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North Somerset Graduated Response to SEND support in the early years

North Somerset graduated response to SEND support in the early years

September 2020

Contents

Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice: 0 to 25 years... 3 What is special educational needs and disability (SEND)?3SEN support in the early years4What is the graduated response/approach?4Multi-agency information and support in the early years (MAISEY)7Additional funding for early years providers to support children with SEND7Early Years SEND Top-up funding (TUF)7Disability Access Fund (DAF)7North Somerset INCCO/SENCO resources and key documents…8The graduated response table…9Education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments and EHC plans11SEND policy and procedures11What is a Local Offer?12Making reasonable adjustments: The Equality Act 201012Physical access design advice13Advice for parents and carers13Inclusion support and graduated approach process flowchart14Area of need: Cognition and Learning15Universal support16SEN support17Statutory support19Area of need: Communication and Interaction22Universal support23SEN support26Statutory support29Area of need: Social, Emotional and Mental Health31Universal support32SEN support34Statutory support37Area of need: Sensory and/or Physical Needs39Universal support41SEN support43Statutory support45Glossary of terms and abbreviations48Useful contact details…51

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Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years

The new SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 came into effect on 1 September 2014. It is statutory guidance for organisations who work with and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Early years providers in the maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors that the local authority funds are required to have regard to this code.

The SEND code of practice states:

5.3 The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework for children aged 0 to 5 years. All early years providers must follow the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS and the learning and development requirements, unless an exemption from these has been granted.

5.36 It is particularly important in the early years that there is no delay in making any necessary special educational provision. Delay at this stage can give rise to learning difficulty and subsequently to loss of self-esteem, frustration in learning and to behaviour difficulties. Early action to address identified needs is critical to the future progress and improved outcomes that are essential in helping the child to prepare for adult life.

5.4 Providers must have arrangements in place to support children with SEN or disabilities. These arrangements should include a clear approach to identifying and responding to SEN. The benefits of early identification are widely recognised – identifying need at the earliest point, and then making effective provision, improves long-term outcomes for children.

What is Special Educational Needs and Disability?

A child has special educational needs (SEN) if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

A child has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she

· has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or

· has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age

For children aged two or more, special educational provision is provision that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children of the same age by relevant early years providers.

For a child under two years of age, special educational provision means educational provision of any kind.

A child under compulsory school age has special educational needs if he or she is likely to fall within the definition in the paragraph above.

Useful links and websites:

· SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years, January 2015

· Early years: guide to the 0 to 25 SEND code of practice, September 2014

· Statutory framework for the EYFS, April 2017

· Council for Disabled Children and 4Children's SEND in the early years: a toolkit

SEN support in the early years

Where any setting identifies a child as having SEN they must work in partnership with parents/carers to establish the support the child needs. If special provision is made for a child with SEN the parents/carers must be informed.

What is the graduated response/approach?

The SEND code of practice outlines how education settings should adopt a model of actions and interventions with four stages (assess, plan, do, review) to meet the needs of children who have special educational needs.

This document sets out how early years providers can implement the graduated approach across the four broad areas of need. Children may have needs in more than one area of need.

The SEND code of practice identifies these four broad areas of need:

· communication and interaction;

· cognition and learning;

· social, emotional and mental health;

· sensory and/or physical needs.

The graduated approach and its stages:

1. Assess

· The early years practitioner working with the setting INCCO/SENCO and the child’s parents should carry out a clear analysis of the child’s needs.

· Outside professionals should liaise with the setting to help inform the assessments.

· Where professionals are not already working with the setting, the

INCCO/SENCO should contact them, with the parents’ agreement.

· Assessment should be reviewed regularly.

· The early years practitioner should identify and address barriers to learning.

2. Plan

· The early years practitioner and the INCCO/SENCO agree, in consultation with the parents, the interventions, support and expected outcomes and set a clear date for review.

· Plans should take into account the views of the child.

· Curriculum planning should take account of specialist advice.

· Targeted provision must be recorded.

· Planning for differentiated resources may be required.

· Planned interventions should be evidence based.

· Key person/support staff’s development needs should be identified and addressed.

3. Do

· Targets may require individual and/or small group sessions by setting staff, as well as implementation across the curriculum.

· The setting’s INCCO/SENCO will oversee the child’s targeted support, including how this is being delivered.

· The child should be effectively supported in the setting alongside peers for the vast majority of their time.

· Access to specialist equipment and resources should be provided as necessary.

· Support arrangements should be clear and consistent.

4. Review

· Targeted provision and progress is monitored and reviewed by the practitioner, the INCCO/SENCO monitors the impact of the plan.

· The effectiveness of the support and its impact on the child’s progress should be reviewed in line with the agreed date.

· The early years setting should meet with the child’s parents/carers regularly to discuss the impact of the support.

· Children and their parents/carers must be involved in planning for targeted

support and any changes. The setting will need to liaise closely with other professionals involved.

· SEND support should be adapted or replaced depending on how effective

it has been in achieving the agreed outcomes.

This cycle of action should be revisited in increasing detail and with increasing frequency, to identify the best way of securing good progress. At each stage parents should be engaged with the setting, contributing their insights to assessment and planning. Intended outcomes should be shared with parents/carers and reviewed with them, along with action taken by the setting, at agreed times.

The graduated approach should be led and co-ordinated by the setting’s INCCO working with and supporting individual practitioners in the setting and informed by the:

· Early years outcomes, September 2013: Published by the DfE, a non- statutory guide for practitioners and inspectors to help inform understanding of child development through the early years.

· North Somerset EYFS early support assessment statements, 2014: This document enables early years providers to assess children’s achievements and plan for the small steps that some children with SEND need.

· North Somerset EYFS early support guidance materials, 2015: This document supports early years providers to meet the needs of young children with SEND, through giving ideas and strategies for what adults can do and what adults can provide in an early years environment and at home.

· Development Matters in the EYFS: Published by Early Education, a document that help early years practitioners to support children’s learning and development.

· Development Matters, September 2020: Published by the DfE, non-statutory curriculum guidance which supports the delivery of the revised EYFS. Currently to be used by early adopters (statutory roll out of the reforms is in September 2021).

If early years providers would like additional support and advice from the Early Years Area SENCO Team for an individual child as part of the graduated response, the early years provider will need to complete an Inclusion Support Request Form with the parents/carers. Please refer to the Inclusion support and graduated approach process flowchart on page 14.

Multi-agency information and support in the early years (MAISEY)

If a child has some additional needs it is helpful if they can be discussed at MAISEY. Monthly MAISEY meetings ensure that the services and provision are looked at as a whole by the professionals involved and are co-ordinated around individual needs. It is the place where one service can discuss the involvement of another service.

MAISEY supports provision planning from early identification of need until school entry, ensuring where possible that transfers to pre-school and school are successful for every child.

Additional funding for early years providers to support children with SEND

Early Years SEND Top-up funding (TUF)

Early years providers can apply for early years SEND top-up funding for those children who are in receipt of the government funded early education and childcare entitlement (for 2-, 3- or 4-year olds). The aim of TUF is to contribute to supporting early years providers to meet individual child’s needs.

