How do you communicate with the parent / carer whose child has SEND?
We pride ourselves as being a highly motivated and caring staff team, ensuring that the welfare of all children is of the upmost importance.
- We work closely with the parents and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to create and maintain a positive partnership.
- We engage with all agencies involved with the family to ensure that all aspects of care and development are reviewed regularly.
- We ensure that parents are informed at all stages of the assessment, planning, provision and review of their child’s education and care.
- We welcome feedback from parents/carers and ensure that any issues are dealt with immediately.
How do you help children settle into your setting?
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Team:
Linda Priest, Michelle Harris, Lisa Altun, Katie Wall, Kelly Beazley, Helen Martin and Becki Ridgway.
- We have an affective key person system, underpinning a close relationship with our families and ensuring that all individual interests and needs are met appropriately.
- Families will be informed of their key person and where possible introduced to them before the child’s start date.
- The children’s experiences are enhanced by the skilful interactions of knowledgeable staff who respectfully ‘tune in’ to each child.
What help and support does your setting offer to children with SEND as they move rooms or move on to school?
If a child comes from another setting or is having support from Portage then a transition meeting will be arranged at Lollipops to include appropriate personnel from all other agencies involved.
- When a child is due to move to school or to another setting, robust transfer documents are devised and a transfer meeting is arranged to ensure a smooth transition.
How do you find out how each child likes to learn?
The setting has a highly qualified leadership team who are experienced in the identification and sensitive management of procedures relating to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
- Any administration of medicines and personal care provision will be specific to each child and discussed with parents/carers, as well as any appropriate agencies.
- All children are encouraged to share their views and the use of different strategies, e.g., signing and symbols will be explored to enhance any verbal/non-verbal communication.
- A support plan will be devised by the SEND Co-ordinator/key person and parents/carers to ensure that all care and education is tailored specifically to the needs of the individual child.
Inclusive practice / SEND training and expertise within this organisation
Our SEND team use the graduated approach system for identifying, assessing and responding to children’s special educational needs and/or disabilities. We undertake robust observation and tracking to highlight any issues as they may arise.
- We ensure that the provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are the responsibility of all members of staff within the setting.
- All practitioners have experience of working closely with children experiencing developmental challenges.
- The SEND Co-ordinator attends regular SEND training and works closely with BCP council to ensure that all staff are kept informed of any changes to policy and that all information relating to changes to practice are disseminated to all of the staff team.
- We ensure that our inclusive admissions practice promotes equality of access and opportunity.
- We provide a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum for all of the children within our care.