Jargon buster for special educational needs and disabilities

A

ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder

AET - Autism Education Trust 

ASC - Autistic Spectrum Condition

ASC – Adult Social Care

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder 

Academy - A state funded school which receives its funding from and is owned and controlled by central government, not a local authority

Alternative provision – education arranged for pupils who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education

Annual Review - process of ensuring that an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) is updated annually

Apprenticeship - paid job that includes training, leading to nationally recognised qualifications

Assessment - finding out what someone can do and what they many need support with 

B

BSL - British Sign Language

C

CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

CSDPA - The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. This is one of the main acts of parliament that entitle disabled people to social care

Care Plan - record of the health and/or social services being provided to a child or young person

CoP – Code of Practice - document designed to help families, schools, local authorities, health services and other organisations make effective decisions about support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

Commissioning - understanding what services and support is needed, then planning, prioritising and putting support in place

CHC - Continuing Healthcare – package of care given outside of hospital which is arranged and funded by the NHS

Co-production - a way of working where service providers and families work together to design or change services and support

CYP – children and young people

D

DDA - Disability Discrimination Act

DLA - Disability Living Allowance

DP – Direct Payments – a type of personal budget provided as a payment that allows an individual to choose and buy services, instead of having them provided

Disability - physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities

CWD team – Children with Disability social care team

DSP - Dynamic Support Pathway - timely support for individuals (all age) with a learning disability, autism or both whose health or wellbeing is deteriorating

DSP – Designated Special Provision – specialist support and provision for children and young people with SEND as part of a mainstream school – in Rutland these are based at Oakham CofE Primary school and Catmose College. 

DfE - Department for Education

E

EHA - Early Help Assessment- getting to know a family to understand what support they need

EHCNA – Education Health and Care Needs Assessment – getting to know a child or young person to understand if they need an EHCP and if so, the support that is needed

EHCP – Education Health and Care Plan – for children and young people who need more support than is available through inclusive mainstream provision

EOTAS - Education otherwise than at school – provision that meets the needs of children and young people who cannot attend a mainstream or special school

EP - Educational Psychologist – qualified professional who assesses a child’s special educational needs to give advice on how these needs can be met

ERP – Enhanced Resource Provision – specialist support and provision for children and young people with SEND as part of a mainstream school – in Rutland this is based at Uppingham Community College

EYFS - Early Years Foundation Stage - statutory framework which covers children both in pre-school settings and in reception classes up to their fifth birthday

Early Years – children aged birth to 5 years old

Early Years Provider - provider of early education places for children under five

Education Setting - general phrase to describe a place where a child or young person receives their education, for example a nursery, school, or college

F

FE - Further Education – academic and vocational education to anyone above the age of 16 who wishes to study – excludes university degrees

G

Graduated Approach - process that helps a school identify and support children with special educational needs and disabilities which involves 4 steps: assess, plan, do, review

H

Healthwatch - independent consumer champion, gathering and representing the views of the public about health and social care services

I

ICB - Integrated Care Board – NHS organisations responsible for planning health services 

IMP – Inclusive Mainstream Practice – ways to make sure all children and young people feel welcome and included at school or college. Barriers to learning are removed and children and young people get the support they need to develop their talents and achieve their goals

Inclusion - Everyone works to make sure all children and young people feel welcome and valued, and that they get the right support to help them develop their talents and achieve their goals

Independent / Independent Special School - school that is not run by the state, they charge fees and are often run by a charity or charitable trust and have their own policies 

J

Joint Commissioning - organisations working together to plan and buy services in a joined-up way 

K

Key Worker - individual who provides personalised support, co-ordination and/or advocacy to a child, young person or family

L

LA – Local Authority - Council or Local Government with responsible for managing services in an area - Rutland County Council

Local Offer – services, support and information in a local area for families with a child with SEND – usually published on a website

M

Mainstream Plus - Mainstream School - school that teaches children with a range of abilities and is not a special or an independent school

Maintained School - funded and controlled by the local authority

Mediation - seeking to resolve disagreements by going to an independent mediator

N

NEET - Not in Education, Employment or Training 

National Curriculum - framework which sets out standards and appropriate levels of achievement for children’s education

O

OT - Occupational Therapist – qualified to give advice on equipment, adaptations, and activities to support the learning/social development of people with physical, emotional, or behavioural difficulties

Outcomes - the benefit or difference made to an individual because of action/s taken

PfA - Preparation for Adulthood – developing skills to help become as independent as possible as an adult 

PRU - Pupil Referral Unit – for children who need to be educated out of school, often because they have been excluded.

Paediatrician - doctor who specialises in children’s health when there are concerns about a child’s development, behaviour or educational needs

PCF - Parent Carer Forum – group of parent/carers with children and young people aged 0 to 25 with SEND who provide the voice of parent/carers to local areas and work as a strategic partner to provide solutions. In Rutland this is the Rutland Parent Carer Voice.

PB - Personal Budget – amount of money allocated to individuals to meet assessed needs - can be notional or provided as money instead of services that would otherwise be provided directly to the individual by statutory bodies. 

Post 16 - education options available from age 16, which could include further education courses, sixth form college studies, or vocational training

PTB - Personal Transport Budget – amount of money paid to a family who is getting transport assistance so they can make their own transport arrangements 

R

Reasonable adjustments - adjustments made to help minimise the disadvantages that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities may face compared to their peers

S

SEMH - Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs - severe difficulties in managing emotions and behaviour

SEND - Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities

SENDIASS - Special educational needs and disabilities independent advocacy service - provides free, impartial and confidential advice and support 

SEND Multi agency panel – group of experts who make decisions whether to carry out an EHC needs assessment, whether to issue an EHC plan and the allocation of other funding  

SALT - Speech and Language Therapy - specialist assessment and advice for children with communication difficulties

SLCN –Speech, Language and Communication Need - difficulty in communicating with others because of difficulties saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them, or they do not understand or use social rules of communication

Schools Forum - made up of representatives from schools and academies, and some representation from nursery and post 16 providers

SEN Support - process schools collages and settings use to identify and meet the needs of children with special educational needs

SENCO – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator - teacher with responsibility for the co-ordination and planning of the special educational needs provision within school or early years setting

SEND Governor - Governor to champion special educational needs and have specific oversight of the school’s arrangements and provision

SEND Register - list of all pupils in a school that have special educational needs and/or a disability

Short Breaks - opportunity for parents and carers of a disabled child to have a break from their caring arrangements, and for their child to have a positive and enjoyable experience

Short Breaks Statement - annual publication outlining the short breaks that a local authority offer

Signposting - providing information and contact details about sources of help most appropriate for an individual or family 

Specialist Provision - support and services provided in any setting by specialists in education, health or social care 

Statutory Guidance - guidance that local authorities and other local bodies have a legal duty to follow

Supported Internship - structured study programme, based with an employer that is tailored to the individual needs of a young person with an EHCP

T

TAF - Team around the family - getting everyone involved together to agree a plan of support for a family

Transition – any change that a child or young person experience eg moves from class to class, a different setting or children to adult services.

U

Universal Services - services provided to all children, young people and families in the area