SEND resources for education settings (early years)

The Early Years Advisory Teachers (EYATs) and Area SENDCos are qualified teachers with extensive knowledge and experience of early years education and SEND. The team are able to offer support to settings to ensure their SEND provision is effective. The team have a wealth of experience and can offer ideas and strategies to set targets and differentiate the curriculum to meet the child’s needs. Through the referral system they are able to complete visits to the setting to observe children and liaise with staff, professionals and agencies involved.

The EYATs hold termly SEND Surgeries where SENDCos can contact them by phone or email during surgery hours to discuss any concerns they have around children with SEND. The EYATs can discuss strategies and recommendations, advising settings when to apply for additional support or funding.

Information sessions are updated each term in our events calendar.

What to do if you have concerns that a child may have an additional educational need?

If you are concerned about a child, you can initially contact the Early Years Advisory Teachers/Area SENDCos by phone or email during the SEND Surgery (dates are published in the half termly 'What’s on Guide and Early Years Bulletin').

To refer a child for Area SENDCo Involvement, an Involvement Request should be completed and submitted securely with supporting evidence to the EYAT team.

The Referral process flowchart outlines the process. SENDCos must follow the graduated response before a SEN Support Service Referral Form (EY) is completed.

• Area SENDCo process flowchart
• Making a referral – graduated response
• SEN Support Service Referral Form (EY)

The training offer from the Early Years Advisory Teachers (EYAT) Team is reviewed each half term and is designed to meet the current needs of the Southampton early years workforce. This can include what is identified in the Annual Shared Conversations, Ofsted outcomes, in discussion with providers, or as a result of new guidance (EYFS reforms, etc.).

Regular training opportunities include:

• Profile of Need
• EHCP Application Process
• Supporting Children who have English as an additional language
• Introduction to SEND Strategies

In addition to regular workshops, the EYATs offer training on a wide variety of subjects including:

• Developing the Role for Individual SEND Support
• EHCP Application Process
• Inclusion Networks for SENDCos
• Attachment
• Wellbeing
• Data

Upcoming training is updated each term in our events calendar.

The Southampton Early Years SENCo Award (CACHE level 3) training is delivered by the Early Years Advisory Teachers. The next Cohort will be advised in the summer 2023.

The SENCo Level 2 (Cohort 2) – ‘Every Child a SEND Practitioner’ training will start in February 2023. Please register your interest.

Bespoke training

Bespoke training and support can be requested if required and delivered as either INSET, twilight (Saturday) or a virtual session. The training can be tailored to meet the needs of the setting, to small or large groups, or to individuals. This can be one-to-one training around leadership, data etc, or training for the staff team around a variety of subjects.

View training charges. The cost of the training includes preparation, travel, delivery of training, handouts and certificate of attendance.

Submit a request for bespoke training using this form.

An Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan is for children and young people aged up to 25, providing those over 16 are still in education/training, who need more support than is available through special educational needs support.

EHC plans identify educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs.

The EHC Assessment will be led by an Assessment Coordinator and will gather information and look at outcomes required for the child, what support is proposed to achieve these outcomes, and who can provide that support.

The EHCP is a legal document and will follow the child from the day it is agreed until they leave education. The process for applying for an EHC Assessment through to a final plan should take a maximum of 20 weeks.

If you are an Early Years Provider please ensure you use the EHC plan form below. We regret that referrals can no longer be accepted on any previous forms.

• EHC Needs Assessment Application Form - Early Years (2024)
• EHC plans – general information

The Early Years Panel is a group of professionals from health, early education and social care who work with children and families in Southampton. The panel meet weekly during term time and has oversight of all early years children with special educational needs and disabilities or with complex health needs. The panel aim to ensure their needs are being addressed appropriately to ensure the best outcomes for children and their families.

The Early Years Panel allocates funding to early years settings and makes recommendations to the MARP (multi-agency resource panel), where high-cost packages of care are required.

Notification to Panel is only made with the consent of the child’s parent/s. This enables the child’s needs to be discussed and to ensure they are receiving the support needed and may include a recommendation for referral to other services.

Various professionals and services are represented at Early Years Panel, including an Early Years Advisory Teacher and Early Years Setting Representative. Volunteer representatives from the early years workforce are always welcome and can put themselves forward as an Early Years Representative.

• Early Years Panel parent leaflet
• SEN Support Service Referral Form (EY)

The profile of need document is used to allow a greater description of a child/young person’s needs to inform provision. It is designed to give a clearer understanding of an individual's needs to both the Early Years or School SENCo and the SEND Team.

It highlights complexity of need and supports the setting to identify training and support required and assists in forecasting future needs. The profile of need is also used as supporting evidence to accompany requests for EHCP, Portage Referrals, EYSS Funding and EYAT Referrals.

Each case is different, so use this only as a 'best fit' for the child.

