Statements and statutory assessments

Your guide to

Understanding statements and statutory assessments

About this guideThis guide provides an introduction to statutory assessments and where statements fit in to this process. It also contains useful information about getting support and some of the actions you as a parent can take. You can also find a short explanation of important words and phrases in the ‘key words’ section, and look for the sign for things you can do.

ContentsUnderstanding statements and statutory assessments 4

Understanding statutory assessments 7

Early years action and school action 9

How is the assessment carried out? 11

What can I do as a parent? 12

The main things you need to know 13

Tips on preparing parent advice for 18the statement

Where can I get support? 21

What happens after an assessment? 23

What will be in the statement? 24

Reviewing the draft statement 25

What happens when the statement 27has been issued

What if the local authority refuses to 28issue a statement?

What if I disagree with my child’s 29final statement?

Where can I get help to appeal? 30

Further help 31

Key words 32

Further information and resources 34

Contacts 35

4 | Understanding statements and statutory assessments

Understanding statements and statutory assessmentsWhile most children with a learning disability will get the support they need from their local nursery or school, some may still need extra help. In these cases a statutory assessment may be carried out and a statement may be issued.

Most children with a learning disability will get the support they need from their local nursery or school. If you as a parent, your child’s school or a professional have concerns about your child’s development, then his or her teacher should follow a step-by-step process to provide them with extra support.

Between the ages of two and five there are two stages of assessment and support – early years action and early years action plus. During school years the two stages of assessment and support are school action and school action plus.

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For some children, these stages will provide enough support to meet their special educational needs. However, some children may still need extra help to get the most out of their education. For these children, a statutory assessment will be carried out by the local authority, or the Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland. This may take place after your child has been given support at the early years action or the school action plus stage, or earlier if your child’s needs are complex and urgent.

Once this statutory assessment is complete, a legal document called a statement of special educational needs will be drawn up. This is a detailed record of your child’s needs and the services that the local authority must provide for them. The process is often referred to as ‘statementing’.

“Parents have an essential part to play in this

process – it’s vital that you get involved to get

the best outcome for your child.”


In some cases, it may be a teacher, a professional or your local authority who will recommend that a statement is necessary for your child. However, it is important to remember that you as a parent also have the right to request a statutory assessment if you have concerns about your child’s development. The local authority must comply with your request unless your child has been assessed within the last six months, or they have a good reason for believing a statement is not necessary.

It is a good idea to make your request in writing to your local authority, as this way it will be clear exactly when you started the process, and will help to put you in the driving seat. Making the request yourself can also prevent delays in getting started and can give you much greater control, as well as ensuring you are notified of decisions as they are made.

Many parents have told Mencap that statementing can be a difficult time, and getting your head around the system can be a challenge. However, you as a parent have a vital part to play in the process. This is your chance to secure the best education for your child, so don’t be afraid to get actively involved, ask questions and make sure you get the right professional and emotional support to help you through the process.

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Understanding statutory assessmentsA statutory assessment is a formal assessment of your child’s special educational needs.

It is different from other assessments as there are strict time limits. It is carried out by your local authority, or the Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland. After the assessment, the local authority will decide whether to give your child a statement of special educational needs. This is a document that describes your child’s needs and the help the local authority will provide for them. Parents often use the word ‘statementing’ to describe this process.

Will my child need a statutory assessment?Most children with a learning disability will have their needs met by their local school from its own budget and will not need a statutory assessment. However, children with a complex learning disability may need to have statutory assessment to help decide what type of extra help is needed. As well as the local authority, you as a parent, your child’s school, the health authority or social services can also request an assessment for your child.

Can I request an assessment for my child?Yes. If you have concerns about your child’s development or the level of support they are receiving at school, you as a parent can ask for a statutory assessment from the local authority. It is a good idea to speak to your child’s head teacher before making the request – if they share your concerns, you can ask them to write a letter supporting your application for a statutory assessment.

“As a parent it is essential to be fully

informed and involved in the assessment and

statementing process.”


