Hi everyone
I've had a valuable few hours reading some of your posts so I thought I might contribute!
I own and manage a mainstream preschool in a market town in Bedfordshire. We are based in a very large Scout HQ and have up to 24 children at each of the 9 sessions we run a week during term time. The preschool is busy, noisy and although has lots of staff, I have found that some children can get 'lost' in it all. We have also had a couple of SEN children, mostly ASD with us over the last few years.
This September I set up an extension of the preschool (in another building across town) for the children who were 'lost' and any children that needed a little more 1-1 such as a child with ASD who we had been told would not cope in the main preschool. This SEN/nurture unit runs 4 sessions a week and currently has up to 4 children (6 is the maximum) and between 2 and 3 staff. In the unit we have a calm environment that is not cluttered in the way my other preschool is. We have a 'work' area, playtime area and soft play as well as access to a small outdoor area. We use (very loosely) time lines for the children and some PECS.
We have support from various SaLT and Early Years Consultants and the parents are fabulous!
I have been reading with interest the trouble some parents have had with statementing and would like to share our experiences. Most other professionals will NOT use evidence from the unit for statements as the child has to be seen as not coping in mainstream! Some of our children share their time between the main preschool and the unit but only their time in the main preschool may be used as evidence. This is extremely frustrating for us and the parents who have chosen to send their child to a much more SEN friendly environment. I hate to see children fail in order to be statemented!
I am currently battling with my LEA for funding for the unit, which I would easily have been awarded should the children only be accessing mainstream! It seems that you can only apply for SEN funding (for children under 3) if they are accessing mainstream only - and therefore come under 'inclusion'.
I would welcome any thought, suggestions and advice anyone has on running this new setting and look forward to contributing to more posts.
kaz