What are the roles of the different professionals the child may be involved with?
If the child has a special educational need or disability, there could be a range of professionals involved in supporting them in school. Each has expertise in an area, which is used to have as complete an approach to the child’s needs as possible. Often, only a small number of professionals is involved and the child’s class teacher or SENDCo will explain who they are and what they do.
The process of assessment and support for a child with more complex SEND needs can be confusing and complicated. There could be many different specialists involved in different aspects of the child’s needs. Below are some of the main professionals who may be involved.
Class Teacher
The child’s class teacher is responsible for the child’s safety and education. They will use their skills and knowledge to put in place any interventions or adaptations to ensure the child can access their learning successfully. Very often, the class teacher will be able to put in place everything, which is needed without the need for professionals outside of school. They are the key person to talk to about any concerns you have about the child and for updates on how the child is doing.
Pupil support assistant (may have different names, like Additional Support Needs Assistant)
Gives the child extra help in class, or with other things like getting around the school or nursery, or communicating with others.
Social worker
Social workers can help with making sure that the child and the family have the support they need at home. This can include support for disabled children and their families. Social workers will also be involved in supporting children who are currently ‘looked after’, for example if they’re in foster or residential care, or are looked after at home or by kinship carers.
Speech and language therapist (SaLT)
A healthcare professional who can work with the child, you and others if the child has difficulties with communication, eating, drinking or swallowing. Speech and language therapists can be involved in supporting the child with language delay, stammering, social interaction difficulties, selective mutism and more.
They have a wide range of duties like helping the local authority assess children’s additional support needs, providing advice and training to you and others including school or nursery staff, and in some instances providing specialist therapy directly to the child.
Occupational therapist (OT)
A healthcare professional who can work with the child, you and others that the child has difficulties with the practical and social skills necessary for everyday life. They will try to help the child be as physically, psychologically and socially independent as possible. That includes helping the child get the right support and equipment to join in fully in school or nursery life.
Pupil and Family Support Officer (PFSO)
They give a range of advice around family related concerns and attendance. These may be problems being experienced at home or school, which are affecting the family. They work closely with the SENDCo but support needs, which are not necessarily directly educational.
Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCo)
Every school has a teacher trained as a SENDCo. They have a wide role within school and usually have their own class to teach as well. They do not deliver interventions as a SENDCo but are responsible for ensuring that the needs of children with SEND are being met. Their role includes: supporting the identification of children with special educational needs; coordinating SEND provision; liaising with professionals outside of school; supporting school to meet all its legal requirements; developing the strategic SEND policy with the head teacher and governors.
Cluster
Cluster are a group of professionals who support families of the local cluster of schools. Cluster offers expertise in family support, improving school attendance and supporting behavioural, emotional and developmental needs. They offer support through a range of strategies including therapies, counselling or courses all aimed at helping young people achieve their best. Cluster referrals are made via school or NHS services.
The cluster has an important role in the Support and Guidance team. This is made up of a wide range of professionals, including school, who review more complex cases and have access to the full range of support available including CAMHS.
Educational Psychologist (EP)
An EP is a highly trained specialist who supports children and young people with additional needs so that they can maximise their learning. EPs make an assessment of a child’s strengths and difficulties and recommend either further investigation or actions aimed at improving a child’s ability to access their learning successfully. An EP may become involved if the interventions available to school are not having the desired impact or if an assessment for an EHCP has been applied for. EPs are in very high demand and work on priority cases within the school.
Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
CAMHS are part of the NHS who assess, diagnose and treat young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties. They cover a very wide range of difficulties with a multi-discipline team including nurses, therapists, psychologists, support workers and social workers, as well as other professionals.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS).
This team is a confidential and independent, arms length service provided by the Local Authority. They can support parents/young people at any stage of Special Educational Needs Support, EHC assessment, or reviews, including support around making an appeal. SENDIASS will ensure that parents or carers are: fully included in the Education Health Care (EHC) needs assessment process from the start; fully aware of their opportunities to offer views and information; consulted about the content of the plan.
Clinical psychologist
A psychologist is a professional concerned with the mind and how people think, behave, learn, feel, remember and more.
A clinical psychologist can work with the child, you and others to help everyone better understand, assess, and treat the child if they have a mental or physical health issue. Clinical psychologists can be involved in supporting the child with anxiety, depression, learning difficulties and relationship issues. Some clinical psychologists have specialist experience, for example in supporting children with brain injuries.
Advocacy worker / Advocate
Someone who can help you or the child share your views. Some advocates can speak or act on your and the child’s behalf at meetings with the school or local authority.
Our website for children and young people, Reach, has info about advocacy that might be helpful for the child.
Guidance or Pastoral care teacher
Guidance teachers, sometimes called pastoral care or personal support teachers, help pupils through their time at secondary school. Their role is to help look out for your child’s wellbeing, giving guidance and support. They can support them with things like planning their learning, and can talk to them about worries they have or help sort out problems at school.
Educational Psychologist
An educational psychologist can work with the child, you and others to help everyone better understand, assess and support the child in their learning and development. They have a wide range of duties that can include helping the local authority assess the child’s additional support needs. They can also advise and support schools and nurseries to develop strategies to better support the child’s learning.
SCOPE
This is a disability equality charity, which gives free, independent and impartial information and support on the issues that matter to disabled people and their families. They cover all ages and all types of disabilities and have a very good section for parents of children with SEND.