Glossary
Sometimes people use words that we don't understand. Find out what they mean here.
A
- ADHD
-
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Advocate
-
Someone who can help ensure that a person is listened to, and that their rights, concerns and needs are acted upon.
- AEP
-
Alternative Education Provision
AEP is off site provision, which is arranged by a young person's school to prevent exclusion and re-engage students in their education. - Annual review
-
The review of a statement of special educational needs or EHC plan which a local authority must make within 12 months of issuing the statement or EHC plan and within 12 months, and not less than 6 months, of the previous review.
- ASC
-
Autism Spectrum Condition
- ASD
-
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- Asphyxia
-
A lack of oxygen or trauma, during or shortly after birth
- Assessment
-
This involves building a picture of your child’s abilities, difficulties, behaviour, his/her special educational needs (if applicable) and the support required to meet those needs. A statutory assessment is a formal procedure which involves the collection of information from as many people as possible who have detailed knowledge about your child.
- Audiologist
-
Health professional who specialises in identifying and treating hearing and balance disorders
- Audiometrician
-
Health professional who specialises in measuring hearing ability
- Audit of a Personal Budget
-
Review of the support and resources in place to ensure they are meeting the agreed outcomes in the Education Health & Care Plan.
B
- BESD
-
Behavioural Emotional and Social Difficulties
- Blue badge
-
The Blue Badge scheme helps you park closer to your destination if you’re disabled. Apply to your local Council.
C
E
- EAL
-
English as an additional language
- Early years setting
-
Providers who receive government funding to deliver early education including maintained mainstream and special schools, maintained nursery schools, independent schools, non-maintained special schools, local authority daycare providers such as day nurseries and family centres, other registered daycare providers such as pre-schools, playgroups and private day nurseries, local authority Portage schemes and accredited childminders working as part of an approved National Childminding Association network.
- Education, Health and Care needs assessment
-
This is a detailed exploration to find out what your child's special educational needs are and what provision should be put into place to meet them. It is the step before an Education, Health and Care Plan (often known simply as a 'plan'), but doesn't always lead to a plan being written
- Educational psychologist (EP)
-
A person, with a degree in psychology, training and experience in teaching and a further degree in educational psychology. An educational psychologist, employed by the local authority, will give advice and support to teachers and parents on how a child’s needs can be met.
- EEA
-
European Economic Area
- EHC
-
Education, Health and Care
- EHCP
-
Education, Health and Care Plans
G
- Gastrostomy
-
An artificial opening in the stomach to aid feeding and nutritional support
- GDD
-
Global Development Delay
- Graduated approach
-
A model of action and intervention in schools and early education settings to help children 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 may be experiencing.
- Gross Motor Skills
-
Use of the large muscles in the body that aid sitting, standing, walking, etc.
H
- Habilitation
-
Habilitation describes the acquisition of new skills and development of independence (Miller et al., 2011) and is distinct from re-habilitation which describes the regaining of skills and independence following illness or injury (United Nations, 2008). It is defined in the Vision
2020 strategy as follows: “the acquisition of mobility, orientation and other independent living skills in relation to children and young people born with vision impairment or who acquire it during childhood.” (Vision 2020 UK, 2013) - HV
-
Health Visitor
- Hypertonia
-
A medical term to describe increased muscle tone.
- Hypotonia
-
Medical term to describe decreased muscle tone.
I
- Inclusion
-
Educating children with special educational needs, together with children who do not have special educational needs, in mainstream schools, wherever possible. Ensuring that children with special educational needs engage in the activities of the school together with the other children.
- Independent living
-
Support for adults to live in the community rather than in a residential home.
- Individual Education Plan (IEP)
-
Short term targets for achievements set, reviewed and evaluated by the school with parents/child with copies made available to parents.
