Special Educational Needs

Special educational needs introduction

Some special needs are easy to spot, others are only determined once a child has experienced considerable difficulties, frustrations or social and emotional problems. 

Over the years, diagnosis of and provision for SEN have improved, but both can still be a minefield.

Identifying different kinds of special educational needs

Few children fit a condition perfectly – if they do, we tend to say they are a ‘classic’ case. Most will not be straightforward: perhaps a dyslexic with dyspraxia and a touch of ADD, or a child with ASD who also has Down’s syndrome.

Just as special needs are hard to define, so the perfect provision can be difficult to uncover; having a wheelchair-accessible school does not make it a haven for the wheelchair user.

Need help?

Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN team helps UK and international families to find schools for children with every condition. Read more

Need help to find the right school for your child?  Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Needs Service

Special Educational Needs Index

Adoption

• Adopted children and issues in education

  Sadly the impact of early trauma doesn't disappear when children are placed in loving families, and the effects in education for adopted children can be significant. How can schools and parents help adopted children to reach their full potential?

Advice

• Move house for a special needs diagnosis?

  Parents of children with special educational needs get used to being told to move house. Move to get into the right area for a school which caters for your child’s needs. Move to another county with a less awkward local authority, barristers tell you, is a cheaper route than taking legal action against your own to get the right school place.

Autism

• Anxiety in girls with autism

  High levels of anxiety are commonly seen in autistic people, but it manifests in a different way in girls to boys. Eating disorders, self-harming, and depression can be some of the effects. How can parents recognise and deal with anxiety in an autistic daughter?

• Apps for autism

  We select the best apps which can help autistic children with exploring feelings, coping with stress, gaining greater independence, and painting without getting their hands dirty. 

• ASD - asperger's syndrome and autism

  With grateful thanks to the National Autistic Society for their help in compiling this article. All people with autistic spectrum difficulties (ASD) have some degree of social and communication difficulties. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. Some people have accompanying learning disabilities, others have average or above-average intelligence.

• Autism in girls

  Autism in girls can be harder to spot than in boys, because they are better at imitating social actions. How can parents spot the signs of autism in their daughter, and tackle the meltdowns, eating disorders, and anxiety that come with it?

• Autism interventions

  From ABA to SPELL by way of PBS - you need to know your way around the acronyms to understand the various approaches to autism used in schools. 

• Managing autism - lessons I've learned

  Rosie White gives a personal account of the strategies she has learned and adopted from autism courses, which she says have made her family's home life a much happier one.

• Social skills

  When a child is unhappy at school, it's often not the academic work, but their failure to cope socially, that is the source of most unhappiness. How do you teach social skills to those to whom it doesn't come intuitively, and what can schools do to help?

• Social Stories

  Everyday events such as haircuts and trips to the dentist can be terrifying for a child with special needs. How can you use social stories to prepare children and prevent meltdowns and anxiety? 

Behavioural

• ADHD in girls

  ADHD is often missed in girls, because they present differently to boys with the condition.  A girl with ADHD may be well-behaved, and might have been misdiagnosed with depression.

• Attachment disorder

  Attachment disorder is not only seen in children who have been in care. It can be caused by other early trauma like illness or separation from a parent. However they can fully recover with the correct care and attention.

• Behavioural disorders

  Behavioural difficulties are amongst the most challenging and controversial areas of special education facing teachers in UK schools today. Attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorders - AD(H)D, emotional and behavioural and difficulties (EBD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

• Challenging behaviour: What causes it, and how to manage it

  Challenging behaviour is a means of communication, when children lack the communication and social skills to explain their needs. We look into strategies to manage it in the heat of the moment and longer term.

• Identifying and dealing with PDA

  The signs of PDA, and strategies for dealing with it at home and at school.

• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

  Children who constantly argue and disobey both parents and teachers, much more than would normally be expected, and have trouble with friendships, may have ODD. The defining characteristic is a fight against being controlled.

