SEN0552
Written evidence submitted by B4ND (British Association for Neurodiversity)
Reason for Consultation:
The consultation is likely motivated by the significant increase in requests for diagnoses, a high number of school-aged children not attending school, and particularly heightened demands for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), which are financially burdensome and place additional pressures on teachers.
Cautious Approach: It is essential to avoid reactionary responses to sensitive cases, such as the Southport incident.
Expectations: What are the desired outcomes of this consultation?
Potential Consequences: If no changes are implemented, many children in this generation may not reach their full potential Spiralling costs cannot be met by the already stretched resources availably to the NHS and to education services
Acknowledging Pandemic Impact: We must recognise the adverse effects of the pandemic on children. Research indicates observable changes in teenage brain development as seen in MRI scans—this is a serious matter rather than a passing trend.
Cultural Shift in Education: A cultural shift in education towards neurodiversity; with empathy, and validation of parental insights is required.
Holistic History Approach: It is important to compile comprehensive histories that include family experiences, particularly with regard to trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Pregnancy History Considerations: Inquiry into any toxic stress experienced during pregnancy, excessive alcohol or drug use, and childbirth details, including prematurity, is necessary.
Family Mental Health: We must assess any existing mental health issues or neurodivergent conditions within the family context.
Child Feeding Issues: Questions should be asked regarding any feeding problems, such as reflux, severe colic, cow's milk protein allergy, or restrictive eating disorders.
Early Childhood Development: For young children, inquiries should cover play history, the presence of separation anxiety, vision and hearing assessments, and any bowel or bladder concerns.
Learning Difficulties: We should assess whether children face learning challenges or coordination issues during primary school. Considerations might include masking behaviours, sleep adequacy, eating concerns, or emotional-based school avoidance (EBSA).
Neurodiverse Profile Assessment: Evaluation of the use of a neurodiversity profiling tool that examines the child holistically (refer to the Cornwall website).Care must be taken to ensure this is not a replacement for a thorough assessment, but to be used alongside. Many parents want to know how to support their struggling child, rather than a diagnostic label with no subsequent support.
Secondary School Considerations: For secondary students, factors such as EBSA, perfectionism, reserved behaviour, and affiliations with interest-based groups, including LGBTQIA+, should be taken into account.
Shift from Punitive Approaches: We need to move away from reward and punishment systems. These are known NOT to be effective. LivesInTheBalance.org advocates for collaborative problem solving and is evidence based.
Empowering Stakeholders: Our goal should be to empower parents and educators to implement profiling and accommodations prior to formal diagnoses.
Fostering Interests: We should aim to identify and nurture what children are passionate about, allowing them to utilise their skills, and focus on their strengths. This will enhancing their self-esteem and have a positive impact on their mental health
Emotional Learning Importance: Emphasise the critical nature of teaching children to recognise their emotions and help them develop strategies for emotional regulation.
Integrating Relationship Skills: Consider incorporating relational skills training into curricula and parent “training”(excluding Applied Behaviour Analysis).
Professional Development for Teachers: Support teachers through targeted training and encourage the inclusion of neurodivergent educators.
Collaborative Partnerships: Encourage schools to collaborate with parents, rather than assume the problem lies with them, while maintaining clear boundaries and identifying warning signs.
Reference Previous Projects: Incorporate insights from the Autism and parental blame project.
Priority Access: Request that all families involved in child protection proceedings / children in the family court system / all current or previous looked-after children and all children with safeguarding records to receive expedited access to neurodiversity assessments.
Support for Children and Young People with SEND
SEN Support in Mainstream Settings: There is potential for investment in improving the quality of SEN support in mainstream schools and early years settings. While evaluating current funding efficiency can be costly and time-consuming, ongoing unaddressed needs may lead to continued suffering for children and their families, impacting parents' work due to missed income while caring for overwhelmed children.
Immediate Improvements: Rather than solely assessing the current system, we should focus on direct improvements.
Holistic Support Needs: We need to take a comprehensive approach to understanding common support needs across SEND categories (e.g., autism, ADHD, dyslexia) instead of isolating them for a holistic understanding of neurodivergence.
Addressing Broader Needs: Consider communication, social, sensory, motor, health, and safety needs in developing personalised support frameworks.
Neurodiversity Education: All educators should be well-versed in neurodiversity, understanding its physical health correlations and recognising that this represents a significant percentage (15-20%) of the population.
Physical Health Interconnections: There is a potential connection between neurodivergence and physical conditions affecting connective tissue, which can influence brain function. Recognising that neurodivergence has physical sequelae
Heritability of Neurodivergence: Recognise that neurodivergent traits are often hereditary within families, encompassing multiple diagnoses and physical health issues.
Communication and Sensory Processing: Acknowledge the differences in brain communication processes for neurodivergent individuals, affecting sensory filtering, concentration, interpretative skills, and the potential for accompanying physical health challenges.
Statutory Framework for SEN Support: We should seriously consider establishing SEN support as a statutory requirement in recognition of the significant neurodivergent population in society.
Outcomes for Students with SEND
Current Concerns: Outcomes for students with SEND remain alarmingly ppor. Historically, neurodivergent children were incorrectly labelled as deficient or problematic, contributing to misunderstandings about their behaviour.
Intergenerational Trauma: Address the cycle of misunderstanding and trauma affecting neurodivergent parents and their children, which can reinforce damaging beliefs about behavioural norms.
Mental Health Risks: Neurodivergent individuals face higher risks of mental health issues and other vulnerabilities that need to be addressed through supportive frameworks.
Training Needs for Professionals: Enhanced training for educators and support staff is crucial to positively impact SEND knowledge and pedagogical approaches.
Role of Specialist and Alternative Provision Schools: Evaluate the capacity and contributions of specialist and alternative provisions in supporting neurodivergent students.
EHC Plan Improvements: Streamlining the waiting periods for Education, Health and Care Plans and establishing holistic clinics incorporating multi-disciplinary teams could provide ongoing support before and after diagnosis.
Avoiding Adversarial Processes: The current EHC planning process needs to become less adversarial, enacting collaborative structures instead. Punishment (including of parents) does not and will not work
Accessibility of Support Systems: Develop accessible neurodiversity care hubs, providing centralised support in schools for all learners.
Addressing Current and Future SEND Needs: Consider how SEND needs have evolved over the past decade and addressing predicted future demands through targeted strategies in funding and service provision.
Accountability and SEND Provision Quality
1. Ofsted's Inclusion Criterion: Revamp Ofsted’s inspection regimes to reflect schools’ commitment to an inclusive environment, focusing on clear policies, staff training, accessible curricula, and parental involvement in SEND support (see Public Health Wales Consultation).
2. Area SEND Inspections: Improve SEND inspections through increased stakeholder collaboration, impact-focused evaluations, and ongoing monitoring of outcomes and progress.
3. Strengthen Local Authority Powers: Local authorities might need enhanced authority to ensure effective SEND provision by establishing mandatory partnerships and data-sharing standards with schools.
4. Performance Accountability: Implement transparent standards for SEND provision across all school types, using performance data and inspection processes for accountability.
5. Collaboration Among Organisations: The Department for Education, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, and Care Quality Commission should collaboratively ensure that every child gets the necessary SEND support through cohesive policies and monitoring.
By implementing these strategies, we can create a more inclusive educational environment for children and young people with SEND.
January 2025