K
- KAPP
-
Knowsley Assessment, Placement and Provision Panel
- Key Stages
-
The different stages of education that a child passes through:
- Early Years Foundation Stage – age 0-5 (Early years setting, Nursery and Reception);
- Key Stage one – age 5-7 (Years 1 and 2);
- Key Stage two – age 7-11(Years 3, 4, 5 and 6);
- Key Stage three – age 11-14 (Years 7, 8 and 9);
- Key Stage four – age 14-16 (Years 10 and 11);
- Key Stage five – age 16+ (Sixth form or college)
- KLO
-
Knowsley Local Offer
- KMBC
-
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council
L
- LA's
-
Local Authorities
- LDA
-
Learning Difficulty Assessment
- LDA's
-
Learning Difficulty Assessments
- Learning difficulties
-
A child has learning difficulties if he or she finds it much harder to learn than most children of the same age, or has a disability which prevents them from making use of educational facilities provided for children of the same age.
- Level 1
-
Children having their needs met through accessing universal services such as schools, health visiting, GP and so on.
- Level 2
-
Targeted response by single agency to support the additional needs. Targeted services for children and families beginning to experience – or at risk of – difficulties, for example school counselling, parenting programmes, support for teenage parents and so on.
- Level 3
-
Level 3: Universal Partnership Plus - Multiple/Complex
Multi-Agency planning and support (Team Around the Family) with a Lead Professional. Specialist services for children and families with multiple needs such as intensive family support, specialist child and adolescent mental health services, and services for children with disabilities.
- Level 4
-
Level 4: Specialist Intervention - Need for protection
Specialist intervention/Social Worker Led. Specialist services for children and families with severe and complex needs, including child protection services, inpatient child and adolescent mental health services.
- LO
-
Local Offer
- LWH
-
Liverpool Women's Hospital
M
- Makaton
-
A system of communication that involves the combined use of manual signs and speech.
- Motability
-
Scheme to rent a vehicle using DLA or PIP payments to cover the costs. You must be in receipt of Higher Rate mobility component of DLA or PIP.
- MUGA
-
Multi Use Games Area
- Multi-disciplinary
-
Meeting of a group of professionals who assess, support and treat an individual
- Muscle Tone
-
Refers to the amount of tension or resistance in a muscle which enables movement
- Music therapy
-
Form of therapy often used to help communicate and build relationships with people who are non-verbal or have problems with verbal communication, through the use of playing, singing and listening to music.
N
- National curriculum
-
This sets out a clear, full and statutory entitlement to learning for all pupils, setting out what should be taught and setting attainment targets for learning. It also determines how performance will be assessed and reported. The national curriculum is taught in a way that meets the needs of individual pupils, eg setting goals that are achievable.
- Need for protection
-
Specialist intervention/Social Worker Led.
Specialist services for children and families with severe and complex needs, including child protection services, inpatient child and adolescent mental health services.
- NEET
-
A person who is not in employment, education or training.
- NG tube
-
Nasogastric tube inserted into the stomach via the nose to aid feeding.
- NRPF
-
No recourse to public funds
O
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
-
Mental health condition characterised by obsessive thoughts that causes heightened anxiety and compulsive behaviour the person the person thinks is necessary to relieve their obsession.
- Occupational therapist
-
A person who advises about aids and adaptations that may help your child.
- Ophthalmologist
-
Medically trained doctor with specialist skills in the diagnoses and treatment of diseases of the eye.
- Orthoptist
-
Healthcare professional who investigates, diagnoses and treats sight related problems and abnormalities of eye movement and eye position.
- Orthotist
-
Healthcare professional who assesses individuals for and designs specialist braces, splints and footwear.
- OT
-
Occupational Therapists
P
- Paediatrician
-
Doctor specialising in the needs of babies and children.
- Paraplegia
-
Impairments in sensory or motor function of the lower half of the body.
- Person Centred Approach
-
A way of working with a person to find out what is important and meaningful to them.
- Personal budget
-
Your personal budget is the money you get from Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, to pay for the help you need.
