Explain
Special educational needs (SEN)
In the law, a child or young person has special educational needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special help with learning. A learning difficulty means finding learning much harder than most others of the same age. A disability counts if it stops or makes it hard for them to use the things mainstream schools or colleges usually offer. A diagnosis is not part of this definition.
"Special help with learning" here means special educational provision. A child under compulsory school age counts if they are likely to fall within this definition when they reach school age, or would be if no special educational provision were made. A child or young person does not have a learning difficulty just because the language spoken at home is different from the language they are taught in.
- Type of rule
- Law (Act or Regulations)
- Rule id
special_educational_needs- Rules version
- england-2026.10
- Law as at
- 30 September 2026
Sources
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 20(1)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 20(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 20(3)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 20(4)Law (Act or Regulations)
Related
- Special educational provision
- Section B (special educational needs)
- The legal test for an EHC needs assessment (section 36(8))
- SEN support (help without an EHC plan)
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