Learning and Development for Children with Autism

23rd November 2023

Introduction

The National Autistic Society gives this useful description of autism:

‘Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.’

It can also affect the way children and young people learn.

Autism Statistics

• There are estimated to be 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK – approximately 1% of the population (National Autistic Society)
• While autism is not a learning disability, around 4 in 10 autistic people have a learning disability (Autistica).
• Special educational needs data suggests that 1.8% of all pupils in England now have an autism diagnosis.

Autism and Learning

Many autistic children and young people have poor experiences within school, are not reaching their potential and are struggling in the transition to adult life.

The APPGA’s The Autism Act, 10 Years On report showed that autistic children and young people often find it difficult to get the help they need at school due to poor understanding of autism among education staff. This can result in missed opportunities to help children reach their potential or prevent children’s needs from escalating.

The report also highlighted that:

• Many autistic children find the school environment overwhelming
• Autistic children often feel misunderstood or judged by peers because of their behaviour, which can impact their ability to engage with education
• Education staff often lack the skills needed to put in place the right plans and support for autistic young people, which can result in them missing out on opportunities.
• Autistic young people struggle to access support to get into higher education or find employment.

How can autism affect learning and development?

The Autism Education Trust state that:

‘In an educational context, learners with autism are likely to show differences in three areas:

Social understanding and communication - which could include difficulties in expressing themselves or understanding what is being communicated, understanding indirect language, social interaction with others, expressing their emotions and perceiving others’ mental states

Flexibility, information processing and understanding - which could make it difficult to cope with changes, see the relevance of what is being taught, and control their own impulses.

Sensory processing - where the individual may respond in an unusual way to the sensory information (such as sound, touch, or body balance)’

Some autistic learners may quickly learn a new skill such as addition, but struggle to apply this knowledge, for example when presented in a different way or used in a different context.

Learning support for children with autism

There are various strategies that can support autistic learners:

Using a multi-sensory approach to learning

STARS state that:

‘Using sight, touch, hearing and movement in learning activities can make it easier for autistic pupils to process and retrieve information. The use of touch and movement helps to develop memories which scaffold auditory and visual learning. It also increases engagement as it includes different learning styles.

By observing pupils in the classroom and how they engage with the environment we can identify their natural learning style.’

For examples of using a multi-sensory approach to learning in Maths and English: Using a multisensory approach to learning to support autistic pupils.docx (live.com)

Differentiation

Adapting the learning task to meet the needs of the autistic learner can help. For example:

Support understanding of the task: use of resources such as Start and finish boxes and tasks boards can support an autistic learner to understand what they need to do and give clear steps to follow in order to complete it

Chunking information: present a learning activity as a sequence of short activities rather than one large task.

Differentiated instructions that reflect learner’s level of communication: give clear instructions so the learner understands the activity and what is expected of them. Use of key words and processing time also help.

Using pupil interests: autistic learners often have special interests in particular topics, for example planets and space or Paw Patrol. Including these interests in a pupil’s learning encourages engagement, attention and can stimulate a curiosity for learning.

Incorporate pupil experiences: support the child’s understanding of an activity through using their own experiences making it more relevant to them. For example, by writing about something they have recently experienced such as a trip to the zoo.

For more examples of differentiation for autistic learners: Differentiation for Autistic children 20231.docx (live.com)

Support

There is support available for schools around learning and development for children and young people with autism. For example;

• SENIT (Special educational Needs Inclusion Team): aims to promote inclusion, support social and emotional needs, and improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND of all kinds, including ASC.
• Educational Psychology Service: provide general consultation, support and advice to the child or young person’s education setting.
• STARS (Specialist Training in Autism and Raising Standards): STARS are an autism outreach service which aims to empower education practitioners to have a better understanding of autism.

Parents can access information and support from:

• School: speak to the SENCo if you need advice and support
• Groups and charities such as:

Leeds ABC Support Group: aims to provide help, support and advice about services, facilities, education, care and welfare for parents and families of children and young people with ASC, including Asperger’s Syndrome, in the local community in Leeds and surrounding areas.

The Jigsaw Tree: an online community for people affected by and involved with ASC in Leeds. They also offer a parent and carer’s support group in East Leeds.