It is a good idea to make your request in writing to your local authority, as this way it will be clear exactly when you started the process, and will help to put you in the driving seat. Making the request yourself can also prevent delays in getting started and can give you much greater control, as well as ensuring you are notified of decisions as they are made.

The local authority has to act on your request for a statement unless they have already assessed your child within the past six months, or if they are sure your child does not need an assessment.

Parents have told Mencap that getting a statement in the first place can be a real struggle, especially as local authorities will only statement a small number of children. By taking the lead yourself you stand a much better chance of making sure your child gets the support they need.

How soon will an assessment be carried out?Once the local authority has received a written request they have six weeks to decide if they will carry out an assessment. They will write to you to tell you how they will come to a decision, how they will carry out the assessment and how you can be involved in the process.

• Write to your local authority to find out about requesting an assessment.You can find a full list of local authority website addresses on the Directgov website at at www.direct.gov.uk

• See a model letter for requesting an assessment on the Independent Panel for Special Education Advice (IPSEA) website at at www.ipsea.org.uk/sevenfixes.htm

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Early years action and school actionIf you as a parent, or a professional, have concerns about your child’s development, his or her teacher should follow a step-by-step process to provide them with extra support at school.

This is often referred to as a ‘graduated response’. Between the ages of two and five there are two stages of assessment and support – early years action and early years action plus. During school years the two stages of assessment and support are school action and school action plus.

At each of these stages the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) at your child’s school will help to monitor their progress and will draw up an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which should be reviewed regularly – ideally every term. The SENCO will also work with other professionals to get the right package of support for your child. As a parent you should play an important part in developing the IEP, and your child’s views should also be considered.

• Children under twoA statement is rarely issued for a child under two, but the local authority can provide individual support. This could be a pre-school counsellor or portage worker, or a package of support from your local health and social care services. However, if your child has very complex needs, such as severe developmental delay and additional physical disabilities or health needs, a statement may be given. Your child may be referred by the local authority or a health professional, or you as a parent can request an assessment.

• Early years action If your child needs additional support, his or her nursery may make an arrangement with the SENCO to arrange this. The support will be provided within the nursery, and with nursery resources.


• Early years action plusIf your child’s nursery cannot meet his or her needs they may request additional external support, for example from a physiotherapist, a speech and language therapist or an educational psychologist.

• School actionIf your child is at school, the school SENCO can arrange for extra help. This support will be provided within the school, and with school resources.

• School action plusIf your child’s school cannot meet his or her needs they may request additional external support, for example from a physiotherapist, a speech and language therapist or an educational psychologist.

For most children, these stages will provide enough support to meet their educational needs. However, in some cases you as a parent, the school or a professional may decide your child requires a statutory assessment to provide for their needs more fully.

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How is the assessment carried out?By law the local authority has to follow a set timetable for preparing the statement.

This should be completed in 26 weeks, although it may take longer in exceptional circumstances, for example if some specialists need to see your child more than once.

The local authority will talk to a number of people about your child’s needs, including their school or nursery, the health authority and social services. As a parent you can also suggest other people for them to talk to, for example a portage worker, health visitor or speech and language therapist. Your child may also have an assessment with an educational psychologist. This might happen at your home, at your child’s school or nursery or in an office. You have the right to attend these meetings if you want to.

• See a step-by-step guide to statementing at www.mencap.org.uk/resources


What can I do as a parent?

As a parent you will have a vital role to play in the statementing process. You will be asked to give your views on a number of occasions about your child’s needs and the services you would like them to receive.

• Before the first draft of the statement is written you will be asked to fill in a form giving all your views. This is called parental advice.

• You should also be invited to attend any assessments of your child, unless everybody agrees that your presence might distract them.

• If the local authority decides to give your child a statement, you will receive a draft copy which will be complete except for part 4. This is the section where you can say which school you would like for your child.

“You need to be aware of how important that

document is in understanding the choices you

need to make.”

