Inclusive Childcare at Daisy Chain
SEND Local Offer
Local Offer for Children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).
How does Daisy Chain Childcare know if a child needs extra support?
At Daisy Chain Childcare, a key person is allocated to every child. Regular observations are completed, this information is used in planning future activities and learning opportunities. Individual needs and interests are also taken into account in the planning. These include interests from home and at nursery.
Digital Observations
Observations are captured on our online digital system called Tapestry, a system that allows the key person to share observations and assessments in real time with parents. Regular assessments enable us to identify any support required and along with the parents, we implement a joint approach.
Settling in Sessions
When a child initially starts with us we provide settling-in sessions. These sessions allow the key person to get to know each child’s individual needs, interests and abilities. This is the initial opportunity for parents to discuss any concerns with the key person who will ensure all needs are properly catered for.
We give parents our “Getting to Know You” booklet prior to their child’s start date.
Using this booklet as a guide, parents are asked to give details of the child’s journey so far, special people in their lives, everyday things, routines, favourite activities, interests and traditions. This information is shared with the key person during settling visits along with identifying starting points. The key person will then complete a review and record any parental concerns.
How will the staff support the child?
Our Nursery SENCO’s (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) support the key person, child and family and will help to create an Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
The ILP ensures children’s individual needs are met, that our resources and environments are suitable and accessible for all and that activities at nursery are appropriate and based around the child’s abilities and interests.
The SENCO will also liaise with other professionals (with the parents consent) such as Early Years Inclusion Officers, Speech and Language Therapists and Health Visitors to gain further advice in supporting each individual child. The SENCO and the key person will work collaboratively to ensure that these targets and strategies are implemented. Plans and activities are reviewed by the key person, SENCO and parents regularly to ensure the child is receiving the best support.
How are parents/carers included in the child’s education and curriculum?
Parent’s communication is valued and the key person will work together with the parents to ensure that every child’s learning is supported. At the initial settling-in sessions the key person will work with the parents to initially settle the child into the nursery. Throughout this time the key person will complete a transitions diary to understand the child’s individual routines, needs, interests and abilities.
We welcome parents working with us to complete observations and activities at home and informing us of new interests as this enables us to plan nursery activities around any new interests. Parents are invited to attend regular meetings to review the child’s progress and every child has their own ‘All about Me’ booklet which parents can view at any time and add their own views, comments and photos.
How accessible are the environments?
If a family speaks English as an additional language they will be encouraged to share key words in their home language for the key person to understand with the child. The Manager, key person and SENCO will work with parents to provide the best base room for the child, ensuring the best access to all resources and activities every day.
Helping with transitions
Transitions are a key time for any child. Your key person will ensure that these transitions are well planned and supported. When your child first starts at the nursery your key person will work with you to devise appropriate times for your child to settle in with us at their own pace. Each time your child transitions to another age group, your key person will work with the new key person to relay and hand over relevant information, ensuring as smooth a transition as possible. The new key person will work with you to ensure that your child’s interests and needs are catered for and they are well adjusted to their new room and peers.
When it is time for transition to School we invite the new teachers into nursery and we relay all relevant transition documents to School with the aim of helping families get ready for school.
For further information, please contact the Nursery Manager.
Our work with Family Action, Julie Robson
Family Action was being funded by the DfE in 2015 s part of The National Prospectus Grants Programme 2015-16 to deliver a new programme: ‘Increasing the provision of high-quality, inclusive school-based childcare for 0-5s with SEND’.
About the Programme
The aim of the new programme is to increase the provision and improve the quality of inclusive childcare for 0-5s with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
During the next twelve months, Family Action’s Childcare in Schools team will be supporting selected school-based childcare providers (e.g. nurseries, schools, children’s centres) in the North, Midlands and South of England to increase and develop their school-based provision of high-quality, inclusive childcare in England for 0-5s with SEND. Find out more about the settings we support.
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