"SEND children’s rights are being quietly eroded" with Chamika Hand
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Chamika Hand - a lawyer, parent, and SEND campaigner - about her fight against reduced school hours for children in specialist settings.
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17:33
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17:33
"Every teacher is a language teacher" with Jane Harris
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks with Jane Harris, chief executive officer of Speech and Language UK. They explore how language development sits at the heart of learning, behaviour, and mental health. Drawing on her professional expertise and personal experience as a parent, Harris highlights the urgent need for early identification and intervention, explaining how 1 in 5 children struggle with speech and language, often due to socioeconomic disadvantage, neurodivergence, or developmental language disorder.Read Speech and Language UK's Alternative White Paper: here
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31:16
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31:16
"This is about opportunities, not deficits" with Jolanta Lasota
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Jolanta Lasota, Chief Executive of Ambitious about Autism, about what true inclusion for autistic children and young people really means. Jolanta shares her lived experience as a parent and leader, explaining why awareness of autism has grown but understanding and support have not kept pace. She highlights the urgent need for acceptance, early support, and better planning.
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19:59
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19:59
"It’s not the parents who are broken, it’s the system" with Tania Tirraoro & Sharon Smith
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Tania Tirraoro and Sharon Smith of Special Needs Jungle about the lived realities behind SEND policy. They share powerful personal stories of advocating for their children, the systemic barriers families face, and why EHCPs aren’t the problem—underfunding, poor training, and lack of accountability are.
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29:48
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29:48
"Support before the diagnosis" with Dr Susana Castro Kemp
In this episode, Margaret Mulholland is joined by Dr. Susana Castro Kemp, Associate Professor of Psychology at UCL and Director of UCL's Centre for Inclusive Education. Drawing on international research to explore how early intervention, family partnerships, and cross-sector collaboration can transform SEND provision from Finland’s universal early-childhood screening to rethinking workforce training and professional development.
A podcast from the IPPR Inclusion Taskforce
What does truly inclusive education look like, and how can we make it better? Hosted by Geoff Barton, former general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and chair of the IPPR Inclusion Taskforce, this series features conversations with parents, teachers, young people, and experts from across the UK. With support from Margaret Mulholland, SEN and Inclusion Policy Specialist at ASCL, the podcast asks what’s working, what’s not, and where change should begin.
Talking Inclusion blends lived experience with policy insight
UK