For more details of support groups: Directory (leedslocaloffer.org.uk)

Health services: such as Occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and CAMHS

Additional support from Leeds MENCAP

Speak to other parents with children with SEN and disabilities on our closed Facebook group.

Follow us on Facebook to hear about our upcoming events.

Check out the rest of our Family Support offer. We have:

• Weekly Chats and Tots coffee morning
• Family Support workers who can offer advice, signposting and support
• Lots of tips and resources on our website

Additional support and Resources:

This information is not affiliated with Leeds MENCAP.

For tips for parents teaching their child at home: Top Tips, Strategies and Resources for Parents (autismeducationtrust.org.uk)

Read a Leeds City council guide on support for children and young people with autism: ASC_guide.indd (leedsccg.nhs.uk)

Groups and charities supporting children with autism and their families:

The Jigsaw Tree – Leeds CANN

Leeds ABC Group – Leeds and District Autism, Behaviour and Communication Support Group (wordpress.com)

Home | ZigZag Leeds Autism Support Group (zigzagautismservices.co.uk)

What is a Learning Disability?

26th October 2023

Introduction – Learning disability or learning difficulty?

A learning disability is defined by the Department of Health and Social Care (2001) as: 

‘a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), which started before adulthood.’

A learning disability is different to a learning difficulty as a learning difficulty does not affect general intelligence or IQ. Learning difficulties includes conditions such as Dyslexia (reading), Dyspraxia (affecting physical co-ordination) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  A person with a learning disability may also have one or more learning difficulties.

Read more about definitions and causes of learning disability from the government here: Learning disability - applying All Our Health - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Watch a video from MENCAP about the differences between a learning disability and learning difficulty here: https://youtu.be/QMj6Nogrylo

Causes of Learning disabilities

A learning disability is caused by something that affects the development of the brain. This could be before or during birth or early in childhood.

Possible causes:

• An inherited or genetic condition
• A very premature birth
• Complications during birth resulting in a lack of oxygen to a baby’s brain
• Illness, injury or trauma to the brain in early childhood

Sometimes the cause of a learning disability remains unknown.

Learning Disability Facts and figures

There are approximately 1.3 million people with a learning disability in England and 950,000 are over the age of 18 (according to the most up to date data from MENCAP).

‘In England, almost 68,000 children have a statement of special educational needs (SEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan and are identified as having a primary SEN associated with a learning disability. 26% of these children are educated in mainstream schools.’ Department of Health and Social Care.

Compared to people without a learning disability, people with learning disabilities tend to experience:

• Poorer physical and mental health
• Significant health inequalities

People with a learning disability are also:

• Less likely to be working - in England
• More likely to live in poverty
• More likely to experience chronic loneliness
• More likely to be bullied and discriminated against

Source: Gov.uk – Learning disability – applying all our health

Getting a diagnosis

A learning disability can be diagnosed at any time, before or just after birth, in early childhood or many years later. This can be a difficult and emotional experience.

A diagnosis during pregnancy:

Some learning disabilities may develop before birth. Tests can be carried out during pregnancy to establish the likelihood of the child developing a learning disability. Other genetic tests can be carried out if there are concerns that the child may have an inherited condition.

A diagnosis after a child is born:

A GP or Paediatrician often makes the diagnosis of learning disability, but often parents or teachers may be aware that a child is having difficulties in certain areas.

Whenever a diagnosis is received, it does not give an accurate assessment of what a child can and cannot do and how they will develop.

Read one lady’s journey after her son was diagnosed: My son's diagnosis changed the course of our life | Mencap

What support is there for children with Learning Disabilities?

If a child has a diagnosed learning disability it is likely that they are supported by medical professionals. This may include a paediatrician, health visitor, speech and language therapist, GP or specialist consultant. Parents can also access support from nursery or school, once the child is old enough to attend.

There are also organisations in Leeds that support children with learning disabilities and their families. The Leeds Local Offer Directory (leedslocaloffer.org.uk) provides information for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their parents. It shows families what they can expect from a range of local agencies including, education, health and social care.

