Visual annual reviews: how to include pupils with learning difficulties in their educational reviews.

The challenge for schools, following the Green PaperEvery Child Matters(HM Treasury, 2003) and theSpecial Educational Needs Code of Practice(DfES, 2001), is to enable young people to give their views about matters affecting their lives. Whilst these recommendations are a welcome step to enable the effective inclusion of all young people, whatever their needs, there is little information on how this can be done, particularly in terms of making a young person's presence at a meeting meaningful and one where there is genuine regard for their views. The challenge increases if the young person has limited communication or significant learning difficulties. In this article Julia Hayes describes the development of the visual annual review, a practical, child-centred planning tool to use in a review at a time of transition for those who may have limited understanding or language. The effectiveness of this method was evaluated following a review. The response was very positive from the staff, the pupil and the parent involved in the study. They felt that it was child-centred, fun and accessible, whilst ensuring that all professionals had the chance to speak and chart the young person's progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]