SEN Support in Schools – We’re Missing the Point

[Upsy Daisy]

This is a brilliant explanation of how SEN support in schools (the graduated approach) should be implemented.

It's written by a parent whose child (like my own) has been harmed by being left unsupported in school so it is personal for her and it is written with an audience of parents in mind. However, she is a highly skilled communicator and her descriptions of barriers to learning and the assess, plan, do review cycle are really helpful.

 

https://itmustbemum.wordpress.com/2017/02/26/sen-support-in-schools-were-missing-the-point/

[Fredbear]

Wow. Thank you for sharing.

[finleysmaid]

Thanks Upsy ...another thought provoking blog. I have a little chap in my OOSC at the moment who had a stroke back in October ,,,he does not need huge amounts of effort or money to accommodate his needs just some minor rejigging of his day /play and some quieter times built in. Because he doesn't have a visual SEND some people seem to find this tricky!!

[Upsy Daisy]

That's such a tough one finleysmaid.

There's are some other posts on the blog about exactly this issue.

If a child's needs aren't immediately obvious to school staff there can be a tendency not to implement the recommended support. This can very easily lead to the child's needs escalating unnecessarily.

 

I think sometimes it is a case of unconscious incompetence, in that staff assume that they know enough to make the judgement that the child doesn't need the support, when they are actually just missing subtle signs and symptoms that they are not trained to see.

 

It can help to ask questions about why the staff member has decided to ignore the recommendations of other professionals, how well qualified they feel to make that decision and, if they believe that those recommendations are incorrect, whether they have formally raised this as a concern with the person who made them.

There needs to be some accountability when people looking after children for several hours every day decide to ignore the recommendations of other more experienced staff, people who know the child better or health professionals whose field of knowledge is completely different from their own.