There are many charities in Leeds that offer support to children and their families with learning difficulties such as:

• Leeds Mencap Leeds Mencap - Learning Disability Charity | Mencap Learning Disability– support for children with learning disabilities and difficulties
• Sunshine and Smiles Sunshine & Smiles - Leeds Down Syndrome Network (sunshineandsmiles.org.uk)– support for children with Down Syndrome
• Little Hiccups Little Hiccups – support – share – experience – support for parents who have children with additional needs and disabilities.
• Carers Leeds https://www.carersleeds.org.uk – advice and support for all unpaid carers in Leeds

Read MENCAP’s guide to support for parents and carers, including details of short breaks and financial support: Parents & Carers Support - Learning Disability | Mencap

Additional support from Leeds Mencap

Follow us on Facebook to hear about our upcoming events.

Check out the rest of our Family Support offer. We have:

• Weekly Chats and Tots coffee morning
• Family Support workers who can offer advice, signposting and support
• Lots of tips and resources on our website

Additional support and resources:

This information is not affiliated with Leeds MENCAP.

Read more about learning disabilities and learning difficulties here:

Learning difficulties | Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities

Learning difficulties | Mencap

Access Learning Disability Advice and Support | Mencap

Info & Support | CASE Training Learning Disability Services Hull (casetraininghull.co.uk)

Learning disability support - Mind

What is the difference between Learning Disabilities and Learning Difficulties? | Alex Lowery speaks about autism

Access support from MENCAP through their Learning disability Helpline: Learning Disability Helpline | Mencap

Dyslexia

26th October 2023

Introduction – what is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty which affects reading and writing skills, although children and young people with dyslexia may have difficulties processing and remembering information they see and hear, which can affect learning.

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty; it is estimated that up to 10% of people in the UK have some degree of dyslexia.

Watch this video ‘What is dyslexia?’ from the British Dyslexia Association: https://youtu.be/11r7CFlK2sc

What are the signs of Dyslexia?

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) lists some signs of dyslexia. These can include:

Early Years

• Difficulty in learning to sing or reciting the alphabet
• Muddling words e.g.,’flutterby’
• Problems expressing themselves using spoken language e.g., unable to remember the right word to use

Primary Age

• Problems learning the names and sounds of letters
• Confusing the order of letters in words
• Slow writing speed
• Hesitant reading, especially when reading aloud

Secondary Age

• Difficulty taking notes or copying
• Poor spelling
• Poor standard of written work compared to oral
• Misses a line or repeats the same line twice when reading

For more detail about signs of dyslexia check out the BDA website here: Signs of dyslexia - British Dyslexia Association (bdadyslexia.org.uk)

Diagnosis

If you are worried about your child’s progress in reading and writing and/or worried they may be dyslexic:

• Talk to your child’s teacher. School may carry out some assessment and monitor aspects of your child’s progress in reading and writing for a period of time. Your child may also receive additional teaching or support in the areas they are struggling with

• If there is an ongoing concern, talk to your GP as there are health issues that could be affecting their ability to read and write such as vision or hearing difficulties

If concerns remain about your child’s reading and writing, more specific dyslexia screening could be helpful. These can give an indicator of whether a child may have dyslexic difficulties, but do not provide a diagnosis.

Dyslexia checklist – this is a tool to help understanding of whether there is a likelihood of dyslexia

Dyslexia screening – this is likely to be carried out by a teacher or SENCO in school and may give a more detailed profile of a child’s strengths and weaknesses. There are some sample checklists on the BDA website: Dyslexia checklists - British Dyslexia Association (bdadyslexia.org.uk)

Dyslexia diagnostic assessment – this is an assessment to determine whether a child has dyslexia or not. It will give a clear picture of their strengths or weaknesses and will make recommendations about how best to support them. The assessment is carried out by a certified person and there is often a cost. There are organisations that offer this locally (see details in Additional Support section at the end of this document).

Support for children with Dyslexia

Once your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, they can be supported to make progress through effective teaching techniques and support in school and at home.

School

There are a variety of ways in which school can support a child with dyslexia. The dyslexia diagnostic assessment will detail the child’s strengths and difficulties and make suggestions to support the child, for school to follow. For example:

• Putting specific interventions in place to target areas of difficulty in reading and writing

• Making referrals for more specialist support such as Leeds Special Educational Needs Inclusion Team (SENIT) or an Educational Psychologist

• Making reasonable adjustments in the classroom such as offering alternatives to writing as a key method of recording or breaking information and instructions into smaller ’chunks’

• Applying for exam access arrangements for those taking exams who may need a scribe or extra time due to their dyslexia

What you can do

• Talk to your child’s school about their diagnosis of dyslexia and what they are going to put in place to support them

• You can help at home by reading to and with your child, helping them with homework or helping them with organising their study time

Additional support from Leeds MENCAP

Speak to other parents with children with SEN and disabilities on our closed Facebook group.

