Jargon Buster

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Here are some phrases and acronyms used when talking about special educational needs and disabilities:

A

ADD

Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ALS

Additional Learning Support

Additional Learning Support (ALS) Managers

This role is in Further Education establishments. It is like a Special Educational Needs Coordinator in a school. There is no legal requirement, but someone has to be responsible for young people with additional learning support needs.

AR (Annual Review)

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, local authorities must carry out a review of every Education, Health and Care plan at least once every 12 months

ASC

Autistic Spectrum Condition

ASD

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

AS

Asperger’s Syndrome

ASSESSMENT

This involves building a picture of your child’s abilities, difficulties, behaviour and his or her special educational needs and the support required to meet those needs

AWPU

Age Weighted Pupil Unit – the amount of money that every maintained school receives for each pupil that is on the school roll, whether or not they have special education needs. The value of the AWPU varies from one local authority to another and according to the age of the pupils.

B

BASELINE ASSESSMENT

The assessment of a child’s aptitude and ability as s/he starts school

BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT TEACHER

A trained and experienced teacher who can advise on the needs of children with a range of emotional, behavioural and social needs. They offer support and advice to parents, children and schools

BENCHMARKING

Providing descriptions of what is expected or what has been achieved

BSL

British Sign Language

C

CAT SERVICE

Communication and Assisted Technology service for Kent and Medway

CAMHS

(Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) - is the name for the NHS services in the UK. See also CYPMHS

CARER

For the purpose of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, a carer is a person named by a local authority to care for a child for whom the social services department has a parental responsibility

CD

Conduct Disorder

CFIS

Children and Families Information Service - provides, free, confidential, impartial information and advice to parents, carers and members of the public. Help with childcare, early education, parenting, family life and issues that affect young people. The Kent CFIS hold the only database of Ofsted registered childcare in the County.

CHC

Continuing Health Care

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACT 2014

This law came into force on September 1, 2014. Part 3 of the Act sets out the new law on special educational needs and disability. The Act is supported by the SEND Regulations 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 Years 2015

C&I

Communication and Interaction

C&L

Cognition and Learning

CiC

Children in Care

CIN

Child in Need

CIRCLE TIME

A technique for raising pupils’ self-esteem in school

CMHT

Community Mental Health Team (adults)

CODE OF PRACTICE (CoP) 2015

The SEN Code of Practice is a guide for Local Education Authorities, parents and schools about how help should be given to children with Special Educational Needs. Local Education Authorities and schools must have regard to the code

CP

Cerebral Palsy or Child Protection

CSW

Community Support Worker

CYP

Children and Young People

CYPMHS

Children and Young people’s mental health service (NELFT NHS foundation trust)

CVI

Cortical Visual Impairment

D

DAMP

Deficits in Attention, Motor Control and Perception

DBS Disclosure and Barring Service - Disclosure and Barring Service

Is responsible for carrying out checks that help services, agencies and companies to make safer decisions about who they employ in jobs working with children and/or vulnerable adults.

DBS Checks (Also called Disclosure)

Are carried out by DBS, who look into a person's past, checking for any convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings the person may have received. This person gives permission to have the check carried out when they apply for a job that requires a DBS check.

DDA

Disability Discrimination Act – since 2002, schools and local education authorities must not treat disabled pupils less favourably because of their disability

DCSF

Department for Children, Schools and Families

DfE

Department for Education

DIRECT PAYMENT

A payment made directly to a parent or young person to purchase specific services. Under the Children and Families Act 2014 a Direct Payment may be made as part of a Personal Budget so that the parent or young person can buy certain services that are specified in their EHC plan. Direct payments can only be used for provision provided on the school or college premises if the school or college agree

DISAGREEMENT RESOLUTION

Local authorities must provide independent disagreement resolution to help parents and young people resolve disputes with local authorities, schools and other settings about SEND duties and provision. You can find more information on disagreement resolution in the SEND Code of Practice 11.6 to 11.10

DISAPPLICATION

Removal or lifting of a programme of study, attainment target, assessment or any other component of the National Curriculum, or any combination of these including entire subjects or the entire National Curriculum

DLA Disability Living Allowance

Any award is based on the child’s care needs, not diagnosis

DLT

Directorate Leadership Team

DS

Down’s syndrome

DSA

Disabled Students' Allowance - extra help for students who have a disability, a mental health condition, or specific learning difficulty, like dyslexia or dyspraxia.

