There are four main areas of special educational need:
Communication and interaction e.g. Autism Spectrum Condition
This is about how your child or young person talks, listens, makes friends, and gets along with other people.
They may:
- Find speaking or understanding language difficult.
- Find it hard to tell people what they want or need.
- Have difficulty understanding what other people are saying.
- Find social situations confusing.
- Have trouble understanding social rules, such as taking turns or knowing what is appropriate to say.
- Find it difficult to understand friendships and relationships.
- Have Autism or another condition that affects communication and interaction.
Cognition and Learning
This is about how your child or young person learns, thinks, and understands new information. Some children learn more slowly than others of the same age.
If your child or young person has a learning need, they may:
- Find reading, writing, spelling, or maths difficult.
- Have a specific learning difficulty, such as Dyslexia or Dyspraxia.
- Find it hard to remember things they have learned.
- Need extra time to understand and use new information.
- Find learning difficult when they are worried, upset, or experiencing strong emotions.
Everyone learns in different ways, and some children may need extra support to help them succeed.
Social, emotional and mental health
This is about how your child or young person feels, behaves, and manages their emotions. These needs can affect how they get on at school, make friends, and cope with everyday challenges.
If your child or young person has social, emotional, or mental health needs, they may:
- Seem quiet, withdrawn, or prefer to be on their own.
- Find it hard to cope with school or attend regularly.
- Feel anxious, worried, or afraid in certain situations.
- Refuse to go to school because of anxiety or other worries.
- Experience mental health difficulties, such as anxiety or depression.
- Have conditions such as ADHD or Attachment Disorder.
- Struggle with confidence and self-esteem.
- Become overwhelmed in school and show this through their behaviour.
- Need extra support to understand and manage their feelings.
Every child is different, and with the right support, they can develop ways to manage their emotions and feel more confident.
Sensory or physical
Some children have physical or sensory difficulties that can make learning at school harder. These may include:
- Problems with hearing or seeing.
- Difficulties with more than one sense, such as hearing and sight.
- Sensory needs, such as being very sensitive to sounds, lights, or touch.
- A physical disability.
- Difficulties with fine motor skills, such as picking up and using small objects.
- Difficulties with gross motor skills, such as running, jumping, or balancing.