The SENDcast

It can be difficult to understand exactly how much we use our senses for all daily tasks. Today, Dale discusses the fascinating world of sensory processing with our special guest, Ali Neal, an experienced occupational therapist. She discusses how sensory processing impacts daily life, particularly for children and individuals in educational settings. Ali takes us through a fun and relatable exercise involving sweets, illustrating how sensory processing plays a role in even the simplest tasks. Make sure you grab a sweet before tuning in (a great excuse to enjoy a treat)! Ali breaks down the steps involved in enjoying the sweet, from unwrapping it to savouring the taste. She highlights what can go wrong in this process when sensory information isn't processed effectively. View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop! About Ali Neal Ali Neal is a specialist Occupational Therapist with advanced training in sensory processing. She runs School Sensory Solutions which provides regular and cost effective training for all educators supporting SEN and neurodivergent pupils in schools via an online learning platform. Ali prides herself in finding solutions to everyday problems experienced by children and young people at school that actually work and supporting teachers to incorporate these in their already busy days. Ali presents regularly at national level on the topic of Occupational Therapy and sensory processing for a number of organisations across the country including at both The Autism Show and The OT Show. She has written a book on Sensory Movement Breaks and has written an award winning program for developing motor skills for children with special educational needs. Contact Ali www.schoolsensorysolutions.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/SchoolSensorySolutions/ ali@schoolsensorysolutions https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-sensory-solutions/ Useful Links School Sensory Solutions training membership Sensory movement breaks 101 sensory circuit activities B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast Email Dale – [email protected] Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe The SENDcast is powered by B Squared We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

Navigating the SEND system can be overwhelming, and many parents find themselves without essential information until it's too late. Unfortunately, there's no handbook to guide us. Often, parents only begin to understand SEN processes, the graduated approach, and even SEN law when their child is already struggling. This week, we welcome Samantha Ryan, a neurodivergent mother, SEND advocate, and author. In this insightful episode, Samantha shares her journey as a parent navigating the complex SEND system, advocating for her autistic son who has been out of school since March 2024. With her unique perspective, she discusses the emotional challenges faced by parents and the critical importance of being informed about the SEND process. Key highlights from their discussion: The significance of understanding the assess, plan, do, review (APDR) cycle and how it impacts your child's educational journey. Practical advice on how parents can work collaboratively with schools to ensure their children's needs are met. The importance of early intervention and how informed parents can help prevent crises before they escalate. Insight into the emotional toll of navigating the SEND system and the need for a supportive community. Samantha's experiences and insights can empower parents and educators alike to create a more inclusive environment for all children with SEND. View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop! About Samantha Ryan I am a neurodivergent mother, informal SEND advocate, and author of SEND Help! and A Parent's Guide to SEND Life and Law (although my day job is Global Process Owner working in Finance process and systems for ITV). My son is autistic, PDA and probable ADHD. He hit burnout at school in March 2024 and was left with trauma after being restrained during a mental health crisis. He has been out of education since that fateful day. I have been fighting for support and continue to battle through the SEND support system. I spent a year as co-admin helping to grow the Facebook group SEN Parent Support Group which was setup by Andrea Dixon-Boldy in February 2024 and was at 19,000 members by the time I left the group in May this year. Over that time, I did my IPSEA SEN law training for parents, created hundreds of resources breaking down SEN processes, designed and delivered training to hundreds of parents and offered parent-to-parent support alongside our amazing team of volunteers. I am passionate about empowering families with the knowledge they deserve before they reach crisis point. Contact Samantha https://linktr.ee/samantharyansendnd https://www.facebook.com/Sam.MentallyHilariousMum/ https://www.tiktok.com/@sam_mhm Useful Links Available on Amazon: Parent's Guide to SEND Life and Law : Amazon.com: PARENT'S GUIDE TO SEND LIFE & LAW: Rights, reality, resilience & resistance: A Parent's Survival Guide to SEND Law, Life, and the Support That Saves Us eBook : Ryan, Samantha: Kindle Store SEND Help! A Parent's Toolkit to Navigating SEND Processes SEND Help!: A Parent's Toolkit to Navigating SEND Process eBook : Ryan, Samantha: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast Email Dale – [email protected] Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe The SENDcast is powered by B Squared We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

