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Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor 22nd February 2021 
I hope that many parents and teachers (or those who are both currently) managed to get a bit of a rest over this last week, if it was half-term break for you (I know that not everyone was off at the same time).
There always seems so much still to do though, so it's good therefore for us to stop once in a while and think about what we are doing, before we do it. We are usually so busy though trying to get through all the tasks on our lists everyday, that we often forget to first ask ourselves if the task we are doing is really necessary or not. And the reality is that few people ever really get to the end of their task list each day, which means that the remaining tasks are then just added onto our task list for tomorrow, which we will never get through again, so that the remaining tasks are then just added to our task list for the day after - it is a never ending cycle which will eventually just overwhelm us! So, try and stop for a minute first and think about what you are doing and the decide if it really needs to be done, or even if it can be done in a different way. Sometimes, when you stop and think about something you are going to do, you will be surprised to find that you may not have to do it, either now, later or at all. Go on, try it - you may find that you do not really have to do so much...
Don’t forget, to ensure that you never miss one, you can get my SEN Updates personally by completing your email details above,
or by following me on one of the social media platforms I use (i.e. Twitter/Facebook). You can also share this SEN Update with others (please only do so if it may be relevant to them) by using one of the icons, usually to the right or at the bottom of this page. 
I hope many parents and teachers have had a chance in the last week or so to take it a bit easier over the half-term break
I saw a tweet this week (again) from 'Contact' which I thought may be helpful to share here, which said: "Dreading the return to home schooling after this week's half-term break? We can help. With so many children struggling to adapt to #remotelearning, our Listening Ear team have put together some top tips to help you out. Check them out below" It then gave a link to a page called: 'Top tips for home schooling', which some parents may find useful. Hope this helps.
There were also a couple of interesting things I saw this week in respect of children and SEND provision.
The first was the final speech in post by Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England, entitled: 'Building back better', which said it was: '...a challenge to the Prime Minister to show he is serious about children by putting them at the heart of his post-Covid plans' and that warned: '...that the Prime Minister’s promise to ‘level up’ will be ‘just a slogan unless it focuses on children’. In the speech, Anne Longfield reflects on her six years as Children’s Commissioner and looks ahead to the challenges to childhood brought about by the pandemic. You can read the speech for yourself here, or you can watch a video of an interview with her about it here. --- The second thing that I saw was the report by Special Needs Jungle entitled: 'Provision denied', which said 'Children with SEND have had their needs and education “pushed to one side, for the convenience of the majority.”' and summarised itself as follows:
'Special Needs Jungle survey shows a widespread failure to restore disabled children’s SEND provision when children returned to school in the Autumn Term 2020.
45 recommendations sourced from parents' comments to put things right for disabled learners' educational support in 2021'
You can read it/about it again for yourself here.
Finally, in terms of news, it was a bit slow (I guess that some education journalists are parents too or also need a break!)
But still, here's a few news articles that I found of interest: Covid: Testing means 'staggered' school return, say heads Special needs pupils in England 'pushed to one side' in Covid crisis 'Reckless' if all pupils back 8 March, say teachers' unions
Where can I find further information?
Again, aside from clicking on the relevant links for more information, I would also remind you of the very useful resources and information provided on the following websites: - IPSEA - Council for Disabled Children - Contact - Scope - Special Needs Jungle I would also highlight again the fact that you can now get digital copies of the magazines: SEN Magazine and Autism Eye which are both very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with SEN. Keep safe until next week. With best wishes Douglas 
P.S I understand that there are a number of educational or other useful resources now on the web, so I would be very grateful if you could let me know of any that you find that other people may find useful, so that I can direct people to it.
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Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor 15th February 2021 
They say that weeks go by quickly when you are busy (or enjoying yourself), but they go by slowly when you are not busy (or not enjoying yourself).
