🌻 Putting the Whole SEN Picture Together — FREE 4-Part

Series

See the Patterns • Gather the Evidence • Strengthen the Support

Understanding a child's support needs often means looking beyond one behaviour, one setting or one difficult moment.

Putting the Whole SEN Picture Together is a FREE 4-part educational series designed to help parents and caregivers bring together observations from home and school, recognise meaningful patterns, document what is actually happening, and turn those observations into clearer evidence for SEN support.

The aim is not to label every difficulty. It is to build a fuller picture of the child's needs, barriers, strengths and access to participation so that support can be better matched to the individual child.

Same child. Bigger understanding. Brighter futures. 💛

💙 Part 1 — Putting the Whole SEN Picture Together

The first part looks at why experiences across different settings matter.

A child may appear very different at home and at school. Looking across communication, sensory needs, wellbeing, participation and support can reveal patterns that may not be obvious when each situation is considered separately.

Different settings. One fuller picture.

📝 Part 2 — From Observation to Useful SEN Evidence

Part 2 focuses on turning everyday observations into information that can be genuinely useful.

It encourages recording questions such as:

• What happened?
• When and where did it happen?
• What happened beforehand?
• What may have been difficult?
• How did it affect participation?
• How long did recovery take?
• What helped?

Rather than relying only on general statements such as “they struggle at school,” recording specific examples can help create a clearer picture of what the child is experiencing.

Look. Notice. Record. A clearer picture.

🌻 Part 3 — Connecting the Evidence to Support Needs

Part 3 moves from observing the pattern to asking what that pattern might tell us about support.

It considers areas including learning, communication, participation, physical access, independence and emotional wellbeing.

The focus is on identifying barriers and then considering what reasonable, individualised support may improve access.

Observe the pattern. Identify the barrier. Match the support.

📚 Part 4 — What to Take to a SENCO Meeting

The final part helps families organise what they have learned into something practical for a SENCO or school-support discussion.

It covers:

• What information to bring
• How to summarise patterns
• Turning observations into specific examples
• Questions to ask
• Identifying useful outcomes
• Important points to remember

The aim is to help families leave with a clearer plan, not simply a conversation.

📖 Evidence-Informed Approach

The series reflects the principle that SEN support should be informed by a clear understanding of the child's individual needs.

Family observations can contribute valuable information alongside evidence gathered within educational settings. Support should then be planned, implemented, reviewed and adjusted as understanding develops.

Recording both the impact of difficulties and what actually helps can provide useful evidence when considering the next stage of support.

The pattern shows the need.

The need should guide the support.

📦 What You Receive — FREE DOWNLOAD

Your free download includes:

1 × Putting the Whole SEN Picture Together — Part 1

1 × From Observation to Useful SEN Evidence — Part 2

1 × Connecting the Evidence to Support Needs — Part 3

1 × What to Take to a SENCO Meeting — Part 4

The series is supplied as digital educational resources from Nonspeaking Autism.

Completely FREE to download. No physical product will be shipped.

This free resource is intended to help families feel better prepared to observe, document and communicate their child's support needs.

🏫 Who Is This For?

The series has been created particularly for parents and caregivers navigating SEN support, but it may also be useful for teachers, SENCOs, teaching assistants, support workers and other professionals working alongside children and families.

It can be used to prepare for school discussions, organise observations, identify patterns over time and support more constructive conversations about what a child may need to access education and participate successfully.

⚠️ Educational Disclaimer

This resource is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, medical, diagnostic, educational or professional advice and does not replace an individual assessment of a child's needs.

Every child and educational situation is different. Decisions concerning SEN provision, assessment and support should be based on the individual child's circumstances and the applicable educational framework.

© Copyright & Permitted Use

Copyright © Nonspeaking Autism 2026. All rights reserved.

This resource is free to download and use for personal, family and individual professional educational purposes.

Free does not mean copyright-free. The artwork and files may not be resold, repackaged as another product, altered and claimed as your own, or used commercially without permission.

Connection over correction. Understanding over expectation. 💙