PRE-SCHOOL CHILD DEVELOPMENT TEAM
North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust

The team provides multi-disciplinary assessment and therapy for children under five where there are concerns about their development.  They also provide support, advice and therapy where appropriate for their families. If required, specialist advice is also available from the following:

Early Years Support Teachers
Sensory Support Teachers
Dietician
Dentist
Social Services
Children’s Specialist Nurses

If you wish to know more about the Child Development Team please telephone the Child Development Centre between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

 
SCHOOLS

The revised Code of Practice, implemented in January 2002 and based on the Education Act 1981 which deals with Special Education Needs (SEN), provides a framework for developing strong partnerships between parents, schools, local education authorities (LEAs) and health and social services. It promotes a consistent approach to meeting children's SEN and places the rights of children at the heart of the process, allowing them to be heard and to take part in the decision making process whenever possible. The focus is on ensuring that SEN are identified as quickly as possible.

The SEN Code of Practice provides practical advice to LEAs, maintained schools, early education settings (nurseries) and others on carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children's SEN.

The Code supports four general principles and should be read with them in mind.  They are as follows:

• a child with special needs should have his or her needs met;
• the special needs of children will normally be met in mainstream schools;
• the views of children should be sought and taken into account; parents have a vital role to play in supporting their child's education;
• children with SEN should be offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education, including appropriate curriculum for the foundation stage and the National Curriculum (NC). 

Special Education Needs (SEN) vary enormously from learning and behaviour difficulties, to speech and communication problems as well as poor co-ordination and physical disabilities.  They may all result in special educational needs and may make it difficult for your child to access education. If it seems that your child needs more help than can normally be offered in a mainstream school the LEA can be asked, by parents or other professionals with parental consent, to make a formal assessment.  If carried out, this will involve an educational psychologist and other professionals who must also act with the consent of parents.

If, as a result of the assessment, it is agreed that special arrangements are needed for your child, a Statement is produced. The Statement sets out the nature of your child’s special needs and arrangements needed to meet them e.g. if a special school is being offered.  The final Statement is statutory and the arrangements have to be formally reviewed annually.

North Yorkshire produces a booklet called “Guidelines for Parents – Children with Special Needs”.  This sets out the process clearly and in greater detail.  A copy of the booklet is given to parents as soon as a child is referred for assessment.  It can also be obtained from: