Charting a Neuroinclusive Future: Why Systemic Change Starts with Education with Liz Day, Victoria Bagnall, Pete Jarrett and Fintan O'Regan
Release Date: 01/15/2026
Living with Hearing Loss and Deafness with Samantha Baines
The SENDcast
This Deaf Awareness Week, we welcome Samantha Baines to the podcast to explore what it’s like living with hearing loss and deafness. Samantha is an award-winning actress, comedian and broadcaster who discovered she was deaf nearly 10 years ago and now advocates for accessibility. Samantha shares practical insights, challenges misconceptions, and explores what meaningful accessibility looks like in everyday life and in education. They discuss: The language that deaf communities prefer (and why words matter). How to make meetings, classrooms and public spaces more accessible. The role of BSL...
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*Special Episode* - Who Will Be SEND? Questions, Not Answers on the Reform Ahead with Dale Pickles
The SENDcast
Who Will Be SEND? Questions, Not Answers on the Reform Ahead Dale Pickles, Managing Director, B Squared England's SEND system is on the cusp of its most significant reform in a generation - but one crucial question is going largely unanswered: who will actually be SEND under the new framework? Dale has written another thought-provoking paper - and again he's recorded it too, so you can take it in without having to work through 34 pages of reading. He unpacks the quiet but profound shift hidden within the proposed move from four areas of need to five areas of development. The SEND register...
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Barriers to Mental Healthcare for Autistic People with Dr Joanna Grace
The SENDcast
Did you know that a third of autistic people experience serious mental health challenges? This striking statistic is highlighted by Dr Joanna Grace in her latest podcast ‘Barriers to Mental Healthcare for Autistic People’. “Autistic people have been actively removed from research about mental health.” Dr Joanna Grace A sensory engagement and inclusion specialist, Joanna emphasises that while there is substantial research on mental health, we often don’t know if it applies to autistic individuals. During the podcast, they discuss: The prevalence of inaccurate mental health...
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*Special episode* The Autism and ADHD Shows 2026
The SENDcast
Geoff and Nargis join Dale in the studio for this special episode to discuss the Autism & ADHD Shows (June–July) in London, Birmingham, and, for the first time, Liverpool (moved from Manchester). They share how the event evolved from the Autism Show, launched in 2011 after their son’s autism diagnosis, to its current format that also includes ADHD - driven by the rise in co-occurring diagnoses. They also describe what attendees can expect: a welcoming, supportive community hub offering over 100 CPD-accredited learning hours, practical strategies, workshops, one-to-one clinics, and the...
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Rare but Recognisable: Isla’s FOP Story with Nicky Muller
The SENDcast
Today is Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) Awareness Day, and to mark the occasion we’re sharing an episode focused on raising awareness of this rare condition. In this conversation, Nicky Muller - a former trustee of FOP Friends and mother of Isla, who has FOP - joins Dale to share practical insight into supporting children with rare conditions and to tell Isla’s inspiring story. Nicky explains that FOP causes the body’s soft tissues to progressively turn into bone, often after flare-ups triggered by injury or sometimes viruses. She highlights how unpredictable this is, and...
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Supporting Young People with Long-Term Illness in Education with Josh Pelled
The SENDcast
Bright Futures’ research estimates that around 270,000 young people (age 5–24) miss 20% or more of their education each year due to long-term illness. The consequences for qualifications, employment and wellbeing are severe - for example, 79% of 18-24 year‑olds who are out of work due to ill health only have qualifications at GCSEs or below, compared with 34% of their peers. These young people don’t just lose learning: prolonged absence damages social connections, confidence and everyday school experiences. “Returning to normal” needs careful planning, not a simple reinstatement of...
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Assessing Complex Learners with Jordan Garrett
The SENDcast
The needs around SEND in schools are increasing - both in numbers and complexity of needs – and many schools are struggling with the best way to support their learners effectively. They want to do the best for their students, but the DfE provides very limited guidance on supporting learners with SEND. Jordan Garrett from Sensory Classroom joins Dale to discuss ‘assessing complex learners’. Jordan brings a wealth of experience from specialist and mainstream settings, plus years of curriculum and resource development, and offers practical, classroom-tested advice. Their discussion...
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Understanding PANS and PANDAS: Bridging the Gap in Education and Health with Tina Coope
The SENDcast
Did you know that common infections, like strep throat, can cause a neuroinflammatory response affecting the brain? Today we’re raising awareness of difficult to diagnose and often misunderstood conditions – Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). Tina Coope, a former teacher and parent whose daughter experienced sudden neuropsychiatric symptoms, explains how PANS and PANDAS present, why they’re often missed, and what schools can...
