Clare Tarling

Happy place 🥰

Ofsted should judge schools on the number of children in their local area who are not accessing education. At the moment, data collection based purely on test results rewards schools for "managing out" non-academic kids.

Such stigma around this, because the older generations don't realise how easy it is to get excluded now. "In my day" it was for physical violence or drugs. Now it seems you can be sent home for uniform infringements and being annoying. But it sets you down a road of more exclusions and shame.

The cost of complexity: making support systems accessible It seems to me that the more difficulties you have, the harder it becomes to access the help you need. More need = more hurdles to jump. Mainstream digital processes such as renewing a passport, taxin...

Why is it so hard to get help?

www.claretarling.co.uk/post/the-cos...

No, but I would be very interested to find out!

Shut away and ignored: thousands of disabled adults are at the frontier of the human rights struggle | John Harris When you attend your local choir or yoga class, just stop and think – where are the disabled adults, asks Guardian columnist John Harris

“If you are not disabled and you regularly go to a yoga class, a book group or just the pub, when was the last time you did so with even a single disabled adult present?”

Thanks to @johnharris1969.bsky.social for being one of the rare columnists to ask these Qs. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Just because someone "never has", doesn't mean they "never will": Easy Read as an opportunity to do something new. Another musical analogy here - similar to my last blog about white space.And also another experience with the wonderful Laura Cousins!Laura and I used to run a lottery-funded project called "Speak Up ...

Just because someone "never has", doesn't mean they "never will": Easy Read as an opportunity to do something new.

www.claretarling.co.uk/post/just-be...

#EasyRead #LifeMusic

White space is your friend The most important design element of Easy Read design is nothing. Space on the page. An analogy in music: I took part in some incredible music improvisation training a few years ago: Lifemusic with Dr...

Easy Read design tips - my Friday evening thoughts about white space...

www.claretarling.co.uk/post/white-s...

#EasyRead #accessibility #whitespaceisok

Absolutely love Talking Mats. We used to run consultations for the local council. "What do you like and dislike about your day centre?" - the mats made these conversations easy and fun. So much better than a survey. A quick photo of the mat and its all done. So simple, so effective.

Ah I'm glad you like it! I've just added the standards to the top of my "portfolio" page: www.claretarling.co.uk/work-copy

A photo of a blank page on a laptop screen

I think I might write an article about “white space” in graphic design.

How does an empty page make you feel - intimidated or excited?

#easyread #accessibility #design

Free download: Be safe when you are out and about The number of cruise ships visiting Portland, Dorset, has exploded during 2023! This is brilliant for Dorset in many ways, but it means there are a lot more people travelling around in the local area. Muntsy's is a day service for people with learning disabilities located right on Portland harbour. They asked me to make this guide, to help with having conversations about how to be safe when you are out and about. You can download it here:

An oldie but a freebie! Some Easy Read here about staying safe when you are out. Please share with anyone who may find it useful!

www.claretarling.co.uk/post/free-do...

#LearningDisability #EasyRead #BeSafe

I've just done a quick update on my "training" page. My main passion is making Easy Read information, but I love to help other people to learn how to do it, too.

www.claretarling.co.uk/training

#EasyRead #training #accessibility

Members of Learning Disability England would love more people supported by Shared Lives, Shared Lives Carers and scheme workers to join them…

There are lots of reasons to join the movement, find out here: tinyurl.com/ytxwm6s6

The best way to end a day: friends and horses.

Everyday Citizenship in Vienna

#EverydayCitizenship is on tour again - this time Vienna - first time I’ve visited this city and tomorrow I’m talking at the World Bank on funding mechanisms for deinstitutionalisation in Eastern Europe and Asia.

Yup - the Local Authority’s tick-list of what happens in the years up to transition is really just a series of exasperating statements about “what should have happened but didn’t”.

Take a look at the huge rise school exclusion rates in recent years.

It’s the systems and organisations who are supposed to be supporting kids who need to be more “resilient”.

Awesome! I nearly made it to London but the dates didn’t quite work out.

Book cover: Everyday Citizenship

My first ever book edit - such a treat to do this - the raw material was awesome thanks to @simonduffy.bsky.social and Wendy Perez. Beautiful illustrations by Ester Ortega.

A book with bucket-loads of heart and soul poured into it.

redpress.co.uk/collections/...

There are no blue skies in Dorset today ☔️☔️☔️.

Taking the opportunity to stay indoors and make some more #EasyRead.

Unfortunately this does not surprise me.

The only thing I would find truly surprising is if this was an isolated case.

Well done to the parents for organising and speaking up.

Here’s another #SEND idea.

@ofstednews.bsky.social could rate schools and LAs according to the number of children in their catchment areas who are not receiving any education.

Judging schools on academic achievement is having unintended consequences for children with #SEND.

Yes!

We have been battling the #send system since 2016, it’s awful for kids, for families, and the repercussions are life-long.

It is intrinsically linked to “zero-tolerance” behaviour policies in schools. The neglect and trauma often starts with mislabelling #SEND as #behaviour.

Idea: further education for the thousands of 18+ people failed by the #SEND system in the past decade.

1) maths and English available but not compulsory

3) trauma repair

3) build self belief

4) practical / academic / work skills

Option of afternoons/evenings for the nocturnally inclined.

Children’s development ‘put back by years’ due to failure of special educational needs system Local government ombudsman report into SEND in England offers damning assessment

It’s good that the conversation about #SEND is in the mainstream media nowadays, but honestly its been just awful for YEARS. This is not a new problem! #send #uk #LeftBehind

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

All wrapped up ready for storm Bert ☔️

It hardly ever snows in Dorset. Such a treat! #dorset #MaidenCastle #SnowDay