SEND and Speech and Language
SEND local Offer
The purpose of a local offer is to enable parents and carers to see clearly what services are available for children with SEND in their area and how to access them.
We at Courtney Ladybirds Preschool pride ourselves on being a safe, fun, inclusive environment for all children. We work hard to give everyone the same opportunities and experiences but ensure we tailor them to each child’s individual needs and abilities.
How do the staff at Courtney Ladybirds Preschool know if children need extra help?
All staff at Courtney Ladybirds hold or are training towards appropriate DfE approved childcare qualifications, this ensures they have a good sound knowledge and understanding of child development. Staff also regularly partake in CPD training on subjects such as Special educational needs, Behaviour management, Understanding Autism, Makaton and more. This helps to give them a wider knowledge base and enables them to assess and reflect effectively.
Most of the staff have been at Courtney Ladybirds preschool for a number of years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience between them. Some staff have personal experiences of children with SEND and so have the ability to quickly spot signs that a child is struggling in certain areas of development. They empathise with parents of a child in this situation and so are often able to offer support and advice that they have personally tried and tested.
Your child will be allocated a Keyworker, who will be your point of contact at Preschool. This allows you and your child to build up a good, trusting relationship with them, they will send regular observations through Tapestry but will also carry out longer, more in depth observations if they feel there may be a cause for concern regarding a child’s development.
What should I do if I have concerns regarding my child’s development?
Firstly, talk to your child’s Keyworker – You are welcome to come into Preschool at a mutually agreeable time to have a face to face informal chat with them. With your permission they may discuss your concerns with the Preschool SENDCo who will get in touch with you in due course. If it is deemed necessary your child’s Keyworker and the SENDCo will observe and assess your child then put a plan in place of how they will be supporting them, they will of course take your views into consideration and will talk through everything with you before starting anything.
What happens if my child’s keyworker has concerns regarding my child’s development?
Your child’s keyworker regularly observes and assesses your child. If the assessments show any significant gaps in their development they will discuss this with the SENDCo.
These gaps may be how your child talks and interacts with other children, how they learn. Understanding and learning to control their emotions or their physical needs, including eyesight, hearing, spatial awareness, motor skills etc
As above, you will be invited in to discuss these concerns with both your child’s keyworker and SENDCo and you will all work together to create a plan on how best to support your child and help them to progress, this is called a SEN Support Plan and is part of the ‘graduated approach’ (there is link below to explain this in more detail).
What next?
We will watch, help & support, check progress and review the SEN Support Plans every 6 weeks. Then, depending on the outcome of the review, one of three different things may happen.
- We may need to change the targets on the SEN Support Plan and start another cycle of ‘Assess, plan, do, review’,
- Everyone might agree that your child’s developmental gaps have closed enough to stop the SEN Support Plan cycles and plan for maintaining their progress.
- It may be decided that help from outside professionals is needed, this could mean referrals to the settings EIO (Early Intervention Officer) or to a community Paediatrician, Speech & Language Therapist or for Autism assessment. We will ensure that you understand and agree with everything before requesting the help of an outside professional.
We work closely with the Local Authority, Children’s centres and with other local external agencies such as Speech and Language and can signpost parents.
We may talk with you about applying for Inclusion funding or an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). For explanations of both see the “What does it mean?” document below.
What if I do not agree with my child’s keyworker?
If you are not happy or do not agree with what you are being told by your child’s keyworker or the preschool SENDCo then please talk to us. We appreciate that you know and understand your child better than anyone and so will always take your views, opinions and wishes on board. If we really feel passionate that what we are telling you is correct then please allow us time to explain in more detail so that hopefully we can all agree on the best course of action for your child.
To understand your legal rights IPSEA is a charity that offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). https://www.ipsea.org.uk/
*The following links may need to be copied and pasted onto your browser.
For more information on SEND support in the local area, follow the link below for the Southglos SEND Local Offer:
For the Bristol SEND Local Offer follow the link below:
https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer
Other useful links:
The South Glos Way Inclusion Toolkit – https://sites.southglos.gov.uk/safeguarding/category/children/i-am-a-parentcarer/
The Graduated Response – https://www.sen-help.org.uk/the-system/sen-support/
Sirona Care and Health – https://sirona-cic.org.uk/children-services/
Support groups:
Bristol Autism Support – https://www.bristolautismsupport.org/
Southglos Parents and Carers – https://sgpc.org.uk/
SALT Telephone Drop in Sessions:
South Glos Speech and Language Therapists are available to support children and families. If you have a question or concern about your child’s speech, language or communication skills, please contact us:
Telephone Advice Line: 0300 125 5139
Email: sirona.slt@nhs.net
Please note – the helpline is only open on Monday mornings from 9.30am until 11am and Wednesday mornings from 9.30am until 12.30pm The helpline will be unreachable at all other times.
Stay & play groups:
Little Treasures – https://find-information-for-adults-children-families.southglos.gov.uk/kb5/southglos/directory/service.page?id=TgBTfGD8xec
Incredible Kids – https://incrediblekids.org.uk/about-us/
Gympanzees – These offer pop up gyms, sensory rooms etc specifically for children with additional needs and/or disabilities. I’ve heard lots of great things about these sessions. https://www.gympanzees.org/our-services
Jigsaw – These provide a sensory lending library where you can borrow and try out sensory toys and equipment before buying them. https://www.jigsawthornbury.org.uk/
Special Friends – This club arrange days out for families of children with additional needs and/or disabilities. It means that parents, carers and siblings can relax and enjoy a day out where there is no judgement, only understanding and empathy. I know several people who go on these days out and they all comment on how nice it is to be able to totally relax and enjoy a nice day out. http://specialfriendsclub.org.uk/
If your child has a diagnosis or is in receipt of DLA then you are eligible to join the Children’s Disability Register – If you register on this network you will receive a SEND registration card (formally known as the pink card). This may allow carers free or reduced cost entry to some attractions, activities and events. When you visit places show your registration card to the payment desk and ask if they have concessions for carers.
If you would rather not join this register then I recommend keeping a copy of your latest DLA award letter in your bag as many places offer a free or reduced cost entrance for carers. I have personally used my DLA letter to gain free carers entrance in places such as Legoland, Wild place, Longleat, Noah’s Ark, Monkey World, Bristol Aquarium and Bristol Hippodrome. It’s definitely worth asking anywhere you go.