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The main things you need to knowYou can negotiate for your child Throughout the statementing process it is worthwhile to think of yourself as the main advocate for your child. Don’t be afraid to negotiate on their behalf. For example, one parent of a child with severe learning disabilities believed the best thing for her son was to spend some time in a mainstream school. However, she suspected the experts would be more worried about the problems this might involve. For this reason, she made a video of her son to show what he was capable of and gave it to the local authority. The video helped to convince them that a number of hours each week in a mainstream school would be beneficial for him.

There is a lot of information and advice available to help youMaking sure you get the right support for you and your family can be incredibly important. The services available will vary according to where you live, and your local authority should give you details of people you can turn to for help and advice.

• In England your local parent partnership service can provide advice, information and support during each stage of the assessment process. They can also provide you with an independent parent supporter, who might be a trained volunteer, a relative or friend or someone from a voluntary organisation.

“The best advice that was given to me was

that I needed to ensure he had supervision at

break times and lunch time. This had not even

occurred to me – I assumed this would be part

of the package. How wrong was I?”


• In Wales you can contact the Special Needs Advisory Project (SNAP).

• In Northern Ireland you can also get information and advice from SENAC, the Special Educational Needs Advice Centre, by calling 028 9079 5779 Monday to Wednesday or 029 9070 5654 Wednesday to Friday.

There are other ways to get hold of the information that you as a parent may need during the statementing process, and parents have told Mencap that the SEN Code of Practice is especially valuable at this time.

The detailed wording is important Make sure the statement says exactly what support your child will receive, who will be providing it, how often and how long it will last. Any commitments that aren’t specific may be difficult to secure later on.

The local authority is required by law to provide the support described in sections 2, 3 and 4 of the statement.

• Download a copy of the SEN Code of Practice from the Directgov website at http://tinyurl.com/34q8b3

• Download a parents and carer’s guide to the SEN Code of Practice from the TeacherNet website at www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/parentcarers

“I got hold of the SEN Code of Practice early

on in the process and it was my bible for six

months. Even though it’s very long it really

has everything you need to get you through

statementing.”

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Once the statement has been completed the local authority is legally obliged to provide the educational support they have described for your child in sections 2, 3 and 4, so make sure you are happy with the services being offered before you sign anything. Section 5 will detail your child’s non-educational needs, such as transport, health and social care, and section 6 will describe how those needs will be met. These two sections are not legally binding, and the local authority does not have to provide these services.

If your child needs speech and language therapy, it is vital that this is included in section 3 as it is an educational need. If it appears in sections 5 or 6, the local authority is not required by law to provide this support.

Getting help is not always easyAll local authorities are under pressure to keep within their budgets and to use these budgets efficiently, so it is important that you make it very clear at an early stage what support you think your child needs. Think about what evidence you can get to make a strong case, and to show why a particular school will meet their individual needs. Remember, each local authority has a duty to provide for all children requiring statements.

You can ask to see all the advice the local authority has receivedYour local authority should send you all the advice they have received about your child as part of the statementing process. You can also ask to talk to the professionals who have written reports on your child in the course of the assessment.

“I always advise other parents the most

important thing is that any support in the

statement has been described in great detail.

The two words to remember is that it must be

‘specified and quantified’.”


You can state which school you want for your childWhen you fill in the draft statement you can state which school you want your child to go to. Every child has the right to go to a mainstream school, and increasing numbers of children and young people with a learning disability are now being educated in mainstream schools with extra support. However, for some children, you and the local authority may decide that a special school will better support your child’s educational needs.

The local authority must accept the school you name in the draft statement, unless they are sure that having your child at the school would make it too difficult to educate the other children who go there.

It is a good idea to visit a few schools before filling in the draft statement to get an idea of what is available and where your child will receive the best support. The local authority must provide you with information of all local authority funded schools (also called maintained schools) and all approved independent and special schools in England and Wales. Parents can visit any school that they are thinking of naming in the statement. If you have not made a final decision when you receive the draft statement, you can still state whether you would like your child to go to a mainstream or a special school.

