SEN Identification
What are Special Educational Needs?
In 1993, the Department for Education published the Code of Practice as Part 111 of the 1993 Education Act. This code gave a definition of "speciai education & needs" which remains in effect today under Section 312 of the Education Act 1996.
The definition states:
A) A child has special educational needs if he or she has greater difficulty in learning than most other children of about the same age; or
B) Have a disability which prevents or hinders the child from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the local education authority
C) Are under compulsory school age and fall within the definition at (a) or (b) above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.
Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.
Special Educational Provision means:
A) For children of two or over, educational provision which is additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in schools maintained by the LEA, other that special schools, in the area.
B) For children under two, educational provision of any kind.
The implementation of the SEN and Disability Act 2001 from 1st January 2002, brought about the inclusion of two additional definitions of disability as being regarded as "special educational needs" these are:
A child is disabled if he is blind, deaf, dumb or suffers from a mental disorder of any kind or is substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or such other disability as may be prescribed. (Section 17(11), Children Act 1989).
A Person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. (Section 1 (1), Disability Discrimination Act 1995).
A child may fall into one or more of the above definitions when consideration is being given to the child's special educational needs.
Special educational needs can arise for a number of reasons and may be due to a number of reasons, any of whicch could make it hard for a child to use the same kind of educational facilities as provided for the majority of children.
For some children, having a special educational need may be a temporary difficulty or problem with, for example, reading, maths or behaviour which can, with the help of parents, medical intervention and schools be overcome or resolved.
A small number of children have long term special educational needs which may be due to;
- Medical/Health conditions which may slow down a child's progress and/or involve a lot of treatment that affects their schooling.
- Behaviour, emotional and social development where a child might have difficulty in forming social relationships and concentrating on work.
- Cognition and Learning children who demonstrate difficulty with reading, writing and mathematics etc., calling for a more structured approach to learning.
- Language and Interaction where children have a particular reason for not being able to speak or are delayed in speech and language skills development.
Sensory and/or Physical Needs
- Physical Difficulties present from birth, from developmental difficulties or arising from injury or illness.
- Visual Impairment where children have been born partially sighted or blind or have become so through accidents, illness or a deteriorating condition.
- Hearing Impairment involving significant hearing loss or deafness which can seriously affect speech and the ability to benefit from teaching and conversation with others.
In general
Overall, there is on average about one child in five who has special educational needs in the United Kingdom. Having a child with special educational needs is not something that happens to any one particular group or section of society. Any family with children of school age, can suddenly discover their child has Special Educational Needs of some form.
Whereas once, special education meant attending a 'special' school, children who have special educational needs will now, in the majority of cases (98.5%), attend a mainstream school within the local authority area along side the rest of the children from the local community. All mainstream schools now have members of staff (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators), who are responsible for the special educational needs arrangements for children in their school who have special educational needs.
If you have any concerns about your child, their school is always the first place you should contact with any worries you may have about them.