Introduction

Very young children develop at different rates and go through phases known as 'developmental stages'. Some children will need help that is different to what is usually given by their early education and childcare provider, also known as an 'early years setting'. This might be because the child has additional needs and/or a disability.

As a parent/carer you know your child best. If you are worried about your child's needs and development, talk to your early education provider, doctor or health visitor. They can make referrals to other services if needed.

These pages aim to help you find out more about the support available for young children, both locally and across Surrey. It will also explain the types of early years settings that might be best for your child.

Further information can be found on the following pages:

How to find an early education provider

You can find registered childcare in Surrey by using the Family Information Service's Childcare Finder. If you are having difficulty securing a childcare place for your child, you can contact: surrey.fis@surreycc.gov.uk.

Early education providers have a legal responsibility to offer extra support to meet the needs of a child with a disability. You can find more about this on the Family Information Service, Childcare provision for children with SEND.

You may also be eligible to one of the following:

Preparing your child to start at an early years setting

Starting a new phase in their education is a big step for a child and their family. An 'early years setting' is the place where a child's early education takes place. This could be a childminder, pre-school or nursery.

Early years settings have a range of activities to help children become more familiar with their new environment, routines, staff, and other children.

The term 'education transition' or 'transition' is often used to describe any changes for your child with additional needs and disability. This could be when they go into a nursery, from one nursery to another, within the nursery and from nursery to school.

Early Years Practitioners can access support from Surrey County Council, to help make transitions for children with additional needs as smooth as possible. Settings use the Supporting Positive Transitions in the Early Years Guidance (PDF) and Supporting Positive Transitions in the Early Years Appendices, which parents are also welcome to look at.

What you can expect from your child's setting:

  • All settings are expected to include children with additional needs where possible.
  • They should make time for a conversation with you to fully understand your child's strengths and needs.
  • They may offer a Transition Meeting before your child starts. This meeting is between setting staff and professionals who work with your child in a social or health care role. It ensures everything is in place for a positive start.
  • They might carry out a home visit to meet your child where they feel comfortable.
  • They should explain their settling-in process. This is the plan to best help your child get comfortable in the new environment, which should be adjusted to meet your child's needs.
  • A 'social story' can be provided which will allow you to share photos of the new setting with you child, at home.
  • If your child has required additional support to settle in, you may be offered a settling-in review (see appendix 8 in Supporting Positive Transitions in the Early Years Appendices).

How you can support as a parent:

The Surrey County Council Early Years SEND Team who work directly with staff in early years settings, to support children who may have additional needs, have produced a video for parents to support transition into an Early Years Setting.

How your early education provider can support you

All early years settings (childminders, preschools, nurseries) must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The EYFS is a document to help them support children's learning and development, from birth to five years old.

The EYFS is split into three age bands, these are:

  • birth to three years old
  • three to four years old
  • four to five years old

Each band has suggestions about what your child might be doing and how you can help them. It's important to remember that children develop in different ways and at different speeds. Changes can happen at different times and don't follow a pattern.

The Development Matters website includes some checkpoints, however this is not to be used as a checklist for every child. Sometimes children may have early difficulties in their development, which with the right support they can catch up with others their age. Some children will have longer term difficulties, so it's important to identify what their needs are and make sure they get the right support.

Early Years Key Person

Your child will have a 'key person' at their early years setting. They have responsibility for working with you and meeting your child's individual needs. In a nursery, one of the childcare staff will be your key person. If you are using a childminder, they are the key person.

If you have concerns about your child you can talk to your child's key person. They will discuss how they can help and what can be done.

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCO)

Every early education provider has a SENCO to make sure the needs of the child with additional needs and disabilities are met.

The SENCO should have responsibility for:

  • Advising and supporting the keyperson and the wider team.
  • Making sure everyone in the setting understands their responsibilities to children with additional needs and disabilities.
  • Supporting staff in identifying and meeting individual needs.
  • Involving parents and making sure their views are included in the Surrey Support Plan (a document that describes what support your child needs).
  • Communicating with health and education support services (e.g speech and language therapist and Portage).

Early Years Graduated Response

All early years professionals (childminders, SENCOs, setting managers and nursery teachers) follow the Early Years Graduated Response. This document describes ways they can work best with your child, from ages 0-5, by suggesting specific strategies and support.

The Graduated Response works with the SEND Code of Practice, which contains the legal requirements all early year professionals must follow. It is also used alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. This includes ways to help children with additional needs and/or disabilities.

