SEN support guide for professionals
Help for all practitioners and providers to identify how conditions can affect children and young people and how to access support with or without a diagnosis.
If you would like to make a suggestion or have a comment about this guide, please email SENDpartnership@lancashire.gov.uk.
5. Level 1 Universal support
Universal services which are freely available to all. Support at this level includes education provision (childminder, nursery, pre-school, home tutor, school, college, university), health provision (GP, Health Visitor, School Nurse (core programme), Dentist, and other providers such as housing.
If a child or young person has SEN needs identified, one of the first places to look for information and support is the SEND local offer.
The SEND local offer is:
- information, advice, support, and services
- provided by education, health, Lancashire County Council (the local authority) and voluntary organisations
- local to Lancashire
- for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25
Where a child is identified as having SEN support needs, the graduated approach to support (step by step) should be implemented.
SEN support is the system by which schools should assess the needs of pupils, and then provide appropriate support. The system should follow four stages, often referred to as a 'cycle': Assess, Plan, Do, Review.
Assess: The class teacher or subject teacher (working with the SENDCO) is responsible for carrying out a clear assessment of a pupil’s needs, drawing on teacher assessments and experience of the pupil.
Plan: Where it is decided to provide a pupil with SEN Support, the parent carers must be notified. All teachers and support staff who work with a pupil should be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies that are required.
Do: The planned interventions (support) should then be put into place. The class or subject teacher should work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved and the SENDCO should support the class or subject teacher.
Review: Reviews should take place at least termly (three times a year) and inform the analysis of the child’s ongoing needs.
Information for education providers about the graduated approach can be found and via the support reference guide.
Children can struggle with their emotions, becoming very worried, upset, or angry, which can lead to difficulties regulating (managing) their emotional behaviour. More information can be found on the Local Offer health and wellbeing page
Parent carers may be unsure what is causing their child's behaviour, but it is important to identify when this behaviour needs more support. Children and young people don't need a diagnosis to access this support. Support can be found online at Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope and includes Lancashire Mind, Kooth, Shout, Youth Zone and the Samaritans for those over 18.
Parent carers can sometimes struggle to manage their child's behaviour, but support can be found through talking to health practitioners, such as GP, Health Visitor or School Nurse, Key roles within children’s health services through education provision, including nursery, child minder, school, college or university Support at school.
For pupils who are struggling to attend school or college, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) guidance and training is available for education providers. A guide has been co-produced with parent carers and will soon be available on the Local Offer.
Children and young people can have their needs met by universal services (those that freely available), which include health providers, such as GP's, Health Visitors (Lancashire Healthy Young People and Families Service), School Nurses (Lancashire Healthy Young People and Families Service) and Dentists (NHS Dentists in Lancashire Taking New Patients » Find an NHS Dentist) education providers, including nurseries, child minder's, schools, colleges and universities, and other providers such as the Housing support.
Most children, young people and families will experience challenges in their lives that impact on their wellbeing. However, most families will be able to weather these challenges (are resilient to them) either without help from services, or with advice, guidance, and support from universal services, including empathy and understanding. More information about working well with children and families can be found here Working Well with Children and Families in Lancashire.