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Key terms and definitions

Key terms and definitions

A glossary of common terms related to SEND.

Below is a list of terms relating to SEND. We've included as many as we can think of, but if you think of something we've missed out something important, don't hesitate to contact us!

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Term	Definition
Academy	Schools funded by the Government that are not under Local Authority control. Freedoms include setting their own pay and conditions for staff, freedoms concerning the delivery of the curriculum, and the ability to change the length of their terms and school dates (see also MAT).
Access to work	A scheme run by the government that provides practical advice and financial support to help you work.
Advocacy	Support for people to express their views.
Advocate	Someone who can speak on your behalf, express your views and wishes, and ensure that your rights, concerns and needs are acted upon. Advocates act only according to the wishes of the person they are speaking for. They do not take their own view of what is best, or try to influence the person to make a different choice.
Aids and adaptations	Help to make things easier for you around the home.
Alternative provision (AP)	Alternative Provision settings are places that provide education for children who can't, for various reasons, currently attend their school.
Annual review	A review of an Education Health Care (EHC) plan), which the Local Authority must undertake at least every 12 months (or every six months for children under 5).
Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR)	Schools have to follow this cycle for pupils with SEND, in partnership with families. See also Graduated Approach.
Assessment	The process of working out what someone’s needs are.
Attention deficit disorder (ADD)	Attention Deficit Disorder – people with ADD can find it difficult to remain focused.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)	People with ADHD can find it difficult to remain focused and may also be highly active and impulsive.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)	Systems or equipment that help people communicate, such as picture exchange communication systems (PECs) or electronic communication devices.
Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)	A developmental difference that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. Also sometimes referred to as autism spectrum condition (ASC) or simply autism.

Term	Definition
Behaviour Support Plan (BSP)	A set of strategies to help children and young people manage their behaviour and feelings.
Benefits	Payments from the government that many people may receive because of their age, disability, income or caring responsibilities.
British Sign Language (BSL)	A form of sign language developed in the UK, formally recognised as a unique language in March 2003.
Broker or brokerage	Someone whose job it is to provide you with advice and information about what serves are available in your area, so that you can choose to purchase the care and support that best meets your need.

Term	Definition
Care Leaver	A young person leaving the care of the local authority at the age of and after they've left care until they reach 25 years old.
Care Plan	A record of the health and/or social care services that are being provided to a child or young person to help them manage a disability or health condition.
Care Worker	A person who is paid to support someone who is ill, struggling or disabled and could not manage without this help.
Carer	A person who provides unpaid support to a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who is ill, struggling or disabled and could not manage without this help.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)	Specialist services provided by the NHS for children and young people up to the age of 18 who are having emotional or behavioural problems
Child and Family Assessment (C & F Assessment)	The core assessment tool used by social workers to assess the needs of a child with a disability living with their family parents/carers.
Child in Care (CiC)	A child or young person in the care of the Local Authority.
Child in Need Plan (CIN Plan)	A plan that is compiled by the social worker and professional network supporting the Child with a disability.
Children and Families Act 2014	A law that covers duties regarding children with SEND, among wider duties relating to children and families. Part III of the Act introduced significant changes to the SEN and disability system including new assessment arrangements, joint commissioning duties, a local offer, and increased engagement with children, young people and families.
Children Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP)	A centre for tackling and providing advice on child sex abuse.
Clinical Psychologist	A professional who focuses on the treatment and diagnosing of mental and emotional disorders.
Code of Practice (CoP)	The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2015. This contains statutory guidance on the Children and Families Act 2014 that schools have to follow. A statutory government document which provides practical advice to those carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children's special educational needs.
Commissioner	A person or organisation that plans the services that are needed by the people who live in the area the organisation covers, and ensures that services are funded and available.
Community Care Service	Social care services that aim to help you live a full, independent life and to remain in your own home.
Community Health Service	Health services that are provided outside hospitals.
Compulsory school age	Compulsory school age begins at the start of term following a child's 5th birthday until the last Friday in June of the school year they become 16 (as long as their 16thbirthday is before the start of the next school year).
Consultation	When a child or young person has an EHC Plan, the Local Authority must formally consult with schools or settings, by asking them whether they can meet the child/young person’s needs as described in the EHC Plan.
Continuing Care	Continuing Care is a way of funding health care packages for babies, children and young people (from birth to 18 years old) with complex healthcare needs whose needs cannot be met by existing mainstream or specialist health services.
Co-production	Refers to people who receive services having an active role in designing the services. It can also mean when you as an individual – child, young person or parent, are involved as an equal partner in designing the individual support and services you receive, eg through an EHC Plan.

