SENCO
Also called Special educational needs co-ordinator. That is the name used in diagnostic manuals and on most official paperwork.
The teacher in your child's school who leads support for children with special educational needs. They are usually the quickest person for a parent to reach.
Applies in England
The SENCO must be a qualified teacher at the school, and every mainstream school in England must have one. They coordinate support for children with special educational needs SEND SEND is England's word for children who need extra help to learn. The rest of the UK uses other words, and other rules. Read the full definition of SEND , including children with EHC plans, and they are the school's link to educational psychologists and health services.
You do not need a diagnosis or a referral referral When a professional passes your child on to a specialist team for assessment or treatment. A GP, school or health visitor can usually make one. Read the full definition of referral to ask for a meeting: email the school office and ask to speak to the SENCO. They can put support in place now, gather the school evidence Pre-referral information gathering The forms and reports a service collects before it accepts a referral. Most teams want to hear about your child from more than one place, usually home and school. Read the full definition of Pre-referral information gathering that health services ask for, and in many areas they make the referral for an ADHD or autism assessment.
Good questions to ask: what support can start this term, what the school will record, and whether the school or the GP GP Your family doctor. For many families the GP is the first person to talk to, and the person who refers your child on to a specialist. Read the full definition of GP makes the referral in your area.
Across the UK
- ALNCo : In Wales the equivalent role is the additional learning needs co-ordinator, under a different legal framework.
- Learning Support Coordinator : In Northern Ireland the equivalent school role is the Learning Support Coordinator, under the NI SEN framework.
If you work with children
A newly appointed SENCO who has not previously been a SENCO for more than twelve months must achieve the National Award in Special Educational Needs Co-ordination within three years of appointment. This is why SENCO experience varies so widely between schools, and why a parent's experience of the SENCO is not a constant.
Related words
Where this comes from
- SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years , Department for Education. Checked 2026-08-14.
Your child doesn't need a diagnosis to get support
Start with a profile of your child. See what we find. Go from there.