In this week's podcast Dale Pickles from B Squared is joined by Sarah Jane Critchley to discuss Exclusions, how legal are they and why isn't more being done to prevent them. The statistics are shocking and terrible and more needs to be done. In this episode we discuss the different types of exclusion, when are exclusions are illegal, the two way link between mental health and exclusion and that there are alternatives.

Sarah-Jane Critchley is passionate about helping autistic people, their families, friends and supporters live happier lives of their own choosing. She is the internationally recognised author of 'A Different Joy: The Parents' Guide to Living Better with Autism, Dyslexia, ADHD and More...'. and contributor to two titles on autism and girls.

Sarah-Jane spent 10 years as Programme Manager of the AET. Whilst there she commissioned the AET's guides to exclusions. She also spoke at the NAHT 2019 SEND and the NAS 2019 Professional Conference on exclusions, and what schools can do to avoid them and to parents' groups on Exclusions, Absences and Illness.

Exclusions continue to increase, nearly 8,000 pupils permanently excluded from school. One of the limited bits of good news is, that is only a small percentage of schools that are excluding pupils, 85% of schools excluded NO pupils at all in 2016-17. Sadly 78% of exclusions were pupils with SEND, Children in need or on Free school meals.

Exclusions have a big lifelong effect on a child. Exclusions can cause a "collision course with failure" (Robert Halpern MP – Chair of the Education Select Committee). Gang members are 5.5 times more likely to have been excluded than the rest of the population. 85% of children in Young Offender Institutions have been excluded.

Useful Links:

1. DfE SEND Code of Practice https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
2. DfE Exclusions Guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion
3. Autism Education Trust exclusions materials https://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/exclusions/
4. Timpson Review of exclusions 2019. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/edward-timpson-publishes-landmark-exclusions-review

How to contact Sarah-Jane:

Twitter: @SarahJaneCritch

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahjanecritchley/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/differentjoy/

Email: [email protected]

For more podcast episodes from the SENDcast click below… https://www.thesendcast.com/sendcast-episodes/