A set of early years SEND top-up funding (TUF) criteria have been formulated and agreed by a multi-agency panel. These criteria describe children’s needs and define a category and level for funding purposes. In order to access additional funding to support early years children, early years providers must apply through the TUF application process described in the EY SEND TUF guidance.

Disability Access Fund (DAF)

Early years provider can receive £615 per eligible child, per year. 3 and 4-year olds who are in receipt of child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and are accessing the funded entitlement are eligible for the Disability Access Fund. It aids access to early years places by supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings.

If a child eligible for the DAF is accessing their funded entitlement across two or more providers, parents/carers need to nominate the provider that the local authority will pay the DAF to. Providers can have private arrangements to share the funding.

North Somerset INCCO/SENCO resources and key documents

Specific North Somerset resources and key documents can be found within the workforce pages on the North Somerset Online Directory. Type a key word in the search box. Among other documents you will find here documents and links to, for example:

· INCCO resource checklist

· ABCC chart

· ‘A picture of me’

· Nurture Pack

· IPP and IPP review templates and accompanying notes

· Early Years Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit

· MAISEY leaflet and referral form

· Early years privacy notices

· Information about Early Years SEND Top-up funding including key documents

· North Somerset Managing feelings and behaviour booklet

The table below sets out the stages that you might go through when following a graduated approach to support children with additional needs.

Level of need

Action to be taken

Paperwork may include

(as relevant to the child’s needs)

Initial concern

(Identification of need)

Universal provision

Assessment of the child’s present level of development against the EYFS (Best Fits).

· Additional observations and assessments to clarify areas of concern and levels of development.

· Provide differentiated learning opportunities targeted at the areas of need on a daily basis and ensure all staff are aware of this child’s specific needs, agreed approaches and/or targets.

· Monitor and review progress regularly on a short-term basis and plan next steps/targets.

· Identify if the gap is closing towards typical development by looking at whether the child’s learning and development is accelerated rather than just making typical progress.

· Working in partnership with parents/carers. Providers must enable a regular two-way flow of information with parents/carers about their child’s level of development and give appropriate ideas of what they can do at home to support their child’s next steps. Parents/carers insights inform action taken by the setting.

· Providers must enable a regular two-way flow of information between providers, if a child is attending more than one setting.

· Use this Graduated Response document to support interventions and provide inclusive provision.

· Implement advice from other professionals.

· Consider training needs and staff development to support accelerated learning and development.

Move to next stage if little or no progress is made in the short-term.

· Observations, individual records, assessments.

· Additional observations.

· Record of conversation with parents/carers.

· Differentiated planning.

· Statutory two-year old progress check.

· Best Fits.

· Every Child a Talker Monitoring Tool (ECAT).

· One-page profile (e.g. ‘A Picture of Me’).

· If a child is in receipt of 3 and 4-year old early years funding and is also in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the early years setting should discuss with the parents/carers applying for a Disability Access Fund (DAF).

Ongoing concerns in relation to the above

SEN Support

Lack of substantial progress despite support and gap towards typical development is the same or widening; and/or other concerns persist.

As above plus:

· Continue with above to support child’s learning and development.

· Individualised planning and targeted intervention to support identified needs and accelerate progress to close the developmental gap.

· Identify activities that are additional to and different from those provided for other children.

· Involve the setting’s INCCO/SENCO.

· Specialist equipment and adaptations to environment.

· Ensure a regular two-way flow of information with parents/carers about your concerns and the action you are taking. Parents/carers insights inform action taken by the setting.

· Ensure a regular two-way flow of information with other providers, if a child is attending more than one setting.

· Parental permission must be gained to refer to other agencies.

· If the child is not known to MAISEY, consider making a referral to MAISEY.

As above plus:

· Detailed information about child’s progress and impact of need on learning and development.

· SEND support planning reflects child’s needs and recommendations from other agencies.

· Evidence of target setting, e.g. Individual Progress Plan (IPP).

· Detailed Behaviour Management Plan with evidence how challenging behaviour is supported.

· ABCC/STAR observations, behaviour management plan, Nurture Pack to

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Level of need

Action to be taken

Paperwork may include

(as relevant to the child’s needs)

· Consider seeking advice from other services and agencies including Early Years Area SENCO, Health Visitor, Children’s Centre’s Family Support Worker or other Specialist Community Children’s Service professionals.

· Consider referrals to the Specialist Community Children’s Service, Portage, Educational Psychologist through the Early Years Area SENCO Team etc.

· All requests for Specialist Community Children's Service assessments should be made through the North Somerset Single Point of Entry (SPE) form.

· Other agencies who may be involved, e.g. Children’s Centres, Health Visiting Team, Portage, Sensory Support Service (Hearing, Vision).

· Consider training needs and staff development requirements to meet the needs of the child.

· Consider training that could also be provided for parents/carers at the same time as staff to help develop a consistent approach.

· Use this Graduated Response document to support more specific interventions and support for individual child.

· Use the North Somerset early support assessment statements and guidance materials.

· Use the Early Years Speech and Language Therapy toolkit for advice, resources and strategies. In this toolkit, you will find advice on early communication, attention and listening skills, play and language development, vocabulary, understanding language, expressive language, development of speech sounds, social interaction skills, interrupted fluency and stammering, dribbling.

· Consider holding a TAC meeting and developing a plan if there is ongoing unmet need or there are issues that need to be addressed beyond the setting.

· Consider a transition programme, Inclusion Link Programme.

· Liaise with the primary school regarding the child’s transition to school. Invite the school SENCO, new teacher to TAC meeting, when appropriate.

· Move to this stage on the advice of other agencies or parental request.

evidence behavioural/emotional management needs.

· Evidence showing the frequency, intensity and duration of behavioural/emotional needs and what support you have put in place.

· Health Care Plan (HCP) informed by health professionals.

· Detailed medical procedure planning.

· Detailed risk assessments.

· If multi-agencies involved follow Early Help process and paperwork may be started.

· Evidence of staff attendance at training or internal whole staff training.

· Reports from other agencies.

· Application for Early Years SEND Top- up Funding.

· Referral to e.g. the Specialist Community Children’s Service (e.g. Speech and Language Therapist), Educational Psychologist etc.

· Area SENCO observation.

· Evidence how the need for AAC is supported via e.g. resources, time allocation, curriculum planning. This is evidenced through unaided and aided

communication.

Identification of needs that will affect the child’s learning and development in the longer term

Statutory Support

As above plus:

· Make a request for an EHC needs assessment.

· Early years providers have a duty to co-operate with the local authority in carrying out needs assessments for children, and in the development and review of EHC plans.

· Continue with above to support child’s learning and development.

· Continue to liaise with external agencies and follow any recommendations.

As above plus:

· Contribute towards the EHC needs assessment.

Education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments and EHC plans

The SEND code of practice states that

5.49 Where, despite the setting having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of the child, the child has not made expected progress, the setting should consider requesting an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.

