Early Years SEND, Equalities and Inclusion Team

We fulfil the council's role in making sure that there is sufficient expertise and experience amongst local Early Years providers to support children with SEND. We also coordinate the EY SEND Panel and are responsible for the line management of the Early Years SEND Learning Support Team.

Our aims

• To support early years providers to follow the SEND Code of Practice and other relevant legislation to promote and embed inclusive practice across the early years sector.
• Increase the confidence, knowledge and skills of all practitioners working with children who have SEND in the early years.
• To advocate and develop inclusive, enabling environments and to help providers to remove barriers to learning, where these exist.
• Support the work of the SENCO to promote inclusion in early years provision, while reducing the underachievement gap so all children with SEND can reach their full potential.
• Develop and maintain partnerships across Education, Health and Care services, to ensure holistic assessment and planning to improve outcomes.
• Increase professionals/providers confidence and knowledge in understanding and navigating their way through the SEND graduated approach.

Support for providers and professionals

• Support to schools and academies, mainstream and special in the provision of high quality inclusive Early Years education through advice, training, support and specific contracts via Service Level Agreement conditions.
• Advice to setting based SENCOs, and managers in relation to carrying out their legal responsibilities in respect of the SEND Code of Practice (2014), Equality Act (2010) and Early Years Foundation Stage, while developing and implementing a SEND policy covering inclusion and admission of children with additional needs.
• Develop and disseminate good practice through Quality First Teaching (QFT).
• Support early identification through observations and consideration of additional resources required to include a child with emerging SEND.
• Working with other professionals and the early years provider to ensure arrangements are in place to support children with medical needs.
• Provide advice and support in developing the settings/professional practice to meet the child's needs within the graduated approach with the SEND Code of Practice.
• Support multi-agency working, building links between settings, parents, schools, social care and health service.
• Support settings in promoting and implementing developmentally appropriate positive behaviour strategies and emotional wellbeing as part of their Quality First Teaching.
• Bespoke support for childminders including those new to SEND, regarding the planning provision, the graduated approach and essential paperwork.
• Support the development and delivery of training both for the maintained sector and where appropriate for individual settings, within County Durham and externally.
• Maintain links with nursery school and primary SENCO networks to support smooth transitions to school nursery and reception classes.
• Work with local impartial information, advice and support services, to promote effective work with parents of children in the early years.
• Liaise and work collaboratively with colleagues in the SEND and Inclusion Service to develop materials and protocols leading to the promotion of inclusive practice across County Durham.