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Understanding Epilepsy’s Impact on Children and Young People with Catherine Hodder
The SENDcast
In recognition of International Purple Day today, Catherine Hodder, Head of Policy, Influencing & Youth Voice at Young Epilepsy joins Dale to discuss ‘Understanding epilepsy’s impact on children and young people’. Epilepsy affects around 1 in 200 children in the UK, yet 1 in 3 children with epilepsy do not get the support they need to fully participate in school life. Epilepsy is one of the most common conditions affecting children and young people, yet it is often misunderstood. Seizures can be subtle and are frequently missed or mistaken for inattention, many school staff do not...
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Supporting Children with Down syndrome to Reach Their Full Potential with Sarah Holton
The SENDcast
Did you know that children with Down syndrome have a different learning profile? Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day this Saturday, Sarah Holton from Down syndrome UK, joins Dale to tell us how we can ‘support children with Down syndrome to reach their full potential’. Sarah is a specialist advisory teacher and parent to two children, one of whom has Down syndrome. She shares practical, research‑informed strategies to help children with Down syndrome thrive. Why listen? Understand the Down syndrome learning profile (strengths like visual learning; challenges like hearing, visual acuity,...
info_outlineInclusion 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 often fail neurodivergent individuals and how practical, evidence-informed changes can transform inclusion from an aspiration into an everyday reality. The conversation addresses what's currently happening in schools, the rising exclusion rates as a warning sign of deeper systemic issues, and a roadmap toward a genuinely neuroinclusive society.
Join them for insights on actionable steps that individuals and organisations can take to implement positive change.
View all podcasts available or visit our SENDcast sessions shop!
About Liz Day
Liz is an experienced trainer and facilitator, passionate about mental health, neurodiversity, and cultivating a safe environment for all. She began her career as a teacher with a specialism in PE, drawing on her background as a former county-level gymnast and lifelong love of sport. This shaped her inclusive teaching approach and continues to influence her work today - sport remains central to her identity and wellbeing.
Transitioning into communications, Liz contributed to high-profile projects such as the successful London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid, focusing on community engagement and stakeholder relationships. This developed her skills in building trust, fostering collaboration, and facilitating meaningful initiatives.
Over the past decade, Liz has specialised in neurodiversity and education, working with award-winning businesses, families, schools, and national charities, including the British Dyslexia Association. She combines her personal and professional insights to share strategies for creating inclusive living, learning, and working environments. Liz regularly appears on BBC Radio 5 Live.
In 2024, Liz completed a master’s in psychology at the University of Exeter, with her thesis exploring mental health literacy in young people. This academic achievement and her practical expertise ensure her training is evidence-based and highly relevant. Liz’s engaging style and commitment to empowerment make her a trusted advocate and leader in mental health, education, and neurodiversity.
Contact Liz
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572518254058
instagram.com/collectivelydiverseuk
About Victoria Bagnall
Victoria is a neurodiverse teacher and mother of 3 girls
who has dedicated her life to raising awareness of essential brain
She believes that knowledge of executive functioning helps people to be kinder to themselves and those around them and has the power to change the world.
About Victoria
https://www.instagram.com/connectionsinmind/
https://twitter.com/VictoriaBagnal2
schools@connectionsinmind.co.uk
About Fintan O'Regan
He was the Head teacher of the Centre Academy from 1996 -2002, which was the first specialist school in the UK for students between the ages of 7-19 specialising issues related to ADHD, ASD and ODD.
He is an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, the Institute of Education, the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre and the former Vice Chairman of the UK ADHD Network and of the European ADHD Alliance.
Fintan now works as trainer and consultant for schools and school support systems including, Social Services, Health, the Police and Foster carers with regards to providing behaviour management strategies for children and families struggling with SEND and behaviour issues.
Contact Fintan
https://www.facebook.com/FintanORegansBehaviourManagementConsultancy/
About Dr Helen Ross
Dr Helen Ross is a fully qualified special needs teacher and former SENCO, working as an independent educational research consultant, specialist assessor and SEND expert. Helen is a Trustee of the British Dyslexia Association, Chair of the Wiltshire Dyslexia Association and is on the board of the US, not-for profit National Coalition of Independent Scholars. She has consulted for the British Dyslexia Association, The Committee for Science and Technology (part of the UK Government), and Wiltshire Local Authority. She also works internationally with various third sector and commercial organisations with evaluation, consultancy and resource development. Helen’s research explores stakeholder experiences of SEND provision within the mainstream education sector, focussing on the empowerment of those supporting young people, to help them to take ownership of their own learning. She uses her findings from research to inform her own practice and to support other practitioner in their own work, through CPD webinars and live sessions.
Contact Helen
Useful Links
- 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
The SENDcast is powered by B Squared
We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.