The tragedy of this is that there are parents and teachers who actually think this is an appropriate way to treat children.

Warwick Mansell@warwickmansell.bsky.social · 3d ago

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Brilliant letter from Stuart Thompson to Jeremy Clarkson about his comments that benefit claimants should write weekly thank you letters to tax payers detailing how they spend their benefits each week.

“in #SEND, not only are the public bodies not being held to account, they will be given more power to do even greater damage, by stripping away the only way families can get the vital legal redress, accountability & the provision their children deserve” @lucympowell.bsky.social

Special Needs Jungle@spcialndsjungle.bsky.social · 2d ago

NEW POST: Dear @lucympowell.bsky.social An open letter from us at Special Needs Jungle and SEND legal charity SOS!SEN to the Secretary of State for Education about the #SENDreform proposals: www.specialneedsjungle.com/dear-secreta...

More fantastic resources ✨

Stickman Communications@stickmancomms.bsky.social · 2d ago

In my experience, one of the things that can make communicating about what you need as an autistic person so hard, is other people's misconceptions about what autism means. Combined with the frequent autistic experience of temporarily not being able to speak, or find the right words, or

Thanks so much for the lovely messages about this! Who Wants Normal? is also up for the Readers’ Choice award, which means the public decide. THAT’S YOU, GUYS. If you’d like to, you can vote here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Frances Ryan@francesryan.bsky.social · 6d ago

What lovely news: Who Wants Normal? Life Lessons from Disabled Women has been long-listed for best Non-Fiction at the Diverse Book awards. Hugely touched to be included in such a meaningful prize.

This too. ⬇️

Dave Andress@davidandress.bsky.social · 4d ago

Do you know what would help us avoid “harms” to children from future lockdowns? Not having an education system that treated itself as a race. ”Getting shoved out the end with as many GCSEs as possible” is not actually an ethos.

Also in time for Disability Pride Month, I want to call attention to how as more recognize that autistic women & girls & autistics assigned female at birth are autistic & disabled, the injustices in how the autism field responds to threats to its power to make abrupt, false, restrictive decisions 1/

MSc Psychology and Learning Disability@uoppald.bsky.social · 5d ago

For the online, part-time MSc Psychology and Learning Disability (autism, ID, neurodivergence) students can study from anywhere in world for the same price. Joy as @uoppald.bsky.social graduates met one another and staff face to face for the first time at graduation. www.port.ac.uk/study/course...

Hurrah! Another amazing award - it has been wonderful to be part of @thrivingautistic.bsky.social's animations team! Delighted that our Lightbulb Moments: Being Autistic animation has been selected for Neurocinema 2026!

Thriving Autistic@thrivingautistic.bsky.social · 5d ago

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉 We're delighted to share that our neuro-affirming animation Lightbulb Moments: Being Autistic has been selected for Neurocinema 2026! youtu.be/3O6hy-usIug?...

Surely a simple documentary following a randomly-selected group of disabled people as they apply for PIP and UC would prove or disprove the theory that it's easy to get benefits

Bloody hell, have Labour started talking to disabled people?? Burnham says any move to allow assisted dying should not happen until the government funds better social and palliative care.

‘Expensive’ is such a great word for speech. In many situations I can make words work, but the energy cost can be catastrophic. Places with loud background music or other people talking nearby are good examples. Zoom meeting with audio lag etc.

Thinking Person's Guide to Autism@thinkingautism.com · last wk.

There is a lot of space between being nonspeaking & being able to communicate in socially expected ways. @yesthattoo.bsky.social explains how intermittent, unreliable, insufficient & expensive speech help describe the space between nonspeaking & fully speaking: www.assistiveware.com/blog/intermi...

I see a lot of people on here saying an academic school education has great cultural value and education should not align with employment. I'm sorry, but 30% of 14 year olds feel the education system we have offers them nothing at all. Reform is vital, options have to be there to keep all engaged.

‘Most kids can’ means ‘some kids can’t’. Which translates to either providing (expensive) individual support for the ‘some’, accepting their failure, or excluding them. ‘Most kids can’ walk up stairs. Imagine if the UK’s only level access was special schools or individually deployed ramps.

We need Lucy Powell and Andy Burnham to take notice of this and act on the toxic culture of obstruction that's taken root inside England's council SEND services, unchecked and encouraged www.specialneedsjungle.com/toxic-cultur...

The toxic culture of obstruction that's taken root inside England's council SEND services is not only unchecked, it's encouraged — Special Needs Jungle

Measure what Matters & ITV disclose the testimony of a council SEND whistleblower exposing the toxic culture of obstruction in SEND services

specialneedsjungle.com

New #EdRes! #Autistic students & staff from the same large secondary school share views on un/safe features of their school environment, and reflect on which features make #attendance difficult. YP insights can show what practical changes are needed at school to improve safety & attendance ❤️

Ruth Moyse@drruthmoyse.bsky.social · 2w ago

📢New paper alert, with @acornsoton.bsky.social colleagues! “How do you know you’re safe at school? When I’m not there”. Perspectives of autistic young people and school staff from one secondary school about attendance struggles and who is accountable for change. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Proper discussion with children and families will be essential? Eg retaining #children’srights to an education that meets individual needs. ✊ #SOCR

Jon Severs@jonsevers.bsky.social · 2w ago

Congratulations to @lucympowell.bsky.social - a lot of big reforms in motion, a lot of heat around those reforms. Some big delivery targets to hit. Proper discussion with the sector will be essential.

