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If your child is at school or nursery: always speak to your child's teacher first if you think your child is learning more slowly than they should. They will let you know what they are doing to address your child's area of weakness.

If your child doesn't progress despite well-targeted teaching, you or the teacher should speak to the person in your child's school or nursery responsible for special educational needs (the SENCO).

If your child isn't in school or nursery: contact the SEN Service on 020 7361 3311 or your doctor

If health problems are affecting your child's learning: contact your doctor (for example hearing loss).

What the SENCO will do

The SENCO will work with your child's teacher to assess whether your child has special educational needs. They will do this by talking to you and your child and looking at your child's work, progress and behaviour. This is not the formal education, health and care assessment.

If they think your child has SEN

The school or nursery must tell you if they think your child has special needs and about what action they plan on taking.

They may put in place SEN support or go straight to the formal assessment process.

The Child Development Service within the NHS provides a comprehensive assessment service that identifies, investigates, assesses their development needs and offers appropriate support, intervention and advice.

For information and contacts on the Woodfield Child Development Service, click here.

For information and contacts on the Cheyne Child Development Service, click here.

Related Advice

  1. Assessing Children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities
  2. What SEN support may include
  3. Assessment of SEN

Page last reviewed: 10/02/2024

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