This approach should help families and early years settings have the right support at the right time. By making reasonable adjustments, knowing the child's needs, and working closely with health and education partners, most children with additional needs and/or disabilities can achieve their outcomes without the need for an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

If your child has additional support, the early years setting should monitor this through an Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle. This is documented in a Surrey Support Plan.

Early Years settings are required by law to make necessary changes to meet health needs. A child does not need an EHCP to have their health needs met. If your child has a long term illness or medical condition you can speak to the early years setting about an Individual Health Care Plan.

Developmental reviews

Early Years Foundation Stage Progress Check at 27 months

If your child goes to Ofsted registered childcare, their key person will review their development between two and three-years-old. Any strengths or areas of development will be recorded. Your provider will discuss this with you and put support in place if needed.

Read more about this on our Health and Development Reviews page:

Health and development review at age 2

All children are invited to a health and development review by their health visiting team at the age of 27 months. At this review you can talk to your health visitor about your child's progress and ask any questions you might have.

Read more about this on our Health and Development Reviews page.

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

If your child has additional support, and their Surrey Support Plan shows they require an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment, there is a process to follow for this request. The early education setting or parent/carer can ask for an assessment. This might result in an EHCP being issued for your child, but not always. Instead, your child's early education setting or school may be able to use the information gathered to meet their needs without one.

Important:

  • Your child does not need a diagnosis to have an EHC needs assessment.
  • Most children with an EHCP go to mainstream schools.
  • Having an EHCP does not automatically mean your child will go to a specialist school, it depends on the individual child's situation.

Further information about the EHC process

  • You can find more information on the Local Offer about the EHC Needs Assessment process.
  • Surrey County Council's Learners Single Point of Access (LSPA) process all requests for EHC needs assessments.
  • There are four SEND teams who work with families in a specific area. Each team has SEND Case Officers who deal with specific children, who have an EHCP or need the assessment. They deal with everything related to the EHCP and the legal processes. If your child is going through assessment or already has an EHCP your Case Officer will be able to provide you with information and guidance.

Early Years Inclusion Pathway Planning (EYIPP)

In Surrey it is expected that all children have the right to access provision within their own community, with their friends and siblings. This includes children with additional needs. Surrey will support children with additional needs to attend a local, mainstream early years setting (where appropriate) chosen by the parent.

We want to make sure that children's needs are seen and considered as soon as possible, without the need for a diagnosis. An Early Years Inclusion Pathway Planning (EYIPP) meeting can start to plan your child's education journey to adulthood; without the need for an EHCP. It is an effective way to support children. The plan is based on early identification, making sure that any support put in place is well planned and effective.

Sometimes a child has complex needs that require special arrangements throughout the day. In this case, the best choice may be a specialist nursery, that is only for children with specific additional needs or disabilities. Different nurseries provide for different needs and the teaching will be tailored to the pupil. The specialist nurseries are:

We have recorded a short video to explain the EYIPP process for you to watch:

Education support services

Support for early education providers

If your early education setting needs guidance in supporting your child with additional needs and/ or disability, they can request support from the Early Years SEND team, (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). The Advisors within the Early Years SEND Team work directly with staff in early years settings, to support children who may have additional needs.

The support offered may include:

  • Giving advice and guidance to early years settings about SEND processes and paperwork, including getting funding.
  • Offering specific advice, plans and activities to support individual children.
  • Working with other health and education professionals.
  • Supporting transitions; into a nursery, from one nursery to another, within the nursery and from nursery to school.
  • Making suggestions for training and other resources.

The nursery can request support from the Early Years Educational Effectiveness Team if your child is experiencing difficulties. Some examples include; biting, hitting, and trouble sharing. Your child could also be distressed and anxious after a difficult or unsettling experience, or you are concerned about your child's early language skills.

Your early education provider may apply for more funding to support them in the setting, this includes:

Note

Your early education provider can also contact one of the following services for additional support and advice:

  • Specialist Early Education Service (SEES) is a home-visiting support service for families of pre-school children with additional needs. SEES programmes work together with pre-school settings.
  • Supporting Targeted Education and Play Skills (STEPS) is provided by Freemantles School Autism Outreach Service. It provides support for parents, for early years settings and for the transition into school for children who show difficulties with social communication. Referrals must be made through the setting's Early Years SEND Advisor, please discuss this with your early education provider.
  • Analysis of Additional Needs (AANT) this is a tool that enables an early education provider to access Educational Psychology support efficiently and at an early stage. If an early education provider would like to request an AANT, this must be agreed with their Early Years Advisor or SEND Advisor.
  • Physical and Sensory Support Service (PSSS) help early education settings and schools to support children with physical, hearing, visual and multi-sensory impairments. They give advice, support and training to early education providers and schools to help children with learning, social and emotional development.
  • Race Equality and Minority Achievement (REMA) are teachers and support workers who work with Surrey families who have English as an additional language (EAL) or are Gypsy, Roma or Traveller (GRT). They can support families in their first language and help to build home-school links and relationships with families. If your family has English as an additional language you should speak to your child's early education provider for a referral.

