|

Translate/Traduisez/Übersetzen Sie/Traduzca/Traduca/Traduza:

The British government promised "that a child with special educational needs should have their needs met" (sec. 1.3, SEN Code of Practice, 2001). Even though it's printed for all to see, they won't be able to keep the promise, as they don't have the resources.
The British government has promised that "a child with special educational needs should have their needs met" (sec. 1.3, SEN Code of Practice, 2001). This is a pretty rash thing to promise, since there is no way that they have the resources to back this up. However, there it is, in black and white!
So, how do you make sure that your child with special needs gets the help they need in school? First, understand how your school is set up. Second, even with governmental promises, there is still a limit to the resources. You need to develop a good working partnership with your school so you can state your concerns and be confident that they will be resolved.
Typically, a child's educational needs can be met in the normal classroom (commonly called mainstreaming). If it does become evident that the child is not making progress as expected, the school has the responsibility to take some action. Progress delays are evaluated in the following areas:
If you have concerns about your child's educational progress, talk to her teacher and/ or the SEN Coordinator (SENCO) at her school. If they think she's having problems, they will add her name to the Special Education Needs Register, if they haven't already done so.
If you have concerns about your child, discuss them with your child's teacher and/or the school's SEN Co-ordinator. If they are in agreement with your concerns, they may place his or her name on the Special Educational Needs Register. In fact, they may have already done so.
If the school does determine that there are special needs present in your child, they have the responsibility to meet those needs. This can be done in a variety of ways, but the most important thing is that everyone (parents, teachers, and school staff) should have clear and realistic goals that your child can achieve.
The goal-setting process is usually accomplished through the development of an IEP (Individual Education Plan).
On this IEP certain targets are identified and worked on, with these targets being reviewed every six weeks or so. These targets might be academic such as reading or writing, or there may be behavioural such as putting a hand up to ask a question, they might be social such as getting along with other children at play time or indeed they may be physical if the child has any particular physical or medical needs or disabilities.
Parents are normally involved in the IEP process - both in drawing up and reviewing IEP targets. Most children gain the most when their parents are involved because they can reinforce the concepts and skills in the home.
Occasionally it will become apparent that the school alone does not have sufficient resources to solve the problem. In that case, outside experts are brought in to assist. Often times this will consist of an educational psychologist or some other type of professional. These experts may extend their advice to the school, which is called "School Action Plus".
Finally, if even this is not enough, then either the school, or you, may apply to have a Statutory Assessment of SEN, which is done by the Local Education Authority (usually the county council). If they agree that the needs are severe, they may issue a Statement of SEN which spells out just what the needs are, and what the school (and others) are legally required to do to meet those needs. If the LEA refuses to do a statutory assessment or issue a statement then you, as a parent, have a right to appeal.
Just because the LEA grants a statement, that doesn't necessarily mean that the school will receive any extra money to do provide the services as indicated in the statement. The school will continue to be put in an awkward position of determining how to divide up their limited cash amongst all the SEN children in their school.
This is why close co-operation between home and school is essential The school is not your enemy, so fighting with them is unlikely to get your child the help she needs. Do try to be polite and friendly, and listen to what they say about your child. At the same time, don't be afraid to speak up if you are worried that something is being missed or not dealt with. After all, if you don't speak up for your child, who will?
Hopefully, if the educational needs can be appropriately identified and targeted, then your child should find school to be a less stressful environment and, therefore, be more settled, not just in school, but also at home.
The SEN Code of Practice can be ordered, free, from 0845 602 2260

Article Keywords: Special Education

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Special Education... Parenting For A Special Needs Child When a special needs child presents all the unique needs associated with his/her situation, parents face challenges that can sometimes be quite difficult. Certain conditions are more severe than others and can be paired with medical problems as well as developmental issues. If a child has both conditions, even daily routines can be complicated not to mention educational issues. A special needs child could also have just one issue such as asthma or severe food allergies that demand that the child's diet and surroundings are modified to take that condition into consideration. Special equipment is not stranger to some special needs children who are on oxygen, use a wheelchair, or need shots/medication during school hours. Luckily, laws require that public schools provide the modifications needed as well as a certified staff member to help if needed. Parents do have several resources available to help their special needs child no matter what the severity level. If medical or psychological issues are too severe for the child to go to school, the parent may need to provide home schooling. Children who are extremely sensitive to germs that are found in public schools would come to harm if exposed to that situation. Obviously, it would not be ethical to send an auto-immune disordered child into that environment. If the parent is not comfortable providing the home schooling curriculum, they can turn to facilities that are trained to give such care. Many local and online support groups have formed to help comfort parents and give them encouragement when they need that support to care for their special needs child. Another valuable resource for parents is respite care. Parents with a special needs child are under constant stress and have fewer opportunities to have time alone...