Graduated Response Early Years
Use the pages to the left and below to find a wealth of information, guidance and templates. All have been designed to help special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs), early years practitioners, and childminders to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families.
Request support from the Early Years SEND Team
If you need particular guidance around an individual child or have a high level of children with additional needs in your setting, please complete a Request for Support form and email it to your local Early Years SEND Team.
- North East: SectorNE@surreycc.gov.uk
- North West: SectorNW@surreycc.gov.uk
- South East: SectorSE@surreycc.gov.uk
- South West: SectorSW@surreycc.gov.uk
The Surrey Graduated Response
Surrey's Graduated Response document aims to provide clear and consistent guidance about assessing, planning, carrying out and reviewing support and intervention at each threshold of need.
The Early Years Graduated Response has two parts:
Part One
The Profile of Need (Assess)
This is divided into four areas of need:
- Communication and Interaction
- Cognition and Learning
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Physical and Sensory Needs (including Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment and/or Multi-Sensory Impairment)
Each of the four areas are then divided up into supporting children at Universal, Setting Support, Specialist Support and Statutory Assessment.
Part Two
This is divided into three sections:
- Assessment and Planning - Plan
- Intervention and Support - Do
- Evaluating Progress and Review - Review
Surrey Support Plan
The Surrey Support Plan (SSP) brings together a record of the intervention and support for a child in one document. It should be used in conjunction with the Graduated Response Document. Practitioners should start an SSP as soon as they identify a child needs additional support.
The SSP also provides evidence for Early Intervention Funding (EIF) and a Request for an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan. The SSP should be a working document which is reviewed regularly, and shared with parents. Remember to include information, strategies and targets from other professionals.
Please use the guidance for completing the Surrey Support Plan to help you. Alternatively, you can view the guidance as a video here:
Individual Support Plan (ISPs) and SEND Support Arrangements (SSAs)
These have now been replaced by the Surrey Support Plan (SSP) so that everything is in one document. The Surrey Support Plan can be used throughout all stages of the graduated approach (universal, setting support, specialist support and statutory assessment) and replaces the previous SEND Support Arrangements form for children until they go into Reception year at School.
You can refer to the guidance for completing the Surrey Support Plan, or view the guidance as a video.
SEND Code of Practice
The SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years came into force on the 1 September 2014. The code covers the 0 to 25 age and sets out the statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures for all organisations who work with and support children and young people with SEND. It relates to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
SEND networks and training
SEND Surgeries
These online surgeries are intended to provide you with time to talk with a SEND Advisor for advice and support. If you would like to talk about supporting an individual child, how to manage a high number of children with SEND or need help with completing paperwork please book an appointment with us. If you would like to discuss individual children, we would require you complete a Request for Support form so that we have parental consent.
The surgeries are 45 minutes per appointment; however two appointments can be requested if you think there is a need and we have the time available.
Please email the sector box for your area to let us know you would like to book some time with a SEND Advisor and we will get back to you with availability.
SEND Surgeries are currently carried out virtually using the online meeting platform Microsoft Teams.
Networks
SEND Networks are held termly in each borough and will be facilitated by the SEND advisors. They will include updates and networking opportunities for early years SENCOs. These are free to attend.
Please go to Early Years Learning and Development Portal to book a place.
SENCO Training
Early Years Settings SENCO Training:
The Early Years SEND team are running 'The Role of the SENCO' training in East and West Surrey. This three day training consists of:
- Day one – 'Person Centered Approaches' and Graduated Response: Universal support
- Day two – Graduated Response: Setting support
- Day three - Graduated Response: Specialist support and Request for Statutory Assessment
Training from other professionals:
Throughout the year our partners, the Educational Psychology service, Speech and Language therapy service, Race, Ethnicity, Minority Achievement team (REMA) and the Portage service will also be running training on supporting children with additional needs. These will be advertised in the Childcare Professional bulletins.
For email bulletins on all Early Years SEND training, please sign up to the Childcare Professional e-bulletins.
Observation and assessment resources
Early Years Observation and Assessment Tools to Help with Early Identification
General spontaneous observations are a purposeful part of everyday practice, and these may initially alert you to a delay in a particular area. There are a number of observation tools that are very useful in making assessments to ascertain if a child can continue to be supported at Universal level (within best EYFS practice) or requires more targeted interventions at Setting Support level.
The 'Early Years Observation and Assessment Tools to Help with Early Identification' leaflet will look at the following:
- the developmental tracker
- a narrative observation
- a tracking observation
- a frequency observation
- the early language audit tool
- the teaching talking assessment tool (Ann Locke)
One Page Profile
A universal tool that can be used to collate information about a child and how to support them.
