High Needs Processes Early Years

Contents What is High Needs Funding? - Slide 3 Funding data – Slide 4 What is High Needs Panel? – Slide 5 What Does High Needs Panel Do? – Slide 6 Why Apply? – Slide 7 First Steps – Slide 8 Voice of child and family – slide 9 Graduated Approach – slide 10 Before Applying – Slide 11 Applying – Slide 12 Interventions – Slide 13 Other papers you will need – Slides 14 Developmental Profile – slide One Page profile – Top tips for on line HN form – slide 21 Outcomes of Panel – Slide 22 Funding Information – Slide Frequently asked Questions - 26

What is High Needs Funding (HNF) Additional funding that can be accessed to support children with the highest levels of need. Level of need is defined in the Special Educational Needs (SEN) descriptors. HNF is available to all education settings: Early Years, Primary, Secondary, and post 16FE as well as Special schools.

Funding Data 2014/15 During 2014/15, 109 Early Years Applications were received. 90 have been awarded Funding. 19 were declined (either do not meet criteria or was not enough information). £259, has been awarded in this year alone. Add this to the 74 we are continuing to fund from 13/14, Early Year Settings are currently receiving £412, in High needs funding.

What is High Needs Panel? An impartial panel of representatives from all phases of education, the LA (including an Educational Psychologist), Health, parent and governors Up to 3 Early Years (EY) representatives share attendance, nominated by the EYS Cross Sector Group All of the 3 current representatives are working in EY settings Terms of Reference are published and available on NCC website Panel meets monthly during term time – 8/9 panels per year An independent facilitator Chairs the meeting

What Does Panel Do? Considers applications from education providers for HNF for high needs children without a statement or Education Health and Care Plan. Each application is discussed to determine whether the child meets HN criteria in line with the SEN Descriptors. It considers: –description of identified need/s, –how the childs' needs impact on learning, –the barriers they create, –current and proposed programs of support to meet identified need/s, –identified outcomes for the child.

Why Apply? To support early intervention to support a child's needs and improve individual outcomes. To potentially receive additional funding to achieve the above, where evidenced. To make a positive difference to the child’s outcomes.

First steps Once a child is identified as having additional needs, the following should take place: Initial Assessment leading to “Initial Assessment of Need and Action Plan document” (ASSESS AND PLAN) *Developmental Profile Agreement of targets which are recorded on the setting’s usual format (DO) Review of targets which evidence progress and any necessary revisions (REVIEW)

Voice of child and family For all applications: The voice of the child must be evidenced The voice and perspective of the parents must be evidenced.

Before Applying Check the child meets the required criteria for HNF in line with the SEN Descriptors (Purple on mind maps) Activity 1 Be clear about what the child's identified needs are and how they impact on their learning (ASSESS) Know what barriers exist for the child to be fully included in the setting and in their learning Activity 2 Agree what interventions will make a difference (PLAN)

Applying To complete the high needs form, you will need to: Be able to identify the additional support you have already put in place and what outcomes you were hoping the child would achieve from the intervention (DO) Be able to evidence progress (or not) through regular review and re-assessment (REVIEW) * Developmental Profile Be able to identify what you need to do next and how high needs funding will enable this?

Interventions Having looked at all of the above, you need to now determine what needs to continue or be started in order for the child to achieve their maximum potential. You need to : Describe the program/support being or to be offered including the ratio of support and number of hours needed Activity 3 Describe the expected outcome of intervention

Other papers you will need Portage and SEN Early years Developmental Profile One Page Profile

Top tips for Developmental Profile Complete the profile BEFORE you start your High Needs application and SAVE it You can do it by hand and scan it Complete the name, DOB etc details – this is in a header at the top of the page – if you do it once it will transfer to every page! Hover over the section with name, DOB and double click to open the header, complete the details and then click red cross (close header and footer)

Top tips for Developmental Profile Complete all sections of the profile to show the child's current skills – you can insert a tick or shade the relevant emerging or achieved skill To shade, place cursor in desired box and use the paint can icon to select a colour and click! Complete the Summary on page 7 to show an overview of the child's current development Delete page 8 which is only an example

What is a One Page Profile? At the heart of person centred planning. A means to convey a person’s needs. Frequently one page but can be in a range of formats. Very much focused on the person Generally in three sections. 1.Appreciation 2.What is important to me and for me 3.How I want to be supported

Top tips for One Page Profiles Discuss the child with parents/carers and those who support him/her Take a fantastic photo ! Complete the one page profile BEFORE you start your High Needs application and SAVE it You can do it by hand and scan it Make sure it reflects the child

One page profiles useful links ‎

Top Tips for on line HN form Make sure the right person with the right information completes the form Have all of your evidence and information available before you start the form Save as you go along (you will need to record a password) Once you have submitted your form you will get an AF number – MAKE A NOTE OF THIS

Outcome of Panel There are 2 decisions types: –The child meets the criteria for high needs funding –The child does not meet the criteria for high needs funding Decisions are notified to settings via , within 10 working days from the panel date. The decision notification confirms the funding period and the amount to be funded.

Funding Information Early years funding is paid at an hourly rate to provide all aspects of the identified program of support and any SEN premium will be reflected in the agreed hourly rate for each child. A maximum of 570 hours per annum will be funded in line with free entitlement to funded childcare Funding relates to the financial year i.e. 1 st April to 31 st March Funding will usually be paid monthly (e.g. annual amount over 12 equal monthly instalments/pro rata amount over number months left in financial year) Funding for PVI Settings will be paid via BACS transfer. Funding for Maintained settings will be paid via schools transfer.

Funding Information Continued Funding at a setting will cease: –At transition when the child moves to school –If the child leaves the setting –HNP determine another funding review date (e.g. a return to HNP to consider the impact of the support provided) Where a child with agreed high needs funding moves to another EY setting, the existing funding arrangements may continue at the new EY setting (i.e. without applying to HNP again). Settings are asked to inform the High Needs Business Support Team immediately via , should a child for whom they have been receiving funding, leave the setting:

Funding Information Continued For children with the highest level of need, settings will be able to apply to the High Needs Funding Panel before the child starts. Where settings have limited availability of supporting evidence they may be asked to return to panel (usually within 6 to 12 weeks) by which time clear evidence of need and the required program of support should have been identified, so that High Needs Panel can ratify the funding decision.

Frequently Asked Questions What is the SEN Premium? The SEN premium is an hourly rate that can be paid as part of the Early Years Single Funding formula(EYSFF ) for 3 and 4 year olds. It is paid for the amount of hours a child (up to a maximum of 570 hours per year) attends and is only paid for eligible children. Eligible children are those who have been accepted through the Early Years Panel or the High Needs Panel. It is claimed through the headcount return.