The identification of Special Educational Needs can occur at any point during the development of a child into adulthood. Unless a child's needs are significant or severe, it is less likely that they will be identified until the child's development, either socially, emotionally or academically, begins to widen from nationally expected levels. Parents, school professionals, children and external professionals can all contribute to the identification of needs in a child. The identification flow chart attached below shows the process of initial identification monitoring and graduated support. This support is called 'The Graduated Approach'. It aligns the amount and types of support to meet a child's needs over time and against the criteria for Special Educational Needs that a child's needs must be different from or additional to those of their peers.