

Are we, all of us, aware of the needs of those with special education needs and disabilities, within our communities and societies? Are we genuinely inclusive, supportive and actively caring enough? Or are they someone else’s problem?
In the comfort of our homes, schools and workplaces, we almost certainly, on the rare occasions we think about it, because we held a door open for a ‘lady in a wheelchair,’ or got out of the way of someone on crutches, we probably pride ourselves on being reasonably thoughtful.
We probably give to charities when they ask and almost certainly regard ourselves as part of a dynamic, considerate and inclusive community or society. Certainly, given our personal and societal values, I guess we should feel that we accept every individual for who and what they are, without prejudice or discrimination. But do we?
Can you believe that statistically, a massive 68 per cent of students, globally, have a SEND need, that being the acronym for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and it looks different from almost every individual’s perspective. For most of us, special needs though is a lot like an asterisk and acts like a curiosity, a red flag if you like, when the approach we should all be taking, the question we should all be asking, is “Can I help?”
I’m not sure that most of us do. I think that we shrink away from the challenge of parking our perceived superiority, whether it is physical, educational, or emotional, because to do so scares us. Instead, we should embrace the imperfections of our communities and societies because both are, in effect, wider families and families look out for each other.
If you think about the qualities you look for from your family at home, I’m sure you’ll agree that these are the same qualities we need to foster within our school community. Therefore, we can confidently say that we all need to demonstrate greater respect, care, empathy and trust with those around us. If we don’t, the SEND students around us will, rather than may, never reach their full potential, neither in education, work, or life, which, when you consider that we all deserve to feel safe and to be our authentic selves.
So, it’s right that you ask yourself ‘What can be my role in this?’ And that support may take the shape of supporting with learning challenges, in assisting with physical disabilities, or with socio-emotional issues. Whether parents, peers, friends or teachers, we need to support SEND learners by being understanding, patient and inclusive, treating each other with respect, empathy and kindness. We can help with tasks, be good listeners and include those with SEND in our group activities, demonstrating our empathy and responsibility.
Accordingly, participation becomes something that benefits us significantly, on our own life journey. With this awareness of a compassionate response mantra, we can create a more inclusive, more welcoming environment for everyone at school. After all, it is our differences that make us unique, so we all bring something unique and different to our communities.
To fail in establishing a caring perspective we must appreciate that some of our students with special educational needs and disabilities can be vulnerable and may not always understand social norms like others do and this can make them easy targets for that few among us who may try to take advantage of them.
Let's make sure that we treat everyone, whether need or not, with the respect and kindness they deserve. Let's remember... a little kindness goes a long way towards making the world a better place for all of us and as our good friend and colleague Angie Wade always says, “It’s nice to be nice.”
We must strive to support, respect, listen, empathise, include, trust and be trusted. In doing so, we can create an inclusive and supportive community where everyone feels valued and accepted.
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