FAQs — Identification and Assessment

My child is really struggling with reading and writing and has difficulty concentrating in class. What can I do to help?

As a parent you can discuss your concerns with the teacher or the school. Your child’s teacher will normally identify children in the class who need a greater level of attention or planning. If you feel your child may have additional support needs that are not being identified, you have the right to ask the education authority to assess your child to see what those needs are. Your request to the education authority should be put in writing or some other permanent form such as email, video or a tape recording. The education authority must comply with your request unless it finds it ‘unreasonable’. A request might be considered ‘unreasonable’ if it repeats previous assessments, or if it is not seen as relevant, given the child’s or young person’s circumstances.

Please see The parents’ guide to additional support for learning.