MY LIFE, MY BIRMINGHAM
The work of the Birmingham Commission
S.E.N. & DISABILITY
Introduction
Key Messages
This report catalogues a selection of thoughts, stories and opinions from young
people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities. Throughout May and
June 2014, we worked with 75 children and young people, aged 6 – 21, at both
mainstream and specialist schools to explore what it was like to grow up and go to
school in Birmingham, and the aspirations they had for the future. This report aims
to capture some of the powerful voices and simple wisdoms from children and young
people we met on this journey.
1. I
think ‘Benefits Street’ is a bit of a negative thing,
it doesn’t just represent Birmingham
We worked with children and young people at both mainstream and specialist
schools, from Brays Primary School, Queen Alexandra College and Kings Norton
Boys School. The group of children and young people across all three establishments
had a cross section of disabilities and capabilities, ranging from autism, asperger’s
syndrome, hearing and visual impairments, physical and mobility impairments and a
range of learning and behavioural difficulties. We used a host of creative and engaging
activities to support individual children and young people with different abilities to
participate, and to capture and illustrate their thoughts and feelings. These included
one to one and group conversations, group debates, images and photographs, games
and live illustration. Working alongside teaching staff that had good relationships
with pupils, meant that we were able to gain greater trust and involvement.
In order to respect confidentiality, voices have remained anonymous.
2. I
like the park, but don’t go there as there is
nothing for me to do in my wheel chair
3. I
would like to meet Usain Bolt, David Tenant and
go to Birmingham University
4. M
ore focus on cycling and litter in general, make
Birmingham greener
5. I want people to see me as a normal person
6. W
e are human, we do have a right to explain how
we feel
7. Mainstream vs Specialist - There are pros and cons
This report is part of a wider programme of work commissioned by Birmingham
City Council to contribute to the reviews of both early years and education services.
The Children’s Society convened an independent panel of experts, The Birmingham
Commission for Children, to hear the voices of children and young people, and
explore children’s lives and wellbeing in the City. Alongside this, The Innovation Unit
delivered a programme of in-depth locality consultation and research with families,
residents and organisations.
I think ‘Benefits Street’ is a bit
of a negative thing, it doesn’t
just represent Birmingham
Children and young people felt proud to be from Birmingham, and felt the City had
a valuable history, a diverse population, big open park spaces and great shopping
opportunities. At the same time, they felt were viewed as ‘not classy’ and that the TV
programme Benefits Street stereotyped people and families of Birmingham. They felt
Birmingham was dirty, had too much litter and needed to be greener. They wanted
better activities for disabled and non-disabled children and young people in parks.
They said that there were areas that felt safe and unsafe, just like any other city, but
it was the parks that were their main concern, referring to gangs and knife crime.
"Birmingham is brilliant, it is big, lots of things to do. Travel is brilliant.
The bus and trains are good"
"I will say by the mailbox
are some new modern bu
ildings which makes it
appealing to tourists, they
just need to do more of
it to make it attractive.
In London you have the
London eye, Big Ben an
d Parliament."
impairment.
g
rin
hea
nd,
bli
lly
tia
par
er
sid
con
e
ibl
ess
acc
:
"Make it more
on their hearing
at
th
e
hav
't
don
ple
peo
t
mos
but
oop
t-l
is
All they do
with subtitles, you
een
scr
a
r,
are
cle
but
der
lou
oys
nn
ta
e
th
ke
aid. Ma
could lip read."
"Birmingham is a good place to shop, ple
nty of parks"
"Birmingham needs more
dirt. There is too muc recycling bins, there's too much litter an
h rubbish, clean up Birm
d
ingham and make it m
environmentally friendl
ore
y. There is also too m
uch traffic"
"I think 'Benefits Street' is a bit of a negative thing, it doesn't
just represent Birmingham it destroys them, the kids are getting
the mickey taken of them, they let out every ones secret, I'd like to
see one in London, Manchester, they went straight to Birmingham, it
seems very focused on Birmingham itself, it was supposed to focus on
poverty in general it was very Birmingham focused and stereotypical
as a lot of people would think of us as poor, not the highest, not
very classy, most probably working class."
“What they should have is disabled transport,
so that the carer can get on the bus with the
disabled person as well. At the moment you only
get the pass for the person with the disability.”
