At First Day Nursery Hackney we are committed to the inclusion of all children. All children have the right to be cared for and educated to develop to their full potential alongside each other through positive experiences, to enable them to share opportunities, experiences and develop/learn from each other.

Where a child has additional needs, we feel it is paramount to find out as much as possible about those needs and how this may affect his/her early learning or care needs and any additional help he/she may need by:

• Liaising with the child’s parents and, where appropriate, the child
• Liaising with any professional agencies
• Reading any reports that have been prepared
• Attending any review meetings with the local authority/professionals
• Observing each child’s development and monitoring such observations regularly and putting in place plans to support the child.

We not only work in partnership with parents and carers but also relevant professionals from our community to make sure the additional needs of a child are identified and responded to promptly, with support put in place. Click here to learn more about Hackney Early Years SEN services for children with disabilities or additional needs.

Our nursery Special Education Needs and Disabilities Coordinator works alongside parents/carers, the child’s key person and other professionals involved with the child’s development.

How are parents/carers included in the child's education and curriculum?
Communication with parents is essential, and the key person will work together with the parents to ensure that every child's individual needs are supported.

At the initial settling-in sessions, the parent/carers will work with the key person to settle the child into the nursery.

Throughout this time, the key person will complete the 'All About Me' form to understand the child's individual routines, needs and interests.

The parents are encouraged to work together with the key person completing observations and activities for home to keep them informed of new interests so that these can be incorporated into the activities that are planned for that child.

The parents will be invited to attend regular meetings to review the child's progress, with the child's key person, nursery SENCO and possibly other professionals.

Where children’s need requires a level of support to access the full learning provision the SENDCO can make an application for the Early Years Inclusion funding from the local authority to support the setting if the needs meet the Early Years Inclusion Fund criteria.