Blog
Preparing for a GP appointment
How to prepare for a GP appointment about your child: organise your observations, explain daily impact and ask the right questions about local referrals.
Read moreMake SENse turns the confusing first steps of an SEN journey into a clear, calm plan, for parents in England and Wales who don't know where to start.
Free, private and takes only a few minutes
Not sure what support your child might need?
Tell us what's happening. We'll help you work out what to do next.
Clear guidance for parents in England and Wales who are concerned about their child's development.
Get personalised guidanceWhat's happening right now?
Not sure what happens next?
Health & Development
Answer a few simple questions about your situation and get a personalised guide to possible support options, next steps and what to prepare.
~4 minutesExplore support
Not sure what support to ask for?
Education Support
Tell us what's happening at nursery or school and get guidance on possible support, what you can ask for and what to do next.
~3 minutesStart School Support
Wondering what help you could get?
Benefits & Support
Answer a few questions about your family and get a clear guide to potential financial support, what evidence may help and where to apply.
~4 minutesCheck Benefits & Support
How Make SENse works
- 01Tell us about your situationAnswer a few straightforward questions.
- 02We make sense of the informationWe turn your answers into practical, relevant guidance.
- 03Get your personalised guideSee your potential next steps, questions to ask and useful resources.
- 04Know what to do nextLeave with a clearer plan rather than another list of information.
No diagnosis needed
Start from where your family is today.
Neutral guidance
Clear options without steering your choice.
For England and Wales
Our guidance covers these nations first.
Elsewhere? Tell us where you need support.
AN EXAMPLE RESULT
Guidance that fits your answers.
The Health tool asks about referral status, where your child lives and the areas you'd like support with. Here's how those answers shape the report.
Health tool example
What you told us
- Has your child been referred for an assessment about these concerns?
- Yes
- Where does your child live?
- England
- Which areas would you most like support with?
- Communication and interaction, Sensory and/or physical
- What matters most to you when thinking about support?
- What the wait times might be
Support and therapies to explore
For these areas, the report explains speech and language therapy, hearing checks, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, with NHS and private options for each, plus a neutral side-by-side comparison.
Illustrative example. Your result reflects your own answers.
THE INFORMATION BEHIND THE GUIDANCE
A starting point you can check.
Our guidance draws on trusted sources such as the NHS, NICE, GOV.UK, GOV.WALES and Citizens Advice. Every report links to the sources behind it, so you can check what applies to your family.
Health
NHS and NICE guidance on children's development, therapies and getting the right support.
Benefits
GOV.UK and Citizens Advice explain the current rules your report reflects.
These are examples, not the full list. Each report lists its own sources under ‘Sources and further reading’. Services and rules can change, especially locally, so check the linked sources for current details. How we use sources
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Understanding the EHCP process
A plain-English introduction to the EHCP process in England: what an EHC plan is, how to request an assessment, what evidence helps and what happens next.
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Top 5 SEN friendly days out in the UK
Five SEN friendly days out across the UK, from relaxed museum openings to sensory cinema screenings, with tips for calmer family trips.
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