Guest Rosemary Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 I have just been appointed SENCO for the playgroup where I work and I am starting the training this week so I am a complete newcomer to this! We have two children in our setting who have speech difficulties and are having speech therapy however their development in other areas is very good and they have no other problems. Do they classify as special needs children? Do they need IEPs? Many thanks in advance for your help. Rosemary
Guest Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Hi Rosemary Usially if an outside agency is involved with children they should be on Early Years Action Plus but the speech and Language Therapist should give you either the targets to go on an IEP or lots of help with writing the targets.
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Hi Rosemary, Look forward to getting to know you Sue
AnonyMouse_79 Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 HI Rosemary and welcome. I would agree with Oscar but if you did not actually refer thses children yourselves you can probably afford to wait for some more detailed guidance but get the parework started!
Guest Posted November 21, 2004 Posted November 21, 2004 Hi Rosemary Welcome to the forum and thanks for your first post. In my pre-school I would be using an IPP, I prefer a play plan than an education plan, for these children and incorporating the strategies the speech therapist had given us into it. Hope this helps. Linda
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted November 22, 2004 Posted November 22, 2004 hi Rosemary..would agree with all the others
AnonyMouse_64 Posted November 23, 2004 Posted November 23, 2004 Rosemary, Can't help with your query being in Scotland but welcome to the site. I see you're being taken care of though.
Guest Rosemary Posted November 23, 2004 Posted November 23, 2004 Thanks for all your replies! I have just arrived home after the first day's training for new SENCos and was told that a child with language development problems would be classified as AEN not SEN as long as their learning isn't being hindered. Is this what other people have been told too? Rosemary
AnonyMouse_1208 Posted November 23, 2004 Posted November 23, 2004 Sorry for being a bit thick!! but what does AEN stand for???
AnonyMouse_64 Posted November 24, 2004 Posted November 24, 2004 AEN is additional educational needs. As far as I understand many children may be classed as AEN at some point during their school life - behavioural difficulties, language problems, phobias, sensory difficulties, social and emotional difficulties. Most of these difficulties can be addressed easily using existing resources and working within usual staffing levels. However, if the difficulties are to the extent that they require statementing and additional resources etc are needed then this may be classed as SEN. (But don't quote me on this!!!! )
AnonyMouse_1999 Posted November 24, 2004 Posted November 24, 2004 I am the SENCO in our pre-school and am confused by additional needs not being classed as SEN As I understand it a child over the age of 2yrs but under school age should be on "Early years action" if, and I quote from the code of practice, 'It is felt that a child needs additional support to that provided within the usual curriculum on offer, interventions will be agreed by the SENCO and teacher in consultation with the child's parents' I believe (but am happy to be corrected if I am wrong!) that a child moves on to Early Years Action Plus when outside agencies are involved or specialis advice is sougnt. We had a child who joined our pre-school and was already having regular speech therapy sessions. She was put straight onto Early Years Action Plus (with area senco approval) and her speech therapist sent a very detailed letter explaining how she was working with the child and gave suggestions for beneficial activities that we could provide. I thought that evidence of a child requiring additional support indicated the necessity to apply the code of practice? Any other sencos out there that can throw some light on my confusion??!!
AnonyMouse_1999 Posted November 24, 2004 Posted November 24, 2004 Ooops! sorry Rosemary Forgot to say welcome to the site! so ... WELCOME
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted November 25, 2004 Posted November 25, 2004 Not Senco, Geral;dine, but had training. I thought same as you! Sue
AnonyMouse_1999 Posted November 25, 2004 Posted November 25, 2004 Nice to know I am not alone with my thoughts Sue Don't know why I wrote "any other sencos out there" I just meant 'anyone' and certainly didnt intend to imply that only a SENCO would know
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted November 25, 2004 Posted November 25, 2004 Hey, that's not what I thought!! No one'll be miffed, we're all wonderful on here!! Aren't we!!! Sue
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted November 30, 2004 Posted November 30, 2004 Only just read this thread...If a child is already seeing a therapist when they start with you, how likely/usual is it that they contact you? We've had a number of children like this over the years and although I tell parents that we would welcome the therapist contacting us, we've never heard a dicky bird. Is it just us? Should my senco be doing more?(this is the senco who wont write up an IPP without talking to the area senco!) or is it down to us to make contact? I know I sound a bit lacking, but up until this year I've always had a really competent senco, and I'm noticing a difference now.
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted December 1, 2004 Posted December 1, 2004 Just found this site. www.speechteach.co.uk
AnonyMouse_1999 Posted December 1, 2004 Posted December 1, 2004 Don't know what the 'official' position is about who contacts who but when we had a child join us who was already seeing a speech therapist it was the therapist that contacted us by phone and letter. This was because Mum had told her that her child was joining our setting. Had this not been the case and the therapist had not been forthcoming in contacting us then I would have contacted her (with Mums permission of course) The child spent her time with the therapist playing games specifically chosen by the therapist and we were able to adapt some of our resources and incorporate such activities into our provision for the child. It was really a case of us reinforcing the hard work the therapist was putting in which resulted in the child getting a 'double dose' if you like. For example the therapist wanted the child to spend time on particular sounds - we adapted a lotto type game by taking out some pictures and adding some that had the required sounds and the child was happy to play the game with peers and on an adult one to one basis. It was all a while ago now and i am racking my brains, but alot of it was also incorporated into whole group activities. 'Pulling faces' and making noises - the children loved and it was all very beneficial for the child in question.
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted December 1, 2004 Posted December 1, 2004 I think it depends on the child and the additional needs if any. we usually have a copy of any assessmrent from outside agencies but they always seem to be via the parents, who are asked to give them to us. If you want to ask for the reports you could ask parents permission and name of who to contact it may be the way to go. They seldom contact us unless a statement is being done, when they will visit and assess child in the setting and ask for your written reports. we have some reports which appear to be so different from the child in our care, as they are often done 1:1 with parents present and in unfamiliar surroundings, all giving different reactions form the child to those we see in the setting once they have settled. Children referred or attending us and a Springboard group always have IPP reports etc for us to work with. we have found in this area being trained as senco does not mean that you are necessarily able to confidently set up IPP for all children with additional needs without help from outside agencies.It does depend on confidence and knowing your own limitations. Must admit I often ask for outside help before setting up plans as well as observations and input from all who will be working with the child. Inge
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