An Introduction to the Programme

For information on why high quality relationship and sex education is incredibly important for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities please see our dedicated page on SEND and RSE. Here you will find information specifically for parents and carers of SEND children and Autistic children.

Our award winning Growing Up Safe : Whole School Approach (GUS) programme that is delivered in mainstream primary schools (Foundation early years through to KS2) is autism friendly and inclusive of children with disabilities.

However, we have also developed an enhancement to the programme specifically for SEND children and young people in special schools. The resources we use are an accessible version of our GUS cards, these include very basic imagery, to ensure that we work to every child’s ability. We have mixed media resource packs to work with all senses. This work well to engage all children in the class and includes cards on screen, cards that can be touched, as well as our ‘story book’ cards that can be read and shared together.

Our team usually  work in pairs with each group of pupils, however in consultation with school, we can work with you to design a timetable which works for your children and young people. In our special schools, our experienced staff respond to the ability, comprehension and amount of engagement from the children and young people on the day. Following our first sessions we will base further lesson planning on our observations and assessment of the needs of the pupils.

Our provision is inclusive of older children and young adults with special educational needs, with whom we are able to work on a one to one or small group basis. This allows us to expand the curriculum covered to equip our young people for their lives after school.