Developmental tracker
A developmental tracker can help identify if a child is showing typical development for their age, may be at risk of delay or is exceeding age-related expectations. The developmental tracker below focuses on the prime areas of learning as these lay the foundation of learning in all other specific areas.
What to Expect When
Foundation Years publish a guide for parents about what to expect in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
EYFS Progress Check at Age Two
Childcare providers and health teams are expected to integrate the reviews they complete when a child is two years old. Surrey County Council has worked with health visiting teams across Surrey to come up with a process to integrate the two reviews. The following three documents have been written to support you with the check.
- How to complete the EYFS Progress Check at age two
- EYFS Progress Check at age two (to be completed when a child is between 24 and 26 months)
- EYFS Progress Check at age two example letter
Early language monitoring tool
The Early Language Monitoring Tool enables you to review an individual child's progress in each aspect of communication and language and plan next steps for learning. This document is needed when completing a Speech and Language referral for therapy.
Teaching Talking Early Years Profiles (often referred to as Ann Lockes)
Support and resource packs
Social and emotional wellbeing
Supporting the social and emotional well-being of children in the early years involves creating a framework that incorporates all aspects of life in a setting including:
- The expectations adults have of how children should behave
- The way in which strong, positive relationships are valued and promoted
- How language is used
- The organisation and routines of the setting
- The emphasis which is placed on building a mutually respectful relationship with parents
In the Supporting the Social and Emotional Well-being of Children in Early Years Settings pack (previously known as the 'Promoting Positive Behaviour' pack) you will find a range of information and tools that will support you to fully understand what children are trying to communicate through their behaviour, what may trigger children to exhibit a stress response (fight, flight, freeze, submit), how best to support each unique child to develop good self-esteem by enabling them to be successful in play experiences, and empowering children to develop confidence and resilience.
The pack is designed to support you to follow a Graduated Response when supporting children who are demonstrating distressed behaviour. It is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 gives guidance and strategies that should be in place at Universal, Setting Support and Specialist Support levels and Part 2 contains tools and resources for you to use in your setting.
- Supporting the Social and Emotional Well-being of Children in Early Years Settings - Guidance
- Supporting the Social and Emotional Well-being of Children in Early Years Settings - Appendices
If you would like support from the Early Years Educational Effectiveness Team, please email earlyyearsadvisors@surreycc.gov.uk or complete an Early Years Educational Effectiveness team request for support.
Health Care Plan Guidance
You can find information about supporting children with medical needs in Early Years settings, including useful record keeping templates, in the following guidance document:
The more general Supporting Children and Young People with Medical Conditions document also includes an overview of statutory guidance and advice, as well as an individual healthcare plan template and other useful record-keeping templates. The focus of the document is schools not early years settings.
Surrey's Early Years Educational Effectiveness team have also created an Administration of Medication Policy Prompts (January 2021), to help early years settings write a policy for their setting. The policy is available by contacting your Early Years Advisor at earlyyearsadvisors@surreycc.gov.uk If you would like advice on specific children, please contact the Early Years SEND Team.
Additional resources for health
You may also find useful information on the Children and Families Healthy Surrey website including information about asthma, epilepsy and diabetes.
Speech and Language tools
These resources are produced by the Early Years Speech and Language service for use in Early Years Settings to assess, plan and do the activities/strategies suggested and to share with parents/carers. When used in the outcomes and targets section of the child's Surrey Support Plan (SSP) they would need to be reviewed around every 6 weeks depending on the child's attendance and/or progress.
Occupational Therapy tools
These resources are produced by the Children's Occupational Therapy service for use in Early Years Settings to assess, plan and do the activities/strategies suggested and to share with parents/carers. When used in the outcomes and targets section of the child's Surrey Support Plan (SSP) they would need to be reviewed around every 6 weeks depending on the child's attendance and/or progress.
Transition
A transition is a point at which a child makes a significant move from one part of their education journey to another. Within the early years, transitions can mean starting at a setting, moving from room to room within a setting, moving from one setting to another, or moving on to school.
Positive transitions support young children's development and emotional wellbeing. The quality of the transition can impact on a child's ability to feel safe, play and learn.
The Early Years Educational Effectiveness Team and SEND Team have worked together to create "Supporting Positive Transitions in the Early Years", which contains guidance and documents to help practitioners plan for successful transitions. It includes information about which paperwork to share for all children and for those with additional needs.
