2 year old funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities:

Currently the Isles of Scilly Council offers 2 year old funding for up to 380 hours to all. However your child could access up to 570 hours of early years funding in any Ofsted rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ childcare providers if your child gets disability living allowance or your child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. You can find out more at www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds

You can use your funding either:

• Up to 15 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year (term time only)

• You can use the funding to cover childcare provision over the holidays or over the year. For example use 11 hours over 51 weeks of the year. (Please note that you may not receive the full entitlement if you use the stretch option).

• You can use the hours flexibly, using less hours some weeks and more hours on other weeks

When does funding start and how do I apply:

On the Isles of Scilly the 2 year old funding starts the day after their second birthday for the universal 380 hour funding but if you are eligible for the 570 hour funding then the extra hours will come into effect from the term after they turn 2.

To find out more about how to apply for 2 year old funding and to see if you are eligible for the 570 hour funded hours of childcare then contact Children's Services by email: FamilyScilly@scilly.gov.uk telephone: 0300 1234 105 Option 5.

3 to 4 Year old funding

​3 to 4 year old funding is available and starts the term after a child’s 3rd birthday. All 3 to 4 year old's are entitled to 15 hours of free education for 38 weeks of the year. Depending on circumstances such as employment status and whether you are on carers allowance or incapacity benefits then you may be entitled to 30 hours of free education for 28 weeks of the year. To find out more about the different levels of funding and eligibility criteria please contact Children's Services by email: FamilyScilly@scilly.gov.uk telephone: 0300 1234 105 Option 5

Help with finding and paying for childcare

​Trying to find childcare can be a daunting experience for a parent. After all, what does make a good childcare provider? How do you know your child will be safe and happy? To help answer these and many other questions you might have, the Family and Childcare Trust have created a step-by-step guide on finding childcare, visit: www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/five-steps-choosing-childcare

The cost may also be a factor when considering childcare. Depending on your child’s age and your financial circumstances, there may be support available including tax free childcare or support if in education. You can find out more at:

The Council of the Isles of Scilly website: www.scilly.gov.uk/children/pre-school-primary

www.childcarechoices.gov.uk has more information on childcare funding

www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare is a government website explaining tax free childcare ​

Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. They inspect services providing education and skills for learners of all ages. They also inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people.

More information on Ofsted is available at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted/about

Ofsted visits childcare providers who are registered with it to ensure that the education and safety of children is being well managed. Outcomes of these inspections and the grades allocated to a childcare provider can be viewed on the Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

There are different types of childcare that support child development in settings and at home.

The Childcare Act 2006 says childcare is ‘any form of care for a child including education or any other supervised activity’. Not all child carers need to be registered with Ofsted, but if they aren't registered, you cannot use funded hours with them.

These are some of the childcare providers that don't have to register:

• Babysitters

• Nannies and au pairs

• Home educators and home tutors

• Blood relatives caring for a child or children they are related to

• Recreational and sporting activity providers

• Some under 8's crèches, of 4 hours or under with a parent present

• When providing childcare for less than 2 hours per day

• When providing childcare for a friend for up to 3 hours a day for reward

To find out more about alternative childcare options and signposting to providers contact Children's Services by Email: FamilyScilly@scilly.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 1234 105 Option 5

The Isles of Scilly Early Years Network consists of early years providers, local authority and family health and they meet every few months to discuss:

• Training needs and requirements

• Current and predicted provision and demand

• Developments to early years foundation framework

Professional support

If you are an early years provider and want to find out more about this then contact Children's Services by Email: FamilyScilly@scilly.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 1234 105 Option 5

As a childcare provider there are a number of additional sources of funding available to you that you can use to support individual children such as the disability access fund and early years pupil premium, information is available on the www.gov.uk website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-business-sustainability-guides-for-providers/extra-sources-of-income-for-early-years-providers

Information on how the Council of the Isles of Scilly supports transport to access EYFS services can be found on the Council of the Isles of Scilly website: www.scilly.gov.uk/childrens-services

To find out more about off Island transport for early years provision contact Family Scilly by email: FamilyScilly@scilly.gov.uk or telephone: 0300 1234 105 Option 5

The Council of the Isles of Scilly, Children and Family Services run Early Years Sessions that are led by a qualified Early Years practitioners.

This includes:

• Time and Rhyme Time at the Library.

