# Talking to parents when you think a child might be autistic > If you think a child might be autistic, talk to the parents early, in private and with time to listen. Start with what the child enjoys and does well, describe what you have seen, ask what they notice at home, and agree what you will try now. Do not say the child is autistic: only a specialist team can diagnose, and support does not need to wait. - Canonical page: https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/talking-to-parents-about-autism-concerns - Publisher: Rocks Make Pebbles (https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk) - Topic: For nurseries and schools - Applies to: England - Last updated: 1 October 2026. Checked against sources: 1 October 2026 - Professional review: Not yet reviewed (waiting for review by a early years teacher or SENCO, educational psychologist and parent of an autistic child) - Drafted with the help of AI tools and checked against the sources listed below. Editorial policy: https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/editorial-policy ## Key points - In England, the EYFS says you must discuss a worry about progress in a prime area with the parents and agree support. - Describe what you have seen, with examples, rather than using labels. Never tell a family their child is autistic. - Start with the child's strengths, ask what the family sees at home, and agree a plan with a date to meet again. - Support starts now. A child does not need a diagnosis to get SEN support. - Share information with other professionals only with the parents' agreement, unless safeguarding duties say otherwise. ## When should you talk to parents about a concern? Talk to the parents as soon as you have a worry you can describe with examples. Don't save it for a report or the two-year check. In England, the [EYFS](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#eyfs) framework in force from 1 September 2026 says "if a provider is worried about a child's progress in any prime area, practitioners must discuss this with the child's parents and/or carers and agree how to support the child" (paragraph 1.13, or 1.7 for childminders) ([EYFS for group and school-based providers](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e4fb00f3323bf1a23a1/EYFS_group_and_school_based_from_September_2026.pdf); [EYFS for childminders](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e320dd52549f5f96c8c/EYFS_childminders_from_September_2026.pdf)). This includes reception classes, and the progress check at age two must "focus particularly" on any concern about a possible developmental delay (2.8). In school, the [SEND Code of Practice](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf) says working out a pupil's needs "should include an early discussion with the pupil and their parents" (6.39), and that parents "know their children best" (5.5 and 6.20). Difficult or withdrawn behaviour "does not necessarily mean that a child has SEN", the [Code](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf) says, but where there are concerns there should be an assessment of possible causes, such as a communication difficulty (5.29 and 6.21). NICE also warns that autism may be under-recognised in girls and missed in children who talk well ([NICE CG128](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/Recommendations)). Our parent guide on [signs of autism in young children](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/signs-of-autism-in-children) gives examples. ## How do you prepare for the conversation? Plan so you can describe the child clearly and kindly. 1. **Watch, then write it down.** Note what the child did, where and when, and the difference it made to them, across different days and times. The National Autistic Society (NAS) suggests noting "the specific behaviours", "the contexts they were observed in" and "the impact on the person" ([NAS](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-bring-up-that-you-think-someone-may-be-auti)). "At carpet time Sam covers his ears and leaves the group" says more than "Sam is anxious". 2. **Note strengths and interests.** What does the child love, what do they do well, and what already helps? 3. **Talk to your SENCO.** The setting [SENCO](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#senco) can check your notes and help you plan. The [NAS](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-bring-up-that-you-think-someone-may-be-auti) suggests thinking about who the family will respond to best. Often that is the [key person](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#key-person) or class teacher, with the SENCO. 4. **Book a proper meeting.** A specific meeting may be more useful than a general one such as a parents' evening, the NAS says. Use a private space: the [EYFS](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e4fb00f3323bf1a23a1/EYFS_group_and_school_based_from_September_2026.pdf) requires an area where staff can talk to parents confidentially (3.89). Offer a time that suits the family, with enough time to listen. 5. **Plan for language.** If the family would find it easier in another language, book an interpreter rather than asking a brother or sister to translate. If a child does not yet have a strong grasp of English, the [EYFS](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e4fb00f3323bf1a23a1/EYFS_group_and_school_based_from_September_2026.pdf) says you must explore their skills in their home language with the parents (1.15). > **Try this:** Before the meeting, write down three things the child enjoys or does well and three dated examples of what you've noticed. Take a blank [one-page profile](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/printables/one-page-profile) to fill in together. ## What should you say, and what should you avoid? Talk about the child, not a label, and finish with a shared plan. 1. **Start with the child.