About Special Educational Needs (SEND)
SEND is the wider term used for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Special educational needs and can affect a child or young person’s:
- ability to learn
- behaviour or ability to socialise and make friends
- reading and writing
- ability to understand things
- concentration levels
- physical ability.
Contact, a national charity working for families of disabled children have a list of conditions that may affect a child or young person.
Where to start
It can be overwhelming knowing where to start – here, parents of children and young people with SEND share their tips on how to organise yourself and what you can do start finding the right support for you and your child
- Do some research around your child’s area of need, what you are concerned about, or the disability you think they may have.
- Look into joining some local support groups. You will find there’s a lof of information, guidance and resources from fellow parents/carers in the online support groups such as those available on Facebook. Many charities have closed Facebook groups just for parents or carers which you can ask to become a part of. The benefit of looking online is that you can access support from the comfort of your own home.
- Think about how you can stay organised – it’s likely you’ll receive lots of paperwork, so you’ll need a place to keep it tidy and safe.
- Keep to your appointments and record all communications if you can. If you speak to someone on the phone for example, make a note of what was discussed or agreed.
- Try making a file of your child or young person’s symptoms and needs. It can be frustrating to keep repeating this information with different professionals, so having a place where everything is written down can help you cope with this.
Help with education
All children and young people with SEND are entitled to a mainstream education. This means that all education providers must support children and young people with SEND. In most cases they can do this through special educational needs (SEN) support.
When children and young people need more support than their school or other setting can provide you can consider applying for an education, health, and care (EHC) plan.
Further information can be found at:
Support within education toolbox Parents / carers – Rotherham SENDIASS
Information on all mainstream and specialist education provision in the borough including support services can be found Education and childcare – Rotherham SEND Local Offer
Financial help
As the parent or carer of a child or young person with SEND, you may be entitled to extra benefits to help care for your family.
There are various sources of financial support available that could help.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
If your child needs more care, attention, or supervision than a child of the same age who doesn’t have SEND, then you may be able to apply for Disability Living Allowance (under 16) Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults: Overview – GOV.UK or Personal Independence Payment (over 16). Personal Independence Payment (PIP): How to claim – GOV.UK
Parents, carers, and young people with SEND may also get extra money from universal benefits. Universal benefits are available to everyone, not just people affected by SEND, and include funded childcare and Universal Credit.
For more information on financial help go to Money Matters – Rotherham SEND Local Offer
Neighbouring area local offers
Although you may live in Rotherham, you may need help from other nearby local offers to access certain services.
Rotherham’s neighbouring local offers are:
Useful organisations
SENDIASS
Offer impartial advice and support for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
Healthwatch Rotherham
Our remit covers all health and social care services in England. We set our plans based on what people tell local Healthwatch about their experiences, as well as data regarding the health and social care issues affecting the general public.
Rotherham Parent Carers Forum
Rotherham Parent Carers Forum share knowledge, experience and feedback to help plan and improve the services for disabled children and their families in Rotherham.
Rotherham MBC
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council provides services and support for children and young people with SEND and their families.
Rotherham Charter and Genuine Partnerships
Genuine Partnerships is an equal partnership between RMBC and Rotherham Parent Carer’s Forum aimed at embedding the principles of the Rotherham Charter (Four Cornerstones) across schools, colleges, settings and services.
Rotherham SEND Sufficiency
Rotherham Borough Council has a statutory duty under The Education Act 1996 Section 14(1) to ensure that it provides sufficient school places for all pupils who are resident within the Borough. It has specific duties to ensure that there is sufficient provision for pupils with SEND where an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan has determined that the provision should be met in designated specialist provision.
With the implementation of the new Education Code of Practice and reforms in 2014 there has been a national rise in demand for education provision to meet the needs of children and young people with Special education Needs and Disabilities. Accordingly the Government has made additional capital funding available to address this need and also created a statutory duty for Local Authorities to understand and address their SEND Sufficiency needs.
Please click below to see the latest timeline for SEND sufficiency plans in Rotherham:
Rotherham Borough Council: SEND Sufficiency
A new SEND Sufficiency Termly newsletter has been published. It highlights the progress made in ensuring more places for young people in Rotherham with special educational needs and disabilities:
Role of the SEND Improvement Officer
The officer works with schools and colleges to build capacity and to bring about positive change for children and young people with SEND. This ensures that the right support is given in the right place and at the right time for all children and young people. Support is provided to whole school/college systems to identify and meet needs of learners with SEND at the earliest opportunity.
