Westminster Education Forum on ‘Policy Priorities for SEND (Nov, 2016: London, UK)

Title: Policy priorities for SEND – implementing local area inspections, raising educational outcomes and extending support for families

Date: Thursday, 3^rd November 2016

Place: Central London, UK

**This Event is CPD Certified**

Description: Bringing together key stakeholders and policymakers from across the education sector, this seminar will consider policy priorities for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Planned sessions will also look at measures to improve the educational attainment of children with SEND, including government’s new review into assessment of pupils with lower attainment – expected to be published at the beginning of 2016 – which follows evidence cited by the Department for Education that 50,000 pupils currently fall below the standard required to take national curriculum tests, including many with SEND. Delegates will also assess the implementation and progress to date of the SEND Code of Practice – two years on from its introduction – including the impact of the Local Offer, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans and personal budgets, which aim to give children and families more choice and control over the kinds of support they receive.

At this early stage, we are delighted that Dr Adam Boddison, Chief Executive, nasen has agreed to be a Guest of Honour at this seminar. Nigel Thompson, Head of Children and Health & Justice, CQC; Janet Thompson, Deputy Chair, Rochford Review and Headteacher, Dorothy Goodman School, Leicestershire and a senior speaker confirmed from SENJIT (Special Educational Needs Joint Initiative for Training), Institute of Education, University College London has also agreed to deliver a keynote speech. Matthew Ellis, Associate Director, South West Maternity and Children’s Strategic Clinical Network, NHS England; Simon Knight, Deputy Headteacher, Frank Wise School, Oxfordshire; Laxmi Patel, Solicitor and Head of Education, Boyes Turner and Julie Stockdale, Head of Schools & Commissioning, Surrey County Council have also agreed to speak.

For more details: click here.

Seminar: ‘Becoming a SENDCO: making sense of changing professional identities (April, 2006: Sheffield, UK)

Title: Becoming a SENDCO: making sense of changing professional identities.

Date: Tuesday, 5^th April 2016

Time: 12.00pm – 1.00pm

Venue: Room 9006, Cantor Building, Sheffield Hallam University

Description: Sheila Sharpe will outline her current research study which investigates the changes that Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinators (SENDCos) may experience as they begin to inhabit the new role of specialist in ‘special education’ and how this new role (and new ‘specialist’ identity) influences or changes their pedagogical thinking and practice. The study seeks to investigate how the identity of a teacher develops into the identity of a specialist teacher. The desired outcome of the research is to provide insights into the interrelationship between external and internal factors in the formation of SENDCo identity. This will enable an understanding of the particular significance of SENDCo identity formation in the role of the ‘specialist practitioner’.

The research study’s broader aims are to:

1. gain an understanding of the particular significance of SENDCo identity
2. uncover some of the discourses SENDCos use to narrate and make sense of their role
3. uncover the factors that influence the establishment of a SENDco identity

 

The aims will be achieved by using the qualitative methodology of narrative enquiry. This form of narrative enquiry will allow the researcher to hear how the SENDCos construct meaning from their perceived role and their personal belief systems and investigate what is it that marks the SENDCO out as different and enables them to take on a different and specialist identity.

It’s not necessary to book please attend if you can.

Westminster Education Forum on Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing (London, UK: October 2016)

Event title: Children’s mental health and wellbeing – integrating services, improving provision and the role of schools

Date: Tuesday, 11^th October 2016

Place: Central London

This event is CPD certified

***Guest of Honour: Natasha Devon, Mental Health Champion, Department for Education***

To more info and to book a place – click here.

With Government’s plans to spend £1.25 billion on improving children’s mental health services over the next 5 years, this conference will bring together key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss priorities for children’s mental health – including measures to improve provision, commissioning and delivery. It follows concerns of an emerging ‘time bomb’ of serious mental health conditions in England, with evidence that 75% of mental health problems in adult life (excluding dementia) start by the age of 18. The conference takes place in the context of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce’s first major report, Future in Mind, which outlines how the NHS, schools, voluntary services and local authorities can better integrate mental health provision. It is also timed to come one year on from Natasha Devon’s appointment as the Department for Education’s first ever mental health champion, providing delegates with an opportunity to assess the progress that has been made in improving mental health provision for schoolchildren. Attendees will discuss steps to improve teachers’ awareness of mental health issues in school, including the role of the curriculum. They will also assess latest thinking in this area, such as a new blueprint for schools on counselling services, the implementation of renewed guidance and mental health lesson plans and the piloting of Heads of Wellbeing, who will be responsible for staff training, educating parents and promoting wellbeing in schools. The role of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education in improving children’s understanding of mental health and wellbeing will also be considered. At this early stage, we are delighted that Natasha Devon, Mental Health Champion, Department for Education has agreed to be a Guest of Honour at this seminar.

