WATCH: Chichester students release petition for more disability-friendly books

The SEN Library Project is looking for the UK Government to require publishers to put out more special educational needs and disability (SEND) friendly resources and books.

Public libraries would then be able to stock more of these and keep up with the demand needed. Their petition has reached over 250 signatures already, despite being launched on Wednesday, November 1.

SEND books stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and these resources are needed for many pupils.

Keely Burton, Katie Taylor and Jessamine Glanfield study teaching at Chichester University and started the project in September of this year.

Keely Burton said: “The reason I wanted to create The SEN Library Project is mostly because from my previous experience on placements, I’ve really noticed the academic disadvantage of children who are in those positions.

“Through the research we’ve done as a group and learnt on our course, there really isn’t enough of these resources available for those children.”

Katie Taylor said: “I do a lot of work with children with special needs, and have seen how hard it is to get the books needed for these students.”

Jessamine Glanfield said: “I have a sibling who has a form of special educational needs and I work with a lot of children with disabilities. I have seen through my work with these children that there are not enough texts available.

“One in six children in England have a form of special needs, which means we need a sixth of books in libraries to be targeted to people with those difficulties.”