Early years care providers are committed to making sure that children are safe, healthy, and learn and develop well. Providers use supportive approaches and graduated responses to make sure that there are equal opportunities for children with additional learning needs (ALN).
Graduated responses are plans that are tailored to your child’s needs to support their development. They are updated on a plan, do, assess and review basis.
The
Cardiff Local Authority 2030 Mission sets out our goal that ‘all children are able to access high quality education and learning from the early years to post 16 which meets their individual needs and helps them develop their skills and talents to the full’.
There are many different forms of childcare and nursery provision such as childminders, playgroups, standalone nurseries and maintained nurseries attached to schools.
Each child develops differently. Early Years practitioners are experienced in observing and gathering important information about the child. Practitioners aim to reduce environmental and social barriers to inclusion. They offer opportunities for all children to achieve their full potential in preparation for learning and life.
Early Years practitioners will monitor your child’s progress as they develop and grow. This process should identify the child’s strengths and any areas where their progress is not as expected.
Early Years settings make every effort to ensure that all children’s needs are met using their own expertise, training and knowledge. Settings should be inclusive and aim to remove potential barriers that may prevent development or learning.
If any concerns are raised, every effort should be made to meet those needs within the current provision.
Concerns about your child’s development
If you have any concerns about your child’s development or progress, please discuss this with the care providers or health visitor. The provider can discuss what they have in place for your child and how they are meeting their needs.
If your child’s progress is slower than others, it does not mean they have additional learning needs. It may be necessary to present them with different opportunities or use alternative approaches. If your child’s difficulties continue, this may indicate they have additional needs that require a level of support that is not available with the current provider.
The council has a duty to decide whether a child has ALN and to prepare and maintain Individual Development Plan (IDP) for any child with ALN.
If your child has a complex learning need
Some children may have significant, complex and lifelong needs that cannot be provided for within some early years setting. In some cases, the early years setting will need additional provision to support your child’s learning. If this the case, then either the setting or a health professional involved with your child will need to make a referral to the
Early Years Inclusion Panel.
Some children with lifelong significant or complex needs may have already been identified as having an additional learning need or disability. The Early Years Forum or Early Years Inclusion Team will already know these children, have planned appropriate provision, and will continue to monitor and review their needs.
Healthcare needs
Some children who attend settings may have an identified medical or physical need that requires a specific plan and training. For example:
- children with diabetes,
- severe allergies,
- enteral feeding or
- cerebral palsy.
What happens when your child moves to a school
If you child has an Individual Development Plan (IDP), the council can tell the school to maintain the IDP. All the transition arrangements should be recorded in section 3C of the IDP.
You should arrange to visit the school which will give you the opportunity to meet the teaching staff and consider how they will respond to your child’s learning and development needs. the school will also have a fuller picture of your child’s needs before they start.
However, the school should not maintain the IDP if it includes provision that the council should provide. For example if the IDP describes:
- a place at a particular setting that includes board and lodging, this could be a residential school,
- if the child is dual registered, or
- the child has become looked after.