• Pathological Demand Avoidance

  Children with  PDA have an anxiety-driven need to be in control, and will go to extreme lengths to avoid everyday demands. They can appear charming on the surface, but struggle with the subtleties of social interaction.

• Tourette syndrome

  Tourette’s syndrome (TS) usually starts in childhood, around the age of 7. Tourette syndrome is a recognised medical condition, which is often inherited, but the cause is not yet understood. There are treatments, but there is no cure. It is a very complex condition and can be described, with equal accuracy, as a movement disorder, a neurological condition, or a neuro-psychiatric condition.

Dyslexia

• Best mainstream schools for dyslexia

  How can you find the mainstream schools which offer the best support for dyslexia? What should you look for, and what should you ask about?

• Dyslexic - is that my child?

  Dyslexia is commonly understood to encompass difficulties with reading, spelling and writing. But as an umbrella term referring to a variety of difficulties with underlying skills, such as phonological processing, or working memory, the presenting problems for many children with a diagnosis of dyslexia will be different.

• My child is struggling to read - is it dyslexia?

  Reading difficulties can be an indication that a child is dyslexic. What are the signs to look out for in pre-school or primary aged children? How can you test for dyslexia? What can parents do to help children with dyslexia?

Dyspraxia

• Dyspraxia: Top tips for the school day

  Difficulties with co-ordination and organisation can make everyday tasks more difficult for dyspraxic children. Here's our tips to help them through the day from school run to homework.

• Helping a dyspraxic child

  Dyspraxia is often referred to as ‘clumsy child syndrome’, but in practice it is more complex than that. It is a developmental difficulty that can overlap with other conditions such as dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and social and communication difficulties including Asperger’s syndrome.

Family

• Bullying and children with special needs

  Children with special educational needs and disabilities are three times more likely to be bullied than their peers. We look at the strategies parents can use to tackle bullying, and what you can expect your school to do.

• Clothing for special needs

  Whether you need autism friendly shoes, laces for dyspraxics, pull up school trousers, or easy on-off gloves, we know where you can find them.

• Clubs and activities for children with SEN

  From circus skills to snowboarding, coding to ice hockey, we round up the best clubs and activities for special needs children.

• Developing friendship skills

  No-one wants to play with me. Words we dread as a parent. How can we teach friendship skills to children who struggle with appropriate social skills and self-esteem?

• Fear of needles

  No-one likes having a needle in their arm, but they are a necessary part of childhood. But what do you do if your child has an overwhelming fear of needles, or is unable to understand the procedure?

• Flexible working - what rights do parents have?

  Parents of children with special needs may need to take more time off work than others. What are your rights to flexible working? What kind of working hours are you entitled to request? How can you challenge an employer's refusal to allow flexible working?

• Flying with children with special needs

  Travel with a special needs child can be fraught and stressful. And airports can be guaranteed to set your holiday off on the wrong foot. We've asked the UK's airports to tell us how they can help families with SEN and disabled children.

• Fussy eating and refusing food

  Tactics to use with children who will only eat certain foods, refuse to try new foods, or will not eat enough.

• Gaming and autism

  Autism and gaming tends to go together like fish and chips. How do you manage the obsessions, and protect a child with autism from online dangers?

• Holiday resorts for children with special needs

  From Cornwall to the Caribbean, we've found the resorts where you and your special needs child will be welcomed, and special equipment and support can be provided.

• Holidays with an SEN child

  Our tips on everything from pre-holiday planning to days on the beach, which make the experience less stressful.

• I am in the wrong body: gender dysphoria

  Children with autism are seven times more likely than neurotypical children to experience gender dysphoria, the conviction that their gender does not match their biological sex. We look at how you can distinguish gender dysphoria from autistic traits, and talk to two parents about how they coped with their child's transition.

• Just diagnosed?

  When a child is first diagnosed with a special need, many parents find they are pushed out to contend with it with just a leaflet in their hand. Broadcaster Carrie Grant, who has four children with SEN, gives the benefit of her experience to those with a new diagnosis.

• Music lessons for SEN children

  Music can help children with special needs to express themselves and to make sense of the world around them. We explain how music lessons can be adapted for children with learning needs, and where to look for individual tutors or music therapists.

• Puberty: How to prepare girls with special needs

  How do you teach a girl with special needs about puberty, and how to manage periods when she is at school?

• Residential trips - how to prepare a child with SEN

  School residential trips can be daunting for a child with SEN, from fear of the unknown or breaks in routine, to dealing with issues such as bedwetting.  How can you best prepare your child, and the school staff?

• Siblings of special needs children

  Siblings of children with special needs are at greater risk of stress and depression; but there are positive aspects too. We talk to parents and siblings of SEN children, to discover how to identify the siblings at risk, and how to manage these relationships within the family. 

• Sleep training

  Is night-time the stuff of nightmares for your family? We look at sleep training strategies to enable parents to manage the bedtime routine without meltdowns, and ensure a better night's sleep for the whole family.

• Starting a new school: When your child has SEN

  Starting a new school is especially daunting for a child with special needs.  Here's how to prepare them.

• Surviving the summer holidays with your SEN child

  If you're living in dread of managing the summer holidays with an SEN child, our toolkit will provide some strategies.

• Toilet training children with autism

  Trying to toilet train a child with autism or other SEN can be immensely stressful, and it can take much longer than usual. We look at the impact of sensory and social communication difficulties, and offer some practical tips.

• Tutoring for children with learning difficulties

  When can a tutor help a child with learning difficulties? And how do you go about finding a tutor with expertise in special needs?

Genetic

• Genetic disorders

  A look at genetic disorders: Down's syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Williams syndrome, Rett syndrome. Down’s syndrome is a chromosomal disorder. About 600 babies with the condition are born in the UK each year. Diagnosis is confirmed via a blood test called a chromosomal karyotype.

Help

• Classroom help for children with SEN

  Under the Disability Discrimination Act, appropriate help must be provided by schools and colleges so that children with special educational needs are ‘on a level playing field’ with their peers. Someone with dyspraxia who writes very slowly may qualify for extra time in exams, get help with typing tuition and be permitted to use a laptop in class.

• Getting an educational psychologist assessment

  An assessment by an educational psychologist will help a school understand how best they can help a child with special educational needs. The EP may also recommend a referral to other professionals such as a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, optometrist or a paediatrician, as well as sources of help such as the child and family consultation services.

• Getting SEN funding for an independent mainstream school

  It is possible to get the local authority to pay for an independent school place, or failing that, to pay for additional support within an independent school of the parents' choosing. We look at the grounds on which you can gain this funding.

• SEN Professionals

  A number of key personnel may advise, assess and treat your child, to help give them the best possible chances to realise their potential. In an ideal world, a multi-disciplinary team made up of an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, educational psychologist, speech and language therapist and paediatrician would be available to help every child who needs it.

• Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)

  A SENCo, or special educational needs co-ordinator, is the school teacher who is responsible for assessing, planning and monitoring the progress of children with special needs. SENCOs work to ensure a child with SEN has their needs met as fully as possible. In English state schools a SENCo should ensure that all staff follow the school’s SEN code of practice.

• Teaching Assistants

  Teaching  Assistants (TAs) or Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) are taking on increasingly important roles within the classroom, but they are not a replacement for a trained teacher (or therapist) who should maintain overall responsibility for the teaching and learning of all children in their care. 

Learning

• Apps for dyslexia and dyspraxia

  Apps can be a handy way to encourage struggling readers and to help children with writing difficulties. But which to choose? We highlight some of the best on the market for dyslexia and dyspraxia.

• Dual or multiple exceptionality (DME)

  A child who has difficulties in some areas, yet excels in others, could well have Dual or Multiple Exceptionality (DME).

• Dyscalculia - when maths doesn't add-up

  Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) is a specific learning disorder that is characterised by impairments in learning basic arithmetic facts, processing numerical magnitude and performing accurate and fluent calculations. These difficulties must be quantifiably below what is expected for an individual’s chronological age, and must not be caused by poor educational or daily activities or by intellectual impairments.

