If a child persistently struggles with lessons, reading or adjustment, record concrete examples before speaking with teachers. Discuss assessment and everyday support together, focusing on the help the child needs while professionals examine the underlying difficulties.
What to have ready
Before you start
EDB promotes early identification, early intervention, a whole-school approach, home-school cooperation and cross-sector collaboration, with school support teams using a three-tier model. SENSE's parent guidance explains assessment and cooperation. A clinical diagnosis, school support and public-examination special arrangements are distinct matters. Establish the appropriate services by the child's age, school type and needs rather than assuming one report automatically produces every possible accommodation or funding arrangement.
What to do, step by step
- Record examples over a manageable period, such as reading time, following instructions, emotional responses and daily effects, with representative work. Include strengths and strategies already tried. Share these with the class teacher, describing observable difficulties rather than replacing the discussion with labels such as lazy or naughty that do not identify a support need.
- Meet the student support team or SEN coordinator to discuss observations, initial support and assessment routes. Ask whether educational-psychology, language or medical referral is appropriate, leaving the assessment decision to relevant professionals. Clarify report purpose and charges before arranging external services instead of buying an assessment package on an unsupported promise of guaranteed school concessions.
- Read assessment and information-sharing consent documents and provide relevant reports through the appropriate channel. Agree responsibilities, observable goals, classroom adjustments and home cooperation, such as breaking instructions into parts or a homework arrangement. The team should match measures to this child; another child's complete plan should not be copied merely because a diagnosis sounds similar.
- Review progress on the agreed date and keep meeting notes and the support plan, considering reassessment or referral where appropriate. For Primary One entry, school transfer or public examinations, ask early about records and separate accommodation applications. A daily classroom adjustment should not be reported as an already approved public-examination arrangement without the relevant decision.
Costs, timing, and things to check
If home and school disagree, identify the specific goal, evidence and next review instead of debating a label alone. Follow the effect of support and listen to the child's account at a level they can express. Safety or an acute mental-health crisis requires the appropriate immediate professional route alongside routine school discussion.
Resources and procedures may differ across private, international, government, aided and DSS schools, so start with your school. Assessment reports contain sensitive information; share appropriately and retain versions. Welfare, healthcare and examination applications require their own accepted evidence and should not be assumed approved merely because a school has recorded SEN information.
A practical example
A child repeatedly runs out of time reading questions. The parent brings work samples and timing observations to the teacher and SENCO. The team discusses support, referral and a review date. Before public exams, the family checks the separate application rather than treating one private test as automatic extra time in every assessment.
Bring observations to the school team and coordinate assessment, support and review.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.