Welcome to nasen

We are the National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen) – a charitable membership organisation that exists to support and champion those working with, and for, children and young people with SEND and learning differences.

Rooted in research and evidence-informed best practice, our information, training and resources ensure that our community members in the UK and across the globe are provided with the most up-to-date knowledge and support required to become effective, inclusive practitioners. Together we are able to contribute to the debate and effect change to improve provision within early years, schools, post-16 and wider settings and, ultimately, outcomes for the children and young people that they serve.

About nasen
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Foundation offers £5000 funding to support autistic students

The Sheila Coates Foundation has launched its rapid impact fund scheme offering mainstream secondary schools and colleges in England the chance of accessing £5,000 to support autistic students.

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New app for parents of deaf children

The National Deaf Children’s Society has launched a new app for parents of deaf children to support their child with expert guidance anytime, anywhere.

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Report highlights the negative impact of exclusions in primary school

Chance UK, a London-based charity supporting children with trauma, have published their commissioned study into the long-term impact of exclusions and suspensions in primary school.

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Join for free

Join our growing community to help boost your professional portfolio and save you and your setting time and money.  As a 
member you will receive excellent support, tools, CPDL opportunities and resources to help meet the needs of ALL pupils.

Join now

nasen Awards 2024

In the eighth annual nasen Awards, 15 schools, individuals and organisations are to be recognised for their outstanding work to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and learning differences to reach their full potential.

The nasen Awards ceremony will be held at the Grand Hotel Birmingham on Friday 4th October 2024.

Submit your nomination today!

nasen staff and trustees alongside nasen Award 2023 host Samantha Baines

SEND Support Services

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SEND CPD on Demand

Get the highest quality CPD from experts at your convenience, with nasen's SEND CPD on Demand - The ultimate flexible training resource. With individual and school subscriptions starting at just £199, boost your learning with convenient access to over 70 pre-recorded SEND CPD sessions tailored to meet the needs of the entire education workforce. 

Find out more
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nasen Recognised Teacher / Practitioner of SEND programme

This course is built around a deeper exploration of the implications of the An introduction to SEND in practice and Understanding and supporting universal needs. It has been developed to link with your day to day working practice – it encourages you to develop a resource or professional artefact (for example, a novel intervention; an assessment tool; a lesson plan template or a learning resource) which can be used in your setting.

Find out more
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SENCO Support Service

A comprehensive information support hub designed for SENCOs. Our online hub is organised into useful topics to help resolve all of your SEND queries. Can’t find what you’re looking for online? You’ll be able to reach out directly to our Education Team.

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International Membership

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International Membership

We are constantly striving to work alongside international projects to strengthen the work we undertake with professionals and help support with research, training and resources. For our international colleagues, nasen membership is available for £50 a year.

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Upcoming events and the latest news & resources

nasen Connect

Read the latest e-copy of nasen Connect which is packed full of advice, analysis and opinions on the current topics and future trends impacting on the SEND workforce.

Our Sponsors

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Axcis Education

Axcis are the foremost supplier of SEND staff to mainstream and specialist schools in England and Wales. Providing teaching, leadership and support staff, Axcis has experience with all levels of recruitment across a wide range of special needs. Visit the Axcis website or contact your local office to learn more about how we can help.

Visit Axcis' Website
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Concero Education

Concero supports education organisations by designing, building and delivering specialist technical services and solutions. Our schools benefit from a personalised, future-proofed IT environment, which is inclusively designed to support teachers in exploring accessible and engaging ways of teaching and learning. Get in touch to unlock the capabilities of accessible tech and discover what's possible.

Visit Concero's Website
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Rockerbox

Rockerbox is a multi-award-winning provider of non-fiction reading solutions.

Designed to break down barriers to reading in an age-neutral and inclusive way, Rockerbox solutions quickly improve reading engagement, confidence, and learning outcomes while significantly reducing teacher workload.

Visit Rockerbox website