SEND Advice and Consultations
SEND Advice and Consultations
Please note:
SEND Consultations for the spring term will be closed from on Friday 15th March 2024 until Monday 29th April and then remain open until Friday 5th July 2024. This allows us time to focus on transition arrangements for those that need it.
If you have SEND queries whilst the consultations are closed these should be directed initially to your Key Contact, who will be able to advise or will liaise with SEND colleagues to support you.
We are pleased to offer Early Years Settings SEND Consultations. These give practitioners the opportunity to seek advice from an EY SEND Advisor on SEND related queries. This may be a general conversation about SEND or a ‘no names’ conversation about specific children.
It will be important to have as much relevant information available as possible to get the best out of the consultation and therefore you may find the Telephone Consultation Information Sheet useful to gather information ready for your discussions and to record advice and actions given.
To request a telephone consultation please complete the form above. An Early Years SEND Advisor will then try to arrange a phone or Teams appointment at a mutually convenient time.
Assessment and the EYFS Reforms
Many SENCOs might find it challenging within the new framework to pinpoint where children with SEND are and to track their progress. We encourage all settings to use a range of resources to help them to accurately identify where a child is in their development.
While not a statutory requirement, SENCO’s may feel that for children with SEND, the bands remain a helpful measure of progress and while not required for all children, you might want to continue to use a range of resources which reference age bands, to support you in your role.
If settings feel that using a band system is beneficial, they are welcome to continue to use it. If they feel an alternative method of recording progress is better for their setting, the new framework allows flexibility.
SEND Information and Websites
Buckinghamshire - The SEND Integrated Service provides specialist Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support through locally-based teams across Buckinghamshire. Formerly the SEN Team.
Buckinghamshire Occupational Therapy Service
Buckinghamshire SEND Information, Advice & Support (SEND IAS) Service
Buckinghamshire Speech and Language Therapy Service
Early Years SENCO Liaison Groups
To find out what’s going on in your local area attend your local Early Years (EY) SENCO Liaison Group. Groups are free to attend and open to EY SENCOs in settings and schools with EYFS provision in Buckinghamshire.
Early Interaction Sessions
Sessions to develop practitioners’ interaction skills within Buckinghamshire Early Years Settings, led by and EY SEND Advisor. Please email earlyyears@buckinghamshire.gov.uk for more details.
Buckinghamshire Local Offer
The Local Offer sets out in one place, what help there is for children and young people with special educational needs or who have a disability in Bucks.
Disability Access Funding (DAF)
The Disability Access Fund helps funded providers make those reasonable adjustments within their provision to support children with a disability. The Disability Access Fund is a one off payment of £828 per child per year to the provider nominated by the parent, and is to be used to support inclusion of eligible 3 & 4 year olds through reasonable adjustments.