Hiding in plain sight – underdiagnoses of girls with SEN

Data from the DfE’s School Census (June 2023)¹ shows there are nearly 1.5million pupils in state schools diagnosed with special educational needs (SEN), 1million boys and half that number – 500,000 girls. Numbers are rising year on year, but why is there such a disparity between genders, what does this mean? Is it an equitable educational playing field? How many girls remain under the radar and what implications does this have for their futures?

A diagnosis is an important moment in the life of a child with SEN, it allows schools to open doors and access additional resources – assistive technology, specialised teaching or the services of professionals such as educational psychologists.

The disproportionate number of boys to girls diagnosed with SEN, has attracted considerable attention from researchers over the past few decades. The under-representation of girls in the SEN identification process is worrying. Girls are less likely to receive the support they need to progress academically, socially and emotionally, and unmet needs often lead to a deterioration in mental health and wellbeing. Early detection is vital to provide pupils with services necessary to support their development; delayed or missed diagnoses can exacerbate challenges and affect long-term outcomes.

Some differences in the numbers could be because certain disabilities are more common in boys, but it’s also likely there is unrecognised gender bias in the assessments and from those referring the children. Boys are more likely to be disruptive and command more attention, whereas girls – especially autistic girls, are better at hiding their difficulties and masking autism-related challenges – the ‘camouflage effect’.

Awareness of the differences between girls and boys who need SEN support is crucial ². Subjective judgements influenced by biases could be reduced if schools adopted standardised criteria for SEN identification or referral. Clinicians too need a better understanding about why girls and women remain under the radar.

Parents and teachers need support to identify and understand how SEN can present differently in girls. For example, they may spot girls not picking up social cues, always being on the periphery of groups, or appearing a little behind their peers – all these cues can be carefully explored. A conversation about navigating social situations can be equally revealing, with confusion or reliance on a rule-based approach quickly becoming apparent.

Thinking beyond binary notions of gender is also important, data shows there’s more gender diversity within the autistic population. Exploring the presentation of non-binary and gender fluid people with autism is an emerging field that could shed further light on autistic