Glossary
Jargon buster
Explanations of words you’ll hear in SEND.
No definitions match — try a different word.
- AAC – Augmentative and Alternative Communication
- Additional Needs
- ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Adult Social Care and Support/ASC
- Advocacy
- Aids and Adaptations
- Annual Review
- AP – Alternative Provision
- APD – Auditory Processing Disorder
- ARFID – Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
- ASD/ASC – Autistic Spectrum Disorder or Condition
- Assessments
- Benefits
- BSL – British Sign Language
- CAMHS
- Care and Support Plan
- Carer
- Carers Allowance
- Caseworker
- Cerebral palsy
- CETR – Care, Education & Treatment Review
- CHC
- Child in Need (CIN)
- Citizen
- Client Contribution
- Co-production
- Commissioner
- Community Mental Health Teams Services (CMHTs)
- Community Paediatricians
- Community Services
- Comorbidity
- CP – Child Protection
- DCD – Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia)
- DfE
- DFG
- Direct Payments/DP
- Disagreement Resolution
- DLA/Disability Living Allowance
- DSA: Disabled Students Allowance
- DSR
- Dyscalculia
- Dyslexia
- EAL
- Early Help Assessment (EHA)
- EBD
- EBSA – Emotionally Based School Avoidance
- EBSNA – Emotionally Based School Non Attendance
- EHCP / Education, Health and Care plan
- EOTAS (Education Other than At School)
- EP/Educational Psychologist/Ed Psych: Educational Psychologist
- EYS / Early Years Settings
- FE / Further Education college
- GAD
- GDD – Global Development Delay
- HE
- Healthwatch England
- HI
- HLTA
- Home Care
- IEP/Individual Education Plan
- IHP: Individual Health Plan
- Inclusion
- Independent living
- Independent school
- INT: Integrated Neighbourhood Teams
- Integrated Care
- Integrated care board (or ICB)
- Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs)
- Integrated Care Systems (ICSs)
- IS / Independent Supporter
- Key worker
- LA / Local Authority
- LAEP
- Learning Difficulties
- Learning Disabilities
- Local Offer
- Mediation
- Mental Health Support Teams (MHST)
- MLD – Moderate Learning Difficulties
- MSI – Multi Sensory Impairment
- Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
- National curriculum
- NEET
- Neurodivergent
- Neurotypical
- NHS Continuing Healthcare
- NHS England
- Non-Maintained Special School
- OFSTED/ Office for Standards in Education
- OT / Occupational Therapy
- Outcomes
- Paediatrics
- Parent Carer Forum
- PCN
- PDA
- Personal Assistant
- Personal Budget/PB
- PIP/Personal Independence Payment
- PMLD/Profound and Multiple Learning Disability
- Portage
