Assistive | Special Needs

Getting help

Some children are born with health conditions, but many do not experience difficulties until they get older. As a result of this, it can be difficult to determine whether or not your child has got special needs. If you are worried about your child’s development or health, you should arrange to see your GP and discuss any issues with them. If they think your child may have special needs, they will refer them for further tests and a treatment plan can then be drawn up. You can also talk to your health visitor if you would prefer to talk to them than your GP.

If you think your child may have special educational needs, talk to a health professional, such as a health visitor or your GP. You can also talk to your child’s teacher if they have already started school. You can ask your local authority to carry out an assessment on your child. If you have talked to your GP or health visitor about your child, they will usually contact the local authority to arrange an assessment. The assessment will be carried out to determine whether or not the child needs additional support and help at school.

Choosing a school

If your child has special needs, choosing a school that is right for them is of paramount importance. If your child has special educational needs, you can choose to send them to a mainstream school or a specialist school. There are advantages and disadvantages of both types of school. Mainstream schools are advantageous because they allow children to integrate and make friends with other children who do not have special needs, while specialist schools can be advantageous because they focus on children who need additional help at school and may provide a more supportive environment for children.

If your child has a statement of special educational needs, you have the right, as their parents, to choose which state school they go to provided that the school you choose has the relevant facilities and services to cater for your child, the inclusion of your child will not impact other children in a negative way and your child has the necessary qualifications to be admitted into the school, although this is usually not an issue because the majority of state schools do not accept students based on academic qualifications.

Special schools usually cater for children with specific needs. Some schools are run by charities, some by local authorities and some are independent.

When you are looking for a school for your child, it is a good idea to have a look around a few different schools and have a talk with teaching staff to see what kinds of facilities and teaching support are available for children with special educational needs. All schools should be geared up to cater for children with special educational needs but some may be better than others and you may prefer some schools to others.