ARFID, a term created in 2013, is an acronym of “Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder”. ARFID children will experience issues with food choices, often exhibiting fears
EOTAS, (Education Other Than at School), is a phrase now synonymous with the recognition of children who cannot be taught in school. These children require
Pathological Demand Avoidance, or PDA as it is widely known, was defined as a neurological condition in the 1980s. It is not easy to know
Statistics from the website “ADHD UK” estimate that there are 708,000 children living in the UK with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Children with the
Safety is at the core of life. It is a parent’s role to safeguard their children and a teacher’s role to safeguard their students in
It is estimated by the British Dyslexia Association that 10% of people in the UK have dyslexia. From this statistic, 4% of the population are
Communication is our lifeline; it allows us to create friendships, convey our feelings and learn about our world. We cannot be sure how many people
When we mask, we camouflage and present a different reality to the world. The neurotypical population may mask to ease their nerves on their first
Coined as a condition in the 1980s, Pathological Demand Avoidance, or PDA as it is more commonly known, has only become more widely recognised since
The pre-teen years, when a young person begins the transition from childhood to adolescence, are a difficult time for most children. This period coincides with
Some people look back on their schooldays with great fondness while others shudder to recall harsh teachers and playground spats. But if you were to
If you’ve got more than one child, they are very unlikely to have the same temperament and interests and might even have wildly differing personalities
We all experience a range of emotions as we go about our daily lives. We may, for example, feel irritated at the long queues in
In the UK, it’s the responsibility of local authorities (LAs) to ensure that all children receive an appropriate education up to the age of eighteen.
We often hear people express concern that kids spend too much time online these days when they should be out in the fresh air, getting
Nurturing – providing food, comfort, protection or support – is often associated with looking after pets or plants or bringing up children. Certainly, all children
‘Trauma’ is a word we hear a lot of these days and for many people, it suggests an event or set of circumstances where something
If a person has been diagnosed with autism, it’s highly likely that they will also have other conditions alongside such as dyspraxia, sensory processing disorder,
Becoming a parent is a huge life-change but most people muddle along, meeting each challenge as it arises and doing their best to raise happy,
Any specialist discipline from Engineering to Fine Art has its own ‘lingo’ and the field of education is no different. When it comes to children
Even if you haven’t heard of the term ‘FASD’ – Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – you’re probably aware that drinking alcohol while pregnant isn’t good
Society is gradually becoming more aware of how autism presents itself in females. Until fairly recently, it was widely believed that ASC was largely a
If you’ve ever tried to help your child with their maths homework, only to panic that you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll understand just
According to the dictionary, ‘alexithymia’ is ‘the inability to recognise one’s emotions and describe them’. It often occurs as part of autism and other neurodiversities
Charlene Andruskevicius has twin sons, Oliver and Harry, who are now eighteen. Harry is autistic, visually and hearing impaired and has the cognitive ability of
It’s well-known that neurodivergent people can have food challenges. Reluctance to eat or following a restricted diet, for example, are common issues in neurodiverse children
If your child has any kind of special need, they could face different challenges to most of their peers. On top of that, because everyone
As we’re often told, many autistic youngsters are welded to their computers and tablets. Playing games, looking at websites, or scrolling through social media channels
Many young people hit a patch where they lose interest in their studies. This might be due to any number of factors such as teenage
The term ‘EOTAS Package’ may sound like a cut-price holiday to a little-known Greek island but it actually stands for ‘Education Other Than At School’.
