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Special Educational Needs The term 'special educational needs' (SEN) has a legal definition, referring to children who

have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn or access education than most children of the same age. Many children will have SEN of some kind at some time during their education. Help will usually be provided in their ordinary, mainstream early education setting or school, sometimes with the help of outside specialists. If your child has special educational needs, they may need extra help in a range of areas, for example:

schoolwork reading, writing, number work or understanding information expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying making friends or relating to adults behaving properly in school organising themselves some kind of sensory or physical needs which may affect them in school Your child's progress at school Children make progress at different rates and have different ways in which they learn best. When planning lessons based around the National Curriculum, your child's teacher will take account of this by looking carefully at how they organise their lessons, classroom, books and materials. The teacher will then choose suitable ways to help your child learn from a range of activities (often described as 'differentiating the curriculum'). If your child is making slower progress or having particular difficulties in one area, they may be given extra help or different lessons to help them succeed.

Just because your child is making slower progress than you expected or the teachers are providing different support, help or activities in class, this doesn't necessarily mean that your child has SEN. Getting help for your child Your child's early years are a very important time for their physical, emotional, intellectual and social development. When the health visitor or doctor makes a routine check, they might suggest that there could be a problem. If you have any worries of your own, you should ask for advice straightaway. You should first go to your child's class teacher, the SENCO (the person in the school or preschool who is responsible for coordinating help for children with special educational needs) or the headteacher. You could ask them if:

the school thinks your child is having difficulties and/or has SEN your child is able to work at the same level as children of the same age your child is already getting extra help you can help your child If your child's school agrees that he or she has SEN in some areas, they will adopt a step-by-step approach to meeting these needs. Special educational needs: a step-by-step approach

If your child has special educational needs (SEN), all those involved in their education will take a step-by-step approach to

meeting their needs. Your childs teachers will use the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice as a guide. Special educational needs and schools Schools and early education settings place great importance on identifying SEN so they can help your child as early as possible. Most children with SEN can have their needs met in a mainstream school. Once it has been decided that your child has SEN, your child's teachers will plan their education. To do this they use the guidance given in a document known as the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. The Code of Practice is a guide for early education settings (eg nurseries and playgroups), state schools and local authorities. It advises then on how they should identify, assess and provide help for children with SEN. You can read a summary of the code in the booklet, 'SEN: a guide for parents and carers'. Download a guide for parents and carers: Special Educational Needs (Revised 2009)Opens new window A step-by-step approach Children learn in different ways, and can have different levels or kinds of SEN. So if your child has SEN, their school will increasingly, step by step, bring in specialist expertise to help with the difficulties they may have. This step-by-step approach is set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. A school must tell you if they start giving extra or different help to your child because of their SEN. The basic level of extra help is known as School Action, and could be:

a different way of teaching certain things some extra help from an adult using particular equipment like a computer or special desk Your child may need help through this step-by-step approach for only a short time, or for many years. Remember that you should

be consulted at every step, and be told about your child's progress. SEN advice for parents and carersOpens new window Individual Education Plans Your child's teacher is responsible for working with your child on a day-to-day basis. However, they may decide to write down the actions of help for your child in an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The IEP could include:

what special or additional help is being given who will provide the help and how often what help you can give your child at home your childs targets how and when progress will be checked Sometimes the school will not write an IEP. Instead they will record how they are meeting your child's needs in a different way, perhaps as part of their lesson plans. But they should always be able to tell you how they are helping your child and what progress they are making. If your child does not make enough progress If your child does not make enough progress under School Action, their teacher or SEN coordinator (SENCO) should contact you. They might advise you to ask for advice from other people outside the school. These could include a specialist teacher or a speech and language therapist. This kind of extra help is called School Action Plus. It is possible that your child's school still cannot give your child all the help they need. If so, you or a professional who has been involved with your child can ask for a 'statutory assessment'. This is a detailed investigation to find out what your child's special educational needs are and what special help your child needs. Special educational needs: assessments More useful links

Identifying special educational needs in under fives Getting help for special educational needs in under fives Other support services for special educational needs in under fives Caring for a disabled child (caring for someone section)

Finding out more It is important to act if you think your child may have a special educational need that has not been identified. You should talk to the person in your child's nursery, playgroup or other early years setting who has a particular responsibility for special educational needs. This person is called the SEN coordinator, or SENCO. If your child is not attending a nursery or other early years setting, you can talk to your local council. Their early years and childcare team can help you find appropriate early years and childcare provision. Their SEN team can give you advice about special educational needs. Alternatively you could contact a Sure Start Children's Centre near you for help. You could also talk to your doctor or health visitor. Most local authorities have a network of services for under fives. Health authorities, voluntary organisations and social services work closely together to support children with special educational needs. Contact your local council Find a Sure Start Children's Centre near you Getting help Your child's nursery or reception class should be able to help your child overcome the barriers their difficulties present. However, it is possible that your child will need extra support for some or all of their time in education. If your child is not in a nursery or reception class the local council can advise on suitable local provision. Some points to bear in mind include:

your child's needs will usually be met in a mainstream nursery, playgroup or school, sometimes with the help of outside specialists you should be asked about the decisions that affect your child your views should always be taken into account Extra help is available for your child from specialists, teachers and SENCOs, and from voluntary organisations offering advice that is often linked to particular needs. Identifying special educational needs in under fives

Your child's early years are an important time for their development. If they have special educational needs (SEN) it is important they are discovered as early as possible. If you are worried that your child may be having difficulties before they go to school, help is at hand. Worries about your child's development Your child learns through being with other people and exploring the world around them. However, some children have more difficulties than most children of their age with:

communication understanding and learning sensory and physical development behaviour or relating to other people Children with this type of learning difficulty or disability are said to have 'special educational needs'.