E

EAL

English as an Additional Language

EARLY EDUCATION SETTINGS

Providers in receipt of Government funding to deliver early education including maintained mainstream and special schools, maintained nursery schools, independent schools, non-maintained special schools, local authority day-care providers such as pre-schools, playgroups and private day care nurseries, local authority portage schemes and accredited childminders working as part of an approved national child-minding association network

EARLY HELP WORKERS

Provide intensive support to families

EARLY YEARS LIFT (Local Inclusion Forum Team)

Specialist teachers advice for pre-school settings to identify support for children with special educational needs within the setting

EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONERS

All the adults who work with children in early education settings, whatever their qualifications

EBD (Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties)

Emotional and/or behavioural problems that interfere with the child’s education

EDUCATION ACT 1996

Part IV of the Education Act 1996 was the legal framework for SEN. Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 now replaces this legislation

EHC

Education, Health & Care

EDUCATION, HEALTH AND CARE (EHC) NEEDS ASSESSMENT

(sometimes called a Statutory Assessment).

An EHC needs assessment is a formal process, which involves the collection of information to find out a child's needs and what support should be put in place to meet the needs. Information and advice is gather from the parents/carers or young person, school, nursery or college staff, social services, psychologists, health and other staff working with the child or young person. Local authorities must carry out an EHC needs assessment if a child or young person may need an Education Health and Care plan.

EDUCATION, HEALTH AND CARE PLAN (EHCP)

An Education, Health and Care Plan describes the special educational needs that a child or young person has and the help that they will be given to meet them. It also includes the health and care provision that is needed. It is a legal document written by the local authority and is used for children and young people who have high support needs

EOTAS

Education Other Than At School – arrangements that the local education authority makes to educate pupils other than in a school setting. EOTAS also includes children who are educated at home when parents arrange the education

EP

Educational Psychologist - A qualified practitioner who has had training in psychology to understand more about the ways children learn, think and behave. The Educational Psychologist plays an important role in assessing a child’s special education needs and giving advice to schools. Local education authorities usually employ educational psychologists

EPS

Educational Psychology Service - The Educational Psychology Service provides assessment, advice and support to help children and young people.

ES

Early Support

ESFA

Education and Skills Funding Agency – Responsible for funding education and skills for children, young people and adults.

EY

Early Years

EYFS

Early Years Foundation Stage

F

FAS

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

FIRST TIER TRIBUNAL

SEN and disability – the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) is a legal body. The Tribunal hears appeals from parents of children with SEN, and young people with SEN, about EHC needs assessments and EHC plans

FOUNDATION STAGE

The foundation stage begins when children reach the age of three. Many children attend an early education setting soon after their third birthday. The foundation stage continues until the end of the reception year and is consistent with the national curriculum. It prepares children for learning in year 1, when programmes of study for Key Stage 1 are taught.

FE

Further Education – full or part-time education for people who are over compulsory school age (16 years in England) which does not take place in a school. It can take place in a sixth form college, a further education college or a higher education institution. Further education courses are usually up to the standard of GCSE A level or National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3

FSM

Free School Meals

FSW

Family Support Worker

G

GRADUATED APPROACH

The SEND Code of Practice says that schools should follow a graduated approach when providing SEN Support. This is based on a cycle of ‘assess, plan, do, review’

GLD

Global Learning Delay

H

HFA

High-Functioning Autism

HI

Hearing Impairment

HLTA

Higher Level Teaching Assistant

HV

Health Visitor

I

ICB

Integrated Care Board – a statutory NHS organisation responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of the population, managing the NHS budget and arranging for the provision of health services in the ICS area. The establishment of ICBs resulted in clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) being closed down.

