ALL OF THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE NEEDS REVIEWING AND BRINGING UP TO DATE

These are some of the acronyms and phrases you might come across in your role as a parent carer. It’s not an exhaustive list, so if you know of any we can add, please contact us. Thank you.

ABA

Applied Behaviour Analysis, defined as the science in which the analysis of behaviour are applied systematically to improve socially significant behaviour, and in which experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for change in behaviour.

Aiming High

Aiming High for Disabled Children (AHDC) was a central government programme to help disabled children, young people and their families.

Annual Review

The process of ensuring that a Statement of Special Educational Needs / Education, Health and Care Plan continues to describe the child’s needs and how they should be met through a meeting held once each year.

Blue Badge

The Blue Badge scheme helps you park closer to your destination if you’re disabled. Apply to your local Council.

CAMHS

Child and Adolescent Mental Health services. Provided in Warrington by the 5 Boroughs Trust.

Carer

A person who is looking after a child but isn’t their birth parent

Carer’s allowance

A benefit you apply for and receive if you are caring for someone for at least 35 hours a week. See gov.uk for more information.

Child Tax Credit

A benefit for families not working. See gov.uk for more details.

Code of Practice

A government document that schools, early years settings and local authorities follow when identifying children with SEN and meeting their needs.

Council Tax Benefit

For those on low incomes, apply to Warrington Borough Council to reduce your council tax bill. If you have a room set aside for use related to your child’s disability, you may be able to go down a council tax band. Apply to Warrington Borough Council.

Differentiation

The way in which the early years setting/school’s curriculum and teaching methods are adapted to meet the needs of a child.

Direct Payments

If you or someone you care for get help from social services, you can apply for direct payments. These let you choose and buy the services you need yourself, instead of getting them from your council.

DLA

Disability Living Allowance. This is being gradually replaced by PIP(Personal Independence Payments) for adults, but children up to 16 still qualify for DLA. Financial assistance for those with disabilities, not means tested. The care component has low, middle and high rates and the mobility component has low and high rates. Can help you qualify for further benefits, see gov.uk for more details.

Early Years

Birth to five years

Early Years Action

Collecting information about a child (0-5) who has special educational needs and requires help which is different from that provided as part of the usual curriculum, and designing a programme (often called an Individual Education Plan or IEP) for them. The programme will be drawn up by the early years practitioner/ teacher who works with the child and the SEN Co-ordinator (SENCO) and shared with parents.

Early Years Action Plus

Seeking advice or support from external specialist services for a child who cannot progress adequately on Early Years Action, and drawing up a new or revised programme to that provided at Early Years Action.

Early Years Settings

All pre-school education provision, such as nursery classes and schools, day nurseries, childminders, portage services, pre-schools and District Specialist Centres.

Early Years Foundation Stage

The framework used by all early years settings which sets out standards and provides a flexible approach which supports learning and development until the end of the reception year at school.

Educational Psychologist (EP)

A professional employed by the local authority to assess a child’s Special Educational Needs and to give advice to schools and settings as to how the child’s needs can be met.

EHC Plan

Education, Health and Care Plans will replace Statements of Special Educational Needs from September 2014. This will be phased in gradually over the next 3 years. Current Statements remain legally binding until a separate EHCP assessment has been carried out.

Employment and support allowance

ESA, benefit for adults unable to work.

Graduated approach

A model which recognises that children may need different levels of support at different stages in their early years or school lives.

Individual Education Plan

A plan written by an early years practitioner/teacher/SENCO, outlining the way the child’s needs are being met, setting SMART targets and shared with parents.

Independent Parental Supporter

Someone who can give support to parents/carers, for example, by going to meetings, encouraging parents to get involved and helping them to understand systems related to special educational needs.  Provided by SEND IASS in Warrington.

Key Stages: The different stages of education that a child passes through:

• Early Years Foundation Stage – age 0-5 (Early years setting, Nursery and Reception)
• Key Stage one – age 5-7 (Years 1 and 2)
• Key Stage two – age 7-11(Years 3, 4, 5 and 6)
• Key Stage three – age 11-14 (Years 7, 8 and 9)
• Key Stage four – age 14-16 (Years 10 and 11)
• Key Stage five – age 16-18 (Sixth form)

Learning difficulties

Problems or conditions which make learning harder for the individual than it is for most people.

Local authority (LA)

A local government body that is responsible for providing education. For children with special educational needs the LA is responsible for carrying out Statutory Assessments and maintaining Statements. Warrington Borough Council.

Independent living

Support for adults to live in the community rather than in a residential home.

Local Offer

Part of the reforms in September 2014, it is a way of enabling the sharing of information about all services available in the local area. Covers social, health and education services: what is available, how to access it, cost, and reviews. “Ask Ollie” is Warrington’s Local Offer.

Motability

Scheme to rent a vehicle using DLA to cover the costs.

