SEND Leadership: An Interview With a SEND Specialist and Strategist and CEO
12 Mar, 20251-2 minutes
In this blog, you will learn:
- About the impact of strong leadership and career development for SEND professionals.
- How recent government reforms aim to integrate more SEND provisions into mainstream education.
- About the opportunities for meaningful change in SEND services in the future.
- Where the latest SEND jobs are and how to apply for them.
Ever wondered what it’s like to lead and transform SEND services in an ever evolving education system? In this insightful interview, we speak with Dr Anita Devi, a SEND Specialist and Strategist and CEO, about her career journey, the evolution of SEND services and the challenges shaping the sector.
Anita is an experienced Education and SEND Consultant specialising in strategic leadership and change management, with a passion for driving meaningful progress in the SEND sector.
In 2007, Anita founded Team ADL, an organisation that supports individuals with SEND by fostering inclusivity in education, employment and communities by providing training, consultancy and leadership development.
In this exclusive interview, Anita shares her expert insights and advice, as well as her thoughts on the future of SEND leadership in 2025 and beyond.
Tell us about your career journey so far and your current role
Looking back, I could break my career down into chapters but it all comes down to promoting ‘the joy of learning’ and developing life-long learners.
During my Foundational Practitioner years, I shaped my understanding of child development and aligned this with my educational philosophy (what I believe to be the purpose of education) as well as my pedagogical practice. I have a real interest in Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural (SMSC) education, which is a core part of the curriculum and in the past, I have taught pupils from early years to post-graduates.
I’ve also had the privilege of teaching and training Teachers and leaders around the globe. I still lead part-time in school and when I led full-time, I took staff through a change process that requires a specific set of skills and approaches. I had to combine strategic and operational, within the framework of the law.
Over the years, I have probably worked in half of the local authorities across the country, enabling them to see the bigger picture and make value for money changes. When I started as a SEND Consultant, there were only six of us nationally and I was not only the youngest, but the only non-Caucasian.
In addition to education qualifications, I’m trained in SEND Law, Person-Centred Approaches and Prince 2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments), which is all about defining change management cycles, within specific frameworks, but keeping people at the heart of the process.
I’ve had the privilege of working with many partners and Multi-Academy Trusts. I have also undertaken research and won international awards for my work on the SEND Leadership Pipeline (2017) and the ‘Excellence in Education’ Award (2011).
What inspired you to start your own company?
I noticed many children and young people wanted to move forward but couldn’t. I also have a hidden disability myself, so I understand the need for a clear SEND framework.
By 2016, I knew the SEND Reforms (2011-2018) weren’t going to fully materialise, so I set up TeamADL. ADL means ‘Justice’ in Arabic and I wanted to demonstrate that we have to work as a team to achieve ‘true justice’.
TeamADL, is a Community Interest Company that uses its profits to give back to schools and colleges in terms of resources. We have been nominated for Disability Awards alongside the BBC and Virgin Media (2019) and in 2023 we won the National MAT Award for our Give Back to the system. We also hosted an online SEND leadership support system throughout COVID (2020-22).
Through TeamADL, we’ve launched many legacy projects, books and accredited courses including the annual SEND Leaders’ Appreciation Day, 365 SEND and Provision Reviews.
In terms of SEND sector provision, what trends stood out to you in 2024 and how do you see them shaping the future of SEND?
I led the National SEND Audit in 2023-24 and the final report contributed to the National Audit Office (NAO) Report in October 2024. One significant area to evolve from this was how data is used in the system.
Leadership of SEND is a concern for me. There is an increase in mobility at all levels and the calibre of leadership varies considerably. Poor retention coupled with limited skills, knowledge and experience adds to the problem. This also contributes to the further lack of learning in the system.
Finally, I would argue excessive information and misinformation (including fake news and AI) may not necessarily be contributing to enabling a broken system to heal and repair. To incorporate a learning approach into the system isn’t difficult, but it requires a long-sighted and high-altitude approach, not just reactive activity, which civil servants seem to thrive on.
The 2025 Labour government has introduced several educational reforms, such as integrating more SEND provisions into mainstream schools. How do you think these changes will affect SEND services?
Some of the current initiatives have good intentions, but there is a lack of joining the dots or coordination at the top and the Department for Education is trying to change all the cogs simultaneously. A more staggered approach would allow for system feedback and the creation of learning mechanisms.
There also seems to be an emphasis on collecting more data, rather than digging deeper to understand the real problems and some of the fundamental issues with the Children & Families Act 2014.
How sufficient is government support in addressing challenges and prioritising values?
If you create new committees with the same people, I’m not sure much will change. We are still dealing with the fallout of the Safety Valve Agreements. We have created an ‘echo chamber’ believing that more funding is the solution when it’s not.
Most of the Department for Education deliverables are delivered by charities (not social enterprises or small/medium-sized enterprises). In effect, the funding/grant system is maintained by the very people delivering the projects for change.
What legislation or policy changes will have the biggest impact on SEND in 2025?
It’s too soon to tell, but the one appointment I am pleased about is Professor Karen Guldberg who has been appointed Chair of a new Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group for SEND provision in mainstream schools, consisting of experts who will work alongside the Department for Education.
What challenges do you believe councils and the SEND sector will face with the new labour government?
The education system is currently a mixed economy. Some of the proposals put forward serve to further extend this mixed economy model and local authorities will be caught up in this. There is a lack of regulatory accountability in some areas and sadly many proposals rushed through have not had any risk assessments undertaken. So, time will tell.
What changes do you predict in 2025 as a result of the new labour government?
Change involves undoing a previous system, designing something new and embedding it. There is a myth in the system that a good practice model in area X, can be lifted and applied to area Y. This lacks any coherent improvement model cycle and adds to the pick ‘n’ mix leadership already prevalent in the system.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a SEND Specialist and Strategist and how did you overcome them?
Everyone reads a book or the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and thinks they are an expert, but there are degrees of expertise. So many practitioners are leaving schools to become ‘Consultants’, but many are simply promoting government products and downloads through this.
TeamADL has a very clear vision and strong values and we challenge when necessary. No school or MAT should be dependent on external support indefinitely. It’s a poor use of public funds. Internationally, we are known for turning around failing schools in 2-5 days. We now teach others to do the same as part of our accredited courses.
What are the most pressing challenges facing SEND provisions today and how can they be addressed?
Leadership is a learnt skill employing many different facets and there is no career development support for SEND Leaders at any level. Most leaders have become ‘Administrators’ or Managers at best. My PhD produced a SEND Leader Integrated Model (SLIM), which looks at the broader triad of identity, agency and power relations in SEND.
What changes would you like to see in 2025 to better support the needs of children and young people with SEND?
I think we need to be honest, admit our mistakes and make genuine strides to re-align the system into a new state of equilibrium. In 2009, everyone kept on saying, “There is no trust in the system.” But this has become an extended rhetoric. To build trust, we need to talk (not collect data). We need to forgive and experiment with new models, building in flex to any change models created.
I’d also like to see the Department for Education Gantt Chart for the changes they are proposing under the Labour Government.
What’s your vision for the future of SEND services?
We (that’s all stakeholders) are responsive to children and young people’s needs. It is not rocket science, but what that looks like differs for different people. We have called this collective approach SEND9 in a recent publication.
What advice would you give to aspiring SEND professionals?
Talk to a range of credible existing SEND Consultants. I’ve been doing this for nearly 18 years, but I’m still amazed by some of the advice Advisors and Consultants give out.
SCG educational psychology report
As specialists in SEND recruitment, we work alongside hundreds of Educational Psychologists throughout the UK and are mindful of the challenges they face in their ever evolving role.
After commissioning our own research from Educational Psychologists in both local authorities and private practice, we published the SCG Educational Psychology Workforce Insights Report 2024.
The report delves into trends within educational psychology, funding and resources, industry challenges, policies and legislation and the future of educational psychology.
Read the SCG Educational Psychology Workforce Insights Report 2024 here.
SEND jobs
If you’re searching for your next local authority SEND job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.
Local authority recruitment services
As specialist local authority SEND recruiters, we support local authorities nationwide with their temporary, interim and permanent staffing needs.
We can supply SEND staff for service redesign, tackling annual review backlogs and SEND/EHC Case workers to amend plans or hold annual review meetings.
If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?
- South of the UK - Richard Shorrock
- Midlands & North of the UK - Adam Zyda
Share your experience
Every individual brings a unique set of experiences, thoughts, and insights to the table. We believe in giving a voice to a community of professionals to inspire positive change and champion reform in the SEND sector.
If you work in the SEND sector and would like to share your own personal and professional experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Perhaps you have a different perspective, could offer a fresh angle, or want to challenge assumptions.
Simply reach out to our Head of Content, Nicole Sherwood, to discuss a collaboration which makes your voice count.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations.
In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.
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