Education Support Services

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:

• Disability Access Fund (DAF)
• Early Intervention Funding (EIF)

Note

• The Disability Access Fund is only available for children aged 3-4 who are receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
• Early Intervention Funding is only available for children who are receiving Funding Early Education.

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.