• Early years profile of need (Word)
• Early years profile of need (PDF)

The Early Years Advisory Teachers/Area SENDCos hold a termly Inclusion Network for SENDCos. Attendance is free of charge. Each Inclusion Network will include a training element, often from a guest speaker, important SEN updates and an opportunity to network with other SENDCos.

SENDCos can also access the monthly SEND Surgery, where they can discuss concerns around individual children with an Area SENDCo (parental permission must be given). Area SENDCos can signpost, suggest strategies or advise referrals if necessary.

View the events calendar for upcoming dates. 

The Southampton Early Years & Childcare workforce includes many experienced and knowledgeable practitioners. There is a small team of SEND Reviewers from settings across the city who can support and advise colleagues, with a good understanding of the issues they are facing.

• Identification – Settings can request a SEND Review by contacting the EYAT Team. A SEND Reviewer will be allocated and will make direct contact with the setting
• Self-evaluation – The setting completes a self-evaluation of their current position
• Preparation – The setting gives the SEND Reviewer preparatory information. An agenda for the review is set and agreed
• Review visit – The SEND Reviewer visits the setting
• Report – The SEND Reviewer provides the setting with a written report
• Next steps – Implementing and embedding the recommendations

The Educational Psychology Team offer free 45 minute telephone consultations, these are available to all those working with children and families, including Education Staff working in schools and early years settings.

Staff can book a slot to discuss specific issues with which they would like a psychological perspective. The purpose will be to engage in a generalised problem solving discussion and consider next steps. A broad range of issues can be discussed, including:

• Supporting children with anxiety or low mood
• Supporting young children struggling with separation from a parent/carer
• Managing behaviour or routines in the home or school environment
• Supporting parents

Bookable 45 minute sessions will be available on Wednesdays and Fridays. 

This guidance aims to support schools to deliver on the inclusion strategy by setting clear expectations of what all schools should be providing and the support and guidance that the Local Authority will provide to enable schools to deliver on these expectations. As a working tool we hope this guidance will act as a basis for sharing ideas and good practice and will grow as a central resource for support and signposting to the wealth of resources within the city and available nationally. View the Ordinarily Available Provision Guidance.

A child identified as having SEND may be eligible for funding. There are various funding streams available, depending on the child’s level and type of need.

Find out more about SEND funding for education settings.

Southampton Inclusion Partnership have reintroduced their telephone consultations so that you can access support from one of their specialist support assistants. This is an opportunity to speak to one of their specialist support assistants about a pupil with SEND that you would like to ask advice about.

These sessions take place every Wednesday between 3.15 and 4.30pm. Please call Springwell School on 023 8044 5981, extension three.

For more information, please visit Southampton Inclusion Partnership.

The Early Years Advisory Teachers have developed a Transition Pack to help support a child's transition to a new education setting.

• Continuity in learning self evaluation tool 2023 – this self-evaluation tool allows schools to mark themselves against best practice, to ensure they have considered all aspects of a child's transition
• My one page profile (grid template) 2023 – This asks simple questions to help identify a child's unique abilities, achievements and goals. You can also use the boxes template and view a filled in example
• SEND transition meeting proforma 2023 – this provides a framework for regular meetings to discuss how a child's transition is progressing
• Transition ideas 2023 – this provides some different ideas and strategies that can be used to help support a transition
• Starting School – Children In Care edition 2022 – this booklet, produced by the Virtual Schools Together, provides information, guidance and ideas to support children in care
• Safeguarding – Transfer of Child Protection Records 2023 – this summary can be used as a reminder of the process and procedure around the transfer of child protection records for education

• The child is at the centre of the process
• Each child is recognised as a unique individual
• Parents contributions are sought and valued
• Parents understand and are supported through the process
• Practitioners use their knowledge of children to inform the transition
• Planning for transition is a continuous journey involving the child, parents, practitioners, and other professionals. Transition is a process not an event
• There is a coordinated and consistent approach to transition
• Transition is everyone’s responsibility

Principles into practice

In Southampton, we expect that …

• The child’s needs will shape the transition
• Each child will have an equitable transition experience
• The child’s views, interests, strengths and needs will be identified and used to inform the transition process. Their thoughts, feelings and ideas will be acted upon
• There will be ongoing opportunities for parents to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas to support their own child’s transition
• Transition pathways and processes will be shared with parents in a clear and concise manner
• Parents will understand their role in this process
• Practitioners will be responsible for sharing their professional knowledge of each child’s background including religion, culture, home language, strengths and individual needs
• Parents, practitioners and other professionals all contribute to the transition journey
• All practitioners are actively involved in the process from the earliest opportunity and work together to plan the most effective transition for every child
• Transition is well planned for each child with effective and timely sharing and seeking of information
• Practitioners will have the knowledge, skills and confidence to meet each child’s needs in their setting, through seeking support from external agencies, access additional training and ensure appropriate resources and equipment are in place to support the smooth transition of each child
• Effectiveness of transitions are continuously reviewed and evaluated