As a parent, you have a vital role to play in your child's education and a legal duty to see that he/she receives it. We have a duty to provide education which is suitable to a child's age, aptitude, ability and special educational needs.
There are many things you can do to help. Here are a few suggestions
- Listen to your child; encourage and praise and keep their confidence high
- You know your child better than anyone; share all the information you have about them with their school and the other professionals who may be involved
- Keep in touch with school and discuss how you can work in partnership to support your child
- Always contact school if you have any concerns or questions about your child's education or progress
- Find out as much as you can about special educational needs and your child's particular learning difficulties
- Ask to see the school's policy on special educational needs
- Ask for support or advice from a parents' group or voluntary organization
- Keep your own records of phone calls and meetings
- When you go to a meeting about your child it is helpful if you
- are sure you know what the meeting is for
- have all the necessary information in advance, e.g. copies of any reports
- ask for any unfamiliar words or specialist terms, etc. to be explained
- have made a note of things you wish to discuss or questions you might like to ask
- ask for all decisions and outcomes to be summarized and repeated at the end of the meeting
How you can help with any assessment of your child's special educational needs
- Sometimes, your child's school may seek further advice from other professionals about your child's special educational needs. In a small number of cases this could lead to the Education Department consulting with you about a formal assessment of your child's special educational needs, which may result in a Determination of Special Educational Needs being issued. If so you should expect to be consulted and kept fully informed by the school and the Education Department
- It is very important that all those working with your child have full information about his/her special educational needs. Here is a short guide to the type of information you might wish to share with those who work with your child.
The Early Years
- What do you remember about your child's early years which might help?
- When did you first feel that things were not right?
- What has happened since?
What is your child like now?
- What is their
- General health
- Physical skills
- Self-help, e.g. level of personal independence
- Communication
- Playing and learning at home
- Activities outside the home
- Relationships, e.g. with parents, brothers, sisters and friends
- Behaviour at home
- What does he/she find easy or difficult at school?
- What do you think your child's special educational needs are?
- What is your child good at and what does he/she enjoy doing?
- What does your child worry about?
- Is there any other information you would like to share, e.g. about your family, major events which may have affected your child or reports by other people about your child?
- Do you think your child's needs affect the family as a whole?
Who else can help?
- Before your child starts school, you can seek help from the following:
- Your child's early years provider, e.g. playgroup or nursery leader
- Your Health Visitor
- Your own doctor (GP) who can refer on to other services, e.g. therapies
- A Community Paediatrician
- An Educational Psychologist
- When your child is at school you can seek help from the following:
- Class teacher (primary) or form tutor or head of year (secondary) at your child's school
- The SENCO and Headteacher
- School Nurse
- Your own doctor (GP) who can refer on to other services, e.g. occupational therapist or physiotherapist
- A Community Paediatrician
- An Educational Psychologist
- Other Education Advisory & Outreach Support Services
- Education Officers within the SEN & Children's Services team
- Your child's difficulties may not last long and may be overcome with extra help and close working between you and your child's teachers. Other more complex and long term difficulties may need to involve a range of other professionals.