Have you heard of the TV show The Assembly? I'm thrilled to announce that the series director, Céin McGillicuddy and his creative partner Andy Kinnear, have joined Dale on the podcast to discuss their brand-new pilot show on ITV – Play Time! Play Time features six neurodivergent comedians visiting a primary school and are challenged, in the course of one school day, to create and perform an original stage play that's based entirely on the ideas of a group of 6 to 8 year old school children, many of them from the school's SEND department. Céin and Andy share their behind-the-scenes experience of creating Play Time, their inspiration for the show and why they feel it's important to make inclusive shows like this. Positive representation of SEND in mainstream media, such as Play Time, helps normalise these experiences and reduces the sense of 'other' often associated with SEND. "Play Time is about listening to children that don't usually get heard." The show is now available on ITVX and YouTube and will be broadcast on ITV tonight at 11.15pm. Make sure you watch this heart-warming, feel-good show. We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we did! Please tell your friends and family and spread the word! View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop! Watch the show on ITVx, YouTube or ITV Live on ITV Sunday 9th November at 11.15pm Watch the Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/1122234831/b93216bdcb Would you like Play Time to come to your school? If anyone listening likes the idea of the comedians visiting their school in a future episode, no matter where in the UK you are, please do feel free to drop Céin an email on [email protected]. About Céin McGillicuddy Céin McGillicuddy is the comedy writer/director behind comedies Top Coppers, Sexy Murder and Law Man as well as the director of the most recent two series of the BAFTA winning Horrible Histories. Working across both scripted and unscripted, Céin was also the showrunner and series director behind the return of cult hit GamesMaster in 2021 as well as series directing the bold new interview series The Assembly on ITV. Following a late-stage diagnosis for autism, he was inspired to combine his work in comedy and on The Assembly to co-create Play Time; a brand new, charming comedy entertainment format that champions neurodivergent adults and children. Out now on ITVX and YouTube. About Andy Kinnear Andy Kinnear is a freelance comedy Editor and writer. A 15 year editing career working on Bafta winning Comedy and Entertainment from Facejacker and Derren Brown, through to scripted comedy such as Harry & Paul, Trying, Cuckoo, Here We Go and Smoggie Queens has established him as one of the most sought after Editors in the industry. His writing partnership with Céin Mcgillicuddy includes cult hit Top Coppers, Sexy Murder and Law Man and their most recent collaboration: Play Time - a brand new, charming comedy entertainment format that champions neurodivergent adults and children. Out now on ITVX and YouTube. Contact Céin http://www.nannycaddie.co.uk/ http://www.cein.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/ceinmcg/ [email protected] Contact Andy http://www.nannycaddie.co.uk/ http://www.andykinnear.com/ [email protected] Useful Links B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast Email Dale – [email protected] Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe The SENDcast is powered by B Squared We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

In this week's episode, Dr Sue Jennings, a leading expert in neuro-dramatic play and drama therapy, joins Dale to explore Neuro-Dramatic-Play (NDP). Sue explains that NDP is an attachment-based approach designed to help children, particularly those with negative early experiences, build connections through play. She emphasises the critical role of early attachment, noting that it begins even before birth and is essential for healthy emotional development. Sue shares her incredible stories having worked across over 30 countries, including her time living with a tribal community in Malaysia. Dale and Sue explore three main types of play: rhythmic play, which promotes calm and connection through structured activities; messy play, which encourages exploration and experimentation, vital for cognitive and social development; and dramatic play, allowing children to express emotions and process experiences in a safe environment. Sue also highlights the importance of creating safe spaces for children, especially during transitions and periods of change. "I think too often children are being treated like little grown-ups rather than as children." Dr Sue Jennings View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop! About Dr Sue Jennings Early career in theatre as dancer and actor; innovator Neuro-Dramatic-Play (NDP) and Dramatherapy in the UK, Greece, Romania, Malaysia, China, India. Doctoral research in Malaysian rain forest, living with tribal people for 18 mths, with my 3 children. NDP training courses on line for participants from over 30 countries. Passionate about healthy early child development. Published over 50 books on NDP, drama, play, therapeutic play and drama, storytelling, attachment Contact Sue www.ndpltd.org https://www.facebook.com/NDPTherapy/ [email protected] Useful Links Handbook of neuro-dramatic-play Healthy Attachments and Neuro-Dramatic-Play B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast Email Dale – [email protected] Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe The SENDcast is powered by B Squared We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.

The mainstream school environment can be overwhelming for many neurodivergent students, with sensory overload and social challenges often creating significant barriers to learning. Today, we explore an alternative educational pathway that removes these obstacles – a 'Specialist Online Provision for Neurodivergent Learners'. In this episode, Dale speaks to Cathy Wassall, founder and CEO of the Autistic Girls Network and the Haven Online School. Cathy, a neurodivergent advocate and mother to neurodivergent young adults, shares her journey and insights into how online education can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for learners. Key topics covered: Understanding Autism in Girls: Cathy discusses the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent girls, particularly how autism often presents in an internalised manner, leading to late diagnoses and struggles in school. Personalised Learning Environment: Online schools allow students to learn at their own pace and in a setting that suits their sensory needs, reducing anxiety and distractions. Flexible Curriculum: The Haven School offers a mainstream curriculum tailored to individual interests, enabling students to engage deeply with subjects they are passionate about. Enhanced Autonomy: Students have the freedom to choose how they learn, fostering independence and self-advocacy skills. Supportive Community: Online platforms provide a safe space where neurodivergent learners can connect with peers who understand their experiences, reducing feelings of isolation. View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop! About Cathy Wassell Founder of Autistic Girls Network charity and The Haven online school for neurodivergent girls and non-binary young people. Neurodivergent mum to neurodivergent young adults. Author of Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person Plenty of experience of typical SEND parent battles. Contact Cathy http://www.autisticgirlsnetwork.org https://www.facebook.com/AutisticGirlsNetwork https://www.instagram.com/AutisticGirlsNetwork [email protected] Useful Links Nurturing Your Young Autistic Person Book Workshops for families B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast Email Dale – [email protected] Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe The SENDcast is powered by B Squared We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.