Actually, I have found that often, in reality, we are usually unrealistic about how long it actually takes us to do something, so we are then often chasing our tails trying to complete everything that we need to do, when we just have not given ourselves enough time in the first place to do everything! And these all end up compounding each other, so that at the end of the day or week, we are just exhausted and feel under-productive, as we focus on the things we haven't done, rather than the things that we have done. So, when you think you can do something in an hour, try and give yourself two hours to do it in your diary. If you then do it in an hour, you will still have another hour to spare to do other things; but if it takes you longer than an hour, you still have time left to do it. Simple isn't it? Go on, try it - you will be surprised at how less hurried and stressed you may feel...
Don’t forget, to ensure that you never miss one, you can get my SEN Updates personally by completing your email details above,
or by following me on one of the social media platforms I use (i.e. Twitter/Facebook). You can also share this SEN Update with others (please only do so if it may be relevant to them) by using one of the icons, usually to the right or at the bottom of this page. 
Feel free to skip this bit if none of it is of interest to you.
On Friday afternoon (why do they always leave their emails until Friday afternoons), I received the latest email from the SEND Division at the Department for Education (DfE), this week entitled: 'a) SEND funding 2021-22; b) HNFF Consultation; c) Supported Internships Access to Work funding', which said: "Dear colleagues, We would like to signpost the following items:
Special Educational Needs and Disability Division" I won't say anything else, as if any of this interests you, you can click the relevant link/s and read things for yourself; and if you are not interested, you won't! 
This week I want to draw your attention to theIASS (Information, Advice and Support Services) Network.
I can do no better than to quote from their website, which says: "We are the Information, Advice and Support Services Network (IASSN)As part of the Children and Families Act 2014 it is a legal requirement that all local authorities ensure children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) & their parents have access to an impartial Information, Advice and Support (IAS) service. The IASSN are funded by the Department for Education (DfE) to support this. We do this by:
We do not provide direct advice or support to children, young people and parents. However, we can help you find your local IAS Service or you can have look at our resources section for other sources of support. The IASS Network is based within the Council for Disabled Children in the National Children's Bureau. Please note that CDC, NCB, the IASSN and all SENDIAS services, have been, like everyone, affected by the Coronavirus outbreak. Due to the wide ranging impact of this pandemic, CDC have developed a webpage dedicated to support, information and guidance regarding Coronavirus. This can be accessed here: https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/news-opinion/news/covid-19-support-and-guidance" You may also find it useful to subscribe to their newsletter, which contains news, resources and events relating to SEND. which you can do here. 
In terms of news, here's a few things I found of interest:
Where can I find further information?
Again, aside from clicking on the relevant links for more information, I would also remind you of the very useful resources and information provided on the following websites: - IPSEA - Council for Disabled Children - Contact - Scope - Special Needs Jungle I would also highlight again the fact that you can now get digital copies of the magazines: SEN Magazine and Autism Eye which are both very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with SEN. Keep safe until next week. With best wishes Douglas 
P.S I understand that there are a number of educational or other useful resources now on the web, so I would be very grateful if you could let me know of any that you find that other people may find useful, so that I can direct people to it.
How useful do you find my SEN Updates?
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Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor 8th February 2021 
This week I am going to try to go a bit lighter and not give you as much to read if possible, so you don't let yourself get distracted.
Unfortunately, these days, just as we read and delete one email or social media account, another three or more enter our inbox or feed! In fact, we seem these days to be constantly bombarded by notifications, social media posts or news (whether that be on the TV/the radio, in print or online), all competing to distract us as best they can from what we are doing. So we need to take back control of our life and not let other things control us. For me, I have switched off notifications, use an email filtering service (its called 'Sanebox' if you are interested) and now only read, listen to or catch up with the news at the weekend (I have found that if something is important, it will somehow filter up to me through other people, or it will have by then resolved itself!) Ultimately, the trick is not to let yourself get distracted or become too emotionally attached to things. So feel free to only quickly scan this email and, if there is not something of interest to you, just delete it (yes, I said that, you have my permission!) If you really think that it may be relevant to you or others, then either deal with it immediately, or put it into a 'news' or 'later' folder to look at later when you have time. But the most important thing though is to get it out of your inbox/feed and get on with your life - you have more important things to do. And don't worry, I will write another update next week!
