‘Putting the children first, fighting their corner, being prepared to stick their head above a parapet’: Exploring reasons for the SENDCo recruitment crisis

NAOMI ASHMAN, DOCTORAL STUDENT, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON, UK Introduction There is currently a SENDCo recruitment and retention crisis (Robertson, 2023). Many find fulfilling SENDCo responsibilities unsustainable and are reluctant to remain in the role (Curran and Boddison, 2021). Reasons for attrition include overwhelming workload, inadequate time and insufficient funding for special educational needs and disability (SEND) support. Given the acknowledged struggles with SENDCo retention, substantial SENDCo recruitment is required. However, schools often struggle to appoint SENDCos, frequently advertising the role unsuccessfully multiple times. Increasing the role’s attraction to a greater diversity of teachers could potentially increase equity while improving SENDCo supply and therefore student experience. Aims This project aimed to improve understanding of the factors deterring a wider range of teachers from seeking further responsibilities and professional progression through