Young People's Frequently asked questions
Email this pageWhat is SEN or SEND?
These letters stand for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. These include ADHD, Autism, Hearing impairment, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties, Learning Difficulties, Physical Difficulties and more. It is anything that makes it harder for you to learn.
What is SEN Support?
If you have special educational needs and/or disability your school or college will put SEN support in place. This should help you to make progress.
Every college should have a Learning Support Team. The Learning Support Team are responsible for supporting any students with learning difficulties.
If you think you may need help at college, you should speak with the Learning Support Team at the start of the academic year. If you know what you need you can ask for help before you start your course and this will give the university time to consider how they can help you.
You should arrange a confidential chat with the team:-
- tell them about your disability and any difficulties you may have
- explain what you need help with and the reasonable adjustments you think with help
- you may not know what reasonable adjustments will help so ask them what they can offer you
What does 'making reasonable adjustments' mean?
Colleges and universities have a legal duty to try to remove the barriers you face in education because of disability. This is called ‘making reasonable adjustments’. These adjustments help make sure you get the same access to education as anyone else.
Colleges and training providers must also make reasonable adjustments for disabled apprentices and trainees.
Reasonable adjustments SEN support can include many different things, for example, you may need:-
- Additional written resources such as getting notes and lectures in advance
- Tape or digital recorder for lectures and notes
- accessible rooms and venues, such as having quiet space
- speech to text for video conferencing
- equipment or aids, such as BSL interpreters, scribes or specialist computer equipment
- accessible rooms and venues, such as having quiet spaces
- Allowing you extra time to complete essays or exams
- Providing handouts on different colour paper, or in a larger fonts
The college will consider your request and if it meets your needs and if it is 'reasonable'. You may be asking for something that meets your needs but affects other student's health & safety needs and in this case it may be refused. Reasonable adjustments are defined under the Equality Act.
What does the Graduated Approach mean?
This is how your school or college might help get you the right support. They will try a way of supporting you (an approach) and see if it helps. If you need more help they will gradually add more help, or try different ideas. They will keep checking your support is right.
The College is not able to meet my needs, what should I do?
It is expected that most students SEN needs can be met through the college's SEN funding provision but if the college is not able to meet your needs you should:-
- meet with the SEN Learning Team and ask for additional help
- ask the college if they can apply for an extra funding to help you, this is called 'high needs funding'
- apply for an EHC Needs Assessment
How can a SENCO at school or college help me?
The SEN Co-ordinator, or SENCO, is the member of staff at school or college who makes sure young people with special needs get support. You can ask your teacher to speak with the SENCO if you might need extra help.
Every college or university should have a Learning Support Team. The Learning Support Team are responsible for supporting any students with learning difficulties.
If you think you may need help at college or university, you should speak with the Learning Support Team at the start of the academic year. If you know what you need you can ask for help before you start your course and this will give the university time to consider how they can help you.
The college have told me I need an EHC plan, is this correct?
It is expected that most students SEN needs can be met through the college's SEN funding.
You can ask the college to apply for High Needs funding. High Needs Funding is funding that Further Education colleges or approved Educational Establishments can apply for to help them to support young people.
If the college have used their best endeavours to support you and have applied for high needs funding but this is not sufficient to meet your needs, you may need to apply for an EHC Needs Assessment. An EHC Needs Assessment is the first step towards an EHC plan.
Will an EHC plan pay for my college course?
An EHCP will not automatically pay course tuition fees. The funding will be dependent on the needs and outcomes described in your EHCP and any progress you have made.
The local authority must consider if your chosen course suits your needs and is an efficient use of their resources.
An EHC plan will outline your special educational needs and the help that is required to support and help you prepare for adulthood. The local authority will consider a range of options such as, further education, training, a supported internship or apprenticeship.
The package does not need to include study towards formal qualifications but can include activities such as, volunteering or community participation, work experience, life skills and independent living, training to develop social skills/maintain friendships etc.
How can I get an EHC plan?
A parent or young person aged 16 or over will need to apply to the local authority for an Education, Health & Care Needs Assessment.
If the local authority agree to carry out the assessment, the timeframe of the assessment is 20 weeks and at the end of the assessment the local authority will decide whether an EHC Plan is necessary.
You can find the application form on Education Health & Care Needs Assessments
Will my EHC plan continue at college?
If you have an EHC plan, it does not have to end when you leave school. Your plan can continue up to the age of 25, as long as you still have special educational needs and remain in a form of education or training.
Your EHC plan will be reviewed when you move to a new school, for example secondary school or college.
When you reach 19 years old, the local authority must consider whether the education/training outcomes within the EHC plan have been met. If the learning goals have not been met and you need more time to achieve them, the EHC plan will continue (up to 25).
What is the ‘SEND Code of Practice’?
The SEND Code of Practice is written by the government. It explains how all people with special needs or disabilities should be supported. It tells you your rights in detail. It is sometimes called its short name, CoP (Code of Practice).
What is the Children and Families Act 2014?
This is the law, written by the government. It explains the rules about support for young people with SEND, and how schools, colleges, and councils, should work together to provide this.
What is mental capacity?
Mental capacity is when you have the ability to make a decision on your own. Someone might not have mental capacity if they are unwell or if they have a learning disability that stops them from understanding information or being able to make a decision. Not having mental capacity to make a decision does not mean you can’t have information, advice and support.