Mayflower Playgroup Local Offer
The Local Offer for children with special educational needs and disabilities. (SEND)
Mayflower is fulfilling the requirement for a ‘Local Offer’. Mayflower will explain clearly how they care and provide for those with special educational needs and disabilities. This document will also explain other services locally that help/work alongside us in this work.
1) How does Mayflower Playgroup know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs or disabilities?
At Mayflower Playgroup each child has a designated key person. Their role is to develop trusting relationships with children and their families to enable respectful sharing of key information. If you think your child may have special educational or disabilities, any concerns about your child’s development can be discussed with your keyperson and our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), Mrs Sarah Konig and/or the Playgroup Supervisor, Mrs Caroline Nicholls.
At Mayflower knowing whether extra help for children is needed is usually identified through ongoing daily observations by the keyperson and other staff, along with your observations and knowledge of your child. This helps us to build a picture of your child’s strengths and any areas of concern. We use the Birth to Five Matters ages and stages of development, alongside other child development resources to help us in our assessments. If your child does have a possible individual need, the keyperson with support and advice from the SENCO will discuss this with you and plan with you the next steps to support your child’s learning and development.
2) How will you support my child?
Our aim at Mayflower is to work in partnership with parents to support each individual child so they can thrive.Before starting at Mayflower Playgroup, we will send you an admissions email which will contain an “All About Me”. This will help us to gather information about your child’s strengths and needs and any other relevant information from other professionals that you can share with us.
On admission, we will work together with you on a settling in plan which is most appropriate to your child’s needs and you will be able to discuss with the Supervisor and/or SENCO any concerns or requirements your child may have. Our SENCO will explain how your child’s individual needs can be met which involves observing and assessing your child to help identify individual needs and then planning next steps and targeted support with strategies in an Individual Plan for both home and Playgroup. Your child’s key person and the SENCO will oversee the targets on the Individual Plan.
Individual Plans are reviewed regularly and updated as your child’s needs change. Observations, assessments and reviews will always take into account your views as well as the child’s voice
The Supervisor will maintain an overview of experiences and progress and the SENCO will co-ordinate and work with all staff to ensure as a team we are providing consistent and appropriate support for your child.
With your consent, the Playgroup can make referrals and seek support and advice from other professionals to support your child. Depending on your child’s needs, referrals can be made to the appropriate support and assessment services including to the Child Development Clinic, Speech and Language Therapy Service, to the Health Visiting Service and on transition to school to the Specialist Advisory Teachers for Early Years Send Transitions (EYSAT).
West Sussex Early Years Childcare Advisors (EYCA) can also work with us in providing support and advice in how best to meet your child’s needs. They also oversee the SEND under 5 process which we can refer your child to. The SEND under 5 team aim to ensure the best support is in place for your child and enable decisions to be made about ongoing support and the most appropriate referral and formal assessment pathways if needed for your child through the early years and onto transition to school.
3) How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
We will get to know about your child through the “All about Me” before they start and then through ongoing observational assessments. Targets linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage ages and stages of development will be set on Individual Plans to support the learning and development of your child. This enables planning for individual needs and learning goals.
Your child’s key person and our SENCO will work together with you to make sure that the environment, routines and activities support your child’s needs and progress with our commitment to and focus on inclusive practice as set out in the West Sussex Ordinarily Available Inclusive Practice guide (OAIP). OAIP – West Sussex County Council.
4) How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?
We have an ‘Open door policy’ which encourages ongoing two-way communication of your child’s progress. ‘Stay and Play’ sessions allow you to stay and help and see how your child is developing in the setting.
Alongside a child’s Individual Plan which is regularly reviewed, we share observations of your child through the Famly app which show what and how your child is learning at Playgroup.
Alongside this when your child is aged between 2-3 years, we carry out a 2 year progress review which we then share with you during a Stay and Play. We also carry out termly assessments which show the progress your child has made and next steps we can work together on at both Playgroup and at home.
Regular news and posts are sent home via the Famly app, keeping you up to date with what is happening at Playgroup as well as ideas for home learning or articles with helpful information on a range of topics including child development, food and nutrition, health and wellbeing.
5) What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?
Our practitioners are welcoming and friendly, providing an inclusive, sensitive and nurturing approach. They provide good role models for positive behaviour and are consistent in the day to day care of all our children. We are flexible in our routines to provide a positive environment for your child’s needs and provide personal care such as changing nappies. Children’s special diets are taken into consideration when planning snack time and cooking activities.
Personal health plans can be adopted if necessary and staff will be trained in giving the appropriate medication for your child if required (Epilepsy,Diabetes) Should your child require regular prescribed medication then you will be required to complete the relevant Health forms and you will be informed of the administration of the medicine through the Famly app.
Activities will be adapted to ensure your child is able to interact fully with the environment, and visuals, such as a visual timetable and Now and Next board are used to help them understand our daily routines.
We are aware that children can become dysregulated and need support to co-regulate. We will work with you and your child to provide a consistent and planned approach to support their needs. We provide a quiet area to retreat to if your child is tired or needs some quiet time
6) What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by Mayflower Playgroup?
All staff are experienced working with the Early Years age group and understand Child Development, some have teaching or nursing qualifications.