ICP

Integrated Care Partnership – a statutory committee jointly formed between the NHS integrated care board and local authorities. The ICP is responsible for producing an integrated care strategy on how to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the population in the ICS area.

ICS

Integrated Care Systems - are partnerships of organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services, and to improve the lives of people who live and work in their area. They include ICBs and ICPs (above)

ICT

Information and Communications Technology

INSET

In-Service Education and Training

INCLUSION

Educating children with special educational needs together with children without special educational needs in mainstream schools wherever possible and ensuring children with special educational needs engage in the activities of the school together with children who do not have special educational needs

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

A school, which is neither funded by the LA, nor is it a voluntary aided school. Charitable trusts and organisations, particularly those catering for special educational needs, run some independent schools. They usually charge fees

IRP

Independent Review Panel

ISSK

Inclusion Support Service Kent - a traded service which provides specialist support, training, advice, coaching and mentoring to schools, settings and practitioners working with children, young people and communities.

J

JADR

Judicial Alternative Dispute Resolution Hearing

JC

Joint Commissioning

K

Key Stage 1 (KS1)

The level of the National Curriculum taught to children in Reception to Year 2 (age 4-7)

Key Stage 2 (KS2)

The level of the National Curriculum taught to children in years 3 to 6 (age 7-11)

Key Stage 3 (KS3)

The level of the National Curriculum taught to children in years 7 to 9 (age 11-14)

Key Stage 4 (KS4)

The level of the National Curriculum taught to children in years and 11 (age 14-16)

KEYWORKER

Someone who provides children, young people and parents with a single point of contact to help make sure the support they receive is co-ordinated. A key-worker could be provided directly by a local authority or local health organisation, a school or college, or from a voluntary or private sector body.

KSC

Kent Safeguarding Children – Multi agency partnership.

L

LA

Local Authority

LAC

Looked After Children (now Children in Care)

LDD

Learning difficulties and disabilities

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

A child has learning difficulties if he or she finds it much harder to learn than most children of the same age or has a disability which affects his or her ability to learn in the same way or the same environment as other children

LEARNING MENTOR

A person working in school with groups and individual children to help them overcome barriers to learning. Mentors may also be trained volunteers working with individual children through an external organisation

LOCAL AUTHORITY / AUTHORITIES

Local authorities are administrative offices that provide services within their local areas. There are 152 across England which are education authorities. Here in Torbay, it is Torbay Council.

LIFT

Local Inclusion Forum Team - Schools can get support from specialist teachers, school outreach staff and educational psychologists who can advise about the extra support that can be given to a child who has difficulty learning. (also see Early years LIFT)

LOCAL OFFER

The Local Offer, published by every local authority, tells you what support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and their families. It includes information about education, health and care provision. It also give information about training, employment and independent living for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

LSA

Learning Support Assistant - a person employed by the school to provide support in the classroom or undertake specific work with a child or group of children who have learning difficulties. They work under the direction of the class teacher.

M

MAINSTREAM SCHOOL

This is a school that provides education for all children, whether or not they have special educational needs or disabilities

MEDIATION

Mediation is a type of disagreement resolution. Every local authority must provide independent medication to help parents and young people resolve disputes with local authorities about EHC plans. Mediation must also be provided on the health and social care elements of an EHC plan.

MEDIATION ADVICE

The purpose of mediation advice is to give information about what mediation involves. Parents or young people who wish to register an appeal with the First Tier Tribunal (SEN and Disability) must first seek mediation advice. The advice must be factual and unbiased. After mediation advice has been given the parent or young person can choose whether they wish to go to mediation. However, it is not necessary to seek mediation advice if the appeal is only about the name of the school, or college named on the plan, the type of provision specified in the plan or the fact that no school or other institution is named.

