Pre-school Special Educational Needs.

Specialist workers in the health service will usually be aware of children whose difficulties are obvious from an early age. They will contact us if your child’s difficulties may result in them having special educational needs.

If your child is under school age and has severe or complex difficulties they are likely to receive support. You will also receive support and advice from the Early Years Support Service listed below.

Your child’s needs may be met in a local nursery or playgroup or in a nursery class with dedicated places for children with special educational needs in one of the following schools:

If you would like to know more about places in any of the nursery classes listed above you can contact the head teacher of the school or a worker from any of the services, who may be working with your child. Decisions about places are made by the LEA.

Before your child reaches school age, we will agree with you whether their special needs will best
continue to be met in an ordinary or special school.

The Early Years SEN Service is made up of 3 geographically defined teams.

The team is managed by the Early Years Coordinator and receives regular clinical supervision from a specialist educational psychologist. The team provides appropriate support for children aged 0-5 years and their families. These services include support for your child:

The team makes sure that there is a multi-agency approach that links: personnel, assessment,
information, structured programmes, training and resources.

This team will:

The Childcare and Early Education Centre supports all pre-school and early years’ settings on the Island to make sure that quality standards for the care and education of all children are met.

Staff co-ordinate, plan and give advice about day care and early education. This includes nurseries, playgroups, pre-schools, child minders and out-of school facilities for young children including those with special and additional needs.

The Childcare and Early Education Centre team works closely with the Early Years SEN staff indicated above and there is a specialist inclusion support worker for out of school facilities.

The Childcare and Early Education Centre is part of the Early Years Development and Child Care Partnership which produces an Early Years Plan. This plan includes the arrangements and proposals for children with special educational needs. The Early Years Partnership provides a forum for discussion and debate for parents and practitioners and works hard to provide training for early year’s staff, appropriate funding for pre-school groups and individual children.

Contact:
Early Years Co-ordinator,
Childcare and Education Centre,
128, Pyle Street,
Newport,
PO30 1JW
Phone: 528645