For more information please click on the link below:
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Improvement – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Rotherham SEND Service structure
Rotherham Borough Council SEND service structure chart
South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) service structures:
Childrens Care Group Management & Leadership Structure
SEND Local Area OFSTED and CQC Inspection 2024
In October 2024, inspectors from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited Rotherham to look at how well services are working for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The inspection looked at education, health, and social care services across the borough.
Rotherham received the highest possible rating. This means that most children and young people with SEND in Rotherham are well supported and have positive experiences.
You can read a summary of the report below:
Inspection outcome
Most children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Rotherham have good experiences and do well. The people in charge are working on making things even better. Another full inspection will happen in about five years.
Information About the Local Area Partnership
Rotherham Metropolitan DistrictBorough Council (RMBC) and NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) work together to plan and organise help for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
In the last few years, there have been some changes in the people leading these services. A new director for children’s services started in March 2023, and a new leader for education and inclusion joined recently.
In 2022, the way health services are organised changed across the country. Since July 2022, NHS South Yorkshire ICB has been in charge of health services for children with SEND in Rotherham.
The Local Area Partnership use the Rotherham Aspire Pupil Referral Unit for some children who find school difficult or have been excluded. Schools can also choose other places for learning, called alternative provision (AP). When they do this, they must check that these places are safe and suitable, often with help from the council.
What is it Like to Be a Child or Young Person with SEND in This Area?
- Children with SEND are cared for and included in their communities.
- Most children get the help they need quickly, especially from health visitors and schools.
- Some children wait too long for therapy or diagnosis, but leaders are trying to fix this.
- Children enjoy school and activities, and they are helped to move on to college, work, or training.
- Older children get help with things like learning to live on their own and managing their health.
What is the Area Partnership Doing That is Effective?
- Leaders have a clear plan with the four cornerstones: Welcome and Care, Value and Include, Communicate and Work in Partnership.
- Children and families are asked for their views and these are used to improve services.
- Schools, health, and social care teams work together to plan and deliver support.
- Parents are happy with the help they get, and schools get good training.
- Attendance is improving thanks to special support for children who find school hard.
- Children with hearing or vision problems get strong support.
- Mental health services are easy to access and helpful.
What Does the Area Partnership Need to Do Better?
- Some Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans are not clear or detailed enough.
- These plans don’t always show what the child or family wants or needs.
- Plans often miss out on how to help children prepare for adult life.
- There are still long waits for some therapies and diagnoses, though work is being done to improve this.
Areas for Improvement
Leaders need to:
- Make EHC plans better by including clear, detailed support from all services.
- Make sure children’s and families’ voices are included in the plans.
- Help children prepare for adult life with clear steps in their plans.
- Reduce waiting times for therapy and diagnosis so children get help sooner.
If you would like to read the full report, click the link below:
Practitioners guides to SEND law and policy
Information for health professionals on the SEND Code of Practice, and on services for disabled children.
SEND Guide Early Years settings
SEND Guide for schools and alternative provision settings
SEND Guide Further Education providers
SEND Guide for health professionals
SEND Guide for social care professionals
What the government’s doing about special educational needs and disability
Government Legislation, advice and guidance
In this section you will find information about the law, statutory guidance and government advice as well as Rotherham’s local policies and guidance that relate to support for children and young people with special education needs or who are disabled.
Children and Families Act 2014
This is the law about how children and young people with special educational needs or who are disabled (SEND) get the support they need. It came into force on 1 September 2014. Some of key changes are:
- A bigger focus on your aspirations for the future and the support you will need to achieve your goals
- Statements of Special Educational Needs and Learning Difficulty Assessments will be replaced by Education, Health and Care plans
- We will consult children, young people and their families about our Local Offer of services
- You will be more involved in making decisions about how you are supported
- You will have more information, advice and support to understand your options as you move into adulthood
Please note, some changes will come into force at different times.
The law and associated regulations
SEN Code of Practice (0 – 25 Years)
This is statutory guidance for organisations who work with and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. This applies to:
- Academies and free schools
- Colleges
- Early years providers
- Maintained schools
- Non-maintained special schools
- Pupil Referral Units.
