The landscape of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the UK is vast and intricate. It involves diverse needs, evolving policies and ongoing challenges. For many parents and caregivers, it can be difficult to understand what’s available or know how to navigate the current system - and if you read the news it can bring little in the way of hope.
Here at GoStudent, we don’t want to whitewash the reality of the current SEND-related difficulties facing many families, caregivers and educators. We would, however, like to highlight some key points, based on expert insight, and offer real advice and solutions for those taking steps to address their child’s SEND needs.
As part of our deep dive into the current SEND landscape, we spoke to two experts, Matthew Selsdon and Dr Helen Ross. Matthew is Deputy Head of a special needs school in Oxfordshire and Dr Helen Ross is a Dyslexia and SEND Consultant and Specialist Assessor.
We use the terms SEND (and also SEN) to talk about learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for children and young people to learn. SEND encompasses a wide spectrum of learning differences, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ADHD to autism spectrum disorder as well as physical disabilities.