MLD

Moderate Learning Difficulties

MODIFICATION

Amendment or alteration of a programme of study, attainment target, assessment, or any other component of the National Curriculum in order to give your child access to that area of the curriculum

MONITORING

The ongoing assessment of work, progress, expenditure or achievement

MSI

Multiple Sensory Impairment

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY

Involving practitioners from a range of disciplines (usually Education, Children’s Social Care and Health)

N

NAMED OFFICER

A case officer working in the Inclusion Team who is the point of contact for parents of children undergoing statutory assessment or who have statements
NC (National Curriculum) – this sets out a clear, full and statutory entitlement to learning for all pupils, determining what should be taught and setting attainment targets for learning. It also determines how performance will be assessed and reported.

NON-MAINTAINED SPECIAL SCHOOL

A non-profit making school which charges fees. Most non-maintained special schools are run by charities or charitable trusts.

NT

Neurotypical

O

ODD

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

OfSTED

Office for Standards in Education

OT

Occupational Therapist - A person trained to provide assessment, treatment and rehabilitation for children with physical difficulties. They are able to give schools advice on programmes of support, and to advise on suitable equipment and the provision of other facilities.

P

PAEDIATRICIAN

A Doctor specialising in the needs of babies and children

PARENT CARER FORUM

A Parent Carer Forum is a representative local group of parents and carers of disabled children who works with local authorities, education, health and other providers to make sure the services they plan and deliver meet the needs of disabled children and families.

PD

Physical Difficulty / Disability

PDA

Pathological Demand Avoidance

PERSONAL BUDGET

A Personal Budget is money set aside to fund support as part of an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) for a child or young person with special educational needs. It can include funds from Education, Health & Social Care. Parents of children with an EHC plan and young people with an EHC plan can choose whether or not they wish to have a Personal Budget

PEP

Personal Education Plan

PfA

Preparing for Adulthood

PHYSIOTHERAPIST

A person trained to provide assessment and treatment in movement and physical development such as balance, co-ordination, ability to sit, stand and walk. They are able to give advice to schools on programmes of support

PIAS

Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) Inclusion and Attendance Service

PI

Personal Independence Plan is a benefit that helps with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability for people aged 16 and over

PLP

Personal Learning Plan

PMLD

Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty

PMHW

Public Mental Health Worker

PORTAGE

Home-based, pre-school education for children with special educational needs. There is a national portage association, which provides a Code of Practice and accredited training. Portage home visitors work in partnership with parents, helping parents to help their child

PSP

Pastoral Support Plan to be put in place to help modify a pupil’s behaviour. They should be put in place where a child is at serious risk of permanent exclusion

PSYCHIATRIST

A doctor who helps people who have difficulties with the way they feel and behave. Child psychiatrists specialise in helping children

PSHE

Personal, social and health education

PRU

Pupil Referral Unit – a centre for pupils who are permanently excluded from school. Some PRUs are able to support schools with preventative work.

PR

Parental Responsibility

PP

Pupil premium - extra money for schools to help disadvantaged pupils of all abilities achieve their full potential.

R

RAD

Reactive attachment disorder

REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

Changes schools and other settings are required to make which could include changes to physical features (for example, creating a ramp so that students can enter a classroom), or providing extra support and aids (such as specialist teachers or equipment).

S

SAFEGUARDING

Protecting children and young people from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children and young people’s health or development; ensuring that children and young people are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; undertaking that role so as to enable those children and young people to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully

S&L

Speech and Language

SALT

Speech and Language Therapist or Therapy – this is a Health Care provision. The role and aim is to enable adults and children with speech, language and communication difficulties (and associated difficulties with eating and swallowing) to reach their maximum communication potential and achieve independence in all aspects of life. Some Post 16 providers employ their own Speech and Language Therapist.

