I think my child has special educational needs

Information about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and where to start if you think your child has SEND.

Who can I speak to if I think my child has SEN or a disability?

If you are worried about your child's development, progress or behaviour, there are a number of people you can speak to for advice.

Pre-school children aged 0 to 5-years-old

  • If your child attends nursery, you can speak with the nursery's key person, manager or special needs coordinator (usually referred to as the SENCO).
  • You may also consider contacting your health visitor or GP.
  • If you attend a local children's centre, you can also speak with the staff there.  

School-aged children

  • Your child's school will have a designated special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) who you can contact to discuss any concerns you may have.

    For information about what support you can expect a mainstream school to deliver, read our  Hillingdon Ordinarily Available Provision (PDF, 727 KB).
  • You can also contact your GP.

Concerns relating to your child's health or medical needs

  • If you have any concerns about your child's medical needs, raise these with your GP or health visitor, who can (if needed) make referrals to other services. 
  • If your child is at school, you can also ask the school to be referred to the school nurse, who can give you advice and support. 
Page last updated: 11 Sep 2023