How a Sunderland researcher is ensuring children with SEND have their voices heard

A Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) expert from the University of Sunderland has created an innovative and inclusive programme to help children and young people express their opinions about their education.

Dr Helen Benstead is the brainchild behind Hear My Story – a new interactive programme where teachers help students create their own personalised digital storybooks outlining what they like and dislike about school.

The storybooks can then be shared at the child’s academic review meeting by the child themselves or the adult who supported them in creating their story.

While the programme is primarily aimed at children with SEND needs, it is inclusive of all primary and early secondary school pupils who can communicate verbally and use an iPad or other device to take photographs to upload into their storybook.

The programme follows extensive research by Dr Benstead, which found that many students, especially those with SEND, have their voices underrepresented in educational decision-making.

Hear My Story aims to better enable students to express their views and ‘have a voice’ when decisions are made about their teaching and learning experiences.

Dr Benstead, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for the Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion MA at the University of Sunderland, said:

“My work has always been rooted in ensuring the children who experience additional challenges in their education are given opportunities to have their voices heard about what works for them in school. I am also motivated by conducting research that has the potential to result in real, positive change for children in our education system.

“Children can and should be given the chance to share their views on their educational experiences, in an evidence-based way. The work I have done so far has shaped the educational experiences for many of the children who have taken part. Whether it be understanding more about their social relationships in school or having equipment bought that can better support them with writing. Many children have benefited from sharing their stories.

“With the identified issues at policy level in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND, the time is right to look towards enabling children to take a more active role in shaping their educational experiences.”

Hear My Story has been successfully piloted in primary schools in Durham and Sunderland and sharing the children’s stories in meetings has resulted in evidenced positive change for many students involved, such as the provision of specialist equipment or changing the learning environment to support better engagement in learning.

Lysa Grieve, headteacher at Blue Coat CE Aided Junior School in Durham, said:

“The work that Helen has been doing has helped more of our children to have their voices heard in our school about what works for them in their learning.

“We’re hoping we can take this work with Helen forward to involve more children and allow more children to see the benefits of creating their stories and sharing them with those who matter in their educational journeys.”

Over the next year, Dr Benstead will be working with the Newcastle Educational Psychology Service to take Hear My Story to more schools across the north-east, with the ultimate goal of housing the programme within an app.

Dr Rebecca Wright, Senior Specialist Educational Psychologist for Social, Emotional and Mental Health at the Newcastle Educational Psychology Service, said:

“We are excited to be working with Helen on the Hear My Story programme this academic year.

“Having the opportunity to learn together about how to understand and support children to tell their stories is important and supports inclusion. Children have valuable things to say about how adults can support them, effectively, and we need to listen.”

Hear My Story is just one of the resources available to educators within Dr Benstead’s over-arching Hear My Voice brand – designed to enhance the support for children and young people in expressing their opinions about their educational experience.

Dr Benstead is developing a variety of resources to assist schools in gathering the views and opinions of their students, complimenting existing policies and approaches, not replacing them.

The project has been made possible through the University’s Impact funding, which allows researchers to grow the impact of their work and to evaluate the difference it makes beyond the University.

In addition, Dr Benstead secured funding from the UKRI Policy Fund and the UKSPF Northern Accelerator programme.

Dr Benstead’s work has now been identified as a potential case study for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029, the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.