Towards a Positive Future: Stories, ideas and inspiration from children with special education needs, their families and professionals

Janet O'Keefe

Table of Contents

About the contributors
Foreword by Dr Hilary Gardner

Part I Background and Context
Chapter 1 Why me and why this book
Chapter 2 Setting the scene
Chapter 3 Finding support: Practical information for parents and expert witnesses

Part II Personal Stories
Chapter 4 Autism and Asperger syndrome: Communication, friendship and flexibility
Chapter 5 Behavioural, emotional and social conditions: Learning, feelings and mood
Chapter 6 Specific learning disability, dyslexia and dyscalculia: Reading, writing and calculating
Chapter 7 Speech, language and communication needs: Hearing, understanding and talking
Chapter 8 Learning disability: Mild, moderate, severe or complex

Part III The Future
Chapter 9 The long view: Disabled children become adults
Chapter 10 Celebrating strengths: The ordinariness of impairment
Chapter 11 Making it happen

Appendix
References and suggested reading

What they are saying about this book:

"This book is essential reading for anyone currently involved in the upbringing and education of a child or children with special needs. In this well documented and skilfully edited volume, our current process for ensuring a 'special' child is appropriately educated is clearly and comprehensively explained. Fifteen real-life stories of special needs children illustrate perfectly the many facets of the problems that face those who are intimately involved with educating children with special needs. We have all known the frustration and coldness of bureaucrats who count the pennies and tick the boxes with scant regard for the identity and needs of the individual’s life they are affecting. The personal accounts in this book bring home the difficulties many have experienced in understanding exactly what was wrong with their child, what effective and positive steps could have been or were taken to address their child's needs and how these were (or were not) applied (promptly or otherwise).

No punches are pulled. There is no kowtowing to those authoritative officials who have learned to become more efficient in their job by making hard and fast decisions that have ignored the human, emotional needs of the people involved. Reading such stories should give new heart to people who may be struggling to cope with a cumbersome, and seemingly cold and indifferent system. They are not alone.

I write not as an entirely uninvolved individual, for I have had my own 19-year battle with authorities in seeing to the needs of my husband who has had increased requisites as his health has deteriorated and I have been observing the difficulties my own daughter has been having with her severely disabled child.

To return to this excellent book: by way of essential contrast, it also highlights the positive side of the children's achievements, no matter how small. It makes clear how it is important for us to change our attitudes in dealing with our children's individual impairments and with the authorities that seem to be at odds with their statutory role to support these needy children.

The final mission statements exhorting us to be the instigators of positive reform in this field are inspiring and worthy of adopting. It is not 'the system' but 'we' who can effectively improve matters. Armed with the expert knowledge and lists of supportive organizations and people in this book, and driven by our passionate involvement, we should be able to ensure that the future of our special needs children will be much improved."
Dr Rosemary Westwell (PhD (Ed))

"As an SLT working for the NHS, privately and for a major charity I must say a huge thank you for all the time you have invested writing this book. Put simply, it's a fantastic reference point for any professional working with children and adolescents with SEN and their families.

I like how the vastly complicated process of statementing is clearly described in terms of not simply what happens but when it should happen.

When I was a newly qualified SLT I wish I had such a resource to refer back to as it has taken years of experience to get my head around (and I still don't feel overly confident). I will definitely recommend this resource to NQT (and experienced) professionals who work with children with SEN.

Whilst the book does not expect a particular level of prior understanding of SEN, having some certainly helps. The majority of (affected) families greet having more information on the SEN 'with open arms'; however, I do feel that due to the complexity of the process, and hence the complexity of the book itself, it is not accessible to all families. Personally, I would recommend reading particular chapters to some of my families and the whole book to others.

I think the icing of the cake are the inspirational stories. Whilst they are heartbreaking at points, the positive messages found are clear. I like the way they are categorised into SLCN diagnoses/disorders as it helps the reader to relate to particular children they know.

Finally, with all the cuts and changes happening across the UK it is very easy to become disillusioned; the 'making it happen' has lit my fire of enthusiasm and I can't wait to go into work tomorrow and begin to make a difference."
Chris Wade, SLT

"This easy-to-read book by Janet O'Keefe gives a valuable overview into the world of SEN support and the difficulties faced by parents in trying to access it. It sets out in simple terms the current system for readers and gives some good advice about how to seek the right experts for your child. It also offers pointers for those experts themselves. The book explains the most common social and communication disorders and helpfully illustrates them with personal stories garnered from her broad experience as a Speech and Language Therapist who has given evidence at SEN Tribunals many times. The stories will have a resonance with many parents! Perhaps the most interesting part of this book is the section towards the end where Mrs O'Keefe challenges parents and educators not to blame others for society's failures but to take action themselves to make the landscape better for our most vulnerable children. A very interesting read."
Tania Tirraoro, parent of child with SEN

"It's probably never been harder for parents to get the right support for their special needs child. This book gives heart warming stories of how parents have achieved this and shows you how you can do the same."
Robert Ashton, social entrepreneur

A conference is being organised and will take place at Mary Hare on Saturday 16 June 2012. More information will be available shortly.

Publication date October 2011

ISBN 9781907826122
Price: £12.99 paperback [+postage and packing]

« Back to Published Books page