stay should always be short and focused on discharge.

Of the 2,350 people under Transforming Care, 665 have been identified as not needing inpatient care anymore but are still in hospital. Over half are on the autism spectrum.

NHS England’s Transforming Care programme is due to end in March 2019; it sought to reduce the number of people with autism or a learning disability in mental health hospitals by between 35 and 50 per cent, by moving people into specialist support in their own communities.

Funding priorities The NAS has written to Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, and Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to demand that “Government and NHS England sort WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

A new report calls for specialist community autism teams to be introduced.

out the funding problems that makes it easier to spend money on hospital care than on good quality care in the community.”

At present the NHS pays for care in mental health hospitals, while local authorities fund support in the community. For an individual to move into the community from a hospital, the local authority would need to pay the costs of care.

Unless the upcoming NHS Long Term Plan (which is expected to be announced as this magazine goes to press) changes the funding model, people will be stuck in hospital and at risk of being traumatised by the wrong care, the NAS fears.

The charity is also calling on NHS England to put in specialist autism teams in the community, to stop people going into mental health hospitals. These teams would run diagnostic services and support some people directly, as well as training and working with other services in the area to make sure they have the autism expertise they need.

The Government should also ensure mental health law reflects the needs of autistic people, including removing autism from the definition of mental disorder in the review of the Mental Health Act, the NAS says.

“We are deeply disturbed by stories of unnecessary use of seclusion, restraint and over-medication”, says Jane Harris, NAS Director of External Affairs. “We can’t address this appalling situation without changing funding arrangements. NHS England has promised that autism will be a priority in its upcoming Long Term Plan and that must include a new way to put the millions spent on the wrong type of care into the right care, near family and friends.”

The NAS report, Beyond Transforming Care: What needs to change?, can be found on the charity’s website: www.autism.org.uk SENISSUE98

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SEN NEWS

Autism strategy to include children for the first time The Government has announced that its national autism strategy is to be updated to cover children.

Introduced in 2009, the Autism Act included a duty on the Government to produce a strategy for adults with autism, which it published in 2010.

Children denied vital specialist equipment A charity for disabled children has published a report which it says exposes “major and unlawful failings surrounding the provision of specialist equipment to some of the UK’s most vulnerable children.”

Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children is calling on the Government to help those children whose lives are at risk because they don’t have the specialist equipment they need.

The report, Equipment Crisis for Disabled Children, shows that children are being deprived of specialist equipment like walking frames, specialist car seats and beds.

“Every single day severely disabled and terminally ill children are denied their fundamental rights because existing policies preclude them, or decisions are made based on frugality rather than health and necessity”, says Newlife CEO Sheila Brown.

“The result is children are left to suffer in pain, their safety compromised, isolated from the world.”

The report says that 83 per cent of local authorities apply unlawful “blanket bans” that restrict equipment. Often used as a way to “ration shrinking budgets”, a blanket ban means local authorities refuse to provide a particular piece of equipment “under any circumstances”. The most common is the “blanket refusal” to fund specialist, protective car seats for disabled children, irrespective of whether there is a medical need for one, with 83 per cent of local authorities applying such a ban.

The Children’s Act 1989 requires all local authorities in England to “establish and maintain” a register of children with a disability in their area. However, data obtained by Newlife shows that less than 11 per cent of children are included on local disability registers.

Newlife is calling on national and local government: to ensure blanket bans for rationing equipment are ended; to establish an emergency equipment response service; to introduce maximum waiting times for equipment assessments across health and social care; and to ensure disability registers are completed accurately and kept up to date.

The report can be found on the charity’s website: http://newlifecharity.co.uk SENISSUE98

Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi confirmed the Government’s intention to extend the strategy to include children in a December 2018 letter to the National Autistic Society (NAS) and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism (APPGA).

Responding formally to the APPGA’s 2017 review of autism in education, as well as campaigning by the NAS, Ambitious About Autism and others, the Minister has also promised to look at recommendations made by the APPGA around autism awareness and training in schools, collecting data to improve planning, and making the SEN system more accountable.

“Too many parents still feel that they have to fight to access services for their children”, said Mr Zahawi in the letter. “My focus now is to drive up the quality of education, health and care plans (EHC plans) and further embed the principles of SEND reform in schools, local authorities and health bodies.”

The Government will now collect evidence from families, carers and children with autism on how support can be improved.

“This is fantastic news and has the potential to improve the lives of the 125,000 autistic children in England – and future generations”, says NAS Director of External Affairs Jane Harris.

“We hear every day from parents of autistic children that they are waiting for years to get a diagnosis, a decent education or basic support for their children. This can have a devastating and lifelong impact, often affecting the whole family's mental health or children's long-term chances in life.”

Ambitious About Autism CEO Jolanta Lasota has also welcomed the news in the Minister’s letter. “To get the chance they deserve, autistic young people must be supported by joined up services working together in their best interest”, she said.

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

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SEN NEWS

SENCOs do not have enough time to do their job Almost three-quarters of SENCOs are not able to effectively support pupils with SEN and disabilities due to a lack of time, says new research. The National SENCO Workload Survey recommends that SENCO time is protected, with a minimum of 1.5 days per week dedicated to provision for those with SEN and disabilities.

The Survey, conducted by Bath Spa University, nasen and the National Education Union (NEU), looked at the role of the SENCO, particularly in relation to the impact that SENCO workload has on the professional and the school following the SEN reforms of 2014.

The vast majority (78 per cent) of SENCOs surveyed stated that other roles or tasks within their teaching setting routinely pull them away from being able to carry out the SENCO role, while only a quarter of respondents (26 per cent) felt the role they were doing was manageable for one person.

SENCOs report working extra hours to fulfil the demands of their role, with 43 per cent of primary SENCOs and 71 per cent of secondary SENCOs working more than nine extra hours per week on SENCO duties.

“SENCOs are seeking ways in which they can meet the demands of the role, often at a personal cost”, says Dr Helen Curran, Senior Lecturer in Education: SEN at Bath Spa University, “Yet, this does not present a sustainable option for SENCOs or children alike.”

Although 71 per cent of respondents said that they enjoyed their role as a SENCO most or all of the time, almost a third of SENCOs stated that they did not intend to be in the same role in five years’ time. Nearly half of those (49 per cent) cited workload as the primary reason for wanting to leave the profession, whilst 45 per cent cited a lack of government funding allocated to SEN and disabilities support.

Of those surveyed, 95 per cent of SENCOs believe they should have legally protected time to enable them to fulfil the demands of the role.

In addition to the call for legally protected time, the report makes a number of other recommendations: where appropriate, SENCOs should have a full, non-contact timetable, depending on the circumstances of the school; senior leaders should review the SENCO role in terms of time and support to encourage experienced SENCOs to remain in post and raise the profile of SENCOs within their schools; and SENCOs should review their job description with their headteacher and SEN governor with a view to determining the amount of protected time they require to facilitate their role.

To read the report, visit: www.bathspa.ac.uk/sencosurvey WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Government guidance on school trips The Department for Education (DfE) has released new guidance on health and safety on school trips. It links to Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP) National Guidance for the management of outdoor learning, off-site visits and learning outside the classroom, which provides advice on all aspects of educational visits. It also endorses the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom’s Quality Badge, the national accreditation designed to ensure providers have the appropriate safety standards and liability insurance in place.

Welcoming the new guidance, Adrian Clarke, OEAP National Chair, said: “every child in every school should have access to a comprehensive programme of high quality outdoor learning, educational visits and adventurous activities as an integral part of a compelling school curriculum”.

The new guidance recommends that every school should appoint an educational visits coordinator.

The guidance, Health and safety on educational visits (published 26 November 2018), can be found on the Government’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications

“Cliff edge” for young people with vision impairment on leaving education The University of Birmingham has published the results of a longitudinal transition study following the experiences of young people with vision impairment from secondary school into further education and employment.

Findings from the study show that whilst participants are “inching closer to the labour market”, common challenges were identified. A fifth are either not in education, employment or training (NEET) or in long-term unpaid voluntary work. Some young people with vision impairment face challenges which delay their progression into the labour market. Some young people with vision impairment do not feel ready for work and are not actively seeking employment, instead choosing to take on voluntary work or not to work at all.

It also found that young people with vision impairment who are NEET are often not signposted to services which could enable them to access the labour market. Some young people with vision impairment are employed in short-term insecure roles, making it difficult for them to get Access to Work and other accommodations. Young people with vision impairment often face a “cliff edge” after completing their education. For example, a large proportion of participants became NEET when leaving higher education and several returned to study when they didn’t find work.

The Transition Experiences of Young People with Vision Impairment aged 21 to 24, funded by the Thomas Pocklington Trust, can be found at: www.pocklington-trust.org.uk

News deadline for next issue: 6/2/19 Email: editor@senmagazine.co.uk SENISSUE98

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SEN NEWS

Achievements of people with learning disabilities celebrated People with learning disabilities and/or autism have been recognised in the Dimensions Learning Disability and Autism Leaders List 2018.

Left to right: Sarah White and Richard Kramer of Sense, Parent Inge Ahmad, daughter Noreen Ahmad and staff from Sense charity shops, Carolyn Gee and Pauline Moules.

Campaigners call for action to support disabled adults A petition with 35,000 signatures has been delivered to 10 Downing Street, calling on the Government to make it compulsory for councils to ensure disabled people aged 25 and over are supported to have a plan in place for their future care and support.

Organised by Sense, the petition builds on the charity’s report of February 2018 When I’m Gone, that revealed over two-thirds of families caring for disabled adults with complex disabilities live in fear of what will happen to their loved one when they are no longer able to provide support. It also found that three in four families caring for a loved one with complex disabilities have no long-term plan in place for when they are no longer able to provide support.

Freedom of Information data, also included in the report, highlighted that only one in four councils are able to support disabled people and their carers to make contingency plans for future care options. Only one in three local authorities are aware of how many disabled adults are currently being cared for by family and friends at home, in their area.

The charity is also urging the Government to ensure social care is adequately funded to meet the growing needs of families and disabled adults.

“We hope government will take action, investing in social care to combat the care crisis and that together we start to tackle the pressures families face when planning for future care needs”, says Sense Chief Executive Richard Kramer. “It’s time that disabled adults and their families receive the right support at the right time and in the most appropriate setting.”

Inge Ahmad (68), from North London, shared her experiences as part of the report and was part of the delegation delivering the petition to Downing Street. She cares full-time for her 35-year-old daughter Noreen who has learning disabilities, is quadriplegic, blind, epileptic and without speech. She receives four hours respite care a week from the local authority.

“Noreen is delightful, but requires full-time support. I feel under constant pressure. I really worry about what will happen to Noreen if I can no longer take care of her”, says Inge Ahmad. “I don’t think that the local authority has many options, and the decision would be based on ‘where there’s a bed available’, rather than the appropriateness of the care. If she’s not happy where she is and with the people who look after her, she will refuse medication, food and drink. She’ll become incredibly unhappy.”

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From pressing for change in local communities or on a national stage, to achievements in sport, arts, entertainment, work and education, 60 winners have been lauded for “breaking through stereotypes and challenging social attitudes”.

The judging panel of 14 included people with learning disabilities and autism, journalists and prominent figures; winners were selected from nearly 600 nominees.

“Choosing winners was inspiring, humbling and incredibly difficult”, says Dimensions CEO Steve Scown. “I hope that policymakers, journalists and others now take note and make use of their remarkable skills and determination to achieve change.”

Those selected included Ben, who uses his lived experiences to teach people about challenging behaviour, and Ursula, who at the age of 88 has learned to read. Autistic, non-speaking Christopher (above) is helping people worldwide to express themselves, often for the first time, while Heidi is working to change attitudes to Down’s syndrome under the banner “don’t screen us out”.

The Leaders List was welcomed by Sarah Newton, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work. “The list celebrates the extraordinary achievements of people with learning disabilities and autism, offering role models to inspire our future leaders”, she said.

Only around six per cent of people with learning disabilities, and 16 per cent of people with autism, are thought to be in work. On average, people with learning disabilities die over 20 years before their non-learning disabled peers. Three quarters of people with autism and learning disabilities are believed to experience hate crime. “And yet, across the country, people with learning disabilities and autism are advocating to make life better by changing national policy and practice, and entrenched social attitudes”, says Mr Scown. “They are spokespeople, lobbyists, experts by experience. They are actors and singers.

They are film makers, receptionists, DJs. The List celebrates their achievements, larger and smaller alike, understanding that nominees may face significant barriers due to their disability.”

The Learning Disability and Autism Leaders List 2018 can be found at: www.dimensions-uk.org

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

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SEN NEWS

Survey shows prevalence of mental disorder in children and young people One in eight five- to 19-year-olds, surveyed in England in 2017, had a mental disorder, according to a new report by NHS Digital.

Looking at the five to 15-year-old age group over time, the report reveals a slight increase in the overall prevalence of mental disorder – from 9.7 per cent in 1999 and 10.1 per cent in 2004 to 11.2 per cent in 2017. When including five to 19-yearolds, the 2017 prevalence is 12.8 per cent, but this cannot be compared to earlier years.

The survey covered 9,117 children aged two to 19 and combined responses, depending on their age, from children and young people or their parents and teachers.

Mental disorders were grouped into four broad categories: emotional, behavioural, hyperactivity and other less common disorders.

Emotional disorders have become more common in five- to 15-year-olds, going from 4.3 per cent in 1999 to 5.8 per cent in 2017. All other types of disorder have remained similar in prevalence for this age group since 1999.

Different disorders were found to be more or less common at different stages of childhood, with rates of mental disorder higher in older age groups. One in eighteen preschool children were identified as having at least one mental disorder at the time they were surveyed. Behavioural disorders were evident in one in 40 preschool children.

One in six 17- to 19-year-olds were found to have a mental disorder with one in 16 experiencing more than one mental disorder at the time of the interview. This age group had the highest rate of emotional disorder (14.9 per cent). Females aged 17 to 19 were more than twice as likely as males of the same age to have a mental disorder.

The survey – Mental health of Children and Young People in England, 2017 – can be found at: https://digital.nhs.uk

Association between parental and child obesity Children of obese parents are more likely to be obese themselves than children whose parents are not overweight or obese, according to figures from NHS Digital.

The Health Survey for England 2017 found that 28 per cent of children of an obese mother were also obese, compared with eight per cent of children whose mother was not overweight or obese. 24 per cent of children of an obese father were also obese, compared with 9 per cent of children where the father was not overweight or obese.

The Health Survey for England 2017 can be found at: https://digital.nhs.uk WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

School autism exclusions cause parents to give up their jobs Parents of children with autism are regularly having to miss days from work, reduce their working hours or give up their job entirely, according to new research by Ambitious about Autism.

The charity surveyed over 900 parents and carers of children and young people with autism to find out their experiences of the education system.

The survey revealed the impact that school exclusions have on wider family life. Of those parents surveyed, 30 per cent said they had given up their job as a result of school exclusions, 29 per cent said they had missed days from work and 20 per cent said they had reduced their working hours to part time.

“The wider cost to families, and society, resulting from problems at school is very troubling”, says Jolanta Lasota, Chief Executive of Ambitious about Autism. “Parents are having to give up jobs to look after children forced out of education, creating even more stress and instability in their lives.”

Parents also reported an increase in the number of unlawful exclusions affecting their children – with 56 per cent saying their child had been sent home early, worked on a reduced timetable or asked not to come on a school trip – without an official letter being received.

In 2016, 45 per cent of parents of children with autism reported that their child had suffered an unlawful school exclusion.

The survey also revealed wider problems with how children with autism are able to access the right support at school. Nearly 40 per cent of those who have a child with an education, health and care (EHC) plan said they had waited over 18 months for an assessment. This is despite a 20-week statutory deadline for assessments. EHC plans place a legal obligation on local authorities to provide extra support for pupils with SEN.

“Children and young people with autism and their families are being badly let down by our education system”, said Jolanta Lasota.

The Excluded from school report can be found on the charity’s website: www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk

News deadline for next issue: 6/2/19 Email: editor@senmagazine.co.uk SENISSUE98

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EQUALS

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TUITION

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SEN PRODUCTS / RESOURCES

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SEN LAW

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WHAT’S NEW?

What’s new?

VeritySpell spelling and grammar checker The developers of VeritySpell say it can correct serious spelling mistakes like “inof” (enough), “citon” (kitten) and “tri” (tree) better and more efficiently than any other spellchecker.

It also helps you handle confusable words like “witch”/“which” and “their”/“there”/“they’re”.

Thousands of example sentences help you decide which is the right spelling in your context.

Ideal for all ages and abilities, VeritySpell also offers support for grammar and other mistakes, for example mistakes like “The cats is hungry” or incorrect compounds like “bicyclehelmet” (bicycle helmet).

To find out more and get a free 30-day trial, call: 02034 882922 or email: info@aventido.com

The AET welcomes new training partners Following a rapid expansion, the Autism Education Trust (AET)’s training programmes are now available in 62 local authority areas. The high quality, widely recognised faceto-face autism education training is provided to educational settings (0 to 25) through local delivery partners with experience in the field of autism and a knowledge of the local context.

The Trust aims to bring the programme to all local authority areas and welcomes applications from LA outreach services and other training providers wishing to support autistic children and young people in their area.

For details, visit: www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk or contact: info@autismeducationtrust.org.uk

Schools Walk for Autism School children are being invited to be autism aware and get active.

Following the success of Walk for Autism in 2018, Schools Walk for Autism, aimed at primary schools, launches in 2019. Pupils will be encouraged to be more active and learn about autism during World Autism Awareness Week (26 March to 2 April).

Each child pays £1 to take part and the school is provided with special resources and support. This campaign aims to raise much needed awareness and funds for autism services around the UK and Ireland.

The deadline for primary schools to sign up is 15 February 2019.

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Family time at Bendrigg Trust Time spent with family is worth every second.

Bendrigg Trust provides weekend family courses for families with a disabled member to spend quality time together whilst catering for everyone’s needs – and now there are new dates for 2019. Join in the fun canoeing, climbing and caving whilst staying in the Trust’s state-of-theart inclusive residential accommodation.

“Doing things as a family, with other families, makes everything normal for a change”, said one parent.

Dates are available in February, August and October 2019, with prices heavily subsidised.

Call: 01539 723766, email: jo@bendrigg.org.uk or visit: www.bendrigg.org.uk

Bright Heart Education helps students shine Bright Heart Education is a London-based tuition agency helping students with learning challenges, those lacking confidence and motivation or those that don’t quite “click” in traditional classrooms.

The agency’s heart-based approach focuses on the unique needs of each student, while building rapport and confidence with warmth. Bright Heart commissioned nasen to produce an exclusive online training course to ensure that its tutors understand the importance of meeting the individual learning needs of all its students.

Bright Heart provides carefully matched tutors for one-to-one tuition and offers a free consultation and the first lesson free. www.brightheart.co.uk

New event: Tes SEN North launches in Manchester in May After 26 years in London, and due to increasing visitor demand, the acclaimed Tes SEN Show is expanding with the launch of an additional new event: Tes SEN North.

Taking place at Manchester Central on 10 to 11 May 2019, the inaugural Tes SEN North is a must-attend event that will provide everyone in the special educational needs community with a new opportunity to access high-quality, relevant SEN training, the latest resources, networking opportunities and more.

Register free and book Early Bird sessions by 29 March at tessenshow.co.uk/Manchester WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

WHAT’S NEW?

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Doncaster School for the Deaf Doncaster School for the Deaf provides a full curriculum for pupils aged four to nineteen years. It develops communication skills including British Sign Language, spoken English or assistive communication systems (such as PECS).

Specialist staff include Teachers of the Deaf, speech and language therapists, an audiologist and a nurse. It is an inclusive school and accepts referrals throughout the year .

It is rated “good” by Ofsted who recognise that pupils make strong progress and pupils “thrive”. The residential children’s home is “outstanding”, providing respite, weekly or 52-week care.

SEN Law Conference: Tuesday 6 March 2018 Following the success of this year’s sell out event, IPSEA, Douglas Silas Solicitors and Matrix are staging the annual SEN Law Conference on Tuesday 5 March 2019 in London.

This popular one-day specialist event has a range of speakers providing the latest legal updates for this fast-moving area of law, aimed at those working within and advising on the SEN law framework, including: lawyers and advisers in SEN law; local authority decision makers; IASS advisers; SEN professionals (such as EPs, SaLTs and OTs); school and college staff; and NGOs/ campaign groups.

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

To visit, email: secretary@ddt-deaf.org.uk www.deaf-trust.co.uk/school

FrontRow Juno soundfield system New SEND website The Education and Training Foundation has launched a refreshed SEND website.

Resources are grouped under four headings: Working in the sector; Teaching and learning (including RARPA and specific needs and wellbeing); Leadership and management; and Employers and employment.

Courses include offerings for SEND Managers and addressing awareness of autism, dyslexia and hearing impairment. In line with the ETF’s commitment to addressing barriers to participation, four free places are available on all SEND courses to those who work in an opportunity area, for an organisation with an annual turnover of less than £500,000, or who come from a BAME background or have a disability.

It has been long established that making listening easier for children helps with their attention, aids their development and generally improves the soundscape in the class for the overall benefit of students.

Teachers often remark how a Juno enabled class is quieter, with students responding better. Juno allows teachers to use their most important tool, their voice, most effectively. Using a quieter, calmer voice often helps children focus and leads to reduced vocal strain for teachers.

Soundfield benefits all children but especially those with SEN. For more information or to arrange a free trial, call: 01698 208268, email: uksales@gofrontrow.com or visit: www.gofrontrow.com

https://send.excellencegateway.org.uk

Three new inclusive playgrounds for Ofsted “outstanding” Kingsland school

New scheme of work within EQUALS’ Semi-formal SLD Curriculum

Kingsland school in Wakefield provides a caring educational environment with significant outdoor learning provision, used by the different classes for curriculum-linked activities or at break time.

During September 2018, EQUALS published a new scheme of work within the brand new Semi-formal SLD Curriculum. This was My Physical Well-being.

This new scheme of work focuses on four main areas: Physical Activities; PE, Sport, Games and Aquatics; Mental Health and WellBeing; Healthy Eating and Healthy Lifestyle.

To learn more, visit: www.equals.co.uk WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

The school’s ethos, “children at the heart of what we do”, resonates strongly with HAGS, who collaborated with them to design three play areas supporting the wellbeing and development of their children. This was achieved via a combination of products with high play value and carefully designed layouts, which make the children feel safe at the same time as providing a stimulating play experience. www.hags.co.uk/en-gb/kingsland-school SENISSUE98

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WHAT’S NEW?

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New independent flat for over 18s

Hackney needs foster carers

Four of Hamilton Lodge’s further education students now live independently in a new flat on the school campus.

The number of children coming into care has been on a steady increase for the last three years. This is presenting a challenge across the country and Hackney is no exception.

One student said: “It is just like a university flat and that is where I want to go next. So it is perfect for me and I really like doing everything for myself.”

The flat is on Hamilton Lodge’s central Brighton campus, with full access to staff if needed and all facilities including the allweather flood-lit sports pitches and basketball court.

To visit Hamilton Lodge, email: admin@hamiltonlsc.co.uk

Research shows Omega-3 with Omega-6 can improve behaviour and reading The Equazen range of brain health supplements, available in a liquid (citrus), chews (strawberry/tropical fruit), family capsules plus a triple strength family formulation, is the result of many years of science. Equazen’s unique evidence-based formulation incorporates specific blends of omega-3 and omega-6, all tailor made to meet our needs at key life stages.

Extensively researched, Equazen helps benefit children when it comes to behaviour and reading, with a 64 per cent improvement in reading comprehension, faster capturing of unfamiliar letters by ten per cent and visual analysis up by eight per cent.* www.equazen.co.uk * https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27545509

Most children and young people come into care due to no fault of their own. Hackney is looking for patient, understanding and nurturing people to join their community of foster carers who are providing quality care and support to these vulnerable children.

Hackney offers continuous training, mentoring, support and competitive allowances. Help them change a foster child’s life.

For more information, call: 0800 0730 418 or email: fostering.recruitment@hackney.gov.uk

Enriching the curriculum through the magic of theatre M&M Theatrical Productions are passionate about enriching the curriculum whilst educating young audiences through the powers of entertainment and imagination.

Their teams of highly skilled professional actors always take time to understand the audience they are working with – ensuring that children with varying levels of learning needs or challenges are at ease throughout the performance.

“It was a fantastic show and the children were so engaged. It’s amazing that we can give these children these experiences. It was worth every penny”, said one school contact. www.magicoftheatre.com

The Calvert Chronicles The Lake District Calvert Trust is producing a series of videos and case studies in conjunction with their visiting “learning outside the classroom” groups.

This resource allows group leaders to access readymade quotes and images to help them explain to other stakeholders what the Trust has to offer SEN groups.

New Medpage prompting aid

To see these case studies, visit: www.calvertlakes.org.uk/calvertchronicles. There you will find a range of thoughts and comments from groups who have already visited, with more being added every week.

Medpage believe in keeping things simple, while employing the latest technologies in their product designs.

Their new memory prompting aid, the MemRabel 2i, is a fine example. A carer can use their Smartphone from anywhere in the world where they have an internet signal to send greetings, reminder videos or photos with text to the MemRabel auto media player. It is a perfect independent living aid for a person with failing memory or a learning impairment.

To find out more about how Calvert Trust can work with your school, call them on: 017687 72255.

Full details are available on the Medpage website: www.medpage-ltd.com or search: MemRabel 2i on YouTube.

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WHAT’S NEW?

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Naidex 2019 Naidex, Europe’s most established event dedicated to the future of disability and independent living, is back for its 45th anniversary on 26 and 27 March 2019, at Birmingham’s NEC. Find 250 thrilling seminars and 350 world-class exhibitors offering solutions to allow you to live independently. Test the latest mobility products in the Mobility Test Track and get involved in the Live Sports Arena to discover your next passion.

Naidex will once again become the hub of the disability sector, offering all the innovations that are improving accessibility and inclusion, as well as empowering people with a disability.

Register for your free ticket at: www.naidex.co.uk

Management team appointed for Orbis Abbey Rose Orbis Education and Care have appointed heads of care and education ahead of the service opening in March 2019.

Steve Colley joins as Head of Care, having worked in the care sector for Worcestershire, Birmingham City and Gloucestershire County Council.

Lillith Osborne brings over 20 years’ experience to the Head of Education role in order to facilitate a holistic approach to education.

Located in Tewkesbury at the former Southwick Park site, Orbis Abbey Rose will offer residential care for up to 30 children and day placements for children with complex needs associated with autism. colin.howarth@orbis-group.co.uk

Autism and Co-occurring Conditions Conference The National Autistic Society is holding a brand new and exciting Autism and Co-occurring Conditions conference on 29 January 2019.

Autistic people commonly have one, or more, additional (or “co-occurring”) condition. These conditions may include ADHD, a learning disability, epilepsy, sleep issues, eating difficulties and mental health issues. This brand new oneday conference will explore some of these co-occurring conditions, their connection with autism, what effect they can have on an individual, and how diagnosis and appropriate support should be approached. Speakers will include practitioners, researchers and autistic individuals.

Learn more at: http://learn.autism.org.uk/cc

Supported internships at Exeter Deaf Academy Exeter Deaf Academy is the first UK post-16 Deaf education provider to set up supported internships.

Free 30-day trial of Rapid Plus online A Rapid Plus online subscription gives you and your students access to all of the Rapid Plus texts in online eBook format, both in-school and at home.

Designed to give maximum support to struggling readers, each eBook contains a wealth of features to help your students become more confident with their independent reading.

In the Reports section, teachers can also monitor student reading progress and track their performance in comprehension activities, helping to identify areas of difficulty.

Request your free trial today: www.pearsonschools.co.uk/SENRapidtrial

Build academic strengths with the WRAT5TM

Supported internships are structured study programmes based primarily with an employer to prepare students for working life, to help them achieve in education and to make the progression to sustainable employment.

The Wide Range Achievement Test, Fifth Edition (WRAT5) helps you to identify possible learning difficulties. An easy to administer assessment, it allows you to accurately measure and evaluate academic and vocational strengths and weaknesses in people aged five to 85+.

Deaf Academy students aged 16 to 24 have access to a range of on-site therapies including audiology, speech and language therapy, counselling, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

Great importance is placed on social, emotional and cultural development alongside tailor-made education and care packages to equip students with skills for work.

The WRAT5 now includes improved identification of learning disabilities, streamlining of rules and subtest improvements.

You can choose from two administration options: traditional format (paper manuals and record forms) and digitally on Q-interactive (the test administration, scoring and reporting platform). Online scoring is also available via the Q-global platform.

www.exeterdeafacademy.ac.uk/college

Order online at: pearsonclinical.co.uk/wrat-5

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Prior’s Court to launch song recorded at Abbey Road In November, young people with severe autism and staff members from Prior’s Court recorded their anthem for autism, “Let Me Shine”, at London’s Abbey Road Studios.

The aim was to help the young people become pop stars for the day – and demonstrate that people with severe autism can achieve extraordinary things. All those involved contributed by either singing, signing or playing instruments.

The song and short film are due for release in the coming months, and are dedicated to the memory of three staff members who tragically lost their lives in a road traffic collision in October.

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Infinity Wall Panel from SensoryPlus SensoryPlus have now launched their all new improved Infinity Wall Panel.

Featuring the latest LED technology, the Infinity Panel offers simple interaction to cycle through the pre-set programmes, creating a stunning visual display at an affordable price. The improved Infinity Wall Panel joins their newly updated Sound to Light Panel and brand new UV Glow Write Panel.

For more information, call SensoryPlus on: 01302 645 685 or visit their website at: sensoryplus.co.uk

www.priorscourt.org.uk

Autism friendly holiday park SNAP – new online editions SNAP-SpLD (Specific Learning Difficulties) and SNAP-B (Behaviour) are online diagnostic assessments designed to identify and provide interventions for 20 learning and 17 behavioural difficulties.

Online assessments quickly identify areas of need, as well as strengths to be celebrated, and offer hundreds of targeted interventions involving both home and school. Following the Assess – Plan – Do – Review model set out in the SEND code of practice (2015), SNAP can be administered by any member of staff without the need for specialist training.

SNAP-SpLD and SNAP-B are available as one-year subscriptions for £199+VAT.

For 12 years, The Thomas Centre has provided outstanding holiday accommodation for families and adults affected by autism, epilepsy and other related conditions. They offer a great venue for adults in supported living, special school groups and care organisations.

During 2018, owners Richard and Jan Crean opened two new large four-bedroomed bungalows on the 25-acre holiday estate, in addition to existing two and three bedroomed properties.

In a non-judgemental environment, the centre offers peace and tranquillity, together with private use of a large indoor heated swimming pool, an outdoor playpark, go-karts, Bill’s Play Barn, a trampoline and more. https://thethomascentre.co.uk

Watch a video demonstration at: www.hoddereducation.co.uk/snapvideo

New iPhone gadget for music makers Skwitch is a new pocket-sized musical gadget for iPhone from Skoogmusic, pioneers in accessible music technology. Just clip Skwitch straight onto your iPhone, choose from a selection of popular melodies, then press the button to play this simple, expressive musical instrument.

Compose your own tunes and play riffs, chords and arpeggios without any training. Connect Skwitch to other apps using Bluetooth MIDI, use with iOS Switch control or learn to code with Swift Playgrounds. Designed to be used by everyone, Skwitch is a truly inclusive piece of kit.

New £6m facilities for St Lawrence College St Lawrence College in Ramsgate has opened its new £6 million Science, Art and Design Technology Centre, situated on its Senior School campus.

The facility, with its light, spacious classrooms and state-of-the-art equipment, underlines the school’s commitment to creativity and innovation, providing an inspiring environment to enhance pupils’ learning.

It’s available from Apple and Amazon: RRP £44.95.

Principal, Antony Spencer, commented “Preparing our pupils for an uncertain but exciting future that will be dominated by the growth of AI, makes it even more important that we foster the human qualities of imagination, innovation and creativity.

We are delighted that this new building reflects this vision.”

http://www.skoogmusic.com/skwitch

www.slcuk.com

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WHAT’S NEW?

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In-ground trampoline for Rebound Therapy

Latest Easy News for people with learning disabilities

Sunken Trampolines have been installing trampolines in schools for seven years and are now launching their own in-ground trampoline for Rebound Therapy to the UK schools market.

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

Compatible for outdoor and indoor use, the ST100 complies with sporting equipment safety standards and is designed for Rebound Therapy and recreational use, with great responsiveness and power combined. This means a school can have an easily accessible sunken option instead of the heavy, clumsy above-ground option.

Using simple language and visual cues, this edition gives readers a news round-up which includes stories on the rise in disability hate crime, the “last chance to save the earth”, the killing of a Saudi Arabian journalist, Universal Credits and more.

To download a copy and sign up for future editions, visit: www.unitedresponse.org.uk/easy-news

Sunken Trampolines are experts in bringing trampolining into schools.

For more information, visit: www.sunkentrampolines.co.uk or contact Joel or Angus at: sales@sunkentrampolines.co.uk

SpaceKraft’s 2019 catalogue is out now SpaceKraft has announced the release of its new 2019 catalogue.

Available now, it features over 200 new, innovative and unique sensory products. SpaceKraft says its 2019 catalogue “has something for everyone”.

To order your free copy and to see what they have to offer, call SpaceKraft on: 01274 581007 or visit their website: www.spacekraft.co.uk

Would you like to create an outdoor sensory space but have no funding?

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 funding guide and free inspiration guide to outdoor sensory play spaces and outdoor sensory play equipment.

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

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Visual impairment specialist support WESC Foundation is a visual impairment charity specialising in education for children and young people who have a VI and complex needs.

WESC Foundation has a school (ages 5 to 16) and a college (ages 16 to 25) offering day, weekly and termly places. They also offer split placements and education outreach support.

They have in-house qualified therapy and mobility teams.

WESC Foundation also provides adult care and support services on-site and in the community, and a wide range of work placements, work experience and supported internships in Devon and in the Foundation’s retail and horticulture enterprises. www.wescfoundation.ac.uk

White Rocks Farm College White Rocks Farm College prides itself on offering more than just qualifications. Their students are taught in a positive nurturing environment where confidence, self-worth and wellbeing are valued and encouraged. The ethos of the College is to develop key life skills outside of the course work.

The College has an extensive therapy team with animal, art, equine and speech therapy available. The classroom is outside and land based studies students work with the College’s specialist green woodsman making products (see bench pictured) whilst working with natural materials and hand tools that help develop coordination, dexterity and strength. www.whiterocksfarmcollege.co.uk SENISSUE98

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WHAT'S NEW

SEN PRODUCTS / SERVICES

The Autism Show 2019 – online ticket office now open The Autism Show, the national event for autism (including Asperger syndrome), has opened it's online ticket office early to enable visitors to pre-book their tickets well in advance of the events in June this year.

The Show runs in London, Birmingham and Manchester, attracting over 10,000 parents, carers, and professionals looking for the latest autism information, practical advice, products and services on the condition.

You can book your tickets now and save 20 per cent at: www.autismshow.co.uk

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TRAINING

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POINT OF VIEW

Point of view: head of teachertraining professional body

Meaningful SEN training Initial teacher training should prepare trainees to work effectively with every pupil, argues Emma Hollis

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ver since the Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training in 2015, which reminded us that “good teaching for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is good teaching for all children”, practitioners and policy-makers have highlighted the variability in coverage of SEN and disabilities in initial teacher training (ITT) in this country.

It is clear, however, that the need for thorough, sustainable SEN training is greater than ever. An alarming number of teachers feel unprepared or unsupported to teach pupils with SEN, which raises urgent questions about the suitability and accessibility of existing training and CPD. Typically, exit interviews and the Newly-Qualified Teacher (NQT) survey reveal that trainee confidence is weakest in terms of their ability to teach children with a range of needs.

You could argue that this is unsurprising – I would be suspicious of any experienced teacher, never mind trainees and NQTs, who could honestly say they had high confidence in managing every possible need they might encounter – but it reinforces what we know about SEN training in ITT: that it is highly inconsistent.

The issue has been that there is a lack of expertise among ITT providers to develop structured and sustainable programmes with a clear SEN input.

The provision of meaningful SEN training for trainee teachers is something that should be taken very seriously, and ITT providers need support in equipping a new generation of teachers with the skills and knowledge to teach well for SEN.

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There is huge support among providers for the idea of high-quality SEN and disability training My experience has been that there is huge support among providers for the idea of high-quality SEN and disability training, but with a crammed initial teacher education (ITE) curriculum it can be difficult to know what can be achieved and how best to achieve it. ITT providers therefore need help around the “how to” and exploring wider principles with their trainees, with the understanding that learning is never complete.

An inclusive ITT/ITE curriculum In summary, a robust SEN and disabilities curriculum for ITT/ITE needs to include: • the graduated approach; trainees need to be able to explain this clearly for the NQT interviews • how to measure the impact of interventions; at initial training stage it may be support staff and the SENCO who provide data, but teachers need to know what questions to ask and how to interpret the answers • the milestones in a child or young person’s development, and how to determine whether or not these are being reached • the four broad areas of need and specific needs within each area; trainees can never fully know this,

but a well-designed programme will give them the skills they need to research more as they progress in their career • subject knowledge (at secondary level) and different pedagogical approaches to SEN and disability; this is about trainees developing their ability to spot when a pupil is underperforming and discern if this reflects SEN • partnership and multi-agency working; this means working collaboratively with children and young people, parents and families, support staff and external practitioners.

Moving forward, I am heartened by the Department for Education’s plans to ensure an entitlement to sustained CPD for all early career teachers. I believe that accredited training providers are perfectly placed to offer this support to early career teachers, building on the strong foundation of ITE. I hope that the plans for the Early Career Framework, which we should know more about soon, will provide scope for the continuing development of SEN and disabilities training for trainee teachers.

Further information

Emma Hollis is Executive Director of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT): www.nasbtt.org.uk

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POINT OF VIEW

Point of view: M ember of the Scottish Parliament

Speaking out on NDD Politicians should stand up and be counted on neuro-developmental disorders, writes Daniel Johnson MSP

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ncreasingly, my outlook on attitudes towards neuro-developmental disorders (NDD) alternate between optimism and pessimism.

Since revealing to the Scottish Parliament that I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and, in so doing, becoming the first and so far only politician in the UK to do so, I have received countless emails, tweets and letters thanking me for speaking out.

Broadly, the reaction since I went public with my diagnosis has been positive. Members of the Scottish Parliament from all parties have been supportive. I haven’t had a single piece of negative backlash from either the press or my constituents. In that way, those reactions show Scotland’s understanding of neuro-developmental disorders has come a long way in recent years.

However, in those messages from people with experience of NDD, there is almost always a familiar story: a parent struggling to get the support they need from their child’s school; a late diagnosis, and the “what if?” and “what next?” that follow; or a lack of access to diagnosis and treatment.

For too many people with a NDDs, outcomes are still a long way behind the new progressive attitudes.

Troubling experiences Away from the anecdotal, three influential charities recently joined together to produce an excellent, challenging report on the experience of autistic children at school. Not Included, Not Engaged, Not Involved was published by Children in Scotland, The National Autistic Society Scotland and Scottish Autism. It WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

I heard of children bundled into so-called “soft rooms” – a worrying euphemism included a survey of over 1,400 parents and carers of autistic children and the results are stark: • 13 per cent of those asked had experience of their autistic child being formally excluded from school in the last two years • 28 per cent of those asked had experience of their autistic child being placed on a part-time timetable in the last two years • 85 per cent of those asked said their autistic child did not receive support to catch up on work they had missed.

Most harrowingly, at the report’s launch I heard of children bundled into so-called “soft rooms” – a worrying euphemism.

I heard about how the cuts to education in Scotland meant there simply was not the staff to manage situations. Cuts in education are so often discussed, but somehow rarely brought to life in the way they were that evening.

I also heard about the charities’ calls for improved training for teachers, to prevent poor practice, to prevent alienation and to promote inclusion.

And while there has undoubtedly been a shift within government, Parliament, schools and wider society, where there is now a greater level of understanding of the need to act to

support and understand the needs of those with NDDs, there is still a long way to go to make sure adequate levels of support are put in place.

We also need to recognise that while the problems that many of those with NDDs face are shared, or have certain similarities, solutions need to be catered to the individual. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to the problems that those with NDDs face. All of the interested parties need to come together to make sure that the right support structures are in place, from primary school all the way through to further education, and that will require serious investment coming from government.

And that leads me back to the role of politicians. The reality is that these issues are political and politicians must lead.

Further information Daniel Johnson MSP is a Scottish Labour Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the constituency of Edinburgh Southern: www.danieljohnson.org.uk

What’s your point of view?

Email: editor@senmagazine.co.uk

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SEN LAW

EHC plans and special educational provision Continuing his series on the law and SEN, Douglas Silas considers the importance of special educational provision in an EHC plan Why is SEP so important in an EHC plan?

A lot of people get confused about the importance of getting special educational provision (SEP) as clear as possible in an education, health and care (EHC) plan. In earlier issues of SEN Magazine, I have looked at assessments and the make-up of EHC plans. As discussed previously, according to the SEN Code of Practice (CoP), an EHC plan’s format can be agreed locally but, as a statutory minimum, EHC plans must include 12 sections, which must be separately labelled using the letters below A-K (there are two Hs – H1 and H2). Section B describes the child/young person’s special educational needs and the needs identified must be matched by Section F, which sets out the special educational provision required by the child/young person.

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In this issue, I will try to explain a bit about the importance of SEP in an EHC plan. I know that this may seem to be common sense but, unfortunately, it sometimes happens that a need is identified in Section B which does not have corresponding provision for it in Section F or, more unusually, there is provision in Section F without there being a need identified in Section B.

Why is it important to specify and quantify SEP? The CoP states (amongst other things) that: • provision must be detailed and specific and should normally be quantified, for example, in terms of the type, hours and frequency of support and level of expertise • provision must be specified for each and every need specified in section B and it should be clear

Provision must be detailed and specific and should normally be quantified

how the provision will support achievement of the outcomes • where health or social care provision educates or trains a child or young person, it must appear in Section F • there should be clarity as to how advice and information gathered has informed the provision specified; where the local authority has departed from that advice, they should say so and give reasons for it

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• in some cases, flexibility will be required to meet the changing needs of the child or young person.

The EHC plan should also specify: • any appropriate facilities and equipment, staffing arrangements and curriculum • any appropriate modifications to the application of the National Curriculum, where relevant • any appropriate exclusions from the application of the National Curriculum, in order to maintain a balanced and broadly-based curriculum.

Unfortunately, for many years, there has been a tendency by some local authorities (LAs) to set out SEP in an EHC plan (and before that in a statement of SEN) in more general terms. LAs argue that by doing this, it allows for more flexibility by educational placements in determining the provision and implementing the EHC plan, and thereby deciding the best way of making the provision. For example, some LAs like to use a “banding” scheme to allow for making allocations of money to educational placements, which makes it easier for the educational placement to understand and utilise the money available, which then allows the educational placement to budget more clearly for the future, as they have other children/young people whose EHC plans also need implementing. However, many people argue against the use of vague wording in EHC plans.

Is vague wording in an EHC plan a problem?

In relation to statements of SEN (the pre-cursor to EHC plans), the courts stated that “the real question… is whether the [statement] is so specific and so clear as to leave no room for doubt as to what has been decided and what is needed in the individual case”.

The courts have been concerned that it is not sufficient simply for parents (or the SEND Tribunal) to rely on an LA’s assurance that a child/young person will WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

receive the provision that they are saying will be provided. Notably, the courts have said that the requirement to specify is “not a bureaucratic purpose” because LAs and tribunals “are required to give full and adequate specific consideration to the needs of the child”, because “a general [statement/EHC plan]” may be “in such poor terms that it could lead to specific needs being ignored or inadequately focused upon”. The courts have also held that “the second purpose is that, once made in terms which are specific the purpose of the provision can be furthered and effected by enforceability…”

Many parents of children/young people with SEN point to the fact that it is a legal requirement for the SEP in an EHC plan to be detailed, specific and quantified. The courts have also held that it is not permissible to leave provision unspecified or unquantified simply to allow for flexibility in the educational placement’s approach/ arrangements. They need to be guided by what a child or young person’s EHC plan records as necessary provision, so the use of ambiguous words or phrases such as “access to”, “as appropriate”, “as required”, “regular”, “periodically” and “subject to review” are insufficient. This type of wording has been condemned by the courts on a number of occasions, as being too vague and ambiguous.

What can I do if SEP is not being delivered in an EHC plan?

Non-implementation or non-delivery of SEP in an EHC plan is often hard to prove, even though the law seems clear. The process used is called Judicial Review. The CoP states that children/ young people with SEN can make an application to the Administrative Court for Judicial Review where SEP is not being delivered in an EHC plan. The Administrative Court can consider breaches of statutory duties of LAs in the exercise of their duties to maintain an EHC plan. However, a Judicial Review is a review of the way statutory

Many people argue against the use of vague wording in EHC plans

duties owed are breached, rather than consideration of the SEP itself and applications for Judicial Review are only considered when all other options have been exhausted and are time-bound.

Do a child/young person’s “outcomes” have any bearing on SEP? Yes, but it important to remember that “outcomes” (which appear in Section F of an EHC plan and cannot be appealed to the SEND Tribunal) are not a description of the service being provided. For example, the provision of weekly speech and language therapy is not an outcome, as an outcome is what it is intended that the weekly speech and language therapy will help the individual do that they cannot do now and by when this will be achieved.

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 2018/19), 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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CEREBRAL PALSY

CP support down under Amanda Richardson reports on a trip see what the UK can learn from Australia’s world-leading cerebral palsy provision

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his year I received the great honour of being awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship. By providing individuals with the funding and support to travel for up to two months anywhere in the world, the organisation focuses on enabling practical inquiries into real world issues that are encountered in daily life. What makes these Fellowships so impactful is that they recognise the value of supporting good ideas with evidence of best practice. From healthcare to education, they are about giving UK citizens the opportunity to learn more about best practice, in order to make realistic recommendations for how services, provision, viewpoints and ultimately our lives can be improved in the UK. My field of interest and expertise is cerebral palsy, an umbrella term for a group of motor disorders usually caused by damage, interference and abnormality of the developing brain.