- Supporting Positive Transitions in the Early Years (guidance)
- Supporting Positive Transitions in the Early Years (appendices)
Settings may also wish to highlight to parents the Finding and applying for a school, which has details of both Mainstream and SEND Admissions processes.
Advice lines
Children and Family Health Advice Line
Families with children from birth to 19 years old can call the Surrey-wide 0-19 Advice Line on 01883 340 922.
The line is available from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) and provides support on all aspects of child health, development, and parenting.
Visit the Children and Family Health Advice Line website for further advice and information. The website contains useful information on issues such as sleep, healthy eating, and behaviour, as well as some helpful apps for parents.
Occupational Therapy Helpline
The Occupational Therapy Helpline is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 4pm.
- Telephone: 01932 558 570
They offer practical occupational therapy advice, strategies and support to schools, parents/ carers and other professionals in relation to a child's/young person's functional and independence skills.
Educational Psychology (EP) telephone helpline
An Educational Psychologist (EPs) from each area team will be available to consult about children or broader practice issues every Wednesday afternoon of the week during term time. EPs will focus on problem-solving, providing information and signposting as appropriate. This is not a formal means of referring an individual child to an EP and consultations about children will be anonymous.
Information EPs will record for administrative purposes will include:
- setting name
- setting contact name
- age of the child
- gender of child
- summary of key issues causing concern.
No prior arrangement is necessary- simply call into your area telephone number below between 2pm to 4pm each Wednesday (during term time) as follows:
- East Surrey: 01737 737777
- North West Surrey: 01483 518130
- South West Surrey: 01483 517179
Please note, that the helpline is only open to professionals, not parents. If you caII and the hotline is busy, business support will take a message for an EP to call you back within 48 hours of your call.
Referrals
Referrals to outside agencies are a good way of receiving specialised support to identify the nature of a child's needs or to determine the most effective approach to use with them.
You may refer a child following differentiated targets/strategies recorded on their Surrey Support Plan (SSP).
If a child with complex needs starts at your nursery, and you need immediate support, please contact your SEND advisory team
- Children and Family Health Surrey One Stop
- Supporting Targeted Education and Play Skills (STEPS)
- CAMHS Single Point of Access (SPA)
- Educational Psychology Involvement
- Specialist Early Education Service (SEES)
Children and Family Health Surrey One Stop
One Stop is the centralised referral and triage service for professionals to refer to Surrey's specialist children's community services.
Its clinically led team triage referrals for:
- paediatric therapies: occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy (early years and acute intervention)
- enuresis and continence
- tongue tie (ankyloglossia)
- PIMHS (parent-infant mental health service)
- nutrition and dietetics
- community developmental paediatrician service.
How to refer
- Through the One Stop online portal https://childrensreferrals.sabp.nhs.uk
- Call the Children and Family Health One Stop on 0300 222 5755. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
- Write to Children and Family Health One Stop, 1st Floor, Dominion House, Woodbridge Road, Guildford GU1 4PU.
- Referrals are not accepted by email or fax.
- If the referral does not meet service criteria, the team will signpost to other appropriate services.
Note about referring to Speech and Language Therapy:
Speech and Language therapy referrals for children under 30 months are now signposted by One Stop to receive graduated support from the 0-19 teams in partnership with early years settings, family centre groups and third sector support. The Speech and Language Therapy service provides assessment, therapy and advice for children aged over 30 months who have not yet started school and have speech, language, and communication needs.
When referring to speech and language therapy, you may wish to attach this nursery questionnaire (.doc) or ask parents/carers to take along to a speech and language therapy advice clinic.
Note about referring to Occupational Therapy:
When referring to occupational therapy, please complete the Activities of daily living checklist.
You can then upload or scan this document in when completing the referral, it will give comprehensive information to the OneStop service and the Occupational Therapists.
For questions, support and advice, please call our OT Helpline on 01932 558 570. The helpline is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 4pm for parents and carers, nurseries, schools and other professionals.
Supporting Targeted Education and Play Skills (STEPS)
STEPS was set up by the Early Years SEND team and Freemantles School Autism Outreach Service. It provides targeted support for parents, for early years settings and for the transition into school for children displaying difficulties with social communication.
What do social communication difficulties look like?
Children who are not keeping up with their peers in skills such as communicating with other people, following routines, following instructions, or play skills. They might have other challenges including anxiety or sensory differences.
What does STEPS look like?
Three blocks of support are available for each phase:
- Support for Parents consists of three sessions, which could include home visits, online meetings and/or meetings with staff from nursery/pre-school. Discussion with parents centre around how things are going with the child and some strategies are suggested around something that is not going so well, such as routines, sleep, eating or using the toilet.
