Early Years Inclusion Team

The Early Years Inclusion Team (EYIT) has ambitious and high aspirations for early years children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Our comprehensive offer ensures the right support is in place at the right time for every child within Doncaster.

The Early Years Inclusion Team consists of the following roles:

• Early Years Inclusion Officers (EYIOs)
• Area Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs)
• Area Special Educational Needs Development Officers (SENDCOs)
• Portage Home Visitors
• Safeguarding Officers
• Childminder Support Officer

The team work within designated locality areas across the borough.

Contact Details

Early Years Inclusion Team Contact Details

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Support

• We support early years providers (private, maintained nurseries, childminders and playgroups) to raise quality and attainment, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. We want children to thrive and offer advice and support in narrowing the gaps in their learning and development, consequently improving outcomes. We work with early years providers to prepare and support children in their transition within the next step of their education.
• Where EYIT support is requested, we will work with settings to ensure that effective special educational provision is in place through the use of the graduated approach.  We will advise and support settings on identifying different types and levels of need within the Continuum of Need for SEN through assessment of the impact on learning and/or barriers to learning. We will develop understanding of adult facilitated learning to ensure that children are able to access a full and varied curriculum, taking into account their individual and specific needs and learning styles.
• The Early Years Inclusion Team adhere to the SEND Code of Practice (2015). We support with embedding the graduated approach and everything relating to SEND and inclusive practice within early years. This can be in the form of information, practical support, advice, guidance, requests documentation and links.

Expectations

• All childcare providers within Doncaster are required to offer an inclusive environment and to respond to children’s individual needs, having an identified Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) or Inclusion Coordinator is one aspect of this. It is their responsibility to coordinate support for children with SEND in their setting and to liaise with other professionals to ensure that all the needs of the child/children are planned for in advance.

For all requests please complete the form on the below link.

Early Years Request dates and Information

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EYIT Request Form

FS1 Funding Guidance for children with SEND 0-4 years

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FAQ transition SEND

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SENCO calendar (1)

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Policy Development Guidance

Developing an outings policy and procedure

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Developing a Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedure

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Developing a missing children policy and procedure

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Developing a Children who are ill or infectious procedure

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Developing a Whistle Blowing Policy and Procedure

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Developing a complaints procedure

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Developing a Critical Incident procedure

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Developing a Uncollected Child Procedure

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Developing a Administration of Medication procedure

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Developing a policy for fire safety

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Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan Template

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Developing a use of the internet procedure

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Developing a mobile phone camera and internet enabled devices

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Transition Plan template

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Provision Map template

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Reflective Inclusion Audit template

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September 2023 Person Centred SEN support Plan template

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Updated SEN support plan 3.10.24

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In light of the EYFS reforms, as an authority we are changing how we measure children's achievements. Where children have been awarded and are in receipt of Early Intervention Allowance (EIA), providers are required to measure the outcomes of the children’s Personalised Learning Plans. Please see the below descriptor for further information. If you have any queries please contact your Area SENCO.

PLP progress descriptors template

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Learning outcomes template

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EYs Social Emotional and Mental Health DRAFT

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EYs Cognition and Learning DRAFT

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Doncaster Early Years Inclusion Team Early Intervention Allowance - Category of Need

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FS2 Funding Guidance for children with SENDDownload (29KB - DOCX)

Continuation of EIA into FS2 Reception - Autumn term

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Inclusion Conversation Frequently Asked Questions

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Inclusion Conversation template

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Since the pandemic there has been increasing awareness of the importance of mental health and wellbeing. We know young children have been particularly impacted by the pandemic and associated social distancing measures. At any one time a child may be anywhere on a spectrum between thriving, emotionally healthy, coping, struggling and unwell.  They can move along the spectrum, and it is important that they access the right support and advice at the right time. 

We know that providers are working hard to ensure the wellbeing of children, supporting them within their settings and school and where necessary seeking advice and support. While most children are thriving and achieving and able to access the wide range of experiences settings, school and services offer, we are aware of the increasing concerns you hold about some of the most vulnerable children you are supporting.

To support and guide the ongoing work settings and schools undertake with these young people. The Early Years Inclusion Team have created a child’s wellbeing plan template.

It is hoped undertaking the wellbeing plans with the child and their parent/carer will further promote their wellbeing, increase feelings of self-efficacy in the child and emphasise balanced thinking, strength-building, active coping and resilience while maintaining their safety.

The child’s wellbeing plan template is supplementary to services and support already in place and are not designed to replace an assessment, statutory guidance, or your setting, schools own safeguarding policies and procedures.

Template wellbeing plan

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Portage is a home-visiting educational service for children 0-4 with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and their families.

