'People's prejudice only makes me more determined': Honiton mum advocates SEND awareness in the community

A Honiton woman is redoubling her efforts to raise awareness on the issues surrounding Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), after negative comments on social media highlighted the level of prejudice that still exists within society.

Mum of two, Lea Bamford, is an active advocate for equal opportunities when it comes to social activities for children in Honiton.

Parenting sons, aged 8 and 3, both of whom have additional needs means that Lea has firsthand experience of caring for children who experience sensory difficulties.

Along with her professional background in additional needs education, she was well-placed to set up the Additional Needs Sports Group in Honiton last September.

"It's been amazing," Lea explained when she spoke to Nub News about the group's progress.

"Demand is really high and I still have people on the waiting list.

"Obviously, everything has been put on hold for the time being, but I'm in the process of branching out and obtaining funding."

Part of the battle that Lea faces in her bid to level the playing field when it comes to opportunities for children, is people's ignorance on the matter.

"People are so quick to judge. Some of the comments made off the back of an article I was the subject of discussing SEND were actually quite shocking and did upset me. But it also made me realise that much more needs to be done to raise awareness and to educate people.

"They're not 'unruly children' as one person said, and it's not down to 'lazy parenting'; it's a neurological condition, as diagnosed by medical professionals.

"You hear it all the time; 'everyone has to be labelled something these days', but the fact is the population is growing and so too is the knowledge surrounding various conditions.

"There are a lot of adults who have struggled all their lives due to a lack of diagnosis and support.

"It's also not about labelling children; it's about acknowledging their differences, celebrating their strengths and enabling that child to lead a full and brilliant life."

Below are some useful tips for people who want to know the best way to respond in certain situations involving a SEND child:

1) Don't assume - when you see a child displaying certain behaviours, never assume it's purely a result of bad parenting.

2) Be non-judgemental - you don't know what the child or parent may be experiencing on a daily basis.

3) Have empathy - understand that all behaviour is a form of communication and that this will be challenging for both the child and the parent.

4) Educate yourself about conditions such as autism and ADHD so that you are more aware of what triggers a sensory overload.

5) Offer help - but don't advise.

6) Try to accommodate additional needs if you are a business owner.

7) Lower your expectations of how children should present themselves in public in general.

8) Support the challenges, and notice/celebrate the child's strengths.

9) Listen to their needs and try to accommodate.

10) Be kind.

Parents who struggle with any of the issues raised within this article can access support groups, such as Parent+ and DiAS.