Abstract

This article presents the findings from a qualitative study of Educational Psychologists' (EPs') experiences of implementing Hear My Story, a multi-sensory data collection tool, developed to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with communicating their lived experiences of education. Building upon phase 1 of this project, this second-phase study explores the ways in which a group of EPs based in Northeast England facilitated, explored, and shared children's stories to support their experiences across education and health. The data analysed in this study were gathered via a focus group method, conducted after practitioners piloted the approach across mainstream and specialist settings. Thematic analysis generated four interrelated themes: (1) authenticity, enjoyment and emotional value; (2) facilitation and professional judgement; (3) accessibility; and (4) opportunities for embedding stories in practice. The findings indicate that Hear My Story provides a mechanism for surfacing nuanced insights into children's school experiences, and indeed, their experiences outside of school that influence their access to education. The article discusses implications for inclusive practice, including the potential to bridge the gap between education and health, ensuring meaningful sharing of the stories so that pupil voice has tangible influence on educational decision making and everyday provision.