The condition can affect those from all backgrounds, and is a permanent but non-progressive disorder that has lifelong consequences for those with the condition, as well as their families. It is the most common cause of childhood physical disability in the world, with an estimated two per 1,000 live births in the UK resulting in a diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

As part of the Fellowship, I travelled to Australia to learn more about cerebral palsy and how it can be best treated. Whilst a young person in the UK with cerebral palsy is likely to receive excellent care from the National Health Service, there is still SENISSUE98

Amanda Richardson (right) with Professor Nadia Badawi (centre) and her team at the Grace Centre for Newborn Care.

much room for improvement. Action Cerebral Palsy, the charity I help to run, hears regularly of reports that parents are being forced to take their local council to court because they cannot access SEN services that are so vital for their children. I hear from families who have waited too long to receive a formal diagnosis, preventing them from accessing the funding they so desperately need to support their loved ones. And I hear from parents and teachers who watch as students with cerebral palsy miss out on the best education, because of a lack of school provision that sees too many young people with SEN off-rolled, side-lined and ignored.

Best practice Australia is a world-leader in cerebral palsy provision. Its cerebral palsy register is renowned as a hugely successful tool for measuring and

Too many children in the UK are going undiagnosed for too long

promoting positive intervention, whilst the on-site and community services on offer to families rank very highly when compared with other developed nations. With this in mind, I packed my bags and made the ten-hour voyage down-under.

What struck me throughout my meetings with clinicians, policy experts and families in Australia was the tremendous amount of data and information that teams had at their fingertips, allowing for focused research on early intervention. For over a decade, cerebral palsy registers have existed across Australia, with each WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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state working with a variety of charities to maintain records. The registers record types of cerebral palsy, with data submitted on a three-yearly cycle.

There is a time-line for the submission of data, and states collaborate over what information is included. Whilst abroad, I had the privilege of meeting with Professor Nadia Badawi, Professor Iona Novak and Dr Sarah McIntyre, all of whom harvest the information from the register and use it in their research on neurodevelopmental outcomes. Babies flagged as at-risk are screened, with intervention and follow up work taking place at home and in the community.

The UK doesn’t have any such register. Unlike our colleagues in Europe, America and Asia, our own country is calling out for the infrastructure and impetus needed to create a single comprehensive database. Whilst our peers in other nations are able to maintain secure networks of information, in the UK diagnosis and intervention relies too heavily on whether parents and healthcare workers flag their concerns at the earliest possibility. In reality, too many children in the UK are going undiagnosed for too long.

With a reduction in health visiting provision, there are fewer outlets by which parents are able to raise their concerns, forcing them to join the

Australia’s cerebral palsy register helps promote interventions.

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In Australia, recent reforms have forced special educational needs to the fore

long wait for assessment. Only clear pathways of care, which a national register promotes, can ensure children get the diagnosis and treatment they deserve. With a register, resources can be targeted at those areas that need them most, and researchers can have access to the bank of information they need to make strides towards longterm positive treatments.

A climate of change The enduring spirit of the young people and families I meet is obvious. Growing up with SEN can be a challenging experience, and families often struggle to ensure their child has the proper resources available to them throughout their education. In the UK, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, admitted last year that for far too long pupils with SEN and disabilities had been “pushed out of sight an out of mind”.

In Australia, recent reforms have forced special educational needs to the fore. I spoke in depth with Susan, whose daughter Molly has cerebral palsy. Since the country’s new Disability Standards for Education guidelines came into effect in 2005, reasonable adjustments for access, specialist support and curriculum participation for students with disabilities, including Molly, are compulsory across schools.

Whilst the Australian system, as with any, can feel bureaucratic at times, Susan told me how the Department of Education has always supported her with good intentions.

Whilst conversing with Susan, I thought back to the UK and the continued lack of integrated thinking

which hampers the daily lives of families. I thought of the lack of understanding of the condition and its impact on learning back home, of children with cerebral palsy who do not get the specialist classroom assistance and curriculum access they need, and of the families that struggle to find suitable schools. The UK can do much better and Australia is showing us the way.

The current systems in place in the UK are inadequate. As the number of children with special health and education plans continues to rise, while funding continues to be squeezed, the already worrying delays in the system will, before long, grow to unbearable lengths. However, with crisis come great opportunities to develop and invest in the whole system and to introduce a cerebral palsy register as a repository to facilitate new research.

We have opportunities to ensure school curriculums are fully accessible and open to all children with cerebral palsy.

And we have the opportunity for the UK to change policy locally by looking and learning globally. My mission now is to build on what I have learnt, and push for positive change here in the UK.

Further information

Amanda Richardson MBE is the Chief Executive of UK Cerebral Palsy charity Action Cerebral Palsy: www.actioncp.org

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SPECIALIST SEATING

Are you sitting comfortably?

The right specialist seating is essential if pupils with disabilities are to take part fully in school, writes Annette Whitaker

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hether in an educational setting or at home, children spend a large proportion of their day seated. For a child with a physical disability, especially one that limits or prevents their movement and ability to stand independently without support, the amount of time they spend sitting is likely to increase significantly.

Having a comprehensive postural management plan that takes into account the time spent at school or nursery and seating systems used is essential; good postural care and support has a direct benefit on the physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing of a child. This in turn impacts on a child’s capacity for learning, their ability to develop other skills and integrate with other children on a social level. For teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) working with children with disabilities, having a thorough understanding of a child’s postural

Every child with a physical disability that affects their mobility should have a postural management programme support needs and subsequent plans or exercise regimes will ensure they’re able to work with the child to enhance the classroom experience and encourage greater opportunities to learn, develop and grow.

Postural management plans According to the Government’s guidelines published in May 2018, Postural Care and People with Learning Disabilities: Guidance, having “the right equipment and positioning techniques

Specialist seating should meet the specific needs of the individual.

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The benefits of good postural management: • improvement in quality of life • improved daily functioning and participation • increase in comfort • reduction of agitation and disruptive behaviour • reduces the risk of contractures • improved overall positioning.

can help to protect body shape in people with movement difficulties”. Every child with a physical disability that affects their mobility should therefore have a postural management programme, devised as part of their wider healthcare package by an occupational therapist or physiotherapist.

Each plan should be tailored specifically for the individual child and consider their daily routine and activities that impact on their posture and function, and take into account any specialist equipment prescribed or used. It will comprise detailed information on any orthotics, surgical interventions (passed and planned) and details on any regular therapy sessions undertaken. Any equipment and night time postural support should also be included to create a round the clock plan.

The physical and psychological effects of poor postural care and its impact on the shape of the body can be severe and life threatening. In some cases, poor posture can lead WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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to airways becoming compromised, leading to dangerous infections like pneumonia. Additionally, poor postural care can cause the body shape to deteriorate, which in turn can result in further health problems as organs may become distorted, causing more pain and discomfort. For children and young adults, this can be even more serious, as their bodies are constantly growing and changing, making the need for 24 hour postural management even more important.

As well as those with physical disabilities, some children with profound and multiple learning disabilities may also be subject to a postural management plan, as they will often sit and lie in limited positions, leading to a high risk of body shape distortion.

Having the right support at school Specialist seating at school must be specific to a child’s needs and enable them to participate fully, with opportunities to learn and engage with teachers and other children. However, educational settings can “inherit” seating systems or wheelchairs from children who have since moved on.

These generic pieces of equipment can be shared by more than one child; however unwittingly, this could cause longer term deterioration of a child’s physical condition and impact on their ability to participate fully at school.

A recent report, Postural care for people with intellectual disabilities and severely impaired motor function: a scoping review (Robertson et al., 2018), identifies a shortfall in knowledge shared by health and social care professionals with teachers and TAs, resulting in a lack of awareness of the importance of postural support.

Some health conditions are caused or made worse by a lack of the right kind of support. The effects of scoliosis, for example, will increase if left unsupported. Even when this is identified, finding a solution is still a struggle, with lack of funding being one of the biggest barriers.

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A child who is sat comfortably will be able to focus and learn

Specialist seating can also apply to car seats, which are not currently considered to be essential and are not provided by local authorities. However, not having this type of seating can put lives at risk when travelling and even prevent children with disabilities from accessing education altogether.

There’s a common assumption that a wheelchair will fit a range of situations and cater for both a child’s seating and postural needs, but this is often not the case. A powered wheelchair might be higher off the ground than a classroom chair, making the child feel isolated and singled out.

A specialist seat can enable the child to participate as fully as possible in lessons, allowing them to sit with their peers and giving them the chance to form social bonds. Specialist seating can also help the learning process, for example enabling children with sight or hearing impairments the opportunity to sit closer to the teacher.

Specialist seating that gives the correct postural support, used both at home and school, can reduce the need for time off through illness. Keeping the spine correctly supported can reduce the likelihood of scoliosis and the need for invasive surgery further down the road. Expensive surgery puts great pressure on the NHS and local health authorities, so investing in the right supportive specialist seating is actually saving money in the long run.

While many children have functional seating at home that allows them to sit in a working position for mealtimes and therapy, little or no consideration is given to comfortable seating that also provides postural support. Children with disabilities are often left with nowhere comfortable to sit that offers the level of support they need so they are forced to lie on the floor, or risk injury from falling off a sofa.

The need for comfort is also linked to time spent in the classroom: a child who is sat comfortably will be able to focus and learn, more so than a child who is in discomfort or pain.

What can school staff do?

Teachers and TAs play an important role in the development of children in their care. Having an in-depth understanding of a child’s postural management plan and their ongoing needs will ensure they’re able to benefit fully from all aspects of school life. Some children with an education, health and care (EHC) plan may have equipment specified within it that’s funded by the local authority – but this is not commonplace and the focus is usually on other areas of support.

However, if you feel a child would benefit from a specific type of seating at school, this can be specified within their EHC plan and funded as part of their overall healthcare package by the local authority. As each EHC plan is reviewed on an annual basis, if seating is not included in the current plan, there will be an opportunity to detail the need for it in the review. Once specified, and supported by a health or social care professional, the local authority then has a legal obligation to fund the equipment.

Further information

Annette Whitaker is a parent of children with physical and learning disabilities and is part of the nursing team at Newlife the Charity for Disabled Children: www.newlifecharity.co.uk

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DOWN SYNDROME

A grown-up’s guide to teens with Down’s syndrome Stuart Mills looks at some of the key issues facing teenagers with Down’s syndrome and how to support them

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eenagers with Down’s syndrome go through the same physical and hormonal changes at around the same time as other teens. This is a time when they will want to be doing more for themselves. It is a time for testing the water as to what is possible and when.

In common with other teenagers, young people may seek more time away from parents with more time spent in their own personal spaces such as their bedroom. Depending on what individuals know already, there may be a need both at home and school to re-visit and reinforce knowledge around public and private behaviour.

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Always use proper terminology, simplify language without dumbing down and be consistent

syndrome to another. Some people will try to do things at roughly the same time as other teenagers, but the majority will be at a different level of skill to other teenagers of a similar age.

Some teenage behaviours may carry on for longer than might be seen in the general population or they might

disappear and reappear at a later time.

This may be because their pattern of development is a little out of sync.

Physical bodily maturity may have overtaken other areas of development which are still catching up.

Being a teenager can be a confusing business, with hormones raging, lessons to be learned and mistakes to be made in abundance. People with Down’s syndrome have to navigate additional complications such as being unsure, or unaware of, the rules and boundaries and finding it difficult to express thoughts and feelings.

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Competence is one of the major building blocks of good self-esteem

Developing presentations at a self-advocacy event.

to do things that they are unable to do without support.

Teenagers in the general population will often pick up on information and lessons about growing up, relationships, behaviour and expectations in an informal way from their friends, peers and the media. It isn’t so easy for people with Down’s syndrome to do this; information, ideas and lessons might be missed or misunderstood.

This article covers some of the areas around which teenagers will require support and input both at home and school to varying degrees.

Effective home/school liaison, sharing of information, and adoption of the same approaches will go a long way to ensuring teenagers receive the support they need as they grow and develop.

Personal hygiene and grooming During puberty young people will need teaching about hygiene and personal grooming. As with any learning, repetition, showing through doing, visual supports (such as picture schedules), easy-read information, breaking down tasks/information into manageable segments and hands-on practice are really helpful for people with Down’s syndrome. Always use proper terminology, simplify language without dumbing down and be consistent WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

with the messages/lessons that are being conveyed.

Some teenagers might resent a parent’s input so it can be helpful, where appropriate, to find a trusted family member (perhaps a sibling or cousin) whom they look up to to teach certain tasks. Self-esteem and confidence will be boosted as young people learn to do some self-care tasks themselves.

People with Down’s syndrome are really good with routines (sometimes known as grooves). Once a person has learnt a successful self-care routine they will carry on with it; positive routines should be supported and encouraged.

A sense of competence Developing competence is about focussing on what can be done, emphasising a person’s strengths and skills and building on them. At home, this process starts in the early years and continues with supporting the person to learn and practise self-care skills and then daily living skills. As we get older, we all want to do things for ourselves. This gives us a greater sense of independence and control over our daily lives and enhances feelings of pride and self-esteem.

When choosing new tasks, think about what the person is physically

able and developmentally ready to do. Try to have high but realistic expectations; if they are too high or too low, this can lead to frustration, failure and/or underachievement. It can be a balancing act because, like everyone else, people with Down’s syndrome need to be able to learn as a result of trial and error and making mistakes.

You will need to think about how such situations are managed so that people are exposed to manageable levels of frustration that don’t put them off achieving what they set out to achieve.

Think about creating opportunities where the person is able to take on some responsibility and/or is able to help others. Meaningful achievement will be different for each person; a small step for one person might be a very big step for another.

As people with Down’s syndrome are strong visual learners, they will be seeing what others in their peer group are doing and naturally they will want to do the same. If some of these things are overly ambitious, try to think creatively and look for similar achievable opportunities that might fulfil the same needs.

Self-esteem Self-esteem is about our self-worth and feeling valued. Competence is one of the major building blocks of good self-esteem and another is being part of a community and having supportive friends and family who provide love and encouragement.

This will be a time when young people may start thinking about who they are and where they fit in to the world. If the >>

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DOWN SYNDROME

subject hasn’t been broached before, or recently, it is a good time to talk about Down’s syndrome in an honest and straightforward way. It can really help people to develop a positive and realistic view of themselves to have an explanation for their experiences and feelings. Discussion about sameness and difference and talking about the person’s strengths, talents, skills and the things they find more difficult can all help this process. In addition, it may be good to talk about a variety of people with Down’s syndrome, who the person knows, who are good role models.

It’s really important to have friends with Down’s syndrome as well as other learning disabilities and also friendships with those who don’t. We all need to feel we are not alone in the way we perceive the world and experience it.

Friends with Down’s syndrome can be a great source of support and they will help the person to have a positive sense of shared identity.

Sex and relationships Young people will need explicit and ongoing teaching at school and home about the changes they will experience during adolescence, healthy relationships, appropriate touch, rights, consent, sex, sexuality, gender, and contraception. This should include teaching about social skills and friendships covering such questions as: who are good friends? How do friends behave? Let the person you are

Try to offer positive choices that minimise risk and the likelihood of failure

supporting know they can come back to you with any questions they have.

Decision making and choice Provide opportunities and support for making choices both big and small.

We all want to feel we have choice and some control over our lives. Try to offer positive choices that minimise risk and the likelihood of failure. Remember to strike a balance, as too many choices all at once can be difficult for a person to cope with. Circles of support can help with making bigger life decisions and in supporting greater independence.

As young people grow up, it is important to have experiences (such as work experience in different settings) which will help them to make decisions about what they want to do. If someone has never experienced work, for example, they might really struggle to understand what “work” might involve.

Between the ages of 14 and 17 years, teenagers should have a child’s needs assessment (also known as a transition assessment) from their local

authority (social services). This will probably not happen automatically so it may be necessary to contact the local authority to request this assessment.

The purpose of the assessment is to look at what the needs of the person are likely to be when they turn 18. The local authority should then give an indication as to whether the person is likely to have needs eligible for support at 18. The thinking behind this is that it should ensure that a young person is known to the local authority and may help with planning ahead for adult support and services.

Healthy lifestyle Exercise can really help with teenage stress and it can promote positive self-esteem and good physical and mental health. Young people can exercise with their friends with Down’s syndrome and give each other support and encouragement. They can also get involved in sport and exercise opportunities in their local community.

This can be a way of making new friends and being a part of the community.

Embedding good habits in daily life can really stand the person in good stead when they leave home to become more independent.

Further information

Stuart Mills is an Information Officer at the Down’s Syndrome Association. A range of free information covering the issues covered in this article is available at: www.downs-syndrome.org.uk Photos courtesy of DSA Members and Supporters.

DSActive football team from Newcastle United.

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PMLD

Engaging assessments for PMLD and SLD Deborah Robinson discusses a new approach to statutory assessment for pupils with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties

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he Department for Education (DfE) has published an evaluation of the seven aspects of engagement assessment¹ and announced its plans for a new approach to statutory assessment for pupils with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties (SLD and PMLD), better matched to their needs and stages of development.

These plans arose from the 2016 Rochford Review² where it was acknowledged that for most children in primary education, statutory assessments are subject-based and in the form of National Curriculum tests at the end of KS1 and KS2.

In developmental terms, these statutory assessments are the way that development in cognition and

Rochford recommended that P-Scales were replaced because they were not working for schools, children or parents

Moving on from P-Scales learning is measured. The Rochford Review said that we needed to find a new way to assess cognition and learning for children with PMLD and SLD so that they were more effectively included in national systems of statutory assessment.

However, the Rochford Review was also clear in outlining a problem. The

P-Scales are seen by many as being too vague to accurately assess a child.

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problem was that many children with SLD and PMLD were not ready for the level of subject-specific learning in the National Curriculum, even where this was described by pre-key stage standards. National Curriculum tests were not relevant or accessible for them and did not reflect the non-linear and unique patterns of learning and progress that were likely.

P-Scales are the current basis for statutory assessment for this constituency of learners and they describe very early stages of learning, with P-Scale points 1 to 4 representing those learners with PMLD and very severe learning difficulties. Rochford recommended that P-Scales were replaced because they were not working for schools, children or parents. They were often too vague and broad to be of use for either summative or formative assessment. Rochford argued that pupils not engaged in subject-specific learning and working at P-Scales 1 to 4 should have their development in cognition and learning assessed against seven aspects of engagement: responsiveness, curiosity, discovery, anticipation, persistence, initiation and investigation. This was based on research developed by the Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CLDD) Research Project.³ The Rochford Review recommended that the seven aspects of engagement approach could replace P-Scales 1 to 4 and become the statutory assessment approach that is reported to parents at the end of KS1 and KS2 for pupils

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PMLD

who are not engaged in subjectspecific learning. Schools would have a statutory duty to assess the seven aspects, using the results to report on achievements in cognition and learning.

For pupils working at P-Scale 5 and above, the pre-key stage standards would be used.

The DfE accepted this recommendation, with a view to introduce the seven aspects of engagement approach as statutory in the 2019/20 academic year, subject to a national pilot evaluation. This pilot would test the feasibility of this assessment approach and identify any implementation issues.

The pilot ran between January and July 2018 and involved 55 schools, including 13 mainstream schools. It was based on a hub model where one school from each of the eight regional school commissioning areas4 in England was selected as a hub. These hub schools provided training and support for other participating schools in their areas.

The schools were given the autonomy to develop their own approaches to using the seven aspects approach to assess their pupils, according to the curriculum they use and the needs of individual pupils and, if they chose to, they could use materials from the Engagement4learning website.5

Piloting seven aspects of engagement In October 2017, using the pilot as a basis, IFF Research and the University of Derby were commissioned by the DfE to investigate whether the seven aspects approach would work as a statutory and/or summative assessment. The research was conducted in two phases. In Phase 1, researchers interviewed 40 participants.

In Phase 2, seven case studies were conducted with pilot schools (two hubs and five participating) using a mixture of face-to-face and telephone interviews.

Participants included teaching staff, governors, parents and local authority representatives.

The findings were that some schools were positive about the potential WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

of the approach as a summative assessment, particularly when they were able to combine it with their preexisting assessment methods, such as framing the seven aspects in the context of the education, health and care (EHC) plans. Most pilot schools were enthusiastic about using the approach for formative assessment.

It had enabled them to deepen their knowledge of pupils’ responsiveness.

In a detailed way, they could work out how to personalise their practice so that individual children became more engaged. The schools understood that there was a relationship between how engaged children were and how much progress they made. There was excitement in the schools about the way that this tool could improve the quality of teaching for children. There was also evidence that parents found the seven aspects approach provided more rounded understanding of their child’s progress.

Implementing the new system But there was a problem. Some schools were worried that where they were measuring changes in levels of engagement in the seven aspects, interpretation was very subjective.

Teaching staff could observe the same child in the same activity and make vastly different judgements about a) levels of engagement, b) which aspect particular responses related to and c) what this meant for planning.

There was another problem. Some schools were not comfortable with assuming that increased engagement meant that the child had progressed in cognition and learning. Increased engagement might be an indication of improvements to the quality of teaching and nothing more. Though this was seen as valuable in its own right, it was not considered by all schools as valid basis for summative assessment of progress.

Schools believed that although the seven aspects had the power to improve teaching, more work was needed on how it could be implemented to assess cognition and learning in a

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Increased engagement might be an indication of improvements to the quality of teaching and nothing more

meaningful and reliable way. Schools said they needed more time to develop readiness to use the tool effectively.

They also wanted to know how Ofsted and local authorities would manage the seven aspects as the new statutory assessment for cognition and learning and what that would mean for how they were inspected.

The DfE has responded to these concerns by delaying the start date by which the seven aspects will become introduced by 12 months, which means it will become statutory in the 2020/21 academic year. This is to provide schools and other stakeholders with the time and support they need to familiarise themselves with the new assessment approach. The DfE will also be conducting an expert review of the seven aspects approach, with a view to reducing the number of aspects that will need to be assessed and to define them more clearly before testing the revised approach with a number of schools. This is welcome and demonstrates a commitment to listening to the experiences of schools to design something they can work with. The DfE will also develop a detailed guidance and training package for stakeholders, including schools, local authorities and Ofsted. The DfE aims to support schools in developing the skills and confidence needed to carry out the assessment as effectively as possible.

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Education or engagement?

In my view, we have reason to be pleased by this announcement. It validates a powerful tool for both formative and statutory assessment and centralises engagement as a key component for learning. But I also have some serious concerns centred on the content-free nature of the seven aspects. Special schools prefer to anchor assessment of progress in a curriculum. Though such curricula are built flexibly around the individual and are not based on the traditional notion of “subject”, their content matters to schools as an expression of inclusion in education.

The thorny issue is that where statutory assessment processes are not aligned to curriculum content (and the related knowledge, skills and attitudes residing there), they are in danger of reinforcing the idea of uneducability – a concept removed from our legislature in the Education (Handicapped Children) Act of 1970. Education without content is not education. We know that what is assessed has the power to drive (and even corrupt) a curriculum with narrowing consequences because what is to be tested impacts on what is taught and more importantly, what is not taught. We saw this happen with the P-Scales. If the adoption of the seven aspects as the statutory assessment

It will be essential to celebrate the positive outcomes that the seven aspects of engagement will bring for pupils with SLD and PMLD leads to a curriculum for pupils dominated by behaviours and dispositions (such as curiosity and perseverance), it erodes breadth and balance. It empties schooling of education.

The DfE recognises this risk. It has committed to reinforcing schools’ duty to use the seven aspects approach in the context of a broad and balanced curriculum that is effectively tailored to the needs of their pupils. This means that the systems of assessment that schools currently use continue to be important as methods for formative and summative assessment.