The Christmas period often inspires a flurry of creative activity in even the most Scrooge-like individuals. There are presents to wrap, cards to make and
We often hear how difficult it is for a person with ASC (autism) to find any kind of employment. According to the National Autistic Society,
A number of adults who work in offices came to appreciate the benefits of working from home during the Covid lockdowns and for many people,
Life changes when you become a parent and even more so when you have a child with special needs. Learning to understand and adapt to
Falling out with brothers and sisters or school friends, learning how to manage relationships and emotions, and understanding how to negotiate conflicts is part of
‘Executive function’ or ‘executive functioning skills’ refers to a set of cognitive skills that enable us to make plans, organise information, follow instructions, maintain focus,
If someone’s autistic, it is likely to affect all aspects of their life from their relationships, education and employment to their health, hobbies and ability
In some ways, dyspraxia is the ‘poor relation’ of special needs. Not everyone has heard of it and those that have might be unsure about
World Mental Health Day (10th October) – was established in 1992 to promote understanding of mental and emotional health. But despite growing awareness of these
Empathy – the ability to sense what someone else is feeling and understand it from their point of view – is a vital part of
When we think about someone with ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – many of us picture a small boy, hurtling around the classroom –
Technology has completely revolutionised all aspects of modern life in just a few years. As an example, you can now see who’s at your front
You may or may not have come across the term ‘autistic burnout’. It’s a recent idea that is gradually making its way into mainstream awareness
It goes without saying that we all experience the world through our senses. In fact, it’s how we learn anything – from riding a bike
Remember the thrill of getting pocket money as a child and splurging it on something completely frivolous such as three bags of jelly babies or
Going to school is as much about making friends – and falling out with them – as it is learning your times tables. But for
It’s often the case that people who work with children with special needs have some personal experience with SEN themselves. It may be that they
Getting the right help for your child – whether that’s an EHC Plan, a diagnosis or enough one-to-one support at school – is often down
Seeing King Charles III glide solemnly through Westminster Abbey in his velvet robes and regalia for his coronation, how many of us are secretly reminded
Many of us take our ability to speak for granted, only stopping to consider how useful this is when a sore throat or toothache makes
April is Diversity Awareness Month. Human beings, as we know, come in all shapes and sizes, hail from a variety of backgrounds and have hugely
A child with good verbal skills can often demonstrate excellent understanding when social situations or expectations are explained to them but as soon as they’re
Easter is a Christian festival but it also celebrates spring. Whether you’re religious or not, you can’t fail to feel more hopeful when the mornings
You might imagine that school drama lessons would give kids with SEN the perfect opportunity to improve their confidence and social skills along with boosting
Irlen syndrome – sometimes referred to as ‘visual stress’ or ‘perceptual processing disorder’ – is a neurological condition which affects a person’s vision. However, it
Yvonne Newbold knows only too well how difficult it can be bringing up a child with special needs. Her son Toby was born with profound
You can’t cure autism but there are lots of strategies and therapies out there that can help build a child’s confidence and social understanding to
Have you heard of ‘interoception’? Many of us have only recently become aware of the word as it’s a ‘hot topic’ in the field of
‘Time to Talk Day’ was established in 2014 to encourage friends, family members and colleagues to share their mental and emotional struggles with each other.
Much of what makes Christmas an exciting time of year is its sensory appeal – brightly-coloured wrapping paper, twinkling lights and scented candles, special food
Communication or social interaction is a common challenge for children with special needs, particularly if they’re autistic. Although these issues can’t be completely eradicated, with
9th October is PANS/ PANDAS awareness day, but what is PANS/ PANDAS? WHAT IS PANS/PANDAS? Many parents of children with special needs have a niggling
If your child has recently received a diagnosis of ADHD, you’ve probably done what many other parents in your situation have done before you and
Obsessive-compulsive disorder – usually known as ‘OCD’ – is a common mental health condition characterised by persistent and unwanted, distressing thoughts. Though these intrusive thoughts
Society’s perception of special educational needs and disability, and how they affect a child’s education and social life is constantly evolving and advancing. However, one profile which remains less understood
The last few years have seen an upsurge in awareness of the differences in boys and girls with special needs. Neurodivergent males, the experts now
Recent years have seen a lot of speculation on the differences between boys and girls with special needs. But when it comes to educating young
Discovering that your child has special needs – which could be anything from a physical disability such as hearing impairment or cerebral palsy to the
For most people, the teenage years are a time of great highs and soul-destroying lows. You get to experience some of the freedoms of adult
We often talk about being ‘stressed’ but what does it actually mean? Though the word can signify different things to different people, generally-speaking, it means
Most of us know the pleasure that comes from singing along to a favourite song or dancing to a funky disco number. But according to
Perhaps the broadest category of special needs, ‘SEMH’ refers to people who have social, emotional or mental health difficulties. It’s a label that can be
Whatever you do for a living, your professional life brings you knowledge and understanding that people in other fields might not ‘get’. According to people
As most people who work in education will tell you, it’s important to grab ‘real life’ opportunities to consolidate what children learn in the classroom.
