Support for Early Years Settings

Area Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinators (SENDCOs) provide advice and support to Early Years Providers to develop their inclusive practice and deliver improved outcomes for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Providers include School-based nurseries, Private, Voluntary, and Independent (PVI) providers and Childminders. Support is offered to;

• work closely with parents to identify children’s needs and discuss development
• work closely with the Nursery through caseload meetings.
• plan interventions to address SEN needs and review children’s progress
• provide guidance on SEN Support Plans and provision map development
• observations, and consultations.
• contribute to the assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan  
• plan transitions using a person-centred approach, which ensures that the child and family are at the centre of planning.
• Signpost to training opportunities.
• Involve the Assistant Educational Psychologist for support and advice on (SEMH) Social, emotional, and mental health.

 Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund (SENIF)

Early years settings can apply for SENIF or Complex Needs Funding for children with a high level of need. Settings can use funding in a variety of ways to support the child. This could include staff training, specialist equipment for the setting, or additional staffing to enable additional interventions. A fixed sum of funding is granted for a child on a pro rata basis based on the number of sessions they attend. This enables their access to all areas of learning within the setting.

Childcare providers can also access training and guidance from the Advisory Teacher team to help them better understand and support a child’s individual needs. This can be accessed through the Havering Education Portal, or a request can be made to SEND Early Years for bespoke training at the setting.