We do not share your relief. She has no intention of listening to families. We don’t want these rights-stripping reforms that only benefit councils. They are evidence-light, hand more power to the same public bodies that have routinely broken laws, and will push schools to breaking point.

It's interesting that I'm seeing some 'big names' in education worried that Lucy Powell might burst their bubble. It seems that the 'learning = memory' 'knowledge only not skills' 'warm strict' narrative is quite fragile if a single change of ed sec might disrupt it. 🤷‍♀️

A UN report to the Human Rights Council has confirmed what autistic learners have long known: exam halls often fail to accommodate the cognitive, executive functioning, and sensory needs of neurodivergent learners, turning assessment into an exit point rather than a support. https://bit.ly/4b2iZEy

Such an interesting editorial from @jonsevers.bsky.social this morning. He suggests that to lose Phillipson as SoS for Ed is a lost opportunity. I am not sure I agree. During her tenure, we have had a damp squib of a curriculum review, the continued centralisation of education…

If you're told the LA isn't "doing" EHCPs/EOTAS any more, show this: Until any changes are implemented the current statutory framework remains in place. LAs can arrange EOTAS under s.61 if it would be inappropriate for EHCP provision to be in a setting consult.education.gov.uk/accountabili...

This Labour government plans to remove disabled children’s rights to an education that meets needs. Please sign & share the petition 🙏 #SOCR #SEND @dannychambers.bsky.social

Special Needs Jungle@spcialndsjungle.bsky.social · 3w ago

We now know that the Government intends to remove the legal rights that disabled children and their families have relied on for almost half a century. We must fight these harmful SEND reforms. Please help to get Tee-Jay’s petition to 100,000. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/76...

SNJ'S Gill Doherty explains why, if you have a child with #SEND who has, or may need an #EHCP, you MUST take action over the new #EOTAS consultation—because it blatantly removes EHCP rights from ALL disabled children. Gill explains a few actions you can do NOW. LINKS IN OUR BIO

How the "word gap" ideology conquered English education #language #edchat #pedagogy #linguistics #race #class #ngram

📣There's only 90 days to get this petition to 100,000 signatures - protect Disabled children's legal rights to education! Sign here 👇 petition.parliament.uk/petitions/76...

@kieranrose.bsky.social thank you for this brilliant article which resonates so much.

Isabelle Finn-Kelcey@isabellefk.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Worth remembering: “SEND is a construct. It’s a convenient fiction. And it’s a neatly-boxed label designed to solve a problem the education system created, and refuses to take responsibility for.” TY @kieranrose.bsky.social theautisticadvocate.com/there-is-no-...

Thanks so much for sharing @autisticrealms.bsky.social 💛 Your work on burnout and monotropism has been incredibly influential in my own practice, so it really means a lot. Thank you also for amplifying it, I hope it reaches those who will most benefit 💛

Autistic Realms (Helen Edgar)@autisticrealms.bsky.social · 6mo ago

This is great from Canary SEND Beyond “School Refusal”: What Happens When a Child’s Nervous System Says Enough Rethinking Burnout, Attendance, and the Limits of Endurance www.canarysend.co.uk/canarysendbl... #burnout #neuroaffirming #monotropism

We’re rolling out new training to improve neurodivergent children and young people’s wellbeing in schools and help them feel they belong.💜 We estimate over 10,500 neurodivergent students will benefit from the programme, Neurodiversity and Wellbeing in Schools, over 3 years.

Please share We have a few fully funded spaces available on our Neuro-Affirming Discovery Programme for 18-24 year olds starting 18th Feb. Register your interest here: thrivingautistic.org/discovery-pr...

Discovery Programme: Welcome to Your Autistic Self

Have you recently discovered that you’re Autistic? Would you like to learn more about your neurotype and discuss what it means for you in a supportive group with other newly identified Autistic adults...

thrivingautistic.org

Thriving Autistic@thrivingautistic.bsky.social · 6mo ago

We have availability on our Discovery Programme starting 18th Feb for 18-24 yr olds. 6 weeks Neuro-affirming exploration of Autistic identity. Online 7-8.45pm (UK) Funded spaces available thanks to Rethink Ireland Hope to see some of you there! Register here: thrivingautistic.org/discovery-pr...

So disappointing to see this divisive headline suggesting that ‘SEND’ is not only separate from but is in conflict with ‘core’ education provision. Integrative, inclusive provision, such as #neuro-affirming T&L, is needed. autisticrealms.com/neuro-affirm...

Neuro-Affirming Research in Practice: Supporting Autistic Students, Embracing Monotropism In The Classroom And Beyond | Autistic Realms

Written by Tanya Adkin and Helen Edgar, based on the presentation we delivered to the National Autistic Society Professionals’ Conference in March, 2025. Sh ...

autisticrealms.com

Tes magazine@tesmagazine.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Schools in more than one in three areas of the country face cuts to their core funding as councils divert money to cover spiralling SEND costs