Special educational needs articles

During SATs season parents strive to convey the importance of exams without overwhelming their children, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Helen Spiers, child and adolescent counsellor and Head of Counselling at Mable Therapy, gives her expert advice.

Audiobooks are a wonderful way to enjoy stories, especially for those who struggle with reading. With so many to choose from, we've rounded up some of our favourite audiobooks for primary-school kids, so that you have a good place to start!

Finding the right gift that will bring joy and comfort can be a challenge, and it can feel like the world of children’s toys is lacking in the special educational needs (SEN) department. But the market is slowly changing, and sensory toys are becoming a popular choice for children of all neurological backgrounds.

One mum shares her experience of parenting an abusive and violent child.

Being educated outside school in alternative provision can help children who struggle with mainstream schooling. One mum shares her story.

Find out what help is available with the cost of school meals, home to school transport, and school uniform.

Some children with autism struggle with PDA: an anxiety-driven condition that can make it extremely difficult to comply with demands. We explain what it is and how to help your child cope at home and at school.

Whether your child is just learning to read and print letters or looking for ways to put their creative writing skills to the test, we've rounded up some fantastic resources to help them practise phonics, grammar, story-writing and comic-creating at home. Plus there are loads of different ways to connect with authors and listen to stories.

Children with a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) such as dyslexia, ADHD and DCD/Dyspraxia, can find studying more of a challenge and often benefit from different styles of learning. Learning advisor and specialist teacher Ann-Marie McNicholas shares practical advice to help make studying easier.

From September 2020, new provision for special educational needs will come into force in Wales. We explain the new ALN Act.

Speech, language and communication difficulties can hold your child back at school. We explain what to expect if your child needs intervention.

Dealing with a special needs diagnosis is never easy, especially if your child's school doesn't recognise their problems. How can you make sure they get the help they need?

Louisa Reeves, Speech and Language Advisor with the children’s communication charity I CAN, shares her advice on helping a child with communication difficulties cope at school.

Maxine Burns, speech and language advisor at children's communication charity I CAN, shares her tips for helping your child settle in at school.

Touch typing is an essential skill for today's tech-savvy kids, offering them a huge advantage with secondary-school homework and for the whole of their working life, but your child is unlikely to be taught it in school. Using typing tools can hasten your child's progress while also learning techniques that can increase speed and accuracy.

We review 6 of the top typing tutor programmes to help you find the best at-home learning solution for your family

From formulating ideas to getting words on the page, we take a look at why written work can be a challenge for dyslexic children and suggest ways to support your child's writing at home.

From difficulty with phonics to ‘dancing’ letters, dyslexic children may face extra challenges when they're learning to read. We explain how you can support their learning at home.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services provide help for young people suffering a range of difficulties. We take a look at how they could help your child.

If your child has special educational needs, a mainstream education may not be right for them. We take a look at how special schools could help.