** Say what they enjoy and do well. The charity Contact advises seeing "the child first and foremost as a person" ([Contact](https://contact.org.uk/practitioners/advice/getting-a-diagnosis/)). 2. **Describe what you see.** Give two or three examples. The [NAS](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-bring-up-that-you-think-someone-may-be-auti) suggests talking "in terms of behaviours, rather than diagnostic labels at this stage". 3. **Ask, then listen.** Ask what the family notices at home. [NICE](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/Recommendations) says to take time to listen and agree any actions together. 4. **Don't say or hint that the child is autistic.** You can't know, and only a specialist team can diagnose. If a parent asks, be honest that you don't know. NICE's advice to professionals is to discuss possible causes sensitively, "emphasising that there may be many explanations". 5. **Explain that help starts now.** Say what you'll change this week. A child does not need a diagnosis to get [SEN support](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#sen-support) ([IPSEA](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/blog/the-myth-of-needing-a-diagnosis-before-you-can-get-support)). 6. **Agree next steps and a date.** Decide who does what and when you'll meet again. When SEN support is agreed, the [Code](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf) expects a clear review date (5.40 and 6.48). 7. **Write it down and share it.** In school, a short note of early discussions should go on the pupil's record and to the parents (6.39). In early years, share a written summary too. If parents ask, add their comments to the child's records ([EYFS](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e4fb00f3323bf1a23a1/EYFS_group_and_school_based_from_September_2026.pdf) 3.95). | Say this | Avoid this | |---|---| | "Could we book a time to talk about how Maya is getting on?" | Raising it at the door at pick-up | | "She loves the sand tray and finishes every puzzle." | Opening with a list of problems | | "At tidy-up time she often covers her ears and goes under the table." | "She has autistic traits" or "I think she's on the spectrum" | | "What do you notice at home?" | "Have you tried being firmer with her?" | | "From Monday we'll try picture cards at tidy-up." | "We can't do anything until she has a diagnosis" | | "It could be a few things. Only a specialist team can tell, and we'll help her either way." | "I'm sure she's autistic" or "She's definitely not autistic" | ## How might the family react? There is no right or wrong reaction. Some families have already wondered; others may be shocked ([NAS](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-bring-up-that-you-think-someone-may-be-auti)). NICE says that if parents haven't suspected anything, raising a concern may cause distress, they may need time to come to terms with it, and they may not share it ([NICE CG128](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/Recommendations)). Around the time of a diagnosis, Contact says, parents can go through "shock, denial, grief and anger" ([Contact](https://contact.org.uk/practitioners/advice/getting-a-diagnosis/)). - **If they're relieved** because they had wondered too, thank them and plan together. - **If they're worried or upset,** slow down. Offer a second meeting, and give an overview of support rather than "bombarding" them with information, as the NAS puts it. - **If they disagree,** you don't have to win. Listen, agree what you'll try anyway, keep notes and review together. - **If culture or language shapes how they see it,** ask what they know and what words they use, and explain any terms simply. The NAS says stigma and a lack of understanding about autism can make the idea hard to accept. Whatever they decide, keep the door open. [Contact](https://contact.org.uk/practitioners/advice/getting-a-diagnosis/) advises telling families they can come back whenever they need to, and that their child is "still welcome" and supported to take part in everything. ## What happens after the conversation? Put the agreed support in place straight away. Then, with the family's agreement, help them reach the right people. - **SEN support in your setting.** Use the [graduated approach](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#graduated-approach) of assess, plan, do and review, with the family. The [Code](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf) says it is "particularly important in the early years that there is no delay" (5.36). Our guides on [supporting an autistic child in nursery](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/supporting-autistic-children-in-nursery) and [an autistic child in reception or Key Stage 1](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/autism-in-reception-and-key-stage-1) cover what to put in place. - **The health visitor or GP.** The NHS says GPs can often refer a child for an autism assessment, but the school may need to, or a [health visitor](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#health-visitor) if the child is not yet school age ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/assessments/)). The key person should help families "engage with more specialist support if appropriate" ([EYFS](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e4fb00f3323bf1a23a1/EYFS_group_and_school_based_from_September_2026.pdf) 3.42). - **Speech and language therapy.** Routes vary. In Peterborough, for example, parents of pre-school children can book a phone advice appointment themselves, but primary schools refer through the SENCO ([Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/speech-and-language-therapy-referrals/)). - **Specialist advice for your setting.