Send is information
SEND includes a wide range of needs:
- Communication and interaction (e.g. autism, speech and language difficulties)
- Cognition and learning (e.g. dyslexia, developmental delays)
- Social, emotional and mental health (e.g. anxiety, behavioural needs)
- Sensory or physical needs (e.g. hearing impairment, mobility difficulties)
With the right adjustments, many children with SEND thrive in mainstream schools. Others may require more structured, long-term support in specialist settings designed for more complex and profound needs.
Schools follow the SEND Code of Practice, which outlines how children must be supported, with parents’ and children’s views placed at the centre.
The first level of help is SEN Support. This means the school puts targeted strategies in place and reviews progress regularly. These are documented in Individual Support Plans (ISP).
If needs are significant and long-term, parents can request an assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) through the school or directly via the Local Authority. An EHCP is a legal document detailing your child’s needs and the support that must be provided.
Seeking Support Does Not Cancel Faith!
This is about ensuring your child is not left to struggle quietly. Prayer and practical help are not opposites. Pursuing assessment is not doubt — it is stewardship.
If your child is missing milestones, overwhelmed easily, struggling to communicate, unable to focus, melting down daily, or falling behind academically — do not ignore it out of fear of labels.