The Children and Families Act (2014) reformed legislation relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The SEND Code of Practice is statutory guidance for organisations that work with and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
The Graduated Response
When you follow the graduated response you should follow the process below.
Assess
Gather background information on the child to give a holistic picture, this may include:
- parental concerns
- liaise with the Health Visitor (include an Integrated Review if appropriate)
- involvement from other professionals
Undertake a clear analysis of the child’s needs, this may include:
- consideration of developmental milestones, for example: Derbyshire Small Steps, Development Journal
- consideration of the child’s preferred learning styles; including schemas.
- observations of the child across a period of time
- If behaviour is a concern, the use of a behaviour tracker
- use of tracking or assessment tools, for example: "GLS Assessments WellComm"
Plan
Identify key outcomes to work towards in response to identified needs, you can:
- focus on small steps – 2/3 SMART targets
- work with parents to set targets to work towards
- use information and recommendations from others involved with the child as well as your own observations and assessments
Document how you are going to support the child, consider:
- how you can use a provision overview and/or strategy sheet alongside a support plan to summarise support you are going to provide
- how you will differentiate the curriculum
- your environment and routines and any possible sensory factors
- children with a risk assessment, identify what you are going to do to reduce any identified risks or hazards
- if sensory processing is a concern, consider using a Sensory Profile
Do
Implement a SEND support plan for 6-8 weeks so that:
- all staff to know the targets and outcomes you are working towards
- all staff to be familiar with the interventions, strategies and provision that you are supporting the child with – use a whole team approach
- you record progress throughout, making notes to aid review
- you use a Total Communication Approach – for example visual supports, signing and speech
- ‘Quality First teaching’ is in place
Make appropriate referrals or signpost to relevant services, such as:
- family Hub services
- speech and language therapy service
- health visiting team
Review
Review the targets and provision in place, think about:
- Has the child been able to achieve the targets/outcomes identified?
- Have the targets been appropriate?
- Has the family been able to engage at home?
- Does the rate of progress still raise concern?
- Has provision been effective?
- Are there changes needed? How are these going to be achieved?
- Revisit any assessment tools regularly to inform reviews
Graduated Response Toolkit
Our "SEND Graduated Response Toolkit" is a document that set out how early years providers can provide the right level of support to meet young children’s special educational needs.
We have three Graduated Response toolkit documents (found under the "Publications" dropdown) for different aged children, they are:
- Early Years Foundation Stage
- School age pupils
- Pupils in in post-16 education
Templates
- Early Years SEND Support – Assess - Risk assessment
- Early Years SEND Support – Assess – Observation Form 1
- Early Years SEND Support – Assess – Observation Form 2
- Early Years SEND Support - Plan – Targets
- Early Years SEND Support - Plan – Strategy Sheet
- Early Years SEND Support - Plan – Sensory Profile
- Early Years SEND Support - Plan – Provision Overview
- Early Years SEND Support – Do - Intervention Record
- Early Years SEND Support – Review – Review of Support
- Behaviour Tracker (STAR)
- Behaviour Tracking Summary
- Behaviour Support Plan - Targets
Applying for an Education, Health and Care Needs assessment
Guidance
We also have a guide to help request an education, health and care needs assessment.