Spectrum SEN Services, Tiptree (2025)

03/09/2025

Anger. Disappointment. Anxiety. Fear. Frustration. Overwhelm. Panic.

These are just some of the emotions that have been shared with me over the past few days, as the new school term begins.

I’ve been inundated with messages from parents and carers who are devastated, anxious, and rightfully furious. Promises made before the summer have been broken. Support that was in place has suddenly vanished without communication. Children are without education, without appropriate provision, or are being forced into unsuitable settings. Families are being pushed to the brink.

As a professional I too feel all these emotions and am frustrated when I want to do more but am blocked by an inept and bureaucratic system. As a parent of children with SEN I have also been on the receiving end in a personal capacity.

The local authority has let many of you down, and in some cases, schools have too. And while I don’t have quick fixes or easy answers, I want to say this clearly:

You are not alone. Your anger is valid. Your fight is justified.

Please, keep pushing. Keep asking questions. Don’t accept silence or vague reassurances. Don’t let them get away with this, your child deserves more! . Keep a record of everything and email back to them what you have been told suggesting if they dont respond you can presume what you have written is correct. Do a parental request for an ehcp if you feel you needs it and become familier with and follow the complaints procendures of your school and local authority. Finally, surround yourself with people who understand as support is out there.

One other important factor, and I know this is easier said than done, but where possible, try to shield your child from seeing your stress and anger, and overhearing your opinions. They pick up more than we think and it can make them panic more. Hold space for your own emotions, seek help when you need it, and remember you’re doing your absolute best in an impossible system.

This isn’t okay. You deserve better. Your children deserve better. And we will keep fighting for it. 💪❤️

25/08/2025

Lets talk about 🟢🟡🔵🔴 Zones of Regulation. It is a common tool used in schools, recommended by professionals, and often seen in support plans. It can be a helpful way to support emotional understanding and regulation. However, from what I’ve seen, it’s appears to be used in an oversimplified way and as a tick-box exercise.

Research tells us Zones can be effective, particularly when used thoughtfully, with proper support and teaching. But often the intervention does not work because deeper understanding of the child's needs have not been investigated. Before starting with zones it's important to ask.....

●Has the user actually been taught the purpose and how to use it, not just shown a poster and asked to pick a colour? This includes things like understanding why silly and anxious are in the same zone, even though they may feel completely different.

●Have they been taught that there are no ‘bad’ zones. Each zone is just information about how they’re feeling, to help choose the right support strategy if needed?

●Do they understand what the different emotions look and feel like for them? We know that being neurodivergent can come with challenges in recognising and describing feelings?.

●Does this approach suit the users age, development, or emotional needs?

For many people, emotions aren’t neat, simple, or able to be colour-coded. Reducing lived experience to a chart can feel invalidating. It may encourage masking ( I will pick green because it is the only good one!) or leave deeper emotional needs unaddressed ( trauma for example can't be simply labled)

Once the user does learn to identify their feelings and use zones to communicate this, the next step matters just as much: How are they being supported to reduce triggers, understand themselves, and build meaningful coping strategies?

Zones can be a good starting point, but should never be the whole intervention. If you see this on your child's plan, its important to ask more questions as detailed above.

22/08/2025

Working for yourself has many benefits, but the worse thing is having to let people down because you are ill. Apologies to everyone I am having to reschedule.

21/08/2025

So today is results day for many. It brings with it varied emotions for the families I support. Some children have not managed to sit exams due to unmet need and others have had amazing news that they have passed and got into their chosen college or uni.
I have been overwhelmed by the messages of thanks and good news from clients who have achieved what they needed to, and I know how hard they and their families have had to fight to achieve these successes.

Those who are still fighting for support, be assured we won't give and your time will come. X

Address

Tiptree
CO50

Telephone

+447810526763

Website

http://www.spectrumsenservices.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Spectrum SEN Services posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Spectrum SEN Services:

Spectrum SEN Services