SC

Social Care

SDQ

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

SEAL

Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning

SEN A&PT

Special Educational Needs Assessment and Placement Team

SEN

Special Educational Needs

SENCO

Special educational needs coordinator – a SENCO is a qualified teacher in a school or maintained nursery school who has responsibility for co-ordinating SEN provision. Early years settings that are part of group provision arrangements are expected to identify an individual to perform the role of SENCO

SEND

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

SENDIASS

Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service (independent service – Working at arm’s length to the Local Authority)

SELF ESTEEM

Self esteem is the way we judge ourselves as individuals and how we value or estimate what we can do. It is closely allied to self confidence. Children with low self esteem feel inside that they cannot do things.

SEND CODE OF PRACTICE 2015

This is statutory guidance that supports Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014. It tells local authorities, early years settings, schools, colleges, health & social care providers and others what they must and should do to identify, assess and provide for children and young people with SEN or disabilities

SEN IA

Special educational needs Inclusion Adviser.

SENDIST

Special Educational Needs and Disability First Tier Tribunal – an independent body that hears appeals by parents against a Local Authority decision about the statutory assessment process or the contents of an Education, Health and Care plan. The tribunal can also hear disability discrimination cases. The tribunal’s decision will be binding on both parties to the appeal.

SEN INFORMATION REPORT

All schools must publish, on their websites, information about their policy and arrangements for supporting children with SEN. This must be kept up to date.

SEN SUPPORT

Any help for children and young people with SEN that is additional to or different from the support generally made for other children of the same age. The purpose of SEN support is to help children achieve the outcomes or learning objectives that have been set for them by the school. Schools should involve parents in this process

SIGNPOSTING

Sometimes a service that provides information, advice and support may be asked for help that it is not able to give directly. When this happens the person seeking information, advice or support may signposted to other service providers. This means that they will be given information, including contact details, about other sources of help

SEMHD

Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

SLCN

Speech, Language and Communication Needs

SLD

Severe Learning Difficulties

SLT

School Leadership Team

SMT

Senior Management Team

Selective Mutism

Formerly known as elective mutism

S&PN

Sensory and/or Physical Needs

SpLD

Specific Learning Difficulty

SPDs

Sensory Processing Difficulties

SPC

Specialist Post 16 College

SPI's

Specialist Post 16 Institutions

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROVISION

For children of two or over, educational provision which is additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in schools maintained by the LA, other than special schools, in the area. For children under two it is educational provision of any kind

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND/OR DISABILITIES (SEND):

A child has a special educational need if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision to be made.

A child has a 'learning difficulty' Is a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age and/or disability that prevents or hinders a child from taking advantage of the facilities generally provided provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.

A child under compulsory school age has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she is likely to have these difficulties when they are of compulsory school age (or would be likely, if no special educational provision were made)

(Children and Families Act (2014) p 20)

SPECIAL SCHOOL

A school which is resourced and organised to provide specifically for the education of pupils with an EHC plan

SRP

Specialist Resource Provision

STLS

The Specialist Teaching and Learning Service. They offer support and advice to parents, children and schools and can have specific specialisms for example Behaviour, ASD and Communication and Interaction.

STATUTORY ASSESSMENT

This is a short term for EDUCATION, HEALTH AND CARE (EHC) NEEDS ASSESSMENT

STATUTORY GUIDANCE

Guidance that local authorities and other local bodies have a legal duty to follow

SW

Social Worker

T

TA

Teaching Assistant

TAC

Team Around the Child

TRANSITION PLAN

A plan devised following the Year 9 annual review and updated at subsequent annual reviews. The purpose of the plan is to draw together information from a range of individuals within and beyond the school in order to plan coherently for the young person’s transition to adult life

TAF

Team Around the Family

TRIBUNAL - See SENDIST

V

VI

Visual Impairment

VSK

Virtual School Kent

Y

YOS

Youth Offending Service

YP

Young People

These are the most common acronyms but do please be aware different organisations will sometimes use different ones