Term	Definition
Dedicated schools grant	The grant paid by the Department for Education to local authorities each year, from April 2006 in support of the schools budget. The money has either to be delegated to schools or used for centrally managed provision for pupils. It contains three funding blocks (schools, high needs and early years).
Department of Education (DfE)	The government department that is responsible for education and children's services in England.
Designated Clinical Officer (DMO)	A member of the health services who is responsible for linking with the education and social care departments about services for children with SEND.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)	Someone in a school or organisation with responsibility for safeguarding children and child protection.
Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD)	DCD, also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical coordination. It causes a person to have difficulty maintaining balance and hand-eye co-ordination, as well as performing certain physical tasks.
Developmental delay	A delay in reaching the normal stages of development.
Direct Payments	Payments made to families so they can buy their own services. Direct Payments may be available for health care, social care and for special educational provision in an Education Health and Social Care (EHC) plan.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)	A benefit that is paid to families with children with disabilities.
Disability Students Allowance (DSA)	An allowance for undergraduate or post-graduate students who have a disability or long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia which affects their ability to study. It can be used to pay for things such as special equipment, a note-taker or transport costs.
Disagreement Resolution	A service that aims to help families and local authorities come to an agreement. Local authorities must provide access to independent disagreement resolution services to help parents and young people resolve disputes with local authorities, schools and other settings about Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) duties and provision (also see mediation).

Term	Definition
Early Help Assessment (EHA)	A method of assessment which can be used by social services, health or education.
Early Learning Together	Early Learning Together is a home or group based service for children from six months until they start free early education at either age two or three years, who need extra support to learn and develop.
Early Years (EY)	Referring to a period in a child's life: from birth to 5 years.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)	The early year’s foundation stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of your child from birth to 5 years old. All schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers must follow the EYFS, including childminders, preschools, nurseries and school reception classes.
Early Years Provider	A provider of early education places for children under five. This can include state funded and private nurseries, registered childminders, and preschool playgroups.
Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)	An assessment of the education, health care and social care needs of a child or young person conducted by a Local Authority under the Children and Families Act 2014.
Educational Funding Agency (EFA)	An arm of the Department for Education. It allocates funding to local authorities for maintained schools and voluntary aided schools. It is also responsible for funding and monitoring academies.
Educational Health and Care Plan (EHC plan)	An EHC plan details the education, health and social care needs of a child or young person who has SEN or a disability, and also the support to be provided to a child or young person. It is written by the Local Authority after an EHC needs assessment of the child or young person has determined that an EHC plan is necessary. Sometimes also further abbreviated as an EHCP.
Educational Psychologist (EP)	A professional who helps in assessing your child’s special educational needs and giving advice to schools.
Elective home education (EHE)	Elective Home Education is where parents choose to exercise their legal right to take responsibility for educating their children at home.
Eligibility	When your needs fit the criteria that allows you to receive a service.

Term	Definition
Family Services Co-Ordinator	This person works with the Special Needs Officer to provide a point of contact if parents and carers have any questions, queries or concerns during the Education, Health and Care Needs assessment.
Family Support	Providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child's life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years.
First-tier SEND Tribunal	Responsible for handling appeals against Local Authority decisions regarding special educational needs, including refusal to create an educational, health and care (EHC) plan, assess a child’s EHC needs and reassess their special educational needs.
Free school	State-funded schools set up in response to what local people say they want and need in order to improve education for children in their community. These new schools have the same legal requirements as academies and enjoy the same freedoms and flexibilities.
Free school meals (FSM)	Access to free meals at school for children and young people with families who receive certain financial support.
Further education (FE)	The Further Education sector in England includes further education colleges, sixth form colleges, specialist colleges and adult education institutes. It does not include universities.
Further education college (FE college)	A college offering continuing education to young people over the compulsory school age of 16. The FE sector in England includes general further education colleges, sixth form colleges, specialist colleges and adult education institutes.

Term	Definition
General practitioner (GP)	A doctor who treats patients with minor or chronic illnesses and refers those with serious conditions to a hospital or specialist.
Global delay	A general delay in acquiring normal developmental milestones.
Graduated approach	How we help children through preschool, school and college when the have special educational needs. We recognise that different children have different levels of need and adjust our support to match it.

