Glossary

GLOSSARY

 

 

Annual Review - Under the Education Act 1996 local authorities have to carry out a review of every Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP) of Special Educational Need at least once every 12 months.

 

Children and Families Act 2014 - This law came into force on 1st September 2014. Part 3 of the Act sets out the new law on special educational needs and disability. The Act is supported by the SEND Regulations 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 Years. 

 

Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - CCGs are groups of professionals that work together to commission health services, ensuring there is sufficient capacity contracted to deliver the necessary services to people.

 

Direct payment - A payment made directly to a parent or young person to purchase specific services. Under the Children and Families Act 2014 a Direct Payment may be made as part of a Personal Budget so that the parent or young person can buy certain services that are specified in their EHC plan.

Direct payments can only be used for provision provided on the school or college premises if the school or college agree.

 

Disagreement resolution - Local authorities must provide independent disagreement resolution to help parents and young people resolve disputes with local authorities, schools and other settings about SEND duties and provision.

 

EHC Needs Assessment - Local authorities must carry out an EHC needs assessment if a child or young person may need an EHC plan. The assessment is a detailed look at the special educational needs that the child or young person has and what help he or she may need in order to learn.

 

Education Health and Care plan (EHC plan) - An EHC plan describes the special educational needs that a child or young person has and the help that they will be given to meet them. It also includes the health and care provision that is needed. It is a legal document written by the local authority and is used for children and young people who have high support needs. This is for children and young people aged 0-25 years.

 

First-tier Tribunal (SEN and Disability) - The First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) is a legal body. The Tribunal hears appeals from parents of children with SEN, and young people with SEN, about EHC needs assessments and EHC plans.

 

Graduated approach - The SEND Code of Practice says that schools should follow a graduated approach when providing SEN Support. This is based on a cycle of: Assess, Plan, Do, Review

You can find out more about the graduated approach in the SEND code of Practice sections 6.44 to 6.56.

 

Local authority/authorities - Local authorities are administrative offices that provide services within their local areas. There are 152 across England which are education authorities. 

 

Local Offer - The Local Offer, published by every local authority, tells you what support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and their families. It includes information about education, health and care provision. It also gives information about training, employment and independent living for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

 

Mainstream School - This is a school that provides education for all children, whether or not they have special educational needs or disabilities.

 

Special School - This is a school that provides specialist provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

 

Mediation - Mediation is a type of disagreement resolution. Every local authority must provide independent mediation to help parents and young people resolve disputes with local authorities about the following situations;

· a decision not to carry out an EHC needs assessment

· a decision not to draw up an EHC plan

· the content of a final EHC plan or amended plan

· a decision not to amend an EHC plan

· a decision to cease to maintain an EHC plan.

 

Parent Carer Forum - A Parent Carer Forum is a representative local 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. They have been established in most local authority areas. The Local Parent Carer Forum for Havering is Positive Parents. 

 

Personal Budget - A Personal Budget is money set aside to fund support as part of an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) for a child or young person with special educational needs. It can include funds from Education, Health and Social Care.

 

Reasonable adjustments - Reasonable adjustments are changes schools and other settings are required to make which 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).

 

SEND Code of Practice - This is the statutory guidance that supports Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014. It tells local authorities, early year’s settings, schools, colleges, health and social care providers and others what they must and should do to identify, assess and provide for children and young people with SEN or disabilities. 

 

SEN Support - SEN support includes any help for children and young people with SEN that is additional to or different from the support generally made for other children of the same age.

The purpose of SEN support is to help children achieve the outcomes or learning objectives that have been set for them by the school. 

 

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) - A SENCo is a qualified teacher in a school or maintained nursery school who has responsibility for co-ordinating SEND provision.

Early years settings that are part of group provision arrangements are expected to identify an individual to perform the role of SENCo.