Information on Special Education Needs

In April 2013, the government changed the way that funding is provided to schools. This did not change the responsibilities schools and local authorities have towards children with special educational needs (SEN), just the ways in which this will be dealt with. Changes to the way special educational provision is provided will be implemented in September 2014 and will be phased in gradually.

If your child has special educational needs, these changes should mean that you and your child will be at the centre of any decisions made and you will have much more of a say in how support is provided for your child. The key point to remember is that ‘funding changes’ is not a reason for your child’s school or your local authority to reduce your child’s support, and that you should challenge this if you have any concerns about your child’s special educational provisions changing.

For more information on common problems with SEN provision and what courses of action to take to ensure your child’s needs are accommodated, see the latter half of this document on the Council for Disabled Children‘s website.

For information on how the changes might affect your child and if there is anything you should do, the National Deaf Children’s Society has an excellent FAQ page. While this is aimed at parents of children who are deaf or have hearing difficulties, most of it is still relevant to other special educational needs.