The way things are put!

[Rebi]

hi there

Hope you can help me. Wanted to get your feedback on terminology.

I work for a government dept who is drawing up a document at the mo. In it it talks about "children with SEN". Being a parent of a child with special educational needs, I personally do not think it should be described as Capital S E N - iykwim? My child has autism with a lower case a, not upper case.

Am I being oversensitive. None of my colleagues agree that it should bother anyone, but they don't have children with a disability.

I hope I have explained myself properly! What are your knowledgeable viewpoints? Many thanks.

I have to say that it wouldn't really bother me. I would be more annoyed if the term used was "SEN children" IYSWIM. I think the capital letters are probably just used because it's an abbreviation rather than an actual word. Although when I talk about ds1 I say he has "autism" (ie no capital 'A', if I'm using the abbreviation I would say ASD with capitals.

Just re-read my post and it probably doesn't make much sense!

Shouldn't the correct way be to put 'children with special educational needs (SEN)' the first time they are mentioned then thereafter refer to them by the initials for brevity?

FWIW I'm going off the phrase 'special educational needs'- it's starting to sound a bit patronising. I prefer 'additional needs' .

Absolutely no idea where that stray winky came from!

message withdrawn

Many thanks for the replies.

I agree about the grammatical angle of it, but I obviously am being oversensitive!!!! Agh well, at least I know now to shut up about it in here!!

I must admit that I'm not keen on the term "special educational needs" so my problem would be more to do with that rather than the actual abbreviation. I'm not sure what I would want to change it to though.

got to say I agree with you coppertop. The term SEN covers such a wide range of issues that it doesnt really explain anything. My sister was classed as SEN and had a statement, although this was for medical issues not educational iykwim. I was talking to my case officer the other day and she said 'blah blah school is good with SEN children now' my reply was 'well what type???' she had no reply said i would have to enquire myself bossy cow that I am

I think SEN as an abbreviation is ok, but I do think the term is too generalised. Flummoxed as to what it could be substituted for though. Maybe PSEN for physical, ESEN, for emotional, EdSEN for educational?

Shouldn't it be Special Needs anyway? They may not be eudcational needs iyswim? I wouldn't care about SEN being used if the needs were specifically educational though but agree it should be in full the first time with the abbreviation in brackets.

I was thinking SEN wrt statementing, but you are right, SN would be more appropriate in other circumstances.