Supporting SEND in Early Years
All early years providers are required to have arrangements in place to identify and support children with SEN or disabilities and to promote equality of opportunity for children in their care.
These requirements are set out in the EYFS framework. In addition to formal checks, practitioners should use their own observations, specialist advice and any other assessments available (including those written externally to the setting) to determine progress and individual development.
Early years providers should regularly review and evaluate the quality and breadth of the support they offer or can access for children with SEN or disabilities, as it is important that there is no delay in making provision for a child’s special educational need.
When a child appears not to be making progress either generally or in a specific aspect of learning, then it may be necessary to present the child with different opportunities or use alternative approaches to learning.
All children learn and develop at different rates and have areas of strength and interest and areas for development. A child may have a special educational need if, despite appropriate activities and differentiated planning and support, they continue to experience a greater difficulty than their peers in learning and developing skills.
The SEND code of Practice 2015 states that Early Years Practitioners should adopt a graduated approach so as to be able to provide specific help to individual young children.
The Gradated Approach is a cycle of continuous assessment and support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It ensures that children receive the right level of help through four key stages:
Assess – Observing and identifying a child’s needs through regular assessment and discussions with parents and professionals.
Plan – Setting specific support strategies and outcomes, involving parents and staff in creating a targeted plan.
Do – Implementing the planned interventions and support in the early years setting.
Review – Monitoring progress and adapting support as needed to ensure the best outcomes for the child.
More information and resources will be added soon.