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Spring 2019 SEND blog roundup. 

The First SEND Blog Roundup

Welcome to the first Inclusiveteach.com SEND blog roundup. There were so many important developments in the world of special education during the first part of 2019. Many seem to be focusing (and about time) on humanising the stories behind the labels and pushing for accountability of those in positions of power. Both in terms of the government and the need for funding; and on individuals and organisations reflecting on the level of restrictive practices (including physical interventions) many people face, and the additional trauma these can cause. This is a selection of key posts that caught my eye.


‘Behaviour management’ training day SEND blog.

Lizzie Jamieson is a trainee teacher specialising in SEND. This blog is her first and focusses on a ‘behaviour management’ training session. She has put the term in quotation marks as she dislikes the term, as I she does not believe that behaviour is something that needs to be managed. It is somethings that takes compassion and relationships to understand. That earns her a place on this list of more established voices. #TeamSend

Read Lizzie’s post here


Restrictive Interventions: We need to change the way we think

There was a parliamentary debate on Thursday 26th April 2019 on Restrictive Interventions (That not enough MP’s turned up to but it’s a starting point). While many might say that if children misbehave they must face consequences, Elly wants to open your mind to a different paradigm. Special

Read Elly’s SEND Blog Article For SNJ here


Who makes the rules in your life?

This is a parenting post by Vicky Coxhead that I could relate to, so I imagine many parents of children who don’t give a monkeys about societal norms can too. If you or your child feel like a failure everyday because for whatever reason, you or they can not abide by these rules that you (or society) have created then, change them!

Don’t lose sight of your values, to fulfil someone else’s expectation.

Visit the SEND Mummy blog here


Why does home education benefit the SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) child?

This is really interesting blog by Jennifer Hemmings for EdPlace focussing on the benefits of home education. A large number of parents of children diagnosed with special educational needs are often required to homeschool their child due to lack of support or appropriate provision.

sometimes a parent who understands their needs is the only one who can teach the child, effectively.

Read the Article Here


Plans that work: employment outcomes for people with learning disabilities

A discusion piece by Anna Lunts of Creative Support addressing the issue of funding for those with additional needs. “As a nation, we need to decide if we are going to properly fund services so the help and support is in place for young people when and where they need it, or wait until crisis point and pick up a hefty tab both in terms of social and economic cost.”

Each public service is intrinsically linked. Starve one of cash and the knock-on effect is like dominoes falling.

Read the Article Here


Dear teachers

This post is almost an open letter to all teachers by a mother who has had to home educate her son, (this is starting to become a worrying trend for young people who need additional support, or maybe people are starting to shout louder that the system needs to change?) to consider the unique and individual elements of a child’s learning profile and to use their strengths rather than force them to conform. This would be great to share with NQT’s and on Teacher Training.

choose your words carefully, pepper them generously with kindness,

Read the post on TLCPDA here


A jumble of knotted thoughts

I wanted to share this post about Sarah Helton’s new book as I have personally struggled to support a young person with bereavement and used Tracey Lawrence’s book – The Day Poppa turned into a star to help me. Sarah’s book takes a slightly different approach supporting each line with a sensory activity which can really help to reinforce concepts for our young people.

a jumble of knotted thoughts.jpg

Read more about Sarah’s book here


The Serious Violence Summit: A report by Phoenix Education Consultancy

Phoenix Education Consultancy CEO Sarah Dove was invited to attend the Prime Minister’s Youth Violence Summit at 10 Downing Street on 1st April 2019. After trying to understand the problems surrounding Youth Violence and engaging with key stakeholders, Phoenix Education Consultancy have produced a working theory for improvement based on the hypothesis of damaged attached theory and a wider understanding of the benefits of embracive experiences for vulnerable children and young people. I really urge you to have a read. Not only for those in alternative provision. More than a SEND blog this is a whole report.

An embracive education is designed to ensure that all children experience the components of learning that provide them with skills for life

Download the report here.


Sir Ken Robinson – Standardisation broke education. Here’s how we can fix our schools

Finally a post by Sir Ken Robinson. Not technically a SEND blog but contains the following statements that really support the ethos of those who work in the field. I think Sir Ken is talking about using technology to personalise learning but the article really makes sense for anyone who believes a personal approach would be hugely beneficial to most learners (also hugely quotable).

“For the past generation especially, politicians have been smothering schools in a depressing culture of standardisation.”

“2Usually, the problem is not the learners – it’s the inherent bias of education and the enforced culture of schools. For generations, formal education has been systematically biased towards narrow forms of academic ability. The result is that it largely disregards the marvelous diversity of human talents and interests.”

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/education-personalisation

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