ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the legislative and ethical issues surrounding listening to all children and young people, including those with Special Educational Needs, and the leadership role that a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) can adopt in promoting this practice within their educational context. The role and remit of the SENCO in educational provision in England is set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice. The SEND Code of Practice states that there is a clear focus on the participation of children and young people – and their parents – in decision-making at both individual and strategic levels. J. Flutter and J. Rudduck outline a list of benefits based on extensive research over a period of ten years in a wide variety of schools. These are helpfully listed under the following headings: benefits for pupils, benefits for teachers and benefits for schools more widely.
