ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the way in which legislation affects special educational provision. It traces some of the effects of changes in legislation on decision-making about provision for children with special educational needs. Countries which provide education for all children within their age range of compulsory schooling, usually set up official or semi-official decision-making procedures for making special educational provision for individual pupils. The Education Act provides a good example of the relationship between legislation and provision. The chapter explores the way in which decision-making has been determined by developments in legislation and its interpretation. It also focuses on the effect of legislation on decision making about special educational provision in England and Wales. The function of the assessment is to enable the local education authority to decide whether it should maintain a 'statement' of the special educational provision it determines as appropriate to meet the child's needs.
