During my time in a specialised setting, I was provided with an ‘I Matter’ code which was the school’s safeguarding policy. It enabled those that aren’t familiar with SEN/D settings to gather an idea of what each child is entitled to. For example, choices. It also mentions ‘Give me time to respond’ as not all children will be communicative. This is where the rules differ from being in a mainstream school. Although you will give children time to respond, it will come much more naturally whereas in specialised settings, this right is explicit. It enables professionals to know how to keep children safe, whilst addressing a wide range of needs. For example, ‘always let me know what will happen next’ may be specifically important when teaching a child with autism who finds changes difficulty. However, a child with ADHD may not need to know what happens next. Therefore, although these needs are equally important, some children will require one more than others. This is a crucial policy to implement as people (like me) who had never been in a SEN/D school may overlook these basic needs so it is important to ensure that they know how to make each child feel safe.
misslaurabolton 