“Early years providers have a duty to co-operate with local authorities in carrying out needs assessments for children, and in the development and review of EHC plans.” (Early years: guide to the 0 to 25 SEND code of practice, September 2014, page 20)

The local authority’s SEND Team is responsible for managing the statutory assessment process. When the SEND Team receives an EHC needs assessment request, an allocated SEN caseworker will write to the child’s parents/carers, early years provider(s) that the child attends and any other professionals who work with the child to request information/advice about the child. You will be asked to provide advice and information by completing an ‘Early years advice for an EHC needs request’ form within a set timeline.

Early years providers may also request an EHC needs assessment for a child. This must be done with the knowledge and agreement of the child’s parents/carers.

Further information about the EHC needs assessment process can be found at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/localoffer (then click on ‘Education Health and Care Plans in North Somerset’).

SEND policy and procedures

All early years providers in the maintained, voluntary or private sectors that receive government early years funding should have a written Special Educational Needs disability (SEND) policy. This is a statutory duty in line with the SEND code of practice, 2015.

Information about how your setting supports children with SEND must be available to parents/carers.

Guidelines for developing a SEND policy and procedures can be found at www.n- somerset.gov.uk/fis (then click on ‘Workforce’).

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What is a Local Offer?

North Somerset Council has a Local Offer, setting out in one place information about provision they expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people in their area who have SEND, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.

The North Somerset Local Offer can be found at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/localoffer

Please remember to update your setting’s Local Offer information on a regular basis.

Making reasonable adjustments: The Equality Act 2010

All early years settings have duties under The Equality Act 2010. In particular, they must:

· not discriminate against the child on the grounds of the disability,

· make reasonable adjustments to enable access to and around buildings and rooms, and in use of equipment, to the provision of information and to the curriculum; this includes planned adjustments in anticipation of likely future needs.

· All settings must make reasonable adjustments for children including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, in order to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage.

· This duty to make reasonable adjustments is anticipatory. This means settings must consider in advance what they need to do to make sure all disabled children can access and participate in the education and other benefits, facilities and services they provide for those within their settings. It will be necessary to consider reasonable adjustments for each area of need outlined in the SEND code of practice.

· Promote equality of opportunity for disabled children.

Useful publication:

· Council for disabled children: Disabled children and the Equality Act 2010, what early years providers need to know ...

Physical access design advice

For advice about adapting the layout of your setting or planning for the future needs of disabled children, please contact: North Somerset Access Officer for Disabled People, Anthony Rylands.

Telephone: 01934 634 989, Email: [email protected]

Advice for parents and carers

The Department for Education (DfE) published a document: Special educational needs and disability: a guide for parents and carers (August 2014) which lays out what parents/carers can expect from early years providers for their children.

There are a number of organisations that provide information, support and advice for parents/carers with children with SEND. Please see the information below.


· North Somerset Local Offer: information about what support and services are available in North Somerset for children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND

· Supportive Parents provide the statutory SEND information, advice and support (SENDIAS) service for North Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire

· North Somerset Parent Carers Working Together, North Somerset parent/carer forum

· Bridging the gap together

· Independent Parental Special Education Advice (IPSEA)

· Contact

· Contact – Resource Library including factsheets and parent guides

· Council for Disabled Children

· Family and Childcare Trust – guide to childcare for children with SEND

· Childcare Choices, help with paying for childcare

· The National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF)

· A Guide for working with parents of children with SEND, published by 4Children

· How to apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children

· Disability Access Fund (DAF), additional funding for children in their early years setting

· Carer’s allowance

(You have concerns about the child’s development or progress (use e.g. Best Fits, statutory 2 year old progress check).Assess to identify needs) (Regularly review the support plan in place (refer to the Graduated response).Review) (Implement a support plan, e.g. IPP, Behaviour Management Plan, Health Care Plan etc.Plan and do) (Discuss the identified need with the parents/carers.Working in partnership with parents/carers. A regular two-way flow of information with parents/carers.) (Through your observation and assessment process identify the child’s need (refer to the Graduated approach within this document). E.g. You could use the North Somerset EYFS Early Support Assessment Statements and Early Support Materials booklets to help you.Assess to identify needs) (The EY Consultant (SEND) presents all TUF applications along with supporting evidence to the multi-agency TUF panel.) (The setting is responsible for delivering the TUF application to the Early Years Team for submission to the EY SEND TUF panel.) (REVISIT) (No) (Yes) (Repeat process to monitor progress)Inclusion support and graduated approach process flowchart

(If additional support and advice from the Area SENCO Team is required for the child as part of the graduated response, complete an initial Inclusion Support Request Form together with the parents/carers.) (Contact the Area SENCO Team and, if required, arrange a visit to your setting.) (The Area SENCO visits the child in your setting to carry out an observation and decides whether to recommend an application for Top-up funding. The Area SENCO feeds back to the parents/carers.The Area SENCO completes a summary of observation.) (Top-up funding (TUF) recommended.) (REVISE) (The setting collects and collates evidence for a TUF application adhering to the EY SEND TUF guidance and criteria.)

(The EY SEND TUF panel considers all evidence alongside the TUF criteria applied for.) (The setting and parents/carers are advised of the TUF panel outcome by letter.) (Successful applications) (Refused applications)

(The setting and parents/carers are advised of the awarded TUF allocation, any conditions of the allocated funding, funding start date, the month when the review isdue, current funding end date.)The graduated approach process

(Following the TUF panel, the Education Funding Team will add/update the allocated TUF on the child's record on the funding hub.) (The setting holds a meeting with the parents/carers, the child's key person and setting's INCCO to discuss the panel outcome, the current TUF hourly rates, the next steps for the child and how to implement inclusionsupport by using the allocated TUF.Plan and do)

Area of need: Cognition and Learning

SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years, January 2015:

6.30 Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation. Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD), where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), where children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment.

6.31 Specific learning difficulties (SpLD), affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.

Areas of Need:

General and Complex Learning Difficulties: Very young children with general learning difficulties experience significant problems across the prime areas of learning and development. Their general level of development and academic attainment is significantly below that of their peers. In many cases difficulties will include speech and/or language developmental delay and poor self-care skills. Many young children may also have poor social skills and/or may show signs of emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Severe or Profound Learning Difficulties (SLD or PMLD): Very young children with very severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties are identified before they reach statutory school age.

Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD): Children with difficulty in one or more specific aspects of learning, including those on the Dyslexia, Dyspraxia or Dyscalculia continuums.


· Do2learn

· Downs Syndrome Education

· Dyslexia

· Inclusion Development Programme

· National Portage Association

· SCOPE the disability equality charity

· Cerebra, help, information for parents and professionals

· National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS UK)

· Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD) Network UK

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Universal Support: Quality First Teaching

SEND indicators

Suggested provision and support

Expected outcomes

· Concerns from staff or parents/carers raised

· Possible slow progress and difficulties in staying on task - requires prompting

· Unable to demonstrate the child can understand and apply the skills, concepts and processes in the EYFS in one or more areas

· Child might be ‘at risk of delay’ in the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum

· At 2-year-old progress check child’s development might be ‘at risk of delay’ if interventions not put into place

· Developmental concerns raised by Health Visitor. Health Visitor carries out Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) for the developmental assessment

· May require prompting from key person/setting’s INCCO/SENCO/ support practitioner/

another adult to stay on task

At this point it should not be assumed that the child has SEND as they may be experiencing a short-term difficulty needing only brief intervention.