** The SENCO can ask the [area SENCO](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#area-senco) for advice and involve specialists such as an [educational psychologist](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#educational-psychologist) or speech and language therapist, a decision that "should be taken with the child's parents" (Code 5.48). From September 2026, local areas are also starting [Experts at Hand](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#experts-at-hand), for which children "will not need a diagnosis" ([Department for Education](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-send-reform-developing-the-experts-at-hand-offer/experts-at-hand-what-those-leading-and-working-in-mainstream-settings-need-to-know)). - **The Local Offer.** Every council in England must publish information about local services for children with special educational needs or disabilities ([Children and Families Act 2014, section 30](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/section/30)). Show the family your council's [Local Offer](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#local-offer). ### Records and consent Keep your dated notes and a short record of each meeting. In early years, parents must be given access to all records about their child unless a legal exemption applies (EYFS 3.97). Share information with other professionals only with the parents' agreement. The EYFS requires consent to share the progress check directly (2.10), and the Code says the SENCO should contact outside professionals with the parents' agreement (5.39 and 6.47). The exception is safeguarding: statutory guidance for schools says data protection laws "do not prevent the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe" ([Keeping children safe in education 2026](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6aba40e0fceb6fb3a650127d/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2026.pdf)). Follow your setting's own policies. > **Get help now:** If anything you see or hear makes you worried about a child's safety or welfare, follow your setting's safeguarding procedures and speak to your designated safeguarding lead straight away. Call 999 in an emergency. ## Can a SENCO or teacher diagnose autism? No. "A diagnosis can only be made by a specialist autism diagnostic service" ([NAS](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-request-an-autism-assessment)). NICE says each area's autism team should include a paediatrician and/or child and adolescent psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist and a psychologist ([NICE CG128](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/Recommendations)). Our parent guide explains [what happens at an autism assessment](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/autism-assessment-for-children). Your part is to notice, record, talk with the family, put support in place and, with the parents' agreement, help with a referral. Once an assessment is agreed, [NICE](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/Recommendations) says the team should seek a report from the pre-school or school, with the parents' consent, and the NHS says a team member may visit to see the child in class ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/assessments/)). Good records make that report easier to write. > **Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland:** Talking openly with families matters everywhere, but the systems differ. In Scotland, a child has additional support needs if, "for whatever reason", they need extra support to benefit from education ([ASL Act, section 1](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2004/4/section/1)). In Wales, councils have an early years additional learning needs lead officer ([ALN Act, section 62](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2018/2/section/62)). Northern Ireland's new SEN framework still awaits regulations ([Department of Education NI](https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/new-sen-framework)). ## What if the family raises it first, or is already waiting? Take it seriously, even if you haven't seen the same things. NICE says to "always take parents' or carers' concerns" seriously, "even if these are not shared by others" ([NICE CG128](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/Recommendations)). The [Code](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf) says schools "should take seriously any concerns raised by a parent", recording them and comparing them with their own assessment (6.45). The NAS says difficulties at home that don't show in a setting are "nonetheless worth investigation" ([NAS](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-bring-up-that-you-think-someone-may-be-auti)). In a US study of 388 autistic children and young people aged 4 to 17, parents of girls reported more autistic traits than teachers did, which the researchers linked to [masking](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/glossary#masking) at school ([Putnam and colleagues, 2025](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06498-w)). Ask for examples, share yours and agree what to try. If the child is already waiting for an assessment, don't put support on hold. Agree support now, note what helps, and be ready to write a report when the team asks. Once a referral is accepted, the NHS says, an assessment can take "a few months or longer" ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/assessments/)). Our guide on [waiting for an autism assessment](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/guides/waiting-for-an-autism-assessment) is written for parents. ## What does the research say? Research on how best to raise a concern with a family is thin, so this guide rests mainly on guidance and families' reports. - **What families report.