Follow us on Facebook to hear about our upcoming events.

Check out the rest of our Family Support offer. We have:

• Weekly Chats and Tots coffee morning
• Family Support workers who can offer advice, signposting and support
• Lots of tips and resources on our website

Additional support and Resources:

This information is not affiliated with Leeds MENCAP.

For private diagnostic assessment of dyslexia:

Assessments for Children | Yorkshire Dyslexia | Leeds

Our services (leedsdyslexiaservices.co.uk)

Specific dyslexia charities/ organisations that offer advice and support:

Dyslexia - Leeds and Bradford Dyslexia Association (labda.org.uk)

Home

Dyslexia - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Watch a video about Dyslexia – Guide for Parents:

Supporting your child’s SEND Needs

8th September 2023

Introduction

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can affect a child or young person’s ability to learn. They can affect their:

• Behaviour or ability to socialise, for example they struggle to make friends
• Reading and writing, for example because they have dyslexia
• Ability to understand things
• Concentration levels, for example because they have ADHD
• Physical ability

Being a parent of a child with SEND can be challenging, and knowing how to support your child and the type of support they could receive or are entitled to is important.

School support

Overview

Most children with Special Educational Needs will have some type of SEND support. This means help that is additional to or different from the support generally given to other children of the same age in a mainstream school. The purpose of SEND support is to help children achieve the outcomes or learning objectives set for them by the school. Schools should involve parents in this process.

All educational settings, nurseries, schools, colleges and further education must make sure they meet the “reasonable” special educational needs of children and young people they identify as needing extra support. Most educational settings should be able to meet the needs of the majority of children with SEND.

What school support might look like 

Support for children with SEND will very much depend on the child’s needs. Common support includes intervention groups that focus on a specific area of learning or communication, for example.

Children with significant needs may benefit from an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) which school can apply for with parent consent.

Learning

• If a child has learning needs, school may support them within the classroom with a teaching assistant who may work with a child within a small group or 1:1 to support them to understand the learning.
•  If a child has specific targets (often documented on an Individual Education Plan or IEP (please see documents school might use section for more details) they may work on these targets 1:1 or in a small group with the teacher or teaching assistant, sometimes outside the classroom.
• If a child has a specific learning need such as dyslexia, the school may send relevant staff on specific training to ensure they can support needs.
• School may also refer a child to an Educational Psychologist if they want more information about a child’s learning needs and how best to support them.

Speech and Communication needs

• If a child has speech and/or communication needs, school may support them within the classroom with a teaching assistant who may work with a child within a small group or 1:1 to support them to understand the learning. For example, ensuring they have understood the instructions the teacher gives or helping to break down a task into shorter steps.
• If a school has concerns about a child’s speech and language, they may make a referral to the speech and language therapy service. Schools in Leeds can use both NHS speech and language and/or private speech and language therapy companies such as Chatterbugs or Away with words .
•  If a child has specific speech/communication targets, often documented on a Speech and Language Support Plan (please see documents school might use section for more details) they may work on these targets 1:1 or in a small group with the teacher, teaching assistant or speech and language therapist, sometimes outside the classroom.
• The school may send relevant staff on specific training to ensure they can support a child’s speech and communication needs.

Autism

• If a child has Autism, school may support them within the classroom with a teaching assistant who may work with a child within a small group or 1:1 to support them to understand the learning. They may also for example, support the child with social or unstructured times within the classroom.
• If a child has specific targets, for example around developing play or social skills they may work on these targets 1:1 or in a small group with the teacher or teaching assistant, often outside the classroom.
• The school may send relevant staff on specific training to ensure they can support a child’s needs.
• School may also refer a child to an Educational Psychologist if they want more information about a child’s needs and how best to support them.

