SEN children

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Those children with 1-1 support in their EHCP. What do you think will happen with the return to school - even thinking of September how can 1-1 be achieved in mainstream. Have your schools been thinking about this?

It depends entirely on the individual. The age of the child and their specific needs would be the obvious starting point.

Their needs are that they need 1-1 support so that wouldn’t change. I suppose my question is how can schools provide 1-1 support with social distancing?

Some teachers on another forum were discussing kids with extreme behavioural needs - especially spitting and biting. While we can't (and shouldn't) deny those kids education, can they be safely readmitted to mainstream? Surely it's a massive risk for staff and other children.

I’m wondering at secondary level would the student needing the 1-1 become a social bubble with their TA which would allow them to work 1-1 with the same person

As a parent of such a child this has been worrying me so interested in responses.

I'm only guessing because I'm not in charge of allocating people to 'bubbles' but I expect any child with a 1:1 adult would be put in a bubble together. It's unlikely to be a bubble of two though, it would be that they are two of bubble 4A or whatever at their school.

Children who are known spitters/biters will need to be risk-assessed and catered for accordingly. I believe the government don't feel PPE is necessary in schools for the most part but obviously spitting and biting present particular transmission risks. If those risks cannot be reduced then presumably different arrangements may need to be considered for teaching those children whether that's the wearing of PPE by others in the room, teaching that child online or via some other means. It's relevant for mainstream and SEN schools @SionnachRua

There are lots of ways of delivering 1-1. It doesn’t have to be how I think you are imagining it. That’s why I say it depends on the needs of the child.

Children who are known spitters/biters will need to be risk-assessed and catered for accordingly.

If the spitters and face lickers come back to my class, I'm going to wear a visor. I've already asked my head. His mum took him out of school in the last week because he kept spitting at people on the bus, but they've managed to get taxi transport now. He's not come back yet because his sister is already home schooled, but they really struggle with his behaviour at home. He needs to come back for their mental health I expect. His 1-1 TA is vulnerable, so no idea how that will work. I don't want him (or a few others) back on the first day - I want to get logistics sorted out with children who can follow instructions first. We won't have the staff to do otherwise on day one anyway. It'll come down to him coming back, or 15 children in year 1, which is interesting.

A risk assessment should have been done to assess whether school or home was the safest place originally. Therefore they would have covered all the risks and had a discussion about what was needed to keep the child and others safe. Some research about additional equipment, suppliers and timescales would have been undertaken when schools closed.

You would have had a discussion with the staff who know the child best to review any triggers and consider options. Staff may have essential information and great ideas which can be shared along with any worries.

Fair point.

One problem at secondary is that , certainly at ours, a student with 1-1 support will have more that one TA assistant with them throughout the day. The school took the view that they do not want children to be dependent upon one person due to resignation/illness/training/needing a break etc.

It will be a challenge.

The guidance does say that a bubble can contain a teacher and a TA, so a bubble could contain a teacher, TA + children. It does seem like there should be a maximum of 2 adults to a group, so at secondary level, students needing a 1:1 TA may have to be in separate groups, which may not be the most appropriate group for them.

Nothing in the guidance says that teachers have to social distance from students at all times, so a TA, I guess wouldn't be able to social distance (obviously everyone involved may have their own views on the safety of this).

Currently, we have children with ECHPs coming into school and working with a TA, and they are not social distancing.

The guidance for EHCP sect F has been relaxed because some things simply can not be provided for. It is now "reasonable endeavour" rather than must provide. We have to do the best we can which may be different to provision before Covid.