• Advice and
  benefits
• Business
   
• Community
  and living
• Council and
  democracy
• Education
  and learning
• Environment
  and planning
• Health and
  social care
• Housing
   
• Jobs and
  careers
• Leisure
  and culture
• Tourism
   
• Transport
  and streets

• Disability
• Blue Badge Scheme
• Disabled Student's Allowance (DSA)
• Special Education Needs (SEN)

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

A special educational need means a learning difficulty. This prevents someone from reaching the minimum standards in speech, reading or writing achieved by peers.

A parent might notice a child’s learning difficulty in infancy or it might not be observed until the child begins nursery or primary school.

Children with special educational needs are taught in special or mainstream schools. A formal process which involves a child’s parents, teachers and other educational experts, assesses the child’s learning disability.

All parties agree a Statement. The Statement identifies the child’s learning needs and recommends a school environment best suited to the child.


Find about more about Special Educational Needs from Belfast Education and Library Board.