Supporting children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs (SEN), to identify their learning goals and aspirations is central to effective educational practice in the UK. This essay examines approaches to facilitating self-determination and person-centred planning within SEN contexts. It considers the role of structured frameworks, collaborative involvement, and skill development, drawing on policy and practice to evaluate their application and limitations at the undergraduate level of study.
Person-Centred Approaches and Legal Frameworks
Person-centred planning forms the foundation for enabling children and young people to articulate their ambitions. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice emphasises that education, health and care (EHC) plans must reflect the views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person (DfE, 2015). Practitioners typically employ tools such as one-page profiles or ‘What matters to me’ documents to elicit preferences in accessible formats. However, while these methods promote autonomy, critics note that implementation can vary significantly across local authorities, sometimes resulting in tokenistic rather than genuine involvement when time or training is limited.
Collaborative Assessment and Multi-Agency Working
Effective support requires structured collaboration between the child, family, teachers and professionals. Annual reviews of EHC plans provide formal opportunities for young people to evaluate progress and adjust targets. Techniques such as scaling questions or strength-based discussions help individuals translate broad interests into specific, measurable learning objectives. Furthermore, involving teaching assistants or mentors in everyday settings can reinforce these conversations, yet resource constraints often restrict the depth of such interactions. This highlights a tension between policy aspirations and practical delivery in many mainstream and specialist provisions.
Developing Self-Advocacy and Metacognitive Skills
Building self-advocacy skills enables children and young people to become active agents in their learning journey. Interventions that teach choice-making, goal-setting and reflection—often through visual timetables or digital portfolios—support metacognitive awareness. For instance, programmes encouraging pupils to rate their confidence in subjects can reveal previously unspoken aspirations. Nevertheless, such approaches require consistent adult scaffolding; without it, some learners with complex needs may struggle to generalise skills beyond supported sessions. The effectiveness of these techniques depends on practitioner skill and ongoing professional development.
Conclusion
In summary, supporting children and young people with SEN to determine their learning and achievement goals relies on person-centred tools, collaborative planning and explicit skill development. While legislative frameworks provide clear direction, successful application depends on adequate resources and practitioner expertise. Future practice should therefore prioritise training and evaluation to ensure these methods translate into meaningful outcomes for all learners.
References
- Department for Education (2015) Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years. London: DfE.
