Jargon Buster

Confused by all the jargon? Here you can find explanations for the terminology and abbreviations commonly used by professionals who work with children with special educational needs and disabilities.

You can either type your query into the box below right or scroll through the alphabetical list until you find what you are looking for.

NAMEDESCRIPTION
ABIAcquired brain injury
AcuteThe short term, crisis phase of an illness
Acute mental health setting/wardHospital wards or units for people experiencing serious mental distress
ADD/ADHDAttention deficit /hyperactivity disorder
AdvicesThe reports provided by professionals and parents as part of an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment
ARAnnual review. A yearly review of a statement of an Education, Health and Care Plan or Statement of Special Educational Needs.
ASC/ASDAutistic spectrum condition/disorder
APOAssessment and Planning Officer. Responsible for EHC assessments and plans in East Sussex.
ATUAssessment and Treatment Unit. For short term admissions for those with severe mental health problems
BHISSBrighton & Hove Inclusion Support Service - schools-based support for children and young people with SEND
CAClassroom Assistant or Carers Allowance
CAMHSChild and Adolescent Mental Health Service
CCGClinical Commissioning Group. Plans and funds health services.
CETRCare, Education and Treatment Review. See CTR. Education was added to CTRs for children and young people as it is a vital element in planning for their support. It should be a CETR if it is about a child or young person under 18 or age 18-25 and still in education.
ChronicPersisting for a long time
CITESChildrens Integrated Therapy Service (East Sussex)
CLASSCommunication Autism and Learning Support Service (East Sussex)
CoPCode of practice. A guide that outlines how official bodies such as LAs should provide help or services, according to the law
ComplexMore than one significant problem
CongenitalPresent at birth
CTRCare and Treatment Review. A meeting to check support and treatment for someone with learning disabilities, autism or both with behaviour that challenges. Aims to help keep them in the community and out of hospital.
CWOCasework Officer. Responsible for EHC assessments and plans in Brighton & Hove.
DCDDevelopmental Coordination Disorder or Dyspraxia
DDADisability Discrimination Act, replaced by the Equality Act 2010
DfEDepartment for Education
DiagnosisIdentification of a disease or condition
DLADisability living allowance
DSRDynamic Support Register. a local list of children, young people and adults with LD and/or autism at high risk of being admitted to in-patient services.
DWPDepartment for Work and Pensions
EAEquality Act
EALEnglish as an additional language
EBD/EBSDEmotional and behavioural (and social) difficulties
EBSAEmotionally based school avoidance
EDIEqualities, Diversity and Inclusion
EDSEhlers-Danlos Syndrome - group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue
EHC needs assessmentA detailed examination of a child's needs in terms of education, health and social care by the LA, which may lead to an EHC Plan/EHCP
EHCPEducation, Health and Care Plan. A legally binding document that sets out a child's needs and all the extra help he or she should get. Replaced Statements of SEN.
EMASEthnic Minority Achievement Service (Brighton & Hove)
ENTEar, nose and throat
EOTASEducation Other Than at School
EPEducational Psychologist
EPSEducational Psychology Service
ESBASEducation Support Behaviour and Attendance Service (East Sussex)
ESPCFEast Sussex Parent Carer Forum
EWOEducational Welfare Officer. Work with schools, children and parents on attendance problems
EYSSEarly Years Support Service (East Sussex)
FASC/FASDFoetal Alcohol Spectrum Condition/Disorder
GDDGlobal developmental delay. Implies that the child has delays in all areas of development
GeneticInherited
HIHearing impairment
ICBIntegrated Care Board. Responsible for local NHS services.
ICSIntegrated Care System. Partnerships of organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services.
IEPIndividual education plan. A program of learning objectives and teaching strategies for children with special educational needs
INCOInclusion Coordinator - sometimes called a SENCO
INT/INAIndividual Needs Teacher and Individual Needs Assistant
ISENDInclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disability Services (East Sussex)
LALocal authority
KLOEKey Lines of Enquiry. A list of questions and prompts to make sure a CTR/CETR covers everything it should.
LACLooked after child or children. Term for children who are adopted or fostered
LD/LDDLearning difficulty or disability
LGOLocal government organisation or ombudsman
LSALearning Support Assistant
MainstreamOrdinary state school
MHEWMental health and emotional wellbeing
MLDModerate learning difficulties
MSIMulti sensory impairment
Multi-disciplinary /multi-agencyWhere all the professionals or organisations providing treatment or support come together to assess or discuss your child or your family situation
NDneurodiverse or neurodiversity
NDPNeurodevelopmental pathway. The different steps that a child or young person goes through from referral to the diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition such as autism or ADHD.
Needs assessmentSocial care assessment to decide on the extra help and support your child needs
NEETNot in education, employment or training
neurodivergenta term to describe people whose brains function differently in one or more ways from what is considered standard or typical, sometimes referred to as neurotypical
neurodiversitythe idea that it's normal and acceptable for people to have brains that function differently from one another
OCDObsessive Compulsive Disorder
OTOccupational Therapist
OutreachWhere a worker comes out to you and/or your child, rather than you having to go to them
PaCCParent Carers' Council, the parent carer forum for Brighton & Hove
PDPhysical difficulty
PDAPathological demand avoidance. A persistent and noticeable resistance to demands that is experienced by and seen in some autistic people.
PercentileA score attained in a test that compares a child with its age group
PIPPersonal independence payment
PMLDProfound and multiple learning difficulties
ProgressiveA condition which will go through a series of stages as it develops. Often suggests a condition will not improve
Provision mapA document that provides an 'at a glance' way of showing the provision a school makes for children with special and other additional needs
PRUPupil Referral Unit. A centre maintained by the local authority for children who can't attend a mainstream or special school
PSPPastoral Support Plan
RespiteShort-term breaks for parents or carers
SectionedBeing held compulsorily in a mental health setting/hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983.
SEMHSocial, emotional and mental health
SEN SupportWhere the school or early years setting has identified that a child has SEN and needs additional support
SENCOSpecial Educational Needs Co-ordinator. The member of staff in a mainstream school who is responsible for special educational needs within the school
SENDSpecial educational needs and disabilities
SENDIASSSpecial Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service. Every local authority has a duty to provide impartial advice and information to parents of children with SEND. Amaze is funded to provide the SENDIASS for Brighton & Hove and East Sussex
SENDISTSpecial Educational Needs Disability Tribunal. An independent body that hears parents' appeals against LA decisions on EHC assessments and parents' claims of unlawful disability discrimination
Short breaksBreaks for carers, sometimes called respite
SLDSevere learning difficulties. Can sometimes refer to speech and language difficulties too
SLCNSpeech, language and communication needs
SLT/SALTSpeech and Language Therapy or Therapist
SNSSensory Needs Service
Special schoolA school that makes specialist provision for pupils with special needs.
SpLDSpecific learning difficulty, for example dyslexia or dyspraxia
SPOASingle Point of Advice (for social care assessment)
SSVSeaside View Child Development Centre (Brighton & Hove)
TATeaching Assistant
TLPTeaching and Learning Provision (East Sussex). Educational support for children not able to attend school for example inc. home education, children too sick to attend school and gypsy roma traveller children
TPTransition Plan. A plan drawn up after the Year 9 annual review of an EHC Plan/EHCP, setting out the steps needed for the young person to move from school to adult life
VIVisual impairment