What is SEND?

If you or your child’s school or college are concerned that your child is not making progress, it’s possible that they may have special educational needs or a disability (SEND). If you have a child with SEND, you may find that it affects their ability to learn.

A child or young person with SEN needs provision which is different from or additional to that normally available to others of the same age.

Special educational provision should be matched to the child’s or young person’s identified needs.

The SEND Code of Practice identifies four broad areas of need and support:

• Communication and interaction
• Cognition and learning
• Social, emotional and mental health
• Sensory and/or physical needs

Your child’s needs may have an impact on their behaviour, their ability to make friends or to concentrate. Their needs may affect their reading or writing, or their ability to understand things clearly.

A disability that prevents or hinders a child or young person from making use of the facilities in their setting may require different or additional provision and/or reasonable adjustments.

A child or young person’s difficulties may be caused by recognised conditions such as:

• Autism
• Dyslexia and/or Dyspraxia
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Physical disability e.g. Cerebral Palsy
• Hearing and/or visual impairment
• Learning disability e.g. Down’s syndrome
• Medical conditions e.g. epilepsy