Children with Special Needs

Question 1

what is a developmental delay?

Answer 1

Developmental delay is present when functional aspects of the child’s development in one or more domains (motor, language, cognitive, social, emotional) are significantly delayed compared to the expected level for age.

Question 2

what are some primary care assessment tools used for identifying developmental delay?

Answer 2

• ASQ (ages and stages questionnaire)
• PEDS (parent evaluation of developmental status)
• M-CHAT (checklist for autism in toddlers)
• SOGS-2 (schedule of growing skills)

Question 3

what are some red flag signs that could indicate a learning disability/developmental delay?

Answer 3

• loss of developmental skills
• concerns re vision and/or hearing
• floppiness
• no speech by 18-24 months
• asymmetry of movement
• persistent toe walking
• head circumference > 99.6th C or < 0.4th C

Question 4

what are some local services for developmental problems in children?

Answer 4

• community paediatrics clinic
• child development teams
• multidisciplinary assessment
• therapy services

Question 5

what are additional support needs?

Answer 5

A child or young person is said to have ‘additional support needs’ if they need additional support with their education.

Additional support can mean any kind of educational provision that is more than, or very different from, the education that is normally provided in mainstream schools

Question 6

what is an individualised educational plane (IEP)?

Answer 6

IEP is a detailed plan for a child’s learning. It contains some specific, short-term learning targets for the child and will set out how those targets will be reached. Targets are:
Specific ● Measurable ● Achievable ● Relevant
● Timed.
In some areas these plans are called additional support plans or individual support plans.

NOT a legal document

Question 7

what is a co-ordinated support plan (CSP)?

Answer 7

A CSP is a detailed plan of how child’s support will be provided. It is a legal document and aims to ensure all the professionals who are helping the child, work together. It also helps ensure that everyone, including parents and the child, is fully involved in that support.

For children in local authority school education and needing significant additional support.
- Complex or multiple needs
- Needs likely to continue > 1 year
- Support required by > 1 agency.