The Orchid Practice

17/10/2025

02/10/2025

Well said 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 we are always using and recommending this approach to support those with 💜

If you’re lucky enough to be having a conversation with someone with childhood apraxia of speech (or any other speech, language and communication need) please just take the time to listen. Really listen!

It’s so important that you give us time to respond. I know you mean well when you ask another question or make another statement just to cover the awkward silence but that just makes it harder for us to process our thoughts. We are already processing the first part of the conversation and trying to find the words we need but when you throw in another question/statement the process starts all over again, resulting in an even longer silence until we find the words.

Also second guessing what we are going to say and finishing our sentences for us. This sends us the message that what we have to say isn’t important, that our hard fought for voice means nothing, when actually most of the time what you second guess isn’t what we were going to say.

I love when people give me the time I need, like on this photo, as it relieves so much of the built up anxiety.

24/09/2025

We need all of this, hoping there’s enough noise about it now that investment is made where it’s needed most 🤞🏻

18/09/2025

Such welcome news!!! 🙌🏻💜

The Education Select Committee has produced an excellent report on ‘Solving the SEND crisis’, published today.

MPs have rejected the idea of dismantling the SEND legal framework and supported our calls for the system to be made to work as it should. Here's a summary:

🔷 MPs support keeping children and young people’s legal right to an education that meets their needs: “Solution can’t be to remove the statutory entitlements from a system which lacks accountability in many other areas and in which parents already have so little trust and confidence.”

🔶 There's a welcome focus on improving accountability: MPs recommend that Ofsted & CQC inspectors look at compliance with the law on supporting children and young people with SEND – and give lower inspection ratings where local authorities are failing children and young people.

🔷 MPs agree with us that the Government must extend the powers of Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to cover complaints about delivery of EHC plans and SEN support in schools. Time for the Government to finally act on this!

🔶 The SEND Tribunal must remain, say MPs. And Government should “monitor SEND Tribunal outcomes and identify local authorities that repeatedly fail to comply with their statutory duties”. We are cheering!

🔷 And: the Education Select Committee agrees with us that the SEND Tribunal should be able to issue legally binding rulings to health services, not just education providers.

MPs have recognised that restoring parents’ confidence in the SEND system isn’t just about “involving” parents, important as that is. It’s also about making sure the law is followed, so children and young people receive the support they need.

The full report and our response is available to read here: https://www.ipsea.org.uk/news/education-select-committee-report-says-childrens-legal-rights-should-be-protected-and-schools-should-be-inclusive-for-all

16/09/2025

💜 🙌🏻 👊🏻

15/09/2025

Great pic from the SEND rally in London today. So important to raise awareness and we’re sad we couldn’t be there in person to fly the flag! 💜

05/09/2025

We are excited to announce that Director, Marissa Webb, is now a published author! 🙌🏼 Come along and celebrate and bring the kids! You can buy the book at the event or order online via Amazon. Follow Marissa’s author account on Instagram for more information about her journey.
Instagram marissagpwebb

08/08/2025

Marissa has been working on something…📚 Introducing the first book in a series about WH Questions to help support language development.

📖 Who? Hide and Seek
🎈Release Date: August 25th
Pre-order on Amazon and Waterstones
Links 🔗 in comments.