Special needs or additional needs?

[ourhouseonthehill]

Can someone clarify the definition between special needs and additional needs at the age of two please? l think my child has additional rather than special needs but l would like other peoples opinion of what the difference is - thank you (btw lm not adverse to either - would just like clarification on the difference)

I think it's the same thing to be honest

I agree with jelly. As far as I know people just use which ever terminology they prefer.

I have noticed ds's headteacher (special school) is now using "additional needs"

Ofsted are not allowed to use special educational needs as a term any more - it's additional needs all the way. Same thing in a more pc way, I guess.

So what is going to happen to the acronym SENCO?

I'm not sure there is a difference tbh although it is possible to have some additional needs without having a specific diagnosis of something, is that more what you mean?

SENCO has already become ALNCO at a school.

'our' school, not 'a' school

There's not an educational or medical difference, it's just preferred terminology.
Special needs is like that. As the terminology evolves some people get a bit het up about other people then using an older term. It's only about the word though, not the level of difficulty a child has.

I dont think there is any difference. I always described dd as having additional needs until she was about 4.5, know I tend to say she has a disability. I don't really know why. I consciously never used special needs because her needs are not special just different.