I like the park, but don’t go there
as there is nothing for me to do
in my wheel chair
"Every kind of sport that I want to get
into is over the other side of Birmin
gham,
why can’t there be any this side of Bir
mingham. Over at Erdington, Coventry
, or we
may have to travel to places like stoke
on Trent. I’ve started doing rugby and
that’s
over in Oldbury.”
"The only thing that is good is the little nozzle thing under the lights, I've
used them before but they get rid of them. It rotates when you can go, but
people have actually taken them out. So it's not very good."
Nearly all children and young people felt that there were not enough structured
activities and youth clubs in Birmingham, and talked about the impact this had on
their wellbeing. They felt young people were more likely to get involved in crime if
there weren’t youth clubs, and many spoke about how youth clubs had helped them
when they had felt let down by schools.
Young people who did attend youth clubs or to specialist disability groups said they
often had to travel some distance to get there, and talked about the difficulties
this caused as disabled people, and the financial pressure it put on them and their
families. Those with hearing impairments and sight impairments find Birmingham
difficult to negotiate, especially at train stations and level crossings, many of the
initial aids to help them cross roads have been broken. Children and young people
spoke of parks not providing facilities for physically disabled children.
"Not enough youth clubs, a lot of them have been shut down, funding has shut them
down. I used to go to three now I currently go to one youth club in Kings Heath
even though I live in Edgbaston, I get the no 11, I learnt how to catch the bus."
7 actually, I had
I used to go to a youth club every single day, they have helped me from year
put me onto a
to have anger management there, I got kicked out of college and they helped
ented my youth
football course level 1 Fifa coach and I’m like a little counsellor too. I repres
”
club to the government, not to get closed down. They never closed it down.
“Not a lot of services in Birmingham for Disabled children.”
“They keep shutting all th
e youth clubs, soon there
wont be any youth clubs
and people are going to st
art doing there own things
, joining gangs and
shooting and stuff like th
at. If the government, th
ey gotta stop giving
people who wants to have
it and give money to peop
le who really wants it.”
I would like to meet Usain Bolt,
David Tenant and go to
Birmingham University
Children and young people with SEN and disabilities do not lack in ambition or
aspiration. Young people felt frustrated at a lack of choice and insufficient information
regarding courses, and not always being able to live an independent life. Young people
spoke a lot about their goals to be independent, and the direct impact education
had on supporting them to reach this.
“So when I was born I got diagno
sed with Asperger’s. Family memb
ers can make comments
like, 'you got Asperger’s, you’re not
going to have a chance, you’re not
going to be able to do
anything in life', that really made
me think that I really want to do
something with my life.
Because I was at Dovedale school
, I didn’t enjoy it there I didn’t
do
that well in the exams, at
the end I was really disappointed
. I was quite anxious at that time,
I
wanted to think of a way
that I could achieve, because at tha
t time there was really just one opt
ion, to just sit at home. I
couldn’t go to a mainstream becaus
e it wasn’t possible. QAC came
along. When I came here, it
felt a bit daunting, not sure how it
was going to be. I didn’t want to
be caught up in the stigma of
‘you go to special needs school, you
're this, you're that’ but when I cam
e here I started to get to
know the ethos of the college and
start to settle in - it was really goo
d! I’m doing a Btec Level
2 in IT, next year I’m doing lev
el 3. I’m really focusing on that,
because with that you can go to
university, I want to do an intern
ship, go to university and get a job
at the parkway centre.”
Funding was a topic students were passionate about, and the
negative impact this had on their education, support and
wellbeing. Young people talked about the anxiety of not
knowing whether they had funding for the following year
to complete their course, being funded on the course they
didn’t want to go on or not having sufficient funding for the
wider support they needed as disabled people. Young people
also wanted more choice in the decisions made about
their education and support.
of
oying because it puts hurdles in the way
ann
bit
a
it’s
g,
din
fun
ut
abo
d
rie
wor
bit
“I’m a
making plans”
"Racing, I like formula one I like motor cross as well, because I wear a bar ha
I cant hear without it, people try and pull me down about it, I think I could
try and prove them wrong."
"I've got three years funding, but if you need a fourth year you have to
re-apply. Some people are only funded for two years."
