Printed guide

We have also produced a printed guide for Parent Carers of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

We have written it in as simple language as we can and have sought the help from our Parent Carer Forum, Family Voice Peterborough, to do this. We have also tried to make the information flow in a way that it is easy for you to follow, especially if you are new to SEND.

Throughout this guide we have signposted you to further information that can be found on the Peterborough SEND Information Hub website. We sometimes direct you to other organisations and when we have done this, we have provided you with the URL link to their websites, and when possible, provide you with further contact details for these organisations.

Request a printed copy of the guide

You can request a printed copy by emailing Localoffer@peterborough.gov.uk

Download a pdf copy of the guide to read or print

Open a pdf copy of the guide to view or print. A guide for Parent Carers of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Other ways to help you access Peterborough SEND Information Hub information

We are very aware that not everyone feels confident to use information technology or that every household owns a computer. Therefore, it is essential that other ways of accessing this information is made known to these groups of people.

To make the Local Offer accessible to all,  the following arrangements are in place:

• The Peterborough Send Information Hub (Local Offer) is available from a smart (mobile) phone.
• Libraries across the city will help search for information online.
• Support services such as SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) will help you navigate the Local Offer. Contact: 01733 863979 
• Community groups and organisations such as Family Voice Peterborough are available to assist and help you.

The government is committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and those in alternative provision.

To achieve this ambition the government wants to work with and hear from:

• children and young people
• parents and carers
• those who advocate and work with the SEND sector
• local and national system leaders

The Department for Education has published accessible versions of the green paper, including:

• a full British Sign Language version to support those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment
• an easy-read version to support those with learning disabilities 
• a guide to help children and young people with SEND or those in alternative provision to understand the green paper and respond to the consultation

You are encouraged to consider the proposals set out in this green paper and respond to the consultation.

You can find out more on the government page.

Categories of special educational needs and disability

A child or young person has special educational needs (SEN) if they need extra support because they find it harder to learn than the majority of other children or young people of the same age.

There are four broad categories of special educational needs and disability:

• Communication and interaction.
• Cognition and learning.
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties.
• Sensory and/or physical needs

What is a disability?

A child or young person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment
that has a substantial or long term effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day
activities. Research suggests that about 6-7% of children have a disability.

Children and young people with the most complex needs will require specialist services.
They will require support with their health, education or physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development due to disabilities including:

• Multiple and complex health needs or chronic illness
• Sensory impairment such as hearing loss, visual impairment or deafblindness
• A significant and long term learning difficulty
• A physical disability
• Autistic spectrum disorder
• A severe communication disorder, or
• A significant pre-school developmental delay

There is support available for children and young people who have disabilities which do not affect their ability to learn.

Concerns about your child's learning or development

All children and young people have different personalities, strengths and needs. They develop at different rates. If you have any concerns about your child’s learning or development, please contact your health visitor, your GP or their school or setting to talk to them about this. Similarly, they may contact you if they have concerns.

Young people can talk to their class or subject teacher or a support person in their school or college if they have concerns or questions. If, however, they are under 16 years old the school or college will want to talk with their parent carers before providing Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support.

There are all sorts of reasons while your child might have short-term difficulties. It is not always because of Special Educational Needs (SEN). By talking together, parents carers and the school or setting can begin to identify the difficulties so that that they can take the right actions. In most cases a period of ‘catch-up work’ or social and well-being support will be enough.

Some children and young people, however, will have Special Educational Needs (SEN). This will need a different approach. It will require educational provision or support that is additional or different to that which is available to their peers. This support is called SEN Support. The school or setting is required to get your permission before they can place your child on SEN Support. You can find out more about SEN support on the SEN Support page.

A very small number of children will not make enough progress at school even with additional SEN support. In this case the school or the parent may decide to ask the council to carry out an assessment of the child's needs. This may result in a decision to issue an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).  You can find out more about EHCPs on the Assessment and EHC Plans page.

If you have questions or concerns about the support your child’s school is providing then you can contact the SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) for free, impartial advice and support.  You cand find out more on the SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) page.

Registering your child

The register is completely voluntary and confidential for all children and young people aged 0 to 19 whose parents or carers have notified us of a disability or additional need that impacts on their day to day life. This information is then used to determine where funding could be best used for optimum benefits.

By registering your child, you will be made aware of specific support and leisure activities available in your local area. The register also helps us to ensure parents have the most up to date information and to help plan future services. You can find more information by going to our specific web page Disability and special needs register

A parents guide

A parent's guide to language and terms used in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Reforms.

On the attached document SEND Reforms Glossary: A parent’s guide to language and terms used in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Reforms we have listed many of the terms used in the SEND world, along with explanations of their meaning and their common abbreviations.

If you would like any more terms to appear here, email localoffer@peterborough.gov.uk

To meet a specific need, we may be able to make some of the information available in an alternative format (such as large print, easy read or in a paper copy).