Portage aims to:

• Work with families to help them develop a quality of life and experience, for themselves and their young children, in which they can learn together, play together, participate and be included in their community in their own right.
• Play a part in minimising the disabling barriers that confront young children and their families.
• Support the national and local development of inclusive services for children.

Portage service leaflet

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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PORTAGE SERVICE

• The child is aged from birth to four years.
• The child is not accessing early education 0-4 years in a Private Voluntary Independent (PVI) setting, childminder, or school.
• There are two terms e.g. Autumn and Spring terms available for support from our service.
• Parents/carers and professionals have observed a delay* in at least two areas of development, or the child has been diagnosed as having a medical condition, which is generally recognised as likely to lead to future significant developmental delay.
• The child lives within the boundaries of the City of Doncaster
• The referrer must complete the online referral form available on Doncaster Local Offer.

*Children with needs are diverse learners with extensive needs in the areas of cognition and/or learning, communication, physical and social/emotional development. The child may also have concurrent health, sensory, and / or physical differences.

Requests can be made by:

• Parents and carers
• Paediatrician
• Health visitor
• Speech, physiotherapy or occupational therapy
• Social care
• Specialist services such as Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment and Early Skills Group

EYIT Request Form

Stepping Stones is a group for children aged 0-4 who have been referred to the Early Years Panel for Portage service involvement. Panel have recommended to offer a placement at Stepping Stones. Stepping Stones is delivered by the Portage Home Visiting team and is held every two weeks (term time only). Stepping Stones is based within a nursery provision environment, with high quality learning opportunities provided to the children supported by their parent/carers and the Portage Home Visiting Team.

Stepping Stones provides the opportunity for children:

• To have a fun time, learning through high quality play opportunities in a nursery provision environment.
• To having play opportunities with peers with a focus on social, communication and interaction, including time to join a group snack time and singing time
• To play alongside skilled Portage Home Visitors who will role model activities and strategies, discussing next steps with parent/carers
• Parents/carers have the opportunity network with other families.
• Families to be supported to apply for a nursery or school placement or access a Family Hub

Stepping Stones Leaflet

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• The child is aged from birth to four years.
• The child is not accessing early education 0-4 years in a Private Voluntary Independent (PVI) setting, childminder, or school.
• The child must be referred only if there is at least one term e.g. 12 weeks available for support from our service.
• Parents/carers and professionals have observed a significant delay* in at least two areas of development, or the child has been diagnosed as having a medical condition, which is generally recognised as likely to lead to future significant developmental delay.
• The child lives within the boundaries of the City of Doncaster
• The referrer must complete the online referral form available on Doncaster Local Offer.

*Children with needs are diverse learners with extensive needs in the areas of cognition and/or learning, communication, physical and social/emotional development. The child may also have concurrent health, sensory, and / or physical differences.

Requests can be made by:

• Parents/carers or guardian
• Paediatrician
• Health Visitor
• Speech, Physiotherapy or Occupational therapy
• Social care
• Specialist services such as Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment and Early Skills group
• Family Hubs
• Talking Together

EYIT Request Form

The Early Years Inclusion and Portage Team run an OFSTED registered group for pre-school children who have a diagnosis of autism or who have been referred to a Paediatrician for General Developmental Assessment (GDA) or are on the waiting list for the Autism Spectrum Assessment Pathway.

Address: Maple Medical Pupil Referral Unit, Cedar Road, Doncaster, DN4 9HT

Children can be referred to the Early Years Support Panel by Consultant and Community Paediatricians, Speech & Language Therapists and by members of the multi-disciplinary Autism Spectrum Assessment Pathway (ASAP) team. Where other colleagues wish to make a referral for a place at Seedlings they should seek supporting advice from a member of the ASAP team.

EYIT Request Form

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) Progress Check at age 2 and the Healthy Child Programme review offer 2 opportunities to:

• identify additional needs for children aged 2 to 3
• work in partnership with parents, carers, guardians and any relevant professionals to put the right support in place for the children who need it

Since 2015, the government has encouraged early years providers, local authorities, and health visiting services to work together to combine the Healthy Child Programme review and the EYFS Progress Check at age 2. This is known as an ‘integrated review’.

