Medway Early Years SENCo Briefing

1. Medway Early YearsSENCo Briefing Monday 2nd July Wednesday 4th July Tina Arterton Early Years SEND Lead Teacher Early Years SEND Team Integrated 0-25 Disability Services eyhighneeds@medway.gov.uk(not secure) 01634 332496

2. Registering for Egress • Egress is no longer a free service. • We will need to discuss the implications of this and how we will share information securely. • More information to follow – please check on elearning.

3. Funding requests • Additional funding for children - this is for children over 3yrs who are in receipt of their nursery funding. • Look at their primary level of need – if they are functioning at 16-26mths or below then they may be eligible for additional funding. • The forms for this are on e-learning with an example to help you. • The forms are sent directly to the SEN Team to process. • There is a monthly panel meeting where the funding is agreed. • You will receive confirmation of the funding and any review dates then you will need to invoice. • Funding will be SIF (SEN Inclusion Funding) or High Needs Funding

4. Invoicing • SIF funding will come from the Early Years SEND Team. • An invoice number and date must be on the invoice otherwise we are unable to pay it. Please avoid just using 1,2,3 etc. An example for Joe Bloggs could be JB/07/2018 – thus his initials, the month you are invoicing in and then the year. • Then include the name of the child and the months you are invoicing for and the amount (see Note 1 on invoice template), eg Joe Bloggs, July 2018, £150. • You can’t invoice in advance, only in arrears and the current month we are in (e.g. Jan 2018 – July 2018). You would not be able to invoice for anything past July as this is the current month we are in. • Don’t forget to include August’s monthly amount if that has been agreed as the funding is pro-rata – (again can’t be paid in advance) • SIF queries please contact Julia Hanks on 01634 331194 julia.hanks@medway.gov.uk . For High Needs Funding queries please contact Tim Macklin on 01634 331185 tim.macklin@medway.gov.uk • Invoices can be emailed to Julia via Egress as this is secure email.

5. EHC Process • Parents can make a parental request for an EHC at any time – (you will have 10 days to complete the report) • However it is much better if you can work with your parents to make a joint request when appropriate and you have all the evidence. Please let the EY Team know via Egress if you are making a request for an EHC. • Contact the Early Years Lead Teacher to discuss a possible request and a School Based Plan report will be sent to you. • Evidence submitted to the SEN Team via Egress. • Request logged and then a date will be set for 1st discussion at SEN panel. • If yes to assess EP and SEN Officer will be allocated. • You may be asked to arrange a SAM • 2nd discussion decides if an EHC plan will be issued. • If it is no to assess parents have the right to a mediation meeting. • Draft EHC issued and then a Final EHC is issued. • This will then be reviewed annually.

6. Early Years SEND Service Delivery • Little Builders and Big Builders will continue – joint intervention with Health • From Big Builders if not yet at pre-school they will be offered a targeted stay and play. • The EY Team will liaise with settings and MAY offer a transition visit following BB or the stay and play. • Physical Movement Group ~ children who are 2yr 3mth – 3yr 6mth. These children will require intensive physical input prior to a short focused activity. ~ The programme runs for up to 5 weeks. ~ Up to 4 children and 2 members of staff – 45mins ~ If they are at pre-school or due to start then the Team will provide feedback on the sessions. ~ referrals will come from Big Builders or CTT

7. Social Skills group ~ For children who are between 2yrs 6mths – 3yrs 6mths who may have found the Meet and Greet for Big Builders challenging – very active, managing transitions is difficult and this is impacting on their ability to follow short adult led tasks. ~ The programme runs for 6 weeks. ~ up to 4 children with 2 members of staff – 1 hr session (includes having a snack) ~ If the children are at pre-school or due to start then the Team will provide feedback on the sessions. ~ referrals will come from Meet and Greet Big Builders / physical movement group or Targeted Activity Group

