24
GET T ING EXTRA SUPPORT
Es SEN tial Reading... E V E R Y O N E N E E D S A L I T T L E H E L P N OW A N D T H E N – B U T H OW D O Y O U G O A B O U T C L A I M I N G A V A I L A B L E S U P P O R T F O R Y O U R C H I L D ?
M
any children will need some extra support at one point or another
in their lives when things aren’t going well at home or at school. It’s when those difficulties – social, emotional, intellectual, behavioural, physical, sensory or any combination of the above – make learning consistently harder for them that they may be diagnosed with learning needs. Understandably, this isn’t always easy for parents to accept. We all have hopes and dreams for our children. Discovering that they may struggle to hit developmental or educational milestones at the same time as their peers, or need considerable help in getting there, can be difficult to hear. Sometimes, parents adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach, hoping that their child will catch up and all will be well. It’s true that in a group of very young children, there will be a huge variation in the way they play, communicate and work together. But by the age of seven or so, some differences can begin to stand out. It’s the time when many children will be turning into competent readers. If a child is struggling with this, as well as writing and spelling, it’s possible they might have a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia. It’s also the time when social skills take off. Making friends, joining in games at playtime and taking turns all come naturally to most children – but those with autism may struggle to fit in.
The law is also on your side. Under the Equality Act, any child with a disability – including learning needs – must get the same benefit from the education offered by their school or college as everyone else. Hopefully, your child’s school or college will want to work with you to get the support your child needs put in place. Schools do have a budget to support children with learning needs, but unfortunately it is limited. If your child needs more support than is available, the next stage is to consider getting an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), a legal document that sets out the child’s needs, specifies the help they must
Schools may alert parents to their child’s difficulties. Often, it can be the parents who seek help, only to be told that nothing is wrong, that their child is coping and that no extra help is needed. Their instincts are rarely wrong but it can be an uphill struggle to get anyone to listen, let alone put the right support in place. Help is out there. Our area’s Parent Partnership Service (look for it under SENDIASS) gives free, impartial information and support to parents whose children have, or may have, special educational needs. Other helpful organisations offering helplines and online fact sheets include IPSEA and SOS!SEN.
AUTUMN/WINTER 2019
Powered by FlippingBook