• Pop up Stay and Play Sessions on St. Mary’s and all the off Islands with Health Visitor drop-in Sessions.

• Scilly Splash Tots.

• Arts and Crafts sessions, Messy play, Junk modelling, Soft Play sessions, Music Sessions, Inter-generational sessions, Visits to the Lifeboat station, Fire stations, Dentist, Tresco Abbey Gardens, Carreg Dhu Gardens, Pirate Ship at the garrison, Celebration sessions.

Contact the Early Years Assistants

Tel: 0300 1234 105 Option 5

Email: FamilyScilly@scilly.gov.uk

Further information

Children’s Services Early Years Facebook: www.facebook.com/EarlyYearsScilly

Website: www.scilly.gov.uk/childrens-services

Early Identification of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities:

Identifying SEND at the earliest opportunity and making effective provision, improves long-term outcomes for children. Parents know their children best and if you have concerns about your child’s development then you can raise those concerns with practitioners. This could be with for example your doctor, health practitioners or childcare providers. Practitioners are there to listen to the concerns parents and children themselves raise over development and equally are there to identify developmental and sensory needs. Practitioners should work with the family, support them to understand their child’s needs and to help them access early support.

Methods used for assessing and identifying SEN in early years by Early Years Practitioners:

• Progress against the Healthy Child Programme

• Progress against the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

• Concerns raised by parent/carers

Support:

Support will be provided from your Early Years professionals but it may be that referrals are made to outside agencies for additional assessment, help and support. This will always be done with discussion and involvement of parents/carers first. If an early years practitioner raises concerns over a child’s development they firstly must inform the child’s parents and bring the child to the attention of the Local Authority. Support could also be in the form of ​learning and developmental equipment.

Below is a list of outside services that referrals might be made to. Please visit our Children's Specialist Health Services section for more details and to see the referral process: Children's Specialist Health Services

Speech and Language Therapy, including Alternative and Augmentative Communication (ACC)

Occupational Therapy

Physiotherapy

Autistic Spectrum Disorder Assessment Team (ASDAT)

Community Paediatrics

Bladder and Bowel Services

Sleep Wise Service

If a vision impairment is suspected a health practitioner will refer to the Ophthalmology Service

If a hearing impairment is suspected a health practitioner will refer to the Paediatric Audiology Service

Portage

Portage is a home visiting educational service for pre-education children from 6 months to 3 years who have significant and complex additional needs. An experienced early years practitioner is trained to deliver the service on the Isles of Scilly when required. Portage can be requested by parents, carers or professionals by contacting by email: FamilyScilly@scilly.gov.uk or telephone: 0300 1234 105 Option 5.

Further information about portage can be found at The National Portage Association website: www.portage.org.uk

If you are worried about your child’s health, development or behaviour or caring for a disabled child you can ask for Early Help, further information available at: www.scilly.gov.uk/children/early-help

Early Years SENCO

If a child attends an early years setting such as a childminder or nursery that organisation will have arrangements in place for meeting children’s SEN.

For Five Islands Academy Nursery class and for Cherry Blossom childcare they have a nominated Early Years SENCO. This person is a member of staff who is responsible for:

• Overseeing SEN policy in the early years setting

• Identify and support children with SEN or disabilities in their care

• Advising and supporting other staff members

• Work with parents/carers of children with SEN

• Liaise with professionals and other agencies

Childminders on the Isles of Scilly work within the Early Years Framework to identify and support children with SEN at their setting. A childminder will have an SEN policy in place which sets out how they will identify and support children with SEN and work with parent/carers and other professionals and organisations to support children with SEN.

Please contact your early years setting to find out more about SEN support.

Senior Locality SENCO

A Senior Locality SENCO is someone an Early Years professional can turn too for support and advice about early SEN identification, about how best to help children with additional needs access EYFS curriculum and develop an inclusive early learning environment. They can offer training and also work closely with other agencies, early year providers and parent/carers.

If an early years provider on the Isles of Scilly needs to access a Senior Locality SENCO for information, support and advice they contact Children Services by email: LocalOfferscilly@scilly.gov.uk or telephone: 0300 1234 105 Option 5

To find out more about your childcare options and contact details visit www.scilly.gov.uk/children/pre-school-primary/childcare

All early years settings and providers should be inclusive so it is worth contacting them to discuss how they can accommodate and discuss any specific SEND questions you may have.