A way forward It will be essential to celebrate the positive outcomes that the seven aspects of engagement will bring, but we must be on guard when it comes to the protection of curriculum content if pupils with SLD and PMLD are to be

included in the broad and balanced education they are entitled to.

Hence, we must call on the experts that will be conducting the expert review to ensure that the seven aspects (or its variation) has a) a close relationship with a content rich curriculum, and b) is recognised as a statutory assessment that works well when used alongside other assessments in the milieu of the plan-do-review cycle. Making this clear will validate the practice of those schools that honour their responsibility to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum for PMLD and SLD in ways that inspire. It will also hold back the erosion of content in ways that affirm the educability of all our children.

Footnotes 1. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ gover nment/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/757524/Seven_Aspects_ evaluation_report.pdf 2. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/ gover nment/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/561411/Rochford_Review_ Report_v5_PFDA.pdf 3. http://complexld.ssatrust.org.uk 4. The DfE appointed Regional Schools Commissioners to operate around eight regions in England (East of England and NE London, East Midlands and the Humber, Lancashire and West Yorkshire, North of England, NW London and South-Central England, SE England and S London, SW England, W.Midlands).

5. https://engagement4learning.com/wp-content/ uploads/2017/01/Engagement-for-LearningFramework-guide-2.1.16.pdf

Further information

Dr Deborah Robinson is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) in the Institute of Education at the University of Derby and a member of the SEND expert team: www.derby.ac.uk/departments/ education Assessments should measure improvements in learning and cognition.

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APRICOT ONLINE

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

Advertisement feature

When SEN students aren’t served by a one-size-fits-all education At Apricot, some of our most successful students are referred to us with high anxiety, low energy, or after exclusion due to challenging behaviour – often a result of autism, ADHD, or a similar condition. I want to reach out to parents, teachers, heads, and social workers to encourage them to look at synchronous online learning as a viable way to turn the life opportunities of students with SEN around.

Synchronous and individually tailored online learning occurs when teachers and students interact in online classrooms together in live, timetabled lessons. For youngsters that react negatively to the noise and distractions of a busy classroom, this gives them a peaceful space to engage with learning in their own safe physical environment.

In consultation with carers, we learn students’ known triggers, maintain routine and consistency in their education, and are flexible enough to make timetable changes if student availability shifts. Crucially, we tailor lesson content to the student’s abilities, not their age, ensuring learning gaps are filled, they catch-up with their peers, and their frustration is minimised.

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To cite an example: Helen had been excluded due to disruptive classroom behaviour. She was diagnosed with ADHD and dyspraxia. Helen realised that she was both autonomous and anonymous in her online lessons – not labelled by any “issues” and distanced from any audience to her acting out. The highly interactive content of her lessons mitigated the chances for Helen to feel bored. Her confidence began to increase, her anxiety lessened, and her attainment rose. She caught up with the school curriculum and was successfully reintegrated.

Our whole ethos at Apricot is focused on giving vulnerable and challenging students the tools to maximise their life opportunities by delivering a learning approach that meets their individual needs. If you think your child or student would benefit from our approach, get in contact.

Amy Smith, Head Teacher Contact: jodie@apricotlearningonline.co.uk Tel no: 01242 604985 www.apricotlearningonline.co.uk SENISSUE98

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DISCIPLINE

Healing not harming When disciplining a student, simple things can make all the difference between triggering an aggressive or reflective response, writes Margot Sunderland

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euroscience research over the last 20 years has shown that how adults interact with children and teenagers can trigger bad behaviour or good behaviour – particularly if the student has a history of trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

ACEs are stressful life events occurring in childhood, such as domestic violence, emotional neglect, parents separating or living with a parent with mental health issues and/ or an alcohol or drug problem. If a young person has experienced four or more ACES, they are 32 times more likely to exhibit challenging behaviour than a child who has not experienced stressful life events (Burke Harris, 2017). Furthermore, harsh discipline, such as isolation, shaming, shouting, suspensions and exclusions can retraumatise students who are already traumatised, and lead to mental health issues later in life.

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However, the good news is that through protective factors, such as “social buffering”, which occurs when a child forms a secure attachment with an emotionally available adult, the trajectory from ACEs to mental health problems and failure to thrive in adult years can be interrupted.

And what better place to interrupt this transition than in school, where teachers have 190 days of contact a year with students? This is why it’s so important for teachers to relate to students in ways that heal rather than harm their brains, and alleviate rather than exacerbate challenging behaviour.

What happens in teenagers’ brains when they are disciplined?

Shaming a student, such as putting their name up on the board for misbehaviour, can trigger the pain centre in a teen’s brain – the pain the teenager will feel is akin to the pain felt when touching a

Shaming a student can trigger the pain centre in a teen’s brain

hot oven. The student will then begin to associate school with pain and fear and somewhere they want to avoid. Shame causes inflammation in the body and can have a significant and detrimental impact on a young person’s mental and physical health outcomes.

As humans, our physiological social engagement system (Porges, 2017) impacts on how we respond to situations, especially when we are under stress or pressure and facial and vocal cues can trigger certain responses for teenagers, particularly those with a history of trauma. For example, a teacher smiling and using a warm, soothing tone of voice when speaking WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

DISCIPLINE

to a student will trigger natural opioids and oxytocin in the student’s brain which help to make the student feel safe and calm. Conversely, if a teacher has a stern, or even neutral expression, and shouts or speaks in a harsh tone, high levels of stress hormones trigger in their brain, instinctively taking them into a defensive mode of fear or anger – either flight, fight or freeze. This results in either challenging or withdrawn behaviour and shuts down the frontal lobes, which are key for learning and the ability to attend to what the teacher is saying. The student’s thinking becomes very poor, and their IQ drops significantly.

To avoid such occurrences, senior leads should look at providing training in social engagement (including voice training) for teachers to ensure the link between tone of voice and facial expressions and the production of calming or stress-inducing chemicals in students’ brains is better understood and informs teacher-student interactions.

Another common form of punishment in schools that has a negative psychological impact on a student’s brain is the use of suspensions. In fact, being suspended once dramatically increases the likelihood that the student will drop out of school entirely. Being suspended sends a message to the student that school is a place that doesn’t want them, which can lead to feelings of abandonment and neglect, particularly among students with a history of trauma or mental ill health.

School should be a place that makes students feel nurtured, safe and part of a community, as we know this calms physiology and reduces the chances of challenging behaviour dramatically.

There is usually an untold narrative just waiting to be heard

A less harmful way to discipline students

The need for behaviour and relationship policies

The “learning” from punishment is usually that “I am a bad kid”; instead, schools should be focusing on teaching students social and emotional intelligence, as well as cognitive intelligence. One great way to develop such skills is through the

It is hugely beneficial for schools to adopt a whole-school approach to behaviour management that incorporates relationship policies (for staff) as well as behaviour policies for pupils. Such policies take into account the adult-child interactions that are

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use of restorative conversations as a behaviour management tool. This involves misbehaving students being removed from the classroom, but rather than being placed in isolation (where there is no learning) a teacher trained in restorative practice will ask the student a series of questions, such as: How are you feeling? What happened? What were you thinking at the time you misbehaved? The teacher will also help the student to work towards a resolution. Often, through such curiosity, teachers will discover an underlying reason for their student’s behaviour; the student may have been bullied on the way to school or they may have heard their parents arguing the night before. There is usually an untold narrative just waiting to be heard.

Skills such as empathy and the ability to reflect well are essential in leading an effective restorative conversation with students.

A wealth of research (Kehoe et al., 2018, McCluskey et al., 2008) has indicated that restorative conversations lead to a reduction in bad behaviour, detentions and exclusions, as well as help students develop social and emotional intelligence. Harsh discipline will result in anger or fear, whereas restorative conversation results in thoughtfulness and reflection on the part of the student.

likely to trigger challenging behaviour and those that heal students and result in good behaviour and improved social skills. Relationship policies also consider the underlying causes of challenging behaviour, such as ACEs and mental ill health. In addition, before writing a behaviour policy, it is essential for schools to understand the neuroscience behind behaviour.

Through the provision of secure attachments with emotionally available adults – which come about through empathy, attunement and treating students with dignity – students can thrive in the school environment.

Secure attachments to teachers have been associated with higher grades, greater emotional regulation, social competence, willingness to take on challenges and overall improved behaviour (Bergin and Bergin, 2009).

References Bergin, C., and Bergin, D. (2009). Attachment in the classroom. Educational Psychology Review, 21, 141-170.

Kehoe, M., Bourke-Taylor, H., Broderick, D. (2018) Developing student social skills using restorative practices: a new framework called H.E.A.R.T., Social Psychology of Education, February 2018, Volume 21, Issue 1, pp 189-207.

McCluskey, G., Gwynedd, L., Kane, J., Riddell, S., Stead, J. and Weedon, E. (2008) Can restorative practices in schools make a difference? Educational Review Vol. 60, No. 4, November 2008, 405-417.

Further information

Dr Margot Sunderland is a child psychologist, psychotherapist, neuroscience expert and the Director of Education and Training at The Centre for Child Mental Health, as well as the Co-Director of Trauma Informed Schools UK: www.childmentalhealthcentre.org www.traumainformedschools.co.uk

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Are SENCOs becoming just form fillers?

The quality of schools’ referrals often determine whether children with SEN get the support they need, writes Louise Connolly

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aty and Chloe are five years old and both have SEN. Their needs are very similar and they go to schools within a mile of each other. As well as support in school, Katy has additional external professional support including support from the Early Years Advisory Team, she is accessing counselling and her parents are accessing parenting support. Katy also has just been awarded funding for five hours of one-to-one TA support in school. Although Chloe’s needs are similar, her support looks very different.

Despite the SENCO making referrals for support, Chloe doesn’t have any external professional involvement and is just supported by staff and resources in school.

Why is this? I believe it is because in our schools today, support can be dependent on the effective completion of a form and Chloe’s SENCO wasn’t as competent and as experienced at filling out forms as Katy’s SENCO. As a current Head of School, and a SENCO for the past fifteen years, I have had plenty of experience of referring children with additional needs to a wide variety of support services. Over the

Gone are the days when just a phone call would guarantee a visit from a professional years I have seen professional local authority (LA) support in schools be squeezed to the point that it is almost non-existent.

The SEN Code of Practice emphasises the need for schools to refer children for support when required. However, the reduction in professional services has meant that the SENCO can refer, but they don’t always succeed in getting the child the appropriate support.

I find that I am constantly having to write referrals and have experienced them being declined as the needs of the child “do not meet thresholds”.

This has meant that I have had to become an expert at writing referrals or bids for funding. This has had a big impact on my time, as I spend hours on referral forms, ensuring I have the right information and that I am explaining everything as effectively as possible.

have a child who has a complex set of needs and requires professional support urgently, but if their SENCO is relatively inexperienced, and therefore isn’t an expert in knowing how to “tick the right boxes”, the school may not be able to secure the support the child desperately needs.

In my experience, the progression of an education, health and care (EHC) assessment also very much depends on the quality of the school’s contribution. If the school is not able to make the case in just the right way, the request for an assessment might not even make it past the first panel.

Is it right that the future of our most vulnerable children can depend on the quality of the completion of a form?

Is it right that a child who goes to a school with an experienced SENCO could have a better chance of getting an EHC plan than a child down the road with an inexperienced SENCO, regardless of the children’s needs?

It would seem that the lesson to be learnt is that SENCOs need to become professional form fillers, and this surely can’t be good for the futures of our children with SEN

Faceless individuals

SENCOs need time to work with children.

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It seems to me that children with SEN are effectively becoming faceless individuals who, for many, exists only on paper. The support they receive, and therefore their opportunities, greatly depend not on need but on how well the person doing their referral fills in the relevant forms. Gone are the days when just a phone call would guarantee a visit from a professional to give advice. Today, a school might

Further information

Louise Connolly is Head of School at The Sir Donald Bailey Academy in Newark: https://sirdonaldbailey.co.uk

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NAIDEX Advertisement feature

Naidex 2019: the future of independent living On 26 and 27 March 2019, Naidex will be returning to Birmingham’s NEC for it’s 45th edition, turning it once again into the hub of the independent living world. With over 20 per cent of the population being disabled, it is about time for disability to be in the spotlight once again.

Always looking to bring the latest solutions that allow disabled people to live more independently, Naidex 45 is putting its focus on inclusion. And in order to do that best, the show will be working with the likes of Warwick Davis and Martyn Sibley.

The show aims to cover the latest topics in the disability sector, and these are some of this year’s key themes:

have a mental health condition, from anxiety and depression, to PTSD and loneliness as well as many others, it is time to take a hard look at mental health. This year’s event will look to answer some of the questions surrounding mental health and make sure that everyone knows it’s ok to not be ok.

Staying active will be a main focus of the 45th edition of Naidex.

Not only will there be a whole sports zone filled with exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations, but you will also witness the return of one of the show’s most beloved features, the Live Sports Arena. The Arena aims to increase the activity level of disabled people, allowing visitors to get involved in immersive demonstrations of various disability sports in a safe and exciting environment. From boccia and powerchair football, to yoga and taekwondo, this is the place to enjoy the challenging and stimulating thrill only sports can bring.

Mental health has been one of 2018’s key talking points, with several campaigns taking over the online community in order to raise awareness. With 14 per cent of disabled people stating they

Fashion has taken over the world of disability this year. For way too long, designers didn’t take into consideration the needs of disabled people when it came to clothing. However, 2018 thankfully saw this change. Brands from the likes of Primark, Marks and Spencer, Tommy Hilfiger and River Island transformed their clothing and their communications, making them more inclusive. Naidex 45 will feature a brand new Fashion Zone, providing visitors with the chance to try and buy the latest inclusive fashion looks, specifically made for disabled people.

The Moving and Handling Lab was one of the most successful features at the show last year, overflowing with visitors. This year, it will be making its much anticipated return, providing interactive training for carers over the course of the two full days. The Lab will showcase the most innovative handling equipment and technology available in the world, and experts will offer training sessions to teach you how to effectively move and handle people with special needs with the least amount of exerted effort, in a way that provides them with the utmost comfort and dignity.

Events like Naidex help bring the world of disability together and move it forward. By attending the show at Birmingham’s NEC on the 26 and 27 of March 2019, visitors will get the opportunity to find everything they need to live more independently.

Be sure to get your tickets at: www.naidex.co.uk and join a huge range of exhibitors, speakers and visitors at Naidex 45 in order to get a look at the future of independent living.

Follow Naidex on Twitter and Facebook: @NaidexShow

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Deafblindness: a global view Alison Marshall outlines a new report into the situation of people with deafblindness across the world

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lobally, people with deafblindness are more likely to live in poverty, be excluded from education and be unemployed. Many experience barriers to everyday living, such as limited access to support services and accessible information, and are excluded from both national and international development programmes.

Against this backdrop, there is a considerable risk that efforts to implement the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – which are designed to ensure that no-one is left behind – will continue to exclude people with deafblindness.

To assess the international situation of people with deafblindess the World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB), working with Sense International and others, has published the first ever global report on deafblindess.

The statistical research was led by

Approximately 2.1 per cent of the world’s population, experience “milder” forms of deafblindness the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the full report is based on prevalence estimates of deafblindness for 22 countries, indepth analysis of 11 countries, an academic literature review, surveys and case studies. In total, over 97.6 million people were included across the 22 datasets. This represents the largest population-based analysis on deafblindness conducted to date, and includes evidence from a variety of regions and country income groups.

Case studies provide insights into what is possible when people

with deafblindness are listened to, have access to health, education and training, and are supported to participate fully in the life of their community.

Numbers of people with deafblindness “Counting” the number of people with a combined sight and hearing impairment worldwide presents a huge challenge, in large part due to the different definitions of deafblindness adopted by different countries. The report found that, in Iran, Indonesia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Haiti, definitions include only people who are completely deaf and blind (“severe deafblindness”). In the other 17 countries included in the research, however, the definition also includes people with some residual vision and hearing.

Through an analysis of census data, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine was able to estimate the prevalence of deafblindness across a range of countries, contexts and income settings. This analysis found that, on average, 0.2 per cent of the global population lives with severe deafblindness. The data suggests that many more, approximately 2.1 per cent of the world’s population, experience “milder” forms of deafblindness.

Lack of recognition and services One of the fundamental issues identified by the report – and one that is linked to the unequal educational, employment and health outcomes – is Sense International Bangladesh: communication within the family.

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the failure of 63 per cent of countries to recognise deafblindness as a distinct disability in law.

The absence of such recognition leads to invisibility in statistics, policies and programmes. As a direct result, in many countries there is a scarcity of personalised support services.

Interpreter guides, for example, are only available in 58 per cent of what the report defines as high-income countries, such as the United States and Germany, while only 10 per cent of low and middle-income countries offer these services.

Gaining an education Education is a key issue and there are strong links between employability, social participation and the educational opportunities accessible to children and young people with deafblindess.

Early identification and referral programmes for infants and young children with deafblindness are essential for improving educational, as well as cognitive and social, outcomes.

However, delays in accessing services are common. For example, across different states in the United States, only 0 to 26 per cent of children with deafblindess were referred to appropriate services before the age of three. These issues are likely to be even more pronounced in low and middleincome settings where there has been less investment.

Children with deafblindness are up to 23 times less likely to be in school than children without disabilities. They are

Sense International Kenya: a school child with deafblindness communicates with her teacher.

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also less likely to be in school compared to children with other disabilities.

The report notes that evidence from the country analysis does not, however, paint a full picture of the quality of education children actually receive.

The findings from the literature review, which primarily includes studies from the United States, suggest that many teachers receive little, if any, training or support to work with students with deafblindness, meaning the quality of education the children receive is likely to be low and variable.

Being able to work and earn a living Considering the lack of good quality education, it probably comes as no surprise that the census data shows that people with deafblindness are more likely to live in poverty. In all 11 countries included in this aspect of the data analysis, families and households with people with deafblindness are more likely to be in the bottom 40 per cent in terms of socio-economic status.

Interestingly, the poverty gap is most pronounced in high-income countries, including Ireland (25.9 per cent) and the United States (18.9 per cent). People with deafblindness are also statistically less likely to be in employment than people who have other disabilities.

What do these findings mean?

The evidence contained in the report confirms a disability and development gap that has long been acknowledged

by WFDB and others.

While the adoption of the SDGs in 2015 – which emphasise the importance of inclusive development and leaving no one behind – demonstrates a growing momentum for inclusion, concerns remain that national development efforts will continue to exclude people with deafblindness, as well as other marginalised groups.

It is hoped that the report will contribute to an increased understanding of deafblindness among governments responsible for implementing the CRPD. Moreover, the plan is to produce further

reports up to 2030 in order to monitor progress on realising the rights of people with deafblindness of both the CRPD and SDGs.

Recommendations of the report include Pre-conditions for inclusion: • universal and national recognition of deafblindness as a distinct disability in law and practice • development, in consultation with people with deafblindness and their organisations, of required support and deafblind interpretation services, in particular interpreter-guides, and adequate public funding to ensure support in education, work and community life • ensure organisations of people with deafblindness are considered as a distinct disability group and are included as such in all consultation with people with disabilities • involve people with deafblindness and their organisations in awareness raising and inclusion-related programmes, serving as role models, mentors and peer support • adopt, in consultation with people with deafblindness and their organisations, a consistent definition and measurement of deafblindness, and collect, disaggregate and analyse data, to assess and monitor the situation of people with deafblindness, including through relevant analyses of national datasets using the Washington Group Short Set questions or other methods • conduct additional research on the issues facing people with deafblindness, including health status and access to healthcare, social participation and wellbeing, quality of work WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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and education, causes, and age of onset; undertake impact evaluations of interventions designed to improve inclusion.

Education: • ensure the requirements of people with deafblindness are taken into account in inclusive education laws, policies and programmes, and efforts are made to adapt curricula, train teachers and provide support to students • ensure the availability of resource centres that support mainstream schools, children with deafblindness and their families • ensure the adequate provision of interpreter-guides.

Health: • provide adequate training to healthcare staff both on the causes of deafblindness and the specific communication requirements of people with deafblindness • ensure access to adequate sexual and reproductive health services, with an emphasis on women and girls with deafblindness • ensure the provision of adequate early detection and intervention services, in partnership with education providers • ensure the adequate provision of interpreter-guides.

Work and employment: • ensure people with deafblindness are adequately included in employment-related laws, policies and programmes • ensure the adequate provision of interpreter-guides for work and employment.

Political participation: • ensure the right to vote is granted to all people with deafblindness WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Parents were key members of the team, delivering early intervention to their children • take into consideration the accessibility requirements of people with deafblindness with regards to election campaigns, voting materials and polling stations • support the engagement of people with deafblindness in political and public life • social participation • provide early intervention and counselling services for families of children with deafblindness • implement community-based intervention programmes to facilitate the social participation and inclusion of people with deafblindness.

Case study: early identification and intervention in Romania By the time children with deafblindness reach school age, it is often too late for them to make significant progress in their development and rehabilitation, which can dramatically affect their learning, communication and socialisation.

In 2007, teachers in Romania raised this issue, and Sense International Romania developed a programme to adequately identify deafblindness in babies. These children would then be referred to early intervention services as early as possible so that they could benefit from sensory stimulation therapies, which ultimately improve development, learning and independence.

Partnerships were developed with local child welfare authorities, schools and hospitals in four locations across the country. Nationally, and in partnership with the Ministry of Education, an early

intervention curriculum was developed and approved, describing the pathway from the hearing screening and visual testing of babies to specific sensory stimulation therapies.

Multidisciplinary teams were formed and trained, consisting of special education teachers, psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists, ophthalmologists, neonatologists and audiologists. Parents were also key members of the team, delivering early intervention to their children.

Babies at risk of deafblindness underwent hearing screening and visual testing. Children referred to early intervention support centres would benefit from multi-sensory stimulation, functional visual training, perceptive hearing education, speech therapy and physiotherapy, while parents benefited from information, support and counselling. The children were at the centre of the programme and an individualised intervention plan was tailored to the requirements of each child.

A national legal framework was developed for early identification and intervention to be fully embedded in the Romanian education system so that this pilot can be scaled up.

It is currently in the process of being approved by the Government.

Further information Alison Marshall is Director of Sense International, a global charity supporting people with deafblindness in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania, Peru, Romania and Uganda.

The full report – At risk of exclusion from CRPD and SDGs implementation: Inequality and Persons with Deafblindness – can be found at: www.senseinternational.org.uk

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VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

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David Quigley (pictured), OXSIGHT ambassador said: “I have a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa which affects the retina and causes progressive sight loss; I really don’t have a lot of sight remaining. I initially heard about OXSIGHT through the RNIB and decided pretty quickly that I wanted to get it.

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A lack of peripheral awareness often causes a lack of confidence, due to a loss in navigation ability. OXSIGHT Crystal is the lightest wearable SENISSUE98

device on the market that increases field of view up to 68 degrees. This increased field of view, along with the range of contrasting modes available, provides a clearer view of obstacles by enhancing the edges of objects and doorways. The glasses also allow for easier social interaction by facilitating eye contact and displaying high contrast images enabling users to identify their friends and family. The dedicated text mode helps users to read printed text, handwriting and street signs. The heightened colour display allows users to choose clothes, select food and identify money.

