Thriving Through the Summer (Part 3): Understanding Your Child’s Needs – Building a Personalised Summer Profile

Summer holidays offer freedom but for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), too much freedom without structure can feel unsettling. One of the best ways to start the summer strong is by taking time to understand your child’s specific needs and creating a Personalised Summer Profile.

This simple tool can guide your daily decisions, help others support your child more effectively, and reduce stress for everyone involved.

What Is a Summer Profile?

Think of a Summer Profile as a cheat sheet for your child’s comfort, preferences, and support needs. It’s especially useful when:

• Routines change frequently
• You’re introducing new caregivers or activity leaders
• You’re attending unfamiliar events or outings
• You need a reminder of what works (and what doesn’t!)

This profile puts your child’s needs front and center, making it easier to create a predictable, positive environment over the break.

Here’s what to consider when creating your child’s Summer Profile:

Basic Information

Name, age, diagnosis (if you choose to share)

Interests

Have you seen the latest Tik Tok trend? It’s on trend now to let others know what your special areas of interest are! There’s a whole collection of favourite spoon videos. Think about what motivates your child, and what areas they would be happy to talk to others about.

Example:

“Freddy loves trains and planes, he knows lots about the railways of Britain and would love to talk to you about his favourite engines”.

Communication Style

How does your child best express themselves and understand others? Include any Augmentative and Alternative Communication tools or preferred phrases.

Example:
“Jenny uses the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to communicate and understands one-step instructions best (when supported with pictures).”

Sensory Sensitivities

Does your child react strongly to noise, lights, crowds, certain fabrics, or smells? Note what triggers them and what helps soothe them.

Example:
“Jack gets overwhelmed by loud noises. He uses noise-cancelling headphones and benefits from breaks in a sensory dampened environment every hour.”

Routine Needs

What structure benefits your child, and how much flexibility they can manage without experiencing too much anxiety?

Example:

“Leo prefers a clear visual schedule to understand what’s happening throughout the day. He becomes anxious with sudden changes, so we use a ‘Now and Next’ board and give him a 10-minute warning before transitions. He copes best with a predictable routine but can manage one or two changes if they’re explained ahead of time.”

Coping Strategies

What has worked well in the past to help your child to calm down? 

Example:

“Sally benefits from space to calm down, she needs time to process information without lots of questions or distractions.”

Health Needs

Most clubs will ask about health needs, but we wanted to include it here in case there is anything additional that others need to know. Does your child need support to take their medication, do they have a preference for how they would like to be comforted if they get poorly?

Example:

“Kerry may have a mild seizure by going quiet, or dropping her chin to her chest. I always rub her arm and talk in a calm voice to let her know that I am beside her. I also count the minutes so I know when to get more help”

Adapting the Profile as the Summer Goes On

The great thing about a summer profile is that it doesn’t need to be set in stone. As your child settles into the holidays, you might notice new preferences, changing routines, or emerging anxieties. You can tweak the profile as needed—think of it as a living document that grows with your child.

Getting Started

You don’t need a fancy template to create one even a short, bullet-pointed Word doc or a handwritten sheet can make a huge difference. But if you’d like one, we’ve provided a free download: A Summer Profile for SEN Children to get you on your way! Consider developing the plan alongside your child to help feel included in the progress.

Creating a personalised summer profile for SEN children isn’t just about planning activities, it’s about honouring their unique needs, preferences, and strengths. By anticipating sensory needs, building in structure, and highlighting favourite interests, families and caregivers can create an environment where SEN children feel supported, understood, and free to thrive!

Next up: SEN Friendly Activities / Events