 Note in Leiu

A document which the local authority may produce following statutory assessment. It describes a childs special educational needs, explains why a statement is not needed and sets out what help should be provided to support the child. The local authority will ask the parents/carers agreement before sending this document to professionals, including the schools.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

A professional trained to give advice on equipment, adaptations and activities to support the learning/ social development of people with physical, emotional or behavioural difficulties.

Paediatrician (community)

A doctor who specialises in children’s diseases and may be responsible for the continuing care of children with special educational needs both before school entry and in special and mainstream schools.

Parent Partnership Service

A service which provides information and support to parents/carers whose children have special educational needs. Replaced by Warrington Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS)

Parental leave

Eligible employees can take unpaid parental leave to look after their child’s welfare, eg to:

• Spend more time with their children
• Look at new schools
• Settle children into new childcare arrangements
• Spend more time with family – eg visiting grandparents
• Their employment rights (like the right to pay, holidays and returning to a job) are protected during parental leave.

Personal budget

Your personal budget is the money you get from Warrington Borough Council, or other health funding, to pay for the help you need.

PIP

Personal Independence Payment helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64. It is being phased in for adults over the next few years.

Portage

Home-based educational support for pre-school children with special educational needs.

Preparing for Adulthood

Formerly known as Transition, The Preparing for Adulthood programme will provide knowledge and support to local authorities and their partners, including families and young people, so they can ensure disabled young people achieve paid work, independent living, good health and community inclusion as they move into adulthood.

Respite

The provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home. Can include residential provision, or Short Breaks.

 School Action

Collecting information about a child who has special educational needs and requires help which is different from that provided as part of the usual curriculum, and designing a programme (often called an individual educational plan or IEP) for them. The programme will be designed by teachers who work with the child and the SENCO.

School Action Plus

Seeking advice or support from external specialist services for a child who cannot progress adequately on school action, and drawing up a new or revised program to that provided at school action.

SEMH

Social Emotional and Mental Health.

‘SMART’ targets

Targets which are Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Timed. This is what targets for individual children should be like.

Short breaks

Short breaks can last from just a few hours to a few days – from daytime and evening activities to weekend and overnight or maybe longer. They can take place in a community setting, the child’s own home, the home of an approved carer or in a residential setting. They also provide parents and families with a necessary and valuable break from caring responsibilities.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The needs of children who have a learning difficulty, which means that they require special educational provision to be made for them. Children who have a learning difficulty find it harder to learn than the majority of children of the same age, or they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from accessing the education provided for other children.

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)

The person responsible for the planning of special educational needs within school or early years settings.

(SENDIST) Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

An independent body that hears appeals against decisions made by the local authority on Statutory Assessments and Statements.

Special School

A school which is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs.

Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)

Learning difficulties in specific areas, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.

Speech & Language Therapist (SALT)

A professional trained to give specialist assessments, advice and treatment for children with communication difficulties.

Statement of Special Educational Needs

A legal document that sets out a child’s needs and the extra help he/she should get.

Statutory Assessment

A very detailed assessment of a child’s special educational needs. It includes parental, educational, psychological and medical advice and also the advice of any other professional involved with the child. It may lead to a Statement of Educational Needs / Education, Health and Care Plan.

Supported living

Supported living is a type of residential support that helps vulnerable adults, including people with learning disabilities, to live independently in the community.

Surestart

The children’s centres are open to all parents, carers and children and many of the services are free. You can get help and advice on child and family health, parenting, money, training and employment. They provide learning and full day care for preschool children and advice and support for parent carers of disabled children.

Transition plan

A plan drawn up during the Year 9 Annual Review of a Statement. It should take account of the views of the young person, his/her parents and all the professionals involved with the young person. It must involve the Connexions Personal Adviser. The plan sets out the steps that need to be taken to move from school to adult life.

Abbreviation List

The following list contains abbreviations that you may see written in relation to a child’s Special Educational Needs.

ADD

Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

AEO

Assistant Education Officer

ASD/C

Autistic Spectrum Disorder/Condition

BESD

Behavioural, Emotional and Social Development – This term is no longer used, but may appear on historical documentation.

BSL

British Sign Language

CAF

Common Assessment Framework

CoP

Code of Practice

DfE

Department for Education (Government)

EA

Equality Act

ECHP

Education, Health and Care Plan

ENT

Ear, Nose and Throat

EO

Education Officer

EOTAS

Education Other Than At School

EP

Educational Psychologist

EWO

Educational Welfare Officer

EY

Early Years

FE

Further Education

GP

General Practitioner – Doctor

HI

Hearing Impairment

IEP

Individual Education Plan

IPS

Independent Parental Supporter

LA

Local Authority

MLD

Moderate Learning Difficulties

NAS

National Autistic Society

NC

National Curriculum

NHS

National Health Service

OT

Occupational Therapist

PMLD

Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

PSHE

Personal Social and Health Education

SALT

Speech and Language Therapist

SCD

Social Communication Disorder

SEN

Special Educational Needs

SENCO

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator

SENDIST

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

SLD

Severe Learning Difficulties

SpLD

Specific Learning Difficulties

TA

Teaching Assistant

TAC

Team Around the Child meeting

TR

Transition Review

VI

Visual Impairment