The following have agreed to give keynote speeches:

• Chris Caldwell, Dean of Healthcare Professions, North Central and East London Office, Health Education England;
• Dr Davina Deniszczyc, Medical Executive Director, Nuffield Health;
• Dr Neil Ralph, Programme Manager for Mental Health and Learning Disability, Health Education England;
• Professor Stephen Scott, Chair, Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Professor of Child Health and Behaviour, King’s College London

The following have agreed to speak:

• Dr Peter Hindley, Chair, Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists;
• Hannah Kinsey, Training and Consultancy Manager, YoungMinds;
• Catherine Roche, Chief Executive, Place2Be;
• Enver Solomon, Director of Evidence and Impact, National Children’s Bureau (NCB);
• Dr Bernard Trafford, Headmaster, Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne
• A representative from Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), West London Mental Health Trust and North West London Collaboration of Clinical Commissioning Groups

Seminar: Reforming Additional Learning Needs Provision in Wales (Nov. 2015: Cardiff, UK)

What?: Reforming Additional Learning Needs Provision in Wales

When?: Thursday, 19^th November 2015

Where?: Central Cardiff

Hosted by: Policy Forum for Wales

This Event is CPD Certified

Guest of Honour: Jassa Scott (Assistant Director, Estyn)

This seminar follows the recently released draft Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Bill, and will be an opportunity to examine key reforms included in the Bill ‐ including a new single support framework for learners with ALN up to the age of 25, and further strategies to identify and eliminate barriers to learning.

Sessions focus on how to facilitate greater cooperation and trust between schools, local authorities, and parents and carers; ways of providing a fairer and more transparent system of advice and information; and approaches to nurturing more effective partnerships between agencies, and schools and local authorities.

To view the full agenda or to book on please click here.

Reminder: Next DRF Seminar – Weds. 10th December 2014: 10am-12pm

Details for the next DRF seminar are below. All welcome. And if you’d like to present at an upcoming seminar, please do let us know – available slots can be seen here.

Wednesday 10^th December, 10am-12pm, Room 100009 (Arundel Building, Sheffield Hallam University)

Slot 1: Joanna Baker-Rogers: Asperger Syndrome – experiencing the phenomenon of friendship (Sheffield Hallam University, UK)

Abstract: As the mother of a son with the label of Asperger Syndrome (AS), I have observed my son enjoying friendships with peers both on the autism spectrum and non-disabled. These observations would appear to challenge the diagnostic view that persons with AS do not enjoy friendship. Instead they prefer solitary activities and being alone. This conceptualisation of the autism spectrum embodies the medical model of disability and in-particular the Triad of Impairments (Wing 1995). The literature is dominated by understandings of friendship of non-disabled people (O’Dell, Bertildotter Rosqvist and Brownlow (2013). There is little consideration of potential autistic friendships from a social model of disability perspective. Instead the focus is on the failure of persons with AS to aspire to and maintain friendships with the aim of improving themselves to experience friendship from a non-disabled perspective.  I have come to question whether concepts of friendship are being imposed upon persons with AS that have little meaning for them, are disabling and embody the concepts of normalcy (Abberley 1991) and ableism (Campbell 2012).

The medical model of disability view of persons with AS not being interested in friendship needs to be problematised. This presentation of my research critiques these misconceptions that have emerged as a result of social barriers in society. My research aims to capture the different and valid lived experience of friendship for persons with AS that challenges the conceptualisation of the autism spectrum as a tragedy for the individual and their family.

Slot 2: Chris Hill: Special School Sporting Experiences: Listening to Student Researchers Labelled with Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (Sheffield Hallam University, UK)

Abstract: TBC.

