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Supporting SEND in Early Years

Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, achieve their potential, and feel valued within their early years setting. Early years providers play a vital role in identifying and supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), working in partnership with families and professionals to ensure children receive the right support at the right time.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework requires all providers to have arrangements in place to identify and support children with SEND and to promote equality of opportunity for all children. Early identification and effective intervention can make a significant difference to children's outcomes, helping them to access learning, develop positive relationships, and participate fully in their early years experiences.

Children develop at different rates and in different ways. Some children may require additional support to help them make progress or access learning opportunities. Where concerns arise, practitioners should work closely with parents and carers, drawing upon observations, assessments, professional guidance, and the child's strengths and interests to understand their individual needs.

The Graduated Approach

The SEND Code of Practice (2015) sets out a graduated approach to supporting children with SEND. This cyclical process ensures that support is responsive, targeted, and regularly reviewed.

Assess

Gather information through observations, assessments, discussions with parents and carers, and involvement from relevant professionals to understand a child's strengths and areas of need.

Plan

Identify desired outcomes and agree the support, strategies, and interventions needed. Plans should be developed collaboratively with families and relevant professionals.

Do

Implement the agreed support within the setting's daily practice, ensuring all practitioners understand their role in helping the child achieve their outcomes.

Review

Monitor the impact of support, evaluate progress towards agreed outcomes, and make adjustments where necessary.

The cycle is ongoing and helps ensure support remains effective and responsive to the child's changing needs.

 

How We Support Early Years Providers

The Lewisham Early Years Team is committed to helping providers create inclusive environments where all children can succeed. We work alongside settings to build confidence, develop expertise, and strengthen inclusive practice through:

  • Advice and guidance regarding emerging SEND concerns.
  • Support with implementing and embedding the graduated approach.
  • Guidance on identifying needs, assessing progress, and planning appropriate support.
  • Resources and practical strategies to support inclusive practice and reasonable adjustments.
  • Support with person-centred planning and working in partnership with families.
  • Guidance on SEND documentation, record keeping, and evidence of the graduated approach.
  • Support with transitions into, between, and out of early years provision.
  • Professional development opportunities, training, and networking for SENCOs and practitioners.
  • Signposting to specialist services and local support available within Lewisham.
  • Targeted Area SENCO consultation and support where additional advice is required beyond the setting's existing SEND provision.

Our aim is to build the confidence, knowledge, and capacity of early years providers so that children with SEND can access high-quality, inclusive provision and achieve the best possible outcomes.

 

When Should a Setting Refer to the Area SENCO?

We recognise that settings are at different stages in developing SEND expertise. Settings with a newly appointed or unqualified SENCO may require additional guidance to support the implementation of the graduated approach and inclusive practice.

In most cases, before requesting Area SENCO support, settings should be able to demonstrate that they have:

  • Implemented the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle.
  • Engaged parents or carers in discussions about concerns and support.
  • Developed and reviewed targeted strategies within the setting.
  • Utilised the knowledge and expertise available within the setting, including the setting SENCO.

For settings with a qualified SENCO, an Area SENCO referral would typically be appropriate where:

  • The child's needs are becoming increasingly complex and require additional consultation.
  • Progress remains limited despite appropriate support and review.
  • Additional advice is needed to identify next steps.
  • Specialist services may need to be considered.
  • The setting would benefit from support around inclusion planning or multi-agency working.

Requests for support should be made using the Area SENCO Referral Form.

By working in this way, the Area SENCO service aims to build confidence and capacity within settings while ensuring that targeted support is available when additional advice, consultation, or specialist guidance is required.

APDR Template

Area SENCO Referral Form Sept 26