"Travel to Mars and the moon in the future,
I would like to meet Usain Bolt, David
Tenant and go to Birmingham University to stu
dy health and social care"
“I want to be a policeman”
of support I find that when
ls
leve
ent
fer
dif
has
ne
ryo
eve
t
tha
d
fin
“At the end of the day, I
the students a chance to get further
give
’t
won
y
the
es
etim
som
d
she
abli
est
that has been
at it says on the profile.”
Wh
nt.
me
ess
ass
the
on
s
say
it
t
wha
low
independence, they just fol
More focus on cycling and
litter in general, make
Birmingham greener
What's wrong with Birmingham?
The young people of Birmingham with special educational needs were asked to come
up with their own dream city centre. This visualisation shows everything that they felt
would be important to help make the community both a safe and fun place to live in.
Coffee Shop
Pub
Play Park
Parkway
Centre
College
Festival Area
Easy Access
Parking
Punctual Taxi
Service
it more accessible, consider
• "Birmingham needs more activities like • "Make
partially blind, hearing impairment.
cinema, shopping for young people and
Make it more accessible, consider
nice restaurants and cafés"
partially blind, hearing impairment.
• "They need to put more money into
All they do is t- loop but most people
youth clubs"
don’t have that on their hearing aid"
• "It’s not the cleanest place in the
tannoys louder but clearer,
world, more focus on cycling and litter • "Make the
a screen with subtitles"
in general, make Birmingham greener”
Wheelchair
Sports Facilities
Recycling
Bins
Theatre
"What they should have is a disabled transport, so that the carer can get
on the bus with the disabled person as well. At the moment you only get
the pass for the person with the disability."
Outdoor Cinema
School
Gym & Leisure
Centre
5-Star
Canteen
Leisure Areas
Limousine
Service
“Their needs to be more activities out
side,
more youth places to stop people going
on the
streets and killing people, stop gangs.”
Arts Centre
I want people to see me as a
normal person
Young people described being viewed as ‘different’, ‘weird’ or ‘freaks’ by peers at school
and in the community. ‘SENS is the new gay’, a young person told us, describing the type
of name calling and, in some cases, bullying that many children receive. Some young
people felt it was part of developing a ‘tough skin’ and others wished there could be
more education for their peers around children with learning difficulties and disabilities
to help them understand their conditions.
"I would like people to stop thinking I'm weird
and dumb, I would like people to see me
the same as anyone else."
they think they have to say
you
as
ng
nki
thi
e
sam
the
e
hav
’t
don
ple
“When peo
I think things have to change but
ok,
,
you
d
tan
ers
und
to
you
for
ly
ent
fer
things dif
and understand you.”
they need to make sure people respect
eople who
p
,
m
a
e
t
ip
h
s
r
e
senior lead
d
o
o
g
a
ve
a
h
e
le think."
p
"W
o
e
p
y
a
w
e
h
t
d
understan
Students also felt that at times although staff, carers and social workers could be
supportive and good at their jobs, they felt they were often spoken to in a ‘patronising’
and ‘child like’ way that made them feel frustrated or humiliated, and further removed
from the decisions that were being made about their education and support.
“My LSA, he said to me you’re not listening and said all you keep doing is
nodding your head, then he started nodding his head he was imitating me, that is
a really humiliating thing to do.”
“I think being residential is a good thi
ng because you got to learn to stand on
your
own two feet and be independent, it’s
really important”
"I am something called a one to two student
while
tell them I needed more support, I had told the I have been here I needed to
m on my initial assessment but
they said no, so we have had to apply for mor
e internal funding. Now I've got it,
its fine but it took months and months to do."
“I think the staff know you really well, they know your needs and help you, so they are
there for you if you need it.”
“At the end of the day, I find that everyone has different levels of support I
find that when that has been established sometimes they wont give the students
a chance to get further independence, they just follow what it says on the
assessment. What it says on the profile.”
"When I first came here I went to have a look at Bourneville, we went to have
a look at a mainstream and I looked at my connections worker I said I don't
want to come here they haven't asked me what I need."
We are human, we do have a right
to explain how we feel
“These things really need
to change, I know and ever
yone else knows it’s a lovely
its great, but there’s no po
place to be,
int saying over and over ag
ain this is a great place we
about things that we can ac
want to talk
tually change, what we can
do about it to make it bett
er.”