Term	Definition
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)	An organisations that sets standards for and polices healthcare professionals.
Healthy Child Programme	The Healthy Child Programme covers a child’s life from pregnancy to 5 years, providing families with a programme of screening, immunisation, health and development reviews, as well as advice around health, wellbeing and parenting.
Hearing impairment (HI)	Hearing impairment, or hearing loss, occurs when you lose part or all of your ability to hear.
High needs funding block	Funding is currently allocated by central government to local authorities to pay for the additional costs of funding education and educational support for children and young people who have a high level of need.
Home authority	This usually means the Local Authority in which a child or young person lives (and which therefore has the responsibility to the child or young person under the Children and Families Act 2014).
Home care	Care provided in your home by paid care workers.
Hospital education	Education provided at a special school established in a hospital, or under any arrangements made by the Local Authority where the child is being provided with such education by reason of a decision made by a medical practitioner.

Term	Definition
Independent living	The right to choose the way you live your life. Independent living often refers to young people living in accommodation independently from their parents.
Independent reviewing officer (IRO)	A person provided by the Local Authority who are responsible for providing and independent reviewing officer to ensure that the wishes and feelings of any child in the adoption process are fully considered, and to check any care needs have been taken into account.
Independent school	A school that is not maintained by a Local Authority.
Independent supporter	A trained person who provides advice and support, independent of the local council, to parents whose child is being assessed for an Education, Health and Care plan. In Suffolk, we use Scope who can be contacted on 0808 800 3333.
Integrated Commissioning Boards (ICB)	An NHS organisation which brings together local general practitioner (GPs) and health professionals to take on commissioning responsibilities for local health services. An ICB plans and arranges the delivery of the health care provision for people in its area.
Integrated Care	Joined up, co-ordinated health and social care that is planned and organised around the needs and preferences of the individual, their carer and their family.

Term	Definition
Learning disability	A child or young person may have a learning disability if they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or they have a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities generally provided for others of the same age.
Learning Support Assistant (LSA)	A teaching assistant employed specifically to focus on helping one or more children or young people with additional needs in the classroom.
Local Authority (LA)	A Local Authority or Council in England.
Local Authority Designed Officer (LADO)	An individual employed by the Local Authority who is responsible for co-ordinating the response to concerns that an adult who works with children may have caused them or could cause them harm.
Local Offer	This relates to services for children and young people up to the age of 25 who have special educational needs or a disability.
Looked After Child (LAC)	A child who has been in the care of their Local Authority for 24 hours or more.
Looked After Child Review (LAC Review)	A looked after child review is a regular meeting that takes place for every child who is looked after in the care system. Review meetings are chaired by the child’s independent reviewing officer (often referred to as the IRO). The main purpose is to check that the care plan is working well for the child.

Term	Definition
Mainstream school	State school which can meet the needs of most children.
Maintained school	Schools in England that are maintained by a Local Authority – any community, foundation or voluntary school, community special or foundation special school.
Mediation	A way of solving disputes or disagreements without going to court. It involves meeting with the person you have a disagreement with, alongside a mediator who is a trained, independent person. Mediation can take place between family members, or between an individual or family and a care professional.
Mental Capacity Act	A law that is designed to protect people who are unable to make decisions about their own care and support, property or finances.
Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)	A student with moderate learning difficulties is understood to display significant delay in reaching developmental milestones and may have much greater difficulty than their peers in acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills. They may also have associated speech and language delay, low levels of concentration and under-developed social, emotional and personal skills.
Multi-Academy Trust (MAT)	A group of academies working together under a shared academy structure.

Term	Definition
National Curriculum	The study programmes and learning targets for children's education.
Neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) or Neurodevelopmental condition	NDD is a term used for individuals whose brain functioning in selective areas such as learning, attention, emotions, impulses, sensory processing, and social behaviours, are at an extreme for their age, which significantly impacts their ability to perform tasks and activities in their daily lives.
Neurodivergence	A neurodivergent individual is someone whose brain functions in selective areas such as learning, attention, emotions, impulses, sensory processing, and social behaviours, falls outside what is perceived as normal. For each individual, these differences can provide strengths, challenges, both, or neither. They do not necessarily have a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Neurodiversity	Neurodiversity describes the different thinking styles that affect how people communicate with the world around them. It is an umbrella term which can be used to describe a range of neurological differences. Neurodiversity is a characteristic of the whole population, not a specific individual.
NHS continuing healthcare	Support for individuals who are not in hospital who need extra help at home or in a care home because of their disability, illness or recovery.
NHS England	The organisation that decides what the most important health issues in England are and how NHS money should be spent.
Non-maintained special school	A school that does not get money from government and instead charges fees on a non-profit making basis. Most non-maintained schools are run by major charities or charitable trusts.
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT)	An NHS trust responsible for providing mental health and learning disability care for people across Norfolk and Suffolk.
Notional SEND budget	Funding that schools receive to spend on support for children with SEND.

