AN estimated 1.6 million pupils in England have special educational needs. The Westminster Government is clear about the impact SEND can have on a child’s learning, affecting their behaviour or ability to socialise, reading and writing, ability to understand things, concentration levels and/or physical ability.

First let’s define terms: A disability is a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities. Special needs are educational requirements arising from physical or intellectual disability or behavioural difficulties – an illness or condition that makes it difficult to do the things others do. Neurodiversity is displayed or characterised by autistic or other neurologically atypical patterns of thought or behaviour.

It must be said that not everyone approves of such labels. Some disability rights activists dislike the term SEND, saying it has derogatory connotations. ‘Additional needs’ is an alternative description. Others think we are sometimes too ready to interpret differences as deficits when talking about autism. So it’s a topic not without controversy.

Children who need additional support may have:

• Physically disabilities – impaired movement, speech, hearing or sight;
• conditions such as cerebral palsy or cystic fibrosis;
• difficulties with co-ordinated movement – dyspraxia;
• cognitive disabilities like autism or Down Syndrome;
• difficulties with words or numbers – dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia;
• attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Case study: Emily Peasgood Studio at Haydock Library, St Helens, Merseyside

St Helens Council has commissioned Emily Peasgood Studio to reimagine Haydock Library as a sensory-inclusive space for children and adults with special needs. Led by artist Dr Emily Peasgood in collaboration with architects practice Studio Ben Allen, the project represents a bold departure from conventional library design. Emily is an award-winning composer and artist known for creating innovative public artworks in libraries and community settings, specialising in inclusive engagement and co-creation.

Emily and Ben previously collaborated on the Listening Desk, an interactive installation for the British Library in 2023, which gave access to rare sound archives across ten major UK institutions. Their shared vision of accessibility and design innovation continues at Haydock Library, where Peasgood is again taking a distinctive, community-led approach.

Co-design

Rather than designing for the community, Peasgood is design ing with them. Over the past three months, she has led a participation programme of Go-See visits to other libraries, and library design workshops, shaped by a steering group of St Helens Council staff and local charities, including BuzzHub St Helens CDP and Listen4Change Parent Carer Forum, where 76 people participated, including 18 library staff, 12 support workers, 10 carers, and 36 adults and children with disabilities.

Throughout the engagement process, facilitators supported participants. They provided easy-to-read documents, plain text screen readers and social stories in various formats to ensure the sessions were accessible and inclusive. Craft packs were available to take home for those unable to attend in person, allowing participants to create their own library designs and send photos of their completed ideas.

In-person workshops also included a breakout space and sensory room for anyone who needed a quieter environment, as well as a range of tactile materials, fidget toys, and noise-cancelling headphones to support comfort and engagement. A key principle of the project has been the importance of speaking directly with people with disabilities, rather than only through their carers or parents, to ensure their voices are heard and reflected in the final design.

Participants attended library design workshops where they were invited to design their dream library using floor plans as creative prompts. The emerging ideas offer a compelling glimpse into how libraries can evolve to become more inclusive, imaginative and future-focused.

Emily Peasgood Studio is now refining these co-created concepts into a final design, which will continue to be shaped by feedback from the steering group at key development stages. Once approved, Emily will work with local artist Emily Simpson to run a workshop to develop a Manifesto for an Inclusive Library. This will result in a piece of visual art woven into the fabric of the building, quite literally, with elements embedded into window overlays and flooring, visually narrating the values and co-creation journey behind the project.

To continue the dialogue, a Listening Desk has been installed in the library alongside a custom Haydock jigsaw puzzle to continue the conversation, and a temporary sensory room has been set up. These small innovations will remain in place over the coming months to observe how visitors engage with them, offering valuable insights ahead of the first design presentation in September. If the Listening Desk is well-received, further workshops will be held to co-design its content. The desk features a directional speaker that doesn’t bleed into the more expansive space, and the planned content will include accessible educational games designed for users of all ages and abilities.

