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.

Tailored advice and practical support is offered to Early Years providers about strategies to support young children with the highest level of special educational needs and facilitate their transition to compulsory schooling through the school entry planning process.

Through structured conversations with and/or visits to settings, training and termly workshops, we provide support to Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) and practitioners in Early Years settings. We support settings to meet their statutory duties within the SEND Code of Practice, including advice about Education Health and Care Needs Assessments, Educational Health Care Plans and Annual Reviews.

Our team works closely with the specialist Early Years Educational Psychologists and other professional colleagues from within Education, Health and Social Care.

We work in partnership with parents and carers through our conversations with, and visits to, Early Years settings and attend multi-agency meetings for individual children.

Early Years Area SENCOs are part of the Early Years SEND Support Service.

How to make a referral – Early Help Assessment (EHA) and Supporting Documents

Professional Choices Somerset Council Inclusion Advice Line phone number 0300 123 2224

Inclusion Advice Line

Somerset Council Early Years Graduated Response Tool

Type of provision

Targeted - This is for people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families