What to do if you think your child has Additional Needs or Disabilities?

What is 'SEND'?

A person has 'Special Educational Needs', often known as 'SEND', if they have a learning difficulty or disability that means they need special educational support.

A disability is when a person has a physical or mental difficulty which has a significant and long-term effect on their ability to carry out activities. This can include a long-term illness.

Special Educational Needs and Disability is often shortened to SEND, though sometimes people refer to it as additional needs.

It can include things like:

  • not making progress in their learning
  • a learning difficulty
  • a disability or health problem
  • struggling to communicate or understand what people are saying
  • social communication difficulties
  • emotional or mental health problems
  • sensory and physical needs
  • processing difficulties

Where to find out more?

How are special educational needs identified?

Some Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) may be identified very early in a child's life, but others may not be identified until they are older. How needs are identified and how to access support will depend on the type of difficulty a child or young person has.

Schools and early years settings (such as nurseries), have a responsibility to identify children and young people with special educational needs, sometimes with the help of outside specialists. Health or care professionals can also identify special educational needs.

In Surrey, the Local Authority are informed by a health professional of any child under compulsory school age who they think may have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). They do so by completing a SEND Support Notification.

Where to find out more?

Who can I contact if I think my child may have additional needs or a disability?

if you are worried about your child's progress, development, or behaviour, you may like to speak to one of the following:

Pre-school children (0 to 5 years)

  • nursery or pre-school keyworker or special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).
  • health visitor or GP

When your child is between 2 and 3, a review will be carried out to track their progress. Any strengths or any areas of development will be recorded and your childcare provide will discuss this with you and put support in place if this is needed.

When you child reaches 27 months of age they will be invited to a health and development review by your health visiting team. At this review you can talk to a member of this about your child's progress and ask any questions you might have. The Health and development reviews at age 2 page has further information about this.

All early years practitioners (such as SENCOs, Managers) follow the Graduated Response for Early Years, The Graduated Response outlines the support, adaptations and strategies that early years providers can put in place for any with child emerging or identified Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

School aged children

  • Your child's school specifically the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
  • Your child's GP

Our SEN Support in Mainstream School page provides details of the support schools are able to provide. You can also refer to the Ordinarily Available Provision document to find out more about the support schools in Surrey should offer children with additional needs.

Ordinarily Available Provision is the support, adaptations, and classroom techniques that schools can put in place for any child with additional needs or disabilities without having to arrange additional funding, whether or not a child has a formal diagnosis of a SEND condition or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.

A health professional

Medical Needs and concerns should be raised with your GP or health visitor. If needed, they can make any referrals to other services. This includes mental health difficulties, difficulties with eating, weight, sleep and continence or other concerns about your child's health and wellbeing. If your child is at school, you may also ask the school to be referred to the school nurse who can give you advice and support.

What can I say?

The below may be a helpful basis for a conversation:

  • Say why you think your child has SEN
  • Ask if your child learns or is developing at the same rate as others their age?
  • Ask what they can do to help?
  • Ask what you can do to help?

What happens next?

They will discuss any concerns you have, tell you what they think, and explain to you what kind of support your child may need. If they think it is appropriate, they can refer your child or young person to other services, with your permission.

Where can you find support and advice?

Caring for and looking after a child or young person with additional needs and disabilities can be rewarding and challenging. You may find it helpful to seek advice and support from relevant services or find out about the experience of people who have been in a similar situation.

Some examples of these services include:

  • SEND Advice Surrey provides free, impartial and confidential advice to parents, carers, children and young people SEND aged 0 to 25 years. They can offer information on many aspects of the SEND support process, including what you can do if you are not happy with a decision made about your child's needs or disability.
  • The Learners' Single Point of Contact (L-SPA) can offer advice on how to access the most appropriate support for your child. The L-SPA will give you access to information and support from a team of specialists
  • Family Voice Surrey is the parent carer forum for Surrey. They champion the needs and rights of SEND families in Surrey: families with children or young adults up to the age of 25 who have special educational needs, chronic illnesses, including mental health conditions, or disabilities. Family Voice Surrey offer regular events for parents of children and young people with SEND.
  • Contact (formerly Contact a Family) is a national charity for families with disabled children. They operate a helpline, as well as running events and workings for families.
  • The Early Support Service can provide support to families with a child aged 0-5 with disabilities or complex medical needs. You can request a referral to the from a professional working with your family, your GP or health visitor.

You may also like to refer to our additional needs and/or disabilities parent and carer guide or search our Local Offer Directory, for services offering support and advice.

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