Child with special educational needs

Every child and adult is unique and special in their own way, so each of us has our own individual needs: some of us need to take dietary supplements, others need to hide from the sun due to allergies or avoid eating strawberries, others need silence to concentrate, while others work better with classical music. If we’re talking about inclusive education, then it is correct to say “children with special educational needs”. And this, by the way, is the only case when it is appropriate to say “special” in the context of inclusivity. A child with special educational needs is a person under 18 years of age who needs additional support in the educational process. Here are some of the people this term may apply to:

• Children with disabilities;
• Children from families who have found themselves in difficult circumstances;
• Homeless children;
• Children who are living with HIV/AIDS;
• Orphans;
• Children deprived of parental care and others.

A child who has missed out on part of the educational process during some time due to illness or other reasons also becomes a child with special educational needs, since they may need additional time to catch up with their peers.