Schools need a new approach to identifying special educational needs

The assessment system for children and young people with additional needs in England is not working.

More people than ever before are on waiting lists because of autism and specific learning difficulties. Some NHS trusts do closing of waiting lists in the case of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Services are overloaded and have passed the breaking point.

Drawing on my expertise in neurodiversity and educational inclusion, I believe a different approach is needed to identify and support those with additional needs in schools.

In the current education system, when concerns arise about a child’s progress, behavior or well-being, schools use a multi-step process to assess the child’s strengths and needs.

This process involves trying school-based approaches such as literacy, maths and tutoring groups, before seeking help from outside specialists if this does not lead to improvement. Specialists may include education and clinical psychologistsoccupational therapists, specialist teachers and community pediatricians.

The right support

Accurate and timely referral to these specialists is a complex task. School plays a key role coordinators for special educational needs (Sencos) – qualified teachers who are responsible for the strategic development and provision of assistance to sick children special educational needs and disabilities across the school.

Senco’s decisions are critical in determining which specialists to engage and when. Mistakes at this stage can have serious emotional and financial consequences. Misplaced referrals can strain a school’s budget and leave a child’s needs unmet.

Despite, current teacher education AND Senco training not appropriately prepare teachers or Senco for these complex and crucial analyzes – i other duties leave Sencos little time.

Introducing a more detailed assessment process in schools would help bridge the gap between education and professional services. This would ensure a comprehensive and holistic understanding of each child’s needs.

I took this approach my latest research based on tracking three cases from initial referral to final application. Instead of being referred directly to a specialist in line with Senco’s observations, three children with varying learning and development needs were referred to an institution developmental psychologist who have made their own assessment of the child’s overall needs. This was unusual and occurred as part of my research.

In each case, the developmental psychologist took a detailed interview. They also conducted thorough observations and assessed cognitive function, achievement and behavior using both standard and gold standard assessment tools. The resulting reports provided a comprehensive review of each child’s strengths and challenges, directing them to the most appropriate specialist.

One of the assessment results confirmed Senco’s initial concerns about autism. One of them revealed additional co-occurring diagnoses of dyslexia and dyspraxia. The third identified ADHD, which is different from Senco’s original assessment. Without the input of a developmental psychologist, some of these children’s needs would be missed.

After a thorough evaluation by a developmental psychologist and complete profiles of each child, diagnoses were made immediately or within six months. In each case, quickly targeted recommendations were provided.

I believe that to address the shortcomings of the current system, which leads to long waiting lists, a qualified educational inclusion specialist should be part of school environment. This will be someone who has expertise in a variety of areas and has strong links with both education and health services.

This role would span multiple schools and would not necessarily require a developmental psychologist. Specialist teachers or Senco could receive additional training in developmental psychology. In this way, they could help promote a better understanding of neurodiversity in schools, where the foundations of relationships and learning begin.

The educational inclusion specialist would create a profile of the child’s strengths and difficulties. They would take on the role of diagnosing specific learning difficulties and identifying appropriate specialists for likely neurodivergence and recommending interventions, thereby improving referrals and reducing guesswork.

My research highlights the value of having a qualified specialist in schools or trusts with expertise beyond that which a Senco would have. A qualified GP who integrates education, home and health services can foster better collaboration between health and education and assess a child’s needs more accurately.

The costs would be minimal compared to the significant benefits of avoiding late, misdiagnoses or misdiagnoses in childhood. Ultimately, this will have a positive impact on children’s lives and futures.

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