Issue - meetings

Purpose

The proposed closure of the Willows Nursery School provides an opportunity to remodel the way in which the Council supports early year's children to access their funded entitlement. This report outlines the proposed changes to the funding and support for young children with SEND.

Recommendations

That the Cabinet Member approve the following changes to funding and support for early years children with SEND (fully outlined in section 5):

1      Commission places for early years children with complex SEND through a specialist provision at Cliffdale Primary Academy (subject to the conclusion of the current consultation on the closure of Willows Nursery School).

2      Establish a single funding steam for mainstream early years providers which has 2 elements:

·         a flexible 'complex needs' funding stream (EY Inclusion Fund - Enhanced) where funding will follow the child to the setting of their parent's choice. This element will be funded through the DSG High-Needs Block, using the funding released from the proposed closure of Willows Nursery School

·         a refocussed Early Years Inclusion Fund (EY Inclusion Fund - Core) which supports children with 'low and emerging' needs, in-line with Statutory Guidance. This is already funded from the Early Years Block.

3       Subject to consultation with the current service providers, refocus the allocation of funding to early years outreach on a resource which can consistently deliver practical support and role modelling to settings across the spectrum of needs. A SEND outreach officer role will be managed either through the Early Years Area SENCO team or Portage Plus.

4       Review existing training and development opportunities for mainstream early years providers to ensure they meet the needs of children and the settings they access.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Cabinet Member approved the following changes to funding and support for early years children with SEND:

1.    Commission places for early years children with complex SEND through a specialist provision at Cliffdale Primary Academy (subject to the conclusion of the current consultation on the closure of Willows Nursery School).

2.    Establish a single funding steam for mainstream early years providers which has 2 elements:

·         a flexible 'complex needs' funding stream (EY Inclusion Fund - Enhanced) where funding will follow the child to the setting of their parent's choice. This element will be funded through the DSG High-Needs Block, using the funding released from the proposed closure of Willows Nursery School

·         a refocussed Early Years Inclusion Fund (EY Inclusion Fund - Core) which supports children with 'low and emerging' needs, in-line with Statutory Guidance. This is already funded from the Early Years Block.

3.    Subject to consultation with the current service providers, refocus the allocation of funding to early years outreach on a resource which can consistently deliver practical support and role modelling to settings across the spectrum of needs.  A SEND outreach officer role will be managed either through the Early Years Area SENCO team or Portage Plus.

4.    Review existing training and development opportunities for mainstream early years providers to ensure they meet the needs of children and the settings they access.

The Early Years and Childcare Manager presented the report and highlighted that the proposed closure of the Willows Nursery School provides an opportunity to remodel the way in which Portsmouth City Councils supports early years children to access their funded entitlement. The report outlined the proposed changes to the funding and support for young children with SEND.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Cabinet Member approved the following changes to funding and support for early years children with SEND:

1.    Commission places for early years children with complex SEND through a specialist provision at Cliffdale Primary Academy (subject to the conclusion of the current consultation on the closure of Willows Nursery School).

2.    Establish a single funding steam for mainstream early years providers with  two elements:

·           a flexible 'complex needs' funding stream (EY Inclusion Fund - Enhanced) where funding will follow the child to the setting of their parent's choice. This element will be funded through the DSG High-Needs Block, using the funding released from the proposed closure of Willows Nursery School;

·           a refocussed Early Years Inclusion Fund (EY Inclusion Fund - Core) which supports children with 'low and emerging' needs, in-line with Statutory Guidance. This is already funded from the Early Years Block.

3.    Subject to consultation with the current service providers, refocus the allocation of funding to early years outreach on a resource which can consistently deliver practical support and role modelling to settings across the spectrum of needs.  A SEND outreach officer role will be managed either through the Early Years Area SENCO team or Portage Plus.

4.    Review existing training and development opportunities for mainstream early years providers to ensure they meet the needs of children and the settings they access.