If your child has special needs and requires extra support at school or in the home, they may have an EHCP (Education and Healthcare Plan).
Ever drifted off in a meeting and been jerked back to the present moment by someone asking you a question you can’t answer because you
It’s ADHD Awareness Month – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to give it its full name. The NHS defines it as a neurological disorder characterised by
October is ‘Sensory Processing Disorder Awareness Month’ – which is something of a mouthful if you don’t have your dentures in! Tongue-twisters aside, the aim
Most of us have heard of dyslexia and have some understanding that it is a condition that affects a person’s ability to read, write and
Dyspraxia – also known as developmental coordination disorder – is a condition where a person finds it difficult to make their body perform simple, everyday
As many wise people have often said, ‘Fail to plan and plan to fail’. This is particularly true when it comes to working as a
Tutors often point out that boosting a student’s self-confidence is crucial if you want to help them make academic progress. This is especially true for
Have you heard of dysgraphia? Even if you are aware that it’s the formal term for difficulties with handwriting, perhaps you’ve never given it much
Remember the excitement of starting a new academic year every September? Even if you weren’t too fussed about school in general, it was usually thrilling
If you’ve ever winced at the sound of a fingernail scraping a blackboard or shuddered at the texture of a spoonful of rice pudding, you’ll
Growing up, in many ways, is a series of ‘firsts’ – your first day at school, for example, or learning to ride a bike, your
Teachers often talk about learning ‘by stealth’ – in other words: ‘helping children to acquire new skills or improve their existing abilities without them realising
When you have a child with special needs, you become an unwitting expert in all kinds of things you never thought you would need to
According to the charity The National Deaf Children’s Society, there are approximately 50,000 children in the UK with a diagnosed hearing loss. Fifty percent of
World Autism Awareness Day was set up by the United Nations in 2007. It takes place on April 2nd each year with the aim of
Positive Dyslexia According to the British Dyslexia Association, ‘Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading
Schools have been back a week. Teachers are working hard to ease children back into their routines and do activities to address the fallout of
In our series of tutor tips, we’re sharing everyday insights provided by highly talented Special Educational Needs (SEN) tutors, which include practical tips, plus a few
By Specialist SEN Tutor – Gillian Working with families with children with SEN has put extra demand on teachers to be all-encompassing, as well as
By Specialist SEN Tutor – Gillian Families with children with special needs have put extra demand on teachers to be all-encompassing, as well as their
Bringing up kids with special needs brings loads of extra challenges. Most parents face these willingly because we love our children and want the best
In the second of a series of new articles, we’re sharing everyday insights provided by various Special Educational Needs (SEN) tutors, which include practical tips,
Our tutors have a wealth of knowledge and are dedicated to using their extensive experience and teaching skills to bring out the full potential of
As a parent of a child or young adult with Special Educational Needs (SEN), whether that’s autism, dyslexia, ADHD or another SEN, it’s likely that he
What are the benefits (or not!) of ABA tutors? Are they worth it? What is the alternative if you need professional help? As specialists in
As long-established experts in providing specialist dyslexia tutoring to children and young adults, both online and face-to-face, we are well-placed to understand the vital role
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