The SENDcast

In this, our third Corona BONUS episode looking at Anxiety within the context of the current Corona pandemic, Dale Pickles, Managing Director of B Squared is joined by his guest Sarah-Jane Critchley.

Anxiety is a big topic normally, but right now with all the changes that have happened over the last few weeks to our every day lives, it is huge. In this episode we start with the question 'What is anxiety?', this isn't a simple question as everyone feels anxious, it is how much it impacts on your life. Jane provides us with a great way to rate your anxiety and ways to help manage or reduce your anxiety.

Our conversation then moved on to what can be done now, what can be done at home and the importance of exercise. Some of the strategies discussed include:

• Exercise/activity – Joe Wicks, Gonoodle, Yoga for Kids, kitchen boogie
• Structuring the 4 R's (Routine, Rhythm, Rest and Recovery)
• Meditation – Smiling mind, Headspace
• Breathing
• Know your sensory profile
• Self- Care sensory Shoebox
• Anxiety sucks – and blows!
• Dress for happy (and silly)
• Find the funny (and share it)
• Stimdancing

At the end of the podcast we also discussed the difficulty some children will face transitioning back to school when school starts again. We discussed how schools can support transitions to new schools, when the normal transition process cannot be followed.

Coronavirus Trusted Sources:

1. Adults – BBC Daily Briefing - BBC Iplayer - https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcnews
2. Children – BBC Newsround - https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51204456
3. Books Beyond words – Beating the Virus - https://booksbeyondwords.co.uk/downloads-shop/beating-the-virus
4. Social Story – Carol Gray - https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemics-and-the-Coronavirus.pdf

Emotional Distress Detector Toolkit - Emotional Distress Detector Toolkit https://differentjoy.krtra.com/t/DMZtVGKHe1Za

Mindfulness Resources:

http://www.researchautism.net/autism-interventions/types/psychological-interventions/cognitive-and-behavioural-therapies/mindfulness-training-and-autism

Molehill Mountain App:

https://www.autistica.org.uk/get-involved/molehill-mountain-app

Smiling Mind App –

'Thrive Inside' - https://www.smilingmind.com.au/ - FREE

Headspace app –

https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app includes free 10 day beginner's course.

Cards Against Anxiety – Dr Pooky Knightsmith

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cards-Against-Anxiety-Guidebook-Card/dp/1419743759

When My Worries Get Too Big!: A Relaxation Book for Children Who Live with Anxiety - Kari Dunn Buron

https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Worries-Get-Too-Big/dp/1937473805/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ORFMP3458NPU&keywords=when+my+worries+get+too+big&qid=1585827322&s=books&sprefix=when+my+worries+%2Cstripbooks%2C167&sr=1-1

Useful Websites for Anxiety:

Young Minds - https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/conditions/anxiety/

Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino - https://butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/

Energy Accounting – Maja Toudal on Network Autism https://network.autism.org.uk/knowledge/insight-opinion/energy-accounting-interview-maja-toudal

Autism and Adapted CBT: Dr. Joshua Muggleton article for Network Autism https://network.autism.org.uk/comment/3734#comment-3734

Autism Education Trust (AET) Sensory Checklist

http://www.aettraininghubs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/37.2-Sensory-assessment-checklist.pdf

Different Joy Academy

Only £1 a month to access the Different Joy Academy – Exclusive to SENDCast listeners (minimum of 3 months)

https://www.differentjoy.com/ADJMonthlycoronavirus

In this, our second Corona BONUS episode Dale Pickles, Managing Director of B Squared is joined by his guest Jane Friswell. Jane is one of the legends of the SEN World who has seen lots of good practice, but also bad practice. Jane support's school and authorities to turn things around and provide the right support for students. Moving on from last week's BONUS episode, this week are looking at what life will look like at home and how families can support their children during this time.

In the last week, we have gone from a few pupils not being in school due to self-isolation to now under 5% of pupils in schools. With us being very close to a lockdown, nearly all families will be adjusting to children being at home instead of school. For parents of children with SEND, there can be lots of challenges.

