Special Educational Needs

We're joined by Helen Rutherford, a specialist sleep practitioner from The Sleep Charity, who has several years of experience supporting neurodiverse children and young people with sleep.In this episode, she discusses the common sleep challenges experienced by children with special educational needs, expert tips and strategies for supporting your child's sleep through this seasonal shift and beyond and sensory issues and regulations to improve sleep quality, from winding down rituals to creating a tailored sleep environment for your child's needWe hope you enjoy listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by Kirsty Doyle, Entrepreneur & Fashion Designer, discussing how she works with young people to build aspiration as they enter the world of work.On this episode of SENsational, Kirsty shares her experience of her entrepreneurial journey, talking about her set-backs and challenges, and how she has worked with children and young people across the UK, offering inspiring sessions and visits to her very own studio, to help young people think about their future endeavours. Kirsty works with us as part of our Futures programme, a programme designed to deliver unlimited aspiration and endless opportunities for every child and young person, through Futures ambassador sessions, work experience opportunities apprenticeships, mentoring and more. Find out more about the Futures programme here: www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/futures Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this SENsational episode, we are joined by Maggie Morton and Laura Oliver, Occupational Therapists for Witherslack Group as they discuss children's most common sensory-seeking behaviours and the best ways to support them. They also explore sensory regulation, sensory overload and the best strategies and activities that can be integrated into the daily lives of our children to help them build essential life skills.We hope you enjoyed this episode of SENsational. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered if your young person might need an EHCP? Simone Mattinson, Partnerships Manager for our Group, shares her first-hand experience from a parent and professional perspective. From exploring how to navigate the EHCP process to details of a draft EHCP, plus many more interesting insights worth knowing. For more details on the EHCP process, download our free 'A Guide To The Education, Health and Care Plan' Support Pack: https://www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources/education-health-and-care-plan-ehcp-support-pack/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a discussion with Wendy Yeo, Head Teacher of our Castlefell School, and Arron Hutchinson, Education Training Director of The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, exploring ways to support your child settle into a new school. Whether it is the jump from primary to secondary or transitioning to a SEN provision, they have top tips and strategies to support your child along the way.We hope you enjoyed this episode of SENsational.Join us for a free live webinar, by visiting:https://www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/advice-and-support/events-and-webinars/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We believe that every child or young person deserves access to inspirational education, regardless of their unique learning requirements or needs. Susan Gill, Head Teacher from our Bridgeway School, talks us through the unique benefits of Special Educational Needs schools and some of the amazing outcomes of pupils who have flourished the support they need.We hope you enjoyed this episode of SENsational.Join us for a free live webinar, by visiting:https://www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/advice-and-support/events-and-webinars/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are so many moving parts to home life, right? From school runs to meal times and everything in between, how can it all be managed? In our latest episode of our podcast, SENsational, we explore managing a neurodiverse household with Tracy Bowyer, Parenting Co-Ordinator from The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity.Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. If you want to learn more about our other webinars and resources, please visit the website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're pleased to bring you this episode of SENsational titled 'Autism: What Every Parent Needs to Know, with Anne-Marie Harrison, training director from Ideas Afresh Education. This episode is designed for parents and carers right at the beginning of their journey. Perhaps you're just discovering your child is showing traits of autism, or you're even considering applying for an assessment to diagnosis. We'll be chatting about how to get an assessment, myths and misrepresentations associated with autism, and some top tips and strategies on how to support your child at home.Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. You can explore more of our resources, including webinars and downloadable guides, by clicking here www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social media and online games are evidently present in our children and young people's lives. On this episode of SENsational, we are joined by two Witherslack Group experts, Dr. Dee Khaira, Clinical Psychologist and Lois Howard, IT Infrastructure and Development Manager, where we explore educating ourselves and our children, platforms that come with surprising risks, plus top tips on keeping our children safe as they use these online devices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learning to read can be challenging for our neurodiverse children and young people. On this episode of SENsational, we are joined by leading phonics consultant Amy McElhatton, who talks us through the importance of introducing reading at an early age, how we can break learning down into more manageable chunks, and how to collaborate with your child's school to ensure that learning can be implemented at home as it is in school. Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. You can explore more of our resources, including webinars and downloadable guides by clicking here www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Bonnello, autistic advocate and award-winning writer and speaker, joins us for another episode of SENsational. In this podcast, Chris explores finding methods to succeed in both school and social environments whilst learning to embrace the authenticity of ASD.Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. You can explore more of our resources, including webinars and downloadable guides by clicking here www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of SENsational, we have the pleasure of sharing knowledge of our expert speaker Emma Weaver, Deputy CEO of the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, unravelling strategies on how to deal with impulsive behaviour, the ‘stop, think, and do' coaching model, and how to help children overcome low feelings after an outburst. Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. You can explore more of our resources, including webinars and downloadable guide by clicking here www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The exam period can be a particularly stressful and overwhelming time for neurodiverse children and young people, and so as parents and professionals, it is important to know how to help guide them through this.In this episode of SENsational, we welcome Colin Foley, Training Director at the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, and Chris Bonnello, an Autism advocate and author of ‘Autistic, Not weird' as our expert speakers who talk about why neurodiverse children and young people find it hard to learn and retain information, offer strategies to help your child's memory capacity, and share tips and techniques to help focus on revision and an exam.Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. If you want to learn more about our other webinars and resources, please visit the website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Preparing our children for finishing school and heading off to their next adventure can be a difficult time and there is sure to be some anxieties around such a big transition. For our neurodiverse families, there might be heightened concerns around how will our children manage, will there be enough support, are they even ready and what will they do without us!In this episode of SENsational, we chat with Emma Weaver, Deputy CEO of the ADHD Foundation and Emma Reardon, Director for Autism Wellbeing to discuss, Life Beyond School: Making Successful Steps.During the session, we cover planning for big transitions, creating realistic expectations, what help might be available from universities or colleges, as well as at-home techniques to help support self-regulation. Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. If you want to learn more about our resources, please visit the website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Changing Perceptions: A Pathway to Positive BehaviourOn this episode of SENsational, we welcome Emma Weaver, Deputy CEO of the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity and Stephen Howell, Lead Practitioner at Witherslack Group, as our expert speakers for our topic, Changing Perceptions: A Pathway to Positive Behaviour.During our conversation, we look at why neurodiverse children sometimes have difficulty self-regulating, the impact of positive and negative language, what differences we may see between girls and boys, the influence that school can have on a child and their emotional responses, and of course, there are lots of top tips and support included as well! Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this episode of SENsational useful. If you want to learn more about our other webinars and resources, please visit the website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of Witherslack Group's Seasonal Support Pack, we are delighted to bring you a very special episode of our podcast, SENsational! This session focuses on advice and support over the Christmas holidays, which can be a wonderful time for making special memories, but also a challenging time for many families. Throughout this episode, we'll cover lots of practical strategies to help make Christmas an enjoyable and positive experience for you and your family. It was a pleasure to welcome Emma Weaver, Deputy CEO and Colin Foley, Training Director from the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, as our expert speakers guiding us through our topic. Thank you for listening, and we hope you find this special edition of SENsational useful. If you would like to find out more about our Seasonal Support Pack, please visit the website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a super powered episode where were we discuss strategies to help develop wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem. During our discussion we focus on nurturing a strength based approach to neurodiversity and the positive impact this can have on our children and young people. This approach aims to help people see the best in themselves and empower them with their own unique qualities. We are delighted to welcome Professor Sean Duggan OBE and Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network as our expert guide through this topic, where we explore some of the challenges that our children face, the social impact and school environments. Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ADHD is a complex neurodevelopmental condition, characterised by hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. For parents and carers, having a child diagnosed with ADHD can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. In this episode we chat with Lisa Rudge, Director of Parent Services at the ADHD Foundation on all things ADHD; what it is, what to expect, myths related to the condition, challenges and the positive traits. We also discuss some strategies parents and carers can put in place at home to help with routines.We hope you enjoy listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many, there is much joy in going for a run, a nice long walk or taking part in a team game, and we know the positive impact exercise can have on both adults and children; peace of mind, freedom and feel-good factor to name a few.In this podcast, we discuss the positive impact that exercise can have on our neurodiverse children and young people, whilst recognising that, for some, it might not always feel like something they want to get involved in. However, with encouragement and some imaginative ideas on what exercise can look like, we can help develop skills, friendships and confidence that will benefit our children for the rest of their lives.Ed Wright, Deputy Head Teacher at both Avon Park and Dovetree Tree Schools is our guide and expert speaker on this session and a very passionate advocate of exercise.We hope you enjoy listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trying to keep on top of things as an adult can test our organisational skills, as well as our patience, however, it's really important to look at the hurdles our ADHD children face in their day-to-day life, when it comes to keeping themselves organised, planning and of course staying calm if it's not all going to plan.  For the next episode of the SENsational podcast, we will be focusing our attention on ADHD and the building blocks to being organised and staying calm.  Tracy Bowyer, Virtual School Co-ordinator for the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity joins us on this podcast to cover topics such as organisational skills, support strategies when out in the community, morning routines, homework, best-laid plans when a child is becoming distressed or struggling to find their calm, and a schools response to a child being organised or disorganised. Our podcast is all about celebrating neurodiversity, strengthening our children's superpowers and empowering parents, carers and professionals with knowledge, advice and support. Happy listening!

As part of the Witherslack Group's Back to School Campaign we are delighted to bring you a very special episode of our podcast! This session focuses specifically on mindfulness exercises to support children and young people with the transition back to school after the summer break.  Our guide through this experience is Michelle Conroy, Therapist and Mindfulness Coach for Witherslack Group.  We hope you find this special edition useful and if you would like to find out more about the Back to School Campaign please visit our website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/resources.   

Confidence is so important to a child's future happiness, health, and success. Confident children are likely to be better equipped to deal with peer pressure, responsibility, frustrations, challenges, and both positive and negative emotions. This episode of SENsational explores the key factors in developing a child's confidence, strategies to build up self-esteem,  facing fears, self-image and the pressures of modern life. We welcome back the wonderful Anne-Marie Harrison from Ideas Afresh Education to the podcast as our expert speaker. Our podcast is all about celebrating neurodiversity, empowering parents and carers, strengthening our children's superpowers and acknowledging the heroic efforts of neurodiverse families across the country.  We hope you enjoy listening! 

The Role of Friendship with Autism  Making friends or developing a social circle can present it's challenges for children and young people with ASD. Every child is different and for some the importance of having friends might be a key element to their happiness, and for others the anxiety of being involved in that social position or as part of a group can be too much. To offer support to families in this situation our most recent episode of SENsational focuses on the role of friendship and autism, and explores strategies around developing social environments that fit with individual interests and enjoyment. Guiding us through this topic we are delighted to welcome to the podcast,  Justine Sims, Head Teacher at Pontville School and Gail Silcock, Speech and Language Therapist for Witherslack Group who both have a wealth of experience and knowledge in this area. Thanks for joining us and we hope you enjoy listening!

The impact of Covid-19 on neurodiverse children and young people For this episode we are joined by podcast regular Emma Weaver, who is the Director of the Early Years Service for the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity.  During our discussions we focus on the social changes and challenges faced by many children during this period, as well as the effects on mental health and the anxieties that parents and their children have faced.  We also look at the impact on education with Emma bringing to the conversation some really pragmatic and inspiring views on how we can actually take certain positives from the pandemic, when it comes to our children's learning.  Enjoy listening!

Three of our deputy head teachers join us to share their career journeys. In this episode, we hear about the people that have contributed to their  success, what good teamwork looks like for them and how they nurture talent. Filled with top tips and an insight into their roles, we're thrilled to be joined by Danny from Cumberland school in Greater Manchester, Kerri from Avon Park School in the Midlands and Vinny from Ashbrook School in Sunderland.

Supporting your anxious child In the last three years, the likelihood of young people having a mental health problem has increased by 50%. This episode explores anxiety in children, the key signs to look out for, and where to go for help plus strategies parents and carers can put in place to prevent anxiety in children. We are delighted to welcome back Anne-Marie Harrison from Ideas Afresh Education and Professor Sean Duggan, Clinical Advisor for Witherslack Group and chief executive of the Mental Health Network to the podcast. We hope you enjoy listening

Supporting neurodiverse children and young people to make friends Join us for an episode that looks at some of the challenges that neurodiverse children may face when it comes to building a friendship group. During the session we discuss developing friends through shared interests, building resilience when it doesn't go to plan, what makes a good friend, and celebrating the successes no matter how big or small.   We are delighted to welcome Anne-Marie Harrison from Ideas Afresh Education and Rob Stow, Director of Character and Culture at Rainford High School in St Helens to the podcast.  We hope you enjoy listening!

