Information in this section describes the range of educational and training opportunities for disabled children and adults, at school, in further education, in vocational training and in higher education.

School and pre-school education in England:

Children’s needs

A child up to the age of 18 has special educational needs if he or she has learning difficulties and needs special help. This help is known as special educational provision. A child has learning difficulties if he or she:

Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than most children of the same age, or

Has a disability which stops or hinders them from using educational facilities of a kind provided for children of the same age in schools within the local education authority’s area.

Special Educational Needs: a guide to parents

Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs

Both from Department of Education and Employment Publications Centre.

Tel: 0845 602 2260; Fax: 0845 603 3360; Email: dfee@prologcs.demon.co.uk or the Welsh Office Education Department. Tel: 02920 826 079

Addressing needs

Most children’s needs will be met by their mainstream school or nursery, sometimes with the help of an outside specialist. In a few cases the local education authority will have to make a statutory assessment based on specialist advice. They may then issue a statement of special educational needs which describes all the child’s needs and all the specialist help that he or she should be given.

Help available can cover many aspects, and may include special equipment, therapy (such as speech and language therapy or physiotherapy) or home-based learning schemes.

If you as a parent are not happy with any decision made about your child, you should talk to the school or the local education authority. You may also have a right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal in certain circumstances if you cannot agree with the decisions made by the local education authority. The local education authority should inform you of your rights to appeal. In Wales the Special Needs Advisory Project (SNAP) provides support for parents through the process of SEN assessment and if necessary a statement. Tel: 02920 384868

Voluntary organisations with educational services, schools or colleges include:

ACE (Aiding Communication in Education) / ASBAH (Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus) / Boys’ and Girls’ Welfare Society Central Offices / British Dyslexia Association / British Epilepsy Association / Chailey Heritage School / Dyslexia Institute / Foundation for Conductive Education / I CAN (Invalid Children’s Aid Nationwide) / MENCAP / National Autistic Society / RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) / The Shaftesbury Society / SCOPE / SNAP.

(see organisations - addresses in the main index)

Scotland:

Children’s needs

Education authorities must make appropriate arrangements to educate children and young people with special educational needs. If asked to do so, your authority must assess your child’s special educational needs and consider opening a Record of Needs, detailing them. If you are unhappy about the terms of the Record or the refusal of the Authority to open a Record, you can appeal to your local Appeals Committee.

Addressing needs

Most children with special needs go to mainstream schools. But for those who need a special environment or specialised facilities there are special schools (including some in the grant aided and independent sector) and special classes and departments associated with mainstream schools. The education authority should provide equipment and therapy required to meet a child’s educational needs. If a child’s disability prevents him or her getting to school, a visiting teacher may be able to help.

See also Disabled Children

A Parent’s Guide to Special Educational Needs. The Scottish Office Education Department. Tel: 0131 244 5144

Further and higher education

Further Education

Many young people with learning difficulties or disabilities continue their education after the age of 16 in a college. Colleges offer a wide range of vocational courses leading to work, GCSEs, GCE A levels and General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) courses

Most colleges offer special courses or help for students with learning difficulties and / or disabilities

The Further Education Funding Councils for England And Wales pay colleges in the further education sector to run further education courses. They also have to make sure that there are places on those courses for young people and adults with learning difficulties and / or disabilities.

If you find there is no suitable provision in an FEFC-funded college, Funding Councils may be willing to pay for a place in an independent specialist college if it considers this is the best way to meet your needs. If you go to a specialist college, you might live at the college during term time.

Further Education For Young People with Learning Difficulties and / or Disabilities: The Role of the Further Education Funding Council. Tel: 02476 863000; Further Education Funding Council for Wales. Tel: 02920 781681

Disability statements from further education colleges contain details of the provision available at the college for people with learning difficulties and / or disabilities.