We have links with our local Family Hub and can signpost families to other support groups through the West Sussex Local Offer and the West Sussex SENDIAS Service providing impartial information, advice and support to children and young people who have SEND and their parent/carers.
We can also access support from West Sussex Early Years Childcare Advisors who oversee the SEND under 5. Their aim is to help Early Years practitioners provide the best possible experience and outcomes for children with SEND at Playgroup. They support practitioners in meeting children’s individual needs through offering advice over the phone, observing individual children in the setting, suggesting ways to support individual needs, planning next steps with practitioners and parents and signposting to training. Parents’ input along this process is essential and parental agreement will always be sought before they become involved with any individual child.
7) What training are the staff, supporting children with SEND, had or are having?
Staff have had and regularly update their training through West Sussex Early Years Training including courses in child development, language and communication, autism and social communication, supporting emotions and positive behaviour. After training, staff then cascade information in staff meetings. We also have inhouse access to resources and training to enhance our existing knowledge and make use of training provided by other professional organisations such as the Early Years Alliance and subscribe to early years publications such as Nursery World. We keep up to date with the latest research into early years policy and practice through the Education Endowment Foundation.
The SENCO has a Level 3 Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinators in Early Years Settings. All staff have an up to date First Aid qualification and some members of staff have attended appropriate courses for individual children’s needs.
8) How will my child be included in activities outside Mayflower Playgroup including trips?
All visits or trips would be planned in order to include all of our children. We will endeavour to include parents/carers in the planning of the visit off site to identify the needs of your child. All parents are invited to join us on our trip.
A risk assessment would be carried out prior to the visit. We would also take along any aides or medication your child as identified.
9) How accessible is the Mayflower Playgroup environment? (Indoors and outdoors)
We have a large level room; the main access has a step but if needed there is access via a slopping entrance. We have access to one disabled toilet with dedicated changing facility. We have 3 child sized toilets within easy access. The outside play area is flat, partly grassed and could be accessed by a ramp. We occasionally use adjoining rooms for small group work which are on a level with the main room.
If you are a parent/carer whose first language is not English, we make use of translation tools such as Google Translate and you can nominate a representative who speaks English, or if possible, we can arrange for an external interpreter.
Signs and posters, and open display units around the setting are used with a resource book helping children identify equipment and play areas.
We provide multi-sensory activities as part of our planning. We continue to adapt equipment and facilities to support children with special educational needs for both indoor and outdoor environments.
10) How will the Mayflower Playgroup prepare and support my child to join the playgroup/transfer to a new setting/school?
We offer a flexible settling in period ensuring your child can settle in at their pace.
When transferring to another setting or moving on to school, the Playgroup will invite the key person/teacher and SENCO to attend your child’s sessions at playgroup to meet and play alongside your children and to discuss your child’s strengths and needs. We place great emphasis on transition meetings where key people involved in your child’s care meet to discuss the transition and next steps in their learning journey.
Staff and children make visits to the local schools.
Your child’s Individual Plans and a transition summary with any other information that may be relevant to your child will be passed on to the new setting giving them the time to make necessary plans for any changes they may need to make.
If other professionals have been involved in supporting or assessing your child , they may also help with the transition to school, transferring over their written summaries of your individual child. If a Specialist Advisory Teacher for Early Years SEND Transition(EYSAT) has been involved, they will also provide support and advice to the school for your child during their first term at school.
11) How are Mayflower Playgroup’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
Within our budget, staffing is managed to provide a high level of support for each child’s needs. Funds are also allocated to train staff when needed and Inclusion funding can be applied for to support your child in our setting if an application for this is successful.
12) How is the decision made about what type and how much support will my child receive?
The decision is made with your full consultation throughout the process.
Through the observation process linked to the EYFS ages and stages of development, and in discussion with you, the Key Person and the SENCO will identify what support is required. Targeted and individualised support will then be put in place through an Individual Plan if necessary.
Ongoing partnerships with you, other professionals and ourselves will also support the decision making process. Your permission will be sought before involving outside agencies.
13) How are parents involved in Mayflower Playgroup? How can I be involved?
We recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents to support a child’s development. Parents are invited to and welcome to ‘Stay and Play’ to see their child in the play environment and speak to their keyperson.
Parents are involved in identifying needs, sharing information, identifying targets and next steps to focus on at home and in the setting and reviewing progress towards these targets.
Policies are updated regularly and are available for parents, to read or an email can be sent containing the full set. Key relevant policies are given to you in the Admission pack.
We welcome and value feedback on our policies and on any aspect of our provision and care for your child.
14) Who can I contact for further information?
The Playgroup Supervisor, SENCO or your child’s key person is available in sessions if you would like to discuss your child’s needs. We are able to put you in contact with other professionals who will be able to support your child, such as the WSCC Families Information Service, health visitors, speech and language therapists and the Family Hub.
The staff team and the Playgroup policies can also provide advice and strategies on a range of issues.
The Local Authority’s Local Offer brings together services, information and events available for children and young people with SEND and their families and can be found at Local Offer – West Sussex County Council.
Impartial support and advice for families at West Sussex SENDIAS Service.