Event: Diagnosis in educational and psychological practice: An interdisciplinary conversation (Jan 2014: Sheffield)

You are invited to register for an exciting, cross-disciplinary one-day conference:

Diagnosis in educational and psychological practice: an interdisciplinary conversation

…which will be held at The University of Sheffield on Monday 12th January 2015, 9:30am – 4:30pm.

The event has been organised through collaboration between Tony Williams (Educational Psychology), Harriet Cameron (Specialist Teaching in SpLD/ Dyslexia) and Alex Young (Clinical Psychology), and as such it brings together a range of perspectives on the uses and abuses of diagnosis from related, but often very separate fields of practice in education and psychology.

The main purpose of this event is to provide a critical space for attendees to explore some of the different ways in which diagnosis is experienced, to reflect upon the medicalisation of labelling in education and psychology, and to critically interrogate the assumptions they might have in this area. Through these conversations, it is hoped that we will address some of the challenges and paradoxes we face around medicalisation in the practice of specialist teaching and psychology, and that we will leave the conference with a greater awareness of the roles we play in (re)producing particular concepts of difference and difficulty.

If you are a specialist teacher, a mental health specialist, a researcher in a related field, a user of specialist SpLD or mental health services, an educational psychologist, a student in a related discipline, a clinical psychologist, a needs assessor, or a disability advisor, this conference is likely to be of interest to you.

The draft programme is attached. Precise titles for talks and workshops will be confirmed nearer the time.

To book your place, please go to http://onlineshop.shef.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&deptid=10&catid=119&prodid=333

You will need the password ‘diagnosis’ when purchasing your ticket. The tickets should be available now, but please try a little later if you find they are not yet up. There may be a short delay.

The cost is £20/ £15 concessions, and includes refreshments and lunch. The venue is fully accessible. Please let us know if you have any additional requirements.

We expect this event to be very popular, so if you would like to attend, please book your place as soon as possible.

For more information: contact Harriet Cameron on h.cameron@sheffield.ac.uk

 

Pacific Rim International Conference (May, 2015: Hawaii, USA)

from… the organisers of the Pacific Rim International Conference (May, 2015: Hawaii, USA)

 

“For our 31st edition, Pac Rim is merging and partnering with another conference, so there is sure to be plenty of surprises! 

The Pacific Rim International Conference, considered one of the most ‘diverse gatherings’ in the world, encourages and respects voices from “diverse” perspective across numerous areas, including: voices from persons representing all disability areas; experiences of family members and supporters across all disability and diversity areas; responsiveness to diverse cultural and language differences; evidence of researchers and academics studying diversity and disability; stories of persons providing powerful lessons; examples of program providers, and; action plans to meet human and social needs in a globalized world.

In 2015, new topic areas will promote thoughtful discussion and suggest new ways to integrate education, technology, advocacy, activism and interdisciplinary research. We all strive to strengthen communities and enhance the lives of all human beings. Together, we can harness the tremendous synergy generated by the intermingling and cross-fertilization of diverse perspectives, and ‘spread the word’ as we continue our professional and personal life journey.

Take your first steps to the islands by visiting the website: www.pacrim.hawaii.edu.

We welcome your ideas, suggestions and enthusiasm. Then join us in Waikiki, Hawaii, May 18 & 19, 2015.”

 

Reminder: A Week of ‘Disability’ Events (May, 2014: Sheffield, UK)

If you are in/around Sheffield next week and are into ‘disability’, you are certainly in for a treat. There are 3 events (detailed below) which might just take your fancy. Info below.

Event 1: the next (and final for this academic year) DRF seminar

Date/Time: Wednesday, 7th May 2014 (10.30am-12.30pm)

Slot 1:  Joshua Sawiuk (Univ. of Leeds, UK): The Importance of the Social Life for Disabled Students in Higher Education

Slot 2: Charlotte Jones (Univ. of Sheffield, UK): Intersex and/as Disability: Exploring the tensions between identity, medicalisation and social justice

Venue: The seminar will be held in Room 10110 (first floor) of the Arundel Building, 122 Charles Street, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University, S1 1WB.  For a map of City Campus click here.

To offer to present in 2014-2015 seminars or for more detailed access information please contact: Rebecca Mallett: r.mallett@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 4669 or Jenny Slater: j.slater@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 6691.

Event 2: Symposium: Disability and Austerity: Pan-national Reflections

Date/Time: Thursday, 8^th May 2014 (2pm-5pm)

Venue: University of Sheffield – Education Building, Room 1.02.

