Special Needs Schools Facing A Perfect Storm With Risk Of Winter Closures

Predictability is difficult to come by these days as society readies itself for the peak of what appears to be an inevitable second wave of coronavirus.

Very few economic sectors or institutions have been entirely spared but special needs schools, which cater to children and young people with a variety of physical and developmental disorders, now find themselves in a uniquely vulnerable and prone position.

Teachers and staff working in the special educational needs (SEN) sector have done an incredible job over the summer in relation to assiduous risk assessments and mitigation, thereby facilitating a safe return for many schools in September.

Nevertheless, a number of binding and inherent structural issues governing how SEN schools function, now leaves them skating on the thinnest of ice.

This was brought into even sharper relief yesterday when the U.K. government reported its highest ever daily rise in coronavirus infections since the pandemic began, as well as 71 deaths, the highest daily number since July.

Why special educational needs schools are uniquely vulnerable

With the transmission curve, once more, heading decidedly in the wrong direction, this past month has already seen a number of special schools in the U.K, including in the town of St Helens in the north-west of England and in Belfast in Northern Ireland, have to close their doors entirely due to staff having to self-isolate at home.

Most mainstream schools might be able to absorb some staff shortages, even amidst the current unprecedented conditions, but these are considerably more problematic in the SEN sector due to the specialized nature of the work and the much higher staff to pupil ratios necessary to maintain operations.

Even a few absences can leave schools in a precarious position but allied to this is the hands-on nature of the work. A great number of pupils attending special schools, including older teenagers, have little to no comprehension of social distancing.

Many children rely on staff for personal care needs. For conditions that involve impairments in social communication, such as learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, the wearing of face masks for teachers in the classroom is impractical and, therefore, not recommended.

Lorraine Dormand is the Principal of the Robert Ogden School in Yorkshire, an independent school run by the National Autistic Society for children with autism aged between 5 and 19.

She says that despite the safety concerns, members of her staff team maintain a focus on giving their utmost to protect the welfare of children in their care.

“There is that recognition that there may be a risk but it’s part of the job. Our young people need us and their families need them to be at school,” says Dormand.

“Some staff might arrive at school feeling a little nervous but then they get to the classroom and see the young people, see their need and get that smile when something has gone well,” she continues.

 “At that point, worries over Covid just get left at the door until the end of the day but of course, staff members are taking precautions where possible.”

One precaution entirely outside of a teacher’s control, but which would be of considerable benefit, would be the presence of an efficient and rapid, “Test, Trace and Isolate” system operating across the whole country.

Unfortunately, this has not been forthcoming and with winter flu season looming on the horizon—headteachers could find themselves in the unenviable position of having to send home desperately needed staff whilst they await a test to see if they have Covid-19 or just a seasonal cough or cold.

Mitigating the risks

With the notion of teachers wearing face masks in class and school-wide social distancing being a non-starter in many settings, headteachers and senior staff found themselves engaged in important work over the summer—undertaking risk assessments and attempting to follow government guidelines to create a learning environment which is as Covid-secure as possible.

These measures have included rigid adherence to classroom and equipment cleaning regimens and the maintenance of self-contained "bubbles" and zones throughout the school to limit a child’s social contacts.

Access to certain areas within schools, such as sensory rooms or hydrotherapy pools has been cut back and many schools have resorted to having children eat lunch in their classrooms, rather than the school dining room in order to more efficiently maintain the bubble.

Sadly, for many children with complex communication needs, vital outings to shops and other businesses in the community have had to be curtailed due to the increased risk of transmission.

While appreciating the need for leadership and regulations, Dormand believes the government needs to be more organized and empathetic when it comes to the timing of communications.

“As a Principal, I feel I’ve got my day job but sometimes it’s hard to get on with it because managing Covid-19 has almost become a full-time job in its own right,” she says.

“It would be helpful if the communication was a little smoother and we had more warning about what is happening. We’ve had instances of guidance coming out at 7 p.m. on a Friday and then you know you are going to have to be on top of it by 9 a.m. on the Monday morning.”

In and amongst all of this, the arduous toil of school closures during the nationwide lockdown on the parents of children with special educational needs must never be forgotten.

These are, after all, children and young people who thrive on routine and predictability and for whom, school offers up rare opportunities for social contact in comparison to their neurotypical or able-bodied peers.

Due to the specialized nature of the teaching, homeschooling is not always practical for this cohort, while many may not have the attention span or cognitive abilities required for distance learning via video conferencing platforms.

The lockdown saw many children regress in their learning, while problematic behaviors also resurfaced and intensified.

It remains crucial that these vital, life-affirming educational institutions remain open over the coming months in order to ensure that children with special educational needs and their families don’t experience a summer of isolation followed by a winter of discontent.