Glossary of Terms

Developmental, sensory and physical disability

A mental, emotional, physical or sensory impairment that appears in infancy or childhood and involves a failure or delay in progressing through the normal developmental stages of childhood.

Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan)

An EHC plan details the education, health and social care support that is to be provided to a child or young person who has SEN or a disability.

It is drawn up by the local authority after an EHC needs assessment of the child or young person has determined that an EHC plan is necessary, and after consultation with relevant partner agencies.

Graduated approach

A model of action and intervention in early education settings, schools and colleges to help children and young people who have special educational needs.

The approach recognises that there is a continuum of special educational needs and that, where necessary, increasing specialist expertise should be brought to bear on the difficulties that a child or young person may be experiencing.

Neuro-disability

In medical terms, Neuro-disability can be described as any restriction or lack of ability caused by injury, disease or disorder affecting the brain, spinal cord or muscles.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.
A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

• has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
• has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions

A disability is a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term (year or more) and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.