SPOTLIGHT ON SEND


The Specific Learning Difficulties diagnosis


guidelines are changing This month, in her regular column for Education Today on aspects of SEND, JOANNE GLADDERS, independent Specialist Teacher and Assessor, examines how changing guidelines around the diagnosis of Specific Learning Difficulties will affect practitioners and schools.


The Department for Education has just published guidance that from February 2019, young people who are starting university or further education courses will not need to have their diagnosis of Specific Learning Difficulties diagnosed again with a further report. So what does that mean in practice? How does it affect us in school?


Current situation Regardless of when a diagnosis of a Specific Learning Difficulty had been completed, the young person had to have another assessment completed after they turned 16 years of age. The subsequent report, written following the assessment, had to adhere to strict guidance outlined by the Specific Learning Difficulties Assessment Standards Committee (SASC). This includes the assessor holding a current Assessment Practising Certificate (APC) or to be HCPC registered (Health and Care Professions Council).


What changes in February 2019? The only change to the above is that, as long as the SASC guidance is adhered to and the assessor holds either an APC or is HCPC registered, the report, which can be written at any age for the young person, can be used for Disabled Students Allowance Applications.


What does that mean for us in education? As practitioners, we need to ensure that if we seek assessment for one of our young people, we need to be mindful of potential choices they might make in the future. If diagnosed with a Specific Learning Difficulty, will they in the future want to apply for Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)? If the answer is potentially yes, we need to ensure that we select an appropriate specialist to assess them - one who upholds the SASC guidance and holds APC or is HCPC registered. Don’t all assessors hold an APC or are on the HCPC register? Unfortunately not. Currently, as long as the person undertaking the assessment is appropriately trained, they do not need to have an APC. As a specialist, I have read many reports over the years and although many are very well written, they would not class as meeting the guidance issued by SASC.


Why is an APC or HCPC registration important? In order to hold an APC or to be registered, the assessor needs to show that they are up to date in their knowledge, have completed appropriate Continued Professional Development and are adhering to the standards set out by SASC. This enables standardisation of assessors and quality assurance that all assessors are meeting the required standards. There is currently much debate about these changes within the


specialist assessor arenas. One of the key areas of discussion is that reports are tailored to meet the needs of the young person at the time of writing, therefore, how can that be relevant to University/Further Education if it was written when the young person was at primary school? In addition, not all assessors hold an APC; this has implications for their practice and also who schools use to complete their assessments. We look forward to further guidance and watching to see how this unfolds into practice.


January 2019 Meet the parents


This month, in her regular Education Today column on all aspects of SEND, KATE SARGINSON, Assistant Headteacher and former SENCO, looks at the hugely important topic of parental engagement.


For parents of children with special educational needs, their involvement in school is crucial. The Code of Practice recognizes that parents and carers know their children best, and emphasizes the need for this knowledge to be shared with educational professionals. Schools are obliged to seek, listen to, and consider their views, as a result, parents of children with special educational needs are more frequently seen in school. The SENCO is responsible for fostering this collaborative relationship. However, it is important that the communication does not just begin and end with them – a wider dialogue needs to take place. What can be learnt from how effective SENCOs are able to engage parents? SENCOs often start a relationship with parents before the


child starts at the school as a pupil. Over time both parties get to know each other and build trust. Regular contact continues as the SEND Code of Practice requires the SENCO to meet parents termly to review progress. However, the Code does not state that at the exclusion of any other teachers. If liaison remains strictly between them and the SENCO it reinforces the unhelpful view that other teachers don’t have much of a part to play. What could be considered in order for parents and teachers to feel comfortable opening up and maintaining a dialogue beyond that which takes place with the SENCO? It is the case that every teacher is responsible for all the


children in their class, yet with the involvement of other staff within and beyond the room can affect the quality of relationships that are expected and experienced. Retaking that ownership can prompt a greater level of communication, as teachers actively get to know pupils. SENCOs provide the often much needed reassurance to parents that someone understands their child; surely this should be even more meaningful and impactful coming from the teacher who sees them daily? When engaging in conversation with parents it is important


to strike the right balance between assuring them that their child’s difficulties are known, without listing the pupil's difficulties, differences and diagnosis. Parents are already aware of this; they’ve had a lifetime of concerns, appointments and experts. Teachers need to show how that knowledge has influenced the approaches that they take and how progress is measured. Working effectively with parents of children with SEND requires sensitivity and understanding. It might be easy to focus on the difficulties but parents don’t need any more reminders of what their child can’t do. When teachers know their pupils well they will be able to convey the positive to parents without being patronising or disingenuous. It is more than the job of the SENCO and their teams of TAs


to get to know pupils with SEND. As class teachers strive to understand and meet children’s needs, they are better suited to become the key point of contact, with the SENCO having the strategic overview. If class teachers take responsibility and take time to build relationships, as SENCOs historically have, the communication channels between home and school will widen, resulting in improved provision.


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