- Personal Data
-
Personal data is information that either on its own, or when added to other information, can identify a living individual. This can include names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth etc.
- Personalisation
-
The provision of tailored care and support to individuals based on their needs and choices they make about how they live their lives.
- Physiotherapist
-
Employed by the local health service to help people who have physical disabilities. They can help your child with exercises and provide specialist equipment.
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
-
Picture based communication system commonly used be pre-verbal or non-verbal children and young people.
- PIP
-
This is a new benefit replacing DLA for those over 16. Personal Independence Payment helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability.
- Play therapy
-
The use of play to help children act out and understand difficult life experiences and anxiety in order to reduce anxiety, improve self esteem and better manage their emotions.
- PMLD
-
Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
- Portage
-
Home based pre-school education for children with developmental delay, disabilities or any other special educational needs. Portage home visitors work in partnership with parents, helping parents to help their child through learning activities within the home.
- Positive Inclusion
-
Programme is a personal development and employability programme
- Positive Inclusion
-
Programme is a personal development and employability programme
- Profound and Multiple Learning Disability
-
Refers to people with more than one disability including severe learning disabilities.
- Psychiatrist
-
Medically qualified doctor who specialises in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health conditions.
- PT
-
Physiotherapists
- PVI
-
Private, Voluntary & Independent
S
- SEN
-
Special Educational Needs
- SEN&D
-
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- SENCO
-
The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator is the person who takes the lead in coordinating support for children with SEND in school settings, the Early Years Area SENCO does the same thing with private nurseries and childminders. SENCO's are the main contact for parents who have concerns about their child's SEND.
- SEND
-
Special Educational Needs and Disability
- SEND - Glossary of terms
- SENDIASS
-
Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (formerly Parent Partnership)
- SENIS
-
Special Educational Needs & Inclusion Services
- SETTING
-
A setting can mean a nursery or a child minder.
- SLD
-
Specific Learning Difficulties
- SLT
-
Speech and Language Therapist
- Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)
-
Member of staff of a early education setting or school who has responsibility for co-ordinating SEN provision within that early education setting or school. In a small school the headteacher or deputy may take on this role. In larger schools there may be a SEN co-ordinating team.
- Specialist Intervention
-
Level 4: Specialist Intervention - Need for protection
Specialist intervention/Social Worker Led. Specialist services for children and families with severe and complex needs, including child protection services, inpatient child and adolescent mental health services.
- Speech and language therapist (SaLT)
-
A person who helps children who have language difficulties or speech problems.
- Supported living
-
Supported living is a type of residential support that helps vulnerable adults, including people with learning disabilities, to live with support in the community.
T
- TAF
-
The Team Around the Family (TAF) is a model of service provision where a range of different practitioners come together to help and support a child or young person. Essentially it is a ‘virtual’ team of involved professionals brought together – with the family’s consent – to devise a plan of action to support the child and their family. The plan of action is based on needs identified using the Early Help Assessment Form.
- Transition plan
-
A plan drawn up when a child is due to move from home to nursery/childminder, nursery/childminder to school, primary to secondary school, secondary school to further education or adult choices. It sets out the steps and support needed for him or her to move from between each of these stages in life.
U
- Universal
-
Children having their needs met through accessing universal services such as schools, health visiting, GP and so on.
- Universal Credit
-
Universal Credit is gradually replacing certain benefits throughout the UK
- Universal Partnership Plus
-
Level 3: Universal Partnership Plus - Multiple/Complex
Multi-Agency planning and support (Team Around the Family) with a Lead Professional. Specialist services for children and families with multiple needs such as intensive family support, specialist child and adolescent mental health services, and services for children with disabilities.
- Universal Plus
-
Targeted response by single agency to support the additional needs. Targeted services for children and families beginning to experience – or at risk of – difficulties, for example school counselling, parenting programmes, support for teenage parents and so on.