Being a parent of a child with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) can be fraught with difficulty. Even as an experienced Sendco, trying to navigate our current system is a minefield at times.
Trying to juggle children with complex needs, while also grappling with an ever-changing system, can be relentless and exhausting for a family.
A key part of the SEND Code of Practice is to promote good communication and engagement with families, although this can be really tough for school staff who are already overburdened, as well as for parents or carers who are working, or have other commitments during the school day.
Here are some ideas for how to navigate these challenges and ensure good parental engagement in school.
1. Create spaces for families to come together
Families of pupils with SEND can feel isolated and overwhelmed, especially if they are managing tricky behaviours at home or in school, or if they are struggling with their child’s school attendance or engagement with learning.
By creating spaces for these families to meet with each other, schools allow networks to be built and communities to flourish. This is especially important to ensure families do not feel they exist in isolation, but that there are other people they can talk to, who are experiencing similar challenges.
In my experience, parent groups often start small but will grow over time. Relevant training, support sessions or stall events offered by the school can be very popular. It is helpful to canvass your families in advance to find out what they would find most useful.
Whatever approach you take, aim to plug in the kettle and bring the biscuits; I am a strong believer in the power of refreshments. If you have the capacity to offer a crèche, or are happy for families to bring small children, this can be helpful, too.
Some of the most popular sessions I have run have been around neurodiversity and neuro-affirming language. This has the added benefit of raising the profile of the school’s vision for inclusivity and helping parents to recognise that their child is welcome here.
2. Make time to listen
Families need to feel listened to, that their child is cared about and that the school wants the best for them. The simple solution here is to make time to actively listen to what they have to say.
Unless it is an urgent issue, I find families generally understand that staff are busy; they are happy to be given a timeslot when they know they will be able to speak to someone and be heard, even if that is in the future.
Responding to concerns or queries within a reasonable timeframe is also important for maintaining strong relationships. Some schools use an email signature or an automatic reply to confirm a response window of, for example, 48 hours.
In the meantime, keep parents informed by making sure you have a clear provision review process in place. This gives families access to their child’s SEND information and helps them to understand what support their child is receiving, and how that support is being reviewed.
3. Be able to signpost to external services
I find it is always good to be honest and upfront with parents; if I don’t know the answer to a question, I explain that I will have to get back to them within a certain timeframe.
At times, it might be necessary to take further advice and guidance, either from within the school or from external sources.
It is important to have a clear understanding of local signposting services, as well as information about your county’s Local Offer and, in addition, where parents can go to gain impartial advice.
I often encourage parents to seek additional advice and guidance, to ensure that they feel they have understood all avenues, are clear with all the options and feel that they are making the right decision.
4. Make reasonable adjustments
It isn’t only important to consider reasonable adjustments for pupils - where appropriate, these need to be made for parents, too.
Consider how to support different families by offering different ways to meet (virtually, over the phone or face-to-face) or by providing information in different formats, such as through videos, on the school website or in different community languages.
Working with families is a crucial part of ensuring a child’s success in school. By focusing on key strategies to improve open communication and parental engagement, families will feel well supported and included in the school community.
Leyla Gambell is an experienced Sendco at a mainstream secondary school in North Kent
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