In addition to this, thorough auditing at this stage can often reveal that provision needs adapting to meet the needs of all the children.

· Early years settings to have systems in place to gather the views of parents/carers and child

· A broad and balanced curriculum set within inclusive environments that follow child’s lead and takes advantage of those critical ‘teachable moments’

· Adults and child learn together in a playful working environment

· Tracking and assessment processes in place to identify why child may not be making expected progress even with robust Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle

· Use of other developmental tracking tool needed to enable progress to be seen, e.g. North Somerset early support guidance materials and assessment statements

· Effective communication between staff, all staff approaches are consistent for the child

· Appropriate policies in place for identifying and supporting children with SEND including those with cognition and learning needs e.g. appropriate adjustments and support for daily routines

· Quality first teaching that utilises a variety of approaches with personalised learning targets and small group work/quiet spaces

· Staff to continually check understanding and use scaffolding/modelling to demonstrate learning

· Quality feedback on a regular basis. Include regular praise towards the child’s strengths and achievements

· Good practitioner understanding of attachment theory and the implications of poor attachment on a child’s cognition and learning

· Organisation and positioning of the room

· Robust, ongoing close assessment of child’s progress and detailed analysis of styles of learning/schemas and individual interests

· Communication tools utilised, for example visual aids, signing

· Room environment modified to support learning

· Appropriate pace/content of language to deliver learning for child

· Appropriate pace and content of information to explain routines, activities and specific teaching

· Child makes progress as support is appropriate and ‘gaps’ in learning are closed

· Improved access to the EYFS curriculum or chosen learning programme/outcomes

· Noticeable improvement in learning and engagement

If outcomes are not reached, consider progress to SEN Support level in discussion with parents/carers and setting’s INCCO/SENCO.

Consider a referral to MAISEY and support from the Early Years Area SENCO.


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

Universal Support level has been put in place but needs cannot be met by using these approaches. The child may continue to have the indicated difficulties above and also:

· Ongoing difficulties and makes little or no progress despite targeted intervention being put in place

· Greater difficulties than peers with retaining information/concepts/skills, problem solving, understanding, communication and thinking

· The child may have significant learning difficulties

· The child’s progress in the prime areas of the EYFS curriculum is ‘delayed’

· Professional advice has been followed over time and implemented through the graduated approach and appropriate support has been put in place by the early years setting but relative progress is still not being made

· Increased adult support is needed to remain focused and complete short activities with prompt

· Child has a recognised need for support with personal care and/or at mealtimes

· Teaching needs to be repeated and delivered in other contexts, using visuals, objects of reference

· Child has difficulty in generalising skills

· Poor working memory for retaining information and so teaching needs

As for Universal Support level but also to include the following additional provision:

· Key person, in consultation with the INCCO/SENCO, will undertake a clear analysis of the child’s needs to share with parents/carers and professionals via the graduated approach

· Introduction of the ‘assess, plan, do, review’ cycle of individualised assessment and intervention as soon as the child is identified

· Early years settings must consult with child and their parents/carers, and meet and review plans regularly

· Early years settings should have a consistent approach to assessment and intervention programmes for very young children. These should be used across the setting by staff with appropriate skills and training and across at least 12 weeks. Outcomes of intervention should be recorded and clearly evidenced (e.g. recorded in the child’s support plan such as IPP, setting’s data information recording system or learning diary)

· It is vital for the early years setting to be clear about the outcomes required. Open conversations must be held with child’s parents/carers about what the support is intended to achieve

· Where further advice is needed, seek and implement advice from specialist services, e.g. Early Years Area SENCO Team, Children’s Centre Teams (e.g. Family Support Workers, Portage), Health Visiting Teams, Springboard Opportunity Group etc

· The child should be supported effectively in the setting alongside peers for the vast majority of their time

· Child must be involved in an inclusive way, integrated with peers to develop relationships and to foster friendships

· Measures to be made of the impact of the child’s difficulties on their ability to access the learning environment and EYFS curriculum

· Clear plans for the use of support to achieve agreed outcomes in the child’s SEN support plan or similar (e.g. IPP)

· Environmental adaptations to minimise impact of sensory distractions and differences

As for Universal Support level plus:

· Child makes progress within support and interventions provided

· Child is able to apply strategies and skills learnt through intervention and support back into the learning environment

· Child will have an effective holistic plan of support that considers all needs

If progress is made and outcomes achieved, then where appropriate, the child can move back into Universal Support level or continue to be supported at SEN Support.

If outcomes over a reasonable period are not reached, consideration should be made to request an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs assessment. This would be most appropriate where there is evidence of the needs being long term, where support has been in place over time with evidence that Early Years SEND Top-up Funding has been applied and used.


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

regular repetition

· Avoidance strategies and negative behaviours develop and have significant impact on the child’s ability to engage and access learning opportunities in the environment

· A differentiated curriculum developed to the individual needs of the child should be in place. Consider the individual child’s learning styles and ensure they are embedded in the styles of teaching/provision

· Increase differentiation of activities for some children

· Personalised individual or small group based structured sessions with adult support

· Tasks to be simplified and instructions, information and learning to be broken down into small steps with key word language

· Skills and learning to be reinforced through repetition and consolidation

· Visuals used to support instructions and learning

· Multi-sensory teaching and learning environment

· Implement strategies and support to help with extending time on learning tasks

· Specialist resources

· Consider using Early Help Assessment, when relevant

· Consider making a referral to Portage if the child has significant delay in more than two prime areas of learning and development

· Liaison and consultation with external professionals and support services where appropriate such as Health Visitor, Springboard Opportunity Group, Portage, the Specialist Community Children’s Service (e.g. Paediatrician, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist) and Educational Psychologist

· Consider making a referral to MAISEY

· Where appropriate external services contribute via consultation or specialist assessment, leading to more specifically focussed plan

· For some children a co-ordinated, holistic multi-agency plan will be required. This may involve Social Workers, Family Support Workers, Area SENCO, Springboard Opportunity Group, Portage and Health professionals including Health Visitors, Community Children’s Services (e.g. Paediatrician, Speech and Language

Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist). This may lead


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

to an Early Help Assessment (EHA), Child in Need or Child Protection plan being put into place

· For some children, the multi-agency approach may lead to application being made for access to Early Years SEND Top-up Funding

· Staff to be given individualised training to support the child with their approaches to learning. This training should be developed around the child’s needs e.g. ASD awareness training, PECS, Makaton, Portage etc

· If a child is in receipt of 3 and 4-year old early years funding and is also in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the early years setting should discuss with the parents/carers applying for a

Disability Access Fund (DAF)


Statutory

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

Despite support and intervention through the graduated approach the child`s progress is still very limited and indicates that long term specialist input and/or additional resources are required to continue access to the full curriculum.

· The child’s needs are significant and long term. Specialist professional assessments shows evidence of a high level of educational, health and care needs

As for Universal and SEN Support levels but also to include the following possible provision:


· All staff working with the child have read and understood the EHC plan

· Strategies and approaches to support differentiation are in place and based on specialists’ advice

· High quality training is provided for all staff involved in delivering and monitoring targeted provision

· Time and place for targeted provision is established and adhered to

As for Universal and SEN Support levels plus: Progress is evaluated against outcomes specified in the EHC plan and shorter-term goals in intervention/support plans.