** Some parents report that doctors, teachers or other professionals suggested their child was "misbehaving" or that the parents needed support themselves, which made getting a diagnosis feel like a "fight" ([NAS](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-request-an-autism-assessment)). Contact says how a family is supported around diagnosis "can impact on how they cope and adjust" ([Contact](https://contact.org.uk/practitioners/advice/getting-a-diagnosis/)). - **Planning together helps.** In two small US trials of COMPASS (35 and 49 children), a consultant-led meeting where parents and teacher chose goals together, followed by coaching for the teacher, led to more progress on those goals than in comparison groups, with large effect sizes of 1.51 and, with in-person coaching, 1.41 ([Ruble and colleagues, 2010](https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815110382973); [Ruble and colleagues, 2013](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032003)). The children already had a diagnosis and both trials come from one research group, so this is moderate evidence. - **Conversations often miss steps.** In a US study of 18 teachers and 39 parents of autistic children, both made "limited use of the core elements of problem-solving" ([Azad and colleagues, 2016](https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21976)). So use a simple structure: what we see, what you see, what we'll try, who does what and when we'll check. ## Where can staff and families get more help? For staff: - Your setting SENCO, then the area SENCO, educational psychology, speech and language therapy or your council's early years or inclusion team. - Your local Experts at Hand offer, which must include "a clear and accessible route for staff to seek bespoke advice" from experts ([Department for Education](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-send-reform-developing-the-experts-at-hand-offer/experts-at-hand-what-those-leading-and-working-in-mainstream-settings-need-to-know)). - Free training. The Department for Education funds early years SEND courses from [Dingley's Promise](https://dingley.org.uk/training-eycpd/), including a module on difficult conversations with families. It also publishes [free SEND training materials for schools](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/send-and-inclusion-training-for-mainstream-schools), in sessions of around an hour. For families: - Their local [SENDIASS](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#sendiass), for free advice on SEN support. The [Code](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf) says schools should tell parents about this service (6.39). - The [National Autistic Society](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#nas), [Contact](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#contact) and [IPSEA](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#ipsea). - In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: [Enquire](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#enquire), [SNAP Cymru](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#snap-cymru) and [Autism NI](https://rocksmakepebbles.co.uk/where-to-get-help#autism-ni). ## Questions staff ask ### Can a SENCO diagnose autism? No. Only a specialist autism diagnostic team can diagnose autism. NICE says the core team should include a paediatrician or child and adolescent psychiatrist, a speech and language therapist and a psychologist. A SENCO's role is to notice and record a child's needs, talk with the parents, put SEN support in place and, with the parents' agreement, help with referrals. In some areas the school or health visitor makes the referral for an autism assessment, and the assessment team may ask the setting for a report. ### How do I tell a parent I think their child might be autistic? Don't lead with autism. Book a private meeting with enough time. Start with what the child enjoys and does well, then describe two or three specific things you have seen, where and when they happened, and how they affect the child. Ask what the family notices at home. Agree what you will try now and a date to meet again. If the parent asks whether it could be autism, say honestly that there can be many explanations and only a specialist team can tell. ### Do we need a diagnosis to put support in place? No. In England, support should be based on a child's needs, not a diagnosis. The SEND Code of Practice says it is particularly important in the early years that there is no delay in making special educational provision, and the Experts at Hand offer starting from September 2026 does not need a diagnosis either. Agree the support with the family, start it straight away and review it on a set date. ### What if the parents don't agree with our concerns? That is common, and it does not mean the conversation went wrong. NICE says families who had not suspected anything may not share the concern, and may need time to come to terms with it. Listen to what they see at home, keep the support you agreed in place, keep dated notes and offer to meet again. Do not involve other professionals without their agreement, unless there is a safeguarding concern. ### Should we wait for the two-year progress check to raise a concern? No. The EYFS says that throughout the early years, if you are worried about a child's progress in a prime area, you must discuss it with the parents and agree how to support the child. The progress check at age two must focus particularly on any concern about a possible developmental delay, but it should not be the first time a family hears about a worry you have had for weeks. ### A parent thinks their child is autistic but we don't see it at nursery. What should we do? Take it seriously. NICE says professionals should always take parents' concerns seriously, even if others don't share them, and the National Autistic Society says difficulties at home that don't show in a setting are still worth looking into. Children can behave differently in different places. Ask the family for examples, watch closely