From Classroom to Career: The Power of Supported Internships with Kirsty Matthews
Release Date: 01/01/2026
Supporting Neurodiverse Girls Through Puberty and the Transition to Secondary School with Kim McCabe
The SENDcast
Puberty can be a challenging time, but for neurodiverse girls, it can feel like navigating a storm without a map. As they move from the relative safety of primary school to the larger, more complex world of secondary school, they face heightened challenges - from sensory sensitivities to social pressures, including managing periods. This crucial phase often makes them vulnerable to anxiety, school refusal, and dips in self-esteem. This week Kim McCabe, the founder of Rights for Girls CIC, joins Dale to delve into the unique challenges neurodiverse girls face during puberty and their...
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Charting a Neuroinclusive Future: Why Systemic Change Starts with Education with Liz Day, Victoria Bagnall, Pete Jarrett and Fintan O'Regan
The SENDcast
Inclusion in education isn't working as well as it should. Despite good intentions, many neurodivergent young people are still being left behind, leading to lifelong consequences for their well-being and opportunities. In our latest SENDcast episode, host Dale Pickles is joined by a record number of guests - five members of the Compass Panel - a passionate group of professionals committed to neuro-inclusion. Featuring Liz Day, Victoria Bagnall, Dr Helen Ross, Fintan O'Regan, and Pete Jarrett the panel explores the pressing need for systemic change in education. They discuss how current systems...
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Navigating Ofsted's New Framework: What You Need to Know for SEND with Adam Sproston
The SENDcast
With the launch of the new Ofsted framework at the end of last year, you may be wondering what this means for SEND. In today’s episode, Ofsted join us to discuss the key elements of the new inspection framework and its implications for SEND. In this episode, host Dale Pickles is joined by Adam Sproston, a senior His Majesty's Inspector for SEND, AP, and Inclusion. Together, they explore: The key changes in Ofsted's new framework and what they mean for SEND. How inclusion is now at the heart of educational inspections. The collective responsibility of school leaders in supporting...
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From Classroom to Career: The Power of Supported Internships with Kirsty Matthews
The SENDcast
Happy New Year! I’m thrilled to kick off 2026 with our first podcast episode this year! Whether you’re recovering from last night’s celebrations or enjoying a refreshing walk, this insightful discussion is the perfect way to start the year. Dale is joined by Kirsty Matthews, the CEO of DFN Project Search, to discuss ‘From classroom to career: The power of supported internships’. Kirsty sheds light on the challenges faced by young people with learning disabilities in the job market. She shares a shocking statistic: less than 5% of individuals with a learning disability known to their...
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Helping Learning To Stick with Dr Susie Nyman
The SENDcast
As we approach the end of 2025, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to you - our wonderful listeners! It has been another remarkable year with 52 episodes recorded, 35 new guest speakers and 100,000 downloads. Thank you for being part of this journey! I’m excited to share our latest episode of the SENDcast, where we explore the concept of "sticky learning" with the legendary Dr. Susie Nyman! A recently retired curriculum manager with 29 years of experience, Susie shares her insights on how to make learning truly resonate with students, especially those with special...
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How to Make an Effective Education, Health and Care Plan with Ekaterina Harrison
The SENDcast
Despite being central to support for children with SEND, the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process is often overwhelming and confusing for families. Ekaterina Harrison, a solicitor and author of the EHCP Handbook, joins Dale to discuss ‘How to Make an Effective Education, Health and Care Plan’. Ekaterina offers vital legal insights and personal strategies to help listeners take informed, confident steps - whether reviewing an EHCP for the first time or requesting changes to an existing plan. “It's quite a sad state of affairs to have trickery going on in this sector”....
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Sensory Struggles With Eating with Dr Joanna Grace
The SENDcast
Can you believe it’s already December? With the holiday season upon us, festivities often revolve around food, which can be particularly stressful for families with fussy eaters - something I can relate to with my 7-year-old son at mealtimes. Eating is essential for our health and well-being, yet it can become a source of anxiety for many families. In this episode, Dr Joanna Grace, sensory engagement and inclusion specialist, shares her personal journey as a fussy eater and highlights that sensory issues often relate more to texture than taste. “The emotional tension is there because you...
