The Autism Show takes place on 24th and 25th June 2011 at London ExCeL. Organisers say it will provide parents, carers and professionals with immediate access to the latest thinking, practical advice, products and services to aid their support of an autistic child or adult.

The event has been developed by the parents of an autistic child in response to their own experiences and their determination to help connect the growing autism community. The organisers say they uniquely combine their personal knowledge of autism with twenty years of organising some of the most prominent and successful exhibitions in the UK.

‘Face-to-face advice, support and information’

For two days, The Autism Show promises to provide face to face advice, support and information on autism. Once inside the event, everything is free to access including 1-2-1 Professional Clinics, over 50 suppliers of products and services, an in-depth conference programme, practical workshops and interactive forums.

The conference programme is now almost complete and includes speakers such as the Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons; Anna Kennedy, founder of Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support and Daily Mail Woman of the Year; Chris Jesson, award winning autism advocate diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and Dyspraxia; Dr Mitzi Waltz, Lecturer and researcher at the Autism Centre of Education and Research School of Education; and Carol Povey, Director of the Centre for Autism at the National Autistic Society.

                                The show is organised in association with the National Autistic Society, the leading UK charity for people   with autism (including Asperger syndrome) and their families, and in partnership with The Hesley Group,  which offers long-term residential care and education services for people with learning difficulties, challenging behaviours, complex needs and Autism Spectrum Disorders.

For more information about The Autism Show, follow this link.

View the Eteach Special Education Needs jobs here.

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Deciding to become a Special Education Needs teacher can be an exciting, yet daunting prospect. A teacher of this kind usually works with students who have learning difficulties, behavioural problems and physical or sensory disabilities.

Knowing where to start your research can be a challenge in itself, which is why we at Eteach have just launched our Special Education Needs Career Portal. Here you will be able to find all the information you may need when deciding whether or not you want to become a Special Education Needs teacher, join SEN Talent Pools and search for Special Education Needs jobs.

Of course there is no right or wrong way to go about your research, but to get you off to a good start here’s some information about what you may need to consider and some sources of help.

One of the first things to think about when deciding whether to become a Special Education Needs teacher is the area you would like to specialise in. Some of the most common special needs include:

• dyslexia
• autism or severe epilepsy
• visual or hearing impairments
• physical disabilities
• learning difficulties
• behavioural disorders
• psychiatric problems

It can take a while to find the right job for you, which is why it’s important to take your time in your job search. A great way to keep an eye on the latest SEN vacancies whilst still deciding which the right path is for you is to join Talent Pools.

Talent Pools are specific to regions and schools, which means that you only have to join the ones that are relevant to you. Schools’ Talent Pools are live all year round so even if they aren’t currently recruiting, they can still view your CV anytime they like. This means that if you stand out, chances are that they will remember you when a vacancy does arise.

Once you have decided on the kind of role you would like, you can then start searching for Special Education Needs teaching jobs. If you need any help or advice don’t forget that you can always contact a member of the Eteach team who will be happy to help.

Is Special Education Needs teaching something that you would consider or already do? Is there any information that you would like to see more readily available to SEN teachers? Let us know your thoughts below.

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The government has developed a new mental health strategy for England which has been designed to help improve the services which are currently available to children suffering from potential mental health problems.

The new strategy promises an extra £400m in funding for therapies such as counselling as it is thought that by being able to assist children at an earlier stage in their development, they are less likely to have ongoing problems later on in life.

It is also hoped that the new drive will help to decrease criticisms that child and adolescent mental health services have received over the years. These services are condemned for having long waiting lists and inconsistent terms of service which leads to confusion amongst many people.

With the current system running the way it is, many children have been treated with adult services as this is the only help available to them. Critics have rendered this as inappropriate because it doesn’t result in the proper care being received.

Research has suggested that about half of adults with lifetime mental health problems first experienced difficulties in childhood. Therefore, the government is hoping that the new mental health strategy will enable early intervention to take place so that the problems can be prevented.

Do you think more should be done for young children who have suspected mental health problems? Let us know your thoughts below.

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Have you ever heard someone you thought was truly inspirational and what they said kept coming back to you over and over again?

Eteach had the wonderful opportunity to listen to such a person at the SHMIS Annual Conference in Brigg North Lincolnshire earlier this week.

The person in question was Carrie Herbert the founder of Red Balloon Learner Centres. Every teacher training college should have this lady to speak to their students about the work she does. Her words would stay with them the whole of their careers.

Carrie’s Red Balloon Learner Centres provide support and one to one teaching for pupils who have been bullied out of schools and can no longer attend regular schools. She provides ‘safe houses’ that have been converted into learning centres where pupils receive crucial emotional support to help give them back their self esteem. Through this and individual learning programmes she enables students to have belief in themselves and their abilities and in turn gives them strategies that reintegrates them back into regular full time education, apprenticeships or work.

Her understanding of the complex issues surrounding the victim in bullying was fascinating and enlightening. The way she conveyed all of this made each and everyone us want to go out of that room and champion her cause.

Have you had anyone who has inspired you in your career? At Eteach we fill many job vacancies for teachers and support staff from all spectrum’s. A number of us hunt for the next job, whether it is in teaching or any other career, because someone has provided inspiration to find that next step. We’d love to hear whether someone’s inspiration has helped you land a successful job in education?

Last week Eteach International received a very warm welcome at the 27th British Schools of the Middle East (BSME) Conference which was held in the beautiful Aphrodite Hills on the wonderful Island of Cyprus. The conference was opened by Dr Zena Poulli, Director of Secondary Education, Ministry of Education and Culture and over 50 BSME schools attended representing the majority of countries in the Middle Eastern region. It was fascinating to learn about the amazing BSME school resources, professional development opportunities for teachers and support staff and the rich cultural diversity which visitors and residents can enjoy in the region…

The conference was a great opportunity for Educational Professionals to share good practice and to debate current issues. For example the proposed UK government inspections for overseas British Schools and the impact this will have on BSME members and the existing high quality BSME accreditation system. I really enjoyed finding out more about the rapid development of BSME sports and other extracurricular activities… in fact I must find out which school won last weeks coveted BSME Boys and Girls football tournament held in Rashid School for Boys, Dubai. ( I know that Mr Jones from Dhrahran British Grammar School, Saudi was hoping his school would return victorious!)

It was clear throughout the conference that BSME is a very strong and committed organisation which promotes positive outcomes for children and young people and also the development of all staff working in member schools… a commitment which Eteach International also shares…

Finally, as you know Eteach International connects teachers and educational professionals with schools across the world…what are your experiences teaching in the Middle East? We’d love to hear your views…. Colin