Approximately 15% of all children attending school have SEND: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision
(Figures from research by Amy Skipp, Director of Ask; full report on SEND Gateway)
SEN Support has replaced Early Years/School Action and Early Years/School Action Plus from 2014, following the Children and Families Act.
Schools and other settings, such as nursery schools, use SEN Support to identify and meet the needs of children with SEN.
SEN Support should then be provided by the educational setting to meet the needs of the child or young person.
The remaining 3% of children have complex needs and will require an Education Health and Care Plan.
This means that a fifth of all children with special educational needs and disabilities, such as spina bifida and hydrocephalus, could be granted an EHC Plan.
Parents and carers can seek advice on the best route to SEN provision with or without an EHC Plan from an educational psychologist or other professional involved in their child’s care, treatment and support.
See Shine’s SEN Support guide and Guide to Education Health and Care Plans for more information.