• Dysgraphia in school - difficulty with writing

  Dysgraphia is a condition that causes problems with written expression. For many children with dysgraphia, holding a pencil and organising letters on a line are difficult. They may also struggle with spelling, and with processing their thoughts and writing them down. They are frequently articulate and lively contributors to discussion but will avoid putting pen to paper. 

• Exam access arrangements

  From extra time to using a scribe, we look at the access arrangements available for pupils sitting external exams, and who qualifies for them.

• Global learning difficulties

  Children with learning difficulties find it more difficult to learn things than most others of their age. Specific learning difficulties may mean a child of average or above average intelligence has trouble with learning to read, perhaps, or with maths. Global learning difficulties are more generalised and are not caused by a specific neural problem.

• Handwriting difficulties

  The best way to work on handwriting at home is not to do regular handwriting practice, says our expert.  Read our tips on how to recognise when a child has difficulties with handwriting, and what parents can do to help.

• Learning Centres

  Learning Centres can be an ideal halfway house for children struggling with maths or literacy. They can offer intensive help for part of the day, whilst enabling children to spend the rest of the time in their mainstream school. 

• Mainstream schools for special needs

  Children with special needs and disabilities are legally entitled to attend mainstream schools, but there can be huge variations in the welcome and the support you will get from these. If you're considering mainstream for a child with SEND, here's what you need to be asking.

• Moderate learning difficulties

  Children with moderate learning difficulties have general developmental delay resulting in attainments significantly below expected levels. They can cope well in mainstream primaries with good support, but usually find the greater challenge of mainstream secondary too stressful.

• University for students with special needs

  University admission departments are keen to encourage applications from pupils with special needs and disabilities, and have well-established systems for putting support in place. We look at how to find the university which will work best for you, and what financial and other support you can expect.

• What is an IEP (or ILP)?

   A child who is being withdrawn from class for additional support, or receiving differentiated work, should always have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). We explain how a good IEP should be prepared and used.

Legal

• Adjustments for pupils with SEN: What is reasonable?

  Under the Equality Act schools are required to make 'reasonable adjustments' so that children with SEN can participate equally in the curriculum and receive the same quality of education as their peers. But things get murky when it comes to whether parents or school should pay for any additional support or aids, as our legal experts explain.

• Annual reviews

  Annual reviews are your chance to push for further support at school, address anything which isn't working, or even request a different school. Here's how to get the best out of them.

• Children with SEN but no Statement or EHCP

  If your child has special educational needs, but does not have a Statement of SEN or an Education, Health and Care Plan, what support is he/she entitled to? And what rights do you have to challenge the school if you feel it is not doing enough?

• Education Health and Care Plans: What should a good one look like?

  There are many tales of local authorities confusing or rushing the EHCP process, and inadequate Plans written as a result. What does a good Plan look like, and why is it important that provision is written under a particular section?

• Getting an EHCP

  Everything you need to know about the EHCP process, from requesting one to challenging the final plan.

• Post-19: New education rights under EHC Plans

  Young people with SEN can now be funded to stay in education up to the age of 25, under the EHCP system. How do you get an EHC Plan beyond 19, and what rights does it give?

• Refusal to assess for an EHCP

  Local authorities are routinely turning down parents' requests for an EHCP assessment, but do not be deterred. You have a 90% chance of winning an appeal against their decision.

• School admissions: SEN children without an EHCP or Statement

  How is your school application treated if your child has SEN, but does not have an Education, Care and Health Plan or a Statement? And when will the child be given higher priority for a school place?

• School exclusions: pupils with special educational needs/disabilities

  Children with special educational needs and disabilities are much more likely to be excluded from school, accounting for two-thirds of all exclusions. We look at the procedure schools must follow, and the legal grounds on which you can challenge an exclusion.

