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How will I know if a child or young person has Special Educational Needs?

The child or young person’s education setting will have identified whether they have special educational needs

Part of
Education, Health and Care plans

The process of support for children and young people who have significant special educational needs and disabilities

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Part of
Education, Health and Care plans

The process of support for children and young people who have significant special educational needs and disabilities

Introduction

Your child or young person’s education setting will have identified whether they have special educational needs. The setting’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) will arrange a meeting with you to discuss this, provide advice and recommend what support can be put in place by the setting at SEND support level. Depending on the nature of the special educational need, this may include behaviour support, small group work focusing on a certain area of the curriculum, access to specialist equipment or many other SEND support options.

This is known as the Graduated Response to SEND. Find more information and support around the graduated response to SEND on our Somerset’s Graduated Response Tool page.

When there is evidence that a graduated response of SEND support is failing to meet the needs of a child or young person, or they require a level of support that cannot be reasonably met by the education setting, then a request for an Education Health and Care needs assessment may be the next course of action.

Last updated: November 13, 2024

Next review due: May 13, 2025

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