The SENDcast

Have you ever experienced fears or phobias? Common ones like spiders, birds, flying, and snakes can trigger fear and panic. Interestingly, these fears are not innate; they are often derived from personal experiences or learned from others, typically during childhood. A regular voice on the podcast, Alison Knowles, returns to discuss 'How to Stop Your Limiting Belief Limiting You'. Alison tells us how our inner child hijacks us and makes decisions for us as an adult. Many individuals find themselves not pursuing the path they truly desire due to the influence of their inner child. Just as we wouldn't trust our 7-year-old selves with our bank accounts, why should we allow the feelings and opinions we had as a child to dictate our choices as adults? "Has your inner child limited who you could be or more importantly, who you wish or want to be?" Alison Knowles In this episode, Alison guides us in breaking down our limiting beliefs and understanding the thought processes behind them. By doing so, we can prevent these beliefs from constraining us. Alison believes that this realisation can liberate individuals, allowing them to actively engage in life instead of passively watching it pass them by. About Alison Ali is a practising emotional therapist, author of the Ollie and his Super Powers series of books, public speaker, NLP trainer and creator of the Ollie Model. Ali's strength is the unique way she views the world and her instinctive ability to empower you or your child to find the solutions from within. Contact Alison https://twitter.com/bemoreollie https://www.facebook.com/OllieandhisSuperPowers www.ollieandhisuperpowers.com info@ollieandhissuperpowers.com Ali@subconquest.co.uk Useful Links Ollie and his Super Powers Book- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ollie-His-Superpowers-Alison-Knowles/dp/1785920499 Ollie and his Super Powers Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWDj-PRjboIg2cu-KZsEMVA ollie_and_his_super_powers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ollie_and_his_super_powers · 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · 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.

Behaviour in schools and colleges is a complex issue, with various opinions and strict approaches, particularly in the UK. It can be challenging to establish consistency because of everything that's thrown at schools and colleges to deal with. Adele Bates, joins Dale today for a great discussion on 'Leading behaviour in schools and colleges'. As a Behaviour and Education Specialist, Adele brings a wealth of experience to the podcast and draws on research experiences from around the world. It's not appropriate to bounce a ball in an English lesson, but if you bounce the same ball in a basketball lesson it's a good thing – it's all about context! Adele explains why behaviour is so complex because of its dependence on context. Rules, routines and boundaries are integral to school communities but the context of behaviour changes and therefore so do the rules, punishments etc. Listen to find out how to support young people with tools so they can learn how to manage their own behaviour to be appropriate in different contexts. Adele emphasises the importance of ensuring that staff have access to support and training to effectively address behaviour issues in a consistent manner. About Adele Bates Behaviour and Education Specialist, International Keynote Speaker & Author "I've had juice poured on my head, been whacked by a skateboard – and have taught a year 7 pupil who has experienced severe trauma, how to read their first ever word…" Adele Bates empowers school leaders and teachers to support pupils with behavioural needs and SEMH to thrive with their education. She's an award winning International Keynote Speaker, a featured expert on teenagers and behaviour for BBC Radio 4, the author of "Miss, I don't Give A Sh*t," Engaging with Challenging Behaviour in Schools, from Sage & Corwin Press, and is a fully funded International Researcher in Finland, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica on Behaviour & Inclusion, as well as teaching for nearly 20 years… For her tips and resources check out adelebateseducation.co.uk. Contact Adele http://twitter.com/adelebatesZ adelebateseducation.co.uk adele@adelebateseducation.co.uk Useful Links Pick My Brain Behaviour Lead Mastermind · 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · 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 special episode, the table has turned for Dale as he takes a step back from hosting duties today on the SENDcast. Having been a guest on the SENDcast several times over the years, a friend of Dale's and an ADHD and neurodiversity consultant, Dale invited Fintan O'Regan to interview him. Join us as we discuss 'ASC and ADHD in adults' with Dale making his debut as a guest speaker on his own podcast! Many adults who displayed mild to moderate symptoms of ASC and ADHD during childhood often went unnoticed, as the focus was primarily on those with more severe symptoms. These individuals may still carry lingering questions about why they felt different from their peers and seek an explanation for the challenges they faced throughout their lives. Recently Dale has been on a personal journey, receiving a diagnosis of ASC and ADHD. Listen to this special episode to hear Dale's reasons and motivation of why he felt the need to do this at this time in his life and what the diagnosis means to him. Dale gives an honest and open view on the process he has been through, reflects on his childhood and family, the reactions he has received from others since diagnosis and the impact it has had. "So for me, getting the diagnosis was just a really big 'it's not your fault' moment." Dale Pickles For anyone else embarking on their journey, we wish you all the best and hope this episode helps you on your way. About Dale Dale is the Managing Director of B Squared. He has worked with schools all over the UK to help deliver best practice, reduce teacher workload and help schools move forward with assessment. He is also the host of the SENDcast, the #1 podcast for Special Needs and has spoken at conferences such as the Autism Show and the TES SEND Show. 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · 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.