Health support services

Your child's health needs will usually be met by everyday services; including GPs, dentists, opticians and the health visiting service.

When extra support is needed for more complex needs, your child may get specialist support. Your child's GP, dentist, health visitor or early education provider can refer them for this.

Children and Family Health Surrey

This is the Surrey-wide NHS community health service for children and young people from birth to 19 years old and their parents/carers. It offers advice and information on medical issues as well as running children's immunisation services. Families can call the health Advice Line on 01883 340922 for support on all aspects of child health, development and parenting.

The Children and Family Health Surrey website has specific advice, tips and information on a range of topics including; sleep, behaviour, eating and using the toilet independently.

Physiotherapy service

The physiotherapy service provides assessment, therapy and advice for children and young people with physical difficulties from birth to 19 years old. The team work closely with your child, family, other professionals and nurseries/schools to maximise your child's physical potential and independence.

Visit the Children and Family Health Surrey Therapies page to find physiotherapy advice sheets, apps, videos and links.

Occupational Therapy service

The Occupational Therapy service provide assessment, therapy and advice for children to be able to participate in daily life. Daily life is made up of many activities (or occupations). Occupations for children or young people may include self-care (getting ready to go out, eating a meal, using the toilet), being productive (going to nursery or school, or volunteering), and leisure (playing with friends or doing hobbies). The service is delivered in a range of settings which includes early year's settings, family centres, the home environment and on a clinic or hospital site.

Visit the Children and Family Health Surrey occupational therapy page to find occupational therapy advice sheets, apps, videos and links. The Occupational Therapy Helpline is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 4pm on 01932 558570.

The Speech and Language Therapy service

The Speech and Language Therapy service provides assessment, therapy and advice for children who have not yet started school and have speech, language and communication needs. The service sees children in community clinics, homes and early years settings including family centres. The team have a strong focus on working in partnership with parents and educational settings to maximise children's progress.

Visit the Children and Family Health Surrey Speech and Language Therapy page to find speech and language advice sheets, apps, videos and links.

The Health Visiting Service

The Health Visiting team supports you and your family from the birth of your baby, to when your child starts school.

Health visitors are registered nurses who have completed additional, specialist training in public health. They work alongside general practitioners (GPs), midwives, nurseries, schools, and voluntary organisations. The team also supports families where there are additional health, emotional or social needs.

If you are unsure who your health visitor is you can contact the Advice Line on 01883 340 922 for support on all aspects of child health, development and parenting.

Visit the Children and Family Health Surrey health visiting page to find health visiting advice and information.

Community nurses

Children's community nurses provide specialist nursing care to children from birth to 18 years old in their own homes so they can avoid or shorten hospital admissions. The care is designed specifically to fit the needs of each child.

Continuing Health Care

Children's Continuing Health Care is care arranged and funded by the NHS outside hospital for babies and children who have ongoing healthcare needs. This is usually because they have a complex medical condition that requires a lot of care and support, or because they need highly specialised nursing support. Further information can be found on the Continuing Health page of the Surrey County Council website..

Individual Healthcare Plans (IHP)

Most children with a medical need will not require an Individual Health Care Plan (IHP). They are usually only necessary for children with complex medical needs. Common medical needs that may require an IHP are asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and allergies, but there are many other conditions where a child may require a plan.

The IHP details a child's medical needs and how they should be treated. This ensures early education providers know what needs to be done, when and who is involved. It specifies the support a child needs to join in fully in early years education. It includes what medicines the early education provider can give to the child, and what to do in a medical emergency. IHPs should be reviewed at least once a year, or if there is a change to a child's needs or medication.

Ways you can support your child's learning

You may like to try one of the following resources to support your child's learning at home.

You may also find it helpful to look at the Children and Family Health Surrey's advice sheets. These give information about communication, everyday living skills, feeding, eating and drink and motor development.

Support services available throughout Surrey

Being a parent or carer of a child or young person who needs additional support means you are a 'parent carer.' It is important that you take care of yourself too – and there is help available. There are a range of local and national services that can support you with your health and wellbeing.

