Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor
26th April 2021

Don't draw attention to a mistake…

That's another thing I like to say to people regularly. It's so normal for people to want to tell someone something that they have done wrong when they do not actually need to. Or they may feel it necessary to highlight when they have not got something quite right, or at least to their liking, but which the other person would not have noticed otherwise.

Heaven forbid, if you interpret this as me suggesting that you should not tell the truth. That couldn't be farther from the truth itself of what I am saying (and be careful, as this probably says more about you then me)! But a lot of information does not need to be shared a lot of the time. In fact, it can actually be distracting and irrelevant most of the time. This principle applies to so many things, from what happens in the playground to what happens in the boardroom!

Let me give you a very basic (and you may feel a bit of a trivial) example. You are speaking with someone face-to-face (either in person or over videoconference) one afternoon, after having lunch where you spilt a little something on your top. Don't then start the conversation by apologising for the stain, as the other person will then notice it, even though they may not have noticed it before; and they will keep noticing it when you are speaking with them. It is as though they will be unconsciously and magnetically drawn to it, even though they may not have noticed it before, if you had not brought it to their attention, and will just then serve as a distraction to what you are saying.

Of course, if you do notice a small stain on somebody's top, they also would become distracted by it if you bring their attention to it, as they may have not noticed it before, but will then become distracted by it if you point it out to them. And the paradox to this is that, if somebody is compromised by having something on their face, for example (let's stay with the lunch theme analogy and say it is a bit of sauce or topping), then you should probably quietly point it out to them (not in earshot of others, so as not to embarrass them), otherwise they will feel mortified later to discover it for themselves looking in the mirror and realise that lots of people may have seen it and, like you, did not tell them about it.

A hard one, isn't it?

​I guess that it will always depend on the specific circumstances and your relationship to the other person, as if you do point it out with the best of intentions, they may then think that you are belittling them. So, my best advice is to just always try and put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself, if it was you in their place, what would you want another person to do?

Not a perfect answer, I know, but something to think about!

In this week's SEN Update, you will find sections entitled:
​​

• THE BIG ASK (CHILDREN'S COMMISSIONER SURVEY)
• SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN WITH SEND
• LATEST NEWS ONLINE

 
I know how busy everyone always is, so please feel free just to read the sections that are of interest to you or read everything; the choice is always yours.

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 BIG ASK
Do you remember at around the time last year, when the first Covid-19 'lockdown' was still within its first few weeks? I recall that you couldn't move then for being bombarded with so much information on the internet, from Government guidance/new legislation, to many news stories in the media (both bad and good), to many educational and other resources being made available for free.

Well,  here we are a year on and, although it is clear that things have yet got back to 'normal' (whatever that is) and we may actually never do, there does not seem to be as much on the web that I consider important or interesting enough to share with you in these (now weekly) SEN Updates.

One thing that did catch my eye though this week is the launch of 'The Big Ask' survey by the new Children's Commissioner for England, ​Dame Rachel de Souza.

If you go to the Children's Commissioner website, you are greeted by a welcome from her that reads:

"Hi, my name is Rachel de Souza and I’m the Children’s Commissioner for England. My job is to speak up for children in England, stand up for their rights, and make sure that the people in power listen to what children need and want.

It’s time to give something big back to young people like you after COVID — and we need your help to do it.

This is the largest ever survey of children and young people in England. We’ll use what you tell us to show the government what you think, and what children need to live happier lives.

This survey will only take you 5-10 minutes."

The webpage then provides options for the following age groups:
​

• Ages 4-5
• Ages 6-8
• Ages 9-12
• Ages 13-17

There are also 'Easy read versions' of the survey available for the following age groups:

• Easy read ages 6–8
• Easy read ages 9–17

There is also a survey for 'Adults' (where the webpage says: "If you are aged 18+ and are a care leaver, parent, or you work with children please complete our adult survey to share your views.")

Then, under a section entitled: 'Why you should take part', it says:

"This is your chance to have your say on the things that matter to you. You can tell us what your life is like, what you want in the future, and anything you think is holding you back."

Finally, there is a free 'Resources' section for teachers, youth groups and parents to help children complete the survey and a section on 'FAQs' as well.

Important I think for as many children/young people to complete.

SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN WITH SEND
This week there was also a Westminster Hall debate on support for children with SEND led by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP.

You can watch it here

LATEST NEWS ONLINE
And here are the news articles that I found of interest this week:

Big Ask: Children in England asked their hopes for post-Covid future
Children ‘left behind’ in Covid-19 vaccination programme – JCVI expert
Blended learning: How to make your resources accessible

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 a digital copy of the magazine:  Autism Eye which is very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with Autism.

Keep safe until next week.

With best wishes
 
Douglas

​Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor
19th April 2021

​Just because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should do it...

People say that this is sometimes better referred to as knowing the difference between the theory and the practice, or knowing when it is better to think something only and not say it.

This latter principle is a favourite of mine and you will often hear me telling people that, although they can think something when speaking to someone, they should not always say it out loud, as if it is the wrong thing to say, it is now out there and they can never take it back, no matter how hard they try. This is especially true these days, when what you say can be so quickly amplified by social media - it can really have devastating and life-changing consequences for someone in just a short while.

Too often, we just want to demonstrate to the world how clever we are because we can do or say this or that. But as I also often say, there is a difference between being clever and being wise. The clever person will want other people to know how clever they are, but the wise person will keep silent or not do anything, as they know that speaking or doing a lot is often not very wise in the long run.

