SPOTLIGHT ON SEND
Developing a whole school approach to
mental health This month, regular Education Today SEND contributor DR ASHA PATEL, CEO of education not-for-profit Innovating Minds, looks at the ways schools can improve their approach to mental health.
Last year, more than 100,000 people signed a petition calling for mental health education to be made compulsory in primary and secondary schools. From 2020 there will be a statutory requirement for schools to teach children how to build mental resilience and to spot when their classmates and friends are struggling with poor mental health. Schools can be ideal settings for preventative mental health
interventions because they can support the personal, social and emotional development of pupils which is particularly crucial for children who may not receive such support in their home environments. However, many schools do not provide therapeutic support and
their culture may exacerbate problems for vulnerable students, especially those establishments that pride themselves on their 'zero tolerance' policies for behaviour, school uniform, homework and school rules. This is often a popular view with parents and those staff who equate a sympathetic approach with weakness or poor discipline. Students who are self-harming, taking drugs, living in violent
households, engaging in self-destructive and anti-social behaviour or at risk of grooming are the very ones who need the stability of school life. Sadly, in many schools bad behaviour leads to exclusion which cuts children off from friends, strong adult role models, emotional and psychological support and free school dinners. Schools looking to change their policies and roll out a whole
school approach to mental health should stop and consider: • How will you organise mental health training for all staff? Will this be a one-off Mental Health First Aid course or an ongoing commitment, measured and monitored every month?
• Who will be trained? Will it include admin staff and caretakers or is your ‘whole school policy’ aimed at teaching staff and teaching assistants?
• How will you respond to criticism from staff and teachers who believe you are ‘soft on crime' / 'letting them get away with it?’
• How would you cope if some of your best staff refuse to implement the changes?
• How will you record and measure progress? • What practical support can and will you offer to staff who have mental health difficulties?
Finally, consider the implementation: who will drive the change -
an existing member of staff or outside experts? Both options have their pros and cons - an in-house approach can be cheaper and a long serving member of staff will know the ethos of the school and many of the children. Bringing in outsiders can cost more but the person or team will have mental health expertise and qualifications, contacts for referrals and a wealth of experience from other settings that can benefit your school. It is a long and demanding road to serve the needs of young
people who experience mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression but those schools that get it right can develop a community which works on different levels for all staff and students, and not just the most fortunate.
October 2018 Embedding awareness of
dyslexia in the school day Regular Education Today SEND contributor KATE SARGINSON, Assistant Headteacher and former SENCO, looks at dyslexia this month, and hopes for a day when inclusive practice does away with the need for special SEND awareness weeks.
From 1st - 7th October, the British Dyslexia Association’s (BDA) annual awareness week takes place across the UK. Each year the week of events has a different theme; this year’s reflects the increased use of assistive technology and is entitled ‘21st Century Dyslexia’. But should awareness events really be necessary when schools should have much more than simple awareness? How effective can weeks such as this one for dyslexia be on changing practice? The BDA was formed over 40 years ago, and one of its three key
campaign strands is to make every classroom dyslexia-friendly. Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which can have a profound impact on learning and literacy skills. It was officially recognised in 1994 by the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs. It is understood that approximately 10% of the population have dyslexia, although that figure is contested from opposing positions. Dyslexia has been claimed to be both an over- and under-diagnosed condition. Some double the estimation of those effected, stating that up to 20% of children display dyslexic tendencies but less than half are formally identified. The BDA provides downloadable packs for use in education
during the week. In a budget-conscious climate, free information and resources are welcomed. There are various art and writing competitions for pupils where entrants are able to interpret the theme themselves. The BDA also have awards that pupils and staff can be nominated for, and make suggestions for fundraising activities focused on dyslexia-friendly strategies such as ‘No Pens Day’ on Wednesday 3rd October. Children with dyslexia may not be able to demonstrate their understanding through the teacher default request of writing and with this requirement removed, it challenges teachers to be open to alternative ways of recording and thereby assessing learning. Inclusive education is now the expectation in schools, which
should equate with staff coming into the classroom expecting neurodiversity and knowing how to respond. By having awareness weeks are we accepting that teachers need reminders of SEND when it should be intrinsic in their daily practice? Is there an implication of a requirement of specialist knowledge and skills which is additional, and therefore separate, from a teacher’s key role? Awareness weeks can act as a good hook but the implementation
and follow-up by staff such as the SENDCo is crucial to ensure that momentum is not lost once the week has passed. In fact, the SEND culture in school should ideally mean that any awareness initiatives by organizations and charities only reinforce what is already taking place. Having an official event, running nationwide, can breathe new life into messages which may not necessarily be anything new. There is the potential to make an impact by provoking thought
and sparking conversations which should help to change negative attitudes. This will take time. Annual reminders prove that there is a need to repeatedly bring focus onto specific matters of SEND - the issues aren’t going away. Awareness events will become redundant when inclusive practice is truly integral.
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