Creating Autism Friendly Classrooms Join us for a special episode of SENsational, which has been dedicated to offering advice and support to SEN Co-ordinators and teaching professionals working with neurodiverse children and young people.  On the podcast we are joined by our friend Anne-Marie Harrison from Ideas Afresh Education who guides us through the topic, Creating Autism Friendly Classrooms. During our discussion we take our listeners on a whistle stop tour of what an autism friendly class room might look like, pupil stories, issues that teachers may come across, rewards and how to approach rules and expectations for autistic learners. We hope you find the episode useful.

Supporting social tolerance for socially sensitive kids Join us for an episode that focuses on neurodiverse children and young people's social sensitivities and the impact that it can have on their home, school and social lives.  During the episode we aim to develop further understanding of this topic by looking at practical strategies to help gently nurture social capabilities. As well as ways we can put our children in social situations that are within their own reach and interests so that they might enjoy social experiences of their own.  We are delighted to welcome Anne-Marie Harrison from Ideas Afresh Education to this podcast as our expert speaker. We hope you enjoy listening! 

A guide through the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. On the podcast we are joined by Melanie Adams, Partnership Manager for Witherslack Group.  Throughout her career Mel has developed a vast knowledge of the EHCP process, supported many families and experienced of the highs and lows that the process can bring.  By joining us for this episode you will be given an insight into - Why and when you should apply? What is an EHCP? What is the draft EHCP? Who can help along the way? Appeals, transitions and naming a school. Annual reviews. Plus much more!  Thanks for listening!

Managing changing routines and special occasions Just in time for Christmas and all the festivities that the season brings we have a podcast that is filled with practical advice on how to manage family celebrations and changes to a child's routine.  On the podcast we are joined by Elaine Buckton, Senior Therapist for Witherslack Group Clinical Services, who offers lots of practical advice that can be used not only during the Christmas season but for any special occasion in the future. During the session we chat about communication, planning for an event, parties, safe spaces, praise, party food and encouragement. We also put a focus on us as parents and our own feelings of guilt and managing others expectations of us and our children.   Our podcast is all about celebrating neurodiversity, empowering parents and carers, strengthening our children's super powers and acknowledging the heroic efforts of neurodiverse families across the country.  Enjoy!

A podcast discussion between Dan Flanagan, Deputy Head Teacher at Bridgeway School in Preston and David Phillips, Head Teacher at Chilwell School in Nottingham, which puts a focus on Blended Learning.  During the podcast Dan and David discuss, different styles of Blended Learning, how to successfully implement, supporting staff with new ways of working and the benefits of using IT systems.  This podcast is part of our Supporting Leaders in Education series, which is all about bringing together expert speakers to deliver insightful presentations aimed at providing advice and support for head teachers, deputy head teachers, senior leadership team members and all teaching professionals in leadership roles.

Managing sibling relationships In episode 2 of SENsational we are joined by Emma Weaver, Director of the Early Years Service for the ADHD Foundation and Samantha Owens who is a parent, Neurodiversity Advocate and works for the Home Office representing Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing.  The 40 minute session covers topics such as, helping a child to understand their neurodiversity, introducing neurodiversity to siblings, promoting positive relationships, managing time between children plus some interesting discussions around sibling disagreements! Our podcast is all about celebrating neurodiversity, empowering parents and carers, strengthening our children's super powers and acknowledging the heroic efforts of neurodiverse families across the country.  We hope you enjoy listening! 

Episode 2 of the Be Inspired Careers Podcast. Professor Sean Duggan talks about mindfulness for staff members who are in demanding roles.