Term	Definition
Occupational Therapist (OT)	A health professional trained to give advice on equipment, adaptations and activities to support the learning/social development of children, young people and adults with physical, emotional, sensory or behavioural difficulties.
Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education)	This is the body which inspects and regulates services which care for children and young people and those providing education and training for learners of all ages.

Term	Definition
Parent Carer Forum (PCF)	A voluntary group of parents and carers of children and young people with SEND who work with local authorities, education, health and other providers to contribute to the planning of services.
Paediatrician	A doctor specialising in the health needs of babies, children and young people.
Parental Responsibility (PR)	All mothers and most fathers have legal rights and responsibilities as a parent - known as ‘parental responsibility,' your most important roles are to provide a home for the child and to protect and maintain the child. You are also responsible for: disciplining the child choosing and providing for the child’s education agreeing to the child’s medical treatment naming the child and agreeing to any change of name looking after the child’s property
Person Centred	A way of working that puts the child or young person and their family at the centre of all aspects of planning and decision-making with the professionals and services working with them, by listening to their views and involving them at every stage.
Personal Budget	An amount of money identified by the Local Authority to deliver a provision plan where the parent or young person is involved in securing that provision. The funds can be held directly by the parent or young person or may be held and managed on their behalf by the Local Authority. A personal budget may be for services in an EHC Plan, or for other services, such as short breaks.
Personal Education Plan (PEP)	An element of a care plan which sets out the educational need of a child.
Personalisation	A way of thinking about care and support services that puts you at the centre of the process of working out what your needs are, choosing what support you need and having control over your life.
Phonics	Connecting sounds of spoken language to letters or groups of letters and blending sounds of letters together to produce approximate pronunciations of unknown words.
Physiotherapist	Helps to restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability.
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)	A way of helping people with communication difficulties to communicate using pictures.
Portage	Home based pre-school education for children with developmental delay, disabilities or any other special educational needs. Portage home visitors work in partnership with parents, helping parent to help their child through learning activities within the home.
Pre-assessment	The point at which you make contact with your local council and a decision is made about whether a full assessment is necessary.
Preparing for Adulthood (PfA)	The SEND Code of Practice sets out the responsibilities of schools, local authorities and families to ensure that planning for young people with SEND from the earliest years, means they can work towards achieving paid work, independent living, good health and community inclusion as they move into adulthood.
Preventive Services	Services you may receive to prevent more serious problems developing.
Primary Care	The part of the NHS that is the first point of contact for patients. This includes GPs, community nurses, pharmacists and dentists.
Profound and Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD)	This diagnosis is used when a child has more than one disability, with the most significant being a learning disability. Many children diagnosed with PMLD will also have a sensory or physical disability, complex health needs, or mental health difficulties.
Provision Map	The way schools and settings record the programmes they have in place to support young people’s needs.
Pupil funding	Level of funding that is allocated from the Local Authority or the Education Funding Agency (EFA), an arm of the Department for Education to individual schools and other institutions, usually based on pupil or place numbers.
Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)	A school maintained by the Local Authority that is specially suited to provide education for pupils who would not receive a suitable education in other schools because of illness, exclusion or for any other reason.

Term	Definition
Reablement	A way of helping you remain independent, by giving you the opportunity to relearn or regain some of the skills for daily living that may have been lost as a result of illness, accident or disability.
Reasonable adjustments	Changes schools and other settings are required under the Equality Act 2010 to make to ensure children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not substantially disadvantaged or discriminated against. This could include: changes to physical features, for example, creating a ramp so that students can enter a classroom or providing extra support and aids such as specialist teachers or equipment.
Referral	A request for an assessment of a person's needs, or for support from a social care organisation.
Residential care	Care in a home with or without nursing, for older people or people with disabilities who require 24 hour care.
Respite care (also known as Short Breaks)	Identified package of support to give parent/carers a break from caring. Short breaks can be overnight care for the child/young person with disabilities, daytime activities or a carer. Families may also be receiving support from the Children with Disabilities Service.
Review	A meeting to look at how the current plan or service is working, and to plan any changes that may be needed.
Risk assessment	An assessment to identify possible risks and to plan what can be done about them.

