2.5.3.1.6. Special needs provision
Local education authorities ( LEAs ) are responsible for assessing and making provision for the special educational needs of children aged between 2 and 19 years, in mainstream schools, or in special units or special schools .
LEAs must maintain an educational psychology service to assess the special educational needs of individual children and to provide guidance and counselling for parents and teachers to help them meet these needs.
The Education Act 1996 empowers LEAs to make exceptional provision in school or otherwise such as in pupil referral units (PRUs) for those pupils who are not attending schools because of illness or because they have been excluded. See [7.6.8.] for the responsibilities of the Further Education Funding Councils with regard to special needs.
See chapter 10 for further information on special educational needs.