Your child may have a special educational need or disability (also called SEND) if they have significant difficulty learning compared to other children of the same age, or a long-term illness or health condition which makes it difficult for them to take part in daily activities.
Leeds has a plan (called the Leeds Local Offer) to help children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. It includes information about what services and support you and your child can get, including:
- schools and colleges
- transport
- getting a job
- sport and other activities
- local parent groups
The Leeds Local Offer has a website which tells you more:
You can also find helpful information, including for children aged under 5, on Leeds City Council’s Family Information Service website:
Support in school and college
If you think or know your child has a special educational need or disability (SEND) you should speak to your school.
All schools and colleges have a duty to identify children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and provide the additional support they need. To help do this, schools have a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) who you can speak to. In colleges they are usually called Additional Learning Needs Coordinators.
Sometimes your child needs an Education, Health and Care Plan, if they need a lot more support than the school or college can provide on its own.
Schools and colleges must involve you in any decisions about support for your child.
For more information you can contact the Leeds SEND Information Advice and Support Service.
0113 378 5020 (Leave a message using the 24-hour voicemail service)
SENDIASS GetInTouch (online enquiry form)
Paying for care for your child
If your child has an education, health and care plan, and needs extra care and support offered by a health care professional, for example, you may have to pay all or some of the costs of this care. The Council will decide how much you need to pay.
