Writing SEND information that is clear and easy to understand

Information about special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) can be complex.  It is vital that it is written as simply and clearly as possible.  Everyone prefers information that is quick to read and easy to understand.

This guide is for anyone who needs to communicate written information in any form.

Make sure you think about:

Purpose

What is your aim? 

• Think carefully about your title. It must attract the people who need to know 
• What are your key messages?
• What action do you want the reader to take?
• Will pictures or diagrams help to make your message clear?

Coproduction

Should your communication be created in coproduction with parents/carers, children and young people and/or professionals?

Format

What format will be best for the reader? Do they use: 

• Easy Read - a method of presenting information to make it easy to understand  
• Screen reader - technology to help people with a visual impairment access written documents by turning on-screen content into speech or Braille. How to create content that works well with screen readers
• British Sign Language - INTRAN can convert written information into a video format 
• Braille - INTRAN can convert written information into Braille
• Languages other than English - INTRAN offers translation and interpretation services 

If your workplace is an INTRAN member it will have an ID code. Quote the ID when booking the service.

Remember that your reader may not be familiar with the language and systems you use every day. Think about what they need to know and what is helpful.

• Don't add unnecessary information. Your audience is not usually interested in why a communication has been produced, who has produced it, or what it replaces 
• Avoid jargon. If you use acronyms, spell out the full meaning the first time it appears on a page, followed by the acronym in brackets 
• Use titles and subtitles to organise the information and guide the reader 
• Try to be consistent in how you punctuate, capitalise and organise your text. You want your reader to focus on the message, not be distracted by inconsistencies. Some words, like organise/minimise can be written with an 's' or a 'z' - be consistent about spelling too
• Avoid a numeral at the beginning of a sentence. Spell out numbers up to ten, use numerals thereafter except in statistical material where two systems would seem odd
• Include contact details and/or website links so the reader can find out more or take the next step 
• Include the date of issue 

Punctuation

Punctuate simply and consistently. Do not use:

• Punctuation at the end of each item of a bulleted list, even when the last item forms a full sentence
• An apostrophe in plurals of acronyms and numbers - CCGs, 1940s
• An ampersand (&) - Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group
• Semi-colons (;)

Use hyphens when:

• an adjective is made up of more than one word and is written before the noun - short-term support
• there is a risk of mispronouncing a word - co-worker but coordinator doesn't need one
• to make meaning clear, for example, recreation or re-creation

Use dashes when:

• separating a phrase within a sentence - perhaps to break up the text, or add emphasis - instead of commas or brackets, with a space either side of the dash
• giving a range of figures - 30-40, without a space either side 

Accessibility

Always follow your organisation's guidelines around accessibility. For easy-to-read text use: 

• Sans-serif fonts - Norfolk County Council prefers Arial
• Font size no smaller than 12pt - or 16pt if you are communicating with people who have a learning disability or a visual impairment
• Lower case as much as possible. Unnecessary capital letters make text difficult to read. Only use capital letters if without them, the word(s) could mean something else. For example, short breaks/Short Breaks, local offer/SEND Local Offer. Do not put whole words in CAPITALS
• Avoid underlining and using italics
• Use bold if you want to emphasise a word or heading. If your information will be presented digitally use label headings (H1, H2, H3 in Word) so a screen reader can identify them
• Text on a plain background. Don't overlay words on pictures
• Image tags, so that when displayed digitally, people with screen readers can understand what they are 
• Descriptive hyperlinks that make it clear in digital versions where the link will take your reader. For example, don't use instructions such as 'click here'. On paper copies write the weblink in full but use a 'friendly URL' if possible

You will also find our guide on how to create accessible content helpful.

Design

Good design supports the message and is not distracting. 

• Make sure images do not confuse your message or exclude your readers
• Add alternative text to all images - photographs, illustrations, drawings, diagrams, shapes, charts
• A good contrast between font colour and background improves ease of reading

If you need help with graphic design, contact your communications department or lead for advice.

If you work for Norfolk County Council use the Communications Team request form to get support and guidance.

When you have worked on a communication for a long time, it is easy to miss simple mistakes. Check:

• Spelling and punctuation (use spelling and grammar functions)
• Information is included about how to find out more
• Information is included about what to do next
• There is an issue date on the document

Always ask someone not familiar with the subject to read through your work before you publish/distribute. Ask them:

• Was there anything they didn't understand?
• Is the purpose of the communication clear?

Before you publish/distribute do some final checks that your communication is accessible.

• Use a readability checker to get an independent view of how clear your words are
• Use MS Word to get accessibility warnings - go to the Review tab and then click on Check Accessibility 
• Check your PDF document in Adobe Acrobat Pro
• If you work for Norfolk County Council you should refer to our guide on how to create accessible web content.
• If you work elsewhere check your organisation's accessibility standards

Before you publish/distribute think about whether it would make sense to include or refer to:

• The Norfolk SEND logo - available in various formats. For access to these, please contact send@norfolk.gov.uk 
• The SEND Local Offer web pages
• The SEND Local Offer Facebook
• The SEND Local Offer X
• Norfolk SEND Information Advice and Support Service (IASS) 
• Norfolk's Parent Carer Forum - Family Voice Norfolk
• A link to information about parent/carer groups offering support and help in Norfolk

If you need help to promote a message, contact your communications department or lead. If you work for Norfolk County Council (NCC), make your request using the Communications Team request form

Don't forget to:

• Share on your own social media 
• Share on Local Offer Facebook and Twitter pages - send to send@norfolk.gov.uk
• Share in the SEND eBulletin, which appears every two months - send to comms@norfolk.gov.uk

Read NHS guidance on accessibility for content designers, writers and editors in the digital service manual.

If you work at Norfolk County Council read our guide to creating accessible content and refer to the Communications toolkit. (This is an internal link for NCC staff.)