A NEW resource will help teachers and education specialists to better understand pupils who have additional needs.
It features 10 Reading children with autism, sharing their views on how schools can help support them through their learning journey.
Two versions have been produced.
There is a full-length version of the film featuring Angel, Ash, Casie, Grace, Harry, Jacob, Zimal, Zion, Zoe and Zoya, which will be available to schools alongside an offer of specialist training from the Autism Education Trust.
There are also bitesize clips on topics such as making schools more accessible, support outside of school, understanding pupils’ needs, and how to offer advice for further education and careers.
The videos may also be used as learning resources in other public and voluntary bodies. They are available on YouTube for professionals to watch and to learn a little more about young people with SEND.
The project is a collaboration between Special United, Reading’s SEND youth forum, which is part of Reading Families’ Forum; Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC); and Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who funded the video.
Ramona Bridgman, chair of Reading Families’ Forum, said: “The forum is immensely proud of all the young people who attend Special United. This video is a credit to their dedication to improving services for other young people.”
And Niki Cartwright, Interim Director of Joint Commissioning at Berkshire West CCG, said the group was delighted to have supported the project.
“Understanding how to make school more accessible for young people with additional needs is vital to allow them the opportunity to thrive as they grow, and tools such as this video are invaluable in the effort to provide an even footing for all school children,” she said.
BFfC, which helped with the co-ordination and publicity of the project, operates a local Autism Education Trust (AET) hub which offers specialist training to early years, schools and post-16 settings. Its education experts who have become AET lead trainers will also be running courses for other public and voluntary bodies in Reading in 2022.
Di Smith, Board Chair at Brighter Futures for Children, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Special United and Berkshire West CCG to spread the message that autism is a difference, not a deficit.
“The brilliant Special United video perfectly complements our growth approach to autism in Reading and will be an invaluable training tool for schools and other public and voluntary organisations.
“Our partnership with the Autism Education Trust will give staff working in public services and organisations in Reading access to high quality training which in turn will lead to more positive experiences for children and young people with autism.”
The project is part of a growth approach to autism adopted in Reading in response to an increasing number of autistic children and young people in the borough.
The full-length video and short version can be viewed on the BFfC You Tube channel.