Differentiation is currently facing negativity due to confusion surrounding its definition and expectations. Teachers are often filled with dread when they hear the terms 'scaffolding up', 'adaptive teaching' or 'differentiation' are introduced and assume it's going to mean more work for them. It isn't implicitly clear to teachers how to go about differentiation and who it applies to in their classroom. Catrina Lowri joins Dale today to tell us how differentiation will make life easier for teachers and that good differentiation should be for everyone - 'Turning differentiation on its head'. Listen to hear simple principles that can be implemented in daily lessons without much extra effort. Teachers want inclusion but are time and resource poor, Catrina shows ways to get better results within the limits of a mainstream classroom. About Catrina Lowri Catrina is a neurodivergent former SENCO and Advisory Teacher with a dual diagnosis of bipolar and dyslexia. She created her company; Neuroteachers to support schools and businesses with simple solutions to improve Neuro-inclusion. Contact Catrina Lowri http://twitter.com/@neuroteachers https://www.facebook.com/groups/762451187641854/ www.neuroteachers.com catrina@neuroteachers.com Useful Links www.neuroteachers.com/blog www.neuroteachers.com/shop Threads - @neuroteachersuk Instagram - @neuroteachersuk LinkedIn - Catrina Lowri · 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in somebody else's shoes and to understand how they might be feeling in a situation. It's a personal connection that you need to have experienced to have empathy, which makes empathy flawed. In today's podcast, Amanda Sokell joins Dale to discuss 'Empathy? What we need is compassion'. Amanda created a model that for any child, and in particular a child with SEND, to be successful they need 3 key factors to be in place: Empathy – from others and for themselves Expertise – from those supporting them and about themselves (age appropriate) Environment – to learn in an environment that supports them However, she discovered that empathy is actually the wrong word, what we need is compassion. Compassion is something we can all do, you can show compassion without having to experience what they're experiencing. "You can train yourself to be more compassionate, you can't train yourself to be more empathetic." Amanda Sokell Anxiety is widespread in schools, frequently leading to school non-attendance. The root causes are varied and often stem from staff members lacking an understanding of students' underlying needs. Listen to hear that by equipping all staff with the ability to demonstrate compassion, instil a desire to listen, accept, and grow, it will result in greater expertise and establish more supportive environments – all children will be more successful as a result. About Amanda Sokell Amanda works with caregivers of neurodiverse children and the schools that support them as they navigate the complex world of school support. Amanda know's first-hand how isolating it can be to discover that your child isn't like everybody else's. When her son started refusing to go to school, she found myself struggling to get his needs understood and supported. Despite holding his own academically, her son was struggling with high levels of anxiety, which were having a dramatic impact on his attitude to school and behaviour at home. It can be really challenging to navigate the available support. Amanda used online resources to equip herself with a knowledge of the law, and successfully secured the provision he needed. During this process, she felt the entire range of emotions eventually moving from despondent to empowered. Despite there being a wealth of online information and support, sometimes what you really need is a conversation. Amanda helps parents and educators by sharing information on how best to support neurodiverse children, and, particularly for parents, how to secure the right support and provision for their children. Amanda works individually, with groups and through an online learning platform. She look at life through the lens of process and finds it instinctive to cut through the chaos and find step by step methodologies that are easy to follow, and which help those involved to surmount challenges and achieve. A former software developer, and school governor for 9 years, she is blessed with two spirited neurodiverse boys and an equally process-orientated and neurodiverse husband. Amanda's interests include companies that make stuff, education, special educational needs, change and constant learning. Contact Amanda Twitter - @amandasokell @navigatingND @SENlightended_ Facebook - navigatingneurodiversity.life Website - www.navigatingneurodiversity.life Email - hello@amandasokell.com · 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

