Why Schools Must Recognise ABI: The Hidden Disability Affecting Thousands of Children

Summary

Unlike many SEND profiles, ABI is acquired. A child may have been thriving academically, socially, or emotionally before their injury. Learn more about the changes ABI learners experience, and why we need better support in schools.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is one of the most misunderstood and overlooked needs in UK education. Despite affecting tens of thousands of children every year, ABI remains largely invisible in teacher training, SEN systems, and national data. And yet, for the children and families living with the consequences, ABI changes everything. From learning, to behaviour, identity, relationships, and long‑term outcomes.

At SEND Tutoring, we work closely with young people recovering from an ABI, and we see the gaps every day: the missed signs, the delayed support, the lack of awareness, and the emotional toll on families who are left to advocate alone.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

ABI Is Far More Common Than Schools Realise

NHS data suggests around 40,000 children and young people acquire a brain injury every year, and this is likely an underestimate. Many injuries go unrecorded, especially mild concussions, non‑accidental injuries, or cases that never reach hospital.

That means at least one child in every classroom may be living with the effects of an ABI.

And yet, ABI is not listed as a category in the SEN census.

It is not included in standard teacher training.

It is not routinely recognised as a distinct need.

This mismatch between prevalence and awareness leaves thousands of children unsupported.

The Consequences of Missed or Delayed Support Are Devastating

Without early intervention, the long‑term impact of ABI can be profound:

• 60% of people in prisons or young offender institutions have experienced a brain injury
• Young people with ABI are more likely to be excluded
• More likely to end up in alternative provision
• Less likely to progress to further study or employment
• More likely to experience homelessness or long‑term mental health challenges

These outcomes are not inevitable. They are the result of a system that does not recognise ABI early enough, or support it consistently.

A recent article in Educate Magazine about SEND reforms and the Schools White Paper highlighted just how urgent this issue has become and the lack of proper support for children and young people with acquired brain injuries. Experts from UKABIF, and N-ABLES all raised the same concern: schools are central to rehabilitation, yet most are not equipped to support children with ABI.

What these experts had to say was striking, and deeply aligned with what we see at SEND Tutoring every day.One of the most powerful insights came from Dr Emily Bennett, consultant clinical psychologist and paediatric neuropsychologist, who said:

“We welcome the emphasis within the White Paper on belonging. This is so important to children, and particularly to those with an ABI, who are often trying to adjust to a ‘new normal’.”

Belonging is not a soft concept. For a child recovering from ABI, it is the foundation of emotional safety, identity, and learning.

But belonging requires understanding, and right now, most teachers simply haven’t been given the tools.

Emily Bennett, who also chairs the National Acquired Brain Injury In Learning And Education Syndicate (N-ABLES) continues:

“For these children and young people to truly belong, we believe ABI, and its impact, must be better identified, monitored and supported within schools, rather than remaining a hidden disability, as is often the case at present.”

This is the heart of the issue: ABI is hidden.  

Not because it is rare, but because it is misunderstood.

The Educate Magazine article also highlighted the voices of parents and educators who described the emotional and practical burden of navigating a system that doesn’t recognise ABI.A teacher in Hertfordshire whose daughter experienced a traumatic brain injury presented in Parliament at an APPG roundtable on Acquired Brain Injury. She said:

“There is a huge burden on parents and teachers having to advocate within the system, rather than the system already having necessary information and support structures in place. My daughter has made a physical recovery & has even represented GB in Cyclocross. However, she experienced real emotional and psychological difficulties at school because of the impact of her injury. Often my daughter was brought to me while I was teaching another class of 30 children because she couldn’t cope in her own class. This lack of systemic support was a huge challenge for both of us.”

ABI Is Not a Learning Difficulty. It’s a Change in the Brain

Unlike many SEND profiles, ABI is acquired. A child may have been thriving academically, socially, or emotionally before their injury. Afterward, they may experience:

• slower processing
• memory difficulties
• sensory overload
• emotional dysregulation
• fatigue
• changes in behaviour or personality
• difficulty planning or organising
• challenges returning to school routines

These changes can be subtle or dramatic, but they are neurological, not behavioural.

Without training, teachers may misinterpret these signs as defiance, laziness, or lack of effort. With training, they become clear indicators of a brain working incredibly hard to heal.

Families Shouldn’t Have to Fight Alone

The Educate Magazine article also highlighted the voice of Chloe Hayward, chief executive of UKABIF, who spoke powerfully about the systemic barriers families face when a child returns to education after an ABI.

She said:

“Schools play a critical role in rehabilitation for children and young people with acquired brain injury, and under the current system far too many have struggled to access the support they need to return to education. These proposals have the potential to bring about a meaningful, positive change, but they must be properly funded across every area of the UK to tackle the current postcode lottery of provision for children and young people with brain injuries.”

Her words capture what so many families experience:

A system that relies on parents to push, explain, coordinate, and advocate,  instead of one that recognises ABI and responds automatically.

Right now, families often become:

• the experts
• the case managers
• the communicators
• the emotional anchors
• the people holding everything together

All while navigating their own trauma, grief, and uncertainty.

This shouldn’t be the expectation.

A reformed SEND system must remove this burden, not reinforce it.

Children recovering from ABI deserve a system that understands their needs without requiring their families to fight for every adjustment, every meeting, every piece of support. And parents deserve to be partners, not the only safety net.

How SEND Tutoring Supports Children After ABI

At SEND Tutoring, we work with children and young people who are rebuilding their cognitive, emotional, and academic skills after an ABI. Our approach includes:

• trauma‑informed, neuropsychology‑aware teaching
• executive‑function coaching
• sensory‑aware learning environments
• flexible pacing and cognitive load management
• close collaboration with families, schools, and clinicians
• a focus on identity, confidence, and belonging

We believe every child deserves to feel understood, supported, and safe as they navigate their “new normal.”

A Future Where ABI Is Finally Seen

ABI is not rare.

It is not simple.

And it is not going away.

But with awareness, training, and compassion, schools can become powerful places of rehabilitation and hope.

As Emily Bennett reminds us:

“The Government’s SEND proposals bring hope… and N‑ABLES will continue to advocate for CYP with an ABI in schools to ensure the proposed changes make a real difference in the lives of these vulnerable children.”

Children with ABI deserve a more informed, compassionate SEND system.

They need understanding.

They need support.

They need belonging.

And they need a system that sees them.

Support for Every Learner
Discover how SEND Tutoring supports students with a wide range of needs, including ABI, autism, dyslexia, PDA, SEMH, epilepsy, and more. 

Resources and Insights 

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Ella Jones

If you’re looking for support for a child or young person with special educational needs or a disability, book a free call with us today and find out how we can help.