The Early Years
Your child’s early years is important as it has the most effect on his/her developing brain.
Children in the early years learn skills that help them to reach their ‘developmental milestones’ and this usually happens at expected ages.
There may be times when it appears that some children are not reaching their ‘developmental milestones'. Identifying this early provides the best opportunity for you and your child to be provided with support you need.
We know that children who have positive early years and childcare experiences:
- have better relationships and attachments with people
- are healthier mentally and physically
- are more resilient to negative things that may happen in their lives
- are more responsible for their actions
- do better in their education and are more likely to gain fulfilling jobs that enable them to be financial stable and resilient
- are safer and less likely to engage in harmful and offending behaviour
- have more positive experiences as adults and make positive contributions to society and their communities
- are less likely to need support of services like social care and the welfare system, including when and if they become parents.
The Early Years service has a holistic and flexible approach to supporting your child with additional needs and/or disabilities.
It is our aim that children with emerging SEND and SEND should have:
- fulfilled and inclusive experiences
- an opportunity to achieve and live happy, healthy and successful lives.
The SEND Code of Practice
‘’Improving outcomes – high aspirations and expectations for children with SEN.
All children are entitled to an education that enables them to achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes, and become confident young children with a growing ability to communicate their own views and ready to make the transition into compulsory education.
All early years providers in the maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors that a local authority funds, are required to have regard to the 0-25 SEND Code of Practice, including the principles set out in Chapter 1 and outlined in this guide under Principles underlying the Code.
Early years providers must have arrangements in place to support children with SEN or disabilities. These arrangements should include a clear approach to identifying and responding to SEN. The benefits of early identification are widely recognised – identifying need at the earliest point, and then making effective provision, improves long-term outcomes for children.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework for children aged 0 to 5 years. All early years providers must follow the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS and the learning and development requirements, unless an exemption from these has been granted.
All those who work with young children should be alert to emerging difficulties and respond early. In particular, parents know their children best and it is important that all practitioners listen and understand when parents express concerns about their child’s development. They should also listen to and address any concerns raised by children themselves’’.
