‘Covid-19 changed the landscape for children and young people with special educational needs’

I'll start with the personal… I've heard that's the way to engage a reader. I might struggle to give a good summary of myself, but I'll try my best. I'm an older sister who loves to sing, drink green tea, swim and travel. Aside from that, I love psychology. As a recent graduate with a Psychology degree under my belt, that's perhaps not a surprise. What was a bit of a shock to me though, was that I even made it to university.

Growing up with dyslexia I had a few challenges to overcome and few expectations that I would succeed academically. I can read more easily now; I have for a long time. But those early negative experiences of reading had a long-lasting impact. I often hesitate to pick up a book, but a magazine is a little less daunting. There were other times in my life, like in my degree, where others made education accessible, and that was an inspiration for wanting to write for The Psychologist. For example, my lecturers would somehow make statistics seem simple – it was as if someone had turned on the lights and that big scary monster was actually just a chair. 

This is why I wanted to write about Covid-19 and special educational needs – to make science engaging while maintaining nuance. If I can just feed in bite size pieces of accurate information which allude to a bigger picture, perhaps you'll be inspired to delve deeper and learn more. Covid-19 changed the landscape for children and young people (CYPs) with special educational needs (SEN), and we need inspiration, discussion and action.

Unique challenges

When the pandemic hit, education moved to online spaces. I was midway through sixth form and I remember the odd experience of online school assemblies held via Zoom. The world did not stop spinning. But the pandemic did have a widespread detrimental impact on education (Pokhrel & Chhetri, 2021).

For CYPs with SEN, the experience of online learning and lockdown was fraught with many unique challenges. Poor mental health was a big issue (Asbury et al., 2020; Paterson et al., 2023; Sideropoulos et al, 2021). The level of mental health issues was already higher in SEN populations compared to non-SEN pre-pandemic (Office for National Statistics, 2021). However, the disruption to routine, specialist input and increased responsibility placed on parents/ guardians due to the lockdown also likely contributed towards poor mental health in CYPs with SEN and their parents/ guardians (Asbury et al., 2020).

Longitudinal research also evidenced that the pandemic impacted CYPs with SEN differently compared to their non-SEN siblings. CYPs with SEN showed higher levels of anxiety as well as worry related to a loss of structure (Sideropoulos et al., 2021). For some, the anxiety and worry stemmed from the importance of routine (Asbury et al., 2020). Other CYPs may have limited capabilities to understand what was happening, and to grasp that things may again change in the future (Asbury et al., 2020).

Poor mental health in parents/ guardians and CYPs with SEN is likely a large contributor to other challenges. Caregiver reports from Morgül and colleagues' (2022) research showed that CYPs with SEN and mental health issues displayed more emotional and behavioural difficulties compared to CYPs without SEN. In turn, it is likely that these additional challenges would negatively impact online learning for CYPs with SEN, leading to a problematic cycle.

Little respite

The pandemic also saw challenges around speech and language development, home learning, academic achievement and learning performance, to name a few (Pittas & Papanastaisou, 2023). It is worth noting that some CYPs with SEN appeared to do well academically during lockdown, unfortunately this was not the experience for the vast majority (Paterson et al., 2023). This is likely, in part, due to a loss of specialist resources, routine, mental health (Asbury et al., 2020) and parents/ guardians needing to support their child's education more than before (Asbury et al., 2020; Shaw & Shaw, 2023). Many parents/ guardians supported their child through online education, how to use the online platforms for example, as a teacher was not physically present to do so (Paterson et al., 2023). Research by Shaw & Shaw (2023) shows that parents/ guardians of CYPs with SEN perceived that online learning was not suitably tailored for their child's needs and capabilities. Parents/ guardians then took on more responsibilities to adapt resources and support their children (Paterson et al., 2023). Online learning was also characterised by digital and educational inequalities, such as a lack of devices (Darmody et al., 2021; Paterson et al., 2023; Shaw & Shaw, 2023). 

It's not surprising that more work and less respite would further damage mental health for CYPs with SEN and their parents/ guardians (Paterson et al., 2023; Shaw & Shaw, 2023). This is not to criticise and place blame on educational professionals. Covid-19 presented unexpected challenges that would inevitably harm education. I believe it is important to recognise the problems and how we can work together to move forwards.

