Who are they? 

Every school and nursery has a member of staff who is responsible for educational support needs. 

They work with: 

• children and young people 
• parents and carers 
• teachers and support staff 
• outside professionals 
• the local authority (or Education Authority in Northern Ireland.) 

The role has different names in different parts of the UK: 

• SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) – England and Northern Ireland 
• SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator) – England 
• ALNCo (Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator) – Wales 

Scotland doesn't have an equivalent named role, but schools will still have someone responsible for co-ordinating support for children with additional support needs (ASN). They are often called an ASN Co-ordinator or Support for Learning Co-ordinator. 

What do they do? 

Their job is to make sure the school's policy on educational support is put into practice and that children get the support they need. 

Working with school staff 

They may: 

• provide advice and training for staff 
• help staff assess a child's strengths, challenges and support needs 
• make sure staff know about a child's support plan 
• work with teachers to create and update support plans. 

Managing support for children 

They may: 

• help identify children who need extra support 
• work with teachers to assess needs and plan support 
• manage support plans and reviews 
• gather information and keep records up to date 
• attend review meetings and write reports 
• arrange support from outside professionals when needed. 

They may arrange help from: 

• educational psychologists 
• autism outreach specialists 
• speech and language therapists 
• occupational therapists. 

How can they help? 

If you are worried about your child's learning, wellbeing or progress at school, start by speaking to their teacher, form tutor or pastoral care teacher. 

You can then ask for a meeting with the SENCo, ALNCo or the person responsible for educational support. 

They can: 

• listen to your concerns 
• talk about your child's progress and experiences at school 
• explain what support is available 
• help create or review support plans 
• arrange support from specialists if needed 
• keep you updated about your child's support. 

If you think your child needs more help, they can also explain the next steps. This may include discussing whether a needs assessment for a formal support plan should be considered. 

Building a good relationship with the SENCo, ALNCo or other support lead can help you work together to understand your child's educational needs and make sure they get the right support.