If outcomes are reached, following discussion with the parents/carers, setting, child and statutory services team; and

where appropriate, support can be provided back through the


Statutory

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

· The progress of the child is significantly below expectations despite appropriate targeted interventions

· The high level of need impacts on learning can be evidenced by professional assessment over time (unless the child has suddenly acquired severe or complex needs)

· The level of need impacts on personal and social development as well and can be evidenced over time (unless the child has suddenly acquired severe or complex needs)

· Advice from local authority services and other agencies has been accessed, implemented, and impact evaluated, over a period of time using a robust ‘assess, plan, do, review’ process

· The Early Years SEND Top-up Funding has been used fully and appropriately, to make provision for a child to enable progress towards agreed outcomes

· Global Delay/Complex Learning Difficulties (CLD) - children with this diagnosis or indicators have conditions that co-exist. They may present with a range of issues and combination of layered needs e.g. behavioural, physical, medical, sensory, communication and cognitive. Their progress may be inconsistent, presenting an uneven profile

· Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) - children with SLD have significant

· Skills learnt during targeted provision are able to be practised back in the setting and home with partnership with parents/carers

· All adults, including parents/carers, supporting the child should be involved in joint planning of targeted learning and development activities

· Focus on the skills being taught including varying level of different prompts which are faded and enhanced as appropriate, for example ‘hand over hand’, modelling, visual strategies

· Use of specialist equipment to enhance learning and communication opportunities

· Structured teaching strategies should be embedded into programmes of work

· Work presented in a manner appropriate to the child’s level of development

· Visual supports are embedded to aid language understanding across all aspects of the environment (e.g. pictures, symbols, objects of reference, signing, gestures) to help access the curriculum

· Appropriate adjustments to the environment to meet the individual needs and preferred learning styles

· Total assistance with self-help skills

· A multi-sensory approach to the curriculum

· The EHC plan must be formally reviewed every 12 months and focus on progress towards achieving the outcomes specified in the EHC plan. However, for children 0 – 5 years the EHC plan should be reviewed every 3 – 6 months to ensure that provision continues to be appropriate

· For Children Looked After (CLA) the annual review should, where possible and appropriate, coincide with one of the reviews of their Personal Education Plan (PEP)/Care Plan

· The reviews must be undertaken in partnership with the child’s parents/carers, and must take account of their views, wishes and feelings

levels of SEN support without the need for a statutory plan.

Outcomes and provision can be updated and amended as needed through the annual review process.


Statutory

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

intellectual or cognitive impairments. They may also have associated difficulties in mobility and coordination, communication and perception and the acquisition of self-help skills

· Children with very severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties (SLD or PMLD) are identified before they reach statutory school age

Area of need: Communication and Interaction


6.28 Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives.

6.29 Children and young people with ASD, including Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism, are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction. They may also experience difficulties with language, communication and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others.

Areas of Need:

· Speech and language difficulties arise at different ages and with different levels of severity. There may be related learning difficulties in general or in specific aspects of the curriculum and/or related emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. Where speech and language skills are at not at appropriate level for the young child’s cultural background, chronological age and/or stage of development, these may impact on progress.

· Most young children with speech and language difficulties will be identified at an early age, prior to statutory schooling, through early years tracking programmes and/or health authority screening programmes. Although early intervention strategies can be put in place before formal schooling, there is often a need to continue support beyond the start of school, particularly where the needs are complex and severe.

· Early years settings should consider the specific nature of the child’s difficulty in relation to development levels and the extent to which the difficulties are related to receptive and/or expressive language acquisition. Some children will have good expressive language which masks difficulties in understanding the purpose and meaning of language.

· Having English as an additional or second language is not a special educational need. However, practitioners should carefully monitor the progress of children with EAL to identify if they may have additional needs.


· nasen, SEND resources and online training

· Book trust

· North Somerset SALT early years toolkit

· Elklan Speech & Language training

· National Literacy Trust practical resources

· Afacis

· Hungry Little Minds

· National Literacy Trust

· National Autistic Society

· Every Child a Talker (ECAT) monitoring toolkit

· Words for life, National Literacy Trust’s website for parents and carers

· Ambitious About Autism


· Network Autism

· Autism Education Trust

· ICAN

· ICAN factsheets

· ICAN’s talking point

· Signalong Communication Charity

· The Communication Trust – Early years

· The Communication Trust – What works?

· Makaton – free resources

· The Speech Language and Communication Framework

· Elizabeth Jarman - Communication Friendly Spaces

· Mantra Lingua, resources for children learning EAL



SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

Many young children have difficulties expressing themselves and understanding others. This can present as difficulties with social understanding, pronunciation of words, attention difficulties and fluency of speech. At this stage, it may mean that children need short- term support but it should not be assumed that they have a SEN.

If children are learning English as an additional language their skills in their home language must be ascertained first. These children may need specific strategies in place to support

· All children need to have: opportunities to experience a rich language environment, to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves, and to speak and listen in a range of situations

· All children need to be able to understand and use language effectively to access the curriculum and communicate with others. Children’s linguistic competence supports their learning as well as their communication skills

· Structure to the day is given through visual timetable and visual cue cards

· Flexible use of staffing and resources to support access to learning and teaching. Positive self-esteem maintained through developing areas of strength

· Staff appropriately prepare children for routine changes e.g. change in activity, change in staff, use of visual strategies to support this is helpful

· Additional adult support is used to support group work in the setting

· Child will make improved progress with their learning

· Child will demonstrate better engagement and participation in their learning

· Child will be better able to develop positive relationships with adults and peers

· Child will be more able to communicate their needs and wishes




SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

their learning, but it should not be assumed that they have a SEN.

Please also be aware that complete normal development of the speech sound system may not be in place until the age of 6.

· Staff, parents/carers and/or Health Visiting Team raise concerns over the child’s language development at any point an especially at the 2-year-old progress check/Ages and Stages Questionnaire assessment

Receptive language and memory indicators

Children may have difficulties with understanding implied meaning and may also have difficulty attaching meaning to words and developing concepts.

· Inattentive during focused learning/activity times and has difficulties following verbal instructions in the setting

· Difficulties in starting and completing tasks

· Unwilling to volunteer verbal responses during learning activities

· Difficulties with learning new vocabulary

· Use of a structured approach for tasks and activities with a clear beginning middle and end, for example, Start and Finish trays

· A total communication environment, enabling access for all children, use of gesture and signs, e.g. Makaton

· Using photographs or pictures to show the routine of the setting

· Equipment labelled with photographs or pictures

· Opportunities for small group and 1:1 activities

· Adult is physically at child’s level

· Staff use consistent language for equipment and routines e.g. all staff use the term ‘apron’ rather than some using ‘overall’

· Opportunities to listen to stories or activities within a quieter environment or small group

· Awareness of individual sensory sensitivities e.g. not liking noise, awareness of smells

· Whole staff training and awareness of the implications of communication and interaction difficulties, supporting them to differentiate activities effectively to support speaking, listening skills and understanding the curriculum, e.g. Makaton

· Accurate and regular use of ECAT, ELKLAN, ICAN resources for advice, resources and strategies

· Early years settings should use the North Somerset Early Years Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit for advice, resources and strategies

· Early years settings should refer to the Inclusion Development Programme publications (e.g. speech, language and communication)

· Strategies that consider difficulties with language and communication needs as well as social understanding

· Carefully planned differentiated support that considers individual child’s communication needs

· Liaise with the child’s local children’s centre in order to understand what communication and language services are on offer that the




SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

· Difficulties recalling information including the names of staff and peers

Expressive language (talking) indicators

Children may have difficulties organising ideas, structuring sentences, acquiring and accessing vocabulary and expressing meaning.