“Visiting the schools helps you to see, hear and

discuss first hand if they can support your son

or daughter’s needs.”

• Read the Mencap guide ‘Choosing the right school for your child’ at at www.mencap.org.uk/choosingaschool

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Your child has views tooBy law the local authority has to consider the views of your child. As a parent it is a good idea to provide some guidance on the best ways of communicating with your child. It might be a good idea to record your child talking about the help they want at school, or their responses in different environments to illustrate their likes and dislikes. If your child finds it difficult to communicate with words, you could also help them to take pictures of the things that are important to them, or video them in their nursery or current school to show how they have been getting on.


Tips on preparing parent advice for the statement1. Get as much information as you can

Finding out about statementing will help you to understand the process better and feel more in control. Knowing your rights and the rights of your child will also help you to make sure their needs are being met. You can find out more about the statementing process.

2. Your views are important too As a parent you know your child better than anyone else, so your input is incredibly important. Your views will form part of the statement, so make sure you think carefully about what you want to say and what support you want your child to receive.

3. Talk to other parents of children with similar needsMake contact with other parents whose children have similar needs to your child. Ask them about the services their children receive, their experiences of the statementing process and where they go to get support.

4. Be as open as possibleTalking about your child can be very emotional, but try to be as open as you can about their needs and what life is really like for you. Your child has a right to a good school and good support, so tell the professionals working with your child exactly what their needs are and what you would like to happen in the future.

“I filled in this form very roughly one day in

a café, not realising it was being included in

the final statement. I was quite unsupported

about how important it was, as part of a legal

document that was going to define his provision.”

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5. Keep a record of everything that happensIt is a good idea to keep copies of everything you receive from the local authority, and everything you send to them – keeping everything in date order can help to make sure you don’t miss any deadlines. It is also worth making a note of any telephone calls that are made, and what is discussed during the calls.

6. Remember the little thingsIt is easy to overlook things when preparing for a statutory assessment. Try to think about the day-to-day things your child might need help with, like going to the toilet, dressing and undressing and communicating with other pupils and staff.

• Join the Mencap parents forum to share your experiences with other parents at www.mencap.org.uk/forums

•Search for Mencap groups in your local area at www.mencap.org.uk/localgroups

• Contact a Family offers advice, information and support to parents of children with a disability in the UK, and enables parents to contact other families on a local and national basis. They also have a useful guide to Special Educational Needs. Visit the Contact a Family website at www.cafamily.org.uk or call their helpline on 0808 808 555.

“Solidarity with other parents is one of the main

ways of feeling ‘I can get through this’.”

“Having support with turning on a tap so my son

could wash his hands, or having somebody to

clean his glasses for him so he could see what

he was doing in class were small but incredibly

significant details.”


7. Get evidence to support your viewsGetting help is not always easy, especially if your child has very complex needs. You may have to work hard to build your case if you are applying for your child to change schools, or if you are requesting a high-cost residential school. In these circumstances it is vital that you gather as much evidence as possible from the professionals who know your child well, and you may also want to invest in an independent assessment.

8. Don’t let the statement get you down Some parents will sail through the statementing process, especially if they are working with supportive professionals who value their knowledge of their child. However, for other parents it can be an emotional and upsetting experience, especially as the statement will tend to look at the things your child cannot do. Whatever your situation, try to stay focussed on what it is all for – this is your opportunity to make sure your child gets the educational support they need to get the most out of life.

9. Remember it won’t last for everAlthough the statementing process can be stressful, remember it won’t last forever. In a few months you will have made some major steps towards getting the right help for your child.

• Contact the British Psychological Society for more information about independent assessments by calling their help desk on 0116 254 9568.

“Instead of thinking about what he couldn’t do,

I would think about what he needed to help him

do it.”

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Where can I get support?Making sure you get the right support for you and your family can be incredibly important. The services available will vary according to where you live, and your local authority should give you details of people you can turn to for help and advice.

