How high and low incidence of special educational needs (SEN) are identified

High incidence

What does high incidence of SEN mean?

High incidence disability refers to disabilities or needs that are higher in prevalence, or seen more often. Examples of high incidence needs are:

• Autism spectrum disorders

• Communication disorders

• Intellectual disabilities

• Specific learning disabilities

• Emotional or behavioral disorders

• Physical and sensory needs

• Speech and language impairments

How are high incidence SEND needs identified?

High incidence needs can be identified in a range of ways:

• Parents may identify an issue through their observations of their child and discuss this with you.

• You may identify an issue through your baseline or regular assessments

• A difficulty may be identified at the 2-year check

• A difficulty may be identified through informal assessment during a conversation with the child

Low incidence

What does low incidence of SEN mean?

Low incidence disability refers to disabilities or needs that are lower in prevalence, or seen less often. Examples of low incidence needs are:

• Intellectual disability.

• Multiple disabilities or severe disabilities.

• Orthopedic impairments (physical disabilities)

• Visual impairments or blindness.

• Hearing impairments (hard-of-hearing)

• Deafness.

• Deafblind.

How are low incidence SEND needs identified?

Many of these will be identified before or at birth, or just after birth. Some may be identified in the first year. Conditions that are not identified and diagnosed before they begin at the setting may be identified by the key person or SENCO through baseline, regular observations or the two-year check.