· Child might confuse words with similar meanings (uses cat when talking about a dog) or similar sounds

· Uses lots of non-specific language and makes sounds instead of words

· Difficulty sequencing and organising story telling/retelling of events, e.g. information might be given in the wrong order, may miss out who, where or what happened

Social communication indicators Child may have difficulty with the meaning of what is being said and the ability to use language in social situations.

· Child may have difficulties with eye contact, taking turns and staying on topic when speaking

· Difficulty with understanding the needs to share objects with their peers

· Child cannot always understand how

they and others feel and may have

child and the family may benefit from and how to access a place. This information is then shared with the parents/carers.



SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

difficulties with social skills. This may be affecting their relationships with adults and peers

· Holding a conversation may be difficult for the child, including initiating conversations

· Social and non-verbal cues are often missed and the child may frequently interpret language literally

· Due to difficulties understanding meaning, the child may experience social anxiety and frustration when communicating


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

Universal Support level and individualised support over a sustained period of time has been put in place but needs cannot be met by using these approaches. The child may continue to have the indicated difficulties above and also:

· The child may plateau with their learning or the gap between them and their peers may continue to increase

As for Universal Support level but also to include the following possible provision:

· A graduated approach which draws on increasingly detailed interventions and support approaches, and where appropriate specialist expertise, in successive cycles of ‘assessment, planning, intervention/do and review’ ensuring interventions match needs

· Very close monitoring by key person and INCCO/SENCO

· These children will require a SEN support plan or similar e.g. IPP. This plan will clearly outline the use of support to achieve agreed outcomes

· Consider making a referral to the Speech and Language Therapy Service by completing a Single Point of Entry referral form. Refer to

· Child will make improved progress with their learning

· Skills learnt during targeted provision are practised and generalised throughout the day

· Child demonstrates better engagement and participation in their learning

· Child will be better able to develop positive relationships with adults and peers


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

· Parents/carers or other professionals working with the child may raise further concerns

· There may be further difficulties in the child accessing the curriculum and this may also impact on their social, emotional and mental health

· An increase in challenging behaviours within the setting

· The child may be increasingly withdrawn and reduced social interaction

· Has a severe limited ability to understand consequences and take responsibility for their actions with or without intent.

· The child requires verbal communication to be supported by alternative or adapted communication.

· The child has either a speech and language impairment or communication difficulty/delay which is at least one age band below the chronological age of the child and may be due to social and emotional factors

· The child is identified by a Speech and Language Therapist as having a specific speech and/or language or communication difficulty or disorder. The difficulty is likely to have significant and/or severe impact on communication

· The child requires ongoing intervention from health and education (e.g. Area

the North Somerset Early Years Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit

· Targets should reflect advice from specialist services e.g. Speech and Language Therapist, Area SENCO etc

· Consider requesting Area SENCO involvement


· For some children, the multi-agency approach may lead to application being made for access to Early Years SEND Top-up Funding

· Consider an Early Help assessment depending on the family circumstances or liaise with health if further medical support is needed

· Close home to setting liaison to ensure reinforcement of strategies and the generalisation of skills

· Close home to setting liaison so that both parties are aware of changes that can impact on communication and interaction

· Adaptation of tasks to take account of child’s needs – an enabling environment/inclusion at all times

· Additional staff training on supporting children and young people with specific communication and interaction need

· Additional adult support at transition, ad hoc changes to daily routine and unstructured times

· A high level of adult support, offering high level care, safety and supervision to meet the child’s needs

· Family might benefit from support at home e.g. Portage Service, Family Support Workers from Children’s Centre, Home-Start

· Referral to Early Help where appropriate where needs are having a wider impact

· Child may need a personalised communication system e.g. use of Makaton and visual communication strategies

· All adults consistently use visual support strategies, refer to the North Somerset Early Years Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit


· Positive response to specialist recommendations and advice provided by professionals

· New resources, interventions and alternative strategies enable the child to make progress and successfully engage in learning

· Reduction in challenging behaviours and better engagement in learning

· Child is able to transfer intervention skills into different learning environments and activities including during social times

If progress is made and outcomes achieved, then where appropriate, the child can move back into Universal Support level or continue to be supported at SEN Support.

If outcomes over a reasonable period are not reached, consideration should be made to request an Education, Health and Care assessment. This would be most appropriate where there is evidence of the needs being long term, where support has been in place over

time with evidence that EY


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

SENCO, Speech and Language Therapy Service, Paediatrician). There is more than one professional that considers the child to have significant social communication difficulties likely to require further investigation (e.g.

SCAMP)

· The severity of their difficulties may have a considerable impact on their ability to access the curriculum

· The child’s difficulties may significantly affect their understanding and processing of spoken language

· Their communication difficulties may severely limit participation in activities and social communication and interaction with peers

· They might display a limited repertoire of interests and play skills which might then affect the child’s friendships

· They might be having difficulties accessing whole setting activities/teaching sessions and unstructured periods of time

· Refer to the North Somerset Early

Years Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit

· Regular reviews with staff and parents/carers

· Training for staff involved with the child and whole setting training where appropriate

· More specialist assessment and advice e.g. from Early Years Area SENCO, Educational Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist

· Some children may require a statutory assessment of their special educational needs which may lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan

· The EY SEND Top-up Funding has been used fully and appropriately to make provision for a child to enable progress towards agreed outcomes

· Where there is evidence of a possible ASD the child may need assessment through SCAMP

· Access to training and/or trained and skilled staff who are able to respond to challenging behaviours associated with communication and interaction difficulties

SEND Top-up Funding has been applied and used.


Statutory

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

Despite support and intervention through the graduated approach the child`s progress is still very limited and indicates that long term specialist input and/or additional resources are required to continue access to the full curriculum.

