Special educational needs and disabilities - 5-11 years

Starting school can be daunting if your child has special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Finding support is important so that things do not become overwhelming.  

Our SEND Hub can provide you with information on what support is available to you and your child.  

All mainstream schools must publish their SEND Information Report, outlining how they support children with special educational needs and disabilities, on their website. Schools must do everything reasonably possible to ensure that a child with SEND gets the support they need to access education and make progress - whether your child attends a mainstream or specialist setting. 

A list of schools, including special schools, can be found on our website. Some schools have specialist hubs attached to them.  

If you have worries or are concerned about your child's progress or wellbeing in school, you can arrange to talk to your child's class teacher or the SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator).

It is important to understand that your child does not need a diagnosis to access support to meet their needs. Most children and young people with SEND have: 

• their needs met in schools and settings, and
• will not need an education, health and care plan 

This process is known as the graduated response, but your child's SENCO may also refer to it as SEN support. You can find out more on our SEND Hub. 

An education, health and care plan (EHCP) is a legal document that describes a child or young person's special education, health and social care needs. 

Your child may already have an EHCP in place, but if they don't, you or or your child's education setting may feel it is necessary to apply for one to meet their needs. You can find out about the process on our SEND Hub. 

As part of the EHC needs assessment process, your child may be seen by our Educational Psychology Service.  

If your child has certain medical conditions, disabilities or an EHCP, they may be entitled to help with transport to school. 

Also, the sensory support service provides educational support to: 

• children and young people with hearing loss and/or a vision impairment from birth to age 25
• their families
• their educational settings

You can find out more about the sensory support service on our website.

Sirona Care and Health are the providers of children's community health services across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. They offer services such as:  

• lifetime service
• neurodevelopmental nursing
• neurodisability
• occupational therapy
• school nursing service
• specialist health advisors for SEND
• autism and ADHD assessments
• physiotherapy
• speech and language therapy
• bladder and bowel service

Sirona Care and Health are the local provider of autism assessment services for children and young people with neurodiversity needs and suspected autism causing them significant difficulties in their daily life despite appropriate support. 

Information about this service, including referral criteria and signposting for support, can be found on the Sirona website. They also offer an ADHD assessment service for children and young people. You can also find out about accessing an assessment for autism or ADHD via the Right to Choose pathway. 

More information about this process is on the ICB website. 

Your child may want to access before- and after-school care (also known as wraparound). You can find out what your school offers by talking to them. There is also a helpful list of holiday activities suitable for children and young people with SEND on the SEND Hub section of our website.   

Short breaks are available for some children with disabilities and could include daytime, evening, overnight and weekend activities for the child or young person. Short breaks usually require an assessment and referral from a social care professional.

It can be challenging as a parent of a child with additional needs. North Somerset Parent Carers Working Together (NSPCWT) is the local parent carer forum.  

NSPCWT nurtures an environment of support and a space where you can feel safe asking questions. They also offer practitioner-led training on a range of topics to help you support your child or young person. 

Peer support

You can join peer support sessions, which are held at various locations across North Somerset and hosted by NSPCWT's peer support team. These are often arranged with agencies that can offer you direct support. Their peer support workers are a great listening ear, can signpost you to relevant agencies and are happy to make many cups of tea. Find out more about NSPCWT and what they offer on their website. 

SAY is North Somerset's information and advice service for SEND. They provide free information, advice and support services for parents and children and young people up to age 25 who have SEND.

• SOS!SEN: Independent helpline for special educational needs
• Nasen: National association for special educational needs
• Kids: List of national organisations