At Clifton, we know that supporting a child with additional needs can sometimes feel complicated. Families may have questions about their child's development, the support available in school, assessments or diagnoses, or services available outside school.

We want families to feel informed, listened to and supported. If you have concerns about your child, you do not need to wait for a diagnosis or formal assessment before speaking to us. Your child's class teacher is usually the best first point of contact, and our Inclusion Team can provide further advice and support where needed.

This page brings together useful information and resources for families of children with SEND and those who may be beginning to explore whether their child has additional needs.

Ealing's SEND Local Offer

Ealing's SEND Local Offer brings together information about the services and support available for children and young people aged 0–25 with special educational needs and disabilities and their families.

Families can use the Local Offer to find information about areas such as education, health, social care, activities, preparing for adulthood and support for parents and carers.

Visit Ealing's SEND Local Offer →

Support for Parents and Carers

There are a range of services available locally to provide families with information, advice and practical support.

These can help with areas such as understanding SEND processes, accessing services, finding local activities and support groups, and getting advice about your child's education and needs.

We encourage families to explore the support available and to speak to our Inclusion Team if they are unsure where to begin.

Explore SEND support for families in Ealing →

Bilingual SEND Information

We recognise that conversations about SEND can involve unfamiliar terminology and complex information, and that understanding this can be particularly difficult when English is not your first language.

Families can access SEND information and videos in a range of community languages, helping parents and carers understand SEND, the support available and some of the processes they may encounter.

Access bilingual SEND information and videos →

Useful SEND Resources

There is a great deal of information about SEND online, and it can sometimes be difficult to know where to look. We recommend using reliable and trusted organisations when seeking information about your child's needs.

General SEND

IPSEA – Independent Provider of Special Education Advice — Information about SEND law, SEN Support, EHC plans and families' rights.

Autism

National Autistic Society — Information and resources for autistic children and their families. 

Ambitious about Autism — Autistic children and young people and their families.

Speech, Language & Communication

Speech and Language UK — Information about children's speech, language and communication.

Afasic — Useful for families of children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

Occupational Therapy & Physical Development

Royal College of Occupational Therapists – Children, Young People & Families — Information about children's occupational therapy, including everyday activities, school participation and sensory approaches.

NHS – Occupational Therapy — What OT is and how it can help.

Emotional Wellbeing

YoungMinds — Support specifically for parents and carers worried about a child's mental health.

Anna Freud — trusted children's mental health and wellbeing information and resources; its On My Mind resources are aimed at children and young people.

Local Support

Ealing SEND Local Offer — It brings together Ealing's education, health, care, activities and family support for children and young people with SEND. 

Ealing SENDIASS — free, confidential and impartial information and advice for Ealing families about SEND, including education, health and social care.

Talk to Us

You do not need to have all the answers before speaking to us.

If you are concerned about your child's learning, communication, development, emotional wellbeing, independence or ability to access school life, please speak to their class teacher. Where appropriate, they can work with our Inclusion Team to consider your concerns and discuss possible next steps.

We value parents and carers as partners and believe that working together gives us the best opportunity to understand and support each child.