One-page profiles
As a parent carer you may wish to think about creating a one-page profile with your child. Or you could ask your child's school if they use them.
What is a one-page profile?
A one-page profile is a simple summary of what is important to a child or young person and how they want to be supported. It can help them get more person-centred care and support to achieve their goals.
A one-page profile captures all the important information about a person on a single sheet of paper. Information is recorded under three or four simple headings, for example:
- What people appreciate about me
- What's important to me
- How best to help and support me
- My goals and wishes for the future
One-page profiles should only contain positive information and can be for anyone of any age from preschool to adult. They help those around a person to understand them better and know how best to support them.
The child or young person should be involved as much as possible in the development of the one-page profile.
How are one-page profiles being used?
Many young people with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) use their one-page profile to help them communicate with new people. For example, they can take it to medical appointments or college interviews. They find it an effective way of communicating to new people about themselves.
They are also used at points of transition to help receiving settings develop a clear picture of the child or young person.
Use a blank one-page profile template or develop your own version.
How schools have adapted the one-page profile
In Norfolk, many schools have adapted the one-page profile into a document that contains information about a child's strengths, interests and specific support needs. You may hear these called different names such as Pupil Passport or All About Me.
The Inclusion and SEND team recommends that school versions should provide an accurate and honest summary of a child or young person's strengths and difficulties and include:
- A recent photo
- What people need to know about them
- What they like to be called/how to talk to them
- Who/what is important to them (people, toys, pets, hobbies)
- What they like doing/are good at
- What motivates or triggers them
- How to communicate with them (spoken/read/written, EAL, BSL etc)
- An accurate description of their behaviours/needs (including any personal care needs)
- Any diagnosis they may have
- Ideas about how best to support/include them including specific support strategies and approaches (e.g. seating position, equipment, task structure, adult support, use of visuals)
- Electronic links to other key documents that have information about them (e.g. SEN Support Plan, EHCP, risk management plan (including key words/scripts), medical/health care plans (including asthma/allergies), PEP)
- Professional involvement e.g. Portage, health etc
- Any other key information which may impact on their learning or social and emotional wellbeing
At times of transition, additional headings such as 'What I am looking forward to in my new setting' and 'What concerns me' can be added.
The Virtual School for SEND also recommend that school versions should:
- Be updated annually
- Stay with the child or young person throughout their education
- Include the views of the child or young person, their parents/carers and the views of the setting
- Be reviewed at least termly
- Provide an honest and true reflection of the child or young person's strengths and needs
- Be adapted to suit the individual, so that both the content and format are age and stage appropriate (Home → Early Years → Key Stage 1 → Key Stage 2 → Key Stage 3 → Key Stage 4 →Post-16)
- Be reviewed prior to transition so that they provide a clear and accurate picture of the child or young person for the new setting
In Norfolk, some settings are combining one-page profiles with learning passports. Learning passports also contain information about a child's needs, the extra support they receive and their learning targets.