We were pleased to welcome 63 delegates and speakers at the online training event on 25 March 2025.

 Under discussion was the recently published Department of Education and Council for Disabled Children updated guidance to support schools to understand their responsibilities inrelation to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and to empower governors and trustees to hold their schools to account.

Our keynote speaker was Philippa  OBE, who is working with DfE, as a CDC Associate, on a set of Equality Act guides for future publication.  

Other speakers included:

• Brian Lamb (NatSIP)
• Caireen Sutherland (Seashell Trust)
• Joanne Hogg (Lead QTVI for Sheffield VI Service)
• Ruth Crosby-Stewart (Head of Services for Middlesborough STARS, the Sensory Support Service across four neighbouring LAs).

The following presentations are available:

•   document Philippa Stobbs' Presentation
•   document Joanne Hogg's Presentation
•   document Ruth Crosby-Stewart's Presentation
•   pdf Caireen Sutherland's Fact Sheet

In addition, as Lindsey Rousseau mentioned during the training, NatSIP is pleased to be an engagement partner for the DfE's Inclusion in Practice project.  There is a short presentation available about the project and an invitation to submit examples of effective practice where specialist expertise has supported inclusive practice in mainstream schools.

•   document Inclusion in Practice Presentation

As contributors from our partner organisations Guide Dogs and NDCS, we were joined by

• Alexander Clarke, Senior Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager for Guide Dogs who updated us in the use and development of the Guide Dogs publication on Reasonable Adjustments for VI learners in schools
• Edward Cleere and Lorraine Friend-Thomas,  Legal and Education Appeals Specialists with NDCS who introduced us to important information available through the NDCS website, including The law when working with deaf children and young people and their advice and guidance helpline.