Inclusion support

Inclusive practice must sit at the heart of all that we do in early years. 

We must strive to value and celebrate the diversity that our children and families bring to us. We must actively challenge discrimination and prejudice and ensure that all children are given the support that they need to have equal life chances and to be the very best version of themselves.

We have gathered some resources on this page to help you to meet the needs of children who may be vulnerable to poorer outcomes or who may need additional support to have equity with their peers.

North Somerset Early Years team also support the sector by acting as area SENCos for settings to offer information, advice and guidance around supporting children with SEND.  

Providers in North Somerset can make applications for Early Years top-up funding as part of their graduated response to children with SEND.

If a child has some additional needs it is helpful if they can be discussed at MAISEY (multi-agency information and support in the early years).

In North Somerset, there are many services available to children with additional needs. Monthly MAISEY meetings ensure that the services and provision are looked at as a whole by the professionals involved and are coordinated around individual needs. 

It is the place where one service can discuss the involvement of another service. Parents do not attend.

MAISEY supports provision planning from early identification of need until school entry, ensuring where possible that transfers to pre-school and school are successful for every child.

You can contact us by email on ey.send@n-somerset.gov.uk.

All early years providers have access to support, advice and guidance from the North Somerset Early Years Area Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs). 

The graduated response document outlines how early years providers can access this support as part of their graduated response.

To request additional support and advice from the area SENCO team as part of the graduated response for a particular child, early years providers will need to complete an early years inclusion support request form together with the parents and carers. 

Online inclusion support form

If you are applying for the early years SEND top-up funding (TUF), please refer to the early years SEND top-up funding criteria and follow the top-up funding guidance before completing the online form.