Fight for children in the SEND system

Covid-19 has highlighted, exacerbated and added to the challenges faced by CYPs with SEN. In-person specialist aid and resources are vital in order to support their emotional, behavioural and developmental needs and to allow them to learn and thrive. With additional support for the CYPs with SEN and their parents'/ guardians' mental health, in a post-pandemic world, hopefully some good can come out of this period of change.

Now is especially an important time for action as the SEND system is facing a potential turning point. The current BPS 'Fight for children in the SEND system' campaign highlights how the SEND system is in crisis. There are simply not enough educational psychologists to support the needs of CYPs with SEN. Educational psychologists play a vital role in the SEND system, such as developing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). These are personalised plans outlining the CYPs educational, health and care needs and support which must be given. However, as cited by the BPS campaign, a recent survey revealed that there are 20,000 CYPs still awaiting EHCPs in England. With many CYPs left waiting, there is not equal or easy access to support. Considering this, along with all the challenges arising from the pandemic, now is a crucial time for action. 

What needs to change?

So how can we work to solve these issues? The BPS (2024) are campaigning for a more accessible, equitable and holistic SEND system. They are calling for all schools to have access to an educational psychologist in their local authority. A focus on early preventative interventions, retaining current educational psychologists and more funding. In my own life, I was fortunate to have access to an educational psychologist and was diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven. This opened doors to specialist support from a young age and later down the line, I could apply for extra time in exams. My life would not be where it is today without early access to an educational psychologist.

Unfortunately, as we've seen, this is not a privilege every CYP has. This is why change is needed! It is particularly personal to me, not only as someone with dyslexia, but as an aspiring educational psychologist. The good news is that there are many others who want to join the profession. However, there are limited positions on the qualifying doctorate courses, another reason for the educational psychologist shortage. 

But there is hope! The BPS is raising awareness and can push for governmental support to create real change. There could be increased funding, restructuring, efforts to gain and retain educational psychologists. That's an important step in our post-pandemic world and all the challenges it presents for CYPs with SEN. Although I am in the early stages of my career, I'm hopeful that I can contribute towards this call for action in my own way, learn from others and share my insights in return.

References

Asbury, K., Fox, L., Deniz, E., Code, A., & Toseeb, U. (2020). How Is COVID-19 Affecting the Mental Health of Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Their Families? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(5). 

Darmody, M., Smyth, E., & Russell, H. (2021). Impacts of the COVID-19 Control Measures on Widening Educational Inequalities. YOUNG, 29(4), 110330882110274. 

Fight for children in the SEND system | BPS. (2024). BPS. 

Morgül, E., Kallitsoglou, A., Essau, C. A., & Castro-Kemp, S. (2022). Caregiver-Reported Changes in the Socioemotional Wellbeing and Daily Habits of Children With Special Educational Needs During the First COVID-19 National Lockdown in the United Kingdom. Frontiers in Education, 7.

Office for National Statistics (2021). Special Educational Needs in England. Oxford: University of Oxford, Emerging Minds. 

Paterson, J., McCarthy, M., & Paraskevi Triantafyllopoulou. (2023). The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the lives of children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in the UK: A scoping review. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. 

Pittas, E., & Papanastasiou, E. (2023). Effects of COVID-19 on the educational performance of children with special educational needs and disabilities: A systematic review according to children's/youth's and caregivers' perspectives. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 143, 104635. 

Pokhrel, S., & Chhetri, R. (2021). A Literature Review on Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Teaching and Learning. Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), 133–141. 

Shaw, P. A., & Shaw, A. (2021). COVID-19 and remote learning: experiences of parents supporting children with special needs and disability during the pandemic. Education 3-13, 51(3), 1–15. 

Sideropoulos, V., Dukes, D., Hanley, M., Palikara, O., Rhodes, S., Riby, D. M., Samson, A. C., & Van Herwegen, J. (2021). The Impact of COVID-19 on Anxiety and Worries for Families of Individuals with Special Education Needs and Disabilities in the UK. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(6).