There are four areas of SEN:

Communicating and interacting – for example, where children and young people have speech, language and communication difficulties which make it difficult for them to make sense of language or to understand how to communicate effectively and appropriately with others

Cognition and learning – for example, where children and young people learn at a slower pace than others their age, have difficulty in understanding parts of the curriculum, have difficulties with organisation and memory skills, or have a specific difficulty affecting one particular part of their learning performance such as in literacy or numeracy

Social, emotional and mental health difficulties – for example, where children and young people have difficulty in managing their relationships with other people, are withdrawn, or if they behave in ways that may hinder their and other children’s learning, or that have an impact on their health and wellbeing

Sensory and/or physical needs – for example, children and young people with visual and/or hearing impairments, or a physical need that means they must have additional ongoing support and equipment

Some children and young people may have SEN that covers more than one of these areas.

Many children and young people who have SEN may also have a disability. A disability is ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term (a year or more) and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’ This includes, for example, sensory impairments such as those that affect sight and hearing, and long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes or epilepsy.

Our early years providers, schools, colleges, other educational settings and local authorities do not directly or indirectly discriminate against, harass or victimise disabled children and young people

We make reasonable adjustments including the provision of auxiliary aid services (for example, tactile signage or induction loops), so that disabled children and young people are not disadvantaged compared with other children and young people. This duty is what is known as ‘anticipatory’ – people also need to think in advance about what disabled children and young people might need.

SEN support is available in school for children and young people who have SEN, but do not have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP).

Where a pupil is identified as having SEN, education providers should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective special educational provision in place.  This SEN support should take the form of a four-part cycle:

1. Assess
2. Plan
3. Do
4. Review

through which earlier decision and actions are revisited, refined and revised.  This is known as the Graduated Approach.

SEN support should include planning and preparation for transition between phases of education and preparation for adult life. Further information is available on the Transition webpage and the Step by Step guide to Transitions webpage.

Where a pupil continues to make less than expected progress, despite evidence based support and interventions that are matched to the pupil’s area of need, education providers should consider involving specialists to advise.

If your school has already assessed your child and tried to meet their needs. But they have not made expected progress. Then you may consider requesting an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment.

The EHC Needs Assessment is a detailed look at the special educational needs of a child or young person, and the support he or she may need in order to learn.

EHC Needs Assessments identify educational, health and social needs. They set out the additional support to meet those needs.

See What is an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment? for further information

The DfE has produced a helpful guide for parents called ‘Special educational needs and disability – A guide for parents and carers‘. (August 2014). This guide explains how the system that supports children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities works.

It covers:

• the law and statutory guidance on which the system is based
• places to go for help and further information
• details about changes to the system from 1 September 2014

It may also be useful for staff in:

• schools and colleges
• early years education settings
• who are dealing with the parents and carers of children and young people with SEND.