In this blog, members of the ADR Wales Education research theme describe a new study that explores the factors that influence the identification of special education needs.
Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or Additional Learning Needs (ALN), require additional support at school to aid their learning. However, previous UK and international studies highlight that there may be disparities in who has access to SEN support. A new study carried out by the Wales reveals that the picture is complex, showing how individual, family, and school factors influence SEN identification.
What did the study do?
Researchers examined data for over 284,000 pupils attending schools across Wales during the 2011/2012 academic year. By linking school records with Census data, they were able to look at not only the characteristics of the children themselves but also their families and the schools they attended. This comprehensive dataset allowed them to ask – which factors influence who is identified with SEN?
Who is more likely to be identified with SEN?
- Gender matters: Boys were more likely than girls to be identified with SEN.
- Ethnicity plays a role: Children from Black, Asian, or Mixed ethnic backgrounds were less likely to be identified than White children.
- Persistent absence: Children who missed more than 10% of school sessions were significantly more likely to be identified with SEN.
- Family environment counts: Pupils living in households with lower parental education, lower social grade, and economic inactivity were at higher risk of being identified with SEN.
- School differences: Pupils in schools located in the most deprived areas were more likely to have SEN identified, but overall, school factors played a smaller role compared to family and individual factors.
- The study also looked at results by the type of SEN need. It emerged that some associations were stronger for different types of need:
- Identification of cognition and learning difficulties was more likely when there were lower levels of parental education in the household.
- Identification with behavioural, emotional, and social development needs was particularly associated with economically inactive households.
- Communication and interaction difficulties were influenced by family background, but also by the deprivation level of the school a child attended.
- Surprisingly, physical and sensory needs were much less tied to family factors, but this may be because they are easier to diagnose objectively than other types of SEN.
Why it matters
These findings have substantial implications for schools, policymakers, and families. They highlight the importance of considering a child’s broader environment – not just their behaviour in the classroom – when making decisions about SEN support. It also raises questions about whether the SEN system is equipped to provide support effectively and fairly. Are certain groups of children more likely to be mislabeled or missed because of particular characteristics? These are important questions to consider as Wales transitions to the new Additional Learning Needs framework.
Key takeaway
This study highlights how we need to consider the wider environmental context of the child for a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of a child’s learning needs. Who is being identified with SEN – and who is being missed? And most importantly, how can we make sure every child gets the right support at the right time?