These blog posts could be interesting for anyone, but especially if you are a parent/carer of a child or young person with additional needs or a disability.
Every parent wants their child to have friends, good friends that like them and care for them, friends that they can trust and build healthy relationships with. But what about when our child is disabled, different or diverse? A mother from Neptune Beach Florida, USA, spoke about the overwhelming response she has received after Tweeting … Continue reading Would Someone Be Friends With My Autistic Boy?
The heartbreaking abuse of many Autistic children, and children with Intellectual (Learning) Disability or other additional needs, is happening in the mental health system every day. It is one of the greatest fears of every parent that a change of circumstances could see any one of our children suddenly entering this system. Miriam speaks eloquently and passionately for us all… I join her in refusing to accept this abuse of our children and in continuing to campaign for this torture to end…
There are some blogs that tear me apart to write. This is one of them.
Today a government report was published with the title “The detention of young people with learning disabilities and/or autism.” You can read the report in full here: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201920/jtselect/jtrights/121/121.pdf
I read about it in the press today and cried. My own child has autism and learning disabilities. He’s non verbal, epileptic and he is doubly incontinent. I am not ashamed or embarrassed to say that at times his care needs are extreme and I struggle. Reading the introduction Members of Parliament wrote to their own report was like reading a diary and a glimpse into a future that could so easily happen to my family. Could this be your story?
“Too often the pathway to detention is predictable. It begins from before diagnosis. A family grows worried about their child. They raise concerns with the…
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“It’s just our brains are kinda different, so here’s what we’d like you to know about us…” Some school children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) helped to put a video together to explain a little about themselves, suggesting some ways to understand them better and offering some ways to help them to learn and to … Continue reading What Kids With Special Needs Want To Tell Us And How We Can Help
This week’s blog post is a guest post from Jen Kyriacou, who eloquently tells the story of a recent holiday with her family, including her disabled daughter, Lucy, and offers some helpful, heartfelt and timely guidance for everyone regarding children with disabilities and their families, with eight things we should all understand: So, after a … Continue reading Don’t Be Scared Of My Disabled Child – Guest Post
Who are you... really? Are you just our son, brother, grandson, friend? Are you just a 17-year old young man? Are you just Autistic? Or with Learning Difficulties and Epilepsy? Yes, James, you are all of these things, but are you just what people see you to be? Are you so much more than you … Continue reading Who Are You Really?
Have you ever felt like Nobi*, the mouse in The Lion King that Scar is holding up about to eat... "Life's not fair, is it? You see, I... well, I shall never be King. And you... shall never see the light of another day..." A while ago we had a really tough few days, with … Continue reading “Life’s Not Fair, Is It?” – Additional Needs Parenting And Nobi From ‘The Lion King’
There seems to be such a wide disparity of opinion and practice across church denominations, and even within church denominations, about if, when, and how, to include children, young people, and even young adults in communion, baptism, serving in church and other aspects of Christian growth and development. It's time to challenge the often unwritten … Continue reading “Amen! Thanks Batgirl!” – Children With Additional Needs: Communion, Baptism And Serving
Sometimes we find teaching hidden in hard to reach places, sometimes important teaching is in plain sight but we overlook it… That was the case for me with the story of Mary and Martha until I took a closer look and found some great teaching for us all there about life in general, as well … Continue reading What The Story Of Mary And Martha Teaches Us About Disability
What is a sensory processing disorder? Occupational Therapist Sheilagh Blyth explains… Sensory processing (sometimes called sensory integration or SI) is a term that refers to the way the body receives and interprets messages from the senses. Humans have a multitude of senses that help them to gather information about the world around them and people … Continue reading Understanding Sensory Processing Disorder/Difficulties (SPD)
For many disabled people, and often for their families and other allies too, life can feel like being a candle in a hurricane of hate. So much intolerance, vitriol and aggression to deal with every single day from a society that, generally, would rather that disabled people were not around, out of sight, disappeared. Just … Continue reading A Candle In A Hurricane Of Hate
Delightful Handmade Dog Products and Gifts
An additional needs Dad and Son baking adventure...
Special Education Teaching Resources, Sensory Stories and SEND Information
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