The SEN green paper - support and aspiration

The Government has announced that it is making £500,000 available to support the work of those who work with children who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, writes Professor Kit Field, our education blogger from the University of Wolverhampton.

The money is to be used by granting up to £2000 per individual for training and development purposes. According to my reckoning, that amounts to 25o people. Given the view that all who are involved with SEND pupils need to be aware of issues and how to respond (teachers, teaching assistants and carers) that does not seem that much to me.

Also, if we take into account the range of additional needs (cognitive, emotional, social, physical, behavioral) I began to wonder how complex the issue actually is. In fact, Trainee teachers cannot specialise in SEND, so in order to gain a really meaningful insight, we have to invest in those already in post.

This new funding stream is, in theory in line with the SEN Green Paper Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability, which was was published last year.

A central premise of the green paper Support and Aspiration, was to raise the quality of special educational needs (SEN) provision in schools. Amongst the proposals was a commitment to develop a national scholarship for support staff working with pupils with SEN and disability.

It is clearly stated that the aims of the new scholarship scheme are

1. Foster high expectations of those working to support disabled pupils and pupils with SEN in the classroom.

2. Strengthen knowledge and understanding of SEN and disability, both in support staff and across the school.

3. Open up career opportunities for SEN support staff and enable them to have more control of their careers.

4. Share learning, knowledge and expertise across the school system.

5. Bring about a culture change to create expectations within the sector about the importance of scholarship throughout a support staff's career.

As a well-respected provider of courses and support for SEND professionals, I am keen to explore how we can put our well earned expertise and knowledge to best use. The University runs a degree in Special Needs and Inclusion, which helps to develop the skills and knowledge required for a range of careers working with children, their families and the services that support them, in both education and social contexts. Our goal is to promote an inclusive approach and to avoid adding to people's difficulties by attaching a stigma to those with disabilities. This involves a study of policies, procedures and practice which assist in developing an inclusive approach.

The University also offers a range of Foundation Degrees for people already working in the field. These cross over, covering professionals in the Early Years, Primary and Secondary sectors.

To strengthen our own direct understanding we have seconded a member of staff to an 'OfSTED Outstanding' Special School in Sandwell. This will help us to engage teacher trainees more in SEND, adding to the all-round understanding, and also helping to develop a more specialist route into teaching

The University is also aware of the huge influence of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators in School (SENCOs). Indeed the University works in partnership providing accreditation opportunities for SENCOs on a country-wide basis.

The point of all this is that, as a training and education institution, the University acknowledges and supports the overall aims of the new scholarship scheme. However, it should not be accepted that it is providing an answer, but is a fund to support and assist areas of work already available. To be unsuccessful in a personal bid for funding should not, and will not disqualify anyone from pursuing development opportunities.

There remains a huge area of work – one which demands specialist understanding and expertise. SEND includes supporting the identification of needs, which may not be obvious to all,. Once needs are identified, guidance is needed in terms of effective provision, and liaison with a range of agencies who need to contribute. This includes colleagues from other agencies, parents and carers, teaching assistants and teachers. The delivery of personalised support services need close monitoring and evaluation.

I note the Green paper suggest parents should be able to choose between education providers – special schools and/or mainstream schools. Such choices are not simple. I do hope that the new SEND scholarship scheme is not seen as an end in itself, but simply as one of a suite of proposals and activity which will helps us all to benefit.