Video about Special Educational Needs locally
SEND is the wider term used for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Special educational needs and can affect a child or young person’s:
- Ability to learn
- Behaviour or ability to socialise and make friends
- Reading and writing
- Ability to understand things
- Concentration levels
- Physical ability.
Contact, a national charity working for families of disabled children have a list of conditions that may affect a child or young person.
Your child may have just been diagnosed with SEND or may still be in the process of being assessed. Or perhaps you’ve just started to notice that your child or young person is developing, behaving, or learning differently from their peers. We know it can be a confusing and challenging time, finding the right support for your child can be overwhelming and often you come to the GP for answers. However, we are often not the best placed to advise you on non-medical matters so have pulled together this as a starting point for you.
The Local Offer website can help give you the right information at the right time to support you and your family.
Help with education
All children and young people with SEND are entitled to a mainstream education. This means that all education providers must support children and young people with SEND. In most cases they can do this through special educational needs (SEN) support.
When children and young people need more support than their school or other setting can provide you can consider applying for an education, health, and care (EHC) plan.
Further information can be found at:
Support with an ‘education toolbox’ used in Rotherham: Parents / carers – Rotherham SENDIASS
Information on all mainstream and specialist education provision in the area including support services can be found at Education and Childcare Sheffield
Financial help
As the parent or carer of a child or young person with SEND, you may be entitled to extra benefits to help care for your family.
There are various sources of financial support available that could help.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
If your child needs more care, attention, or supervision than a child of the same age who doesn’t have SEND, then you may be able to apply for Disability Living Allowance (under 16) Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults: Overview – GOV.UK or Personal Independence Payment (over 16). Personal Independence Payment (PIP): How to claim – GOV.UK
Parents, carers, and young people with SEND may also get extra money from universal benefits. Universal benefits are available to everyone, not just people affected by SEND, and include funded childcare and Universal Credit.
Practitioners guides to SEND law and policy
Information for health professionals on the SEND Code of Practice, and services for disabled children.
SEND Guide Early Years settings
SEND Guide for schools and alternative provision settings
SEND Guide Further Education providers
SEND Guide for health professionals
SEND Guide for social care professionals
What the government’s doing about special educational needs and disability