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Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Directorate for Children & Young People - May 2010
SENACT@kirklees.gov.uk

Help for children with special educational needs
Autism outreach
Provides specialist support and advice to school staff and parents and promotes knowledge and understanding of the difficulties experienced by children and young people with an autistic spectrum disorder.		 Child and family consultation
Promotes social and emotional skills and positive behaviour in children and young people, and provides specialist family and parenting support to parents.
Children with a sensory impairment
Help and support for families and children with a sensory impairment.		 Educational psychology
Works alongside parents, teachers and other adults to identify children's educational needs and how they might best be met.
Kirklees Parent Partnership Service
Supports parents and carers whose child may have, or is already known to have, special educational needs.		 Support for pre-school children - Portage
A home-based teaching service for the families of pre-school children who show some delay in their development.
Support for 3 to 7 year olds - Butterfly Project
Works with teachers and parents who are experiencing difficulty in managing children 3 to 7 years old, displaying emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.		 Support for 3 to 7 year olds - Portex
Works with children aged between 3 and 7 years and their teachers, in mainstream schools, on a structured daily teaching programme to support the child's learning.
Teaching pupils with medical needs
Education for children who are in hospital for a long period of time.		  
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About special educational needs
What is a special educational need?
  • The term 'special educational needs' has a legal definition.
  • Children with special educational needs all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age.
  • These children may need extra or different help from that given to other children of the same age.
What should you do if you suspect your child has a special educational need?
  • You should first discuss this with your child's teacher.
  • You can also contact the Special Educational Needs team.
If your child has a special educational need
  • The local school will meet the needs of the majority of children.
  • For pupils identified as needing special help, funding is available for the school.
  • In some instances it may be decided that the child should have a full assessment under the Education Act 1996, which can lead to a statement of their special needs.
  • The majority of children with statements continue their education in their local school, but we also maintain special schools, specialist resourced provision in mainstream schools and specialist peripatetic services.
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Statutory assessment and the statement of special educational needs
What is a statutory assessment?
  • A detailed investigation to find out exactly what your child's special educational needs are and what special help your child needs.
  • A statutory assessment is only necessary if the school or early education setting cannot provide all the help that your child needs.
Referring a child for a statutory assessment
  • Parents, family doctors, health visitors, specialists in community medicine, head teachers, governors, education social workers, or educational psychologists can all refer a child for a multi-disciplinary statutory assessment.
  • In the majority of cases, information is initially provided to schools to consider.
  • The local authority will consider the action a school has taken and the degree of continuing difficulties in considering whether to undertake an assessment.
The assessment procedure
  • During the assessment procedure you, your child's school and each school attended in the last 18 months, an educational psychologist, a doctor and a social worker if the child is known to the service will all be asked for information and advice.
  • Once all the advice is received the local authority will decide whether a statement of special educational needs is required.
The statement of special needs
  • If a statement is issued, it will describe:
    • your child's needs
    • how your child's needs will be met and where.
Reviewing the statement of special needs
  • Your child's needs will be reviewed at least once a year.
  • The review will consider your child's progress towards the objectives and targets set and whether the current statement continues to be appropriate.
  • You are encouraged to contribute to the review as fully as possible.
Appealing against a statement of special needs
  • We encourage you to discuss with an officer of the local authority any aspect of a proposed statement of special educational needs which you do not agree with. In the majority of cases we can resolve issues at this stage.
  • If no agreement can be reached at the meeting, you have the right to appeal to an independent regional tribunal.
  • You can appeal to a tribunal about:
    • a decision not to assess or re-assess a child following a parental request
    • a decision not to make a statement
    • contents of a statement, including the school named
    • a decision to cease to maintain a statement.
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Contact us
SEN Assessment and Commissioning Team
Civic Centre I
High Street
Huddersfield
HD1 2NF

Tel: 01484 225057
Email: SENACT@kirklees.gov.uk
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