• In England this will be your local parent partnership service, who can provide advice, information and support during each stage of the assessment process. They can also provide you with an independent parent supporter, who might be a trained volunteer, a relative or friend or someone from a voluntary organisation.

• In Wales you can contact the Special Needs Advisory Project (SNAP).

• In Northern Ireland the Local Education and Library Board will carry out your assessment. You can also get support from SENAC, the special educational needs advice centre, by calling 028 9079 5779 Monday to Wednesday or 029 9070 5654 Wednesday to Friday.

Once the statementing process begins, you should also be given a named officer from your local authority who you can contact about any concerns you may have. You may also want to get independent advice and support – the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) and the Independent Panel for Special Education Advice (IPSEA) both offer help with educational matters.

“I sought out independent advice which

helped us understand what good support should

look like.”


It is also important that you as a parent get the emotional support you need at this time. You might want to ask a friend, relative, independent parental supporter or an advocate to help you through the statementing process, or you can contact your local advocacy organisation or voluntary group. You can find out about the services in your area from your local Children’s Information Service, or your local authority. Some parents also find it helpful to get support from a counselling service at this time – your GP should be able to refer you. Keeping positive will help you, your child and your family through this demanding time.

• If you live in Wales, you can visit the Snap website at www.snapcymru.org or call them on 0845 120 3730.

•If you live in Northern Ireland you can contact SENAC by calling 028 9079 5779 Monday to Wednesday or 029 9070 5654 Wednesday to Friday.

•Visit the Contact a Family website at www.cafamily.org.uk for for support and advice

• Visit the IPSEA website at www.ipsea.org.uk or contact their helpline on 0800 018 4016.

• Visit the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) website at www.ace-ed.org.uk for free advice on education or call 020 7704 3370.

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What happens after an assessment?During the statementing process the local authority will decide whether your child needs a statement of special educational needs.

If they decide your child does need one, within 26 weeks you will receive a draft copy of the statement to read through and comment on.

If the local authority decides your child does not need a statement, they will write to you and your child’s school within 26 weeks to explain their reasons. They may also send a Note in Lieu, a document that contains all the information they have gathered about your child and an explanation of their decision. You should also receive information about your rights of appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal (SEN) and the Disagreement Resolution (Mediation) Service. You can find out more about these services later in the guide.

If you do not receive a Note in Lieu, you should ask for a written explanation from your named officer to explain why your local authority decided not to issue a statement. This should provide vital information that you may wish to use if you challenge the decision at a tribunal.


What will be in the statement?The statement contains six sections

1. General information about your child.

2. A description of your child’s needs following the assessment.

3. A description of all the special support to be provided for your child’s needs.

4. Details of the school your child should go to and what type of school it is – this will be left blank by the local authority on the draft statement for you to fill in.

5. A description of any non-educational needs your child has, for example transport, social care needs or health needs.

6. Any help for meeting your child’s non-educational needs.

Your local authority should also attach all the advice they have received about your child, as well as details about naming a school and advice on how to appeal against the contents of the statement.

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Reviewing the draft statementThis is an important part of the statementing process and your input as a parent is vital.

When you receive your copy of the draft statement, read it through carefully and check all the facts are correct. Make sure that:

• part 2 fully and accurately describes your child and all their special educational needs

• part 2 matches the statutory assessment and what you know your child can and cannot do

• part 3 describes all the educational support for your child and leaves none of their needs unsupported

• your child’s non-educational needs are described accurately in part 5 with a clear description of how they will be met in part 6. For example, a session of occupational therapy will take place once a week, lasting one hour. Transport will be provided by the local authority every day to and from school, and short break services will be provided once a week after school for three hours.


You may want to get professional help reviewing the draft statement, for example from your child’s teacher, a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or an independent parental supporter. At this stage you can also name the school you would like your child to go to.

You might be perfectly happy with the draft statement and all the services and support that will be provided for your child. However, if you have any concerns, you must contact your named officer within 15 days to ask for a meeting to talk about any changes you want made. The deadline date will be written in the letter that is sent with the draft statement. If you make this request, you can ‘stop the clock’ on the statementing process until your meeting with the local authority.

If you do decide to ‘stop the clock’ you will be given an opportunity to negotiate over any concerns you have about the level of support your child will receive once the statement is issued. After this meeting you have another 15 days in which you can request a follow up meeting. If you need more meetings after this, you should speak to the officer involved. You can take a supporter, friend or advocate along to these meetings with you.

“The local authority said how useful it had been

when we ‘stopped the clock’ by using the 15 day

rule for parental response. This gave us all the

opportunity to meet face-to-face and discuss

options in more depth.”

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What happens when the statement has been issuedOnce a statement has been issued the local authority should put all the extra support in place as soon as possible, and the statement should then be reviewed every year.

However, parents or professionals can ask for a review themselves if they feel the child’s needs have changed significantly and the statement needs to be updated. In some cases, it may be decided at a review that the child no longer needs a statement at all.


What if the local authority refuses to issue a statement?If the local authority refuses to give your child a statement, but you feel this is the wrong decision, you can appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal (SEN).

You must do this within two months of being told your child will not receive a statement. You should also write to your named officer at the local authority, telling them that you do not agree with their decision and that you wish to go to the SEN tribunal. You may also want to request a meeting to discuss your concerns about their decision.

At the same time, you can also contact the Disagreement Resolution Service, which is sometimes known as a mediation service – your local authority should give you their details. Using the mediation service does not affect your right to appeal to the tribunal. However, if meeting with your local authority and using the mediation service is enough to resolve the disagreement you can withdraw from the tribunal process.

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What if I disagree with my child’s final statement?Do not sign the statement if you disagree with the services being offered to your child. If you disagree, you can appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal (SEN).

However you must lodge your appeal within two months of receiving the final decision letter from your local authority. You should also write to your named officer at the local authority, telling them that you do not agree with the statement and that you wish to go to the SEN tribunal. You may also want to request a meeting to discuss your concerns about their decision.

At the same time, you can also contact the Disagreement Resolution Service, which is sometimes known as a mediation service - your local authority should give you their details. You can still appeal to the SEN tribunal at the same time as using the mediation service, and you will not lose your right to appeal. However, if meeting with your local authority and using the mediation service is enough to resolve the disagreement you can withdraw from the tribunal process.

“Using the Disagreement Resolution Service

helped us get the right mainstream support for

our son in a much more relaxed and less formal

way than going to tribunal.”


Where can I get help to appeal?Appealing can also be a very stressful process and there are tight deadlines, so it’s a good idea to seek professional advice at this point.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal have useful information on the appeal process, or you can contact the parent partnership service or a specialist voluntary organisation.

• Visit the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal website at www.sendist.gov.uk for information on making an appeal or call the SEN helpline on 0870 241 2555 in England or 01597 829 800 in Wales.

• Visit the IPSEA website at www.ipsea.org.uk or contact their helpline on 0800 018 4016.

• Contact the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) website at www.ace-ed.org.uk for free education advice or call them on 020 7704 3370.

• Contact the Children’s Legal Centre website at www.childrenslegalcentre.com for legal advice or call them on 01206 872 466.

• If you are in Wales, you can visit the Snap website at www.snapcymru.org or call them on 0845 120 3730.

• If you are in Northern Ireland you can get support during the appeal process from SENAC, the special educational needs advice centre, by calling 028 9079 5779 Monday to Wednesday or 029 9070 5654 Wednesday to Friday.

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Further help• AFASIC offers help and information to children, young

people and their families affected by speech, language and communication problems. They also publish a useful publication called ‘Accessing Speech and Language Therapy: A Guide to the Law’. For more information, please visit the AFASIC website at www.afasic.org.uk or contact the helpline on 0845 355 5577.

• The British Psychological Society provides information on Independent Educational Psychologists. For more information please visit the British Psychological Society website at www.bps.org.uk or call the help desk on 0116 254 9568.

