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The worst thing is the guilt, some say. Many parents of children with special needs dread the six week’s holiday in the summer. The fear of six weeks with little rest and little time to yourself. However, this is one of those moments when it is perfectly normal to worry about having to care for your children, uninterrupted, for the longest time since they were a baby. The addition of the words “special needs” doesn’t in this case make parents special in the dread of the summer holidays.

It is interesting how when you type in “teacher training for special needs children”, Google offers courses for specialist teachers of SEN or for Teaching Assistants. However, since the 2014 Code of Practice the emphasis has been on inclusion and not intervention through withdrawal for small group or one-to-one teaching. Therefore, the landscape of teacher training should have changed with the Code of Practice: but is this the case?

Every teacher will tell you that the nirvana of teaching is pure personalisation. This means every child is being taught in a way that is suited to their needs. In reality, few teachers successfully achieve differentiation within a lesson on broad ability types. This is partly due to class sizes and partly due to a lack of training in how to address different children’s needs.

With the arrival of the summer holidays, parents of children with special needs often find ourselves having more time available to spend bonding with our children. Whilst doing fun sensory and stimulating activities at home is rewarding, sometimes going out on a summer adventure can be a welcome break for both of you.

Fragile X syndrome is the most common cause of autism known to medical practitioners. This syndrome is a genetic condition resulting in intellectual disability affecting more boys than girls. Early diagnosis and treatment can help your child live a full life and reach their potential.

Fathers with children with special needs are often unsung heroes. A recent survey conducted by Scope reported that 84% of Dads feel financial pressure as a result of caring for a disabled child, forcing them to work long hours. Seven out of 10 say caring for a disabled son or daughter has severely affected their relationship with their partner. The reality is that being a special needs dad is tough. Here’s how Superdads cope.