- Support for Early Years Settings consists of three visits to nursery/pre-school to look at strategies and support in place for the child. The Outreach Worker will work with setting's practitioners to establish a target area, including topics such as routines, independence, anxiety, sensory needs, structure or visual supports.
- Support for Transition will include consulting with nursery/preschool staff to find out what has worked well and what is the important information that a child's new school will need to know. The Outreach Worker will visit the new school and liaise with the reception class staff to make sure everything will be in place when the child arrives in September. The Outreach Worker will follow up in the autumn term to problem solve and talk through next steps.
Making a referral to STEPS
Referrals must be made through your EY SEND Advisor, who will organise for the child's case to be discussed at an Early Intervention Funding (EIF) panel. The panel will decide if funding for STEPS is agreed and which of the three blocks of support this will include.
Signed consent from parents/ carers must be obtained on the referral form and an up-to-date Surrey Support Plan must be submitted along with the EIF application form. You can find further details about the STEPS programme on the Freemantles Outreach website.
CAMHS Single Point of Access (SPA)
CAMHS SPA is the single point of contact for referrals to Mindsight Surrey CAHMS services. The SPA triages requests for support for children and young people with emotional wellbeing and mental health difficulties, including those with complex or chronic needs, as well as requests for assessment and support for neuro-developmental assessments. These range from anxiety and depression, eating disorders, self-harm and possible developmental disorders (such as ASD or ADHD).
How to refer
- Through the online portal: https://childrensreferrals.sabp.nhs.uk
- Call: 0300 222 5755 (open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm)
- Write to: CAMHS Single Point of Access, First Floor, Dominion House, Woodbridge Road, Guildford, GU1 4PU
Educational Psychology Involvement
There should be robust SEND support in place before Educational Psychology (EP) involvement is requested. If you feel that EP support is needed please talk this through with your SEND Advisory team and they can email you a request form. This form is not available for general download.
EP Telephone helpline
An Educational Psychologist (EPs) from each area team will be available to consult about children or broader practice issues every Wednesday afternoon of the week during term time. EPs will focus on problem-solving, providing information and signposting as appropriate. This is not a formal means of referring an individual child to an EP and consultations about children will be anonymous.
Information EPs will record for administrative purposes will include:
- setting name
- setting contact name
- age of the child
- gender of child
- summary of key issues causing concern.
No prior arrangement is necessary – simply call into your area telephone number below between 2pm to 4pm each Wednesday (during term time) as follows:
East Surrey: 01737 737777
North West Surrey: 01483 518130
South West Surrey: 01483 517179
Please note, that the helpline is only open to professionals, not parents. If you call and the hotline is busy, business support will take a message for an EP to call you back within 48 hours of your call.
Analysis of Additional Needs Tool (AANT)
An AANT is a holistic and psychological tool which enables early years settings to access Educational Psychology support efficiently and at an early stage.
The AANT starts with an online assessment of strengths and difficulties. This is followed by a virtual consultation with an Educational Psychologist and the person requesting the AANT. This leads to an action plan and agreement about the best ways forward. A record of the assessment and consultation, including key strategies and resources will then be available.
If you would like to request an AANT, please agree this with your Early Years Advisor or SEND Advisor. You can only access an AANT through securing Early Intervention Funding.
Specialist Early Education Service (SEES)
The Specialist Early Education Service (SEES) launched in September 2019 and is an amalgamation of the Portage and Local Early Autism Programme (LEAP) teams. SEES is part of the Educational Psychology Service. Each area team of Specialist Support Workers (SSW) are managed by a Teaching Lead and supported by a Senior Specialist Support Worker.
Portage
Nationally recognised home teaching programme for very young children with significant developmental delay or complex needs.
Criteria:
- children from birth to three years
- significant developmental delay in two or more areas or complex needs
- parent availability for home visits.
Local Early Autism Programme (LEAP)
A locally developed programme which provides intensive and specialist support to pre-school children with autism.
Criteria:
- aged three years to school age
- have a diagnosis of autism or there is a consensus that autism is a likely diagnosis
- are not attending a specialist nursery
- parents fully commit to the programme.
Positive Play Programme (PPP)
A homebased support programme for families of preschool children with social, emotional and behavioural needs. It aims to develop the knowledge and skills of the family to support their children.
Criteria:
- child is in their preschool year
- extreme behavioural difficulties that have had impact on learning and home environments
- no other developmental concerns (e.g. autism)
- parents have accessed parenting support such as parenting puzzle, behaviour support from health visitor or early years setting prior to referral
Communication and Play (CAPP)
A home-based programme that provides information and support to families of children who have social communication needs or an autism diagnosis. Supports families with practical ideas and strategies to help their child's learning and development.
