Service Description: Children with special educational needs 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. An assessment of special educational needs (SEN) may be considered when a child has severe or complex educational needs for which additional resources, or alternative provision may be required to meet their needs. Once the assessment has been completed the child may be eligible for a special educational needs statement offered by the local authority. This sets out the special educational needs of the child and the special help they should have at school.
Also known as:- Assessment, SEN, SEN Admissions, Special Needs, Statement, Sure Start, Surestart
Answer: A few children have special needs which are so severe or complex that they cannot be supported properly in mainstream schools. In these cases we may agree a place in a non-maintained or independent special school, with special facilities. We will only make a decision about a non-maintained or independent special school after a very detailed assessment. And we will only consider specialist boarding schools approved by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). We take great care to make sure that a suitable school is selected. This involves detailed discussions between us and the child’s family.