A radical space

The new Haydock Library will radically shift from its current, more conventional iteration. While the existing space is welcoming, it doesn’t fully engage the breadth of the local community. In an era of library closures and stretched resources, such reinvention is not just refreshing, it’s necessary. The transformation also raises important questions about the future of libraries: Can physical redesign drive deeper systemic and infrastructural change?

Emily is confident in her approach. “This is a space for everyone, informed by the social model of disability,” she explains. “It’s also a matter of balance. What one person needs can sometimes conflict with another’s needs, so I aim to create a space where everyone can find a place within the library.”

Her ambition extends beyond accessibility to something more magical. “I don’t want to create something that looks like other libraries. I want it to be well-designed, which is why I’m working with Ben Allen, but also beautiful and magical. A place where you want to be. I aim to create Haydock’s living room.”

Emily has assembled a talented team to help bring the vision to life. Public artist Mooch brings deep experience in community engagement and placemaking; local artist Catherine Jackman will craft bespoke signage for the space; Laura Smith, who manages the MediCinema at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, contributes insight into inclusive environments; accessibility specialist David Cleary lends his expertise; and library design expert Ayub Khan completes the group.

By exploring the five senses and embedding them holistically throughout the design, rather than isolating them in a single ‘sensory zone’, this redesign has the potential to redefine what a library can be. As a case study, Haydock could serve as a model for future inclusive, community-driven cultural spaces.

Some key considerations to consider to support children with SEND

Key areas of library support

School software providers Softlink Education identify five key areas of support for children with special needs – and these are equally applicable in the library setting:

• Assistive technology – devices like screen readers, text-to-speech software and braille displays
• Digital content – ebooks, audio books and accessible formats, such as dyslexia-friendly fonts
• Sensory tools – resources like fidget toys, weighted lap pads and quiet areas
• Accessible facilities – adaptive furniture, ramps and adjustable lighting
• Specialised learning materials – resources such as books, games and multimedia specifically designed for students with cognitive disabilities

Design, distraction and dangers

Design plays a big part in helping libraries to offer greater accessibility to physically disabled children – with features like wheelchair ramps, reachable door entry systems, disabled toilets, shelving heights, hearing loops and Braille.

Design and décor can help children with other disabilities to feel more comfortable in the library – soft colour schemes, natural materials and adjustable lighting creating quieter, calmer spaces. Furniture and fittings designed to prevent children hurting themselves – such as rounded corners and no sharp edges – are advisable for all.

Children on the autistic spectrum can find a busy, bright and noisy library too challenging – amounting to a sensory overload that is distracting and potentially distressing. However, both neuro-typical and non-neuro-typical children can benefit from sensory stimulus – but it’s better to make sensory spaces available to them at separate times.

Library kit

Fidget toys – which build on the stress ball concept – and are said to aid concentration and focus. Stimming, or self-stimulatory behaviour, is a common way for autistic or ADHD individuals to cope with overwhelming sensory input.

Sensory walls use different textures, shapes and interactive features to provide a multi-sensory experience that helps SEND children to calm down and focus – and allows them to explore their senses in a safe environment.

Interactive bubble walls provide visual and auditory stimulation – and can be designed to benefit children with a range of sensory needs. They are essentially a wall of softly-lit and rhythmically-moving rising bubbles that SEND children find calming and engaging.

Projectors can be installed to create an interactive surface on a table or floor, with stimulating games, activities and apps to aid relaxation and interaction. Interactive projectors can offer hundreds of different games and activities – many specifically designed to support SEND users.

Themed sensory libraries

The London Borough of Merton offers sensory libraries for children and young people with SEND. Each library has a different theme – made more immersive by matching sounds and scents. All libraries are equipped with ear defenders and pop-up dark tents.

Sensory mobile library

Warwickshire Library Service has secured funding, worth £373,000 over three years, from Arts Council England’s Libraries Improvement Fund, to put a new sensory mobile library on the road. Called the Discovery Den, it will provide a free, safe, inclusive and welcoming space for children, young people, and adults with additional and more complex needs. The new electric mobile library will visit local communities across the county, reaching those who might find the traditional library experience more challenging.