If you run a service that would like to be featured on this page please email localoffer@surreycc.gov.uk

Surrey wide support

  • Surrey Early Support Service provides support to families of children aged 0 to 5 who have disabilities or complex medical needs. They can visit you at home, make referrals, offer advice and short term key worker support.
  • Homestart provides a service to parents, who have one or more children under 5 years old. A carefully selected volunteer, who has parenting experience, can visit regularly and offer emotional and practical support.
  • Free online parenting guides are available to all Surrey residents, including a guide on understanding your child with additional needs.
  • Family Voice Surrey champions the needs and rights of SEND families in Surrey: families with children or young adults up to the age of 25 who have special educational needs, chronic illnesses, including mental health conditions, or disabilities.
  • Family centres help families build their confidence and independence. They run parenting and relationship courses, connect families to foodbanks and financial help and offer general support and advice on topics such as physical and mental health.
  • Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF) supports and represents the needs and aspirations of the ethnic minority population in Surrey.
  • Action for Carers provide a range of support including information about your rights, moving and handling training, connecting to other organisations.
  • Healthy Surrey offer local health and wellbeing services, as well as self-care information that can help you and your family lead a healthier life.
  • SEND Advice Surrey is Surrey's Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Information, Advice and Support (SENDIAS) service. They provide information, advice and support to parents, carers and young people with additional needs and/or disabilities (SEND) aged 0 to 25 years. The information, advice and support provided is impartial, confidential, free and at arm's length to the Council. They will listen to your concerns and discuss any issues in confidence.
  • Surrey Young Carers support children aged 5-18, living in Surrey who provide practical or emotional care for a family member with a long-term illness, physical disability or learning difficulty, mental ill health or substance or alcohol dependency. They hold group events, one to one sessions with a support coordinator and other tailored support.

Leisure activities

  • Surrey Short Breaks for Disabled Children
  • Surrey Libraries - Libraries are right at the heart of Surrey's communities. They have many activities taking place and are a great source of information about the local area and services. They host and provide many clubs and activities, from rhyme time, story time and crafts.

Financial Support

  • Disability Living Allowance can be claimed on behalf of an eligible child under 16 years old.
  • Carer's Allowance can be claimed by a parent when the child gets Disability Living Allowance.
  • Carer's Credit is used to top up National Insurance when you provide care for over 20 hours a week.
  • Income Support helps some adults who are not available for work because of their caring responsibilities.
  • Child Tax Credit is a universal benefit for families with a child under sixteen. Council Tax Discount ensures you do not have to pay more Council Tax if you need a larger property to meet your child's needs.
  • Disabled Facilities Grant can be awarded by your local district or borough council to pay for adaptations to your home.
  • Blue Badge scheme This allows you to park close to where you need to go, such as in disabled parking spaces. You do not need an EHCP to qualify.

Remember our Local Offer Directory!

Details of further support services and leisure activities can be found on our Local Offer Directory.

Support in North-West Surrey (Surrey Heath, Runnymede and Woking)

As well as the support that is given by your child's early years provider, you may also like to contact one of the following services:

  • Pop Along Heroes is a supportive playgroup for parents and carers of children with additional needs. They provide a safe, non-judgemental space for families; a community of love and support, where families can accompany each other through different stages of diagnosis (or not), hospital appointments, specialists, benefits, equipment, blue badges etc.
  • White Lodge Centre is a charity that delivers specialist services to children, young people and adults who have a range of physical and learning disabilities. All of the services aim to improve the lives of children, young people, adults and their family/carers by delivering person centred services, that meet the needs of the individual and help improve their quality of life and wellbeing.
  • Sparklers provide support for families of children and young people with Additional Needs, Autism and related conditions. They have an open Facebook page for sharing helpful information and events and a closed group that provides a safe space for sharing. They also run coffee, breakfast mornings and playgroups for SEND children and their siblings during the school holidays.
  • Little Portesberries run stay and play sessions for families with children aged 0 to 5 with additional needs and disabilities.
  • Play and Learn Plus in Woking is a free sensory play and learning session for SEND children aged 0 to 5 both pre and post diagnosis. Siblings are welcome.

