Educational services provided within the school environment
There's a wide range of support services available, provided by Surrey County Council and Surrey schools. The services listed below, provide specific support to children and young people with SEND.
Teachers and school can also use many of these services to help with the developmental and educational needs of their children.
- Special Educational Needs Co-coordinators (SENCOs) are there for you to talk to and to advise you, on how your child's needs can be met at school and also supported at home. They also work closely with the Local Special Educational Needs teams.
- Local Special Educational Needs teams offer support and advice on Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
- Speech and Language Therapy Services for children and young people provide support for those with speech, language and communication skills difficulties.
- Race, equality and minority achievement (REMA) offer support and advice for schools in their provision for ethnic minority pupils.
- Physical and Sensory Support Service (PSS) for children and young people (from 0-19) with physical, hearing, visual and multi-sensory impairment, in learning and living.
- Educational psychology - the team deal with the psychological and educational development of children and young people at home, school and within the community.
- Specialist teaching teams provide expertise and practical support to schools and families. The teams are made up of learning and language support specialist teachers and behaviour support specialist teachers and assistants. They work with schools, parents and other agencies to help pupils with learning and language difficulties and to help manage behaviour difficulties.
- Behaviour support help children and young people who have one of the following: attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder.
- Inclusion - offer support for schools and parents regarding the attendance, truancy and exclusion from school of pupils.
Please also see our webpage: Special educational needs and disabilities education support and advice for teachers.
If you are looking for our policy statement on Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), please note that this document is pending review.
Educational services provided outside the school environment
- Alternative learning services are for those with additional educational needs such as children at risk of exclusion or educational failure.
- Elective Home Education team help and support parents and carers of children with SEND who are educated at home. Please also Elective home education guidance for parents.
- Virtual Schools champion the educational needs of children and young people who are looked after by the Local authority.
Other help and support available
- SEND Advice Surrey - formerly Surrey SEND Information, Advice and Support Service, which gives impartial advice on special educational needs and disability.
- Surrey Local Offer provides information and resources about SEND for young people, families and practitioners.
- The Family Information Service - can help you find organisations and services that may be able to support your family. FIS also has information about childcare, holiday schemes and activities.
- Surrey Short Breaks for Disabled Children funds voluntary organisations and SEND schools to provide short break services, including after-school clubs, holiday schemes, home-care and more. For most of these you don't need to be eligible for our social care support to take advantage of them.