Who’s who in SEND
You’ll come across lots of different professionals during your SEND journey. They work for a range of organisations and have varied roles. In this Guide we’ll help you understand what each of them does.
Contents
Scroll down to browse all the various roles or click a button to jump to a specific section.
School
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo)
In every school, there’s a dedicated SENDCo, a qualified teacher responsible for organising support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Every school must have a SENDCo, and they are often one of the teaching staff. The SENDCo offers guidance to all teachers, and works closely with staff, parents and other agencies.
Some schools, especially smaller primary schools, share a SENDCo. They are sometimes called a Family of Schools SENDCo. They will organise the provision for children with SEND in all the schools they are responsible for.
The class teacher, however, will still have the day-to-day responsibility for teaching and implementing any support that’s agreed upon.
Inclusion Manager
Some schools may have an Inclusion Manager who handles provision for children with all sorts of needs, not just SEND. Examples could be children whose first language is not English or children whose family have social care involvement.
Head Teacher
The Head Teacher oversees school staff, including the SENDCo, and may even take on the role of SENDCo in smaller schools.
SEND Governor
This person sits on the board of governors for a school and is responsible for monitoring and supporting the school with matters relating to SEND. Along with the Chair of Governors, they will also deal with any complaints relating to SEND provision.
Class Teacher
A Class Teacher plans and teaches lessons. They also assess and monitor the progress of children in their class and highlight to parents and the SENDCo any concerns about a child’s development and learning. A class teacher will also implement any support plans put together by the SENDCo and should be involved in reviewing these plans.
Teaching Assistant (TA)
Supports the Class Teacher and aids the learning of children with SEND, offering support on different levels. This could be for a whole class, a small group or on a one- to-one basis. Children with SEND may have a TA who works with them throughout the school day, depending on the plan of support in place for that child. TAs are sometimes called Learning Support Assistants (LSA) or Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA).
Family Liaison Officer
Provides support and guidance to parents / carers to help with any issues that are stopping pupils doing their best at school. The role is very varied. They can provide a listening ear, signpost to other agencies or support, help to ensure that different agencies are aware of the child’s needs, act as a go-between, or work with other school staff and agencies to plan support for children.
Local authority
Educational Psychologist (Ed Psych)
They assess a child’s special educational needs and offer advice in relation to any educational difficulties. This could include social and emotional problems, learning difficulties, issues around disabilities and complex developmental disorders. They are often involved in EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) assessments and reviews.
Specialist Teacher
A teacher who has expertise in working with children with specific needs. This might be a child who is visually impaired, hearing impaired, or has multi-sensory impairment. They can work directly with the child or can provide guidance and recommendations to school staff. Specialist teachers will have specific qualifications to deal with your child’s needs.
Area SENDCo
Oversees SEND provision in a specific area, offering training and guidance to SENDCos.
In Early Years, the Area SENCo provides guidance to early years providers on the development of inclusive environments. They help to link between the education, health and social care aspects to deliver appropriate early provision for children with SEN. In addition, they assist with their transition to school once they’re at compulsory school age (the term after they turn 5 years old)
SEND Team
Handles EHC assessments, plans, and reviews. They are responsible for requesting assessments, issuing and reviewing plans, and educational placements. They also act as a go-between for yourself and any decision-making panels. You can find out the name & contact details of your local team through the Local Offer page. (link needed here)
SEND Caseworker
Responsible for EHCPs, and they are often specific to certain schools in the area. This job title may be different depending on your local area.
Head of SEND
Oversees services for children and young people with SEND in the area. They may also be involved in complex cases, such as independent school placements, and deal with any complaints regarding Local Authorities.
SENDIASS / SENDIAS Service
SENDIASS stands for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Service
It offers information, advice, and support to children, young people, and parents about the special educational needs system. SENDIAS services are statutory, free, confidential and impartial.
They provide information, advice and support on the rights of families of children and young people with SEND, along with SEND law, local policy and processes across education, health and social care.
Although funded by local authorities, SENDIAS Services are run either at arm’s length from the local authority or by a voluntary organisation to ensure children, their parents and young people have confidence in them.
Disability Social Worker
They assess the needs of the child and family, coordinating a package of support. This support could include adaptations to the home, short breaks or respite.
Health
Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)
Provides assessment and therapy for communication difficulties in children. Therapists will often create a plan that can be delivered in school, and sometimes at home. Referrals to SALT can often be made by schools, parents or GPs.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
This service provides assessment and therapy for children who have difficulty with their gross motor skills (such as running & jumping) or fine motor skills (such as holding a pen & dressing themselves). This therapy can also support children and young people who struggle with sensory processing.
Physiotherapy (Physio)
Offers assessment and therapy for children and young people with mobility, movement, and muscle strength difficulties.
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
Provides support for emotional and mental well-being in children up to school-leaving age. You can find your local CAMHS service here. (link needed)
Neurodevelopmental Service
Assesses and supports children with concerns about neurodevelopmental conditions such as ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
Paediatricians
Doctors who assess, diagnose, and manage medical conditions affecting children.
PALS – Patient Advice and Liaison Service
Offers confidential advice and support on health-related matters. This also includes helping to resolve concerns and if you want to make any complaints. You can find your local PALS on the NHS website. (link needed)
National services
SEND First-tier Tribunal (SENDIST)
Handles appeals against local authority decisions regarding EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) SEND
LGO (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman)
Investigates individual complaints about councils in a fair and independent manner. You can find out more on the LGO website.
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