Mental Health

• Apps for mental health

  Apps can be a useful tool for children to deal with bullying or anxiety, or to disclose their concerns when they are unable to do so face-to-face. We look at what's available.

• Emotional wellbeing in children: When to seek help

  You suspect that all is not well with your child's mental health, but how can you distinguish between a transient phase and something more serious, and how do you get help?

• Mental health problems in adolescents

  If you are worried about your teenager's mental health you won't be in the minority. One in ten adolescents suffers from a recognised mental health issue, and one in three reports feeling sad or down more than once a week. What can you and the school do to help?

• Self-harming

  The secondary school and university years are when young people are most at risk of self-harming. We look at the reasons that lie behind it, and investigate new apps which can provide support in the lonely hours.

Schools

• Choosing a residential special school

  When your child goes to a residential special school, the school is only half the picture. It's equally important that you can be happy with the care staff and the provision made for them out of school hours. Here's our guide on how to winkle out the best residential schools.

• Choosing a school for special needs

  How do you choose a school for a child with special educational needs? What should you look for in mainstream schools, and how do you get funding for independent specialist schools for children with complex needs?

• When is it best to go specialist for SpLD?

  If your child has specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia or dyspraxia it can be a dilemma whether to place your child in mainstream or specialist education. How do you decide which is the best type of school for your child?

• Why choose a special school?

  Like their mainstream counterparts, special schools must teach the national curriculum and use its assessment procedures, and they have broadly the same duties and responsibilities to children in their care as mainstream schools. An Educational Health and Care (EHC) plan is invariably required to get a place in a special school.

Sensory

• Auditory processing difficulties

  Auditory processing difficulty (APD) arises because of the inability of the brain and ear to coordinate and so process information and work out the meaning of sounds. Children with APD may be unusually bothered by noisy environments, and cannot maintain attention.

• Sensory difficulties

  Sensory difficulties can include sight and hearing difficulties – and a combination of visual impairment, multi-sensory impairments (MSI), auditory processing or hearing impairments - those with a significant loss may communicate through sign language such as British Sign Language (BSL) instead of, or as well as, speech,

• Sensory processing disorders

  Fussy eater, over-emotional, stubborn, disruptive - just some of the characteristics which can be found in children with sensory processing disorders. How can you identify an affected child, and what can parents and teachers do to help?

Speech and Language

• Makaton - what is it, and how can it help speech development?

  How does Makaton help speech development? When should you start using it, and why use it even when a child has some verbal ability?

• Selective mutism

  The term selective (or elective) mutism describes the behaviour of children who are able to speak, but remain silent with certain people or in certain settings; they are often misunderstood and may be wrongly punished for their inability to speak and communicate.Many children with selective mutism are still being misdiagnosed with autism, oppositional defiant disorder, or learning disabilities.

• Speech and language difficulties (Sp&LD)

  The causes of speech and language disorders may range from hearing loss, neurological disorders or brain damage to drug abuse, physical impairments such as cleft palate, or psychological trauma. Often, however, the cause is unknown. When a child is noticeably behind their peers in acquiring speech and/or language skills, communication is considered delayed.

Types

• Epilepsy

  The impact of epilepsy at school, and what schools should do to help

• Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

  Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is the most common, non-genetic cause of learning disability, and it is on the rise. Affected children have a range of difficulties which may include problems with speech, language and communication; gross and fine motor skills; attention deficits; and cognitive deficits. We look at strategies to use at school and at home.

• Fragile X

  Fragile X gets its name from an abnormal site on the X chromosome. Its incidence is higher in boys, and they are more severely affected than girls with the condition - about 80 per cent of boys will have learning difficulties compared to one-quarter of girls.

• Moderate learning difficulties

  Many children with moderate learning difficulties, or global learning difficulties, can be educated in mainstream schools, but it's not always the best option for them. How to weigh up the decision between mainstream and special schools.

• Severe learning difficulties

  Children with severe learning difficulties (SLD) struggle with understanding, learning and remembering new skills. How should they be supported at school?