Inclusion at Any Price? Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of the Contemporary Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator

This article explores the role of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) in England. It reports findings from a qualitative interview study with a range of contemporary SENDCo practitioners and leaders. Utilising a social constructivist research approach, it explores their knowledge and experience of the SENDCo role, its implementation and the challenges associated with administering the role in the current policy context. This study forms one component of a broader research project. The objective of this paper is to explore the experiences encountered by contemporary SENDCos and leaders of SEND, as well as to present the findings of a small-scale study on the management of this role within primary schools. Initially, a narrative literature review is undertaken, and four key themes are identified: inclusion, identity, leading change and challenge. This paper expands on two of these themes- inclusion and challenge. Data from the interviews highlighted five key themes- leading SEND, inclusion, role pressure, changes to the role and the future of the SENDCo role. In this paper, data specifically addressing the areas of inclusion and role pressure are focused upon. Limitations of the study are discussed as well as possible areas for further research.