Children with special educational needs may benefit from additional help in the classroom. So what help are you entitled to and how can you make sure you get it.
Schools and colleges which discriminate against pupils with disabilities, including special educational needs, are breaking the law. Since 2010, this has been covered by the Equality Act which applies to all schools – state, fee-paying, academies, and special schools. Discrimination covers admissions, facilities and curriculum. It also covers unlawful exclusions.
The principle behind equality legislation is to eliminate discrimination on grounds of any of the eleven protected characteristics and to ensure equal opportunities. Schools are required to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in all areas from admissions to curriculum. Equity (as distinct from equality – which is when all are treated the same) recognizes that each individual has different circumstances and gives each person the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.
To ensure equity schools must focus on making the curriculum accessible, promoting inclusive school values and culture, and ensuring their policies impact favourably on children with different needs. There are some areas that are still not clear cut. For example, though schools have to make reasonable adjustments, which might include providing auxiliary aids (e.g. hearing loops, adaptive keyboards and special software) there’s limited guidance on exactly what would be paid for by a school or local authority. In many cases, this is decided on an individual basis. But the Act is very clear on the type of treatment of a child with a disability that would be discriminatory. For example, when a child with a physical disability is denied the chance of forest school because of concerns over supervision.
What helps depends on the needs of the child. The checklists below are intended as a guide and to stimulate ideas. Not all will be appropriate for your child. As children develop their needs change, and so too will the type of help and assistance they require. If you believe your child's needs are not being properly met, or there are simple additional things that could be put in place, do contact school and arrange to discuss this with them. Friendly, open dialogue can make a great difference for all involved.
Some classroom strategies are simple and don’t cost anything. For example, having a ‘buddy’ for a dyspraxic child who is new to the school and gets lost easily, or saying the name of a child with autism when asking 'everybody' to do something, so they understand they are included. Others involve tackling the overarching values and policies of a school.
A school must not only be intolerant of discrimination, it must actively engage with and raise awareness of inclusivity among staff, pupils and parents. This is particularly important in promoting anti-bullying, as we know that children with special needs are significantly more vulnerable to bullying, especially children with autism or learning difficulties.
It is persistent name calling, teasing, spreading rumours, ignoring or leaving out, threatening or humiliating, pushing, pulling, hitting, kicking, taking or interfering with personal possessions. Online, cyber bullying can happen day or night via social media, text messages, emails, online gaming and social networks.
A report from Warwick University (Bullying experiences of disabled children and young people in England) found that 80 per cent of young people with learning difficulties reported experiencing bullying, 70 per cent of children with autism combined with other characteristics (for example, obsessive-compulsive disorder) have experienced bullying, and more than 90 per cent of parents of children with high functioning autism reported that their child had been bullied in the previous 12 months. Why? They may look or act ‘different’. They may lack the social skills to communicate or understand. Or they may be alone in the playground, so an easy target.
‘Children with autism may not intuitively know that the acts of other children are examples of bullying. They sometimes consider that such behaviour is typical play and something that they have come to accept as yet another example of the confusing behaviour of their peers,’ says Professor Tony Attwood, clinical psychologist and autism expert.
Children may develop low self-esteem, lack confidence, become socially isolated and perform badly at school. Bullying can leave them depressed and withdrawn, scared to go places and try new things.
According to the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), children bullied during their early years are up to three times more likely to self-harm than their classmates when they reach adolescence. Some may even go on to develop mental health disorders.
Some become ‘bully-victims’ and start to bully others too. The National Autistic Society (NAS) says that children on the autism spectrum ‘may become aggressive when a game is not being played the way they want and then try to control the situation. They may also become frustrated at being left out in the playground and try to make children become friends with them.’
Further information: https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/all-about-bullying/at-risk-groups/sen-disability/do-children-send-experience-more
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.
A number of key personnel can advise, assess and treat your child, as well as give them the best possible chances to realise their potential
Most primary or junior schools have teaching assistants (TAs) who work alongside teachers to help with the whole class. Some TAs support individual children with special educational needs.
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 educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Under the Equality Act, schools are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ so that all children can access their facilities and services. Yet parents often find themselves faced with an additional bill for such provision.