OXSIGHT Crystal is an approved medical device, and available through eye health clinicians. Funding support is available through the Access to Work scheme, as well as a 0 per cent finance plan. www.oxsight.co.uk WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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Testing for dyslexia Catherine Wright continues her series on dyslexia assessments with a look at spelling, writing and cognitive processing skills

I

n the previous issue of SEN Magazine (SEN97, Nov/Dec 2018), I discussed why it was important for schools and specialist providers to understand the needs of a learner in order to support them effectively. I focused on the different reading tests that are available and why you would use a range of tests to identify the areas a learner may find difficult. In this article, I will focus on assessing spelling, writing and cognitive processing skills, and how assessing these skills can inform teaching and support.

Spelling There are many different spelling tests available to teachers and psychologists.

All of them follow the same format, asking the learner to spell words and WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

It is no wonder that writing is one of the most difficult skills to master for learners gradually getting more difficult as the test continues. Shorter tests may be quicker and will provide a standard score but will often not provide you with a good analysis of spelling difficulties.

In order to support a learner, it is important to understand how they are spelling. Many dyslexic learners spell phonetically; they will often struggle with high frequency irregular words and do not have a good grasp of spelling

rules – for example “do” being spelt as “dow” or “few” being spelt “foow”.

Many learners miss out or insert sounds or syllables, use the correct letters in the wrong order, or confuse sounds (like “th”, “f” and “v”), or words (such as homophones, like “their”, “they’re” or “there”, or confusable words like accept and except).

It is also important to look at the way that learners spell when they are writing, and are able to choose the words that they use.

Writing “Overcoming writing problems begins with a good assessment. Many individuals with dyslexia or learning >>

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disabilities think that writing comes easily for others, but this is not the case. Writing is a complex process.

Even great writers need to work at it.

They draft, edit, and re-write many times until they are satisfied with the final copy” (http://dyslexiahelp.umich. edu/).

It is of great importance to assess a learner’s writing skill as you can gain so much knowledge from observing a piece of writing and how it is put together. Writing is often the last skill to be mastered, there is so much to process when writing and many skills are required to deliver a good piece of writing including: • how to hold the pen • writing on the line • formation of letters • what to write • spelling of the word • the order of the word • sentence construction • grammar • punctuation • content.

It is no wonder that writing is one of the most difficult skills to master for learners.

Writing can be assessed informally by asking the learner to write on a given topic for a set amount of time, usually ten minutes (if they can sustain writing for that length of time). There are also a number of standardised assessments of

writing. Some of these have a variety of tasks, for example, assessing copying speed as well as free writing, while others are sentence completion tasks.

Most give standardised scores only for writing speed, although there are some tests which measure additional aspects of writing, such as punctuation and grammar. Standardised tests have to be used to assess writing for exam access arrangements.

When assessing writing skills, it is important not just to look at the word count. This may provide you with a writing speed but will not give you qualitative information about spelling, punctuation, grammar and syntax.

Criteria for analysing writing quality may include: • main idea • voice • organisation • word choice • sentence fluency • presentation.

There is a lot of information that can be gained from observing a learner as they write: how they grip the pen, how they form letters, and whether they have difficulty with letter and word spacing or keeping to the line. It is also useful to note whether they slow down or speed up as the writing progresses. It is best to assess at least ten minutes of free writing – though 15 minutes will be even better and higher education

Assessment is a key component in developing an effective writing programme

assessment should always be at least 15 minutes – because the first five minutes can easily be the quickest; they have fresh ideas, then they start to lose focus and their hand will often ache. It is worth observing if the learner starts to rub or shake their writing hand.

For exam access arrangements it is also worth repeating the free writing task on a computer to see if word processing is more appropriate for the learner (as long as it is their “normal way of working”). The use of technology for younger learners in primary school can be appropriate for a student with dysgraphia or dyspraxia and for longer pieces of writing, but should not replace handwriting for most learners. It is very difficult to change a handwriting style in secondary school.

As with most interventions, assessment is a key component in developing an effective writing programme to meet individual needs.

Assessment can highlight specific areas of difficulty, allowing you to create a systematic and individual lesson plan.

Cognitive processing skills

An example of free writing (eight-year-old).

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“Phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed are all aspects of phonological processing and a convincing body of evidence shows that difficulties with them are reliable markers of dyslexia” (Rose, 2009).

Teachers and psychologists have a number of assessments available to them to investigate cognitive processing skills: • phonological awareness – “phonological awareness refers to an individual’s awareness of and access to the sound WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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structure of his or her language (Mattingly, 1972) • short-term and working memory – refers to coding information phonologically for temporary storage in working or short-term memory • processing speed.

There are a variety of assessments that can be used to screen or assess a learner's ability in these areas. There are usually several subtests that provide a composite score. These assessments are very important to provide a clearer understanding as to why a leaner is showing certain difficulties.

You can often triangulate a learner’s deficits by understanding their phonological awareness difficulties.

Sometimes parents can get worried and they think it is the learner’s hearing that is the problem (sometimes it is, so do not rule this out) when really it is the learner’s ability to discriminate sounds from each other. There are a range of tests used to assess phonological awareness, including rhyming, phoneme deletion, word blending, and identifying target sounds in words (initial, final and medial). Weaknesses in literacy skills can often be linked to weaknesses in phonological awareness. An understanding of a

Weaknesses in literacy skills can often be linked to weaknesses in phonological awareness

learner’s phonological awareness provides a good platform to devise an appropriate support structure.

Short-term and working verbal memory are usually assessed by digit span tasks, where the learner is asked to repeat increasingly lengthy strings of digits (and sometimes, letters) forwards and also, in some tests, backwards.

There is a wide range of other memory tests, including additional verbal subtests and visual memory subtests.

People with dyslexia often have difficulties with the rapid retrieval of information from long-term memory.

Rapid naming tasks are often used to measure how efficiently an individual can retrieve and say verbal “labels” (such as names of digits, letters, colours or objects). Rapid naming tasks are straight forward and quick to administer. Versions of rapid naming tasks are found in a variety of different

assessment test batteries and are accessible to a wide range of ages.

Difficulties with short-term/working memory and verbal processing are sometimes misinterpreted as behavioural issues; children may be labelled as lazy, slow or inattentive, when they are actually having to concentrate and work harder than their peers. Assessments of memory and processing speed can help parents and teachers understand a child’s difficulties better and enable them to make simple adjustments that can make a big difference to the child.

In this and the previous article, I have provided a quick overview of the commonly used assessments within the batteries of tests available to teachers and psychologists. In the next and final article, I will review assessments of underlying ability that are commonly used. Tests of underlying ability can provide a clearer view of the learner’s verbal and nonverbal skills.

References Barnett, A., Henderson, S.E., Scheib, B. and Schulz, J. (2010) Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting 17+ (DASH 17+), Harlow: Pearson Education. Age range 17 to 25.

Mattingly, I. G. (1972) Reading, the linguistic process and linguistic awareness. In Kavanagh, J. and Mattinglly, I. (Eds), Language by ear and by eye (130-137) Cambridge, MA:MIT Press.

Rose, J. (2009) Identifying and Teaching Children and Young People with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties: An independent report from Sir Jim Rose to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

Wagner, R. K., Torgeson, J. K., Rashotte, C. A. and Pearson, N.A. (2013) Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing - Second Edition (CTOPP-2). PRO-ED Inc.

Further information

Catherine Wright is a Director of the National Dyslexia Network, a group of specialist dyslexia teachers and consultant psychologists: https://ndnetwork.org Children with dyslexia may have to work harder and concentrate more than their peers.

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Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils

The Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils (CReSTeD) is a charity founded in 1989 to help parents and those who advise them choose an educational establishment to support a student with specific learning difficulties (SpLD). These include dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADD, ADHD as well as pragmatic and semantic language difficulties.

The CReSTeD Council includes representatives from the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), Dyslexia Action, DyslexiaSpLD Trust, the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, educational psychologists and schools.

Category

CReSTeD maintain a Register of schools and teaching centres, accredited for their provision for students with SpLD. These establishments are visited by a consultant, selected for their experience in the field of SpLD, to ensure that the criteria set by CReSTeD are met. All schools and centres are revisited every three years or earlier in certain circumstances.

If successful, they are placed into one of six categories according to their type of provision. >>

Description

Dyslexia specialist provision (DSP)

Established primarily to teach pupils with dyslexia.

Dyslexia unit (DU)

Offers a designated unit that provides specialist tuition on a small group or individual basis, according to need.

Maintained schools (MS)

Local authority schools able to demonstrate an effective system for identifying pupils with dyslexia.

Specialist provision (SPS)

Specifically established to teach pupils with dyslexia and related specific learning difficulties.

Teaching centre (TC)

Designated centre providing specialist tuition on a small group or individual basis, according to need.

Withdrawal system (WS)

Helps dyslexic pupils by withdrawing them from appropriately selected lessons for specialist tuition.

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Schools listed on the CReSTeD Register (as at 1 December 2018) Abingdon House School (SPS) London www.abingdonhouseschool.co.uk

Centre Academy London (SPS) London www.centreacademy.net

Appleford School (SPS) Salisbury, Wiltshire www.applefordschool.org

Centre Academy - East Anglia (SPS) Ipswich, Suffolk www.centreacademy.net

Avon House School (WS) Woodford Green, Essex www.avonhouseschool.co.uk Ballard School (DU) New Milton, Hampshire www.ballardschool.co.uk Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School (DU) Haverhill, Suffolk www.barnardiston.com Bedstone College (DU) Bucknell, Shropshire www.bedstone.org Bethany School (DU) Cranbrook, Kent www.bethanyschool.org.uk Blossom House School (SPS) London www.blossomhouseschool.co.uk Bloxham School (DU) Banbury, Oxfordshire www.bloxhamschool.com

Clayesmore Preparatory School (DU) Blandford Forum, Dorset www.clayesmore.com Clayesmore School (DU) Blandford Forum, Dorset www.clayesmore.com Cobham Hall School (DU) Cobham, Kent www.cobhamhall.com Dowdales School (MS) Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria www.dowdalesschool.co.uk Ellesmere College (DU) Ellesmere, Shropshire www.ellesmere.com Emerson House (TC) London www.emersonhouse.co.uk

Hazlegrove Preparatory School (DU) Yeovil, Somerset www.hazlegrove.co.uk Holme Court School (DSP) Little Abington, Cambridgeshire www.holmecourt.com Kilgraston School (WS) Bridge of Earn, Perthshire www.kilgraston.com King's School (DU) Bruton, Somerset www.kingsbruton.com Kingham Hill School (DU) Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire www.kinghamhill.org.uk Kingsley School (The Grenville Dyslexia Centre) (DU) Bideford, Devon www.kingsleyschoolbideford.co.uk Kingsmead School (DU) Hoylake, Wirral www.kingsmeadschool.com Kingswood House School (DU) Epsom, Surrey www.kingswoodhouse.org

Ercall Wood Technology College (MS) Telford, Shropshire www.ercall-online.co.uk

Knowl Hill School (DSP) Woking, Surrey www.knowlhill.org.uk

Fairley House School (DSP) London www.fairleyhouse.org.uk

Laidlaw Hall (TC) London www.laidlawhall.co.uk

Finborough School (DU) Stowmarket, Suffolk www.finboroughschool.co.uk

Leehurst Swan School (WS) Salisbury, Wiltshire www.leehurstswan.org.uk

Brown's School (SPS) Orpington, Kent www.brownsschool.co.uk

Frewen College (DSP) Rye, Sussex www.frewencollege.co.uk

Lime House School (DU) Carlisle, Cumbria www.limehouseschool.co.uk

Bruern Abbey School (DSP) Chesterton, Oxfordshire www.bruernabbey.org

Fulneck School (DU) Leeds, West Yorkshire www.fulneckschool.co.uk

Mayfield School (MS) Portsmouth, Hampshire www.mayfield.portsmouth.sch.uk

Calder House School (DSP) Near Bath, Wiltshire www.calderhouseschool.co.uk

Hatherop Castle School (WS) Cirencester www.hatheropcastle.co.uk

Mayville High School (DU) Southsea, Hampshire www.mayvillehighschool.com

Bredon School (DSP) Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire www.bredonschool.org Brockhurst & Marlston House Schools (DU) Newbury, Berkshire www.brockmarl.org.uk

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Millfield Preparatory School (DU) Glastonbury, Somerset www.millfieldprep.com

Sidcot School (DU) Winscombe, North Somerset www.sidcot.org.uk

Millfield School (DU) Street, Somerset www.millfieldschool.com

Slindon College (DU) Arundel, Sussex www.slindoncollege.co.uk

Mitchells Dyslexia Facility (TC) Rustington, West Sussex www.mitchellsdyslexiafacility.co.uk

St David's College (SPS) Llandudno, Conwy www.stdavidscollege.co.uk

Moon Hall College (DSP) Reigate, Surrey www.moonhallcollege.co.uk

St Lawrence College (WS) Ramsgate, Kent www.slcuk.com

Moon Hall School (DSP) Dorking, Surrey www.moonhallschool.co.uk

Tettenhall College (DU) Wolverhampton, West Midlands www.tettenhallcollege.co.uk

Moon Hall School, Reigate (SPS) Farnham, Surrey www.morehouseschool.co.uk

Thames Christian College (WS) London www.thameschristiancollege.org.uk

Pipers Corner School (DU) High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire www.piperscorner.co.uk

The Dominie (DSP) London www.thedominie.co.uk

Ramillies Hall School (DU) Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire www.ramillieshall.co.uk

The Dyslexia Teaching Centre (TC) London www.dyslexiateachingcentre.co.uk

Sackville School (WS) Hildenborough, Kent www.sackvilleschool.co.uk

The McLeod Centre for Learning (TC) London www.amandamcleod.org

Shapwick School (DSP) Bridgwater, Somerset www.shapwickschool.com

The Moat School (DSP) Fulham, London www.moatschool.org.uk

The Sheila Ferrari Dyslexia Centre (TC) Woodford Green, Essex www.avonhouseschool.co.uk Thetford Grammar School (WS) Thetford, Norfolk www.thetgram.norfolk.sch.uk Trinity School, Rochester (SPS) Rochester, Kent www.trinityschoolrochester.co.uk Unicorn School (DSP) Abingdon, Oxfordshire www.unicorndyslexia.co.uk Walhampton School (DU) Lymington, Hampshire www.walhampton.com Wycliffe College Preparatory School (DU) Stonehouse, Gloucestershire www.wycliffe.co.uk Wycliffe College Preparatory School (DU) Stonehouse, Gloucestershire www.wycliffe.co.uk Ysgol Aberconwy (MS) Conwy www.aberconwy.conwy.sch.uk

Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark The MS category now includes schools approved by the BDA as Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark Schools. These schools have demonstrated a high commitment to dyslexic learners and undergone rigorous scrutiny in order to achieve the Quality Mark award, which they hold for three years before being re-verified by the BDA. They are identified on the CReSTeD Register with the BDA Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark logo.

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Further information

The CReSTeD Register is available to view at: www.crested.org.uk

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Kingsley secures CReSTeD status for its Learning Development Centre

Blossom Lower School Christopher Place

The Kingsley Learning and Development Centre (LDC) has recently undergone a CReSTeD inspection. Following this inspection, Kingsley has been awarded CReSTeD status for its first class learning support for pupils.

The School’s Head of LDC and SENDCO, Mrs Naomi Jefferies, said: “I am completely delighted with the outcome of the inspection, and proud that we are the only school in Devon and Cornwall to achieve this award.”

Headmaster, Mr Pete Last added: “The School’s raison d’être is to encourage our pupils to share their ambitions, along with their anxieties, so we can provide a tailored education in a nurturing, secure, safe and above all fun environment.”

Kingsley School Bideford is a single campus co-educational independent boarding and day school for pupils, from nursery to Sixth Form.

01237 426200 www.kingsleyschoolbideford.co.uk

Blossom House School is an ‘outstanding’ specialist independent day school based in Motspur Park, New Malden and Euston, London for children with speech, language and communication difficulties. Motspur Park site is for children aged 3 to 19 years while our Euston site currently has children aged 3 to 10 years. We are a CreSTeD registered school in the Specialist Provision Category.

We have a number of children with a dyslexia or SpLD diagnosis and/or SpLD type profiles in addition to other interrelated special educational needs.

Our school has a unique atmosphere created by a dedicated, highly professional and caring staff. Specific strengths are acknowledged and weaknesses are supported, so that each child ‘blossoms’ and has the opportunity to fulfil his or her potential.

1-5 Christopher Place, Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JF Telephone: 020 7383 3834 Email: admincp@blossomhouseschool.co.uk Website: www.blossomchristopherplace.co.uk

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POST-16

From child to adult How further education prepares young people with SEN for adult life, by Clare Howard

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oing to school for the first time, moving between schools, leaving school and starting college or work are all transition points that can be stressful and emotional for everyone.

For young people with SEN, however, these transitions are often even more difficult to manage. This is not helped by a funding system which is hard to navigate and a lack of information about the options available.

Some young people with SEN are ready to move into further education (FE) at 16, while for others, it may be more appropriate to stay at school a bit longer. At some stage between the ages of 16 and 19, though, many young people and their families will be looking to make a choice between a college place, a supported internship, an apprenticeship, voluntary or paid work, or other options such as residential placements. But what is available, how do you decide on the right option for you or your child, and how can FE prepare people with SEN for adult life?

When people move on to college (sometimes after more than 15 years at the same school) it’s a real opportunity for a fresh start, perhaps involving new friends, new experiences and new challenges. So whatever option is chosen, it’s important that the young person experiences an adult environment, rather than just an extension of their school experience.

Here are some of the things to look out for to make sure that the choices you make will truly prepare the young person concerned to meet their longer term aspirations in life.

The late teenage and early adult years are crucial in determining the level of independence in adulthood outcomes the young person wants to achieve? The culture of the provider, as well as the learning programme itself, should be firmly focussed on meeting the needs and expectations of the individual. What kind of adult does the young person want to become?

The late teenage and early adult years are crucial in determining the level of independence in adulthood; in addition, the right education at this stage can save the public purse huge amounts of money over the course of a person’s life. FE providers should use education, health and care (EHC) assessments and the stipulations of EHC plans to create individual and personalised learning programmes, thereby ensuring what is being offered

is not too generic or merely a replication of the standard school curriculum.

A range of learning opportunities Colleges should be able to demonstrate that they have more than one or two curriculum options. They should also be clear about how they assure quality, especially if the learning programme is not accredited, and the types of support that are available. Support might need to change over time to help the young person to increase their independence, as whatever they were used to in school is not always appropriate in college. Technology is a key part of independence training and colleges should continually be upgrading and improving what’s available for students.

The right staff Are the staff well qualified and what specialist support is available? Staff qualifications, experience and training should relate directly to the specific circumstances and needs of learners, and teachers should have specialist

Programmes with purpose Is there a clear drive and purpose to the programme offered, centred around the SENISSUE98

Two students enjoying art and media studies.

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POST-16

FE providers should have a good range of effective partnerships with local employers

Therapeutic interventions.

knowledge appropriate for young adults. There should be access to relevant therapies and specialist support. The best colleges have fully qualified staff with specialist accreditation, and teachers with strong experience of adult education rather than school teaching.

Taking part Young people should be supported to be active members of their local community. The FE provision should be adult and community focused, ideally within easy reach of travel facilities, local shops and community facilities so that students can practise their independence skills in real settings. FE facilities should be housed separately from schools; they should be clearly education oriented and distinct from day centre provision. Learning programmes should focus on the specific independence skills that the young people concerned may need, such as independent travel, shopping, cooking, money management, home skills and road safety.

of schools are currently meeting, so all providers need to work hard to demonstrate that students receive the right advice and are supported into work experience within the vocational area they wish to explore.

FE providers should have a good range of effective partnerships with local employers, so that learning can take place in a variety of settings and not just in the classroom. Work experience needs to be purposeful and substantial, offer challenge, and be relevant to the young person’s study programme and aspirations. Work experience should include a structured plan for the duration of the placement which provides tangible outcomes for the student and employer and focusses on real-world skills that are required by the work.

FE should offer something different to what young people have experienced

Further information

Clare Howard is Chief Executive of Natspec, a membership association for organisations which offer specialist further education and training for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities: natspec.org.uk

Work experience Ofsted will report on the importance of independent, impartial careers advice and realistic work experience for young people in post-16 provision. There are nationally recognised standards of careers advice which only a minority WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

at school. FE might open up access to new communities and social opportunities through digital media; young people can learn how to be safe on online, how to manage a budget and how the benefits system impacts on earnings – all skills that will be useful in a range of contexts and will enable them to make informed decisions in the future. Whilst at college, students can hone their preferences and skills and move towards making more specific choices about the type of work they might like, or they can check out a range of living options using graduated support, before being clear about what suits them and what additional skills they will need to acquire.

The right choice at 16 or 19 can be crucial in determining the long-term life chances and wellbeing of young people with SEN. It’s important that everyone involved works closely together to ensure the young person experiences good quality FE that gives them the skills they need for life and is firmly focussed on supporting them to lead a happy, fulfilled life.

Students gaining work experience.

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£10k donation funds animal therapy courses for people supported by United Response People with learning disabilities and mental health needs were treated to a special animal therapy course thanks to a cash boost worth nearly £10,000 to a disability charity.

The charity, United Response, has been supporting people with Down’s syndrome, autism, mental health needs, and physical and learning disabilities for over 40 years.

The Big Lottery Fund donated £9,979 to the charity to help fund three holistic animal therapy courses in the East Midlands, which give people with physical and learning disabilities the skills, confidence and ability to work with and care for animals. Each course is run by Entwined Education and lasts for eight weeks.

Five people from Mansfield who are supported by the charity travelled to the Acacia Centre in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and to the Old Hagg Farm in Dale Abbey, Derbyshire, to learn about animal welfare, work with horses, sheep and other farm animals, and receive careers advice.

Mansfield-based United Response Job Coach Simon Arnold said: “This is absolutely brilliant for the people that we support and a very unique course. Animal therapy and interacting with animals reduces stress and anxiety and will brighten up the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society.”

Sian Davies is supported by the charity and went to the animal therapy course. She said: “I love animals, and have done horse care and worked with horses and farm animals before.”

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Ricky Holt, who also attended the course, added: “I want to work with animals in the future. I have worked with donkeys and pigs at college before.”

United Response Grant Fundraiser Carol Clark said: “We’re delighted to receive such a generous donation from The Big Lottery Fund which will make a huge difference to people’s lives.

“It will enable people we support to relax, improve their wellbeing and offer them opportunities to work and volunteer in an industry they are passionate about.”

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Adventurous learning The benefits of outdoor adventurous activities for pupils with SEN and disabilities, by John Crosbie

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utdoor activities have been shown to have several benefits to a wide range of pupils with SEN and disabilities¹. These activities may take place in the school grounds, the local environment or on residential trips to outdoor education centres. Outdoor adventurous activities are usually delivered in the context of the PE or PSHE agenda but can involve the application of learning from many other subjects, as well as cross-curricular outputs. The activities often involve orienteering, hill-walking, climbing, water sports, challenge courses, bush-craft and archery, but may include a number of other activities as well. The activities on offer will vary between providers or the skill set of staff and the equipment or natural resources available. The higherrisk activities usually require a higher skill-set and for school groups are often outsourced to outside providers, some of whom may have specialist experience or equipment for working with pupils with SEN and disabilities.