8. Pathway 4 – Targeted Activity Group ~ These children would previously have received Portage Home Visiting service. Thus they are the most complex children with a significant delay in 2 or more areas of their development. ~ For children aged 18mths – 3 and a half years (we may have some children until they start school) – some younger children ~ Weekly ongoing session for up to 6 children with 2 members of staff. ~ These children may be at pre-school / Nursery and they can also access this group. ~ Each child / family will have a lead SEND Practitioner as their point of contact who will also liaise with the nursery / pre-school if appropriate. ~ EHC request may then be a joint application with the EY team and the setting. ~ Some families may receive a short block of home visits and then will be invited into groups. ~ Referrals from CTT / Paediatricians / Health Visitor or Little Builders and Big Builders

9. Support for settings • Each setting will have a named contact from the Early Years SEND Team. • This will provide email and telephone contact for the setting. • At least once a term each setting will receive a call and maybe a visit to discuss individual children and educational planning / programmes of support / referrals etc. (this will replace the model of SENCo Surgeries that existed previously) • I am looking at moving to Cluster groups to meet 3 times a year rather than the big SENCo Briefings and possibly an annual SENCo Conference. Further information to come next Academic year.

10. Contacting the Early Years SEND Team • Please use the following email address to contact the Early Years SEND Lead Teacher – eyhighneeds@medway.gov.uk • This email inbox is monitored by the Senior Admin Assistant Julia Hanks and she may be able to help with queries. • If you have not heard from us within 5 working days (term time) please contact Tina Newman 334016. • If you are unable to contact your SEND Practitioner then call Tina who will email the relevant member of the team. • Funding application queries to Jackie Andrew SEN Team on 337177. • EHC application queries to Dawn Knight SEN Team on 337175.

11. Using elearningatlast • The platform remains in use: ~ All the most up to date referral forms are available – on the home page – left hand side click on Early Years Information and Guidance – then click on Referral forms for Practitioners and this will open all the referral forms you will need. ~ Please dispose of any old forms you have and work from these so you know you are using the correct form. ~ The second Monday of each month the Early Years SEND Team will post updates (if no dates needed we will mark this) - on the home page – left hand side click on Early Years Information and Guidance – click on Updates from Medway Early Years SEND Team – then click on Monthly updates. THIS WILL BE OUR MAIN METHOD OF COMMUNICATION WITH YOU – PLEASE CHECK EVERY MONTH. WE WILL ONLY DO AN EMAIL RUN IN AN EMERGENCY

12. Training for 2018 -2019 • Role of SENCo Training – plan is to deliver in Term 2 and Term 5 by the Early Years Lead SEND Teacher. Date is set for 1st November 9.30 – 2.30 at GW. Those on the reserve list please let us know if you can’t attend. Email confirmation of your place will follow from the Admin Team. • Using resources workshops – shoebox! Dates to follow. • Small Steps programme workshops to include target setting for children with complex SEND. Dates to follow. • Cluster meetings 3x a year – venues and dates to be decided. • Hoping to run an annual conference Term 6 2019.

13. Additional support • Disability Access Fund – over 3yrs in receipt of DLA – Managers should know how to apply – the DAF forms are available on elearningatlast. • the link below has the form – some parents may need support to complete this https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/530331/dla1a-child-print.pdf • Don’t forget to ask parents if their circumstances have changed because if they become eligible you can then access the Disability Access Fund which will give you an extra £615 per year. This funding is for children over 3yrs remember but if you know a 2yr old is in receipt then you can get ready to put in the application when appropriate. • If you are making a DAF application – please could you inform the EY Team - email us we numbers – we don’t need child’s details.

14. Information from outside agencies • The Children’s Therapy Team (CTT) and the Paediatricians are all based now at Snapdragons Centre, Cliffe Road, Strood, Rochester ME2 3FF contact number: 01634 333366 • Duty desk manned 9.00 – 12.00 daily by SALT, OT, Physio and Health Visitor. Queries about support programmes reports or whether to make a referral can be directed to this duty desk. • Info from Jane Elworthy Lead Professional for Physical and Sensory Service: ~ They are supporting children with permanent HI/VI/MSI ~ They usually take referrals from audiology and ophthalmology but if you have concerns about a child contact them to discuss further. ~ If a child has a Physical Impairment (PI) then refer to the CTT and the child’s OT/Physio therapist – if unsure speak with Jane on 01634 334144 or 07795 236284

15. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to support children with SEND – have a lovely summer 