Where Do Specific Learning Difficulties Fit Within the SEND Reforms?
The proposed SEND reforms have generated a great deal of discussion, but one important question seems to have received far less attention: where do specific learning difficulties fit within the new framework?
I recently joined SpLD specialist Janet Goring and Dale Pickles for a lively and thought-provoking conversation about what the proposed move from four broad areas of need to five areas of development could mean for children and young people with dyslexia, dyscalculia and other specific learning difficulties.
We explored why “cognition and learning” has disappeared from the new framework, and why this could be such a significant oversight. We also discussed the difficulty of fitting dyslexia, dyscalculia and maths-related SpLD into the categories that remain.
A key question was whether a stronger universal offer can really make up for the loss of a dedicated cognition and learning category. We also reflected on the important difference between a diagnosis that unlocks funding and one that helps a child understand that their difficulties are real, recognised and not their fault.
Perhaps most concerningly, we talked about the children who are quiet, compliant and struggling. These children have always been at risk of being overlooked because they are not disruptive or demanding attention. Without clear recognition of cognition and learning needs, there is a real danger that they may become even less visible.
It was an important and, at times, eye-opening conversation about how the reforms could affect children with specific learning difficulties and whether their needs will be properly recognised within the new system.