Finding out more It is important to act if you think your child may have a special educational need that has not been identified. You should talk to the person in your child's nursery, playgroup or other early years setting who has a particular responsibility for special educational needs. This person is called the SEN coordinator, or SENCO. If your child is not attending a nursery or other early years setting, you can talk to your local council. Their early years and childcare team can help you find appropriate early years and childcare provision. Their SEN team can give you advice about special educational needs. Alternatively you could contact a Sure Start Children's Centre near you for help. You could also talk to your doctor or health visitor. Most local authorities have a network of services for under fives. Health authorities, voluntary organisations and social services work closely together to support children with special educational needs. Contact your local council Find a Sure Start Children's Centre near you Getting help Your child's nursery or reception class should be able to help your child overcome the barriers their difficulties present. However, it is possible that your child will need extra support for some or all of their time in education. If your child is not in a nursery or reception class the local council can advise on suitable local provision. Some points to bear in mind include:

your child's needs will usually be met in a mainstream nursery, playgroup or school, sometimes with the help of outside specialists you should be asked about the decisions that affect your child

your views should always be taken into account Extra help is available for your child from specialists, teachers and SENCOs, and from voluntary organisations offering advice that is often linked to particular needs. Getting help for special educational needs in under fives

If your child is having difficulties with learning, your early education provider - for example a nursery or playgroup - will be able to offer extra support. The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice gives guidance on different levels of support. Getting help - first steps If you have concerns about your child's learning, arrange a meeting with their teacher or the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). You'll be able to do this through your child's nursery or other early years setting. All publicly funded preschools and nurseries must take into account the 'Special Educational Needs Code of Practice'. This gives practical guidance on how to identify and assess children with SEN.

If your child is not attending an early years setting If your child is not attending a nursery, playgroup or other early years setting, you can talk to your local council. Their early years and childcare team can help you find appropriate early years and childcare provision. Their SEN team can give you more advice about special educational needs. Alternatively you could contact a Sure Start Children's Centre near you for help.

Contact your local council Find a Sure Start Children's Centre near you Early Years Action If your child needs special help with their learning, preschools or nurseries may provide this through a way of helping children called 'Early Years Action'. Your child's teachers or SENCO will discuss your child's needs with you, assess their needs and decide what help to give. You should be asked about the help your child is given and its results. Help under Early Years Action could mean a different way of teaching certain things, or some help from an extra adult. This help, and the short-term targets for your child's learning, may be written down in a document called an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Alternatively your child's progress may be recorded in the same way as it is for all other children. Individual Education Plan (IEP) Your child's IEP is used as a planning and review 'tool' for their teachers and for you. IEPs should set out:

what special help is being given who will provide the help and how often what help you can give your child at home Early Years Action Plus If your child does not make enough progress in Early Years Action, their teacher or SENCO should talk to you about getting extra help from. This could be from, for example, a specialist teacher or a speech therapist. This kind of help is called 'Early Years Action Plus'. External specialists may start by making an assessment of what is needed. Specialists advise on the IEP and sometimes teach or help your child directly. If your child needs a large amount of help or extra resources, your local authority may agree to provide this through Early Years

Action Plus. They might also decide to make a statutory assessment. A statutory assessment (often known simply as an 'assessment') brings in a number of specialists to decide what extra help your child needs. What is a special educational needs statutory assessment? The assessment finds out exactly what your child's needs are, and what special help they need. It is only necessary if your child's early years setting or school cannot provide all the help they need. It is carried out by your local council and based on specialist advice. You can ask for an assessment for your child and so can your child's nursery or school. If the nursery wants to ask the local authority to carry out an assessment, they should always talk to you first. Special educational needs: assessments What is a SEN statement? A statement of special educational needs (SEN) sets out your child's needs and the help they should receive. It is reviewed annually to ensure that any extra support given continues to meet your child's needs. Special educational needs: statements Assessments and statements if your child is under two If your child is under two, you or professionals working with your child can write formally to ask for a statutory assessment. The education department of your local authority will consider your request. They must agree to make an assessment if your child needs one. However, for children under two, the local authority will decide how to carry out the assessment. This is because the legal rules about how assessments should be carried out only apply to children of two and over. Once the assessment has been completed, the local authority decides whether to issue a statement of special educational needs (SEN). An SEN statement for a child under two should describe:

your child's needs the views of parents and professionals an account of the help that will be provided information about how this help will be monitored and reviewed It's rare for children under two to be issued with a statement. If you feel that the help being offered is not adequate, then asking for a statutory assessment may be a good way to get help

Special educational needs: basic principles There are a number of basic principles that all those involved in your child's education will consider. When talking to your child's teachers, there are some basic points to bear in mind:

if your child has SEN their needs should be met and they should receive a broad, well-balanced and relevant education your views should always be taken into account and the wishes of your child should be listened to your child's needs will usually be met in a mainstream school, sometimes with the help of outside specialists you should be consulted on all the decisions that affect your child you have a vital role to play in your child's education If your child has SEN, there are also a number of organizations that will be of help. Reference :
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/parents/schoolslearninganddevelopment/specialeducationalneeds/dg_40 08600

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