· The child has complex, long-term communication difficulties that cause substantial barriers to learning and social relationships

· The child has severe or moderate language impairment which may include comprehension, expression, phonology

· Social isolation, frustration and peer isolation is evident

· Highly atypical behaviours such as being obsessive, challenging and withdrawn may be evident

· The child has language and communication difficulties which may be the result of permanent sensory or physical impairment or associated with moderate, severe or profound and complex learning difficulties

· The child is experiencing severe, persistent and complex difficulties associated with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These difficulties will include:

· Severe difficulties with social interaction. This includes developing

and maintaining relationships

As for Universal and SEN Support level but also to include the following possible provision:


· All staff working with the child have read and understood the EHC plan

· Parents/carers understand and agree on the intervention, support and expected outcomes. Child’s voice is taken into consideration

· Strategies and approaches to support differentiation are in place and based on specialists’ advice

· High quality training is provided for all staff involved in delivering and monitoring targeted provision

· INCCO/SENCO will oversee the child’s targeted support, including how this is being delivered

· Robust risk assessment is in place and regularly reviewed

· Additional differentiation and scaffolding of tasks will be necessary in order to deliver appropriate outcomes

· TAF meetings and Early Help Assessments to be followed-up promptly

· Intensive support for Personal, Social and Emotional Development will be in place

· Speech and Language Therapist will provide/oversee therapy and have close involvement with the delivery by other staff of speech and language therapy recommendations and targets for the child’s individual action plan

· Early years setting or SALT will liaise with parents/carers and provide advice and resources so that they can continue to support language development at home

· The child should be effectively supported in the room alongside peers for the vast majority of their time and skills learnt during targeted provision practised back in room e.g. inclusion with peers

As for Universal and SEN Support level plus:

Progress is evaluated against outcomes specified in the EHC Plan and shorter-term goals in intervention plans. These may include:

· Analysis and evidence must reflect the effectiveness of targeted support and expected outcomes

· Child achieves or is progressing towards outcomes in the EHC Plan

· Child is making academic progress as a result of effective support arrangements

Other indicators may include:

· Measurable improvement in communication and interaction skills

· Improved social participation and confidence

· Better able to deal with a range of social situations

If outcomes are reached, following discussion with the parents/carers, setting, child and the local authority’s SEND Team, consider whether support can be provided

through SEN Support level


Statutory

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

· Severe difficulties with social communication (e.g. initiating/maintaining conversations, using/understanding non-verbal communication) and/or understanding emotions

· Severe difficulties in the area of imaginative skills and may rely more heavily on re-enacting learned scenarios, which may result in highly ritualised and repetitive behaviours

· Limited expressive language, or spoken language that is repetitive and does not follow the social rules

· Severe sensory processing difficulties (hypo/hyper sensitivity)

· Severe anxiety experienced on a regular basis and across different situations, in response to unpredictable situations, deviations from routines, sensory processing, and/or difficulties with related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

· Severe difficulties engaging in tasks/activities other than those

linked to the child’s particular interests

· Time and place for targeted provision is established and adhered to, increased staff:child ratios for times when intensive support and interventions are being delivered

· A regular programme of 1:1 support may be required to implement the programme provided by the speech and language therapist or other specialist, although most therapies in the early years can be carried out with the children in games and activities

· Environmental audit to identify aspects of the environment that might lead to increased anxiety, arousal or sensory sensitivity, with monitoring of behavioural responses

· Work presented in a manner to the child’s level of language and communication development

· Consistent, structured and predictable routines with preparation in advance for changes and transitions, including to next year or phase

· Attention to the child’s areas of special interest or skills in order to enhance learning

· The EHC plan must be formally reviewed every 12 months and focus on progress towards achieving the outcomes specified in the EHC plan. However, for children 0 – 5 years the EHC plan should be reviewed every 3 – 6 months to ensure that provision continues to be appropriate

· For Children Looked After (CLA) the annual review should, where possible and appropriate, coincide with one of the reviews of their Personal Education Plan (PEP)/Care Plan

· The reviews must be undertaken in partnership with the child’s

parents/carers, and must take account of their views, wishes and feelings

without the need for a statutory plan.

Outcomes and provision can be updated and amended as needed through the annual review process.

Area of need: Social, Emotional and Mental Health


6.32 Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive or disturbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.

Areas of Need:

Many children experience some degree of emotional change during their development, some of which may contribute to particular behaviours. Some students may demonstrate behavioural difficulties related to additional or unmet learning, social, physical or medical needs. In some cases, e.g. bereavement, these difficulties may be short-term.

This group of difficulties may be characterised by inappropriate behaviour for the child’s age and behaviour which may interfere with their own learning or the play and work of other children. There may be signs of emotional turbulence or withdrawal. Not all disruptive or emotional behaviour is necessarily indicative of having special educational needs and may be more appropriately supported through high quality pastoral care.

Environmental factors, including ethos, organisation, curriculum, setting management and learning approaches within a setting/school can be key influencers on behaviour and require careful attention.

This guidance is relevant where the child presents persistent behavioural / emotional difficulties that have not been ameliorated by differentiated learning opportunities, by whole-setting/school behaviour management techniques or pastoral support.


· Association of Infant Mental Health (AIMH)

· Young Minds

· KCA Training

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

Universal Support – Quality First Teaching

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

The child presents persistent behavioural/emotional difficulties that are beginning to impact on progress.

Difficulties may include:

· Underdeveloped skills in listening and attending to the adult or learning process

· Failure to make progress anticipated across areas of the curriculum accompanied by signs of challenging behaviour

· Behaviours might be: withdrawn, silent, overly confident, shy, anxious, very active, controlling, aggressive or a mixture of behaviours

· Difficulty with social relationships including peer/group relationships which affect room dynamics and require adult intervention

· Difficulty acquiring and applying basic social skills

· Emotional immaturity, low self-esteem

· Lack of confidence in their ability to cope with new demands and change to their routines

· Lack of self-regulation e.g. anger, anxiety, openly tearful

· Difficulties in understanding the feelings of others and showing empathy

· Requires frequent adult prompting

· Needs support to make and sustain appropriate relationships

· High quality first teaching including access to a broad and balanced curriculum within an inclusive educational setting

· All settings will have a behaviour policy with a consistent behaviour management approach adopted by all staff that is appropriate for very young children, bearing in mind that the difficulties these children are experiencing will relate to an earlier age phase than their chronological age

· Children have clear understanding of rules and expectations

· Close liaison with children and their families so staff are aware of significant relevant life or family events

· Staff/peer modelling to promote social skills and interaction

· Instructions/information should be clear and unambiguous with supporting visuals and prompts if necessary

· Rooms are calm and ordered learning environments

· Whole staff training and awareness of the causes and implications of social and emotional needs

· Staff are supported to understand, model and deliver effective positive responses that promote a sense of wellbeing to all children as well as colleagues

· Complete the North Somerset Nurture Pack

· Staff are aware of children’s centre offer in order to promote activities/programmes to parents/carers

· For 2-year olds where difficulties have been shared with parents/carers during 2-year old progress check meeting, immediate liaison with Health Visiting Team link to be made

Learning support

· Careful assessment to identify and address any unmet learning needs

· All staff to have a general understanding of attachment theory and the benefits of secondary attachments

· Teaching strategies that consider social and emotional needs as well as social understanding

· Child makes improved progress with their learning


· Child is better able to develop positive relationships with adults and peers

· Good attendance and punctuality

· Reduced behavioural incidents




Universal Support – Quality First Teaching

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

· Displays frequent unpredictable responses to a range of situations e.g. anxiety, anger or unhappiness

· Has difficulties expressing their point of view verbally and/or talking about their feelings without intervention. This includes refusal to speak

· Engages in attention seeking behaviour and regularly seeks approval from adults and peers

· Shows signs of being withdrawn and may need encouragement to take part in activities

· Signs of emotional turbulence (e.g. tearfulness, withdrawal from social situations)

· Frequently of short attention/concentration span

· Subject to or perpetrator of bullying

· Unable to manage unstructured settings such as lunchtimes

· Unable to manage structured settings

At this point it should not be assumed that the child has SEND as they may be experiencing a short-term difficulty needing only brief intervention.

