The Early Years Graduated Response has two parts:

Part One

The Profile of Need (Assess)

This is divided into four areas of need:

• * Communication and Interaction
• * Cognition and Learning
• * Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• * Physical and Sensory Needs (including Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment and/or Multi-Sensory Impairment)

Each of the four areas are then divided up into supporting children at Universal, Setting Support, Specialist Support and Statutory Assessment.

Part Two

This is divided into three sections:

• * Assessment and Planning – Plan
• * Intervention and Support – Do
• * Evaluating Progress and Review – Review

How does Little Nick Nursery know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child has special educational needs?

When your child first joins us we encourage you to discuss any areas of concern with us at the earliest opportunity. We would identify children with special educational needs through observation and children’s assessments, using the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) as a guide. The staff are fully trained and able to identify where children may need some support. If you have any concerns about your child’s progress, you can raise these concerns and get advice from the key person, manager and our SENCO. The nursery has an open door policy so you can come and speak to us at any time. Your child’s key person will give regular feedback and communicate with you each time your child is in the nursery. The nursery has a SEND policy in place that all staff and parents are made familiar with when joining the setting. We have good connections with the Early Years team at Surrey County Council who can provide advice and guidance to the setting and parents.  We will do our best to cater for all special educational needs, seeking appropriate training  for staff, to enable them to meet your child’s needs. We have accommodated many children’s needs since we have been open. 

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

We are committed to ensuring that all children are able to access our services, made to feel welcome, and that our activities promote their welfare and development. We look at each child’s individual needs and adapt activities accordingly making them accessible and inclusive to make the child feel included in the group. We will put an Individual Education Plan (IEP) in place for your child, so that the key person can facilitate your child’s development, helping your child to achieve and learn. Explain how you allocate resources. We liaise and involve the Early Years’ Service and apply for additional funds if necessary based on the child’s needs to support the child’s learning and development and help close the gap.

Please see a link below to the Surrey Local Offer:

https://www.surreylocaloffer.org.uk/

How will the pre-school/ nursery review my child’s progress and how shall they share it with me?

We recognise that parents hold key information and play a critical role in their child’s education. Therefore we understand the importance of their contribution, views and feelings with regards to their child’s development. We endeavour to support both the child and the parents and will aim to include parents at all stages of the planning and assessment process, offering support and guidance and arranging time for the parent/s to discuss their child’s progress. Any outside agencies that are involved in supporting the child’s learning and development will also be included. We have an open door policy,
we will listen to parent’s views, taking into account their knowledge and experiences; allow parents to access their child’s records/IEP at any time and encouraging them to also be working on the same targets at home, giving you guidance on how to do this. We will also ensure that parents are aware of local services. The parents will be given the opportunity to contribute with new targets when it comes to changing the targets for the IEP. Training for the parents can be sourced to help give them a better understanding and guidance on their child’s needs.

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

Any child within our setting will receive the daily high standard of care that we give all children. We are able train the key person in administering any medication your child is currently on and we are flexible in meeting daily care needs such as feeding, changing, toileting etc. We will also provide any additional care that is needed to meet the individual needs of children with Special Educational or specific care needs on a daily basis. Children with SEND are able to contribute their views in a number of ways, including having a voice and using visual timetables, signs and symbols to help children communicate with others. Our staff are fully trained and staff will willingly attend specific training if required to enable them to meet any child’s specific needs. We have good contacts with local services which can help support parents and children socially, such as attending particular groups or meetings relevant to individual children. We have a behaviour management policy in place which identifies behaviour management strategies. Children with SEND will not be excluded from the setting under any circumstances and attendance is monitored and discussed with the the parents if necessary.

What training do the staff have in supporting children with special educational needs or disabilities?

We have at least one member of staff trained and experienced as a SENCO and who regularly attends SENCO Support meetings and Inclusion update meetings. The staff that are chosen to work with children with SEND will be best suited in experience and knowledge. They will be qualified, paediatric first aid trained and have a sound knowledge of children’s development. Staff are regularly observed by members of management, and regular general and SENCO supervisions are carried out with staff. We allocate training based on the needs of the children as well as looking at individuals continuous professional development (CPD)

What specialist services and support are available to the pre-school/nursery?

We believe that a strong multi-agency approach is the most effective way to support a child or young person with SEND. This is why we work closely with experienced professionals such as the Speech and Language Therapy team, Family Support Service, and Physiotherapists amongst others. We encourage outside agencies to come into the setting and observe the child interacting within the nursery setting, which contributes towards children’s targets, we also attend all key worker meetings with all agencies involved in the child’s learning and development.

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside the pre-school/ nursery, including trips?

Activities and trips will be accessible for all children and we liaise with parents/carers to implement any specific arrangements that might be needed to meet the needs and safety of individuals. On occasions an additional member of staff may be assigned to support an individual child. Risk assessments are carried out regularly to help identify where additional support maybe required. We fully encourage outdoor learning for all children and we make full use of our outdoor spaces and local area.