The SENDcast

Many children with additional needs face challenges when it comes to getting their hair cut. It can be an incredibly stressful experience for everyone involved, despite the fact that haircuts are a necessity for everyone. Getting a haircut can overwhelm the senses, with numerous challenges such as, the apron/cloth, noise from clippers, music, lighting, smells etc. Children are taught not to intera...

Why do we dread starting a new job?  Why do we not like going to the in-laws for Christmas? Why do we not look forward to Monday morning?  As humans, we tend to approach new events or situations with caution or even negativity. This is because our brains have a natural tendency to protect us from uncertainty and potential harm. Alison Knowles, Emotional Therapist, joins Dale in this episode to dis...

Behaviour is communication, it doesn't just come out of nowhere and is only the tip of the iceberg . With more than 40 pupils being excluded daily for behaviour-related problems, it is evident that the system is not effectively addressing the issue . We have another new guest speaker this week, Adele Bates a Behaviour and Education Specialist! Adele joins Dale to discuss 'Engaging Pupils with SEMH...

We are seeing a significant rise in the number of diagnoses and SEN registers growing, but these values don't always correlate. This has left schools and teachers feeling concerned about the increased workload and inadequate support from their local authorities and the government. The increased prevalence of named conditions and acronyms in SEN has left many teachers feeling uncertain about their...

There is a common narrative which reflects far too many parents' experiences that, in order to get the support their child needs, parents need to be prepared to fight . However, this not only increases stress levels but also decreases the likelihood of achieving the best outcomes for their child. While it may seem impossible to work collaboratively in some situations, in many cases, parents can ad...

Local Authorities are seeing unprecedented demand for Education Health & Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) and as a result are struggling to keep up. The situation is further complicated by many parents requesting EHCPs, but not receiving them due to refusals from authorities, leaving schools caught in the crossfire . As a result, there is widespread confusion among schools and parents about this area...

Having a goal can often feel like you're standing at the foot of the mountain looking up to the peak, wondering how on earth you're going to get there. It can feel daunting, impossible and a struggle to get there, with many people not getting past the first step. This week Alison Knowles, Emotional Therapist, joins Dale to discuss 'Goal setting – how to make dreams a reality'. Alison tells us that...

We all know the benefits of exercise. But as we look at the world around us, the opportunities for people with disabilities to exercise is extremely limited. Playgrounds, swimming pools, climbing walls, trampoline parks etc are all great facilities for children to exercise, build confidence, improve balance and coordination. Many now provide sessions for children with additional needs. However, so...

Have you had your hair cut? Have you got a new coat? Is that a new rucksack? These seemingly simple questions can make a huge difference in building connections and relationships with the children around us. In this week's episode Ginny Bootman joins Dale to discuss 'Incidental Conversations'. She highlights that taking the time to interact with children around us can be incredibly rewarding. Ginn...

In the world of Special Educational Needs (SEN), it's common to focus on what children can't do instead of celebrating their abilities. We often compare them to their non-SEN peers and tend to overlook their accomplishments. Even when they achieve something, we tend to focus on what they can't do next. When we focus on what children can't do, we lose connection and miss opportunities to help them...

Being a SENCO comes with a long list of responsibilities that often overlap with other roles. Unfortunately, SENCOs are sometimes isolated and hidden away within schools, leading to a lack of understanding of their role. The workload SENCOs face is immense, and leadership may not fully understand the extent of the role. SENCOs need to protect themselves, but how? This week Lynn How, Educational Co...

We released a great introduction to Tourette's a few weeks ago with Ione, but what impact does having Tourette Syndrome (TS) have within a school? There are still huge amounts of misconceptions out there about TS and a general lack of awareness of the condition. It's really important to increase knowledge and understanding of TS so that students feel supported, understood and accepted in their edu...

ADHD, ADD, AGT, ASC, ASD, DME, DSD, EBD, PDA, SEMH, SPD…   There is an A to Z of SEND labels/terms and there are 9 under 'A' alone!! Labels change and some have more credibility than others. With so many increasing terms how can teachers feel prepared to meet the expectations of parents?   Fintan O'Regan, Behaviour and SEN Consultant, joins Dale this week to discuss 'Venn diagrams and Icebergs: Ho...

How can you do yoga with children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD)? For many years the potential for yoga to be helpful for children who have limited or no voluntary movement, or cannot sit unaided, or cannot speak has been questioned.  Jyoti Jo Manuel, founder and director of Special Yoga, joins Dale this week to discuss 'Helping children with PMLD thrive with yoga'. Yoga f...

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited, neurological condition, the key features of which are tics, involuntary and uncontrollable sounds and movements. Tourette's is not a rare condition; it impacts an estimated 300,000 people in the UK and 1 in 100 school aged children . As it's Tourette's Awareness month, 15th May to 15th June, we want to destigmatise Tourette Syndrome by showing the general pu...

The teaching of reading is something that is relevant to all our learners including those with severe and complex learning difficulties but the questions is… Where does phonics fit in? Why should we include this within our reading framework and what will it look like? How will learners with the most significant complex needs gain from an inclusive reading curriculum? These are all questions that D...

Do you have a LEGO® or brick building club in your setting? All children need opportunities to play, make friends and feel accepted. Autistic and neurodivergent children can experience high levels of exclusion and may not have access to the same opportunities to socialise in ways that are supportive and accepting. It has never been more important to actively support them with their social, emotion...

Labels tell you a lot and yet nothing at the same time. They can lead to stereotyping, discrimination and negative attitudes but they also facilitate support and understanding of a child's needs. Labels have their uses, but they also have a checklist tick box type mentality attached to them. "It is somewhere to start from as long as it doesn't get boiled down to a checklist of five items because w...

Multisensory rooms have become increasingly popular. They typically occupy considerable space, require substantial financial investment, and consume significant amounts of time and human effort. However, there is a mismatch between expectation and experience of sensory rooms, which is underpinned by some fundamental misunderstandings from their conception. People may feel disappointed and that the...

Did you know that children from ethnic minority groups are excluded at a rate that's 4 times greater than their white peers? Adding neurodivergence into the equation further increases the chance of being excluded. "When you know you're already different, and then you're different within different, that's something that I feel acutely aware of. " Suzy Rowland Today Suzy Rowland, Lauren Fernandez an...

Children are needing more support than ever with their language skills. The Education Endowment Foundation reported a staggering 76% of primary schools said pupils starting school in September 2020 needed more support with communication than in previous years. Coupled with an increase in pupil anxiety, 95% of schools have seen an increase in pupil anxiety since the start of the school year. Anyone...

Do you love Excel or avoid it? If conditional formatting, VLOOKUP, freezing panes, formulas and filtering send you into a spin. Look no further! In this week's show, we're discussing Excel. Ginny Bootman, a SENCO across 4 schools, joins Dale for 'We need to talk about Excel'. You may have listened to Ginny's other podcast (Paperless SENCO) and know that she is currently on a technology journey. Ex...

Have you heard of compassionate co-regulation? It means that when we calm and regulate ourselves as the adults, we create an energetic circle of safety that supports the children around us to regulate themselves. It's hard to be truly compassionate and kind when we are stressed out.  In this week's episode, Jyoti Jo Manuel, the founder and director of Special Yoga, joins Dale to discuss 'The what...

The nature vs nurture debate in mental health and behaviour refers to the extent to which genetics (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) influence the development of mental health conditions and behaviours. Both genetics and environment play a role in shaping mental health and behaviour, but the exact extent of each factor is still not fully understood. A DfE report on mental health and beh...

We live in a digital age, so where do we see or use joined up writing nowadays? Everything has moved on since putting pen to paper and writing letters! Most adults tend to type a lot more than they write, however handwriting is still a big focus in schools.   "Handwriting is so much more complicated than a lot of people necessarily give it credit for." Kim Griffin, Occupational Therapist   The DfE...