So, when you find yourself about to say or do something, stop yourself for just a second and internally ask yourself if you are only saying or doing it because you can and are really just trying to show other people how clever you are and the wisest thing is actually not to say it or do it. ​If you then don't say it or do it, just because you can, you may have just saved yourself from a difficult situation afterwards!

​In this week's SEN Update, you will find sections entitled:
​​

• NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS SOMETIMES
• LATEST NEWS ONLINE

 
I know how busy everyone always is, so please feel free just to read the sections that are of interest to you or read everything; the choice is always yours.

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.

NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS SOMETIMES

This is, for most people involved with schools/colleges (either directly or indirectly), the first day back after the break (yes, I know that many of you, like me, only really had the Bank Holiday weekend off!)

Again (this is the third week), there has not been much to report on and the only thing that I think that is worth my bringing to your attention (aside from the new stories below) is the fact that the charity/organisation, IPSEA has dated its webpage entitled: 'IPSEA update on COVID-19 and SEN provision' that contains summaries of the current government advice.

LATEST NEWS ONLINE
And here are the news articles that I found of interest this week:

Covid: Colleges face losing tens of millions of pounds
Government urged to scrap plans to assess youngest primary kids

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 a digital copy of the magazine:  Autism Eye which is very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with Autism.

Keep safe until next week.

With best wishes
 
Douglas

Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor
12th April 2021

Wasting time is not time wasted...

I can't claim that one! I think I read it on a poster I saw once and it resonated with me, like I hope it does for you too.

Unfortunately, we always seem to be in such a hurry to do things and are constantly chasing our tails in the process, or we always seem to be internally telling ourselves that we cannot do this or that as we think of it as unproductive (or 'wasting time'), that we often convince ourselves that we will therefore be losing valuable time, where we could be doing something else more productive and worthwhile.

Well, believe it or not, this is not true! That's because the time that we think we are wasting being unproductive actually usually helps us to relax and refresh ourselves. This, in turn, means that when we then return to doing the 'productive' thing that we were worried about losing time over, we can do it much more quickly and creatively, sometimes even in half the time that we would have taken to do it, if we hadn't taken a break to do something where we thought that we were wasting time!

It's like not making yourself stay up at night to finish a piece of work, but instead stopping at an earlier hour (when you still have energy and can think more clearly to do this) and then, after getting a good night's sleep, coming back to it again afresh in the morning. You will really be amazed at how much quicker you can then do something and how much better it may also be.

Go on try it.

​In this week's SEN Update, you will find sections entitled:
​​

• A QUIET WEEK AGAIN
• LATEST NEWS ONLINE

 
I know how busy everyone always is, so please feel free just to read the sections that are of interest to you or read everything; the choice is always yours.

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.

A QUIET WEEK AGAIN

Whenever I sit down to write my weekly SEN Update on a Sunday afternoon, I review what has happened in the news since my last update and then ask myself what information I can usefully pass on.

​But I'm afraid that again, like last week, it has been a bit of a quiet week, so I am just going to skip again to the news  articles which I have found of interest (but you can ignore if they are not of interest to you).

LATEST NEWS ONLINE
Here are the news articles that I found of interest:

Secondary school pupils to keep wearing masks after Easter
Schools 'a lifeline to many students' in past year'
£280m for SEND school places and improvements
Pupil premium changes: Useful or just more paperwork?

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 a digital copy of the magazine:  Autism Eye which is very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with Autism.

Keep safe until next week.

With best wishes
 
Douglas

Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor
6th April 2021

People say that you can get used to anything...

I guess the past year, with so many changes arising out of the Coronavirus pandemic, has proved this idea, with so may of us doing things so very differently to the way that we had ever imagined before.

The saddest thing I have heard during this past year (but only after the personal stories of loss, which are all so really, really tragic to hear), is the story of the physically disabled university student, soon after the first lockdown, who said that she had been pleading with her university for many years to allow her access to her courses online, but they had consistently told her it was not possible.

However, within just a few days after lockdown, the university had miraculously found a way to put, not only her course, but all courses online. This made her then sadly realise that it had always been possible, but they just did not want to make it accessible for her.

Sad isn't it and makes you think doesn't it?

​The trick is now also not just to go back to our old ways of doing things, if we have found new ways now of doing things that are better for us and those around us in the long run. But also remember, it is very easy to change things when things change around us, but also for us to go back to old ways when things go back to what they were, so try not to just go back to old ways, if you have found better ways now.

​In this week's SEN Update, you will find information about:
​

• WE ALL NEED A BIT OF QUIET TIME NOW AND THEN
• LATEST NEWS ONLINE

 
I know how busy everyone always is, so please feel free just to read the sections that are of interest to you or read everything; the choice is always yours.

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.

WE ALL NEED A BIT OF QUIET TIME NOW AND THEN
I'm afraid that there doesn't seem to be a lot for me to talk to you about this week. I am also conscious that schools are now on their break and many parents/professionals may have their domestic responsibilities piled up on them. We all also need a bit of quiet time now and then.

As such, I have decided to skip my normal three 'middle' three sections of my update  this week and jump straight onto the new stories that I have found of interest.

LATEST NEWS ONLINE
Here are the news articles that I have found of interest:

Tackling sexual abuse not just for schools, say heads
Everyone's Invited: Schools abuse helpline and review launched
'Inadequate funding' is school Covid risk, says union
ADHD in girls: why aren’t schools spotting it?
School moves are adding to children’s trauma, psychotherapist warns

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 a digital copy of the magazine:  Autism Eye which is very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with Autism.

Keep safe until next week.

With best wishes
 
Douglas