Event 3: Gender and Disability: Asking Difficult Questions

Date: Saturday, 10^th May 2014

Venue: University of Sheffield- Humanities Research Institute (HRI), 34 Gell Street, Sheffield, S3 7QY.

Event: Manchester Centre for Youth Studies Launch (June, 2014: UK)

Event: Manchester Centre for Youth Studies Launch – ‘Contesting Youth in the UK – Key Challenges and Agendas’

Date: Thursday 26th June 2014

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK (further details and directions to the venue can be found at www.hssr.mmu.ac.uk/mcys/)

Description: to mark the launch of the Manchester Centre for Youth Studies (MCYS), MMU are hosting a one day free event titled ‘Contesting Youth in the UK – Key Challenges and Agendas’ on Thursday 26th June 2014, in the Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University. This exciting and informative event will be used as a means to show-case work undertaken by colleagues at MMU that identifies the key challenges and agendas for research in this field. The event will bring together MYCS researchers, community groups, policymakers and practitioners working with young people, and local youth in a dialogue about how a new inter-disciplinary research centre can best engage with and address the challenges facing young people today.

The programme of events for Thursday 26th June can be found below.

For more information please contact: Dr Hannah Smithson: Co-Director MCYS (e mail: h.l.smithson@mmu.ac.uk)

Register for the event on Eventbrite here.

Programme for the Day

9.00 – 9.45 am: Registration

10.00 – 10.30 am: Welcome address

10.30 – 11.30 am: Keynote address- Helen Donohoe, Director of Research and Policy for ‘Action for Children’

11.45 – 12.30 pm: MMU Research ‘Spotlight’ Panel One

12.30 – 1.30 pm: Lunch (provided)

1.30 – 2.30 pm: Roundtable Session, discussants include:

• Tony Lloyd – Greater Manchester’s Police Crime Commissioner (young people and crime)
• Neil Mcinroy – CEO Centre for Local Economic Strategies (youth unemployment)
• Dr Jenny Slater – Lecturer in Disability Studies, Sheffield Hallam University (young people’s disability rights)
• Helen McAndrew – Head of Manchester Secondary Pupil Referral Units (young people and education)
• Sufiya Ahmed – Author (gender and diversity)

2.45 – 3.30 pm: MMU Research ‘Spotlight’ Panel Two

3.30 – 4.00 pm: Open discussion

4.30 pm onwards: Book launch and drinks reception – Dr Melanie Tebbutt: Being Boys: Youth, Leisure and Identity in the Inter-war years, Manchester University Press.

Job Opp: Professor/Reader in Education (Sheffield, UK)

Fancy being a Professor/Reader in Education (in the Sheffield Institute of Education, Faculty of Development and Society, Sheffield Hallam University, UK)

• Professor – £Competitive + benefits
• Reader – £47,787 to £55,375 + benefits

Established in 2013 and already amongst the largest providers of teacher training in the UK, the Sheffield Institute of Education (SIoE) is home to over 5,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and more than 160 dedicated staff. Our high impact research spans education from the early years of life into adulthood and we have plans in place to grow our profile even further.

As Professor/Reader in Education, you’ll be a key figurehead at the University, with a crucial contribution to make to the research leadership group within the Sheffield Institute of Education. Here, your challenge will be to provide both academic and strategic direction for research across some of our most pressing areas, such as education policy and curriculum and pedagogy in education.  [The Institute also houses a wide-range of fascinating and innovative work on inclusion, disability and autism.]

Applying your exceptional vision, creativity and leadership skills where they matter most, this is an opportunity to continue your track record of enhancing the quality of research, maximising its impact on a global scale, and growing an existing portfolio of high profile research funding.

Enjoying real breadth and potential, we’re looking for an inspirational leader with a passion for education and the power it has to engender positive social change. With a strong research profile behind you, it’s also important that you can demonstrate an ability to influence and develop both colleagues and students. Able to see the bigger picture as well as the detail, your success will shine through the strategic development of our research programmes.

Join us at this exciting time in our development and we will go above and beyond to encourage and support your original ideas and professional ambitions.

To learn more or apply visit www.shu.ac.uk/jobs

Closing date: 17 April 2014.

Also click here.