"It's ok anonymously to say what we think, but we should never ever
get into trouble for saying what we feel."
at we feel, and we
wh
in
pla
ex
to
ht
rig
a
e
hav
do
we
an
“We are hum
ing you shouldn’t say
say
are
s
or
tut
d
an
ff
sta
t,
tha
on
d
ge
shouldn’t be jud
t help what we feel. I
can
we
y,
wa
t
en
fer
dif
a
ing
nk
thi
be
that, you should
it’s more confidential.”
tend to go to more my counsellors, but
“I think that the government are a sem
i pointless exercise, they say we can off
er you this
if you vote for us, but they don’t give you
the options. Not get rid of it change it.
Get a
wider opinion not just a tick on a card,
listen to the voice of the people”
"If we were to have a council rep it would benefit special needs
kids a lot because then the school would actually listen and consider
our options and our ideas."
Children and young people with SEN and disabilities want better processes and
support to explain how they feel, and be part of the decisions that effect their lives.
Young people identified existing structures and processes to express an opinion,
make changes or make a complaint, but felt they weren’t inclusive of their needs
or confidential. Young people described the conflict of interest when making
complaints, and said they felt they were less likely to get in trouble if they spoke to
someone independently. Many young people felt that sometimes they were listened
to but no action was taken, or that inappropriate action had been taken after the
complaint was made.
“Sometimes I feel worried about putting my full opinions about college on a
form, because people who work with you see it, but its obviously we have a right
to
do what we think”
“There’s always that fear that you say what you feel you will get into trouble”
Mainstream vs Specialist
Some students in special schools had no experience of being in a mainstream school,
but those who had unanimously agreed that they felt safer, better understood and had
more friends. Others felt that specialist schools promote ‘segregation’, and ‘does not
help you to live in the real world’ where it was important for people with and without
disabilities to interact and build relationships. Many young people felt independent
living was the best option to help them live their own lives.
year old Male, who
(6
”
ol
ho
sc
d
ol
y
m
at
ed
“Bullied I got bulli
a feeding tube.)
of
e
us
ca
be
g
in
lly
bu
d
ce
had experien
"Rather be in independent housing, living in
ones of the college, you get more experienceone of the
independent because you are helping yourself of being
rather than
relying on staff members."
at you
th
s
g
in
th
o
d
to
t
e
g
e that you
r
a
s
g
in
th
d
o
o
now
g
k
e
u
h
o
y
T
“
,
le
p
o
e
p
t
n
e
r
e
eet diff
m
to
t
e
g
u
o
y
t
e
g
d
n
want, a
the staff more.”
"Yes I went to a mainstream college and
then changed to here, more closer, you get
more support than mainstream, it's full of
people with special needs in a special needs
room, so you just stay in the one place, but
here you are mixing with different people
it's really good."
“Yeah, being here enables you to build new relationships with staff
and students and also its helping you prepare for when you leave
college, looking back at what you have done, its an important
stepping stone for what you decide to do in the future whether
it’s a job or whether you decide to go to another college for
when you decide to do what’s best for yourself.”
“Really good, You learn
things that you can put
into practice
later on in life, it beco
mes pretty useful to ge
t the experience
of living away from ho
me. Things like learnin
g to cook,
laundry, ironing clothe
s just travelling to colle
ge and back
home by yourself is re
ally good.”
Conclusions
• N
eed and want more opportunities to experience their city and surroundings
first hand.
• F eel that there are not enough activities or facilities for disabled young people and
non-disabled young people.
• Want definitive responses regarding funding given in a respectful time frame.
• Want to be given a central voice in decisions that effect their education
and support.
• Want to feel safe in their community.
• Want to be understood by peers and those who support them.
• Have aspirations and want more choice and autonomy to make this happen.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all of the children young people who dedicated their time
and energy to this process, and the valuable insights they shared. The work would
not have been possible without the dedicated support of staff Brays primary school,
Queen Alexandra College and Kings Norton Boys school. We would also like to thank
live illustrator, Dave Webb for his creative engagement.
This report has been compiled by Lucy Boulton and Hafsah FitzGibbon.
Date July 2014
Further Information
You can find all the reports from the participation work with children and young
people, The Birmingham Commission for Children and the Innovation Unit at
www.childrenssociety.org.uk/birminghamcommission
‘Although young children recognised
landmarks and places in
Birmingham, because they had only see
n these places at a distance and
not experienced them at first hand the
ir learning about their city was
limited, showing that learning from exp
erience and visiting is essential
to their awareness of their surrounding
s.’