CLCH is experiencing some internet connectivity issues. For urgent referrals, please contact the Single Point of Access by telephone using the contact numbers for each area. Services are running as normal, so please continue to attend any appointments you have.
Your child's education and school life
Read more about this page below
Preparing for your child to start primary or secondary school or return from a school holiday requires planning and preparation for all children but if your child has an additional health or developmental need there may be other things you need to take into account. This may include which school you choose for your child.
Below are some resources that can help you with this process but remember you can also ask for advice from the professionals your child currently sees or the SENCO at the school your child attends or you are thinking of sending them to.
Preparing for school
- Family Lives - school readiness
- Zero to three - school readiness
- National Deaf Children’s Society - Choosing a deaf-friendly school
- Bliss - Starting primary school a resource for parents of children born prematurely
- National Autistic Society – Choosing a school in England
- ADHD Foundation - ADHD in the Classroom
- SCOPE - Choosing a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school
- MENCAP - Further education
Moving onto secondary school
Some children and young people with an education or health need require more additional or different support or provision to meet their needs in their educational setting. This additional support is provided by the Local Authority where your child lives through Education, Health, Care, Plans (EHCP’s). This includes early years, primary and secondary school and for some young people into further education.
Starting the Education, health and care assessment process can feel daunting and your local authority provides information on their website to support you - you can find this in the local offer section of this page which will link you to your Local Authority website.
You can also ask your child’s health and education professionals for support including their SENCO.
For more information on EHCP’s we have collated some helpful resources:
Friendships are important to positive social, cognitive and emotional development and are associated with an increased sense of wellbeing. It is common for parents and carers to worry that their child may not make friends at school.
We have found some helpful resources for you and your child at different ages, stages and with different circumstances.
- CBeebies - How to help your child make friends at primary school
- Autism Tool Box - Friendships
- ADDitude - inside the ADHD mind – How to Make Friends: A Guide for Kids with ADHD (and Their Parents, Too)
- ADDitude - inside the ADHD mind – Building (Real) Friendships in the Age of Snapchat and Instagram
- Down’s Syndrome Association - Friendships and Relationships