In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disability Podcast, Georgina Durrant chats to author and SENDCO, Ginny Bootman about being a SENDCO. Ginny provides advice about developing and maintaining good home-school relationships as well as practical advice on managing SENDCO workload and prioritising tasks.

Resources:

• SENDCO Time Management Resource https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/mdz0w

• Ofsted Questions for SENDCOs - https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/vuo1f

• Applying for an EHCP- https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/c0crj

Other Links:

Ginny's Book

Ginny's Website

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Podcast, Georgina Durrant is joined by Dr Gina Gómez de la Cuesta to discuss LEGO® - based therapy. Gina explains the origins and aims of LEGO® - based therapy, who can benefit from it and how to ensure it is neurodiversity-affirming. Gina is the founderand director of Play Included® and her Brick-by-Brick® programme is the only LEGO® - based therapy endorsed by the LEGO Foundation. She talks us through how teachers can set up LEGO® - based therapy at school and gives us her top tips for getting it right.

Links mentioned in the podcast:

Play Included® Website

Play Included® Youtube Channel

LEGO Foundation website

Relevant resources:

Building Brick Therapy Resource Pack

Building Brick Therapy Information Sheet

Building Brick Therapy Key Word Cards

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Podcast Georgina Durrant chats to Sarah Johnson all about SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs). They discuss what SEMH means and how teachers can best support children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs. In this episode Sarah provides advice and information specifically on anxiety, Emotionally Based School Avoidances (EBSA), phobias, social anxiety and situational mutism.

Useful resources linked to this episode:

• Supporting Children with Emotionally Based School Avoidance CPD Video
• Emotional Self-Regulation and Co-Regulation: What are they, and how can we use them with learners with SEND?
• Emotional Triggers: What Pushes My Buttons Chart and Activity

Sarah Johnson's Website

Sarah Johnson's Books

There are more children with DLD (Developmental Language Disorder) than there are autistic children and dyslexic children, yet DLD is still relatively unknown. In this episode of our Special Educational Needs Podcast, Georgina Durrant speaks to Louise Burton from Speech and Language Link to find out what DLD is, its impacts and what schools can do to support children and young people with DLD. 

DLD resources:

Developmental Language Disorder Activity Pack

Development Language Disorder (DLD) Mind Map

Language Disorder Mind Map

Relevant links:

Speech and Language Link

RADLD

NAPLIC

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs Podcast, Georgina Durrant is joined by returning guest Nikki Saunders, who shares the exciting news that her Children’s Books (The Eddie Series) aimed at families of autistic children have now become a Children’s TV series on Sky Kids!

 ‘Ready Eddie Go!’ follows 6-year-old Eddie who is autistic, as he navigates everyday real-life experiences for the very first time, everything from getting his hair cut to trying new food. During the podcast, Nikki Saunders discusses the importance of representation of autistic children on TV and taking a neuro-affirming approach. She shares a clip of the programme and explains how each episode, like a social situation, gives children strategies to manage new and different experiences. 

Ready Eddie Go! Resources to download for your home or classroom:

Sensory and Emotional Awareness Activities

Visual Timetable

My 'Ask for Help' Phrases

Explaining Autism to My Friends

Previous podcast episode with Nikki Saunders

In this 'Back to School' episode, Georgina Durrant is joined by Dr Emma Kell, who shares fantastic, practical advice about teacher/SENDCO wellbeing. They discuss the importance of well-being not being an 'add on' but woven through the school culture. They also chat about the common causes of stress for teachers (including Ofsted) and Emma's top tips for surviving teaching without 'imploding, exploding or walking away'.

Relevant resources linked to this episode:

• Staff Wellbeing in School Pack of Resources
• Staff Wellbeing: You Are Not Superhuman
• Staff Wellbeing: Self-Assessment and Evaluation Tool
• Dr Emma Kell's website (includes links to her books)

*Content Warning: This episode of SEND in the experts discusses topics which some listeners may find distressing.

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs Podcast, Georgina Durrant chats to Robert White. Robert White describes himself as ‘the only Asperger, gay, dyslexic, cross-lateral, quarter- welsh, webbed-toed, hyper- sensitive, Gluten-intolerant, pseudo-genius, musical comedian there is…. Probably’ and you probably know him from his hilarious performances on Britain’s Got Talent in 2018 where he gained second place. Robert discusses the difficulties he faced growing up as an undiagnosed autistic and dyslexic child and reflects on the support that school could have provided to help him.

Useful resources linked to this episode:

• Supporting Pupils on the Autism Spectrum CPD Training Pack
• CPD: Supporting Autistic Pupils to Thrive
• Supporting Pupils with Dyslexia CPD Training Complete Pack
• Robert White's Website

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs and Disability Podcast, Georgina Durrant chats to Louisa Reeves from the charity Speech and Language UK (formerly ICAN). Louisa provides an overview of the various Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) (including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)). She explains how to identify children with SLCN in the classroom, the process for formal diagnosis and what teachers can do to support these children in school.

Relevant Resources Linked to this episode:

• Free Speech and Language Teaching Pack

• Free Speech and Language Speech Sound Intervention Boost Taster Pack

• Speech and Language Concerns Checklist

• SLCN - Language Development INSET PowerPoint Pack

• Speech and Language Uk's Website

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs Podcast. Georgina Durrant chats to Tina Coope, education lead of PANS/PANDAS UK - the only UK charity supporting children and families living with the neuropsychiatric conditions PANS and PANDAS.

PANS and PANDAS are a set of acute onset neuropsychiatric conditions that may include the development of OCD, tics or severe eating restrictions, alongside cognitive, behavioural and neurological symptoms. 

They can cause severe difficulties with learning, attending school and being able to do age-appropriate activities.

Tina explains what PANS/PANDAS are, the impact they can have on children, the importance of spotting early signs and how teachers can support children with PANS/PANDAS in the classroom.

Relevant Resources & Links

• PANS and PANDAS Information and CPD Pack

• Article about PANS and PANDAS

• Hidden Disabilities Mind Map
• Home & School: Spotting the Early Signs of PANS/PANDAS

In this episode of our Special Educational Needs Podcast. Georgina Durrant chats to deaf activist, Samantha Baines, a multi award-winning author, actress and broadcaster. She is the author of critically acclaimed children's books with Deaf main characters. You may recognise her from appearances on ITV's Loose Women, Sky News and Andrew Neil's This Week or acting roles in Netflix’s The Crown, Call the Midwife, Silent Witness and Magic Mike Live (directed by Channing Tatum). She is a regular on BBC radio stations.

They discuss tinnitus, hearing aids, British Sign Language (BSL) and her experience of being deaf. Samantha also provides really useful advice for teachers on how to support D/deaf children and young people in the classroom.

Full Transcript Available here: Click on the 'More Downloads' option to find the Transcript version

Resources linked to this episode:

• British Sign Language BSL Greetings Display Pack
• Deaf Awareness Resource Pack
• Being Part of a Deaf Community Activity Pack
• Samantha Baines' Website (including links to her books)