Skip to main content

What is SEND?

What is SEND? (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) 

Special educational needs (SEN) is a legal term. A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which means that they need special educational provision.

Special educational provision is different from what is usually available to pupils of the same age.

Having a learning difficulty or disability means that a pupil has greater difficulty in learning than most pupils of the same age, or a disability which makes it more difficult for them to use the school facilities. For example, they may have problems with:

  1. Specific areas of learning, like reading, writing or number work
  2. Expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying
  3. Making friends or relating to adults
  4. Managing their emotions or behaviour
  5. Problems with seeing, hearing, or moving around
  6. Medical conditions that impact on learning
  7. Mental health difficulties, e.g. anxiety or depression

The Law:

The Children and Families Act 2014 implemented a legal framework for SEN Law and reformed legislation relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Known as the SEND Code of Practice, it places duties on local authorities and partner organisations, including the NHS, to ensure that children and young people with SEND are supported to achieve the “best possible educational and other outcomes”.

Resources:

IPSEA is the leading charity in the field of SEND law in England, They provide free and independent legal advice and support to families of children and young people with SEND. They also provide training on the SEND legal framework and influence policy at both a local and national level.

The Dynamic Support Register & Care Education Treatment Reviews: Supporting children and young people who have a learning disability and/or autism to get the right care, at the right time, and in the right place. The DSR and CETRs are essential elements of the pathway to provide appropriate support and care at the right time, so that children and young people can lead the typical lives they want to; achieve their ambitions and aspirations in life and stay safely and healthily at home or other community settings.

BBC Bitesize has some helpful resources

Transforming Care: Children and Young People’s Self-Referral Pathway is a pathway for children or young people aged under 18 years of age with autism and/or learning disabilities who may be at risk of a specialist mental health hospital admission, or different living arrangements due to unsafe behaviours.