Glossary of terms

Academy  A state funded school in England which receives its funding directly from and is owned and controlled by central government

ADHD  Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder

AR  Annual Review – the yearly review of a statement

ASC/ASD  Autistic Spectrum Condition/Disorder

CAF  Common Assessment Framework. A method of assessment which can be used by social services, health or education. It is non statutory i.e it does not replace a statutory assessment.

CAMHS  Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

CCG  Clinical Commissioning Group. A CCG plans and arranges the delivery of health care provision for people in its area.

CP  Cerebral Palsy is a physical impairment that affects movement.

CSDPA  Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. Thisis one of the main Acts of Parliament which entitle disabled people to social care.

DfE  Department for Education

DP  Direct Payments made in lieu of services, Direct Payments may be available for health care, social care and for the special educational provision of a EHC Plan.

Dis Res  Disagreement resolution service offered by local authorities to resolve disagreements between parents, schools and the local authority.

Early Years Provider  A provider of early education places for children under five. This can include state funded and private nurseries.

EHC needs assessment  An assessment of the education, health care and social care needs of a child or young person conducted by the local authority under the Children and Families Act 2014.

EHC Plan  An education, health and care plan which may be produced at the end on an education, health and care needs assessment.

EP  Educational Psychologist.

EWO  Education Welfare Officer

EYFS  The Early Years Foundation Stage. A statutory framework which covers children both in pre-school settings and in reception classes up to their fifth birthday.

FE  Further education which includes further education colleges, sixth form colleges, specialist colleges and adult education institutions. It does not include universities.

HI  Hearing Impairment

Independent Supporter  A person recruited locally by a voluntary or community sector organisation to help families going through an EHC needs assessment and the process of developing a EHC Plan.

ISSS  Integrated Sensory Support Service

LA  Local Authority in England

Mainstream School  State school which can meet the needs of most children.

Mediation  A method of seeking to resolve disagreements by going to an  independent mediator. Mediation must be offered to a parent or young person in relation to an EHC Plan. Mediation is not compulsory for the parent or young person but they will need to consider mediation before appealing the education parts of an EHC plan in most cases with the exception of an appeal over placement only.

MLD  Moderate learning difficulties

National curriculum  A statutory entitlement to learning of all pupils determining what should be taught and setting attainment targets for learning.

OCD  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

ODD  Oppositional Defiance Disorder

Ofsted  Office of Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. This is the body which inspects and regulates services which care for children and young people and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages.

OT  Occupational Therapy, sometimes used to refer to the occupational therapist.

Outside Agencies- Professions who may not work in a school but may offer support to pupils with special needs

Paed  Paediatrician

PDD  Pervasive Developmental Disorder

Personal budget  A Personal Budget is the notional amount of money which an LA has identified as necessary to secure the special educational provision in the EHC plan.

PMLD  Profound and multiple learning difficulties

Portage  Home based educational support for pre-school children with SEN.

SEN  Special educational needs.

SENCO  Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator-the teacher with responsibility for co-ordinating special help for children with SEN at their school.

SEND Special Educational Needs and Disability

SEN Support- The first stage of SEN provision

SEN Support Plus – The next stage of SEN provision where outside agencies may be involved.

SLD  Severe learning difficulties

SLT or SALT  Speech and Language Therapy, sometimes used to refer to the Speech and Language Therapist

Special school  A school which is specifically organised to make special educational provision for pupils with SEN.

SpLD  Specific Learning Difficulties

TA  Teaching Assistant also sometimes called Learning Support Assistant (LSA).

TSP- Termly Support Plan- a plan set up for pupils on the SEN register.

VI  Visual Impairment

YOS  Youth Offending Service