Stepping into the role of Early Years SENCO can be both a rewarding and challenging experience. In this role, Early Years SENCOs hold the key to making a profound impact on the lives of young learners with additional needs, ensuring that they receive the best possible start to their educational journey. 

This article features a compilation of advice and insights sourced from SEND in the Early Years Facebook community where they were asked 'what advice would you give to a new Early Years SENCO?' 

Parents play a crucial role in understanding their children's needs. By valuing parental insights and recognising that each child in a setting is unique, Early Years SENCOs can tailor their approaches and interventions effectively. 

Taking a holistic approach and embedding specialised interventions into everyday activities is hugely important and ensures that all students, not just those with additional needs, benefit from the support provided. 

Early Years SENCOs should not only be advocates for the children under their care but the families of those children too. Stepping into the Early Years SENCO role will require persistence in ensuring that support is accessible to those who need it. 

It is important to create a dedicated system for recording all conversations and developments in a setting.  Creating a diary page for each child is a good idea to stay organised and up to date as part of the Early Years SENCO role involves keeping track of each child's progress.

Christine Berry emphasises the importance of continuous professional development. It is crucial that Early Years SENCOS are equipped with the latest knowledge to effectively support the children under their care. Additionally, making sure that there are detailed records of interactions and concerns serves to promote transparency between the setting and the parents. 

Early Years SENCOs bridge the gap in knowledge, enabling parents to stay informed on their children's progress outside of the home. It is essential that they understand how their setting works and what steps that can be taken to improve the learning environment.

Looking for more information?

If you would like to find out more about our Early Years SENCO programme, click here

If you would like to find out more about SEND in the Early Years,  click here

Get in contact with us:

 Email: enquiries@bestpracticenet.co.uk

 Tel: +44 (0) 117 920 9200 (8.30am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri)

Visit our Early Years SENCO page