• Your local authority should be your first port of call if you want to find out about specific services for your child. You can find a full list of local authority website addresses if you visit the Directgov website at www.direct.gov.uk

• SENAC (Northern Ireland) is the special educational needs advice centre and can provide support during the statementing and appeal process. You can contact SENAC by telephone on 028 9079 5779 Monday to Wednesday or 029 9070 5654 Wednesday to Friday.

• The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal provides information and guidance on the process of making an appeal to the tribunal. For more information please visit the Sendist website at www.sendist.gov.uk or call the SEN helpline on 0870 241 2555 in England or 01597 829 800 in Wales.


Key words

AdvocateAn advocate is someone who helps another person have their concerns, views and wishes heard by others.

Educational psychologistA professional who can help assess the educational needs of your child.

Independent parent supporterOffer guidance and supervision to parents and carers during the statementing process.

Note in LieuIf your local authority decides not to issue a statement at the end of an assessment, they should give you their reasons and may collect all the advice they have received in a document called a Note in Lieu, which they will send to you and your child’s school.

Occupational therapistA professional who can offer support in the school environment on postural care and changing the physical environment. They can also help with organisational skills and fine motor skills such as writing, or tasks such as dressing.

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Parent partnership serviceA service that provides information and advice to the parent of any child with special educational needs. This service is only available in England.

Portage workerA person who provides home visits to pre-school children under five years-old with special educational needs, to help them develop skills such as play, education and relationships.

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)A special educational needs coordinator is a teacher who works with other professionals and parents to make sure your child’s special educational needs are met at school.

Special Educational Needs TribunalIf you are unhappy with decisions made by your local authority during the statementing process you can appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal. You can appeal if you disagree with your child’s final statement, or if the local authority decides not to carry out a statutory assessment.

Speech and language therapistA professional who assesses communication problems and gives treatment to help people communicate to the best of their ability.

StatementThe document that describes the services that will be made available to support a child’s special educational needs.

Statutory assessmentA formal assessment of your child’s special educational needs that also details the support the local authority will provide for them.


Further information and resources• Mencap factsheet ‘Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2002’

Website: www.mencap.org.uk/factsheets

• A Mencap guide to ‘Choosing the right school for your child with a learning disability’ Website: www.mencap.org.uk/choosingaschool

• TeacherNetWebsite: www.teachernet.gov.uk

• Parent Partnership NetworkWebsite: www.parentpartnership.org.uk

• Advisory Centre for EducationWebsite: www.ace-ed.org.uk

• Welsh Assembly GovernmentWebsite: http://new.wales.gov.uk

• Early Support Website: www.earlysupport.org.uk/

• IPSEA – Independent Panel for Special Education AdviceWebsite: www.ipsea.org.uk

• ENABLE – ScotlandWebsite: www.enable.org.uk/

• Network 81Website: www.network81.org

• Department for Education in Northern IrelandWebsite: www.deni.gov.uk

ContactsEnglandIf you live in England and would like more information on learning disability, you can contact:

The Learning Disability Helpline Telephone: 0808 800 1111 Typetalk: 18001 0808 808 1111 Email: [email protected]

If English is not your first language and you would like access to a translation service, please contact the Mencap helpline and ask for Language Line.

Northern Ireland If you live in Northern Ireland and would like more information on learning disability, please contact:

Mencap’s Information Service Telephone: 0808 800 1111 Email: [email protected]

Wales If you live in Wales and would like more information on learning disability, please contact:

Wales Learning Disability Helpline Telephone: 0808 800 1111 Email: [email protected]

Scotland If you live in Scotland, and would like more information on learning disability, please contact:

ENABLE ScotlandTelephone: 0141 226 4541 Email: [email protected] Website: www.enable.org.uk

123 Golden Lane London EC1Y 0RT

T: 020 7454 0454 F: 020 7608 3254

www.mencap.org.uk

[email protected]

Learning Disability Helpine 0808 808 1111

Registered Charity Number 222377 2008.292_11.09

Statements and statutory assessments

Documents

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