for a few weeks, share what you see, and agree together what to try and when to review it. ### Can a nursery or school refer a child for an autism assessment? In some areas, yes. The NHS says a child's school may need to make the referral, or a health visitor if the child is not yet school age, while elsewhere the GP refers. Always talk to the parents first and only refer with their agreement. Ask your SENCO or area SENCO how the local pathway works, because referral routes vary depending on where you live. ### What should a nursery or school report for an autism assessment include? NICE says that once an autism assessment is agreed, the team should seek a report from the pre-school or school, with the parents' consent. Describe what the child does day to day in communication, play, friendships, changes of routine and reactions to noise or touch, with dated examples. Include strengths and interests, the support you have tried and what difference it made. Keep to what you have seen rather than a view on diagnosis, and share the report with the family. ## Sources 1. [Early years foundation stage statutory framework for group and school-based providers (effective 1 September 2026)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e4fb00f3323bf1a23a1/EYFS_group_and_school_based_from_September_2026.pdf), Department for Education, 13 July 2026 2. [Early years foundation stage statutory framework for childminders (effective 1 September 2026)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a5f8e320dd52549f5f96c8c/EYFS_childminders_from_September_2026.pdf), Department for Education, 13 July 2026 3. [SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcb85ed915d2ac884d995/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf), Department for Education and Department of Health, January 2015 4. [Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral and diagnosis (CG128), recommendations](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg128/chapter/Recommendations), NICE, 20 December 2017 5. [How to bring up that you think someone may be autistic (advice for health care and education professionals)](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-bring-up-that-you-think-someone-may-be-auti), National Autistic Society 6. [How to request an autism assessment](https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/diagnosis/before-diagnosis/how-to-request-an-autism-assessment), National Autistic Society 7. [Getting a diagnosis (advice for practitioners)](https://contact.org.uk/practitioners/advice/getting-a-diagnosis/), Contact, 19 August 2025 8. [Autism assessments](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/assessments/), NHS, 6 May 2026 9. [The myth of needing a diagnosis before you can get support](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/blog/the-myth-of-needing-a-diagnosis-before-you-can-get-support), IPSEA, 25 April 2025 10. [Experts at Hand: what those leading and working in mainstream settings need to know](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-send-reform-developing-the-experts-at-hand-offer/experts-at-hand-what-those-leading-and-working-in-mainstream-settings-need-to-know), Department for Education, 5 June 2026 11. [Speech and language therapy referrals](https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/speech-and-language-therapy-referrals/), Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust 12. [Children and Families Act 2014, section 30 (SEN and disability local offer)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/section/30), legislation.gov.uk 13. [Keeping children safe in education 2026](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6aba40e0fceb6fb3a650127d/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2026.pdf), Department for Education, September 2026 14. [Sex differences and parent-teacher discrepancies in reports of autism traits: evidence for camouflaging in a school setting (Putnam, McFayden and Harrop)](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06498-w), Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2025 15. [The effects of consultation on individualized education program outcomes for young children with autism: COMPASS (Ruble, Dalrymple and McGrew)](https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815110382973), Journal of Early Intervention, 2010 16. [A randomized controlled trial of COMPASS web-based and face-to-face teacher coaching in autism (Ruble and colleagues)](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032003), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2013 17. [Parent-teacher communication about children with autism spectrum disorder: an examination of collaborative problem-solving (Azad and colleagues)](https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21976), Psychology in the Schools, 2016 18. [Early Years SEND CPD training (funded by the Department for Education)](https://dingley.org.uk/training-eycpd/), Dingley's Promise, 25 September 2026 19. [SEND and inclusion training for mainstream schools](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/send-and-inclusion-training-for-mainstream-schools), Department for Education, 24 September 2026 20. [Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, section 1](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2004/4/section/1), legislation.gov.uk 21. [Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018, section 62](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2018/2/section/62), legislation.gov.uk 22. [New SEN framework](https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/new-sen-framework), Department of Education (Northern Ireland) --- General information for families in the UK, not medical, legal or financial advice. If you are worried about your child's health, contact your GP or call NHS 111 (in Northern Ireland, your GP out of hours service). In an emergency, call 999.