If you run a service that would like to be featured on this page please email localoffer@surreycc.gov.uk

Support in South-West Surrey (Guildford and Waverley)

As well as the support that is given by your child's early years provider, you may also like to contact one of the following services:

  • Guildford Family Centre run 'SENDsory' play sessions for children with additional needs from birth to 5 years. Professionals from Early Support, SEES and physiotherapists regularly attend and are on hand to answer any questions you may have. They also have SEND Family Advice Sessions, available for families with concerns regarding any aspect of their child's development.
  • The Challengers Hub based at Challengers' Guildford Stoke Park Centre offers a range of support to families. This includes workshops, informal groups, drop-ins,1-2-1 support for parents and Family Fun days.
  • Cherry Trees is a charity providing home-from-home, specialist short-break respite visits. These are for children and young adults aged 0 to 19 with a range of complex disabilities including learning, physical and sensory impairments.
  • Hale Family Centre run weekly sensory stay and play sessions on Tuesday mornings from 9.30 to 11am. Please contact Kathy.guy@barnardos.org.uk for details.

If you run a service that would like to be featured on this page please email localoffer@surreycc.gov.uk

Support in North-East Surrey (Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell and Spelthorne )

As well as the support that is given by your child's early years provider, you may also like to contact one of the following services:

  • Elmbridge Mencap supports children and adults who have learning disabilities, together with their parents and carers in Elmbridge and the surrounding areas. Their facilities include sensory rooms and they host monthly family fun afternoons.
  • Mini Phab Epsom is an inclusive and welcoming toddler group with toys and games, sensory stories, inclusive singing and signing. They offer fun and friendship for parents, carers and children from birth to school age.
  • Stanwell Family Centre have a sensory room available to hire. The room is a safe and calm place for children up to the age of 11. The room is equipped to provide either gentle stimulation or relaxation through touch, sound, smell and a range of visual features.
  • Little Diamonds is a small group for children with additional needs and the parents and carers who care for them. The sessions offer fun activities, sensory resources and a chance to chat to other families. The group runs from Stanwell Family Centre.

If you run a service that would like to be featured on this page please email localoffer@surreycc.gov.uk

Support in South-East Surrey (Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge)

As well as the support that is given by your child's early years provider, you may also like to contact one of the following services:

  • All Inclusive Rhyme Time at Horley Library is for children with additional needs and disabilities up to 9 years of age, siblings also welcome.
  • The Rainbow Group is for families who have children aged 0 to 5 with additional needs. There are free activities for your child to enjoy as well an opportunity for you to meet other parents and get advice from an early support key worker. The group runs in Horley and Tandridge.
  • One Step at a Time is a weekly play and communication group for under 5s with additional needs and/ or disabilities plus their parent/ carer at Welcare Family Centre in Redhill. No formal diagnosis needed.
  • YMCA East Surrey have centres in Redhill, Reigate and Horley. There are a range of free activities for young children and counselling, befriending and support services for parent/carers.
  • Sight for Surrey offer a creative and innovative service for children and young people with sight loss. They have habilitation specialist, run events and activities and can assist with accessing benefits and registering as visually impaired.
  • Mole Valley Family Centre have groups for children with additional needs. They also offer counselling, first aid and parenting courses, baby health clinics a speech and language therapy.

If you run a service that would like to be featured on this page please email localoffer@surreycc.gov.uk

Moving from early years to primary school

Starting school or moving between different stages of education can be a worrying time for any child, but especially for those with additional needs and disabilities. There are ways that your childcare setting, your child's future school and you can support with this transition.

What you can expect from your child's setting or future school:

  • Both settings should work together to share all relevant information and paperwork.
  • The setting or school may hold a transition meeting, which gives a chance to discuss strengths and needs in detail, and ensures the school has time to make any specific plans or changes (see appendix 8 in Supporting Positive Transitions in the Early Years Appendices (.docx)).
  • The future school should share information about what to expect in your child's first days or weeks at the school. Ideally, the school should offer child-friendly information for you to help prepare your child over the summer, such as pictures of their new teacher and classroom.
  • Your child's future school may do home or setting visits.
  • The early years setting will support all children with activities to help with their transition and can change these slightly, to help children with additional needs. This may include social stories about starting school or creating their own photo book.
  • Where appropriate, visits should be set up so that your child's new teacher can see them in their current setting and your child can visit their new school. Some children may need a few visits to the school with their key person, and the setting can apply for funding to support this.
  • If your child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the school should be clear about how they will provide the support in the plan.
  • Schools should be open to discussions about flexibility of starting hours for children with additional needs, as they may need a longer transition process, or may need to settle into a routine as quickly as possible.

How you can support as a parent:

The Surrey County Council Early Years Team who work directly with staff in early years settings, to support children who may have additional needs, have produced a video for parents to support transition from an Early Years setting into School.

You may also find the following helpful to refer to: