Getting My Child The Additional Help In School He Or She Needs
by: Noel Swanson
The British government promised "that a child with special educational needs should have their needs met" (sec. 1.3, SEN Code of Practice, 2001). Even though it's printed for all to see, they won't be able to keep the promise, as they don't have the resources.
The British government has promised that "a child with special educational needs should have their needs met" (sec. 1.3, SEN Code of Practice, 2001). This is a pretty rash thing to promise, since there is no way that they have the resources to back this up. However, there it is, in black and white!
So, how do you make sure that your child with special needs gets the help they need in school? First, understand how your school is set up. Second, even with governmental promises, there is still a limit to the resources. You need to develop a good working partnership with your school so you can state your concerns and be confident that they will be resolved.
Typically, a child's educational needs can be met in the normal classroom (commonly called mainstreaming). If it does become evident that the child is not making progress as expected, the school has the responsibility to take some action. Progress delays are evaluated in the following areas:
If you have concerns about your child's educational progress, talk to her teacher and/ or the SEN Coordinator (SENCO) at her school. If they think she's having problems, they will add her name to the Special Education Needs Register, if they haven't already done so.
If you have concerns about your child, discuss them with your child's teacher and/or the school's SEN Co-ordinator. If they are in agreement with your concerns, they may place his or her name on the Special Educational Needs Register. In fact, they may have already done so.
If the school does determine that there are special needs present in your child, they have the responsibility to meet those needs. This can be done in a variety of ways, but the most important thing is that everyone (parents, teachers, and school staff) should have clear and realistic goals that your child can achieve.
The goal-setting process is usually accomplished through the development of an IEP (Individual Education Plan).
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Getting My Child The Additional Help In School He Or She Needs
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About The Author
Dr. Noel Swanson is a child psychiatrist who specializes in child behaviour problems. He has a fascinating website with lots of parenting help that is well worth a visit, and also a must-read book, The GOOD CHILD Guide. http://www.good-child-guide.com/
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