What are the SEND areas of need?
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: for 0-25 years 2014 (updated 2015) outlines four broad areas of need for learners with SEND that include a range of difficulties and conditions. These are:
- Communication and Interaction
- Cognition and Learning
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Sensory and/or Physical
Communication & Interaction
Communication and interaction refers to a learner’s ability to use and understand verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to show their understanding, explain their needs and reason in different situations. Communication happens when one person sends a message to another person either verbally or non-verbally. Interaction happens when two people respond to one another – a two-way communication. A learner who has difficulties with communication and interaction may receive support or intervention for:
Speech, Language & Communication Needs (SLCN)
Learners with speech, language and communication needs have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. Learners with SLCN may find it difficult to:
- Express themselves verbally using words or sentences
- Understand words that are spoken to them or follow instructions
- Play and interact with their peers in a social setting
- Develop relationships with their peers as easily as others
- Follow classroom routines which could then manifest into disruptive behaviour
- Develop literacy skills (speech, language or communication) at a similar rate as their peers
- Develop confidence and self-esteem
Further information can be found at:
https://www.icancharity.org.uk/about-slcn/
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism is a spectrum condition. This reflects the different diagnostic manuals and tools used, and the different autism profiles presented by individuals. The characteristics of autism vary from one learner to another, but in order for a diagnosis to be made, a learner will usually be assessed as having had persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests since early childhood, to the extent that these “limit and impair everyday functioning”. Learners with autism may find it difficult to:
- Interact with adults and their peers socially
- Use and understand non-verbal behaviours such as: eye contact, facial expressions, body language and gestures
- Understand the emotions and feelings of others
- Express an interest in their peers or instigate conversations
- Develop language skills and often repeat words or phrases spoken by others
- Adapt to changes in routine
- Express their own discomfort or satisfaction; they may show this by flapping their hands, twisting or flicking their fingers when they are angry or upset
Further information can be found at:
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/
Cognition & Learning
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: for 0-25 years 2014 (updated 2015) states that cognition and learning refers to the support required for learning difficulties when learners cognitively develop at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learners with cognition and learning needs may find it difficult to:
- Understand basic concepts
- Acquire basic skills in reading, writing and maths resulting in a lack of confidence to use and develop the skills they do have
- Apply logical reasoning to social and academic situations
- Solve problems
- Use their working memory to retain and apply relevant information to complete a task
- Develop communication and social skills expected of their age which can lead to immature social and emotional understanding
- Develop fine and gross motor skills
- Organise themselves
- Remember facts, numbers, timetables, grammatical rules etc.
- Socialise with their peers of the same age
Cognition and learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including:
Moderate Learning Difficulty (MLD)
MLD is the term used to describe learners whose academic attainment is significantly lower than that of their peers. Generally, these children will have difficulty acquiring basic skills in maths and English and often find it difficult to remember and apply what has been taught. Other difficulties may include associated speech and language delay, low self-esteem, low levels of concentration and underdeveloped social skills. Further information can be found at:
https://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/special-educational-needs/types-of-sen/learning-difficulties
Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulty (PMLD)
PMLD refers to a learner with one or multiple profound learning disabilities. These learners usually require support with daily activities, such as feeding, washing, dressing and communication. The specific support that is required will always depend on the way in which the different learning disabilities impact the individual. Learners with profound and multiple learning disabilities often have additional physical, sensory, mental or mobility problems that mean that they may need additional support. For a learner with profound and multiple learning disabilities, the amount of support that is required may stay at this level throughout their lives, whereas those with mild or moderate learning disabilities may require different levels of support as they progress through their school career. Further information can be found at:
http://www.aboutlearningdisabilities.co.uk/what-pmld-profound-multiple-learning-disability.html
Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD)
SLD would be identified at birth or in early childhood. Learners with SLD could; have little or no speech, find it difficult to learn new skills including walking; require support with daily tasks such as dressing, washing, eating and keeping safe and would require life-long support. Further information can be found at:
http://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/about-us/what-is-c-b/severe-learning-disabilities.html
Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD)
SpLD is the term used for learners who have difficulties with particular aspects of learning, such as:
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which affects 1 in every 10 people. It is not categorised as a learning disability as it does not necessarily impact on learner intelligence. Learners with dyslexia may read and write at a slower pace, confuse the order of letters in words, confuse similar letters, for example b and d, find it difficult to follow sequences of instructions and have poor organisational skills. Further information can be found at:
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is usually perceived of as a specific learning difficulty for mathematics or, more appropriately, arithmetic. Learners with dyscalculia often have difficulties memorising arithmetic facts and struggle with basic mathematical concepts such as counting. Further information can be found at:
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyscalculia/how-can-i-identify-dyscalculia
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia affects fine and gross motor coordination and can occur in both children and adults. Learners may present with difficulties with self-care, writing, typing, riding a bike and play although dyspraxia does not directly affect learner attainment. Further information can be found at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/
Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH)
Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH) is an overarching term for learners who show difficulties in one or more of the following: managing their emotions, social interaction or mental health. Learners with SEMH needs may find it difficult to:
- Participate in group work or social situations
- Develop and sustain friendships
- Manage their emotions
- Discuss their feelings
- Be resilient when faced with challenges
- Manage low self-esteem
- Understand the feelings of others
- Show empathy or excitement when engaging in a conversation with their peers
- Consider the impact of their actions on others
- Follow instructions
- Concentrate for long periods of time
- Work independently due to lack of self-confidence
- Understand their role within the class or group
- Comply with classroom routines
Social, Emotional & Mental Health covers a wide range of needs, including:
Adjustment Disorders
A learner suffering from an adjustment disorder may have witnessed a stressful event or had a significant change in their life such as, moving school, parental separation or a bereavement. This could then have an adverse effect on their emotional health or behaviour. Further information can be found at:
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-adjustment-disorder
Anxiety Disorders
Learners suffering from an anxiety disorder may be prone to frequent panic attacks. The learner may complain of physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches and may also give inappropriate emotional responses, such as outbursts of laughter or crying out of context. Further information can be found at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anxiety-disorders-in-children/
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is an anxiety related condition where a learner might experience frequent, intrusive and unwelcome obsessional thoughts which manifest themselves in repetitive compulsions, impulses or urges. Further information can be found at:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a condition that affects a learner’s behaviour. A learner with ADHD may appear restless, act on impulse and may have difficulty concentrating. Learners with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders. Further information can be found at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/
Physical & / or Sensory
Some learners require special educational provision because they have a physical or sensory disability which inhibits their ability to use one or more of their senses, or physical movement. Physical and sensory needs cover a wide range of impairments, including:
Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment refers to a range of hearing conditions from those with a mild hearing loss to those who are profoundly deaf. In school, learners are regarded as having a hearing impairment if they require hearing aids, adaptations to their environment or particular teaching strategies to access the curriculum. For some learners, hearing loss may be because of conductive or sensorineural problems and can be measured on a decibel scale. There are four categories or hearing loss: mild, moderate, severe and profound. Further information can be found at:
http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/hearing-impairment.html
Visual Impairment
A visual impairment is a problem with a learner’s eyesight that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses or surgery. A learner with a visual impairment may require specialist equipment to access learning. Further information can be found at:
http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/visual-impairment.html?WT.ac=p-ra
Multi-Sensory Impairments (MSI)
Learners with MSI usually have a combination of both visual and hearing impairment and often require access to specialist equipment and support to fully access the school curriculum. Further information can be found at:
https://www.sense.org.uk/about-us/statistics/deafblindness-statistics-in-the-uk/
