Early years provision

This page gives information on the Early Years Forum for children who are NOT yet attending a school-based provision. If the child is already accessing a school-based provision please visit the SCHOOL Early Years Forum page here: Early years provision – SENDCo Hub

What is the  Early Years Forum?

The Early Years Forum is the way that services from education, health and social care work together to identify and support pre-school children with additional needs in Stoke-on-Trent. It is a way for health and other services such as nurseries to let the Local Authority know about any young children who may need extra support when they go to school. This helps to ensure that every child with SEND in Stoke-on-Trent has the best possible start to learning.

This mechanism has been in place for many years and is successful in identifying young children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

How does the EYF work?

The Early Years Forum is a monthly meeting of professionals from health (Community Paediatrics, Speech and Language Therapy, Health Visitors, Physiotherapy), education (Educational Psychology, SEND Services, Early Years Inclusive Learning Service, SENMAS) and social care (Supporting Families, Children with Disabilities, Virtual School).

Not all children known to the EYF are discussed every month. The Forum will look at the needs of each child. It will request reports from anyone involved in supporting the child. This helps to track each child’s development and progress and make sure everything that they need is in place. Based on the information that received, the Forum might recommend extra ways that a child’s development can be supported.

How do I refer a child to the EYF?

Settings within Stoke-on-Trent can refer children who live in Stoke-on-Trent to the Early Years Forum by completing a referral form. Staffordshire settings are also able to refer any children who attend their setting but live at an address in Stoke-on-Trent. Health professionals are also able to refer children from Stoke-on-Trent live at a Stoke-on-Trent address.

All agencies must get consent from the child's parent before referring to the EYF. You will need to provide information on the child’s strengths and needs as well as their developmental levels. You will also need to provide information on other professionals who may be involved with the child such as a Paediatrician, health therapist or social worker. You will need to provide information of what strategies and support you have already put in place.

Each referral is processed by Early Years SEND Caseworkers. They will request information from all services who are providing support or care for the child. This information is then reviewed by the team to ensure that there is enough information to move the child onto the Forum. If approved, the child’s Parents will be sent a letter telling them the date that their child will first be discussed at the Forum. The setting will also get a copy of this letter.

Which children can be referred?

• Child must live at an address within Stoke-on-Trent (ie Parents pay council tax to Stoke-on-Trent City Council)
• Child is not yet 5 years old
• Child shows significant delays in 2 or more areas of their development

What do we as a setting need to do?

Settings will be asked to provide a report each time the child is going to be discussed at the Forum. You can download a copy of the report template here. You will need to email the completed report to eyils.sp@stoke.gov.uk before the report deadline.

Gathering parent/carer views are an important part of the forum. We ask schools to make sure that parents receive a copy of the parent carer comment form. Parents should return the completed form to the setting who can then send it with their reports on behalf of the parents.

Once the child has been discussed by the Forum, settings will receive a feedback pack containing all reports that have been gathered and any recommendations for next steps. The date that the child will next be discussed at the EYF will also be included in the feedback pack. Feedback packs will be sent to the setting via the secure email portal. Documents will only be available on the portal for 30 days so settings will need to ensure that they download the paperwork. 

If an EHC Needs Assessment has been agreed by the EYF, settings should completing the ‘Making a Case’ paperwork, get written consent from Parents and then return these to the Forum via the secure email portal eyils.sp@stoke.gov.uk. Caseworkers will then submit this all to SENMAS so that the EHC Needs Assessment can begin.