What are special educational needs?
A child or young person has a learning difficulty or disability if:
- They find learning much harder than most other children or young people of the same age, or
- They have a disability that makes it hard for them to use the same school facilities as others their age in mainstream schools or colleges.
(Children and Families Act 2014; 20(2))
Someone has a disability if:
- They have a physical or mental condition
- And it has a big effect that lasts a long time
- Which makes it harder for them to do everyday activities
(Equality Act 2010; Part 2; Chapter 1; 6)
Does my child/ young person need to have a diagnosis?
A child or young person does not need a doctor or medical diagnosis to have special educational needs.
Nurseries, schools, or colleges should give extra support based on what the child or young person needs to help them learn.
How might SEN affect my child / young person?
Some children and young people have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This means they might find learning harder in different ways.
It can affect:
- Making friends or behaviour – they might find it hard to play or get along with others
- Reading and writing – for example, they might have dyslexia, which makes reading tricky
- Understanding things – they may need more time or help to understand new ideas
- Paying attention – they might find it hard to concentrate, like children with ADHD
- Moving around – they might have difficulties walking or using their body
How do I know if my child/ young person has special educational needs?
When you are thinking about whether a child or young person has special educational needs (SEN), there are two important questions to ask.
Question 1
Does the child or young person have a learning difficulty or a disability?
This might mean:
-
They need more help than other children their age to do things at school
- Or, if they are very young, they will need extra help when they start school
If none of these things are true, they probably do not have SEN.
If any of these are true, they might have SEN.
Question 2
If they do have SEN, do they need extra help with their learning?
This extra help is called special educational provision.
- For children over 2 years old, this means help that is different from or extra to what other children their age get
- For children aged 2 and under, it means any kind of extra educational help
If a young child needs this extra help now, they will probably still need it when they are old enough to go to school.