ALT: a box that says call for help in white letters

When you attend your local choir or yoga class, just stop and think – where are the disabled adults, asks Guardian columnist John Harris

‘It is a crisis that is not serving our children’s needs’Over the past few months on Woman’s Hour we’ve been looking at support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).This week, actor @annamaxwellmartin shared her family’s experiences navigating the SEND system.Anna has two daughters with SEND and has struggled to get support to meet their needs.Speaking about the introduction of fines for parents of children missing school, the Motherland and Line of Duty star told @bbcnuala that she feels the system doesn’t support children or their families and that it’s a ‘catastrophe’.Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Every child and young person deserves the best life chances and the opportunity to achieve and thrive… The reform families are crying out for will take time, but with a greater focus on mainstream provision and more early intervention, we will deliver the change that is so desperately needed.”The Education Hub on the government’s website says: ‘Fines are a last resort, and parents will be offered support to help improve their child’s attendance first.“If your child is facing barriers to school attendance due to special education needs or disabilities (SEND), schools, local authorities and wider services are required to work together to provide the right support in the first place.”For more information and support on this topic, head to the BBC Action Line website.You can listen to the full interview on @bbcsounds - it’s the Woman’s Hour episode from 28th October 🎧...#womanshour #bbcradio4 #SENDView all 2,169 comments

Reviews will focus on pupils not in school, those receiving a part-time education and those who are severely absent

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by a persistent pattern of behaviours that interfere with functioning or development (as defined by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental ...