Parent support
Supporting all early years practitioners working in partnership with parents of children with SEND.
This page aims to support all early years practitioners to reflect on how they work in partnership with parents of children with SEND. It also aims to offer suggestions about how to prepare for and have those all-important initial conversations with parents regarding concerns about their individual child’s development. You will also find useful links you can signpost parents to.
The importance and value of working with all parents is widely accepted. It is recognised in the underlying principles of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework. The Children and Families Act (2014) and Special Educational Needs and Disability Code (SEND) of Practice 0-25 years (2015), reinforce the requirement to engage with and involve parents in decision making and providing them with information and support to do so.
The SEND code of practice (2015)
The focus of the new code of practice is on inclusive practice, removing barriers to learning and providing high quality provision to meet the needs of children and young people. The code clearly lays out the actions early years and childcare settings need to take to identify and support all children with SEND. Part of this is an aim to increase the participation of children with SEND and their parents in decision making, giving them more choice and control over their support.
“Where a setting identifies a child as having SEN they must work in partnership with parents to establish the support the child needs.” - SEND Code of practice (paragraph 5.3)
“Parents should be involved in planning support and, where appropriate, in reinforcing the provision or contributing to progress at home.” - SEND Code of practice (paragraph 5.41)
For more detailed information you can view the SEND guide for early years settings.
Early years practitioners and managers must recognise that:
- parents have vital and unique knowledge about their child’s needs
- developing a relationship with parents based on mutual trust and respect is a vital part of the partnership between practitioners and parents or carers
- a wide range of factors need to be considered prior to and during discussions about a child’s development and progress
- all Practitioners can develop the necessary attitudes and skills to build a positive working relationship with parents
Maintaining positive relationships with parents
Once a positive relationship has been established with parents it is important to continue building upon it. This means that if new concerns or situations arise, practitioners are in the best possible position to work alongside and support parents. It is important that all staff are aware of their own responsibilities for working with all parents, especially those whose children have special or additional needs.
The code of practice makes it clear that all staff are responsible for working with and supporting children with SEND. This includes observing, planning, and delivering individualised programmes. The key person has responsibility for working with a child daily and are in a unique position to work with parents.
Below are some helpful strategies that are easy to implement. By putting in place some or all of the suggestions you can be assured that you are doing your best to reach out to parents, even those who are harder to reach.
- help parents understand 'the system' and explain what you are doing and why
- share information with parents about how things work, for example, admissions, procedures for early identification, referrals and transitions
- parents need to know who they should go to when they need to discuss important issues regarding their child
- make sure parents know and understand the role of the key worker, setting Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and any advisory support staff
- make sure parents have a copy of your relevant policies, such as settling in and inclusion policy
- try not to use 'jargon' or acronyms as parents are sometimes embarrassed to say they don’t understand
- signpost them to the Local Offer and other information which supports parents to participate
- be open and prepared to learn from and with parents
- avoid making assumptions about how each parent might want to get involved
- remember, the parent may be experiencing a range of emotions and feelings - don’t give up offering opportunities for their involvement
- always ask parents views and make sure that it is reflected in planning for the child
- aim for a partnership approach with joint planning, evaluations, contributions suggesting outcomes or targets
Signposting to support
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West Sussex Local Offer
Local Offer is a website with information about support and services for children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities and their families. You can use it to find out about services, support groups and leisure activities that are available in West Sussex.
West Sussex SENDIAS (SEND Information, Advice and Support) Service
The West Sussex SENDIAS Service provides impartial information, advice and support to parents or carers of children and young people (0-25) with SEND as well as children and young people themselves.
West Sussex Parent Carer Forum
The West Sussex Parent Carer Forum are all parents or carers themselves. This is why they are 'so committed to make sure that SEND is everyone’s business'.
They believe that parents or carers are experts by experience and as such, have a unique understanding of how challenging life can be raising a child or young person with SEND. They are passionate about parent or carer participation in all the work that they do.
Carers Support West Sussex
Carers Support West Sussex offers information and advice, support groups and information sessions for parents who are caring for a child or young person with a disability. It also has support groups for carers of a young person or an adult with an eating disorder.
West Sussex Disability Register
West Sussex County Council collects information about children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND to help plan and deliver their services. The register is maintained by the West Sussex Library Service.
As a thank you for signing up for the Disability Register, the county council is providing the individual with a Max Card. A Max Card will provide discounts on attractions and activities across England.
To claim your card, once you have signed up for the register show the confirmation email you receive to a member of the Library Service at your closest library.
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Amaze
Amaze is a charity that gives information, advice and support to families with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Aspens
Aspens provides care and support to help people with learning disabilities and those on the autism spectrum to live life to its full potential.
Mencap
Mencap provides personalised support to people with learning disabilities. This means that they work to ensure the person they support is at the centre of what they do. They believe the basis of What Matters Most is person-centred thinking.
Reaching Families
Reaching Families is a parent-carer led, grassroots charity. It aims to support parents and families of children and young people with SEND in their daily lives, through the delivery of information, training and peer support. They work with over 3,000 West Sussex families every year through a range of high-quality projects and services.