Integrated progress check - all providers - old

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Integrated progress check format- childminders - old

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REQUEST FORM INTRODUCTION TO THE FAMILY HUB FL

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Meeting proforma for Integrated Progress Check for Group providers-1

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Integrated Progress Check New Form 2022

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Integrated check - process and consent for childminders

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Integrated Progress check Procedure Group providers

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Integrated check - process and consent for schools

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Integrated check - process and consent for Family hubs

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Integrated progress check consent form for parents and SPOC

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Parents guide to the integrated progress check - 2021

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IPC training video 2022

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Integrated Progress Checks and The Inclusion Conversation for Group Providers

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Integrated reviews - Help for early years providers

Department for Education early years vodcast: Progress check at age two

Progress check at age two – Non-statutory guidance for the early years foundation stage

ASQ-3 - 27 month questionnaire

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ASQ-3 - 27 month summary sheet

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ASQSE-2 - 30 month questionnaire

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ASQSE-2 - 30 month summary sheet

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Are you due for your inspection? Are you clear about the process we use in Doncaster to complete the Integrated Progress Check?

As you are aware, at present, there are two checks of children’s development between the ages of two and three:

• the EYFS progress check at age two
• the health and development two-year-old review

Since 2015, the government has encouraged local authorities, health visiting services and early years providers to work together on an integrated education and health two-year-old review process. This can give a more complete and accurate picture of the child by drawing together:

• parents’ views and concerns about their child’s progress
• the early years practitioner’s detailed knowledge of how the child is learning and developing
• the health professional’s expertise in the health and development of young children

Integrated reviews take a variety of formats, and the DfE does not prescribe a particular process. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and different areas will need to adapt their own approaches to meet local needs and address local challenges. The separate parties may share information in a co-ordinated review. Or there may be a joint meeting between parents, health and education practitioners, and with the child present, in an integrated review. Whatever their format, they should support health and education professionals to identify:

• strengths
• any developmental delay
• any particular support or service from which they think the child/family might benefit

To be successful, there must be:

• clarity about how each child is reviewed, by whom and the follow-up support that is available
• understanding about how and when the impact of any support is evaluated, so that no children ‘fall through the net’

In Doncaster we see the Integrated review as a partnership approach and feel that this meets DfE’s brief shown above in the following ways:

• As a childminder, you should complete the progress check when the child is between 2 and 3 years at a time when is appropriate for the child. Typically, if a child has been settled in the setting for a period of time (roughly a term), the check will then be completed. This may be before or after the Health review.
• Typically, our Health colleagues complete the Healthy Child 2 year old checks at 27 months and give parents a copy of the summary sheet including ASQ scores , comments and any follow up. This can be shared by parents directly to you as a childminder. If you do not receive the information from parents, you MUST request it through Doncaster SPOC using the Parental consent form on the Local Offer. This information should be used as part of the Progress check (as detailed by the DfE above) to identify strengths, developmental delay and support or services from which the child may benefit.
• If you as a childminder complete the Progress check BEFORE the Health check, you MUST provide parents with a copy of the Progress check to share with Health. Where there are concerns about a child, you should contact SPOC directly (with parental consent).
• All information about the Doncaster process, consent forms, a Progress Check pro-forma and guidance materials are on the Early Years Inclusion page of the Local Offer.

Please keep this information to share with your Ofsted Inspector.

If you provide places for any 3- or 4-year-olds who receive disability living allowance (DLA), your setting is eligible to receive disability access funding.

Information for Disability Access Funding (DAF)

The Early Years Development Journal is designed for families, practitioners and others to use as a way of recording, celebrating and supporting children’s progress.

This Journal is particularly useful if you know or suspect that a child who you are helping is unlikely to progress in the same way or at the same rate as other children - whether or not a particular factor or learning difficulty has been identified and given a name. It is also for people who would like to find out more about children's development in the early years.

Early Years Developmental Journal

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Generic Early Support Developmental Journal - Practitioners copy

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This toolkit supports early years providers in implementing the SEN and disability reforms.

early-years-toolkit-merged

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Potty training children with additional needs can be done in much the same way as teaching a child without additional needs. Look at tips for potty training or the guides below for more information. Visit the ERIC website for more information. 

ERIC's Guide to Potty Training

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ERIC's Guide for Children with Additional Needs (Potty training)

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The Early Years SEND Partnership brings together a significant amount of training, resources, support and an approach to sharing learning that was tried and tested in an earlier DfE-funded CDC project.

A resource which encourages practitioners to consider areas where provision may need adjustment, in order to support children with learning differences. The Toolkit aims to ensure all children have the best possible chance of making progress and to provide a holistic picture of a child’s learning.

Reflection Toolkit

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The Interactive Child Development Questionnaires help you to find activities and strategies to support children's development.

Dingley's Promise provides information and training to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Early Years.

Early Years in Mind is a free online network for early years practitioners. The network provides easy to read and easy to use guidance on supporting the mental health of babies, young children and their families. 
Anna Freud Early Years In Mind Register