What Is SEND Support?

Quick summary: SEND Support is extra help for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. It is usually provided by schools, colleges or early years settings before an Education, Health and Care Plan is considered. This guide explains what SEND Support means, what families may expect, and where to look for further help.

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What does SEND Support mean?

SEND Support is the support a child or young person may receive if they have special educational needs or disabilities that affect learning, development, communication, behaviour, access to school life, or wider participation in education.

In schools, this is often called SEN Support. It is normally the first formal level of additional support before an Education, Health and Care Plan, often shortened to EHCP, is considered.

SEND Support can look different depending on the child, the setting and the needs involved. It may include changes to teaching, extra help in class, targeted interventions, communication support, emotional support, specialist advice, or adaptations to the school environment.

Who is SEND Support for?

SEND Support may be relevant where a child or young person needs more help than most pupils of the same age. This may relate to areas such as:

  • communication and interaction
  • learning and cognition
  • social, emotional or mental health needs
  • sensory or physical needs
  • attention, organisation or regulation
  • speech, language or communication needs
  • specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia

A child does not always need a diagnosis to receive support in school. The focus should be on the child’s needs and the support required to help them access education.

What should schools do when a child may need SEND Support?

Schools are expected to identify pupils who may need additional support and to put appropriate help in place. In practice, this usually involves the class teacher, the school SENCO and parents or carers working together.

Common steps may include:

  • listening to concerns from parents, carers, teachers or the child
  • looking at progress, attendance, behaviour, wellbeing and learning needs
  • agreeing specific support or adjustments
  • recording what support is being provided
  • reviewing whether the support is helping
  • seeking specialist advice where needed

This is often described as a cycle of assessing need, planning support, putting support in place and reviewing progress.

Important: This guide gives general information only. It is not legal, educational, medical or clinical advice. For a specific situation, families may wish to speak to the school SENCO, local SENDIASS, an education adviser, SEND advocate or another relevant professional.

What types of support might be included?

SEND Support should be based on the child’s individual needs. Examples may include:

  • small-group learning support
  • extra help with reading, writing, maths or organisation
  • visual timetables, task breakdowns or structured routines
  • speech and language strategies
  • sensory adjustments or movement breaks
  • support with transitions, anxiety or emotional regulation
  • reasonable adjustments to teaching or the classroom environment
  • advice from external professionals, where appropriate

Support should not be a one-size-fits-all package. The most useful support is usually specific, reviewed and linked to the child’s actual barriers in school.

Is SEND Support the same as an EHCP?

No. SEND Support and an Education, Health and Care Plan are different.

SEND Support is usually support arranged within the school or setting. Many children with additional needs receive help at this level.

An EHCP is a formal plan for children and young people who need more support than is available through SEND Support. It sets out the child or young person’s educational, health and social care needs, the support required, and the outcomes being worked towards.

If SEND Support is not enough, families or schools may consider whether an EHC needs assessment should be requested.

You can read more in our related guides:

What if SEND Support is not working?

If a child is still struggling despite support being in place, it may be useful to ask for a review meeting with the school. Parents and carers may want to ask:

  • what support is currently being provided?
  • how often is it happening?
  • who is delivering it?
  • what outcomes are being measured?
  • what evidence shows whether it is helping?
  • has advice from external professionals been considered?
  • is an EHC needs assessment being discussed?

It can help to keep notes of meetings, copies of school plans, examples of work, professional reports, emails and records of concerns. These may be useful if further support is needed later.

How SEND Support may change under SEND reform

The SEND system in England is currently subject to reform. Government updates have referred to stronger mainstream inclusion, clearer expectations for schools and the future use of Individual Support Plans for children with SEND.

Families should be aware that policy and guidance may continue to change. Find Support UK maintains a SEND Reform Tracker to help parents, carers and professionals follow key developments.

Read the SEND Reform Tracker

Where can families find help with SEND Support?

Families may look for different kinds of help depending on the situation. This may include school-based support, local authority information, parent carer forums, SENDIASS, charities, education consultants, EHCP advisers, SEN tutors or specialist therapy providers.

Find Support UK is a neutral directory. We do not diagnose, recommend individual providers or give legal advice. Our role is to help families understand support options and find relevant services more easily.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SEND Support?

SEND Support is extra help for a child or young person with special educational needs or disabilities. It is usually arranged by the school, college or setting and should be based on the child’s individual needs.

Does my child need a diagnosis to get SEND Support?

Not always. Schools should focus on a child’s needs and the support required, not only on whether they have a formal diagnosis.

Is SEND Support the same as an EHCP?

No. SEND Support is usually school-based support. An EHCP is a formal plan for children and young people who need more support than is available through SEND Support.

What should I do if SEND Support is not enough?

You can ask the school for a review meeting, request evidence of what support has been tried, and discuss whether further professional advice or an EHC needs assessment may be needed.

Where can I find SEND support services?

You can use Find Support UK to browse SEND and EHCP support providers, education consultants, SEN tutors, charities and related services.

Useful external sources

Next step: If you are looking for support outside school, you can browse SEND and EHCP support providers, education consultants, SEN tutors and related services in the Find Support UK directory.

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