Term	Definition
Safeguarding	Policies and practice that aim to ensure that adults and children are not being abused, neglected or exploited.
Schools block	The general funding that schools receive to provide education.
Section 17	A section of the Children Act 1989 which gives Local Authorities a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are 'in need'. This includes children with SEND.
Section 41 list	Section 41 is part of the Children and Families Act 2014. It allows independent special schools and specialist post-16 institutions to be included on the Secretary of State approved list if they meet certain criteria. If a school or setting is not on the Section 41 list, the Local Authority can not name it on a young person’s EHC Plan.
Section 47 Enquiry	If a child is taken into police protection, is the subject of an Emergency Protection order or there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, a Section 47 Enquiry is initiated.
Section 47 Enquiry	A section of the Children Act 1989 which places a duty on Local Authorities to make enquiries into the circumstances of children considered to be at risk of significant harm and, where these inquiries indicate the need, to decide what action, if any, it may need to take to safeguard and promote the child's welfare.
Self Assessment	A form or questionnaire that you can complete yourself, either on paper or online, explaining your circumstances and why you need support.
Self Funding	When you arrange and pay for your own care services and do not receive financial help from the council.
SEN Governor	The school governor with responsibility for Special Educational Needs.
SEN Information Report	All schools must publish on their websites, information about their policy and arrangements for supporting children and young people with SEN. The schools are also required to keep this information up to date.
SEN Provision	The additional or different help or support given to children with special educational needs in schools or settings, designed to help them access the National Curriculum and make progress.
SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years	Statutory guidance on the SEN and disability system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, produced for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have SEN or disabilities. Part of the Children and Families Act, 2014.
SEND Support Plan	A plan showing the personal outcomes the child is working on and the provision being provided to achieve them.
Service Children's Education (SCE)	Provides schools and educational support for children of the UK armed forces, Ministry of Defence personal and MOD sponsored organisations stationed overseas.
Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD)	A person who finds it difficult to understand, learn and remember new skills and has trouble adapting their skills to daily life.
Short Breaks	Identified package of support to give parent/carers a break from caring. Short breaks can be overnight care for the child/young person with disabilities, daytime activities or a carer. Families may also be receiving support from the Children with Disabilities Service.
Signposting	Pointing people in the direction of information that they should find useful.
Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH)	A category of special educational needs described in the SEND Code of Practice.
Special Educational Needs (SEN) or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)	A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made.
Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENCO)	The teacher with responsibility for the planning and monitoring of the special educational provision within your child's school.
Special educational provision	Helps children and young people with SEND to access the national curriculum at school or to study at college.
Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)	Literacy difficulties, including dyslexia, and difficulties with maths.
Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)	Speech and language therapy is a health care profession, the role and aim of which is to enable children, young people and adults with speech, language and communications difficulties to reach their maximum communication potential.
Suffolk Parent Carer Forum (SPCF)	A Parent Carer Forum is a group of parents and carers of disabled children who work with local authorities, education, health and other providers to make sure the services they plan and deliver meet the needs of disabled children and families. You can visit the SCPF website here.

Term	Definition
Team Around the Child or Family (TAC or TAF)	The health, social and/or healthcare professionals working around a young person and their family. Parents or these practitioners can call for TAC or TAF meetings around the young person and their home life and/or the help they're receiving.
Transition	A time of change at particular points during a child's education for example moving from nursery to primary, or primary to secondary school, or a move between services, for example moving from children's services to adult services.
Transition plan	A plan drawn up after the Annual Review of the EHC plan in year 9 and beyond that draws together information from a range of individuals to plan for the young person's transition to adult life.
Tribunal	An independent body, funded by the government, that determines the outcome of appeals by parents or young people against LA decisions on EHC needs assessment and EHC plans.

Term	Definition
Virtual School Head	A virtual head teacher is someone appointed by the Local Authority to promote the educational achievement of all the children looked after by that council. Those children are on a ‘virtual’ school roll, even though they are physically spread across the schools in the borough and beyond.
Visual impairment (VI)	A visual impairment is any visual condition that impacts an individual’s ability to successfully complete the activities of everyday life.
Voluntary organisation	Organisations that are independent of the Government and local councils.

Term	Definition
Youth Justice Board	The Youth Justice Board work to prevent children and young people under 18 from offending or re-offending. They ensure custody is safe, secure and addresses the causes of their offending behaviour.
Youth Offending Team	Youth offending teams work with young people that get into trouble with the law. They look into the background of a young person and try to help them stay away from crime and get involved if a young person, gets into trouble with the police or is arrested, is charged with a crime and has to go to court and or is convicted of a crime and given a sentence.

Term	Definition
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC)	Children and young people who are seeking asylum in the UK but who have been separated from their parents or carers.
Universal Services	Services such as transport, leisure, health and education that should be available to everyone in a local area.

Term	Definition
Wellbeing	Being in a position where you have good physical and mental health, control over your day-to-day life, good relationships, enough money, and the opportunity to take part in the activities that interest you.

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