SEN Support & EHCPs

The majority of children and young people with SEN and disabilities will have their needs met by their local mainstream early years setting, school or college. However for those with complex needs that cannot be met by the support put in place, an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment may be required. This assessment could lead to your child getting an EHC plan (EHCP). Further information and guidance on these stages are outlined below.

 

SEN Support gives extra help for children and young people with special educational needs in mainstream schools, from early years to further education. 

Most pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in Cambridgeshire are helped at school through SEN Support, which replaced the old School Action or School Action Plus support in schools following the SEND reforms in September 2014.

Under SEN Support, school will assess your child’s needs, with you, your child and their teachers.  You should be involved in setting up a plan for your child and look at their needs/wanted outcomes. The plan will include what school needs to do to make this happen.

School needs to meet with you regularly to review the plan (and change it if necessary) and see how your child is progressing.  You should get a report at least once a year.

Your child’s school must have a SEND plan – have you read it?

Every school in the UK has to publish a SEN Information Report on how it helps pupils with special educational needs. It also spells out who the key SEND contacts are within the setting.

Look in the school’s policy section for the special needs and disability information.

Read more about SEN Support

Telling the Local Authority what you think about the support you have had – POET (Personal Outcomes Evaluation Tool)

You can let Cambridgeshire County Council know what you think about the support for your child or young person with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. They have a short, simple questionnaire to complete.

Complete a POET questionnaire

  • It is quick and easy to do
  • You don’t have to give your name
  • You can compete as much or as little as you want

There are 3 different questionnaires: one for children and young people, one for parents and carers, and one for practitioners. You just need to select the questionnaire that is right for you.

The Local Authority will:

  • collate the feedback three times a year
  • use your feedback to find out what’s working well, what could be improved and to develop what they do
  • share and publish the feedback along with actions and changes they have made