ABSTRACT
A statement of SEN may be issued by an LEA following a formal assessment (described in Chapter 5). The main purpose of a statement is to ensure that individual children with very serious difficulties have their needs assessed and the appropriate provision is identified and delivered. All children in special schools are expected to have statements as well as a small number of children in mainstream schools. A statement is a legal document which must be set out in accordance with detailed legislation. It obliges the LEA for the area in which a child lives to arrange the provision specified in it. When a child with a statement moves from one school to another or one LEA to another, the new school or LEA are bound by the statement.