From the moment we are born, none of us have fears or phobias, we don't have any beliefs about how the world works, they are shaped by our reality – the world in which we are brought up in by our parents/carers. As we grow, our unique life experiences and the emotions we attach to certain situations or behaviours begin to define us. "We need to recognise that whatever emotion is in control at any given time, will steer and direct how we view the world and how we react to it." Alison Knowles A regular guest on the SENDcast, Alison Knowles, brings her expertise as an Emotional Therapist to discuss 'Being Hijacked by your Emotions' today. Alison tells us how emotions can block our ability to reason, think positively and our life direction is dictated by which emotion has the steering wheel. Emotions are part of us all, and by listening to this episode, you will gain valuable insights into how to harness and navigate the power of your emotions. By learning to manage our emotions rather than allowing them to control us, we gain the ability to chart our own course and regain control over our lives. Liked what you heard in today's podcast? Take your knowledge one step further with this training session from Alison! For just £10 for your whole school you can access Alison's SENDcast Session 'How to connect and communicate with your emotions'. Alison explains how to help children make emotions manageable, empower them to overcome issues, and change classroom behaviour. About Alison Ali is a practising emotional therapist, author of the Ollie and his Super Powers series of books, public speaker, NLP trainer and creator of the Ollie Model. Ali's strength is the unique way she views the world and her instinctive ability to empower you or your child to find the solutions from within. Contact Alison https://twitter.com/bemoreollie https://www.facebook.com/OllieandhisSuperPowers www.ollieandhisuperpowers.com info@ollieandhissuperpowers.com Ali@subconquest.co.uk Useful Links Ollie and his Super Powers Book Ollie and his Super Powers Youtube ollie_and_his_super_powers Instagram · 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

Beverley joins Dale for this special episode highlighting what's on at this year's Tes SEND Show 13 - 14 October in London and why you should be there! "It's an absolutely fantastic place to network and there's so much to learn, so much to take advantage of and we've just packed so much into the programme." Beverley Walters Attending Tes SEND Show provides the opportunity for the entire school workforce to stay up to date with latest SEND issues, stay connected at a national level and find out the latest developments, policy updates such as the SENDAP Improvement Plan and how to implement them; to network with peers, exhibitors, speakers and to invest in their own CPD. Visitors can hear Michael Rosen read poems and present the winners of our poetry competition, as well as attend the Leadership Summit, Tes Editor's Chats, free Keynotes at the start of each day, the innovative and entertaining SEND TeachMeet and inspirational Parent, Carer and Teacher Forum… to name just a few things happening in a jam-packed two day show. About Beverley Exhibition Director & Head of Content, Tes SEND Show. Beverley has over 20 years' experience of organising and curating events for the education sector, focusing on special educational needs and disability (SEND). She is responsible for the Tes SEND Show's content strategy and structure across all 42 seminars, parent and carer forum presentations, exhibition management and exhibitor workshops. Beverley is passionate about raising awareness of SEN and has a wealth of knowledge and experience of the SEN sector. As safeguarding Governor of a special SEMH school in the West Midlands, Beverley stays up to date with the latest policy and issues impacting front line staff and brings this knowledge and experience to Tes SEND Show. Useful Links Tes SEND Show · 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

Getting to class on time, meeting homework deadlines, making sure the right equipment is brought into school are all essential, however, are we actively teaching and equipping students with these skills? Executive function - everyone has to have, everyone needs to learn about, but no one really knows about. One of the problems that we have around executive function skills is that often it's presumed that young people will implicitly develop these skills, and our system is really set up to celebrate those who have abnormally strong executive function skills. "The best teachers that I've seen deploying this executive function approach, and developing these skills, are constantly talking about their own executive function skills." Victoria Bagnall Victoria Bagnall from Connections in Mind joins Dale in this episode to discuss 'Executive Function Skills and Neurodiversity Traits'. Victoria tells us how an executive function approach can help humanise many of the challenges neurodivergent young people face. Building executive function literacy in a school can help all learners better understand their barriers to learning. Victoria highlights what age-appropriate executive function looks like and how it always comes down to modelling. Listen to find out how to help everyone develop their executive function skills, to access learning better and be more inclusive in the school environment. About Victoria Bagnall Victoria is a neurodiverse teacher and mother of 3 girls who has dedicated her life to raising awareness of essential brain functions: executive functions. She believes that knowledge of executive functioning helps people to be kinder to themselves and those around them and has the power to change the world. Contact Victoria https://twitter.com/VictoriaBagnal2 https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-bagnall-38204251/ www.connectionsinmind.co.uk schools@connectionsinmind.co.uk Useful Links https://connectionsinmind.com/schoolseducators/ https://cimlearning.com/toolkits/ https://cimlearning.com/professional-training-landing-page/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/connectionsinmind/ · 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

In schools, there is a growing blur between the realms of education and care. It has become increasingly evident that school staff are shouldering a tremendous responsibility in addressing mental health concerns, often due to long waiting lists and inconsistent quality of external support services. To shed light on this issue, we are delighted to have Zara Wright Director of SEND at the Weydon Multi Academy Trust, join Dale to discuss 'The boundaries between education and care'. Zara brings valuable insights and expertise and will delve into the complexities and implications of the intertwined roles of education and care in schools. Listen to find out: The real picture of what schools are having to manage as a result of the SEND and mental health crises. Changing roles of school staff due to the increase of mental health difficulties. Reasonable adjustments and how they work in reality. Solutions/Considerations for schools to get the balance right between education and care. About Zara Wright Zara is Director of SEND at Weydon Multi Academy Trust and Deputy Headteacher at a MLD school. She has worked in specialist and mainstream educational settings for over 15 years. She is a qualified SENDCo and holds an MEd in Inclusion. She has also worked as Mental Health Lead, DSL and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Zara works with a number of local charities and organisations to help promote support for young people and their parents. She has presented at Westminster Education Forum and The Virtual SEND Conference. She is currently studying for an MSc in Psychology. Contact Zara https://twitter.com/ZaraWright5 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk · Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

Many children with additional needs face challenges when it comes to getting their hair cut. It can be an incredibly stressful experience for everyone involved, despite the fact that haircuts are a necessity for everyone. Getting a haircut can overwhelm the senses, with numerous challenges such as, the apron/cloth, noise from clippers, music, lighting, smells etc. Children are taught not to interact with strangers, yet they find themselves in a situation where a stranger is standing in their personal space, holding scissors, and expecting them to tolerate everything happening around them. Craig Henderson runs a neurodiverse and gender-neutral barbershop in Bolton and joins Dale today to discuss 'Additional Needs Haircut Services'. He brings a wealth of experience working with and supporting children and young people, both within his barbershop and by visiting schools. Craig's mission is to educate all parties involved, dispel fear, and facilitate safe and comfortable haircuts. Haircuts don't have to be a stressful and anxiety triggering experience. Listen to find out: The step-by-step process involved in achieving what may seem like an impossible task of getting a haircut. Valuable tips for barbers and hairdressers on how they can better support clients with neurodiverse needs. Guidance for parents on how to prepare and assist their child before a visit to the barbershop. Understanding that a haircut is about more than just hair; it encompasses a comprehensive experience. About Craig Henderson Craig Henderson runs a neuro diverse and gender-neutral barbershop in Bolton with his fiancée Sarah, and they have 4 children and 2 of them are on the spectrum. He has been hairdressing and barbering for over 10 years and was trained in traditional methods, which has been a blessing when working with these fantastic humans with additional needs. He is a brand ambassador for industry brand, Gamma Plus. Contact Craig Website - https://www.craigsbarbershop.co.uk Email – Hello@craigsbarbershop.co.uk Twitter – @Craigsbarbershopbl2 Instagram - @Craigsbarbershopbolton / @craighenderson_srsb Facebook - Craigsbarbershopbl2 Useful Links Pick My Brain: https://bit.ly/PickmyBehbrain Behaviour Lead Mastermind: https://bit.ly/BehLeadMastermind 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 – dale@bsquared.co.uk Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe