SEN Inclusion funding through nursery

[brightstar1988]

Hi All,

My DD is 25 months and since 12 months on the process of being evaluated for communication delays. She started saying a few words but doesnt use them to communicate, lack of gesturing, etc. I pointed this out to all professionals and until today, after being seem by paediatrician, health visitor and GP she has received zero therapies that support her, despite me pushing. She is on the waiting list for speech therapy and autism assessment.

She goes to nursery 2 days per week. Since the start I felt like it was not the right place for her but stayed for financial reasons. She started there at 1 and still on bottles. They do not allow bottles after 12 months, so she had to quit it cold turkey while in nursery. They were also very strict with the routine and I feel like they want the child to do the activity they propose. My daughter has lots of interests but she is independent and might not want to do what they are proposing her. At the end of the day they are not able to tell me what her interests are, what she likes doing, all they say os that she spend a good day.

The nursery suggested that we apply for the council SEN inclusion funding to support DD. I agreed as I understood she would get at least a couple hours per week 1:1 therapy. I received the report to sign and turns out she won’t get the 1:1. The nursery stated the funding will be used to buy toys and sensory accessories as well as train staff.

I am pissed off. I have done a lot of research on Autism and ND and 1:1 therapy and following the childs lead are core principles to achieve progress. I have received training to apply therapy at home with her and I am EXHAUSTED, but if I don’t do it nobody will do it. I was hoping to get some support from this funding but I am sorry, I fail to see how the proposed measures will benefit DD directly. Buying toys and having staff trained seems good for everyone, not for DD. She needs 1:1. I don’t want to go down the SEN route unless she is going to receive the correct support. Why would I jeopardize her entrance in a school to get toys for the nursery? Sorry, I want to collaborate but the system needs to collaborate with us.

Now I need to have this difficult conversation with the nursery telling them that their proposal falls short and that I find it borderline amusing them trying to sell this idea to me without sounding like a witch. I also am just starting to learn how to navigate the SEN system, so not well versed on laws, etc.

Any advice on how to handle this conversation with nursery would be very appreciated.

Thanks all

Early years inclusion funding doesn’t have to be spent on 1:1 support, and it’s highly unlikely it will be spent on 1:1 therapies.

Staff training and sensory toys do benefit DD directly. The toys will support DD’s sensory needs, and training will help staff support DD’s SEN. DD will benefit more than the average child at the nursery since the training and sensory toys (and maybe toys that promote and support communication) are aimed at inclusion of those with additional needs.

Without an EHCP there is no way to force the nursery to provide 1:1 support or provide therapies. If you think DD needs either you can apply for an EHCNA yourself - IPSEA have a model letter you can use. However, I think you will need more evidence than you currently have.


It won’t affect school admissions.

Why would you not want DD’s SEN recognised? Going down the SEN route means further support, but that might not be the support you want, at least not in the beginning. The LA don’t have a statutory duty to provide early years inclusion funding to 2 year olds, and DD is only just 2 and already in receipt of it so I think the nursery are trying to work with you. Further support can be applied for if it’s to enough.

I must agree with you that the “support” she will receive going down the SEN route is not what I expect. I am of the idea that certain difficulties that young children face can be overcome by early targeted interventions focused on the child. This has proven to be true considering I have been implementing these therapies with her at home myself and seen a huge improvement. However, this costs everyone money and time.

It is more economical and time saving to say a child has SEN, provide substandard interventions and keep the child in this system for as long as needed instead of trying more individualized methods at an early age so that the child is able to follow the regular educational system. The current system is a socialized one, with no target to individual needs, therefore everyone must benefit. The nursery benefits because they can buy more toys, the professionals get training specializing themselves, the other kids benefit from playing with the toys and resources, the professionals keep themselves employed by providing assessments that lead nowhere, etc. Maybe DD will benefit a little bit from toys and more trained staff, but if until today they were not once able to tell me what are her interests, I don’t think we are gonna get much further here with additional toys.

I don’t see fitting for a 2 year old to be put on the SEN register because of a nursery misfit. This will follow her for all her educational years.

With regards to not affecting schools, I understand that this is covered by law. However, this doesn’t mean that discrimination does not happen. In fact, in this same current nursery we had a taste of what’s yet to come for us, as we have requested an additional day and were not given. No explanations, but in a setting where they treat her as a nuisance, it is not difficult to figure ou why.

The SEN system does take into account individual needs, if it didn’t DD wouldn’t be on SEN Support and she wouldn’t have early years inclusion funding. I think the problem is the support you are expecting is provided to those with an EHCP, but very rarely at a SEN support level. If you think DD needs more support you can apply for an EHCNA yourself, but it isn’t going to be immediate and personally without further evidence I think you will struggle to meet the threshold.


If you think the nursery staff receiving training is for their benefit I think you will struggle to accept the education system as it is. If DD didn’t have additional needs they wouldn’t be receiving the additional training, so yes whilst they will benefit from the training it is primarily for DD’s benefit. The same for the toys, they are there to support DD’s development.

I don’t see fitting for a 2 year old to be put on the SEN register because of a nursery misfit. This will follow her for all her educational years.

DD will be on the SEN register regardless of the nursery. DD has speech delay and suspected ASD. Of course it will be on her records and passed on to future settings, as it should be. That’s not a negative, otherwise how can future setting meet DD’s needs?


With regards to not affecting schools, I understand that this is covered by law. However, this doesn’t mean that discrimination does not happen.

With state school admissions it absolutely doesn’t happen. School places are allocated using the oversubscription criteria. Vastly different to how private nurseries are run.

“DD will be on the SEN register regardless of the nursery. DD has speech delay and suspected ASD. Of course it will be on her records and passed on to future settings, as it should be. That’s not a negative, otherwise how can future setting meet DD’s needs?“

I disagree, your view is that children who face difficulties at early years should have this in their historic until forever, even if they were 2yo and later outgrew the delays. Whereas I believe the child should be given a chance with proper resources to catch up on the skills before labeling them SEN as 2.

I am not the ignorant one. I was trying to help you understand the English education system because you clearly didn’t understand how it works. Your responses are ungrateful and show just how lacking your understanding is.

I am not ignorant to early intervention, I didn’t say it doesn’t work, I said it isn’t provided at SEN Support level to the extent you are discussing. That isn’t ignorant, it is fact. You obviously don’t like that, but that doesn’t make it untrue.

I disagree, your view is that children who face difficulties at early years should have this in their historic until forever, even if they were 2yo and later outgrew the delays. Whereas I believe the child should be given a chance with proper resources to catch up on the skills before labeling them SEN as 2.

Unfortunately for you, in the English education system, that isn’t how it works. A child’s records are passed on. Quite rightly, otherwise DC’s needs fall through the gap. When the system doesn’t work as it should there are threads on here all the time bemoaning the lack of information passed on. Being on the SEN register isn’t a label. Would you describe a diagnosis of a physical condition “a label”? I don’t quite know why you take offence at that unless you view having SEN as a negative. You can still be given “proper resources” to “catch up” (if DD is diagnosed with ASD, DC don’t catch up on the triad of impairments they are part of the disability) and still be on the SEN register.