Pupils who do not do well in class often excel in this contrasting environment

would not apply to at least some pupils with SEN. However, some benefits are more relevant than others.

Pupils often find outdoor activities more engaging as they provide a change to classroom work, with less structured learning, they are more experiential in nature and can provide challenge as well as a sense of achievement.

Pupils who do not do well in class often excel in this contrasting environment.

This is particularly applicable to pupils with SEN. Of course, pupils with SEN are not an homogenous group and there is both a spectrum of issues/disabilities and a wide range of ability within each category. As a result, there are no common benefits for all pupils with SEN and conversely there is no reason why any of the many identified benefits

Academic benefits First-hand experiences make subjects more vivid and interesting and enhance understanding, as pupils link academic studies to the real world. The opportunities to make these links are deemed to be of greater importance to pupils with SEN as they usually have fewer options to do so.

Much to gain The identified benefits of outdoor activities may be grouped together into broad categories:

Health benefits Pupils with SEN and disabilities often engage in low levels of physical activity, with the associated health risks.

Participation, as well as realising the sport and recreation opportunities for life, is a significant part of the outdoor learning experience.

Psychological benefits Improvements in confidence, selfesteem and self-efficacy as well as a change in attitude are frequently reported as the major benefits of outdoor activities.

Social and interpersonal benefits The need to socialise in cooperative activities and the shared “adversity” can improve social skills and build lasting relationships. Having novel experiences provides opportunities for discussions and topics for conversation. When these experiences are similar to those of pupils who don’t have SEN, a degree

Outdoor activities give pupils opportunities to develop a range of personal skills.

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of “normalisation” and common ground for interaction is provided.

Societal benefits All the above may lead to benefits for wider society, as there are links from the above attributes to the acquisition of life skills, improved independence, employment and inclusion. These can result in a reduction in costs to the public purse.

Improving outcomes Researchers in the outdoor learning field¹ have identified the three most important factors which influence the outcomes of an outdoor learning programme as: the people, the programme and the process.

An individual’s background is the most influential factor when it comes to what they learn from an outdoor experience. This is self-evident.

Someone who has not previously experienced being outdoors in inclement weather, the countryside or novel outdoor activities will obviously gain far more from their experience than someone who encounters these things on a regular basis. Whilst working in an outdoor centre, I witnessed the contrast in attitudes to their experiences between the blasé approach of privileged pupils from two famous public schools who were familiar with travel and the activities, compared to the awe of pupils from deprived inner city areas who had not previously been in the countryside, seen a sheep or undertaken activities in the natural environment. Many pupils with SEN have restricted life experiences and consequently the personal growth through being given the opportunity to undertake outdoor learning activities in the countryside can be very marked – hence the greater value that should be placed on outdoor learning for these pupils.

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A residential experience can deliver independence and selfreliance in spade-fulls

mind. There is a wide range of outdoor activities. Some may be undertaken by many pupils with SEN or disabilities with little or no need for adaptations, whilst other activities generally do not lend themselves to the inclusion of people with specific impairments, even with major modifications. Each activity will have the potential to deliver both a primary outcome and secondary outcomes, and these need to be matched to the intended outcomes of those organising and providing the outdoor experience. For example, climbing may provide a personal challenge and potentially a sense of achievement for the participant, leading to an increase in confidence. A walk in the natural environment, though, can offer a greater understanding or appreciation of nature. Similarly, each activity may be delivered in a different way to achieve varying outcomes.

Canoeing could be in solo kayaks, which might encourage self-reliance, or in two open canoes rafted together, which can encourage teamwork. A ropes challenge course could be designed to deliver independence if presented as an individual activity, or deliver communication skills through a group-focused task.

A residential experience can also deliver independence and selfreliance in spade-fulls. Being away from home and the support, as well as the constraints, associated with this environment, often has a major developmental impact on young people.

In addition, the social environment will influence interpersonal relationships – be these between pupils, between school staff and pupils or between pupils with and without SEN and

disabilities – if all pupils are integrated within the same activity provision.

If pupils’ outdoor learning experiences are to have a long-term benefit to the individual, the learning must be transferred from the activity/ outdoor location, back to the home or school environment. This is often referred to the as the process. The role of school staff can be vital here.

They can help pupils bring meaning to their experiences, realise their learning and contrast behaviours and attitudes within the activities to those before and after the experience.

It is important to note that not all the potential benefits of outdoor adventurous activities are likely to be delivered by a few hours or a few days of outdoor learning. The extent to which they could be fulfilled will depend on: the nature of the participating pupils; the clear identification of intended outcomes combined with the negotiation of the programme between the school and provider; and the involvement of the staff in assisting the transfer of the learning to everyday life.

References References for all the above statements and research evidence in this article may be found in: 1. Crosbie, J.P.G. (2014) The benefits of outdoor education for people with disabilities.

Unpublished PhD thesis available from: www. era.lib.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/9443/ Crosbie2014.pdf

Further information

Dr John Crosbie has many years’ experience working in outdoor education and outdoor activities, including managing a centre specialising in working with people with SEN and disabilities.

His PhD investigated the benefits of outdoor education for people with disabilities. He is Chairman of the Adventure for All Professional Practice Group at the Institute for Outdoor Learning: www.outdoor-learning.org

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OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Advertisement feature

Fully insured sunken trampoline installers Trampolines are becoming more and more commonplace in schools across the UK, especially those with SEN requirements.

With the massive surge in trampoline parks has also come a greater volume of personal injury claims, something the insurance market has been reeling from. The result of this is that the majority of insurers are now not willing to take on that risk and obtaining insurance for manufacturing, installing or maintaining any type of trampoline is now close to impossible.

The result is astronomical premiums from a very small pool of insurance firms willing to underwrite the risk in the first place.

As a manufacturer, supplier or installer not having the insurance is simply not sensible; do you just hope for the best and run the risk of something happening two years down the line, or do you spend a large amount of money if, in the case of the average builder or landscaper, it is not your core business?

Angus Macwatt from Sunken Trampolines says, “when our renewal was refused due to a change in the industry’s risk profiling of our business we were close to being unable to conduct our business. Without insurance, installing a trampoline would not be logical as the risk of an expensive claim against us would destroy our business and our livelihoods.”

The requirement for insurance cover for trampolines as part of their work is not just confined to schools or the commercial sector. Macwatt says: “installing in someone’s back garden holds

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just as much risk. Employers, public and product liability all need to have cover and if the insurance company has not been informed you are installing a trampoline, they will not honour their commitment.”

What this means is that anyone looking to have a trampoline installed in the ground should first make sure their installer/ contractor has sufficient cover, as without it there will be little or no recourse if a claim against them ensues. www.sunkentrampolines.co.uk

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ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Changing learning Sophie Shearer looks at how technology is supporting students in higher education

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t’s hard to avoid technology. For many of us, it is ingrained in almost every aspect of day-to-day life. It is integral to our social life and how we work, so it makes sense to expect educational institutions to effectively embed technology in their systems and processes.

University can be a life-changing experience that provides opportunities for students to gain knowledge and fulfil their dreams. Technology plays a key role in enhancing this experience for all students and it can really help to break down the barriers that some may face with their learning.

Advances in technology are accelerating at lightening pace; many of the changes we are witnessing offer fantastic opportunities for disabled students to work independently and overcome difficulties which inhibit their success. In ways that were unimaginable just a few decades ago, technology is being used to help students with disabilities and SEN to attend classes both physically and remotely.

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people in the classroom with the use of descriptive artificial intelligence tools.

Computer apps are also providing assistance with writing to those with dyslexia, and there are a range of tech solutions to help reduce stress for all and enable students to feel more in control of their studies.

It is important to note, though, that quite often the students with SEN or disabilities who manage to get to university come from very supportive homes and education networks.

They can therefore experience a real shock when they are independently studying away from home for the first time and they may find that the strategies that worked for them when completing GCSEs and A Levels are no longer sufficient.

Sometimes people may be reluctant to disclose their condition to their university or to fellow students, which can lead to difficulties studying, poor results and, for some, mental health concerns relating to pressure and their fear of failure. Students may also have additional health and physical challenges linked to their SEN or

Many students don’t know about DSA and can miss out on the support they are entitled to disability that can be misunderstood or missed completely by teaching staff and fellow students. IBS, migraines or fibromyalgia, for example, can all have a detrimental impact on learning.

All students should share how they are feeling with their student support service and find the right technology solutions that work for them.

Disabled Students’ Allowances Government funded Disabled Students Allowances (DSA) are available if you are a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability. Those who are eligible can receive help with the costs of specialist equipment, including a computer, as well as additional costs incurred relating to non-medical WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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helpers, travel expenses incurred because of a disability, and some other additional costs of studying.

However, many students don’t know about DSA and miss out on the support they are entitled to. This can be a real own goal, not only for the individual student but also for the university, since students with disabilities who receive DSA have higher continuation rates (91.1 per cent) than non-disabled students (90 per cent) and students with disabilities not in receipt of DSA (87 per cent). They are also more likely to achieve a higher grade. (Higher Education Funding Council, October 2017). DSA can make a huge difference to students’ experiences and attainment at college, as Jose, a former University of Brighton student notes: “The technical support I have had with the team has been very professional and helpful, and I am certain that I would not be able to achieve a degree without the help I received from DSA.” DSA reforms in 2016 removed some of the centralised funding for non-medical help and placed responsibility on universities to make this provision. In line with Government policy, higher education institutions need to move away from the medical model of disability and take a holistic, institution-wide approach to remove barriers and create an inclusive learning environment for all.

Technology plays a big part in this by providing the tools to succeed and providing scalable and personalised self-service information so students can easily access the assistive technology and other support they need. I believe the effective use of technology is fundamental to developing inclusion in our education establishments.

Types of tech support Technological solutions can have a huge impact on learning right across the spectrum of SEN and disabilities.

Inclusive design is a key element in both mainstream and specialist software development, and developments which can assist those with SEN and WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Inclusive design is a key element in both mainstream and specialist software development disabilities can also be of great benefit to the population as a whole.

For example, apps designed to assist those with low or no vision can also be incredibly supportive to someone without a visual impairment in bright sunlight, or for someone with a temporary sensitivity to light caused by a migraine. The use of voiceover (or text-to-speech) is an essential tool for many people with physical or hearing impairments. However, this technology, which is increasingly supplied as an inbuilt accessibility feature in computers and mobile devices, is also fantastic for hearing where spelling mistakes or grammatical errors have been made in an email or document. I often use my inbuilt voiceover to proof read blogs before they are published.

Adaptations such as subtitles for hearing loss can benefit anyone in noisy environments, such as cafes or trains. Apps for those with cognitive impairments or emotional difficulties also offer fantastic benefits for the whole student population. For example, meditations apps recommended for anxiety and metal health conditions are particularly useful for improved sleep quality and encouraging a positive mindset.

There are many apps that help with mobility that would also benefit anyone with an injury, such as a repetitive strain injury, or perhaps a new parent managing one handed while nursing a baby in the other. Apps that tell you where the best accessibility services are in public areas, or speech-to-text software that doesn’t require someone to type up their notes or messages, can be very helpful here.

By bringing the conversation about inclusion to the forefront of education and allowing the benefits of technology to assist the whole institution we can improve the university experience for everyone.

What can we expect in the future?

It’s important to acknowledge how technology is already being used to make education more inclusive, but we should also consider the role it might play in the education of future generations. As a piece on the BBC website highlights (www.bbc.co.uk/ news/technology-38758980), what students are learning is fundamentally changing, and it’s not just that children are learning the same things as they always were, just on new devices.

Developments in artificial intelligence and robotics are already transforming working environments; many of the skills that children today will need when they enter employment are likely to be very different to those found in today’s workplaces.

It is time to embrace the potential of technology in education and how it can help people with disabilities, health conditions and SEN to achieve their goals. It will be fascinating to see how higher education institutions continue to adopt and utilise technology to benefit students and make education more inclusive.

Further information

Sophie Shearer is Student Outreach and Innovation Lead at AbilityNet, a charity which supports people with a disability to use technology at home, at work and in education: www.abilitynet.org.uk Information about Disabled Students’ Allowances can be found at: www.gov.uk/disabled-studentsallowances-dsas

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How cleva is yur spelcheka? misspellings of people with dyslexia or people who are writing in English as their second language. Oribi has built algorithms

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to give a clear interface and to minimise reading demands by presenting only one alternative at a time.

I don’t know witch day it is.

VeritySpell

Confusable word

The story was about an evil witch.

Tell me, which is your house?

I drive cars which cost a lot to run.

Why is VeritySpell so good for dyslexic writers?

Picks up on the kinds of errors that are common for dyslexic writers, such as homophones and severe spelling errors.

Clear and easy-to-use interface without too many functions.

Leaves the person to type in their own time without interference from red lines or programbars.

Individual settings which means that the program gives the right level of checking support.

Minimises reading demands.

Shows spelling choices in sentence context, supporting learning.

No training needed!

Email for more information info@aventido.com

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Driving attainment for deaf children Ann Bradbury looks at what schools can do to stop deaf pupils falling ever further behind their hearing peers

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n 2018, deaf children were reported to be achieving more than a whole grade less at GCSE than their hearing peers¹. Further figures revealed that more than 55 per cent of young deaf people in England did not achieve more than one A-Level by the age of 19.² It was a year when students with no SEN were shown to have opened up the biggest attainment gap – almost 25 per cent – over their deaf peers since 20121.

These are startling statistics indeed.

But what drives them and can anything be done to close the gap in attainment between young deaf people and their peers?

While deafness brings its own difficulties, it is not a learning disability and should not be treated as such. In principal, there are few, if any, reasons why, with the right support in place and WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

understanding of their needs, a deaf young person could not achieve in line with a hearing child.

Behind the numbers Many deaf young people across the UK are highly successful both academically and socially. They achieve qualifications, and good ones at that.

They go to college and university, and have vocations and careers. They have families, enjoy a wide range of interests and a large network of friends. These are all measures of their success – achieved with the support and dedication of parents and teachers with no small amount of hard work and determination on the part of the young person.

But the numbers at the beginning of this article show that although we do see young deaf people achieving great

While deafness brings its own difficulties, it is not a learning disability and should not be treated as such things, for the majority, their academic attainment is not as close to that of pupils with no hearing impairment as it should, or could, be.

Many things drive these statistics and it is easy to point the finger at funding, which as we all know, is being hit hard in the current climate.

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of what drives whether a deaf child can or will succeed academically in keeping with their hearing peers; it is just one factor.

Of course, funding is very important and in adequate levels can help young people access that additional or specialist support they need, including dedicated Teachers of the Deaf, trained eaching assistants, and other specialist support where it’s required, such as speech and language input, auditory equipment and support, note takers, transport or specialist placements in schools and sixth forms.

However, we must not underestimate other factors. Health, mental health, a child’s self-confidence and sense of self, and their environment are all crucial, and the maintenance of a deaf child’s health and mental wellbeing is vital to their learning capacity and capability. They are absolutely intertwined with a young deaf person’s ability to learn. When their physical, mental and social needs are being met, they are more likely to learn at a pace, and to the standards, aligned with hearing young people.

Isolation Take as a starting point the social isolation some young deaf people can feel. In a mainstream school setting for example, they may be the only

If they can’t articulate how they are feeling, how can we help them? deaf child, or one of only a couple of deaf children. These young people may be taught separately from their mainstream peers, creating greater isolation. Or they may have a teacher or teaching assistant with them all of the time, creating a difference between them and their peers. They may be bullied because of their deafness. They may find it very hard to make friends.

In turn, they may exhibit behaviour which is challenging to the school, as they try to express frustration, finding themselves removed further from classes or from school entirely. They may also be the only deaf person in their family.

All of this, of course, can impact on a young deaf person’s mental health and therefore their learning.

Further compounding this may be the young person’s ability to then fully communicate their feelings and needs, which again is detrimental to their mental health and can be another barrier to them receiving the support they need. If they can’t articulate

Children are better able to learn when their social, physical and mental health needs are met.

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how they are feeling, how can we help them?

From a mental health perspective, it is more difficult for a young deaf person to access the support they need than their peers, which undoubtedly can affect their learning. It can lead to a child disengaging with education, taking time off school or, in severe cases, turning to self-harming and suicidal thoughts or activity – high risk behaviours which may further mean they are also not able to attend school.

It goes without saying that these will all impact the young person’s ability to learn, notwithstanding the potential risks to their physical wellbeing.

Supporting mental health Mental health support and understanding is key. At the outset, all concerned need to recognise that these young people may be more vulnerable to experiencing mental health difficulties, before we look at what we can do to provide appropriate and timely assistance.

School nurses, mental health first aiders and teaching staff all have a vital role to play in identifying early signs in the deaf child that they may be struggling with their mental health.

Working with the local deaf child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS), or creating a relationship with these services, is also extremely important, as is supporting families to understand the difficulties their child may be facing.

On a basic level, creating an environment where the child can learn is the first step to helping them have good mental health. They will need a place where they are part of a group of children with whom they can communicate and participate, as well as somewhere where the acoustics are suitable, where they can hear (or see the teacher for lip-reading), and where teachers and other staff are trained to understand their needs. As with all children, they need a place where they can learn, play and feel safe and happy – where they can make friends and foster friendships.

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Part of this is ensuring you teach in a way the child can understand; for example, in literacy, phonics are not always suitable for a deaf child, or the best way for them to learn. This leaves them feeling frustrated as their hearing peers move on to the next level; again, this can be detrimental to their mental health and make them more likely to disengage with learning.

Understanding physical health issues Physical health is also a factor. Learning can be disrupted with physical health difficulties – for example, if a child has to come out of school to have their first, or perhaps second, cochlear implant fitted. There may also be a need for additional time out of school for things like healthcare appointments and check-ups. These are all disruptions not regularly encountered by most of their hearing peers.

Some children who are deaf also have additional physical difficulties which can impact on their learning either due to mobility, discomfort or pain; we all know if we are not comfortable, we are not at our best to concentrate.

These are more difficult obstacles to overcome, but not insurmountable.

Just being aware of them as factors in a child’s ability to learn can make all the difference. Offering comfortable

seating, regular breaks, note takers, phased transitions back to school, outreach and again, having a school nurse who understands the issues, can all help a child stay in school and be ready to learn.

There may be some occasions or activities where a child’s physical health, their implant or other factors might determine what professionals think they are able to participate in.

While all activities need to be thoroughly risk-assessed, it’s vital deaf children don’t miss out on the more physical learning experiences that their hearing peers enjoy. PE lessons, football, tennis, swimming and climbing, for example, are all key learning opportunities. Deaf children should not, unless there’s a very good reason, be excluded from these activities. They are great for physical fitness and therefore physical health.

The whole picture We must never think of the child’s deafness in isolation, or see their inability to hear as being the only thing that can impact on their ability to learn; it is just the starting point for so many other factors which can determine whether a child is ready, willing and able to learn.

Effective multi-disciplinary team working is essential to removing inhibitors from a deaf child’s journey

Some children who are deaf also have additional physical difficulties which can impact on their learning to achievement. Teachers, teaching assistants, speech and language therapists, audiologists, nursing staff, parents and Deaf CAMHS services can all play vital roles in ensuring a child’s mental and physical health are considered to the same extent as their deafness. This is the way to create an environment where children can best succeed, and do so in line with their hearing peers.

I often hear that aspirations are not always as high for deaf children, that they’re not expected to do as well as other children because of their deafness. This has a devastating effect on their self-esteem and affects their ability to learn. We should have the same high expectations for deaf children as we have for all children; if we believe they can succeed, they will believe it too and that really is the first step towards encouraging good mental health and to achievement which bridges the gap.

Footnotes 1. www.ndcs.org.uk/news/attainment_ worsening.html (accessed 4/12/18) 2. www.independent.co.uk/news/education/ education-news/a-level-results-day-2018special-needs-educational-funding-cutsdeaf-a8497266.html (accessed 4/12/18)

Further information Ann Bradbury is Headteacher at St John’s Catholic School for the Deaf in Boston Spa, West Yorkshire: www.stjohns.org.uk

All staff need to understand individual children’s needs.

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BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviews

by Mary Mountstephen

Challenging Behaviours Pocketbook F. O’Regan

Physical Education for Children with Moderate to Severe Disabilities Editors: M. Grenier and L. Lieberman

Teachers’ Pocketbooks £9.99 ISBN: 978-1-9037-7673-5

Human Kinetics £33.99 ISBN: 978-1-4925-4497-5

The author is a former teacher and headteacher who has taught in mainstream and special schools, has published widely on learning differences such as ADHD, and is well known for his training programmes.

This pocketbook has been reprinted six times since 2006, which is a tribute to its popularity with teachers dealing with a range of challenging behaviours that also include oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder.

O’Regan defines “challenging” as “difficult but stimulating” and this refers to behaviours that can be aggressive, unpredictable, angry and uncooperative. He uses classroom scenarios to illustrate the different ways in which these behaviours might manifest themselves and identifies a number of risk factors, including in-child factors (neurological, emotional, cognitive), family (communication, relationships, discipline) and community (socio-economic disadvantage).

This book is very well structured and supports the reader through the use of sidebars and cartoons to deliver easily understood information to guide interventions.

Many teachers will recognise the characteristics of the disorders that O’Regan outlines and this will be reassuring to those faced with limited support, resources or understanding of these conditions. Simple strategies are included, as well as brief information on the current state of thinking about interventions such as medication, nutritional supplements and counselling.

The book closes with a summary of each of the disorders; this is useful, but could lead some teachers to make overly simplistic evaluations of students who are causing concern.

This book was written by a diverse team of practitioners in collaboration with academics; the editors have drawn on the knowledge and experience of experts in the fields of general and adapted physical education.

Organised into three main sections, Grenier and Lieberman’s book first provides an overview of moderate to severe disabilities, in the context of working collaboratively and inclusively when assessing aspects of, for example, students functional abilities, communication, peer tutoring and creating accessible equipment.

In Part 2, information is provided about foundational skills and sensory integration and ways to modify activities such as aquatics. The authors explain how to use sensorimotor instruction and the role that related strategies can play in helping students develop skills to enjoy lifetime leisure.

The final part of the text provides sample lesson plans that follow an inclusive model. Each activity covers a wide range of skills and detailed instructions are included, with differentiation provided.

The book is well set out, with chapters including short descriptions of students to illustrate points and linked review questions to enable the reader to engage actively with the text.

Although based on US experience, the book provides much useful information for UK readers. In the appendix, associated websites, videos and links to programmes like the Special Olympics will be helpful for those seeking to develop their knowledge in this field.

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BOOK REVIEWS

Uniquely Normal: Tapping the Reservoir of Normalcy to Treat Autism R. J. Bernstein with R. Cantor-Cooke Future Horizons £18.50 ISBN: 978-1-9417-6546-3

This is an interesting read that delivers information about interventions in a way that reflects the author’s personal family experience of autism and his many years of working therapeutically with clients.

This book is set around 27 case histories of individuals from across the autistic spectrum and the author describes how he works with each individual, from early years to adulthood.

Bernstein works from a cognition based perspective which recognises that each person with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) contains a “reservoir of normalcy” that can be tapped into, given the right tools and patience.

He describes in detail how he creates and exploits opportunities to develop communication and behaviours that enable each person he works with to become more functional and independent.

