The SEN Practitioner: Status, Skills, and Support is an edited collection in the nasen spotlight series, edited by Tristan Middleton and published by Routledge. It examines the diverse roles within the SEN workforce, including SENCOs, pastoral leads, nurture practitioners, teaching assistants, and classroom teachers, across mainstream schools, special schools, and alternative provision.

The book's central argument is that investing in the status, skills, and support of SEN practitioners directly benefits children with additional needs. It includes reflections from neurodivergent professionals themselves, alongside guidance on role development and practitioner support across different educational contexts. Each chapter closes with reflections and takeaways designed to help readers apply the ideas to their own setting.

For schools

• Gives SENCOs, Multi Academy Trusts, and CPD leads a single, structured resource on developing and supporting the SEN workforce across a school or trust.
• Covers a wide range of roles, from SENCOs and pastoral leads to teaching assistants and nurture practitioners, making it relevant whole-school reading rather than one job title alone.
• Chapter-end reflections and takeaways make it practical for staff CPD sessions and role development conversations, not just background reading.
• Published as part of the nasen spotlight series, aligning with a recognised UK organisation for SEND professional practice.

For the workplace

• Addresses the status, skills, and support of SEN practitioners as employees, relevant to retention, professional development, and workforce planning.
• Includes reflections from neurodivergent professionals, giving a genuine practitioner perspective on working within SEN roles.
• Supports line managers and CPD leads in having structured conversations about role development and support for SEN staff.
• Useful for students of education, inclusion, and SEND, as well as those already working in SEN roles and considering career progression.

SEN practitioner roles vary widely between schools and settings, and this variation can make it difficult for staff to know what good support and progression should look like. The SEN Practitioner sets out to address that gap directly, bringing together contributions on status, skills, and support so that schools and trusts can think more deliberately about how they develop and retain their SEN workforce.

Whether you are a SENCO, a CPD lead planning staff development, or a practitioner wanting to understand your own role and progression more clearly, The SEN Practitioner is a structured, practice-focused resource worth considering.

• Edited by Tristan Middleton and published by Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis.
• Series: nasen spotlight.
• Format: paperback, approximately 230 pages (listed as 226 to 232 pages depending on retailer).
• Covers: SENCOs, pastoral leads, nurture practitioners, teaching assistants, and classroom teachers across mainstream, special, and alternative provision settings.
• Includes: reflections from neurodivergent professionals, guidance on role development and practitioner support, and chapter-end reflections and takeaways.
• Audience: SENCOs, Multi Academy Trusts, CPD leads, students of education, inclusion and SEND, and SEN professionals.
• Publication date: 22 June 2026.

• Covers the whole SEN workforce. SENCOs, pastoral leads, nurture practitioners, teaching assistants, and classroom teachers, not one role in isolation.
• Genuine practitioner voice. Includes reflections from neurodivergent professionals themselves, alongside academic guidance on role development and support.
• Backed by nasen. Published as part of the nasen spotlight series, a recognised name in UK SEND professional practice.
• Built for CPD, not just reading. Chapter-end reflections and takeaways make it usable in staff development sessions and role planning conversations.

Delivery and Returns

Standard UK delivery applies. See our Delivery and Returns page for full details.

• What is The SEN Practitioner about?
  It is an edited collection in the nasen spotlight series that examines the status, skills, and support of the SEN workforce. It covers roles including SENCOs, pastoral leads, teaching assistants, and classroom teachers across mainstream, special, and alternative provision settings.
• Who is The SEN Practitioner written for?
  It is written for SENCOs, Multi Academy Trusts, CPD leads, students of education, inclusion and SEND, and professionals already working in SEN roles. It is also relevant to line managers involved in staff development.
• Does this book cover general SEND practice or one specific condition?
  It covers the SEN workforce and general SEND practice broadly, rather than focusing on one specific diagnosis or learning difference. Its focus is on the practitioners who support children with additional needs.
• Is The SEN Practitioner useful for staff development and CPD?
  Yes, each chapter closes with reflections and takeaways designed to help readers apply the ideas to their own setting, making it suitable for staff CPD sessions and role development conversations.
• Is this book relevant to the workplace and staff support, not just classroom teaching?
  Yes, it addresses the status, skills, and support of SEN practitioners as employees, including reflections from neurodivergent professionals, making it relevant to workforce planning and retention as well as teaching practice.
• Who edited The SEN Practitioner?
  It was edited by Tristan Middleton and published by Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis, as part of the nasen spotlight series.
• How long is The SEN Practitioner?
  It is a paperback of approximately 230 pages, with retailers listing between 226 and 232 pages.