Early Years Area SENCos, are Advisory Teachers with a high level of experience in working with young children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their families. Early Years Inclusion Advisers are qualified early years graduates, specialising in SEND who support early years providers with their inclusive practice.

More information about the Early Years SEND Service

Children’s Social Care aims to work with parents, carers and young people in a partnership based on respect, equality and fairness, and to offer advice and support before a situation reaches crisis point.

They also work in partnership with, and may refer to, other services and community groups, including education, health, housing, benefits agencies and the police.

More information about Children’s Social Care

The Early Years Entitlement Team do all of the administration associated with the take-up of the Early Years Entitlements for three and four years olds. Their work also includes the administration of the funding for eligible two-year-olds and free school meals.

Email: eyfunding@somerset.gov.uk
Phone: 01823 357039

Find out more about Entitlement:

30 hours Funded Childcare Provider Information

Early Years Entitlement for Parents

Public Health are run by the local authority, and their priorities are to enable:

• People, families and communities to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing
• Families and communities to be thriving and resilient
• Somerset people to be able to live independently

Email: publichealth@somerset.gov.uk

More about Public Health

The aim of the health visiting team is to work with you/your family to identify areas that may impact on the overall health and wellbeing of your family, and to develop a plan together to support you and your child.

Contact details

West Somerset and Taunton – WestandTauntonHV@somerset.gov.uk

Sedgemoor – DutyBridgwaterHealthVisitor@somerset.gov.uk

Mendip – sheptonmallethealthvisitors@somerset.gov.uk

South Somerset – yeovilhealthvisitor@somerset.gov.uk

Find out more about health visitors here

Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. They are responsible for inspecting and regulating services that care for children in England. This includes childminders, registered nannies, nurseries, pre-schools, schools and Further Education colleges.

More information about organisations covered by Ofsted

The Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership works to make sure that children in Somerset are safe.

More about Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership

Email: childrens@somerset.gov.uk

SCIL conduct all training and professional development for all practitioners in early years, childminding, play and out of school settings. They also deal with general enquiries about Early Years Leadership and Peer to Peer Support Framework and Early Years Teaching Centres.

More information about Somerset Centre for Integrated Learning

Address: Dillington House, Ilminster, TA19 9DT

Email: SCIL@somerset.gov.uk

Phone: 0300 123 1967

The Somerset Early Help Advisory Service is a new service commissioned by Somerset Council and delivered, in partnership, by the Early Years Alliance. The service will work with all Early Years educators and settings in Somerset to support them to deliver Early Help to children and families where needed.

‘Early help’ is the term used to describe any intervention or support given to a family when a problem first emerges. The main focus is to improve outcomes for children. We aim to be a consistent point of contact for advice and resources to all Somerset settings, building maximum knowledge and confidence.

We will develop and build on existing resources already provided through the EAL Advisory service, including resources and signposting to help you.

Somerset Early Help Advisory Service support children and families facing specific challenges, by confidently providing early intervention where needed. SEHAS supports children’s emotional health and promotes wellbeing in children under the age of five, supports school readiness and narrows the gap between EAL Learners and their peers.

For more information, visit the Somerset Early Help Advisory website

Address – Early Years Alliance, The Old School, School Road, Westonzoyland, Bridgwater TA7 0LN

Office phone – 01278 691719

Email – earlyhelpsomerset@eyalliance.org.uk

Facebook – www.facebook.com/groups/somersetearlyhelpadvisoryservice

SASP is the Active Partnership for Somerset, and we work to improve the quality of life in communities across our area through the power of physical activity. SASP is dedicated to increasing the health and happiness of residents in Somerset through physical activity and sport.

Visit the SASP website for more information