There is a wide range of support available for you and your family in H&F.
Special education needs (SEN) support
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, the early years' keyworker or teacher, and the (SENCO) from your child’s nursery or school setting will work together to create an SEN support plan.
Many children with an SEN support plan attend mainstream settings including nurseries, schools or colleges and receive the support they need. For a list of nurseries, schools and colleges in the borough visit School contact details.
For information related to what you can expect from mainstream settings, please visit the Ordinarily Available Provision Guide, which refers to the support that all H&F early years, schools, and post-16 settings should be able to provide for children or young people, including those with SEN.
To learn more about school admissions and SEN please visit School admissions and SEND.
INSPIRE support services
The Inclusion and Specialist Intervention Outreach Service (INSPIRE) can support mainstream settings bringing together a group of specialist teachers who collaborate with staff to meet the needs of pupils aged 0–25 with SEN.
The INSPIRE Joint Communication Team (JCT) works to support the educational needs of children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
The INSPIRE Autism Inclusion Team is a licensed training partner with the Autism Education Trust. It delivers the Department for Education (DfE)-supported Autism Education Trust (AET) Professional Development Programme.
Children with complex needs
If your child has complex needs and has an education, health, and care (EHC) plan, they might attend a specialist setting. Please visit SEN resource base units and specialist schools to learn more.
Education, health, and care (EHC) plans
You may want to consider requesting an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment if your child:
• has high support needs
• is receiving support from a wide range of services
• is not making progress even though the support is increasing in type and amount
You can discuss this with your GP, teacher, or SENCO. The education, health, and care (EHC) needs assessment could lead to an education, health, and care plan (EHC plan). This is a legal document that sets out a child's or young person's special educational, health, and social needs and how those needs should be met. The plan will set out the long-term outcomes and the help that will be provided. Find out more about education, health, and care (EHC) plans.
The (SEN OT) special education needs team service supports children in school who have an EHC plan which includes occupational therapy needs. The team supports children and young people to become more independent and skilled in various tasks, such as participation in lessons and recommendations for equipment use.
Transferring to secondary school
For children receiving SEN support, you and your child should discuss the arrangements for the transition to secondary school with your teacher and SENCOs. See Transferring to secondary school
For young people with an EHC plan, the annual review in Year 5 will consider your child's transfer from primary to secondary school, so there is time for planning and for you to consider the available options. The Year 5 review should be held in the summer term so that the final amended EHC plan can be issued by 15 February of the year of transfer.
Please visit Annual reviews for EHC plans for more information