Join us for Episode 1 of SENsational: The Special Educational Needs Podcast.  Our podcast is all about celebrating neurodiversity, empowering parents and carers, strengthening our children's super powers and acknowledging the heroic efforts of neurodiverse families across the country.  In this episode, which was recorded over summer 2021, we hear from Janine Drew, Senior Partnership Manager for Witherslack Group and Mike Hussey, Director of School Services for the ADHD Foundation.  During the session we discuss topics such as positive and negative experiences with school, policies, EHCPs, communication and homework. 

A podcast discussion between Sarah Roscoe, Head Teacher at Oversands School and Colin Foley, National Training Director for the ADHD Foundation, focusing on how head teachers and senior leaders can help support staff wellbeing within their schools.  During the podcast Colin and Sarah talk about staff stress, personal experiences, the pace and demands of school life and how a school's values can help support and develop positive wellbeing for staff and in turn pupils as well.    

Welcome to episode 1 of our new Be Inspired Podcast. Each month, we'll speak to some of the leading experts in SEN Education, Care and Clinical Services. Our podcast is aimed at professionals wanting to help children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN).   If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail events@witherslackgroup.co.uk 

A Q & A podcast with Lisa Rudge who is part of the Therapy Team at the ADHD Foundation.  This podcast offers advice and support to parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs. 

A podcast discussion between Professor Sean Duggan, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Network and Catherine Roche, CEO of Place2BE.  The session provides practical advice for supporting a child's mental health following the pandemic.  It also offers signposting for parents and carers who are looking for additional support.    

Join us for the Supporting Leaders in Education Talking it Through Podcast.  In this episode we are joined by Sophie Garner, Regional Director of Education for Witherslack Group and Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation.  This month we look at the difficulties schools have faced and the opportunities for pupil learning and development that have presented themselves in the last year.  

Join us for our latest episode in the Supporting Leaders in Education Talking it Through podcast. In this episode we are joined by Chris Williams, Regional Director for Witherslack Group and Mike Hussey, Director of School Services for the ADHD Foundation who will be chatting about February's topic, Developing a Citizenship and Leadership Curriculum.  

Supporting Leaders in Education:  The Recovery Curriculum Each month we bring expert speakers together to deliver insightful discussions aimed at providing advice and support for Head Teachers, senior leadership team members and all teaching professionals in leadership roles.  January's topic is the Recovery Curriculum. 

A discussion between Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO for the ADHD Foundation and Anne-Marie Harrison, Training and Consultancy Director for Ideas Afresh Education.

A podcast discussion with Professor Sean Duggan, Clinical Advisor for Witherslack Group and Chief Executive of the Mental Health Network and Billy Smallwood, Clinical Director for Witherslack Group. This podcast is part of Supporting Leaders in Education series.

Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation and Justine Sims, Exectutive Head Teacher for Queensmead House School in Windsor present a podcast on 'Steering a course through covid' as part of our Supporting Leaders in Education series.

We sat down with Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation at our Regional Special Educational Needs Conference: Supporting Leaders in Education in Manchester. Here Tony gives a snapshot of his presentation on Neurodiversity. 

We sat down with Jeremy Bird, Director of HGA Learning to discuss what the new Ofsted framework means to schools.  

Elaine Capstick, Lead Practitioner (Safeguarding, Behaviour & Inclusion) and Richard Wilkins, Safeguarding, Behaviour and Inclusion Director discuss how to support positive behaviour.  SECTIONS 2.00 - 12.43. We discuss why children and young people display challenging behaviours, the importance of understanding their behaviours and how Witherslack Group implement Positive Behaviour Support.  12.45 - 48.36. Practical hints and tips to support children and young people displaying challenging behaviours.  49.39 - 1:01:08. Practical hints and tips on how to support children and young people during term time.  1:01:12 - 1:12.22. Practical hints and tips on how to support children and young people during half term/ summer.  

Ruth Smith, Class Teacher and Computing and New Technologies Lead and Rob Lynas, Deputy Head Teacher of Westmorland School in Chorley discuss the impact of ICT on teaching and learning. 

We sat down with Simone Mattinson, Local Area Partnership Manager for Witherslack Group to discuss the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) including how to obtain a plan for your child, tribunal hints & tips, the annual review and transitions.   

Lucy Shooter, Mental Health Practitioner for Witherslack Group, presented 'Mental Health Awareness' at our 2018 North West SEN conference, held at our Pontville School.