Families we come into contact with are dealing with a unique set of challenges which we should all be aware and respectful of. They:
- might be coming to terms with their child's additional needs and be processing that emotionally
- are likely to be stressed or upset
- are short on time - they could be very tired too
- may have a learning difficulty or disability themselves.
We also have an audience with a very varied knowledge of the world of SEND, ranging from:
- Parents/ carers who think their child might have an additional need, but don't know what, or where to start
- Parents/ carers who are new to SEND and learning as they go
- Parents/ carers who are experienced with SEND and expertly know the services in Hertfordshire and their rights.
Consider the levels of detail you need to share, and how you intend to do that, should it be requested.
Children and young people require a high level of trust and security when being communicated with. They:
- may prefer to be communicated with by trusted and known adults - their family, or a key worker/ carer
- may not engage with some forms of communication and need a choice i.e. WhatsApp instead of a phone call.
- may not also want to share their real thoughts and feelings with you. Think about how you would have responded as a child or young person to an organisation like the council or the NHS!
- may have a lot of anxiety, especially as this can be more prevalent in young people with neurodivergence.
- may have communication needs which require adaptations.
The frontline colleagues who work with our children and young people every day are expertly equipped to communicate with them, including having the skills to adapt to different communication needs. If you want to communicate with children and young people, tap into the expertise of these colleagues, or an expert by experience (a young person with SEND who is employed to contribute to service design through sharing their lived experience).
If you look after documentation for children and young people, for example information within an Education, Health and Care Plan, consider the way you use language by referring to The Power of Language in Children′s Services.
Professionals benefit from having the same accurate, compassionate and timely messaging that we use with our families.
We all know how it feels to work within an area of SEND, and the pressure that sometimes puts us under (being short on time, frustration with the complexity of things etc). Your professional colleagues are likely experiencing similar challenges to you. Communicate in the way you'd like to be spoken to - in a way which makes your day better, not harder.
You may be able to speed things up by using some acronyms or internal terminology that works for us - just make sure you can guarantee the colleague/s you are speaking to will know what you mean.