Sensory Integration Education

Sensory Integration Education was established in 1994 — formed by the coming together of four separate organisations: the Study Group on Perception, the Sensory Integration Association, the British Institute of Sensory Integration, and the Irish Association for Sensory Integration. That spirit of collaboration — of practitioners and organisations uniting around a shared commitment to sensory integration — has defined SIE ever since.

From the outset, our focus was clear: communicate good SI practice, deliver high-quality standardised training, and raise awareness of sensory integration across health, education, and social care.

Building the knowledge base

Our publication SensorNet launched in 1996, giving the SI community a shared resource for research, practice, and news. Our website followed in 2002. Today, SensorNet and our monthly newsletter EmphaSIze reach thousands of practitioners across the UK and internationally.

From early training to a world first

What began as core training events on SI theory and practice grew, over decades, into university-accredited postgraduate modules — and ultimately into the world's first MSc in Sensory Integration. We are grateful to all our higher education partners over the years: the University of Liverpool, Cardiff University, Ulster University, and Sheffield Hallam University, our current partner. Each partnership has helped us raise the standard of SI training.

Today, more than 100,000 learners have trained with SIE. Over 2,000 professionals have qualified as SI Practitioners or Advanced Practitioners through our postgraduate programme.

Our annual conference

A highlight of the SI calendar, our annual conference brings together practitioners, researchers, and international speakers to share the latest evidence, celebrate graduating SI Practitioners and Advanced Practitioners, and present the SIE Legacy Awards — honouring those who have shaped sensory integration training and practice in the UK and Ireland since the 1970s.

Growing our reach

In recent years, SIE has extended its work beyond professional training. Sensory Inclusive Schools supports teachers, TAs, and SEND teams to create sensory-informed classrooms. Sensory Help Now provides free expert guidance for parents and carers of children with sensory processing differences.

Still not-for-profit, still independent

More than 30 years on from our founding, we remain a not-for-profit organisation. Every surplus is reinvested into course development, early-career researcher support, and the wider sensory integration community.