The SENDcast

01:10:31

Ensuring behaviour policy closes the gap with Adam Hayes

The SENDcast ·

2026/10/08

Behaviour policies were never designed to be a log of misery. But for too many children, that's exactly what they've become. In this episode, Dale is joined by Adam Hayes, Managing Director of Therapeutic Thinking, to discuss behaviour policies - and what it would actually take to make them work for every child. Adam brings extensive experience across social care and education, and a refreshingly honest perspective on why so many schools are still punishing children for having an unmet need

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55:16

From communication to burnout: Creating an inclusive...

The SENDcast ·

2026/10/01

Burnout isn't one big thing. It's lots of smaller things, building and building - until even the smallest demand tips you over the edge. Joe Fautley, project coordinator at the Council for Disabled Children and neurodiversity advocate, returns to the podcast to discuss burnout, communication, and what it takes to build inclusive environments for autistic learners. Joe speaks from lived experience. Non-verbal for much of his childhood, he lost hard-won communication skills when he moved to an

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01:02:14

Late Diagnosis, Loud Music and Parenting...

The SENDcast ·

2026/09/24

Today, Dale is joined by Terry Bolton - known as Telboy - a UK-based music producer, independent hip-hop artist, and parent of neurodivergent children, diagnosed with Tourette's and ADHD in his mid-30s to discuss Late Diagnosis, Loud Music and Parenting Neurodivergent Kids. Terry brings an honest, funny, and at times deeply personal perspective to a conversation that covers late diagnosis, sensory overload, resilience, and what it really means to define success on your own terms. They explore

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01:18:47

SEND Reforms - what does it mean for trusts with...

The SENDcast ·

2026/09/17

The SEND reforms have generated a lot of conversation - but one perspective has been missing from the debate. What does it mean for trusts? In this episode, Dale is joined by Helen Bray, Director of Inclusion at St Francis CMAT, and Simon Tanner, Director of School Improvement for SEND at Authentic Education, for a wide-ranging and at times refreshingly candid conversation about what the proposed reforms mean at trust level. Together, they explore: - Why accountability and capacity must move

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01:11:16

Hyperfocus: From Survival to Superpower with Emma Muir

The SENDcast ·

2026/09/10

In this episode, Dale is joined by Emma Muir, social media marketer, author, and education communication strategist, to discuss late diagnosis and whether being neurodivergent is a superpower. Emma received her ADHD diagnosis at 45, on a day when she was also told she had severely fractured her back and her mother was being rushed to hospital. Dale and Emma explore what it really means to receive a late diagnosis and why so many neurodivergent adults spend decades being offered depression

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01:10:55

Beyond the Classroom: Sensory Support at Home with...

The SENDcast ·

2026/09/03

Schools have sensory rooms, sensory audits, and sensory-informed environments – but what about home? For many neurodivergent children, the place they're supposed to feel safest is quietly making things worse. Today, Dale is joined by Natasha Grays, founder of The Sensory Haven, to discuss sensory support at home and how it supports regulation, learning, and sleep. Natasha explains why so many families are unknowingly living in homes that are working against their child's nervous system – through

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01:11:46

Rethinking Wellbeing of Neurodivergent Children in...

The SENDcast ·

2026/08/27

Coping is not the same as wellbeing – and for too many neurodivergent children in our schools, the two are being confused. Charlotte MacDougall, a neurodivergent specialist, joins Dale to discuss how we need to rethink wellbeing for neurodivergent children in school. Charlotte argues that much of what schools offer as wellbeing support amounts to sticking plasters – well-meaning interventions that treat the symptom without addressing the cause. The cause, she suggests, is an education system that

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57:44

The Power of Play Schemas with Ange Anderson

The SENDcast ·

2026/08/20

Play is often the first thing to disappear as children move through school – but for many neurodivergent children, it may be the most powerful learning tool we have. Ange Anderson, Therapeutic SEND Advisor, joins Dale to discuss how play schemas can help adults better understand behaviour, communication, and wellbeing. Together, Dale and Ange explore: – Why play-based learning is so often misunderstood or abandoned too early. – What schemas are, and how recognising them can completely reframe what

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01:21:39

A Million Families Waiting: Can AI Help? with Ben Cosh

The SENDcast ·

2026/08/13

AI is everywhere right now - but how useful is it really for families navigating the SEND system, and how do you know when to trust it? In this episode, Dale is joined by Ben Cosh, founder and CEO of Silva, to discuss AI in SEND: what it can do, what it can't, and why families shouldn't have to wait years for help. Ben built Silva after living through the reality of year-long NHS waiting lists, overwhelmed teachers, and private assessments that cost a fortune but came with no support afterwards

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01:16:20

Behind the Mask: Autistic Burnout and Eva's Story...

The SENDcast ·

2026/08/06

Autistic burnout is talked about on social media, but how many of us truly understand what it looks like - and what it takes to recover from it? Sarah Griffiths, children's author, meditation teacher, and parent advocate, joins Dale to discuss autistic burnout and the story of her daughter Eva. Sarah shares, with honesty and warmth, how Eva - autistic and ADHD, and a skilled masker for years - collapsed into severe burnout at the start of Year 6. Her executive functioning all but disappeared

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59:34

What do we mean by trauma informed practice? with Dr...

