A PROJECT has been launched to change the way professionals talk to children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Reshaping Conversations is being run by Swindon SEND Families Voice forum and highlights the experiences of parents and carers as a way of promoting positive change.

The organisation has worked with Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group, Mums on a Mission, Swindon Autism and ADHD Group and Swindon Children Without A Diagnosis to create a website, booklet, and video as part of the project.

Reshaping Conversations project manager Rebecca Harrison said: “We were lucky enough to be awarded a grant from the DfE which allowed us to focus on something that had been coming up in conversation with parent carers in Swindon and nationally for many years.

“We weren’t going to let the pandemic stop us from getting the message out there and creating this really important piece of work.”

More than 99 percent of children with special educational needs also live at home and are supported by their families.

Life for these families can bring some unique challenges. One is the impact of unhelpful and language when talking about special educational needs and disabilities with professionals.

“When a professional uses the term ‘normal child the term typical child’ or ‘neuro-typical child’ is much better, because talking about ‘normal children makes it sound like our children are abnormal,” she explained.

One parent of an autistic child was told by a head teacher: “It’s very hard to like a child like yours.”

Rebecca added: “We were really lucky to get some fantastic local businesses like Nutmeg Design and Light-up media to help us create our video and booklet despite the restrictions.

“The video was filmed socially distanced but then really cleverly cut together by the Light-Up media team to make it look like they were sat right next to one another. And we think it looks brilliant.

“I think the hardest part was finding a venue when everything was closed up. But Freshbrook Church stepped in and were so helpful.”

The forum hopes more services in education, health and social care will want to share the project to reach more professionals in order to make an even bigger positive impact on the families in Swindon. Rebecca said: “We’ve had some fantastic feedback so far from parents, and professionals which is great. We really want to reach out to as much of the wider public as we can to help share our message.”

A training module has been created and support is being given by Swindon Borough Council and the clinical commissioning group. “They have agreed for our training toolkit to be rolled out to all professionals as a mandatory training tool. We are particularly pleased with this response as this is how we feel real change can be achieved,” she said.

“They agree with us that parents voices are really important and that working collaboratively can allow us to work towards better outcomes for SEND children in Swindon.”

Visit reshapingconversations.com