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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... Special Education & Mainstreaming In the district I work in, just like others across the United States, special education departments have been dismantled and special education certifications have been debunked. Because special education certifications no longer carry the same weight as other teaching licenses, said educators no longer have the right to teach their own classes. This has lead to most special education students being taught in regular education classrooms. This type of inclusion does not always work. In theory, this form of mainstreaming may seem ideal for special education students, since they are now in an environment with their peers and have the support of another teacher in the room that will adhere to all IEP requirements, including test modification and extended testing time. In practice, however, this only furthers the euphemism of the dreaded No Child Left Behind Act, which seeks to dismantle the public education system through unattainable goals of proficiency for all students by 2014. This can also further isolation of the aforementioned students and distractions to regular education peers, resulting in stagnated social development and more frustration. Money and Education Some mainstreamed students do very well in a regular education classroom, provided they have assistance in implementing their IEPs, but not all special education students work well in this type of environment. Most districts hope to save money by placing disabled children out of the small, specialized classes that many of them need to succeed, and instead educate them in a classroom where they will compete with non-disabled peers. About 5 1/2 million children — 11 to 12 percent of the average public school’s population — are categorized as having special needs. The U.S. Department of Education...