SEN Support Planning - Supporting children with hydrocephalus in an educational setting 

Sometimes hydrocephalus has virtually no impact on one child’s development, whereas another child with hydrocephalus can be affected in a range of ways, which may take some time to be revealed. 

Not all children have the same skills or areas of difficulty so it is essential that teachers observe and assess children with hydrocephalus closely to discover skill gaps and then plan their teaching strategies. 

Good communication between the family of the child and the educational setting is essential for outcomes to be achieved successfully, as stated in the SEND Code of Practice. 

• Listening to the child and learning about their strengths and areas of need is vital. 
• Setting realistic individual goals for each child is a priority in an educational setting. 

SEN Support, introduced in 2014 with the Children and Families Act in England, can offer a good starting point for teachers. 

The SEN support structure of Assess, Plan, Do and Review is an effective tool to provide individualised strategies for children with hydrocephalus. 

See SEN Support and the Graduated Approach by Nasen.

Areas of Special Educational Need for children with hydrocephalus 

Knowledge of how the brain develops and how children learn is vital in order to understand the effects of hydrocephalus, seen in these broad areas of Special Educational Needs, outlined in the SEND Code of Practice. 

• Communication and language needs 
• Cognition and learning needs 
• Social, emotional and mental health needs 
• Sensory and physical needs 

The tables linked to below show the possible needs of children with hydrocephalus and strategies that can be used to enhance their learning capabilities - they can also be downloaded so that you can retain them for future use.

Communication and language needs

Cognition and learning needs

Social, emotional and mental health needs

Sensory and physical needs