Thorough auditing at this stage can often reveal that provision needs adapting to meet the needs of all

children.

· Visual resources and prompts (objects of reference, picture cues, change of activity prompts etc.)

· Targets include social and behavioural goals and independent learning

· Adult instructions are clear, unambiguous and include choices

Environmental support

· Organise furniture, grouping and seating to promote positive relationships, behaviour and individual needs

· Support and activities for unstructured times

· Support and activities for structured times

· Focused use of peer and adult support

· Robust ‘assess, plan, do, review’ processes

· Access to outdoor activity options particularly as a ‘release’


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

Universal Support level has been put in place but needs cannot be met by using these approaches over a sustained period of time. The child may continue to have the indicated difficulties above and also difficulties which may include:

· Social and emotional issues which substantially and regularly interfere with their own learning or that of the class group

· The child continues to make little or no progress despite interventions designed to improve aspects of their social and emotional development

· Displays regular episodes of anger and agitation

· Lack of a range of social skills, e.g. taking turns, working co-operatively, accepting the ideas others

· Poor view of self and low self- confidence, difficulty in working independently

· Unsettled behaviour in setting, limited concentration and organisation in relation to age band expectations

· May avoid or become upset when faced with new and unfamiliar tasks or people

· May frequently challenge practitioners’ requests but will back down

· Frequent attention seeking behaviour, often inappropriate or mildly

challenging

As for Universal Support level but also to include the following possible provision:

· A graduated approach which draws on increasingly detailed interventions and support approaches in successive cycles of ‘assessment, planning, intervention/do and review’ through robust SEN support from a behaviour plan; ensuring interventions match needs

· A highly structured individual behaviour plan

· Complete the North Somerset Nurture Pack

· Assessment to identify any unmet learning needs as well as specific skill deficits that are contributing to the child’s difficulties. Interventions should be evidence based and linked to behaviour plans and IPPs

· Close monitoring by key person and the INCCO/SENCO

· Holistic assessment undertaken with the inclusion of parents/carers and the child, in accordance with the graduated approach cycle of ‘assess, plan, do and review’

· Consider requesting Area SENCO involvement


· Liaise with the child’s local children’s centre in order to understand what services are on offer that the child and the family may benefit from and how to access a place. This information is then shared with the parents/carers

· For some children, the multi-agency approach may lead to application being made for access to EY SEND top-up funding

· A high level of liaison with parents/carers to aid joint planning, monitoring and consistency of approach

· More targeted staff training on supporting children with social and emotional needs

· Small group work which supports the differentiated curriculum and individual goals. This should include the teaching of specific social skills and vocabulary/language

· Further modifications to the setting and environment to take account

of individual needs

As for Universal Support level plus:

· Child makes improved progress with their learning

· Skills learnt during targeted provision are practised and generalised throughout the day

· Individual targets in plan are met


· Child is better able to develop positive relationships with adults and peers

· Incidents of challenging or disruptive behaviour will reduce in the setting and at home

· Child works with increasing focus and independence

· Child’s parents/carers report feeling more positive about their child attending the early years setting and about home life

· Fewer incidents in unstructured times

· Fewer incidents in structured times

· Child can work and socialise appropriately with peers

· Majority of outcomes in plan are achieved


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

· Seeks to gain and maintain frequent close physical contact with adults

· Overreacts when disapproval is shown, attention is withdrawn or when thwarted

· Appears to lack motivation and requires frequent encouragement to stay on task

· Flits between activities and materials with little attention

· No regular group of friends

· Over time professional advice has been followed and implemented but appropriate progress is still not seen

· Over a sustained period of time displays extremely withdrawn, disengaged, self-harming or anxious behaviours

· Persistently displays challenging, uncooperative, destructive, disruptive, unusual, harmful or dangerous behaviours which poses a significant threat to self or others

· Responding to peers and adults with significant physical and verbal aggression

· Experiencing a significant level of rejection by peers leading to an increased in social isolation

· A high level of dependency and may have significant difficulties relating to their peer group

· Signs of selective mutism

· Frequent verbal and/or physical aggression towards others


· Attention paid to internal spaces, seating arrangements to facilitate appropriate social contact, access to materials etc

· Additional focused adult support may be required at an individual level or within a small group

· Consistent approaches in place to manage behaviour by all staff, this should be laid out in a clear behaviour plan and be appropriate for younger age phases than child’s chronological age

· Support to develop emotional security and sense of belonging, flexible adults and routines

· Visuals to support appropriate behaviour choices e.g. simple social stories

· Additional adult or peer support at transition and unstructured times

A high level of adult support may also be required to provide:

· A highly structured Individual Behaviour plan

· A high level of care and supervision along with close liaison between professionals involved

· Individual programmes used to develop social and emotional skills throughout the day

· Staff trained and skilled in supporting children with exceptionally challenging behaviour

· A secure, structured and safe learning environment

· Further support from the Early Years Area SENCO Team

· More in-depth assessment of the child’s underlying social and emotional needs with advice or input from outside professionals

· Some children may require a statutory assessment of their special educational needs which may lead to an EHC plan

· Assessment and advice from external support services and professionals gathered and implemented as recommended

· For some children a co-ordinated, holistic multi-agency plan will be required. This may involve Social Workers, Family Support Workers,

Area SENCO, Springboard Opportunity Group, Portage and Health

· Positive response to specialist recommendations and advice provided by professionals

· New resources, interventions and alternative strategies enable the child to make progress and successfully engage in learning

· Child is able to transfer generalised skills into different learning environments and activities, including during social times

· Reduction in high level behavioural incidents

· Reduction in potentially harmful behaviours to self or others

· Parent report improvement

If progress is made and outcomes achieved, then where appropriate, the child can move back into Universal Support level or continue to be supported at SEN Support level.

If outcomes over a reasonable period are not reached, consideration should be made to request an EHC assessment. This would be most appropriate where there is evidence of the needs being long term, where


SEN Support

SEND indicators


Expected outcomes

· Difficulty following rules and highly challenging of authority

· Risk of exclusion

professionals including Health Visitors, Community Children’s Services (e.g. Paediatrician, Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist). This may lead to an Early Help Assessment (EHA), Child in Need or Child Protection plan being put into place

· A high level of care and supervision while encouraging independence and self-regulation

· Access to staff trained and skilled in supporting children with exceptionally challenging behaviour

· Flexible arrangements to provide a secure, structured and safe learning environment and activities including making ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure flexibility can be achieved

· Key adults receive regular effective supervisions

· Additional training for key staff on specific social and emotional issues

· The EY SEND top-up funding has been used fully and appropriately to make provision for a child to enable him/her progress towards agreed outcomes

support has been in place over time with evidence that Top-up funding has been applied and u

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