SEND support for early years settings

Specialist teachers work with private, voluntary, independent and maintained early years providers around their roles and responsibilities in relation to SEND. This includes:

• new early years SENCO induction
• early years SENCO network meetings
• 'Request for Involvement' (to support early identification and early intervention) 

Specialist teachers also provide ongoing information, advice and interventions to support young children with identified SEND, and the practitioners that work with them, in the settings they attend.

Specialist higher level teaching assistants (HLTA) support specialist teachers and may carry out some direct work in settings to support practitioners. The work of the specialist HLTA may include:

• modelling, developing strategies, routines and resources
• using the Assessment, Tracking and Target Setting (ATTS) tool
• advice and support on the graduated response (‘assess, plan, do, review’)

Find out more about the role of specialist teachers and specialist HLTAs in early years.