Criteria:
- aged between 24 months to 30 months
- main area of need is social communication difficulties or autism
Make a referral to SEES
Funding
There are two main funds you are able to apply for to support children accessing your settings if they have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities. If you have any questions or would like some advice, please contact your local SEND advisory team.
Responding to SEND Support Notifications (SSN)
When the Designated Medical Officer (DMO) for Education has notified the Local Authority (LA) that a child may have Special Educational Needs/Disability, you will also be notified if the child attends your setting. The letter they send you is known as a SEND Support Notification.
Once you have received the SEND Support Notification, you should use the Early Years Graduated Response document to put in place support for the child. This should be documented within the child's Surrey Support Plan (SSP).
You can make a 'Request for Support' to your Early Years SEND Advisor to help you with the process.
You can share the guidance below with parents:
The flowchart below provides steps for early years settings to work through following an SSN.
You may decide to apply for Early Intervention Funding to help fund appropriate support.
Early Years Inclusion Pathway Planning (EYIPP)
In Surrey there is a firm expectation that all children have an entitlement to access provision within their own community, with their peers and siblings. This includes children with additional needs (SEND). Surrey will support and enable children with SEND to attend a local, mainstream early years setting (where appropriate) chosen by their parents/ carers.
We want to ensure that children's needs are identified and considered at the earliest opportunity, which is not reliant on a diagnosis. An Early Years Inclusion Pathway Planning (EYIPP) meeting can form the first phase of planning towards the child's education journey to adulthood; without the need for a statutory assessment. It is an effective and holistic way of supporting children, using inclusive and responsive policies and practices. The plan is based on the premise of early identification ensuring support and interventions are effectively planned and implemented.
An EYIPP is initiated and facilitated by the Early Years SEND Team in collaboration with parents/carers who know their children best. Using a Graduated Response model, the process brings together the child's current early year's setting and other relevant professionals who are involved in supporting the child. The meeting will plan for the most appropriate provision and ensures resources are in place to best support the needs and aspirations of the individual child.
All mainstream early year's provision, with appropriate support and reasonable adjustments, should be fully inclusive for children with additional needs; and only in exceptional circumstances would children below school age need to attend a specialist provision.
The Early Years Inclusion Pathway Plan for a child is likely to be reviewed and updated as needed according to the child's progress and changing need. This will continue up to and possibly including transition into school.
As a professional involved with a child with additional needs you may identify that a review is required to ensure that the appropriate support is in place. Please email the Early Years Senior SEND Advisor via the quadrant sector email with the child's name, current setting, and a summary of why you feel the current arrangements need reviewing. Please include parental consent. A Senior from the Early Years SEND team will then contact you discuss the options further.
We have recorded a short video to explain the EYIPP should you wish to share with your teams or with parents of a child who may benefit from one being held:
Education Health and Care (EHC) plans
The majority of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will have their needs met within local, mainstream early years settings at Universal or Setting SEND Support. Please see the Early Years Graduated Response document for more information.
A small number of children may require Specialist SEND Support and/or Statutory Assessment (a request for an EHC needs assessment, which might lead to an EHC plan being agreed). The child's needs should be considered with the parents of the child at the centre of all discussions and decisions; alongside the SEND Code of Practice.
You can submit a request for EHC needs assessment using the Learner's Single Point of Access (L-SPA).
Top Ten Tips when completing an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments
- Ensure you are using the correct L-SPA forms, with the consent form hand signed by parents
- Include an up-to-date, detailed Surrey Support Plan.
- The one-page profile should be up-to-date.
- Accurate family information detailed at the beginning of the SSP.
- Updated the tracker, with stage of development clearly indicated.
- The summary of needs sections should provide comprehensive details of the child.
- Details of health and education professionals' involvement should be included.
- Outcomes and Targets are reviewed and modified.
- Early intervention Funding add to evidence of a graduated response being implemented.
- Completed statutory assessment section fully completed especially the family story.
Education Health and Care (EHC) plan reviews
Education Health and Care (EHC) plans should be used to actively monitor a child's progress towards their outcomes and longer-term aspirations. They must be reviewed as a minimum every 12 months.
Reviews must focus on the child's progress towards achieving the outcomes specified in the EHC plan. The review must also consider whether these outcomes and supporting targets remain appropriate.
To help you plan for a review, please see the timeframe for a review meeting guidance. Please contact your EY SEND Advisor if you need support to organise an EHCP Review.