Behavioural and/or mental health needs

• If a child has behaviour or mental health needs, school may support them within the classroom with a teaching assistant who may work with a child within a small group or 1:1 to support them to understand the learning.
• If a child has specific targets, often documented on an Individual Behaviour Plan or IBP (please see documents school might use section for more details) they may work on these targets 1:1 or in a small group with the teacher or teaching assistant, sometimes outside the classroom.
• A child with challenging or risky behaviour may need an Individual Pupil Risk Assessment (IPRA) which ensures all staff know how to keep them safe
• The school may send relevant staff on specific training to ensure they can support a child’s behaviour or mental health needs.
• School may also refer a child to an Educational Psychologist if they want more information about a child’s needs and how best to support them.

Physical and/or medical needs

• If a child has specific physical or medical targets, for example from a physiotherapy programme, they may work on these targets 1:1  with the teacher, teaching assistant within PE Lessons or sometimes outside the classroom.
• A child with physical and/or medical needs may need an Individual Pupil Risk Assessment (IPRA) and/or an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHCP) which details the child’s medical condition/ mobility issue and ensures all staff know how to keep them safe and the procedure to follow in the event of an emergency (please see documents school might use section for more details)
• The school may send relevant staff on specific training to ensure they can support a child’s physical or medical needs. This may involve being trained to safely move and handle a child, or to administer a specific procedure such as for a diabetic child.

Documents school might use

Learning needs

Individual Education Plan (IEP) (sometimes called an Individual Learning Plan or Support Plan) – a school generated document with short term targets, how and who will help the child achieve them. View a sample IEP here

Specific programme from an outside agency – this could be a targeted programme from the local authority SEND Team for a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia

Communication needs

Speech and Language Support Plan – generated by a speech and language provider (either NHS or a private company the school has commissioned) with targets and resources to help improve a particular area of speech.

Autism

Pupil passport ­­– usually a school generated document which details a child’s strengths and needs, what staff can do to help them etc. School often uses this to ensure all staff that come into contact with the child are aware of their need. View an example pupil profile template from Leeds MENCAP.

Sensory profile – a document that captures a child’s sensory needs. This usually details the things a child is over and under sensitive to. View an example sensory profile from STARS.

Visual timetable – often used to support children with autism. A visual representation of the child’s day or part of the day. Can also be used as a visual representation of a specific task such as the steps involved in going to the toilet. Find out more about visual timetables

Behavioural/ and or mental health needs

Individual Behaviour Plan (IBP) – a school generated document similar to an IEP document with short term targets, how and who will help the child achieve them. View an example IBP in our resources section.

Individual Pupil Risk Assessment - a Leeds local authority document that details the health and safety measures a school puts in place to support a child

Time out/take a break cards – a school generated card for children to use if they need a break from the classroom. This is often part of several strategies a school might put in place to support a child’s behaviour or mental health needs

Pupil passport ­­– usually a school generated document which details a child’s strengths and needs, what staff can do to help them etc. School often uses this to ensure all staff that come into contact with the child are aware of their need.

Physical and/or medical needs

Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) – a document generated by school or a medical professional that details the child’s medical condition, medication – when and how it is administered, procedures to follow in an emergency situation and contact details of parents and relevant medical professionals. This document may be accompanied by an IPRA (see above).

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) – a document generated by school for pupils with mobility difficulties which details how they will be supported to evacuate the school building in the event of a fire or other emergency situation.

Professionals that school might involve

• Educational Psychologist (EP)– all schools have an assigned EP who they can make a referral to, to gain more information about how to support a child’s needs. The EP may observe a child in the classroom or playground, chat to them or complete some assessments with them. Schools need parental consent to make a referral.
• Special Educational Needs Inclusion Team (SENIT) – the Leeds special needs team. Schools can make a referral for support about how best to meet a child’s needs. SENIT workers will come into school and work directly with school staff such as the class teacher or Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and may also work with the child. They have staff who specialise in the Early Years (Nursery and Reception), Learning needs and Behaviour and mental health needs. Schools need parental consent to make a referral.
• Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) – many schools now buy in SLT services either from the NHS or from a private company. An SLT will assess a child’s speech and language needs and put together a programme of work around the child’s area of need. They may also provide resources for parents to use at home. Schools need parental consent to make a referral.
• Special Training around Autism and Raising Standards (STARS) – a Leeds based team that support children with Autism in school. School can make a referral for support on how best to meet a child’s needs. A STARS practitioner will come into school and may observe or talk to the child, meet school staff and parents and make recommendations for the school to put  in place. Schools need parental consent to make a referral.
• Physiotherapist/Occupational Therapist (OT) – would usually only be involved in school if the child has been referred by a medical professional. They can come into school to share information, assess and check a child’s progress, or put a programme in place for school to follow.
• Other professionals – may ask to come into school to share information. This is usually linked to a medical condition and could include:
  • A dietician
  • A specialist nurse – diabetes, epilepsy, allergy, feeding