We are all a bit shell shocked, trying to work out what to do. Schools are providing lots of things to do and there are loads of resources, activities, online PE or dance sessions. There is lots going on to support children, but parents need to decide what is right for their child.

The links mentioned will be added soon.

DLD is one of the most prevalent childhood conditions, but is still little known and understood, especially in comparison to conditions such as autism, dyslexia, etc. It continues to be misinterpreted and misunderstood, despite affecting a significant number of children and young people

In this episode our guest is Wendy Lee, is a speech and language therapist with over 30 years experience in a wide range of settings.

Research tells us that around 7.6% of all children have DLD, impacting on learning, social interaction and mental health. This podcast will help in understanding and awareness of the condition, explore how it impacts on children's wider development as well as giving some ideas on what children say work for them in the classroom.

Useful Links

• NAPLIC https://www.naplic.org.uk/
• Royal College of speech and language therapists https://www.rcslt.org/speech-and-language-therapy/clinical-information/developmental-language-disorder
• RADLD – awareness raising campaign https://radld.org/
• DLD and Me - https://www.dldandme.org/
• The Way We Talk – video of children with DLD talking about their lives https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onqn_7xzp2Q

This episode was recorded at 11:30am on Monday the 16th of March.

At this time there was minimal guidance for schools around COVID-19/Corona virus and even less guidance for pupils with SEND.

In this BONUS episode we will be talking about the Corona virus and the implications for special schools, pupils with SEND and their families. Our guest is Lorraine Petersen OBE. Lorraine has over 25 years experience as a teacher and a headteacher. She was also the CEO of NASEN between 2004 and 2013. Lorraine now works as a consultant as well as a number of other roles.

We are not going to be telling you what will happen or for how long as we don't know. We will discuss what this might mean, what you will need to think about and what you might need to start preparing for.

Sensory issues can have a big impact on school life, whether they are sensory-seeking or sensory avoidant and how schools can make reasonable adjustments.

This week's guest is Sarah-Jane Critchley. Sarah-Jane 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...'.

She spent 10 years as Programme Manager of the AET. Whilst there I commissioned the AET's School standards and competency frameworks. A key element of the Standards, Competencies and Progression Frameworks is the section on enabling environments which looks specifically at Sensory Adjustments.

Sarah Jane is a mother to two autistic teenagers (a late-diagnosed girl and a boy) and an autistic husband and lives with two cats.

Sensory issues are common to many people, including those who are not autistic as well as those who are. Most autistic people experience differences in how they experience the world through their senses. They can be sensory-seeking, or sensory avoidant and the degree of sensitivity can vary from one situation to another and from day to day.

Useful Links

1. AET Sensory Audit for Schools and Classrooms http://www.aettraininghubs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/37.1-Sensory-audit-tool-for-environments.pdf
2. AET Sensory assessment Checklist http://www.aettraininghubs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/37.2-Sensory-assessment-checklist.pdf
3. Adult 'Understanding and Managing Sensory Input Tool' from A Different Joy https://www.differentjoy.com/ADSM
4. Equalities Act 2010 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents

Arran Smith classes himself as one of the 4% of the population as a severely dyslexic adult. When Arran was aged 9 he was diagnosed with dyslexia. He uses the metaphor that dyslexia is like going to the dentist, well that's how it was for him all the way until he was 14, this was the age when he realised that dyslexia is a difference not a disadvantage. During Arran's working life he has worked in many industries including youth work, retail business and the not-for-profit sector. Arran has worked within the dyslexia sector for over 15 years. He is chairman of the Leicestershire Dyslexia Association and previously worked and volunteered for the British Dyslexia Association in varied roles.

Despite Arran being severely dyslexic Arran uses technology to support his needs and without technology he would not be doing what he is doing today.

Virtual SEND Conferece - www.virtualsendconference.com

The Dyslexia Show (20th and 21st of March 2020) - www.dyslexiashow.co.uk