Don’t forget, to ensure that you never miss one, you can get my SEN Updates personally by completing your email details above,
or by following me on one of the social media platforms I use (i.e. Twitter/Facebook). You can also share this SEN Update with others (please only do so if it may be relevant to them) by using one of the icons, usually to the right or at the bottom of this page 
The first thing I want to point you to this week is a free online book library that is available, which I found through a news article a few weeks ago on the BBC's website, entitled: 'Virtual library gives children in England free book access' , which stated:
'Children in England will be able to access books online free during school closures via a virtual library. Internet classroom Oak National Academy created the library after schools moved to remote learning for the majority of pupils until February half-term. Formed with The National Literacy Trust, the library will provide a book a week from its author of the week. The aim is to increase young readers' access to e-books and audiobooks, particularly the most disadvantaged. Oak National Academy is funded by the Department for Education....' 
There are also a number of good resources out there, such as from Contact, including:
- Their 'Listening Ear' service which provides free 1-1 support for parents via telephone appointment. Their advisers can help with emotional support, strategies for reducing your child's anxiety & challenging behaviour and much more. Book here: https://bit.ly/3gd2aYH - 'The helpful podcast for families with disabled children' (search for this in your podcast app), which they say covers disability benefits, special education, health and diagnosis, and accessing social care and is another way for you to access their invaluable and trusted information. - Their 'Education and Learning' information pages, which you can find here 
There were again lots of thought-provoking new articles this week in the media - here's a few if you are interested:
Over a million pupils in England's schools as demand rises Coronavirus doctor's diary: We're getting self-harming 10-year-olds in A&E 'I'm stressed. I shout. Can I do better?': experts advise on pandemic parenting Covid: The devastating toll of the pandemic on children (only brought to my attention this week)
Where can I find further information?
Again, aside from clicking on the relevant links for more information, I would also remind you of the very useful resources and information provided on the following websites: - IPSEA - Council for Disabled Children - Contact - Scope - Special Needs Jungle I would also highlight again the fact that you can now get digital copies of the magazines: SEN Magazine and Autism Eye which are both very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with SEN. Keep safe until next week. With best wishes Douglas 
P.S I understand that there are a number of educational or other useful resources now on the web, so I would be very grateful if you could let me know of any that you find that other people may find useful, so that I can direct people to it.
How useful do you find my SEN Updates?
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Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor 1st February 2021 
Typical!
After the last couple of weeks, with a lot of guidance and other information being sent out by the Department for Education (DfE), which I shared with you here, as I made my way through this past week, it had seemed a bit quieter now on that front, so I therefore thought that my update this week could be a bit lighter. However, just as I was packing up from work on Friday afternoon for the weekend (I finish earlier on Fridays), I received another very detailed email sent out by the DfE, this time entitled: '**SEND NEWSFLASH** UK disability survey; details of disability and access ambassadors; schools' SEND publication requirements & update on access to work funding' (do they pick their timings deliberately?) So, rather than my telling you everything that it says here (which would then not allow me much room for anything else really), I am only going to refer to one main part of it below in my first section of this update, which I think will be useful to most people.
Don’t forget, to ensure that you never miss one, you can get my SEN Updates personally by completing your email details above,
or by following me on one of the social media platforms I use (i.e. Twitter/Facebook). You can also share this SEN Update with others (please only do so if it may be relevant to them) by using one of the icons, usually to the right or at the bottom of this page. 