Some of Bernstein’s basic principles are: look for periods of normal behaviour and expand on them; use natural language and encourage a flow in the activity; get out into to the real world; and avoid over-protective approaches to parenting.

This book is very readable and Bernstein engages readers with his thought processes regarding ways to reach individual children and adults and draw them out into the “real” world.

The breadth of case studies enables him to share a wide range of techniques and interventions. It’s easy to see why this book has won a number of publishing awards.

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Hands On, Minds On: How Executive Function, Motor, and Spatial Skills Foster School Readiness C. E. Cameron Teachers College Press £37.95 ISBN: 978-0-8077-5909-7 Dr Cameron is an associate professor who focusses in this book on how the three areas in the title form the foundation for effective academic, behavioural and social school readiness. She draws on current research, translating this into classroom practice that enables teachers to identify children’s needs.

Executive function is outlined as referring to the ability to ignore distractions, mentally manipulate information and operate with flexibility.

The book is divided into four parts: Thinking About School Readiness; Understanding Foundational Cognitive Skills; Linking The Learning Domains and The Foundational Cognitive Skills; and Getting the Most Out of Play.

Dr Cameron points out that teacher-training courses introduce the concepts of these skills, but there is less emphasis on learning how to identify and assess them.

This is the starting point for detailing activities for the reader to complete that raise awareness of individual pupil behaviours and link to overviews of the associated research evidence regarding the role of motor skills in supporting cognitive and academic performance.

Although based on the US education system, the content is relevant to UK educators looking for a structure and rationale to support high-quality early education that recognises the significance of paying explicit attention to, and intervention in, children’s foundational cognitive skills.

This book summarises extensive research in a userfriendly format.

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Autism and wellbeing Sarah Butcher outlines an approach designed to improve the physical, intellectual and emotional wellbeing of young people with autism

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combination of educational, learning and social support can help young people with autism and complex learning and behavioural needs to make sense of the world around them.

There are a number of elements which can support this approach and help in overcoming barriers to learning; this is really important because young people with autism think and learn differently to their peers in mainstream settings. The goal is that they are able to communicate effectively and achieve the highest level of independence and fulfilment possible.

Perhaps as important as the specialist approach itself, is for the approach to be transferable across settings, and designed to support parents and carers, the home, respite and future placements as the individual grows towards greater independence.

Waking day curriculum In 1993, I spent six months in Japan as a development specialist in a special needs school. I undertook a research project which informed the development of an approach called the “waking day curriculum”, now widely used in the autism sector.

This allows young people to learn throughout their whole day including before school, evenings, weekends and during school holidays. It provides a structured programme of learning, both in group and individual activities. These activities focus on communication, academic and vocational learning, daily living skills and physical activities and ensure that each young person has access to learning throughout their waking day.

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A child’s wellbeing underpins their readiness to learn.

A waking day curriculum offers each young person the opportunity to live within a structured routine enables them to develop appropriate sleeping, eating and toileting routines.

I find that learning occurs most effectively when the teaching is meaningful and relevant, and the young person is motivated to learn.

This approach supports continuation of the young person’s social, emotional and self-care development.

Challenging behaviour and communication While autism awareness is growing, greater understanding is still needed in mainstream schools and amongst the wider public. I see many cases of young people with autism being excluded from school for exhibiting challenging

behaviour when, in fact, their behaviour is just a means of communication. If a young person with autism is being aggressive, it is usually because they cannot find a way to tell us something is wrong in their world.

When working with young people with autism it is very important to understand what is driving the physical aggression; we have to look beyond what they are doing and ask why they are doing it. It may be driven by difficulties in communication, high levels of anxiety, sensory overload or not understanding what is expected of them, so punitive measures are not appropriate here.

Environment For young people with autism, sensory differences can further challenge their ability to understand their environment.

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it clear what the young person is being asked to do or what the area is for, and can also help reduce distractions.

Physical structures can be employed across all environments – in learning settings, the home and the wider world, including in the local community.

Every young person will have needs and requirements which are unique to them

Visual schedules Visual schedules can be used to tell young people where they are going. They can also addresses and promote independence by allowing an individual to function without ongoing verbal support from a staff member.

A schedule organises and sequences events, thereby reducing anxiety and adding more predictability to the day.

It works with the strengths of autism by being visual, adding routine and clarifying information.

Schedules link very closely to work/ activity systems. When a young person arrives at the place that was on their schedule, a work activity system supports what they are then expected to do.

Work systems A visual work/activity system is something that can answer the questions: what do I need to do?

How much do I need to do? How will I know when I am finished and what happens next?

Work/activity systems can be implemented everywhere, from a bathroom/bedroom everyday activity to a community based shopping trip.

Work systems are unique to each young person, depending on their understanding; they can vary in length and can be presented in a variety of different ways. “Finished” can be represented in line with the level of the individual young person, and what happens next always needs to be recognised as a key ending to the task, to help the young person re-engage with their next activity.

Physical activity Physical exercise provides the opportunity to develop a young person’s physical wellbeing and channel excess energy, re-establishing focus and attention to help with sleep patterns and readiness to learn. It can help with reluctance to play and difficulties with adjusting to groups.

Regularly scheduled physical activity within a structured day can also promote participation in activities with others and social interaction.

Exercise carried out within physical vocational and leisure activities also plays a role in decreasing stress and behaviour difficulties.

Working in partnership

Physical exercise allows children to channel excess energy.

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There will always be a number of key people in a young person’s life, including parents, staff and external practitioners.

When they all work collaboratively together, it’s easier to ensure learning objectives are identified and young people are supported to fulfil their potential. A collaborative approach also

delivers consistency for both the young person and for their family.

Therapy Every young person will have needs and requirements which are unique to them. Often, the support of a multidisciplinary team is central to improving the functional communication, independence skills, behaviour and mental health of young people with severe autism.

Arts For young people with autism, the arts can be a really powerful medium. They offer an alternative means of communicating their needs, expressions and feelings. Creativity is not dependent on language or social convention but can be expressed in many alternative sensory and communicative forms.

Autism is fascinating, enlightening, demanding and challenging; you can learn something new every day. It is a puzzle which we can help young people to solve so they can learn to thrive, achieve and be part of society. It’s all about development and understanding rather than containment and just being “OK”.

Further information

Sarah Butcher MBE is the Director of Residential Care at Prior’s Court. Sarah has worked in the care sector for many years, and her focus has been on young people with severe autism since joining Prior’s Court almost 20 years ago: www.priorscourt.org.uk

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Advertisement feature

Schools step up to Walk for Autism challenge Autism Initiatives is recruiting primary schools to sign up and “Walk for Autism” which is taking place in World Autism Awareness Week (26 March to 2 April 2019).

The Schools Walk for Autism campaign challenges primary school pupils to walk an extra 10,000 steps during World Autism Awareness Week and to become more autism aware.

Each pupil donates £1 to take part and in return schools receive a free Walk for Autism school pack including: an autism awareness PowerPoint assembly; a letter to parents explaining the campaign; a T-shirt and pedometer (one teacher per year group); five downloadable autism awareness colouring fact sheets – one for each day of school during World Autism Awareness week; a reward sticker for each child who achieves the 10,000 steps; a glue and stick paper desk trophy for each child to make; and a thank you PowerPoint presentation assembly.

In the UK and Ireland, more than one in every hundred people are on the autism spectrum; it is a lifelong condition and there is no “cure”.

The campaign aims to have every primary school “Walking for Autism” to raise funds and raise awareness during World Autism Awareness Week.

Autism Initiatives CEO Andrew Grainger said: “It’s really easy for schools to take part in Walk for Autism and every penny raised will help to positively change the lives of autistic people.

This campaign raises awareness as well as much needed funds and this will increase understanding, making our communities a better place for autistic people to live and thrive in.”

As well as helping autism, pupils will burn 500 calories walking the extra 10,000 steps and research suggests that extra walking can help children maintain a healthy weight and can help with concentration in the classroom.

Contact: fundraising@autisminitiatives.org

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Supporting James at Hesley When James arrived at the Hesley Group’s Fullerton House School two years ago he experienced a high number of incidents, many aggressive in nature. He hated waiting and this would often manifest itself in violent outbursts. Due to the intensity of his physical aggression, physical interventions were used on a frequent basis.

Fullerton House School is a specialist residential school offering education and care for up to 52 weeks per year for young people aged eight to 19 with complex needs including behaviour that may challenge and a learning disability, often in association with autism.

James was also unable to tolerate any kitchen fittings, leading to high levels of property damage and he often injured himself.

He could not tolerate traveling with others and was doubly incontinent and wore pads.

The applied psychology specialists at Hesley Group carried out a functional behavioural assessment of James’ behaviour and led staff workshops to fully understand the triggers for James’ violent outbursts. They quickly found that his behaviours that challenge were communication attempts not being understood, delays in waiting for food and too much information. James tried to use some signing and speech, but did not effectively communicate his wishes and feelings. Consequence analysis indicated that incidents ended in some form of deep pressure sensory input, nose bleed or bowel movement. They looked at signs of under/ overstimulation and methods of engagement and interaction.

Team work The experienced team at Hesley devised a unique strategy around James’ needs that included their applied psychology, SaLT and occupational therapy teams to make sure he had all the clinical input he needed to make progress.

The SaLT team tried a number of techniques, including the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and the communication aid GoTalk9. James found the GoTalk very useful at night time.

However, he found it a bit slow and frustrating during the day.

The team found that Makaton signing suited James. His support team, teachers and even kitchen staff were taught Makaton.

This had a hugely positive effect and James’ frustrations were significantly reduced.

The in-house occupational therapy team also worked with James to minimise the need for physical restraints when he became aggressive. A deep tactile support plan was implemented.

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request items from a sensory box, such as a weighted blanket, and learnt to self-regulate. Hesley also introduced a wrap vest and squeeze vest which worked well. Activities such as swimming, rebound, playgrounds, climbing and gardening were also built into his activity planner. And to reduce his anxiety whilst travelling, James agreed to wear a bus harness to keep him safe, although he now travels safely without the need of a harness.

This combined, coordinated and consistent approach really helped James. And the results speak for themselves. James still requires some physical intervention, but this has been significantly reduced. He now requests items or techniques to help him to regulate his arousal levels and his emotions.

The key to James’ progress is his ability to communicate.

He now also uses a wide variety of Makaton signs in a wide range of environments, including school, home, restaurants, supermarkets. James can also wait for longer periods and can manage his frustrations more effectively. He also now lives in a house with a fully-functioning kitchen and no longer engages in property damage.

One of the major benefits of James’ progress is that his family contact has improved considerably. He now goes for meals with his Mum in a restaurant and chooses what he would like to eat.

He will also go shopping with her. These are both things his mum did not think would ever happen again.

If you’re looking for a school or specialist college that can make a difference for someone you care or provide support for, give us a call on our freephone number: 0800 055 6789 or visit our website at: www.hesleygroup.co.uk

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Tailor-made autism-specific learning More than one in 100 children are on the autism spectrum, and over 70 per cent are in a mainstream school. Every autistic child is different and many can become overwhelmed in school.

Some students are so sensitive to light or sound that a bright overhead light or humming computer can be physically painful.

Without the right support and understanding, it can be almost impossible to learn and can even lead to children missing out on an education altogether.

Fortunately, finding the right support for each child can make all the difference. Some children on the autism spectrum are able to excel in mainstream schools with limited help, while others require more specialist support, like that offered by the National Autistic Society’s schools.

The National Autistic Society’s Vanguard School The National Autistic Society’s Vanguard School for students aged 11 to 19 is expected to open in the second half of the 2019/20 academic year in Lambeth, South East London. The Vanguard School will not only focus on students’ academic excellence but also on developing their life skills and promoting independent living in preparation for adult life. Designed by Pozzoni Architecture, the specialist autism-specific school will eventually cater for up to 78 students.

Mark Lever, Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society, said: “This is a big moment, not just for the National Autistic Society, but also for the local parents and council who've been working with us to make this school a reality.

“The National Autistic Society has over 50 years’ experience teaching children and young people on the autism spectrum and now runs eight schools. In this time, we've seen again and again how much children on the autism spectrum can achieve when they're given understanding and the right support.”

MyProgress® As with all the National Autistic Society’s schools, the syllabus at The Vanguard School will be informed by the charity’s MyProgress® methodology. The society have developed this using their experience and research into best practice teaching young autistic people. The school will work in partnership with the National Autistic Society’s other eight schools and the wider organisation, to strengthen and develop expertise and innovative thinking.

The curriculum will provide students with a foundation of knowledge and skills that will prepare them for their future adult life and increase their opportunities and inclusion in society.

Social communication The curriculum is based on a modified national curriculum, it is unique in the focus throughout all elements of the curriculum on the development of social communication skills.

Qualifications All students have the opportunity to gain appropriate nationally recognised qualifications such as Entry level, BTECs, NVQs and GCSEs. Specialist curricula The curriculum compliments the National Curriculum with specialist curricula including: independent living and keeping safe.

Community-based learning There will be a significant emphasis on community based learning to develop functional skills in natural settings. All students also have an inclusion plan to promote their social inclusion.

Enterprise All students at post-14 have the opportunity to participate in enterprise, apprenticeships, work experience and supported internships. With a phased intake of year 7 and 8, the enterprise opportunities will develop as the school grows.

Post 16 timetable The post 16 timetable puts greater emphasis on the needs that are more prominent in autistic people such as social communication and emotional regulation skills. There will be a strong emphasis on functional skills, personal and social development and vocational and work skills. The post 16 provision will be developed in the next couple of years.

Nurture The curriculum nurtures each young persons strengths, giving them a reason to learn and instilling belief in the importance of what they can achieve.

Fun Learning should be fun and have a sense of discovery for students.

Find out more about the new Vanguard School at: www.vanguardschool.org.uk

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Misunderstanding autism Awareness may be growing but, asks Siena Castellon, what do people really know about living with autism?

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here are many myths and misconceptions about what it means to be autistic, especially if you are a teenage girl. I am autistic, but I am often told that I do not look autistic or that I do not act like someone who is autistic, which implies that there is a preconceived notion of what constitutes autism. The reality is that there are no rigid, static perimeters to define the collective autism experience. Autism affects each one of us differently; it’s a diverse and colourful spectrum made up of millions of individuals with unique characteristics and traits. It is this broad array that explains why so many of us go unnoticed and undiagnosed.

Most of us yearn to have friends, to belong and to have a meaningful social life the boys confessed and, before long, the boys turned on each other and the full extent of their racist behaviour was exposed.

There have been many other occasions where I have done the right thing in the face of adversity.

On many occasions when I stood up for someone, my peers looked the other way, unwilling to get involved.

However, you rarely hear positive

stories about autistic young people in the media. Instead, the media depicts young people who are autistic in a negative light. I am tired of reading about how every lone and disgruntled school shooter in the United States is a teenage boy with Asperger’s, as if somehow autism and violence are inextricably linked. I am tired of hearing that we lack empathy, when the reality is that a shocking 75 per cent of autistic students report being bullied by their peers. Furthermore, according to a recent #ImWithSam research study

by Dimensions UK, 73 per cent of autistic people and people with learning disabilities reported being a victim of a disability hate crime. These statistics show how intolerant and lacking in

Feeling empathy It is widely believed that people who are autistic lack empathy. This could not be further from the truth. Many of us have a strong sense of fairness and justice.

I certainly do. When I was nine, I was fascinated by the civil rights movement and, in particular, Martin Luther King.

I memorised his “I have a dream…” speech and read every book about him that I could find. Around that time, I noticed that a boy in my class was being bullied, because he was black.

Over several days, my classmates played a game in which they dared each other to touch him to see if they caught what they referred to as the “black disease”. Concerned for my classmate, I told the Headmistress, who immediately investigated. Predictably, the boys involved vehemently denied the accusation. Their parents were incensed and demanded an apology from me. I was ordered to retract my accusation and to apologise. However, I stood my ground and insisted that I was telling the truth. Eventually, one of SENISSUE98

Siena (centre) with pop group Little Mix at BBC Radio 1’s Teen Awards.

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empathy society is towards some of its most vulnerable members.

Social interaction Another misconception about autism is that we are loners who do not want to have friends. Most of us yearn to have friends, to belong and to have a meaningful social life.

However, social interaction does not come naturally to us. To me, social interaction is a mystery, a foreign language that needs to be studied in order to be mastered. From a young age, I became a social anthropologist.

I deconstructed and analysed facial expressions and body movements. I began by watching television shows to study body language. I switched off the volume and tried to interpret what the characters were saying and what they were feeling by interpreting their facial expressions. Were they angry, disappointed, sad, happy or bored? I also started to prepare and memorise scripts for any given social situation.

I found that my social anxiety eased if I had a repertoire of conversations I could access. However, I soon found out that conversations are fluid and unpredictable. Each conversation has its own rhythm and tempo that cannot have a pre-rehearsed speech thrust upon it – not without it feeling forced and contrived.

Sensory struggles Sometimes, when someone learns that I am autistic, a common response is that I must have high functioning autism.

It is a common belief that there are two types of autism: high functioning and low functioning. What most people don’t understand is that whether we are high functioning or low functioning fluctuates, because our wellbeing, and our ability to communicate and interact with others is highly dependent on our environment. When I am at home, reading while snuggling with my dog, the challenging aspects of being autistic lay dormant. It is only when I venture out into the world, a world that is not designed for autistic WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Siena (left) with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (centre), BBC Radio 1 presenters Greg James and Clara Amfo (right) and BBC Radio 1 Teen Hero Awards finalists.

Sensory assaults will chip away at my armour, leaving me weaker with each blow

people, that the challenging aspects of my autism emerge. As soon as I open my front door, my senses are assaulted: the deafening, reverberating sound of construction work; the cars and motorcycles blaring by leaving a trail of toxic fumes; the swarms of people cramming onto the crowded tube, inadvertently touching me; the glaring lights; the sickly smells of dozens of different perfumes merging into one. These are just a handful of the sensory assaults that will chip away at my armour, leaving me weaker with each blow. As I become weaker, overwhelmed by sensory overload, my ability to function deteriorates. I become so focused on my physical discomfort, that my ability to engage and communicate is negatively affected. Within a short period of time, I can go from high-functioning to lowfunctioning, simply because of my environment. Therefore, I am both highfunctioning and low-functioning; the determinative factor is whether or not I am in an autism-friendly environment.

Signs of change I wish that people were more aware of the challenges we face and were more open to making the world more accessible to us. I am hopeful that things are starting to change.

Supermarkets and shops are beginning to have autism hours. Cinemas and theatres are offering autism friendly shows. Airports are starting to create safe spaces, where people with sensory issues can find a sanctuary from the noise and crowds. We still have a long way to go to make the world more accessible, but I hope that one day we will get there.

Further information

Siena Castellon is a sixteen-year old autism and neurodiversity advocate, and has won a number of awards for her website and her advocacy, including a BBC Radio 1 Teen Hero Award. She is the founder of Quantum Leap Mentoring. Siena is also an anti-bullying campaigner who is currently serving on the Diana Award National Anti-bullying Youth Board: www.qlmentoring.com

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Supporting your autistic students Autism is a lifelong disability that affects people for their whole lives from childhood through to adulthood. If you’re autistic, you might experience the world differently and may sometimes find communicating and relating to others challenging. It’s like you’re getting too much information and it can make daily life overwhelming. There are around 700,000 autistic people including autistic children – that’s more than one in 100.

The National Autistic Society The National Autistic Society transforms lives by providing support, information and practical advice for autistic adults and children in the UK, and their family members and carers.

Since 1962, autistic people have turned to us at key moments or challenging times in their lives, be it getting a diagnosis, going to school or finding work.

The National Autistic Society change attitudes by improving public understanding of autism and the difficulties many autistic people face. We also work closely with businesses, local authorities and government to help them provide more autism-friendly spaces, deliver better services and improve laws.

As an educator, you may be familiar with students on the autism spectrum and aware of the varying experiences of autistic students in your classroom. Some autistic students’ difficulties may not be obvious or they may not appear to fit the same profile as other autistic children that you know. Every autistic person is different.

You are a key component in the support network of children with an autism diagnosis; you may be the first to notice autistic traits in a child. The National Autistic Society wants education professionals to step into the world of children with autism to understand their unique needs.

“Knowing I have the resources to support the children with autism coming into my class makes things much easier.”

Ayesha, Teaching Assistant MyWorld is a free and fortnightly newsletter, providing you with tips and expert professional insights to help your autistic students have a better time at school. Whether you are new to autism and feeling slightly lost, or an SEN expert looking to keep on top of the latest thinking, MyWorld is here to make to make things easier.

“It is very, very useful to be prompted every couple of weeks to think about certain topics and follow up on the information, whether they are new or familiar areas of experience.”

MyWorld subscriber Young people on the spectrum often need routine in order to help them understand the world around them. This means that they can find unstructured times such as lunch and break times particularly difficult. They need longer to process information and can also find socialising and communicating challenging. They can become bullied if their peers lack autism awareness and acceptance. Some may have intense interests or lack organisation and planning skills that can affect their ability to take part in the school day.

In addition to this, many will have difficulty processing sensory information. This can occur in one or more of the seven senses.

Their senses can be intensified (hypersensitive) or under-sensitive (hyposensitive). The degree of difficulty will vary from one individual to another and according to other factors such as mood and levels of stress and stimuli.

MyWorld MyWorld is the National Autistic Society’s resource programme, offering support for teachers and education professionals. The MyWorld resource offers realworld knowledge based on firsthand experience. If you have an autistic student in your class, you may not know about the many small ways in which you can help them to have a better time at school. Sometimes it’s a little bit of the right kind of extra support which can make all the difference to someone on the autism spectrum who is struggling.

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AUTISM Advertisement feature

Professional training With over 50 years of learning from first-hand experience, no-one has more practical knowledge of autism like the National Autistic Society. Last year we trained just under 10,000 professionals.

The society offers a range of conferences and training courses that cover a range of topics, and bespoke courses tailored to your needs.

Our latest events for education professionals include: PDA: strategies for school staff: a one day training course for school staff who are supporting children with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance). The day aims to develop your understanding of PDA, including how to adapt your approaches when working with children with the profile or diagnosis. The day will give consideration to how PDA differs from other autism profiles and how to use positive educational approaches and strategies in order to teach children with PDA or a profile more indicative of PDA. There will be a focus on how to re-engage children in learning, to be able to tolerate the everyday demands of school life and to help them reach their full educational potential.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a behaviour profile within the autism spectrum. People with a demand avoidant profile share difficulties with others on the autism spectrum in social communication, social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests. However, those who present with this particular diagnostic profile are driven to avoid everyday demands and expectations to an extreme extent. This demand avoidant behaviour is rooted in an anxiety-based need to be in control.

As an education professional, recognising autism and planning the right support for the above is needed to ensure students thrive at school.

Supporting students MyWorld can provide you with resources, guidelines and professional advice to help you support your autistic students.

Sign up today at: www.autism.org.uk/myworld and you will get the UK’s most extensive range of autism-related resources for schools, free to your inbox. From practical classroom strategies and lesson plans through to the latest academic papers on autism, each resource will help you understand how to support children with autism in your school.

10th Autism Professional Conference: a unique opportunity for professionals to discuss best practice and share learning.

Hear the latest information from leading experts in the field and learn from case studies illustrating best practice. Topics covered include school exclusions, transitions, mental health and more.

Why not attend our Autism Professionals Awards evening which recognises professionals and services who are leading the way in innovative autism practice?

Women and girls online module: launched last year, this module was created with a strong autistic voice, highlighting what life as an autistic women and girl is like and the importance of a successful diagnosis. Over the years, we have heard the perspectives of many autistic women and girls who were diagnosed early on. However, it is now recognised from research, clinical practice and anecdotal reports that there are autistic females who demonstrate less traditionally obvious traits of autism, which may not have been recognised. This has resulted in some females being misdiagnosed, diagnosed much later than others, or not being diagnosed at all. We look at ways in which you can support women and girls on the autism spectrum.

Find out more about conferences, training and online training here: www.autism.org.uk/professionals

MyWorld’s free teachers’ event Hear from leading autism education experts and network with other SEN specialists at MyWorld’s 2019 free teachers’ event on Wednesday 13 March 2019. Topics covered include the basics of autism, diagnosis, autism and mental health, pathological demand avoidance and preparing young autistic people for the world of work.

To reserve your place and for more information visit: http://bit.ly/MyWorldEvent2019

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CPD, training and events 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.

CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS

Action for Children’s Eat Better, Start Better training programmes get RSPH accreditation The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has confirmed the accreditation of Action for Children’s Eat Better, Start Better training programmes.

Following the closure of the Children’s Food Trust in 2017, Action for Children became the guardians of the Voluntary Food and Drink Guidelines for Early Years Settings in England and took the lead on delivering Eat Better, Start Better training programmes. These training programmes, designed for health and early years professionals and practitioners, aim to help improve children’s nutrition in early years settings. They cover the importance of nutrition for young children, review key aspects of the voluntary guidelines and show how the guidelines can be implemented in early years settings. Eat Better, Start Better seeks to ensure consistent messages around young children’s nutrition, and to teach practical ways of providing the right quantity of healthy foods through menu planning.

RSPH accreditation confirms the high quality of these training programmes and how well they have been designed to meet their learning objectives. The programmes are supported by excellent resources, which have been updated to meet recent changes to the voluntary guidelines.

Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive of RSPH, said: “It is vital that those providing food for young children understand their nutritional requirements, as is illustrated in the Voluntary WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Guidelines. RSPH is delighted to be able to support the promotion of healthy eating in the early years through our accreditation of Action for Children’s Eat Better, Start Better training programmes”.

Claudia Albrecht, Healthy Lifestyles Project Manager at Action for Children said: “We are so honoured to be able to continue the journey and be the guardians of the Children’s Food Trust Eat Better, Start Better Programme and so pleased to achieve the accreditation with the Royal Society of Public Health.” www.rsph.org.uk www.actionforchildren.org.uk SENISSUE98

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS Rebound Therapy Training Courses ‘ReboundTherapy.org’ – the official UK body and international consultancy for Rebound Therapy. Responsible for the development and delivery of the genuine ‘Eddy Anderson model’ accredited and approved training courses. Founded 1972.

01342 870543 www.reboundtherapy.org

MEd Professional Practice in Dyslexia and Literacy This programme is designed for professionals who are passionate about supporting learners with dyslexia. The programme is quality assured by Middlesex University and you will receive a Middlesex University award upon completion. dyslexiaaction.org.uk

MA in Education (Early Years) modules Centre for Research in Early Childhood

CREC offers a flexible way for trainees and early years practitioners to gain a post graduate Masters degree in Early Years Education. All modules are designed specifically for early years practitioners and leaders in the early years. They are offered as part-time courses which can be fitted around a busy, full-time working life. www.crec.co.uk/ma-in-education

MA in Education (Early Years) Centre for Research in Early Childhood

All Modules are designed specifically for early years practitioners and leaders in the early years. As such, they are offered as part-time courses which can be fitted around a busy, full-time working life. www.crec.co.uk

Online

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs at Master Level (Year 1) SEBDA, in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, is now offering online, distance learning courses in social, emotional and mental health needs at Master level. For more information, search: www.brookes.ac.uk/understandingsemh

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs at Master Level (Year 2) SEBDA, in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, is now offering online, distance learning courses in social, emotional and mental health needs at Masters level. For more information, search: www.brookes.ac.uk/understandingsemh

Online learning

CACHE Level 3 Qualification: Supporting Children and Young People’s Speech, Language and Communication via The Communication Trust’s Platform 3

This supported CPD certified course looks at the impact speech, language and communication needs can have on a learner. Available guided or with tutor support.

01273 286 224 info@oltinterational.net

Online learning

SEND Code of Practice 2015 course This free short course reorganises text from the 2015 Code of Practice to make it more accessible for education professionals.

01273 286 224 info@oltinterational.net www.oltinternational.net/senmag

Various Dates

Tony Talks Autism 2019 St Helens, Merseyside

With clinical psychologist, best selling author and world autism expert Professor Tony Attwood.

Gain knowledge updates, practical strategies and tips so you can make a real difference to the children and young people you support with ASD.

0141 638 4098 www.medicacpd.com

16 to 17 January

Teen Life Licensed Training Six-session parent support programme for parents of autistic people aged between 10 and 16 years. Licensed training to deliver the Teen Life programme is available to autism-experienced professionals. www.autism.org.uk/events

23 to 26 January

Bett

This supported online CPD course provides an understanding of the impact dyslexia can have on a learner.

Available guided or with tutor support.

Designed for educators and/ or support staff to successfully include learners with ADHD/ ADD and related conditions and provide effective strategies for inclusion of learners with ADHD.

Excel London

01273 286 224

www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

For four days in January, over 34,000 visitors from the global education community come to Bett to celebrate, find inspiration and discuss the future of education. To find out more visit: www.bettshow.com

info@oltinterational.net www.oltinternational.net/senmag

Online learning

Autism Spectrum Disorder Learn how to make your classroom and practice more inclusive for autistic learners with this CPD certified course.

Available guided or with tutor support.

01273 286 224 info@oltinterational.net

Online learning

Attachment and Trauma course

Various Dates

Understanding stress and anxiety in autism and their impact on behaviour

A workshop that offers visual, auditory, social and behavioural strategies for teaching and support staff working with learners with autism, Asperger syndrome, ADHD and related conditions

London

www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

One-day training course exploring how you can understand and support autistic people to reduce stress and anxiety. You will learn to assess behaviour and the reasons behind anxiety using SPELL framework. www.autism.org.uk/events

Various Dates 29 January

Autism/Asperger Syndrome Training

Autism and Continence London

One-day training course focusing on the common toileting difficulties in autistic children. It explores why autistic children may find learning to use the toilet difficult, and more specific continence issues. www.autism.org.uk/events

Up to ten credits; achieve within four months. £450.

01273 286 224 info@oltinterational.net

https://coursebeetle.co.uk/platform-3

www.oltinternational.net/senmag

www.peoplefirsteducation.co.uk

This course builds on the model of attachment training and research carried out by Bath Spa University. Available guided or with tutor support.

24 January

Helping Learners with Autism, Asperger Syndrome and ADHD Day Course

Strategies for effective inclusion of learners with autistic spectrum disorders: a day-course for teachers and/or support staff, designed to enable successful inclusion of learners with autism and Asperger syndrome.

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16 January

ADHD Course

Dyslexia course

www.oltinternational.net/senmag

Enrol to suit

Speech, Language and Communication Needs course

www.oltinternational.net/senmag

Online

JANUARY 2019

Online learning

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS

Autism

T.E.A.C.C.H. Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children

3 DAY TRAINING COURSE January 3 DAY 21-23 2019 £398 June 3 DAY 24-26 2019 £398

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.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS 29 January

5 February

Co-occurring Conditions Conference

Autism and SPELL in higher education

Leeds

London

New conference exploring additional conditions, their connection with autism, diagnosis and appropriate support. Including: ADHD, a learning disability, epilepsy, sleep difficulty, eating difficulties, or mental health issues.

One-day introductory training course building your knowledge of autism and teaching practical approaches using SPELL framework for how to support autistic children and adults.

www.autism.org.uk/events

29 and 30 January

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

29 to 31 January

EarlyBird Licensed Training EarlyBird and EarlyBird Plus are programmes for parents whose child has received an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis aged four to nine. Licensed training is available to autismexperienced professionals. www.autism.org.uk/events

www.autism.org.uk/events

6 February

PECS to Speech Generating Devices Interactive Workshop London

Revised and updated workshop.

Learn to identify students ready to make the progression to an SGD. The course will teach you how to select a device, prepare the learner, teach functional use of the device and trouble shoot.

A fully interactive workshop.

01273 609555 www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

6 February

Masterclass on Autism and Gender Dysphoria Birmingham

Exploring gender and sexuality issues in autism, including: difficulties differentiating between gender dysphoria and special interest, the issues for the person themselves, issues for services and those supporting them. www.autism.org.uk/events

FEBRUARY 2019 2 February

Broken Hearts, Broken Lives and Blocked Trust: Healing Troubled Children Through AttachmentFocused Interventions

7 February

SoSAFE! Social and Sexual Safety/ Safeguarding Workshop London

8 February

University of Leeds Postgraduate Open Day University of Leeds

Discover how a postgraduate qualification from the School of Education could enhance your practice working with individuals with special educational needs.

Full-time and part-time study options available.

1 and 2 March

Childcare Expo Olympia, London

Special Yoga For Special Children

Thousands of practitioners from across the early years and primary education sectors will come together for two days of inspirational workshops, live talks, and networking opportunities. Special guests confirmed for the London show include children’s cookery author, Annabel Karmel, who will be opening the event on Friday 1 March.

London

www.childcareexpo.co.uk

www.leeds.ac.uk/pgopenday

9 to 15 February

Indepth seven-day course to provide you with the confidence and tools to encourage the child’s full potential to flourish.

No yoga experience necessary. https://specialyoga.org.uk

12 February (start date)

Introduction to working with individuals on the autism spectrum London

Training Course Ideal for university staff who support autistic students and want to learn about autism and supportive approaches.

Designed for university mentors and non-medical helpers, in line with the BIS criteria. https://www.autism.org.uk/events

27 and 28 February

Essential Autism Licensed User Training London

Two-day training course that provides an affordable option to license autism experienced professionals to deliver the NAS Essential Autism course to their staff teams. www.autism.org.uk/events

5 March

SEN Law Conference The Law Society, London, WC2A 1PL

This one-day specialist SEN Law Conference will provide legal and policy updates across all aspects of this fast-moving and developing area of law. www.senlawconference.co.uk

6 and 7 March

Music and Drama Education Expo | London Europe’s leading conference for music and drama teachers offers over 60 CPD workshops (including sessions on working with SEND students) and exhibition stands from leading arts organisations. Book free tickets at: www.mdexpo.co.uk/london

7 and 8 March

Autism Annual Conference Birmingham

A unique opportunity for professionals to discuss best practice and share learning.

Hear the latest information from leading experts in the field and learn from case studies illustrating best practice. www.autism.org.uk/events

28 Feb. and 1 March

PECS Level 1 Training Workshop

11 and 12 March

Glasgow

PECS Level 1 Training Workshop

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.

Newcastle

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

Conference with international attachment expert Dr Dan Hughes 10.00 - 16.00 Cost: £183 The Centre for Child Mental Health

How safe are your students are 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.

020 7354 2913

01273 609555

01273 609 555

www.childmentalhealthcentre.org

www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

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www.pecs-unitedkingdom.com

WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS

Introduction & Application to the

SCERTS Model

2 DAY TRAINING COURSE

January 2 DAY 24-25 2019 £265 June 2 DAY 27-28 2019 £265 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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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS APRIL 2019

21 March

One of the largest free UK exhibitions dedicated to children and young adults with a disability or additional needs, their families, carers and the professionals who support them. 130+ exhibitors offering advice and information on funding, mobility, seating, beds, communication, access, education, toys, transport, style, sensory, sports, leisure and more: www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk

26 and 27 March

Naidex NEC Birmingham

Naidex is a CPD accredited event. All 250 seminars and interactive sessions are focused on helping healthcare professionals improve their skills, development and proficiency.

Get your free tickets at: www. naidex.co.uk

28 and 29 March

SEBDA’s Annual National Conference Birmingham

Mental health leads and MH support teams developing a practical response to the “Transforming Mental Health” green paper. www.sebda.org/events-and-training

21 and 22 June

Kidz to Adultz South

Kidz to Adultz Middle Ricoh Arena, Coventry

16 May Farnborough International Exhibition Centre

30 April

Key priorities for multiacademy trusts - improving school standards, inspection and leadership Central London

with Dominic Herrington (Department for Education), Chris Jones (Ofsted), Stephen Morales (Institute of School Business Leadership), Dr Kate Chhatwal (Challenge Partners) Leora Cruddas (FASNA), Councillor Ray Gooding (Essex County Council), Rowena Hackwood (David Ross Education Trust), Emma Knights (National Governance Association), Councillor Roy Perry (Hampshire County Council) and Yvonne Spencer (Veale Wasbrough Vizards). www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk

MAY 2019 1 May

Challenging Education

One of the largest free UK exhibitions dedicated to children and young adults with a disability or additional needs, their families, carers and the professionals who support them. 140+ exhibitors offering advice and information on funding, mobility, seating, beds, communication, access, education, toys, transport, style, sensory, sports, leisure and more. www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk

25 May to 2 June

Edinburgh International Children’s Festival

The Festival attracts over 10,000 pupils and families yearly, as well as hundreds of industry professionals from over 23 countries. With an emphasis on striking visual productions, the international programme includes a wide range of events, from intimate experiences designed for toddlers to thoughtprovoking theatre for teenagers. www.imaginate.org.uk

Easthampstead Park Conference Centre

International conference with guest speakers from the UK, USA and the Netherlands. The main focus is on inclusion in mainstream settings with a focus on SEN. It will also cover autism and inclusion, ADHD and able learners, minimising exclusions, mental health and dual exceptionality www.changing-behaviour.co.uk

11 May

NAPLIC Conference Aston University, Birmingham

Growing up with DLD. Speakers include: Cristina McKean, Maxine Winstanley and Danielle Matthews. Practitioner presentations: Making use of evidence and sharing best practice. Exhibition.

Members £99 to 31 January 2019/£130 after. Non-members welcome.

01273 381009 carol.lingwood@btopenworld.com www.naplic.org.uk/conferences

JUNE 2019 14 and 15 June

The Autism Show

The Autism Show Birmingham

The national event for autism, offering information, help and advice on autism (including Asperger syndrome). Visitors can choose from over 100 hours of talks, clinics and workshops, plus hundreds of specialist products and services. http://birmingham.autismshow.co.uk

24 to 26 June

Autism T.E.A.C.C.H. Treatment and education of autistic and related communication handicapped children. Three-day training course. £398.00.

01536 523274 autism@autismuk.com www.autismuk.com

28 and 29 June

The Autism Show Manchester

The national event for autism, offering information, help and advice on autism (including Asperger syndrome). Visitors can choose from over 100 hours of talks, clinics and workshops, plus hundreds of specialist products and services. http://manchester.autismshow.co.uk

London

The national event for autism, offering information, help and advice on autism (including Asperger syndrome). Visitors can choose from over 100 hours of talks, clinics and workshops, plus hundreds of specialist products and services. http://london.autismshow.co.uk

18 June

National Healthcare Show Cardiff City Hall

The Show is an annual all-day conference and exhibition on health care in Wales. It is suitable for care home managers or owners, professionals delivering domiciliary care, care providers, healthcare professionals, fulltime carers of relatives and newly qualified health, social, and care professionals. www.nationalhealthcareshow.com

JULY 2019 4 July

Kidz to Adultz Wales and West Thornbury Leisure Centre, Bristol

One of the largest free UK exhibitions dedicated to children and young adults with a disability or additional needs, their families, carers and the professionals who support them. 100+ exhibitors offering advice and information on funding, mobility, seating, beds, communication, access, education, toys, transport, style, sensory, sports, leisure and more. www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk

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.

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CPD, TRAINING AND EVENTS

SEN Law Conference 2019 Building on the success of last year’s sell out event, IPSEA, Douglas Silas Solicitors and MatrixChambers have announced that bookings for the SEN Law Conference 2019 are now open.

Taking place on Tuesday 5 March 2019 at Prosper House, London, this one-day specialist conference will provide the latest legal updates across all aspects of this fast-moving area of law. This event is aimed at those working within and advising on the SEN law framework, including lawyers and advisers in SEN law, local authority decision makers, IASS advisers, SEN professionals (including educational psychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists), school and college staff, NGOs and campaign groups.

Any profits will be donated to IPSEA, a charity offering free and independent legally based information, advice, support and training for families of children and young people with SEN. For further information and to book, visit: www.senlawconference.co.uk WWW.SENMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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RECRUITMENT

Teachers of character Working with pupils with SEN is as much about personal qualities as about skills, writes Beth Murphy

R

ecruitment for SEN settings is a specialised field which school leaders in both special and mainstream schools can find particularly difficult, especially when they are recruiting for one-to-one support. The big question is: what does it take to work in this challenging but rewarding field?

It is important to ensure people working in this sector are really thinking about what the children with SEN in their care need to enable them to flourish. In my experience, it takes someone with a real passion to work with children and young people with SEN, as well as the knowledge of what difficulties these children and young people face on a daily basis. Sourcing the right individual is key, as both staff and pupils can react negatively if they don’t have the right people working with them.

Many children with SEN have communication difficulties, so they need teaching staff who understand the issues they face and who can communicate in ways that are practical and meaningful for the child, rather than just expecting them to fit in with the teacher or other pupils. Every school has a responsibility to meet the needs of the children in its care. Staff who really SENISSUE98

Short-term or day-to-day supply appointments do not generally work well for children with SEN know SEN will appreciate that there are different ways of approaching a child and they will recognise that cementing a relationship is key to engaging the child in any form of learning. A childcentred approach lies at the heart of all good teaching, and this is particularly important for pupils with SEN.

Consistency It is important to understand that this is a niche job and having the right staff in place is essential in ensuring the needs of children are met and that they are able to meet their full potential.

Short-term or day-to-day supply appointments do not generally work well for children with SEN, as many struggle to cope with change and this can lead to distress and subsequent issues with behaviour. Consistency in learning and care is key to meeting children’s needs.

I believe that a educator’s character can be just as important as their experience or qualifications, especially in an SEN setting. You can teach someone about SEN but you can’t teach them about passion and empathy. You can help them to understand things like autism or manual handling, for example, but you can’t necessarily show them the aptitudes they need to be able to approach a child with care and compassion and build relationships with them. You can’t teach them to want to make a difference. Children with SEN need teachers and support staff who can see “the able not the label” and who are ready, prepared and able to share in their successes, no matter how small they may be.

Further information

Beth Murphy is Managing Director of SEN Recruitment, which provides specialist SEN recruitment services to mainstream and special schools: www.senrecruitment.co.uk

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In the next issue of SEN Magazine: • World Autism Awareness Day • ADHD • transition to adult life • dyslexia • multi-sensory issues • music and performing arts • accessible vehicles • respite care • learning outside the classroom • Tourette’s syndrome • recruitment • CPD and much more Follow us on

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SEN RESOURCES DIRECTORY

SEN resources directory Information, advice and support for all things SEN...

ADHD

Bullying

Epilepsy Epilepsy Action

ADDers.org

Bullying UK

Information and support forum for those

Support and advice on bullying:

affected by ADD/ADHD:

www.bullying.co.uk

www.epilepsy.org.uk

Childline

Young Epilepsy

www.adders.org

National Attention Deficit Disorder from bullying: Information and Support Service www.childline.org.uk (ADDISS)

Advice and support for those suffering

Resources and information for ADHD:

Support for children and young people with epilepsy plus training for professionals:

www.youngepilepsy.org.uk

Cerebral palsy

www.addiss.co.uk

Autism/ASD

Advice and information on epilepsy:

Scope UK

FASD The FASD Trust

Help, advice and support for children

Asperger Foundation UK (ASF)

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder charity.

and adults affected by cerebral palsy:

www.fasdtrust.co.uk

Support for people with Asperger’s syndrome:

www.scope.org.uk

www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk

Autism Awareness Forum for sharing experience/advice for those affected by ASD:

www.autism-awareness.org.uk

Down syndrome Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA)

Charity raising funds for medical research into autism:

www.autistica.org.uk

National Autistic Society (NAS) Help and information for those affected

by ASD:

www.autism.org.uk

Research Autism Charity focused on researching interventions in autism:

www.researchautism.net

Bullying Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) Charity dedicated to reforming attitudes and policy towards bullying:

www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

Beat Bullying

Support for those affected by foetal alcohol spectrum disorder:

www.nofas-uk.org

Information, support and training for

General SEN

those affected by Down syndrome:

www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

Autistica

The National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome UK

The Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation UK (DSRF) Charity focussing on medical research into Down syndrome:

www.dsrf-uk.org

Dyslexia British Dyslexia Association (BDA) Information and support for people affected by dyslexia:

www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Driver Youth Trust Charity offering free information and resources on dyslexia.

www.driveryouthtrust.com

Dyspraxia Dyspraxia Foundation UK

British Institute for Learning Disabilities Charity for learning disabilities:

www.bild.org.uk

Cerebra UK Charity for children with brain related conditions:

www.cerebra.org.uk

Child Brain Injury Trust Charity supporting children, young people, families and professionals.

www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk

Department for Education (DfE) UK Government department.

www.education.gov.uk

Mencap Learning disabilities charity:

www.mencap.org.uk

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

PMLD

SLCN

SEN.fyi (App)

PMLD Network

The Communication Trust

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):

Information and support for PMLD:

Raising awareness of SLCN:

www.pmldnetwork.org

www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk

www.specialeducationalneeds.co.uk/ senfyi-app.html

Rebound Therapy ReboundTherapy.org

SEN law Douglas Silas Solicitors

Action on Hearing Loss Hearing impairment charity:

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk

Deafness Research 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:

www.ndcs.org.uk

Douglas Silas Solicitors are the legal experts specialising exclusively in SEN, helping parents successfully throughout the SEN process:

www.SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk

Independent Parental Special Education Advice Legal advice and support for parents:

www.ipsea.org.uk

Langley Wellington LLP Solicitors Education Lawyers specialise in helping families with children who have SEN through the EHC needs assessment process and with appeals to the SEND Tribunal.

www.educationlawyers.co.uk

Home education The Home Education Network UK

Spina bifida Shine

National organisation for home educators:

Information and support relating to spina bifida and hydrocephalus:

www.thenuk.com

www.shinecharity.org.uk

Awarding body for the LOtC quality badge:

www.lotc.org.uk

Literacy National Literacy Trust (NLT)

Visual impairment National Blind Children’s Society

Support and services for parents and carers of blind children:

www.nbcs.org.uk

New College Worcester

Advice and support for those teaching children who are visually impaired.

www.ncw.co.uk

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)

Support and advice to those affected by visual impairment:

www.rnib.org.uk

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

ACE Centre Advice on communication aids:

www.ace-centre.org.uk

Afasic Help and advice on SLCN:

www.afasicengland.org.uk

Communication Matters

Literacy charity for adults and children:

Support for people with little or no clear speech:

www.literacytrust.org.uk

www.communicationmatters.org.uk

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Tourette's Action

SLCN

Learning outside the classroom Council for Learning Outside the classroom (CLOtC)

Tourette’s syndrome

The UK governing body and international Information and advice on Tourette’s: consultancy for Rebound Therapy: www.tourettes-action.org.uk

www.reboundtherapy.org

Hearing impairment

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