A child has 'special educational needs' if he or she has learning difficulties and needs extra help. This could be because they have a physical disability, problem with sight, hearing or speech, emotional or behavioural problems, medical or health problems or learning difficulties.

Early intervention and support for children is important to help them to make good progress. Full discussion of children's needs at an early stage can lessen the need for further help.

Most children's needs will be met in a mainstream school, but some children may require more specialist help and will attend a special school. Southwark Council is committed to inclusive education and will place children in local mainstream schools wherever possible.

All children will be following the National Curriculum and will have access to broad and well-balanced lessons.

• Information about the special needs policy
• The name of the teacher responsible for special educational needs (usually called the SENCO)
• Information about the arrangements for deciding which children need help and how it will be given
• A description of how the school will work closely with parents and carers

All maintained schools in Southwark provide help for children with special educational needs and they all have budgets for this purpose. The Code of Practice on special educational needs published by the DfES, which schools must 'have regard to', provides guidance about the practical help that can be given.

The code recommends schools use a step-by-step approach. The level of help is matched to the needs of the child. In Southwark schools, the first three stages of assessing and meeting special educational needs are school-based. The final two stages involve Southwark's Special Educational Needs.

School-based stages of support:

1. Talk to your child's class teacher who will record your concerns. Information will be gathered from everyone working with your child and early action taken.
   Who's responsible? School

2. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator becomes involved by meeting with you and your child's teacher. An Individual Education Plan is drawn up, setting out the help given and a date arranged to review progress.
   Who's responsible? School

3. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator requests specialist help from outside the school. This could be from an educational psychologist, a specialist teacher or therapist.
   Who's responsible? School

4. Southwark Special Educational Needs Section considers the request for a statutory assessment either from the child's parents or school. If appropriate a multi-disciplinary assessment is made, seeking advice from parents and everyone working with the child.
   Who's responsible? School / Southwark Special Educational Needs

5. When all the advice is gathered for your child this will be presented to the Special Educational Needs panel for consideration and, if appropriate, a statement is made. A statement is a document setting out all the help your child needs and the special help he or she should have. This will be reviewed annually.
   Who's responsible? School / Southwark Special Educational Needs

If you are worried about the help your child is receiving at school, or feel that they may have special educational needs, which haven't been identified, you should ask to meet with your child's teacher or headteacher. Try to arrange meetings when you all have time to discuss your concerns fully. Think about what you would like to tell your child's teacher about your child, what he or she enjoys doing, what they are good at, what you feel concerned about and ask how the school will be able to help

Five facts for parents:

1. Parents know their child better than anyone. Your knowledge, views and experience are vital.

2. Close co-operation between parents and their child's school, helps to support and encourage children to make progress.

3. Active parental involvement is vital for your child to succeed, you may be asked to work with your child to help him or her at home.

4. Parents have an essential part to play in providing information for the school-based stages of assessment and statutory assessment.

5. Children's needs will be most successfully met when there is the greatest possible degree of partnership between parents, their children, the school and school provision and Southwark Education and Lifelong Learning.

• What is a statutory assessment?

  It is a detailed examination of your child's special educational needs. It will aim to find out exactly what your child's needs are and what help they require. The assessment involves parents, the school, health authority, and Educational Psychology Service. Southwark Children's Services and Education Welfare and Attendance Service will be contacted for any relevant information, but they will not become involved unless they have been working with you and your child.

• When is a statutory assessment considered?
  • If your child needs more support than can be provided by a mainstream school from its own resources.

  • If your child's needs are significant and complex.

  • Your child has not responded to the help and strategies put into place by the school and supporting agencies.

• Who can request an assessment?
  • Your child's school is able to ask the local education authority to consider making a statutory assessment of your child. The school will consult you before they make such as request.
  • Parents and carers are able to write to the LEA to request a statutory assessment of their child's special educational needs.

  If you disagree with the LEA's decision, you should first refer to the disagreement resolution services which all LEAs must provide, and can get advice from IPSEA (Independent Panel for Special Education Advice). While it is good practice for LEAs and parents to reach agreement without formal tribunal hearings, parents can appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal within 2 months of an LEA's decision.

  The Contact a Family website has useful information about assessments and the circumstances and process of appealing.

• Southwark is committed to inclusive education and will place children in local mainstream schools wherever possible.

• Parents of children with completed statements are able to say which state school they prefer their child to attend subject to certain conditions.

• The school named on your child's statement must accept your child.

• Children are only offered a place at a special school if they have a statement of special educational needs.

• Special schools are arranged in primary and secondary phases, and together with the specialist units offer a wide range of provision to meet a variety of learning difficulties.

• Placement at a special school is considered by the Special Educational Needs Panel.

To find out about schools in Southwark, please see our 'Schools in Southwark' information sheet - coming soon.

• Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
  Based at your child's school. Provides information concerning the School based stages of assessment.

• Special Educational Needs
  Provides information concerning Statutory Assessment procedures.
  Tel: 020 7525 2671

• Parent Partnership Co-ordinator
  Advice and assistance on any matter relating to a child's special educational needs
  Tel: 020 7525 2673

• Educational Psychology Service
  A psychological assessment and support service to children with Special Educational Needs. A referral is usually made through your child's class teacher or school nurse.
  Tel: 020 7525 2703

These services are at:

Southwark Education and Lifelong Learning, John Smith House, 144-152 Walworth Road, London SE17 1JL.

Special Educational Needs Support Group (SEN)
1a Newton Court, Newton Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 5BA
Tel: 0161 755 3482, 07990 594060 (Mobile). Fax: 0161 755 3482. Email: sengroup@hotmail.com
Informs parents and carers of matters relating to their child's education. Also provides an independent and confidential service. Contact: Marsha White.

In Touch
10 Norman Road, Sale, Cheshire M33 3DF
Tel 0161 905 2440. Fax 0161 718 5787.
Contacts and information service for parents of children with special needs. Contact: Ann Worthington.

Advisory Centre for Education (ACE)
1c Aberdeen Studios, 22 Highbury Grove, London N5 2DQ
Tel 020 7354 8321 (helpline: Mon-Fri 2-5pm), 0808 800 5793 (freephone helpline) & 020 7704 9822 (exclusions)
Free independent confidential advice to parents on all aspects of education (5-16 years). ACE produce a leaflet called 'Getting Extra Help' for special educational needs. You can read a summary and download the full version (and other advice leaflets) from the ACE website.

IPSEA (Independent Panel for Special Education Advice)
6 Carlow Mews, Woodbridge IP12 1DH.
Tel. 0800 018 4016 Advice Line.
IPSEA offers free and independent advice on Local Education Authorities' legal duties to assess and provide for children with special educational needs. IPSEA gives advice to parents who are uncertain about, or disagree with, the LEA's views of their child's special educational needs. They offer a Free Representation Service for which there is a waiting list.

Special Educational Needs Tribunal
Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0NW.
Tribunal Helpline: 01325 392 555. Email: tribunalqueries@sent.gsi.gov.uk.
The Special Educational Needs Tribunal hears parents' appeals against Local Education Authority (LEA) decisions affecting children with Special Education Needs (SEN).

Southwark Contact a Family
Walworth Methodist Church, 54 Camberwell Road, London SE5 0EN
Tel: 020 7277 4436. Fax: 020 7703 6449. Email: southwark@cafamily.org.uk
See the CaF website for a factsheet about the procedures for identifying, assessing and making provision for children's special educational needs in England. Contact a Family (CaF) provides support and advice to parents on a range of issues, whatever the medical condition of their child.

Parents for Inclusion
Unit 2, 70 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1RL
Tel: 020 7735 7735 (Admin), 020 7582 5008 (Helpline: Tues, Wed, Thurs 10 - 12 pm and 1 - 3 pm). Email: info@parentsforinclusion.org
Promotes inclusion for disabled children in mainstream schools.

Network 81
1-7 Woodfield Terrace, Stansted CM24 8AJ
Tel. 0870 770 3306 (Mon - Fri, 10am - 2pm) Calls charged at national rate.
Network 81 is a national network of parents working towards properly resourced inclusive education for children with special needs.

AFASIC
2nd Floor, 50-52 Great Sutton Street, London EC1V 0DJ
Tel: 020 7490 9410 (Administration), 0845 355 5577 (Helpline: Mon-Fri 11am-2pm at local call rate). Fax: 020 7251 2834. Email: info@afasic.org.uk
Afasic is the UK charity representing children and young adults with speech and language impairments, working for their inclusion in society and supporting their parents and carers.

British Dyslexia Association
98 London Rd, Reading RG1 5AU
Tel: Helpline 0118 966 8271; Administration 0118 966 2677. Fax: 0118 935 1927. E-mail: info@dyslexiahelp-bda.demon.co.uk; admin@bda-dyslexia.demon.co.uk
BDA offers advice, information and help to families, professionals and dyslexic individuals. This includes providing information to parents on signs of dyslexia, choosing a school and other education-related matters.

Down's Syndrome Association
155 Mitcham Road, London, SW17 9PG
Tel: 020 8682 4001. Fax: 020 8682 4012. Email: info@downs-syndrome.org.uk
DSA's website offers information about inclusion for pupils with Down's Syndrome in mainstream primary and secondary education.

Mencap
123 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0RT
Tel: 020 7454 0454. Fax: 020 7696 5540. Email: information@mencap.org.uk
Mencap works to improve the lives and opportunities of children and adults with a learning disability, their families and carers.

National Autistic Society
Advocacy for Education Service, 393 City Road, London, EC1V 1NG
Tel: 020 7833 2299. Fax 020 7833 9666. Email: nas@nas.org.uk
The Advocacy for Education Service provides advice and advocacy on special educational needs provision and entitlements for families whose children have autism or Asperger Syndrome to help guide them through this complex and difficult process.

RNIB (Royal National Institute of the Blind)
PO Box 173, Peterborough PE2 6WS
Tel: 0845 766 9999 (local call). Fax: 020 7388 2034. Email: helpline@rnib.org.uk.
RNIB helps anyone with a sight problem and campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people.

Scope
6 Market Road, London N7 9PW
Tel: 0808 800 3333 (Helpline: 9am-9pm weekdays, 2pm-6pm weekends). Email: cphelpline@scope.org.uk
Scope is a disability organisation in England and Wales whose focus is people with cerebral palsy. Scope's aim is that disabled people achieve equality: a society in which they are as valued, and have the same human and civil rights, as everyone else.

You can also find links to support organisations on the following websites:

Southwark Council
Town Hall, Peckham Road, London SE5 8UB.
Tel: 020 7525 5000

The Special Education Needs section of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) website aims to provide a wide range of advice and materials for teachers, parents and others interested in or currently working with children with special educational needs.

Atkins Education are working in partnership with Southwark Council until 2006 to improve education in the borough. This website provides information for children, parents and young people, as well as teachers, governors and education professionals.

DyslexicHelp.org aims to help parents identify sources of information to help them understand more about Dyslexia and how to help their children cope with it. It has a section on Special Schools and links to other websites.

Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham Health Authority, 1 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7NT