The main part of the DfE's email, which I thought would help most people by my repeating here, states as follows:
'Duties on and expectations of schools over publishing material online We have updated our summaries of the material that schools must or should publish online, including in relation to: · SEN Information Reports, which need to be updated at least annually · details of how a school complies with the public sector equality duty, with information which needs to be updated every year · a school’s equality objectives, which need to be updated at least once every four years · contact details of SENCos Schools will also typically wish to publish the Accessibility Plan, that they have to update at least once every three years. Information as to that Plan needs to be included in their SEN Information Report. There are no changes to the law and our guidance on publishing of the above, but in the updates of our summaries we have sought to bring together all the relevant material in one place and to set it out clearly. We invite Heads, SENCOs and governors/trustees to consider whether the above material on their websites remains up to date. The relevant links to our summaries of the requirements and expectations of schools are: - for maintained schools, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-maintained-schools-must-publish-online - for academies/free schools, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-academies-free-schools-and-colleges-should-publish-online 
The other bit of Government information that I was already intending to bring you this week was from OFSTED and entitled: 'Remote education research (research and analysis)', whose introduction states:
'Since March 2020, the need for and the expectations placed on remote education have changed considerably. From the middle of March and for most of the summer term, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic led to school buildings in England being closed for most pupils. There was no requirement to provide remote education during this period, although some guidance was published. Schools were open to all pupils from September 2020 but, given the need for class and year group bubbles and self-isolating pupils, the Department for Education established a continuity directive for mandatory remote education. School buildings were again closed to most pupils in January 2021. From that point, remote education has been a requirement, so that pupils can continue with their learning. At the beginning of January, we published guidance on ‘What is working well in remote education’. As England entered a third national lockdown, that short paper was intended to provide the sector with some immediate advice and reassurance on useful remote education approaches that had been distilled from our recent research activities. Remote education matters. Until mass vaccination is achieved, local lockdowns, class and year group bubbles and individuals self-isolating are likely to remain part of daily life. This will have a continuing impact on schools’ capabilities in delivering a broad and balanced curriculum to all pupils. Schools are likely to continue to rely on remote solutions to provide coverage and mitigate against learning loss. Furthermore, evidence from our interim visits suggests that given the amount of time and resources that school leaders have placed into developing their remote solutions over the past 10 months, it is likely that schools will incorporate aspects of remote education into their teaching after the pandemic. Understanding what successful remote education is has been a priority for Ofsted during the pandemic. Education providers have of course been learning ‘on the job’, and many will now be well advanced in their own understanding. This paper sets out what we have learned through our research and visits and we hope providers find it helpful.' It's contents are set out then as follows: 
Also, there were lots of thought-provoking new articles this week in the media - here's a few if you are interested:
- 'Knackered and confused.' That's just the parents - Opening schools a national priority, says government - Boris Johnson hopes schools in England will reopen from 8 March - Covid-hit pupils 'should be allowed to repeat a year' - Behind closed bedroom doors, a teenage mental health crisis is brewing - Nursery staff are being treated like cannon fodder so 'higher-value' work can go on - COVID-19: PM's letter praising families for efforts during pandemic criticised as 'kick in the teeth'
Where can I find further information?
Again, aside from clicking on the relevant links for more information, I would also remind you of the very useful resources and information provided on the following websites: - IPSEA - Council for Disabled Children - Contact - Scope - Special Needs Jungle I would also highlight again the fact that you can now get digital copies of the magazines: SEN Magazine and Autism Eye which are both very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with SEN. Keep safe until next week. With best wishes Douglas 
P.S I understand that there are a number of educational or other useful resources now on the web, so I would be very grateful if you could let me know of any that you find that other people may find useful, so that I can direct people to it.
How useful do you find my SEN Updates?
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‘Douglas Silas Solicitors’ is the trading name of ‘Douglas Silas Solicitors Limited’, a limited company registered in England & Wales (company no: 10689991), whose registered office is Gable House, 239 Regents Park Road, Finchley, London, United Kingdom, N3 3LF. A list of members/directors may be inspected at our office.
Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA no: 643718)
‘Douglas Silas Solicitors’ is the trading name of ‘Douglas Silas Solicitors Limited’, a limited company registered in England & Wales (company no: 10689991), whose registered office is Gable House, 239 Regents Park Road, Finchley, London, United Kingdom, N3 3LF. A list of members/directors may be inspected at our office.