Explore the library
49 long-form articles, 40 short answers, and 151 glossary terms.
Long-form, SENDCO-reviewed guides for UK parents.
- Primary to secondary school transition for SEND children: a 12-month parent plan
- After-school restraint collapse: why your child holds it together at school and falls apart at home
- EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance): a parent's first-month action plan
- AuDHD in primary-age children: how autism and ADHD interact at home and school
- ARFID at mealtimes: practical home strategies when your child can't eat
- Signs of autism in girls aged 5 to 11: the school-age presentation you might be missing
- SEND parent burnout: recognising it and what actually helps
- How Beaakon verifies every specialist: the full methodology
- Supporting siblings of SEND children: what every parent needs to know
- The morning meltdown: why it happens and how to stop it derailing the day
- Homework refusal in a SEND child: when to push, when to back off, when to stop entirely
- Why your SEND child can't cope at birthday parties and what to do about it
- Christmas with an autistic child: how to keep the wheels on
- Supermarket meltdowns: planning, prevention, and what to do mid-aisle
- Getting through hairdresser, dentist and GP appointments with a SEND child
- The fussy eating spectrum: when it's typical, when it's sensory, and when it's ARFID
- When your autistic child says "I hate you": what's actually happening and how to respond
- Anxiety in autistic children: why it looks different and what actually helps
- ADHD and emotional regulation: when your child can't calm down
- Selective mutism: a parent's guide when your child can't speak in certain places
- Hypermobility and autism: the overlap most parents miss
- Tourette's syndrome in children: a parent's first-year guide
- OCD in primary-age children: spotting it and what to do
- PANS and PANDAS: when your child's behaviour changes suddenly
- The autism and trauma overlap: when behaviour gets misread
- Your EHCP has been refused: a step-by-step plan for what happens next
- Section F and Section B of an EHCP: why these two parts matter most
- Preparing for your child's Annual Review: a SENDCO's parent guide
- Naming a school on an EHCP: how it actually works and what to ask for
- Independent specialist schools: how parents successfully get them funded
- Reduced timetables: when they're lawful and when they aren't
- Off-rolling: what it is and how to recognise if it's happening to your child
- Section 19 of the Education Act: the LA duty most parents don't know about
- Direct Payments and personal budgets: how to actually use them
- The 16 to 25 transition: keeping support in place as your SEND child becomes an adult
- Right to Choose for autism and ADHD assessment: how it actually works
- Telling your child about their autism or ADHD diagnosis
- When school disagrees with your child's diagnosis
- Private vs NHS autism assessment: what changes, what doesn't
- Aggression toward parents and siblings: when your child hurts the people closest to them
- Self-injurious behaviour in autistic children: a parent's first-response guide
- Toilet training when your child has SEND: why the usual advice fails
- Speech delay vs autism: the differences a parent can spot
- SEND parenting and your relationship: what couples struggle with and what helps
- Working full time with a SEND child: making it sustainable
- Telling grandparents and extended family about your child's diagnosis
- DLA for children: how to write the form so you get the right rate
- When visual schedules stop working (or never did): troubleshooting for SEND parents
- Co-regulation explained: helping your child without taking on their dysregulation
Short, parent-search-shaped answers to specific SEND questions.
- How do I apply for an EHCP for my child?
- How long does an EHCP take to get?
- What do I do if my EHCP application is refused?
- Do I need a diagnosis to get an EHCP?
- Can a school refuse to apply for an EHCP?
- What is Section F of an EHCP and why does it matter?
- How do I prepare for my child's Annual Review?
- Can I name a specialist school on my child's EHCP?
- How do I get more hours of support added to my child's EHCP?
- Is a reduced timetable legal for my SEND child?
- Can my SEND child be excluded from school?
- What is Section 19 of the Education Act and how can it help my child?
- How do I get my child assessed for autism on the NHS?
- How long is the NHS waiting list for an autism assessment?
- How much does a private autism assessment cost in the UK?
- What is Right to Choose for autism and ADHD?
- How do I get my child diagnosed with ADHD?
- How do I get a CAMHS referral for my child?
- Should I tell my child they are autistic, and when?
- Why does my autistic child sleep so badly and how can I help?
- Why does my child only have meltdowns at home?
- How do I stop my autistic child hitting me?
- Why won't my autistic child eat anything except a few foods?
- How do I get my autistic child to brush their teeth?
- Why does my child refuse to wear certain clothes?
- How do I help my autistic child cope with Christmas?
- How long does an autism meltdown usually last?
- What's the difference between a meltdown and a tantrum?
- Why is my autistic daughter struggling so much in secondary school?
- What do I do if my child is being bullied for being autistic?
- How do I get extra time in exams for my child with ADHD?
- Can my child get a 1:1 teaching assistant at school?
- What do I do if school says my child doesn't have SEND?
- Should I move my SEND child to a specialist school?
- How do I claim DLA for my child with autism?
- What rate of DLA can I get for an autistic child?
- Can I get a Blue Badge for my autistic child?
- What benefits can I claim as a parent of a SEND child?
- Can I get free school transport for my SEND child?
- Am I entitled to Carer's Allowance for caring for my SEND child?
Plain-English UK SEND terms with one-sentence definitions.
- Autism
- ADHD
- Pathological Demand Avoidance
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Dyscalculia
- Dysgraphia
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Auditory Processing Disorder
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs
- Developmental Language Disorder
- Tourette Syndrome
- Selective Mutism
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Down's Syndrome
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy
- Epilepsy
- Visual Impairment
- Hearing Impairment
- Moderate Learning Difficulty
- Severe Learning Difficulty
- Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Hyperlexia
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Anxiety Disorder
- Demand Avoidance
- Education, Health and Care Plan
- EHC Needs Assessment
- SEND Code of Practice
- Children and Families Act 2014
- Equality Act 2010
- Reasonable Adjustments
- SEND Tribunal
- SEND Mediation
- Annual Review
- Phase Transfer Review
- Personal Budget
- Direct Payment
- Section B (EHCP)
- Section F (EHCP)
- Section I (EHCP)
- Local Offer
- Local Authority
- SEN Support
- Refusal to Assess
- Refusal to Issue
- Working Document
- Final EHCP
- Draft EHCP
- Statement of SEN
- Disability Discrimination
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- Special Educational Needs
- Special Educational Needs Coordinator
- SEND Information, Advice and Support Service
- Individual Education Plan
- Provision Map
- One-Page Profile
- Teaching Assistant
- 1:1 Support
- Higher Level Teaching Assistant
- Mainstream School
- Special School
- Resourced Provision
- Additionally Resourced Provision
- Alternative Provision
- Pupil Referral Unit
- Education Otherwise Than At School
- Elective Home Education
- Reduced Timetable
- Suspension
- Permanent Exclusion
- Off-Rolling
- Emotionally Based School Avoidance
- Inclusion
- Integration
- Educational Psychologist
- Clinical Psychologist
- Speech and Language Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Physiotherapist
- Paediatrician
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
- Early Help
- Social Worker
- Specialist Teacher
- Advisory Teacher
- Inclusion Manager
- Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Emotional Literacy Support Assistant
- Family Support Worker
- Sensory Diet
- Sensory Integration
- Visual Schedule
- Social Stories
- Comic Strip Conversations
- TEACCH
- Applied Behaviour Analysis
- Picture Exchange Communication System
- Makaton
- British Sign Language
- Lego Therapy
- Drawing and Talking
- Zones of Regulation
- Co-Regulation
- Emotional Regulation
- Low-Arousal Approach
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Attachment-Aware Practice
- Nurture Group
- Pre-Teaching
- Scaffolding
- Now and Next
- Task Analysis
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
- British Picture Vocabulary Scale
- Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
- Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised
- Sensory Profile (Dunn)
- Boxall Profile
- Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
- Movement Assessment Battery for Children
- Standardised Score
- Centile
- Statutory Assessment
- Multi-Disciplinary Assessment
- Neurodiversity
- Neurodivergent
- Neurotypical
- Masking
- Autistic Burnout
- Meltdown
- Shutdown
- Stimming
- Sensory Overload
- Executive Function
- Working Memory
- Theory of Mind
- Special Interest
- Spoon Theory
- Window of Tolerance
- Co-occurring Conditions
- Spiky Profile
- Differentiation
- Cognitive Load
- Interoception
For HR & employers
Guides for schools, HR teams & employers supporting working parent-carers
Leanne Harding
Senco · Colchester, CO4 0NG, England
10+ yrs experience
About
I have worked in Education since 2004 and have been a Senco for 11 years. I have a passion for helping children and families access the support they need to ensure that they can fulfill their potential and thrive. I have experience in supporting families apply for EHCPs, supporting them through every step of the journey and have represented families and schools at tribunals. When a child has additional needs, navigating the SEND system can be overwhelming and emotionally tiring. I am here to use my expertise to ensure the right provision is in place and can advise what to do if it isn't. Together we will work to overcome all obstacles.
Services offered
EHCP review system
EHCP support (applications, appeals & tribunals)
£50per hourly
Advice regarding school placement
Choosing the right school
£50per hourly
Meeting preparation
School meeting preparation
£50per hourly
Analysis of behaviour
Behaviour strategy coaching
£50per hourly
Qualifications
- BA Hons in Primary Education
- NASENCO Award
- NPQSL