Other support

There is other support that parents with a child with SEND can access in Leeds, other than that provided by schools. The Leeds Local Offer is a website that details everything on offer in Leeds. Look at the Local Offer here - Directory (leedslocaloffer.org.uk)

Clubs

There are various groups and charities in Leeds that offer after school or holiday clubs and playschemes. Here are a few examples:

Endorphins – a company who offers various inclusive clubs aimed at children with SEND. Find the website here - https://endorphins.uk/

Leeds MENCAP – runs a variety of clubs for children and young people with SEND including a holiday playscheme. Check out our website for more information - https://www.leedsmencap.org.uk/

Aireborough Supported Activities Scheme (ASAS) - runs holiday playschemes and activity days for children with disabilities and additional needs who live in LS5, 16, 18, 19 20 & 21. Find the website here - Aireborough Supported Activities Scheme | ASAS | Leeds (aireborough-scheme.co.uk)

West Leeds Activity Centre - runs a variety of holiday clubs and activity days suitable for children and young people with additional needs. Find the website here - West Leeds Activity Centre | Outdoor activities for all ages Outdoor activity centre for all ages | West Leeds Activity Centre

What you can do

Schools have a certain level of responsibility they must adhere to. The SEN Disability Code of Practice says:

“The School Admissions Code of Practice requires children and young people with SEND to be treated fairly. Admissions authorities:

• Must consider applications from parents of children who have SEN but do not have an EHC Plan on the basis of the school’s published admissions criteria as part of normal admissions procedures.
• Must not refuse to admit a child who has SEN but does not have an EHC plan because they do not feel able to cater for those needs.
• Must not refuse to admit a child on the grounds that they do not have an EHC plan.”

If your child has SEND you may need to be their advocate as well as their parent or carer. Being an advocate means making sure their rights are respected and their needs are met. Sometimes you may need to speak on their behalf. 

Tips for meeting with school about your child

1. Identify a key person or people in school to speak to. This is likely to be the school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCo) but could also be your child’s teacher or a support member of staff
2. Build a positive relationship with people in school who can help:
   • Make contact with staff early on and be positive. It might be helpful to:
     • Note down any day-to-day issues so you can discuss them. 
     • Ask for regular meetings and updates.  
     • Tackle issues as they come up to stop them from growing into problems.  
   • Use an agreed method of communication – staff may not always be able to speak to you face to face
   • Be patient but persistent if school does not respond to you straight away. Most school staff will try to acknowledge contact from parents within 48 hours or sooner if the issue is urgent. If you do not get a reply, send a brief follow-up e-mail or call the school office to ask to have a message delivered to the staff member.
3. Familiarise yourself with the SEN Code of Practice and understand your child’s rights. This document provides statutory guidance on the SEND system for children and young people aged 0 to 25.
4. Ask a relative or friend to attend any meetings at school with you. It is often useful to ask another person to come along to meetings at the school as it can be difficult to listen to what is being said as well as to think of the questions you might want to ask. Another person can remind you of what you wanted to get from the meeting.

Additional support from Leeds MENCAP

Follow us on Facebook to hear about our upcoming events.

Check out the rest of our Family Support offer. We have:

• Weekly Chats and Tots coffee morning. Some coffee mornings have a free legal advice drop in from SEND specialists at Irwin Mitchell solicitors
• Family Support workers who can offer advice, signposting and support and may be able to support you with school meetings
• Lots of tips and resources on our website

Additional support and Resources

This information is not affiliated with Leeds MENCAP.

Read the SEND Code of Practice: SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Read an overview of support for children with special education needs:

Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND): Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Read about support for meeting with school about support:

School support meeting (leeds.gov.uk)

Working_with_childs-school_I-A.pdf (autismeducationtrust.org.uk)

How can I get the right support for my child’s special educational needs? - Support for Parents from Action For Children

What SEN support can my child's school provide? - Support for Parents from Action For Children

Seven ways to support your child with SEND at school - BBC Bitesize