Special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND)

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is a term used across the 0 to 25 years age range. SEND can affect a child or young person's ability to learn, and they may need additional or different arrangements that support their learning. There are two levels of support for children and young people with SEND who have additional needs:  

Special Educational Needs (SEN) support

SEND support means support that is extra to, or different from, the support generally made for other children of the same age in a school. It is provided for pupils who are identified as having a learning difficulty or a disability that requires extra or different help to what is normally provided as part of the school's usual curriculum offer.

Education, health, and care plans (EHCP)

An EHCP may be issued for a pupil who needs more support than is available through SEND support. This will follow a statutory assessment process whereby the local authority considers the pupil's special educational needs and any relevant health and social care needs.

The SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years - GOV.UK is statutory guidance which outlines the duties of health, social care and education to identify all children and young people with SEND in their local area, and to work together to ensure provision is in place to meet their needs and improve their outcomes.

The code of practice outlines four broad areas of need: 

• Communication and Interaction (C and I)
• Cognition and Learning (C and L)
• Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH)
• Sensory and or Physical needs

Learn more about SEND on the What are Special Educational Needs (SEN)? - Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council webpage.

Every area, like Stockton-on-Tees, has something called a SEND Local Offer. This is a list of all the services and information that can help children with SEND. It is there for families to find out what kind of help is available in their area. The Children and Families Act 2014 made this something that every council must provide.

SEND is both a contributor to and cause of socioeconomic disadvantage for families. The national evidence base highlights that families with children with SEND can face many challenges. 

The number of children with SEND is expected to grow across all educational settings, mainstream, special and resourced provision, over the coming years. 

Children who are involved with social care are substantially more likely than other children to have SEND, which their experiences of trauma or neglect will likely contribute to.

To try and reduce the suspension rates for pupils with SEN support and EHCPs. 

To lower the rising permanent exclusion rate, which shows unmet needs among our children and young people. 

There is an ability gap between pupils with SEND and their classmates across every phase of education, especially for pupils with EHCPs.

Prepare for the expected rise in needs, particularly in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)  and or neurodevelopmental and speech and language areas. 

Our data shows that pupils shift in and out of categories of need during their time in education. For example, a reduction in Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and increase in Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) as a primary need as pupils progress from primary to secondary school), and it is likely that there are unidentified needs for our children and young people influenced by factors including waiting times for Neurodevelopmental assessments and young people with SEMH needs with unidentified SLCN.

Pupils with EHCP and SEND support plans have consistently higher absence rates than those with no identified SEN.

Local partners report that children's needs are appearing earlier and becoming more complex.

Key themes have emerged through a range of engagement and co production with families to guide how the local SEND system supports them:  

• we work together for a good life - children, young people and their families are at the heart of the way we work. We treat one another with dignity, empathy and curiosity to discover what a good life looks like, focusing on what matters not just what's the matter
• nothing about us without us - the views of children, young people and families inform decisions about their lives, the planning, delivery, and commissioning of services  

• inclusion children and young people are supported to live an ordinary life 

We will closely monitor the ethnic diversity and needs of our children with SEND, especially those learning English as an additional language. This is vital to ensure all children progress and achieve good outcomes.

Attendance in an education setting is a key protective factor in keeping children and young people safe. The role of the Virtual School in Stockton-on-Tees and the continued connective working between social care, SEND and education are crucial factors to narrow the attainment gap for our children and young people and keep them safe.

While most absence is due to illness, they can also indicate broader issues. There is a growing body of national evidence and feedback from the local system highlighting an increase in Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) for children with SEND. A joint response between health, education and the council is required to ensure that there is a clear graduated response that meets different levels of need (from early intervention and prevention support through to medical advice and health input for significant need) and takes a family focused approach.

There are a number of changes taking place within the local education system which will be crucial in increasing the range of local provision to meet growing needs including: 

• the introduction of SEND Units and ARPs (Additionally Resourced Provision) for September 2025, these will create more school places offering additional support to pupils with SEND. 

• the development of inclusive mainstream education practice and standards

Local system transformation is required to address rates of exclusion and suspension. This will be steered through the development of a new model and strategy for Alternative Provision (AP) which will increase the pathways of support for pupils, provide early intervention and increase engagement with education.

Joint commissioning of pathways that enable early intervention and identification through the early years and beyond will be crucial to ensure that need is identified and met at the earliest point, and outcomes improve for children and young people.   

Over the coming years, the needs of young people who transition to adult services will change and become more complex.  Strategic planning of support, care and housing will need to reflect and respond to these changes in need.  

Developing post-16 opportunities and employment options is a priority to enhance outcomes for our young people.