Early Years - SENCO Guide for professionals

There are a number of key legislative frameworks that govern your work as a SENCO. As a SENCO, it is vital to have a good knowledge of the key aspects of each.

• Children and Families Act
• Mental Capacity Act
• Care Act
• Equality Act
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 (Chapter 5)
• Supporting children in settings with medical conditions
• Working together to safeguard children
• Early Years Census guidance
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities regulations 2014

• Education Inspection Framework
• Early Years Inspection Framework
• Early Years Census guidance

The Plymouth Graduated Approach to Inclusion should be used to support all staff in identifying, assessing, and recording the needs of children requiring additional or special educational provision. It is designed to support the identification, planning, and recording of appropriate support and provides guidance for reviewing progress.

Apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

A Statutory Assessment is a process where information is collected from the settings/childminders and all professionals involved with a child or young person, which will enable the local authority (LA) to gain a clear picture of their education, health and care needs.

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a document that supports children and young people with special educational needs in education. It is a statutory document and contains information about a child's specific needs.

Targets are put in place to support their additional needs. This document is co-produced with the school, parents, professionals, and child and is reviewed on an annual basis.

The EHCP is banded depending on the needs of the child, and the school will receive funding to help support the additional needs of the child. 

If you are a professional, please use our EHCP Professional Portal.

The Plymouth Graduated Approach to inclusion framework for Early Years 0-5 should be used as a tool to support all staff to identify, assess and record the needs of children requiring additional or special educational provision. This framework is designed to support the identification, planning and recording of appropriate support and provides guidance for reviewing progress.

Applying for a Statutory Assessment 

A Statutory Assessment is a process where information is collected from the settings/childminders and all professionals involved with a child or young person, which will enable the local authority (LA) to gain a clear picture of their education, health and care needs. Below you will find a number of links that will provide further information about statutory assessment.

EHCP professional portal

This tool outlines key milestones in speech, language and communication development to support the identification of children's needs in the Early Years Foundation Stage as part of the Graduated Approach to Inclusion.

The purpose of this tool is to help assess a child's level of development in order to make informed decisions about what the child needs to learn and be able to do next. The tool can help practitioners to notice whether a child is at risk of falling behind in their development and supports early identification of the need for referral for specialist support.

• Plymouth Early Communication and Language Monitoring Tool (Word doc, 207 KB)
• Plymouth Early Communication and Language Monitoring Tool (PDF, 442 KB)

• Council contact details
• NASEN - National Association of Special Educational Needs
• Plymouth Local Offer 
• Early Help Assessment Tool (EHAT)

Working with parents

• Plymouth Parent Carer Voice  (PPCV)
• Plymouth Information, Advice and Support for SEND Service  (PIASS)

Early Years SENCO briefings

Early Years SENCO briefings are held on a regular basis.

This session gives SENCOs the opportunity to be updated on local and national information.

Watch the Early Years SENCO Sessions videos

Early Years SENCO webinars

SEN Inclusion Fund Paperwork Webinar, 7 December 2022

Enhanced Transition Evaluation Network

14 November 2023 (Part 1)

14 November 2023 (Part 2)

9 May 2023 (Part 1)

9 May 2023 (Part 2)

Access (Community Health, Wellbeing and SEND)

The Plymouth Graduated Approach to Inclusion helps children, young people, families and professionals to get advice and help from the most appropriate service at the level required and in a timely way without having to keep repeating the same story.

Schools and settings use the Graduated Approach to Inclusion to support the 'assess, plan, do, review' cycle of support for the children aged 0-5. Use Access to get the help you need at the time you need it.

Three organisations are part of Access and can help with community, health and wellbeing support for young people with SEND.

• Livewell Southwest: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Speech and Language, Health Visiting, School Nursing
• University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP): Child Development Centre/Community Paediatric Services
• Plymouth City Council SEND Service: Early Years Inclusion Service, Advisory Support Team, Local Authority Occupational Therapy Team, Children's Disability Social Work Team, 0-25 SEND Statutory Assessment Team, Plymouth LA Educational Psychology Service, and Short Breaks.

If you are working with a child or young person with SEND and it has been agreed with the family that "more help" may be required from a service so that further assessment or intervention can take place, you must use the Request For More Help Form. Completed forms should be emailed to Accessearlyhelp@plymouth.gov.uk.

It may be helpful that a discussion with a SEND professional and parents takes place before a Request for More Help is made. See below for information on how to contact the SEND Advice Line.

In order for us to be able to discuss a request for involvement, paperwork submitted should include:

• Permission from parent to share information with PCC SEND
• Up-to-date summative assessment
• Most recent reviewed Individual Education Plan (IEP) and One Page profile (if the child has one)
• A chronology of support and interventions, including the Graduated Approach
• Any additional relevant reports or records, e.g. speech and language reports, Plymouth, Devon and Torbay Early Communication and Language monitoring tool, Play Skills checklist, step and area of need of the Early Years Developmental Journal
• A covering letter explaining what you need support with (optional)

Plymouth Early Help and SEND Advice Line

If you would like advice or guidance about a family or child you live with or work with, please book a conversation with one of our Family Support Workers using our online form.

We can offer support around issues such as emotional wellbeing, parenting guidance, school attendance, social and emotional development, and SEND concerns using this service. Call backs are available from 9am to 4pm each weekday via the advice line, and the booking form gives you the opportunity to choose a half-hour slot that works for you. 

Early Years Inclusion Fund

The aim of the Plymouth Early Years Inclusion Fund is to ensure children receive timely, planned and monitored early interventions to ensure they remain included in their setting and are provided with additional opportunities to access and experience the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

Accessing other Professional Support

Speech and Language

Speak first to LIVEWELL Southwest, who will guide whether your case is suitable for a referral.  Some speech and language training can be accessed free. Call 01752 434844 or email Livewell.childrens-sl@nhs.net.

Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (Infant Mental Health - IMH)

Speak first to IMH before making a direct referral.  Call 01752 434615

Child Development Centre (CDC), including the Autism Assessment Pathway

Via the family GP. Some families may appreciate the setting, writing a supporting letter for them to take, particularly if they struggle to share information.

Occupational Therapy (OT)

Most children who need OT support will have this already in place, but as a setting, you may need advice.  If you need more information or support, contact SEND Access Early Help. Email: AccessEarlyHelp@plymouth.gov.uk.

Team Around Me (TAM)

This is a regular meeting of the agencies involved in supporting the child/family. The plan in the EHAT should be used to record what all parties agree to do, e.g., parent will take Freddy for a hearing test, Health Visitor (HV) to support mum with sleep routine, setting to support language development by increasing the number of nouns used.  The setting may need to coordinate meetings, including completing paperwork and this may include chairing meetings, including creating an agenda.