Page 7 - SEN107 SEN Magazine July-August 2020

follow us on twitter.com/senmagazine join us on facebook.com/senmagazine “Is it safe yet” was one of the comments in response to an online survey of readers of First News, the national children’s weekly paper. According to the survey, slightly more than half of the respondents were not ready to return to school. Many also left comments, including; • we are now waking up quite late, this is not good for our health! • it would be great to get help from qualified teachers. • I find it much easier \\\\\\\[at home\\\\\\\] for me to be in a quiet spot. • the good is learning more and seeing friends, the bad might be annoying teachers or boring lessons! • I really do prefer working at home as I can focus more without the usual distractions I would face in school. Many vulnerable children have regressed and lost key skills during lockdown, writes the Irish Times. Vulnerable Irish children who have suffered ‘significant learning loss’, will be able to apply for a summer education programme. The programme will be used to provide support for children with autism, Down Syndrome, learning disabilities and behaviour disorders. The scheme will be delivered in schools or home settings by teachers, special-needs assistants and, in some cases, therapists. Adam Harris, chief executive or the autism charity AsIAm has urged both special schools and mainstream schools with special classes to take part in the scheme. An inspection of the SEND services in Norfolk has brought to light a series of failings in areas including diagnosis and waiting times, according to the BBC. A backlog was also found in reviews and assesment, creating delays in accessing services, leaving children and families feeling isolated and unsure where to seek guidance. Norfork County Council, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) say they are working to improve the service and have been praised for their ‘ambitious plan to resolve the crisis.’ A study by Northumbria University’s Healthy Living Lab has shown that about half of the children who received free school meal vouchers are eating significantly less fruit and vegetables since schools closed in March. In a survey, they stated that they had eaten no fresh vegetables and almost no fruit in the same period, while they were increasingly consuming sugary drinks and snacks. Professor Greta Defeyter, Director of the Healthy Living Lab, said there is a high probability that children from lower socio- economic backgrounds will be most disadvantaged when the new academic year begins in September, given the combination of a lack of healthy nutritious food and the educational learning loss experienced due to school closures, which will disproportionately affect them. She called for a universal school meal service and school breakfast club programme to be made available to all children, to ensure equal access to a healthy diet to promote health and learning, adding: “Our report highlights the importance of free school meal provision, and the importance of access to healthy, nutritious food in every community. We believe that all children have the right to access nutritious healthy food within their community and school.” Is it safe yet? New summer scheme will bridge education gap for children with special needs Norfolk Special Education needs and Disabilites Service is failing families Missing out on school lunches is keeping kids from eating fruit and vegetables senmagazine.co.uk SEN 107 7 SEN news