Introduction
Descriptors of Need are guides that help everyone use the same language when talking about the support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) need. They help schools and settings understand what kind of support is right for each young person.
A set of key ideas form the basis of the Newcastle Descriptors of Need. These are:
- Quality first teaching
- Person-centred planning
- Voice of the child and family is at the centre of all planning
- Use of positive language
- Openness and transparency
- Right support at the right time
- Early intervention
- Highly skilled workforce
- Consistency
- Equity (fairness)
- Effective transitions (helping children move between schools or stages)
- Early preparation for adulthood
- Inclusion (making sure everyone is part of things)
- Partnership working (everyone working together)
Schools and settings must show what support they have put in place for a young person and how well it has worked. They do this through a SEND Support Plan and by following the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ cycle.
Parents, carers, and children or young people should be involved in planning personalised learning goals.
Descriptors of Need are broadly broken down into areas of need:
- Speech, Language, Communication and Interaction Needs
- Cognition and Learning Needs
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs
- Sensory Needs
Within each area there are different levels, called “ranges,” from 1 to 7. The higher the range, the more support a young person might need.
There are different descriptors for different stages:
