Identifying Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabilities

Find out how schools and settings identify SEND

“SEND” stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. It’s a term used when a child or young person needs extra help with learning because of difficulties or disabilities that affect things like behaviour, social skills, reading, writing, or their physical or mental health. These children may need additional support in school to make sure they thrive and feel included.  

Your child might need extra support at school or college if they: 

  • Find learning harder than other children their age 
  • Have a condition that makes it difficult to access their school or setting 
  • Struggles with social, emotional, or mental health difficulties 
  • Has sensory or physical needs 
  • have speech, language, or communication needs, including autism 
Identifying Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabilities

How schools and settings identify children and young people with SEND

Schools and colleges play an important role in noticing when a child or young person may need extra help. Early identification is key to making sure children get the right support. 

To do this, schools follow the graduated approach, introduced as part of the SEND reforms under the Children and Families Act 2014. This approach ensures that children and young people with SEND receive the right help from birth up to age 25. 

The graduated approach is a four-step cycle that helps schools plan and review support: 

  1. Assess: The teacher and SENCo look carefully at your child’s needs using information from you, your child, and other professionals. 
  2. Plan: Together with you and your child, the school agrees what support will be put in place, what difference it should make, and when it will be reviewed. You should receive this plan in writing. 
  3. Do: The school puts the agreed support into action. 
  4. Review: After the agreed time, the school, you, and your child look at how things are going and decide if any changes are needed. 

This cycle is repeated as often as needed to make sure your child gets the right help. 

Click here to find out more about the Graduated Approach.

What is a SENCo (or SENDCO)?

A SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator), sometimes written as SENDCO, is a teacher in a school who has special responsibility for supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). 

Their role includes: 

  • Making sure children with SEND get the right support in school. 
  • Working with teachers, parents, and professionals to plan and review help for your child. 
  • Keeping track of progress and making sure the school follows SEND guidance and law. 
  • Maintaining the SEN register 

If you have questions about your child’s needs or the support they receive, the SENCo is usually the best person to speak to. Their contact details will be on the school’s website.  

How will I know if my child is on the SEN Register?

By law, schools must inform you in writing if they are considering placing your child on the SEND register. Teachers will work closely with you to make sure the right level of support is in place. This includes regular reviews of your child’s progress and, where needed, more specialist support. Support is needs-led, not diagnosis-led. This means your child does not need a medical diagnosis to receive help. 

Every school keeps a SEND register, a list of children who need extra help because of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. If your child is on this register: 

  • The school will tell you. You should be informed by your child’s teacher or the SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator). 
  • You will be involved in discussions about your child’s needs and the support they will receive. 
  • You may receive a written plan, such as an Individual Provision Map or a SEND Support Plan, which explains the support in place as part of the graduated approach. 

If you’re unsure, ask the school’s SENCo or your child’s teacher. They can confirm whether your child is on the register and explain what support is being provided.

What support will my child get if they are on the SEN Register?

Children and young people on the SEND register are grouped into two types of support: 

  1. SEND Support 

Most children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) get help through SEND Support in their school or setting. This means the school provides extra or different support to help your child learn and make progress. Examples include: 

  • Small group or one-to-one teaching 
  • Extra help from a teaching assistant 
  • Specialist resources, like visual aids or adapted equipment 
  • Support for speech, language, or communication needs 
  • Help with social, emotional, or mental health (e.g., mentoring or nurture groups) 
  • Advice from specialist professionals, such as speech and language therapists or educational psychologists 

This support is planned and reviewed regularly as part of the graduated approach (Assess, Plan, Do, Review), and you will be involved in these discussions. 

  1. Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) 

A small number of children with more complex needs may have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This is a legal document that sets out the extra support your child needs across education, health, and care. It is agreed with you and reviewed every year. It also includes information about the child or young person’s aspirations, and for those in Year 9 or above, information about preparation for adulthood. 

When might a child need an EHCP? 

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is needed for children and young people with more complex needs that cannot be fully met through SEND Support in school. This plan brings together education, health, and care support in one legal document to make sure your child gets the right help. 

Your child might need an EHCP if: 

  • They need a high level of support every day to learn and make progress. 
  • Their needs affect more than just education, for example, they also need help with health or care. 
  • The school has tried extra support through the graduated approach, but your child still isn’t making enough progress. 

My child is in the early years and not at a setting. I think they may have additional needs. What should I do?

Sometimes children are identified as having Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) early in life. If you’re worried about your child’s development, the best thing you can do is talk to a professional. You can: 

Getting support early can make a big difference, and professionals will guide you through the next steps.