My outlook on the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) combines multiple perspectives. I look at them through the lens of my:
- formal qualifications - I am a qualified teacher (with a QTS) and a psychological wellbeing practitioner (PWP).
- professional experience from the educational systems in Poland and England as well as in mental health care (across the lifespan) within the National Health Service (NHS).
- understanding of human development and emotions gained through my psychology degree (completed) and psychoanalytic psychotherapy training (current).
- knowledge and understanding of Educational (SEND) law with vast practical experience in its application.
- practical skills pertinent to the SEND field/ EHCP process gained, whilst working on behalf of parents with different local authorities in England, by:
reviewing draft EHC plans for their completeness and legal compliance,
writing education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment request,
preparing and lodging appeals with Tier I Tribunal (SENDIST),
writing formal complaints and pre-action protocol (PAP) letters (a mandatory first step, if a parent is to request the Judicial Review),
participating in Annual Reviews of EHC plans, mediation and tribunal (SENDIST) hearings as a lay representative of the parents/ Appellants.
- knowledge of theory and research - I am an autism researcher and a postgraduate research student working on my PhD at the School of Psychology, University of Nottingham. I have co-authored a number of published research papers.
- lived experience: personal, marital and parental of navigating through life, including education, healthcare and employment, with SEND (neurodivergent and mental health conditions). My entire family - myself, my husband and our 2 adult children - are autistic and have ADHD, with formal diagnoses given to all of us in an aftermath of legitimate, robust diagnostic assessment processes.
- intercultural competence (and being bilingual) - this opens the horizons to different modes of thinking, which develop as a result of being brought up in specific culture/ country/ political/ economic/ social climate or even as a result of having a specific language (which may lack devices to express certain concepts) as one's first language. For that reason, I specialise in supporting migrant families who may struggle getting their heads around the unspoken rules and ways of working of the education, health and social care systems in England. I am good at explaining those things to such families and at enabling professionals to include the intercultural aspects of a family experience in their working with that family.
- analytic thinking and networking skills alongside common sense - this helps me develop healthy working relationships with not only parents and young people, but also local authorities, schools and other professionals who mostly see me as their ally even if I am formally on the other side of the barricade. For some reason (perhaps to do with my degree), I have developed a particular affinity to Educational Psychologists who I have found particularly productive to work with.
As a result:
It is very likely that I have already been at the stage of the parenting journey that you are at at the moment (and in the worst case scenario, I have witnessed it with another family on my caseload).
Throughout that journey, I have had to face the difficulties similar to those you may be facing right now and this is what makes it possible for me to truly empathise with you. Indeed, I have walked a mile (or more) in your shoes (so I know that it can give you blisters)!
Parents that I work with tend to say that I have an in-depth understanding of their children's needs and the right words to get that message across to professionals in a palatable way.
What I can help your child and yourself with, has been first tried and tested (and demonstrated watertight and foolproof) on my own children, who both completed KS4 (Level2, GCSE) and KS5 (Level 3, A-levels) education with their Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in place. My kids, those two young women, are the best evidence that what I advocate for, actually works and it changes lives of entire families!