Early Years SENDCOs

• Support for PVIs
• Early Years SENDCO Training
• Early Years speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) pathway
• Educational Psychology Support
• SEND Support in the Early Years
• Training and networks
• Additional funding to support SEND in the Early Years
• Transitions

Support for PVIs

Area SENCOs

Each PVI has an allocated Area SENCO who works with them to support them to develop their inclusive practice. The SENDCO meets with the setting at least three times a year to evaluate what is going well and key points of development for inclusion. The Area SENCO will support the Early Years SENDCO to implement the action plan through signposting to resources or training or working collaboratively with them through modelling and coaching.

The Area SENCO team are also available to give advice on an adhoc basis via email or telephone. The setting should contact their Area SENCO directly or email the team inbox areasenco@haringey.gov.uk.

From July 2022, the Area SENCO Team no longer accept direct referrals for children.

• Blank Area Senco setting consultation record (Word, 33KB)

Early Years SENDCO Training

The Early Years SENDCO guide provides a one stop guide for Early Years SENDCOs to support them to implement the requirements of their role in Haringey.

• The updated version of the document will be available soon

All Haringey Early Years settings should have a trained Early Years SENDCO. Training can be accessed via the Haringey Area SENDCO Team or Early Years SENCO (external link).

SENDCOs who complete the Early Years SENDCO training are awarded the Haringey Approved SENCO award. This is valid for one year but can be extended for Early Years SENCOs who keep their knowledge up to date by attending the Early Years SENCO Networks.

Early Years speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) pathway

• View the Early Years SLCN Pathway (PDF, 32KB) changed on 1 November 2023. 

You can read more about how to explain the pathway to parents on the Speech, Language and Communication Needs webpage.

New referral forms for the Speech and Language Therapy Service are available to download on our Useful Forms for SENDCos webpage.

Talk to your language support teacher or school therapist if you need to learn more about the pathway.

Educational Psychology Support

All PVIs are in a cluster group which is based on their locality. Each cluster group has one or two allocated Educational Psychologists (EPs). The cluster groups meet half-termly online and are free to attend. They provide an opportunity for you to discuss a child you are concerned about with other providers, the educational psychologist and/or one of the Area SENCOs.

Providers have told us that they have found them helpful even when they do not have a child to discuss, as they have learnt about different strategies. To find out when your next cluster group is email educationalpsychologyservice@haringey.gov.uk.

If you are working with a child, that is not making progress with the strategies described in the Best Practice Guide and Inclusion Funding and you have discussed them at the cluster group, you may want to request individual support from the Educational Psychologist. This is done through the Early Years Inclusion Fund Review form. 

SEND Support in the Early Years

Early Years SEND Best Practice Guide sets out the provision which all Early Years Settings should have in place to support children with SEND in Haringey

• Early Years SEND Best Practice (PDF, 467KB)

The Haringey My Early Support plan is standardised pro-forma which should be used by settings to record how they are implementing the graduated response for children in their settings. Settings may wish to adapt it for use in their settings but must ensure that all the key elements remain. The Best Practice Guide should be used to inform the content of the plan to ensure that an evidence-based approach to supporting children with SEND is in place.

• My Early Years Support Plan 2021 (Word, 313KB)

Training and Networks

The Early Years SENDCO networks are a great place to meet other SENCOs who work across the Haringey Early Years sector and provide an opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise about different aspects of special educational needs and inclusion. The agenda for our networks is very much driven by our SENCOs and focus on topics that they would like further reflection and support with. We also regularly invite organisations and speakers to our networks so it's a brilliant way of deepening your knowledge of what's available locally, the national SEND picture and to network with others in the field of SEND.

2024 Early Years SENCO Forum at Hornsey School for Girls

• Wednesday 6 March 9.30am to 12.30pm
• Wednesday 5 June 9.30am to 12.30pm

In addition to the SENDCO Networks, the Haringey Inclusion team, Educational Psychology Service and Therapy teams provide an extensive Early Years SEND training programme. The programme is free to Childminders, PVIS and schools who have bought the SEND package. It can also be purchased on a pay as you go basis. 

You can find out what’s on by looking in our Education Inclusion Team core, traded and training brochure (PDF, 6.62MB) and book your place here SEND Events (external link).

Other good places to access Early Years SEND training are:

• The EYSEND Partnership (external link)
• NASEN (external link)

Additional Funding to Support SEND in the Early Years

Early Years Inclusion Funding

Early years inclusion (top up) funding can be claimed for children whose needs cannot be met within the nursery resources. Read more about the eligibility for the grant.

Requests and reviews of funding should be made using the following forms:

• Request for EY SENDCO Inclusion Funding 2023-24 (PDF, 171KB)
• EY Top-Up Funding Termly Review 2023-24 (PDF, 123KB)

The Early Years Inclusion funding panel meets once a half term, and the form shows clearly the date which you need to submit evidence for each panel. Please note from September 2022 all requests must be submitted to EYTopUp@haringey.gov.uk.

Disability Access Funding

Settings may also be able to claim Disability Access Funding for three to four-year-olds in receipt of Disability Living Allowance. This is a one-off payment of £800 per financial year. Guidance on how to claim DAF is available here.

Support is available for families to claim Disability Living Allowance from Connected Communities or Markfield (external link).

Key dates for inclusion funding 

Please upload the request to the child’s record on SYNERGY and email EYTopUp@haringey.gov.uk to confirm you have done this. 

Please upload the review to the child’s record on SYNERGY and email EYTopUp@haringey.gov.uk to confirm you have done this. 

Transitions

Transitions are a particularly difficult time for everyone, particularly those with SEND. It is a key part of the SENDCo role to support children and families with these. 

Haringey has produced a toolkit to support settings with the move into Reception. You can use many of the resources to support children with other transitions.