Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

More SEN, better diagnosis, lack of funding or a combination?

181 replies

genuinequestion235 · 07/01/2024 13:00

Genuine question:

I read a lot of threads on here relating to poor provisions and support for children with SEN. When I was a child I don't remember many children with SEN (3 spring to mind in my school of 200!)

So do people think more children have SEN needs? Or are we simply better at diagnosing?

OP posts:
Scattery · 07/01/2024 13:14

It's a combination of societal changes and better recognition/diagnosis.

Fifty years ago it didn't matter so much if little Mary was mildly dyslexic, because schools didn't have to meet increasingly exacting expectations from OFSTED/DfE, and Mary had lots of other skills to focus on.

Seventy years ago it didn't matter so much if little Pete focused almost exclusively on trains and wasn't very social - he'd grow up to be an engineer and that was fine.

A hundred years ago lots of people died because antibiotics hadn't been invented yet.

Things change, and schools these days aren't a kind place for most neurodivergent children. I'm firmly of the opinion that if they were, neurotypical children would benefit too and we'd probably see better mental health in teens/pre-teens. But we just had that deeply ableist thread on Mumsnet, didn't we, that showed that many people like to point fingers and put price tags on everything when it comes to meeting a disabled child's needs. I hope you're not one of them.

MojoDojoCasaHouse · 07/01/2024 13:13

I think modern life makes it harder to hide. When I was at school there was no Ofsted and if the weird kid at the back of the class sat colouring all day no one cared. Now there is much more pressure to engage in learning, some children really struggle with that (I have a DC with demand avoidant profile ASD).

Life is very fast and over stimulating. Sensory and information overload. It’s difficult to find peace and space to just be.

vcetf · 07/01/2024 13:12

Fedupandconfused0815 · 07/01/2024 13:02

What do you think???

A combination more children with SEN and more diagnosis.

Interesting as why there maybe more children with SEN

Raxacoricofallapatorian · 07/01/2024 13:05

Oh, and I suppose some died because infant medical care wasn't as good.

Raxacoricofallapatorian · 07/01/2024 13:03

Some were in special schools, some weren't making it into school at all, and some were hiding in plain sight.

Fedupandconfused0815 · 07/01/2024 13:02

What do you think???