Child with SEN bullying others - how to handle?

[Frustratedteacha]

I'm very scared this will be recognised but I am desperate for advice.

I have a child in my ks1 class with undiagnosed special needs. His behaviour is very challenging. He has a number of children who he fixates on and targets every day, and has been all year. He slaps them and puts his hands all over them and laughs at them until they cry. I have reported this all year, but nothing has been 'done' - SLT say nothing can be done because he has special needs.

One of the children expressed extremely worrying thoughts to a parent. My headteacher told me this, and said we need to teach this child more resilience.

I am shocked at this - it is surely victim blaming?! The whole thing is making me feel very stressed and unhappy. As I said, we have been dealing with this all year and the child with SEN is getting more violent.

Please help me. What do I do? Should I leave it or go beyond the Head to the governors? The Senco is no help, all of SLT won't say or do anything about this child.

Your union might be the best place to seek advice on a professional matter. You probably need to be raising concerns about the safety and well-being of the other children. If nothing is done, the problem will only get worse, and they need to be making a start on getting proper support in place, before there are any serious incidents.

You need to keep the other children safe.

To my mind this could include: recording every single incidence, deploying your TA purely to the child, excluding the child, send the child to the HT office, and of course loudly supporting the parents and the SENCO in applying for and getting an EHCNA .

Not quite the same and may depends on the child's understanding, but my ASD DD can fixate on friends (or more often adults) and also doesn't quite get personal space so sees no issue with just rushing in to hug someone. School/us have had some success with telling her not everyone likes cuddles, getting her to ask first and redirecting her if the other child doesn't want to. She also has her own desk (mostly cause at other times she likes her own space but does stop her just leaning over). Fortunately we have a supportive school and a brilliant SENCO who are happy to keep trying things until we work out what works.