The SENDcast ·

2026/07/30

Trauma-informed practice is one of those phrases everyone nods along to – but how many of us truly understand what it means, or what it actually looks like in practice? Dr. Asha Patel, founder and CEO of Innovating Minds, joins Dale to discuss what we really mean by trauma-informed practice. "Trauma-informed practice is a way of being. It's not a switch that you can switch on and off." — Dr. Asha Patel It starts with the adult being regulated, aware of how they are feeling, and able to offer that

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01:13:20

Where are specific learning difficulties in the SEND...

The SENDcast ·

2026/07/23

The SEND reforms have generated a lot of discussion – but one significant gap has gone largely unnoticed. Where do specific learning difficulties fit in? Dale is joined by Louise Selby, a dyslexia specialist, and Janet Goring, an SpLD specialist, for a lively and at times eye-opening conversation about what the shift from four broad areas of need to five areas of development could mean for children with SpLD. Together, they explore: Why cognition and learning has disappeared from the new framework

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56:59

DLD and SEND Reforms: No Child Left Behind with Jane...

The SENDcast ·

2026/07/16

There are 1.3 million children in this country with developmental language disorder. Most of them are sitting quietly in classrooms going unnoticed. Today, Dale is joined by Jane Harris, Chief Executive of Speech and Language UK, to discuss DLD, the SEND reforms, and what it really means to ensure no child is left behind. They discuss: - Why children with DLD are six to ten times more likely to fall behind in core subjects, and twice as likely to be unemployed as adults. - The deeply problematic

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01:24:54

We need to talk about the neurodivergent teachers in...

The SENDcast ·

2026/07/09

We will never have true inclusion in our schools while neurodivergent teachers remain hidden. In this episode, Dale is joined by Chris Benson, founder of Headfirst Consulting and ND Chat, to discuss the neurodivergent teachers in our schools – and why it's a conversation that the profession shouldn't ignore. Chris was one of the first serving headteachers to publicly disclose his own ADHD diagnosis. The response – hundreds of private messages from educators across the country – spoke volumes about

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01:04:36

Why every school needs a SENCO on the senior...

The SENDcast ·

2026/07/02

If a school's inclusion strategy depends solely on its SENCO, it simply isn't sustainable – and it isn't working. In this episode, Dale is joined by Lisa Pinkerton, Head of Education at Widgit Software and former primary school deputy headteacher, to discuss why every school needs a SENCO on its senior leadership team. Together, Dale and Lisa explore why the SENCO's circle of influence is so often determined not by the SENCO themselves, but by the headteacher and the authority they choose to give

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01:02:23

It's Not What It Looks Like: Screen Time and...

The SENDcast ·

2026/06/25

When you see a child glued to a screen, it's easy to make assumptions. But for neurodivergent children, screen use is rarely what it looks like from the outside. In this episode, Dale is joined by Dr. Daniel Weisberg a consultant clinical psychologist to discuss neurodivergent children, young people, and screen use. Together, Dale and Daniel explore six key reasons why screens function very differently for neurodivergent children - from the haven of predictability that games provide in contrast to

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57:45

Leadership in Social Impact Education with Ed Robbins

The SENDcast ·

2026/06/18

For some children and young people, the traditional school system has already failed them - sometimes more than once. What they need isn't a better curriculum. It's someone who will meet them where they are. In this episode, Dale is joined by Ed Robbins, CEO of Fresh Start in Education to discuss 'Leadership in Social Impact Education'. Fresh Start works one-to-one with young people in their homes, in coffee shops, parks, libraries - wherever they feel safe enough to connect. The goal isn't academic

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29:49

*Special episode* The Tes SEND Show 2026

The SENDcast ·

2026/06/16

This is a special episode in which Dale is joined by Beverley Walters, Programme Director of the Tes SEND Show, and Jane Friswell, SEND Consultant and parent advocate, to discuss why listeners should attend the Tes SEND Show taking place on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th October at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London. Now in its 34th year, the show is the flagship event in the SEND calendar, offering over 42 seminars, 29 free exhibitor sessions, six parent-carer forum sessions, and a

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54:30

Empowered: Student Self-Advocacy in Schools with...

The SENDcast ·

2026/06/11

When schools stop doing things *to* students and start doing things *with* them, everything changes. Dale is joined by Claire Cannon a national inclusion consultant at Indigo Owl Coaching and Consultancy and Alice Phillips, a Year 11 student currently taking her GCSEs and a neurodiversity advocate with Tourette's. Together, they explore what student self-advocacy really means - and why so many schools are still getting it wrong. Alice speaks with remarkable insight and honesty about her own

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01:04:55

Removing the fear of reading with Vicki Edgar

The SENDcast ·

2026/06/04

For many neurodivergent children, reading isn't just difficult - it's frightening. And without the right support, that fear can follow them well into adulthood. In this episode, Dale is joined by Vicki Edgar, Director at Fonetti and co-founder of the National Read Aloud Challenge, to discuss 'Removing the Fear of Reading'. Vicki was diagnosed with dyslexia at seven and brings a deeply personal perspective to the conversation - sharing how the anxiety of reading aloud in class has stayed with her,

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