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Adaptive Teaching Through 5 Phases of the Lesson with Sara Alston
The SENDcast
In our latest episode of the SENDcast, we tackle an important topic that often gets lost in the debate over terminology: the practical aspects of differentiation and adaptive teaching. Too much discussion focuses on what to call these strategies, and not enough on how to effectively implement them. Today, Sara Alston, an experienced SEND and Safeguarding consultant, joins Dale in the studio to look at the and how to implement adaptive teaching strategies across them: “There are two key elements; 1. Involving, engaging and supporting all the children in the class and 2. it's about...
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Sensory Processing – Exactly How Does It Impact On Daily Life? with Ali Neal
The SENDcast
It can be difficult to understand exactly how much we use our senses for all daily tasks. Today, Dale discusses the fascinating world of sensory processing with our special guest, Ali Neal, an experienced occupational therapist. She discusses how sensory processing impacts daily life, particularly for children and individuals in educational settings. Ali takes us through a fun and relatable exercise involving sweets, illustrating how sensory processing plays a role in even the simplest tasks. Make sure you grab a sweet before tuning in (a great excuse to enjoy a treat)! Ali breaks down the...
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Breaking the Cycle: How Informed Parents Can Change the SEND System with Samantha Ryan
The SENDcast
Navigating the SEND system can be overwhelming, and many parents find themselves without essential information until it’s too late. Unfortunately, there’s no handbook to guide us. Often, parents only begin to understand SEN processes, the graduated approach, and even SEN law when their child is already struggling. This week, we welcome Samantha Ryan, a neurodivergent mother, SEND advocate, and author. In this insightful episode, Samantha shares her journey as a parent navigating the complex SEND system, advocating for her autistic son who has been out of school since March 2024. With her...
info_outlineHappy New Year! I’m thrilled to kick off 2026 with our first podcast episode this year! Whether you’re recovering from last night’s celebrations or enjoying a refreshing walk, this insightful discussion is the perfect way to start the year.
Dale is joined by Kirsty Matthews, the CEO of DFN Project Search, to discuss ‘From classroom to career: The power of supported internships’.
Kirsty sheds light on the challenges faced by young people with learning disabilities in the job market. She shares a shocking statistic: less than 5% of individuals with a learning disability known to their local authority in England secure paid employment, compared to 80% of their peers. DFN Project SEARCH aims to change that, with an ambitious goal of supporting over 10,000 young adults into meaningful paid employment by 2030.
Kirsty discusses:
- The importance of creating structured pathways to employment.
- How supported internships build confidence and skills in a supportive environment.
- The incredible impact of seeing neurodiverse individuals thrive in the workplace.
“It raises everybody's expectation about what is possible. Bit by bit, we can begin to change the whole face of how we work and take those barriers that we were talking about out.”
Kirsty Matthews
Listen to discover how enhanced career opportunities can empower young adults with learning disabilities and those on the autism spectrum to lead positive, independent, and fulfilling lives.
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About Kirsty Matthews
Kirsty was appointed as CEO of DFN Project SEARCH in September 2024.
DFN Project SEARCH is a national charity serving young adults who have a learning disability or are autistic, or both, to make a positive transition from education into permanent full-time employment.
Her previous roles include:
- CEO of hft (2020 – 2023)
- Managing Director of Virgin Care (2017 – 2020)
- Non-Executive Director of Salisbury Hospital NHS Foundations (2016 – 2017)
- CEO of the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (2008 – 2015)
- Director of Business Development at Nutricia UK (1996 – 2007)
Contact Kirsty
https://www.dfnprojectsearch.org/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067093805818
https://www.instagram.com/dfnprojectsearch
Useful Links
DFN Project SEARCH 2024 Annual Report
CYP Now - Breaking barriers to employment
How young people can boost chances with ways out of AI-fuelled job dilemmas | The Sun
- B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk
- Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast
- Email Dale – dale@bsquared.co.uk
- Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
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