Anna Speke, Education Officer from Nasen, shares her experience of leading the HEART Midlands SEND Networks.
The Golden Key: SEND in the Early Years
In every early years setting, there are children whose journeys unfold a little differently. Some communicate through gesture rather than words. Others process the world through movement or sensory exploration. Each child brings their own motivations, strengths, preferences and ways of connecting.
As practitioners, our role is to make sure that those differences are not only noticed, but embraced and celebrated as part of the inevitable diversity of the world.
This September/October, I had the privilege of delivering our Golden Key programme for the HEART Midlands Stronger Practice Hub. This 4-week network focused on building practitioner confidence in supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families.
Attendees included practitioners from a range of settings, including maintained nurseries, private voluntary and independent (PVI) settings, and childminders. The shared commitment amongst practitioners was inspiring, and their drive to make sure that every child experiences a sense of belonging, participation and joy in exploration and learning.
From Awareness to Action
One theme running throughout our SEND networks is around a simple reflection: Inclusion isn’t about one-off things that we do for some children. It’s about ethos, mindset, the way we design our environments, our activities and every element of our provision. Done right, inclusive practice is part and parcel of what we do – embedded into everything and always available.
Our network sessions combined information, discussion and reflection. Approaches were underpinned by guidance and legislation, including the Equality Act (2014) and the SEND Code of Practice (2015), as well as research from organisations such as the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).
SEND inclusion is sometimes framed as an additional responsibility. In truth, however, it’s the foundation of quality practice for all children.
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS 2025) reminds us that every child is unique and that high-quality learning depends on understanding and responding to each child’s individual needs.
When we see diversity as a starting point, not a challenge, our provision naturally becomes more equitable, more creative, more supportive and more fun, for all of us!
Some Key Principles to Shape Inclusive Practice
Person-Centred Practice
The importance of developing a culture where difference is expected, respected and valued. Inclusion is about reducing barriers, not fitting children into categories.
Of course, accurate and early identification of need is important, and knowing about these needs gives us, as professionals, strategies to support children. However, we also need to see beyond a child’s identification of need, or diagnosis, and instead focus on the individual, and what we can do to support them, building their agency and independence.
When we start from what children can do, our interactions become more empowering, positive and impactful. A good starting point is considering the barriers in our environment – both physical and social/emotional.
Environment Is Key
As many Early Years philosophies tell us, our environment communicates our values. Simple changes – such as offering visual supports, quiet areas, flexible seating, open-ended resources, and inclusive outdoors spaces – can have a profound impact on accessibility and wellbeing.
Partnership
The SEND Code of Practice (2015) is clear that families ‘know their children best’. Inclusive practice develops when we listen genuinely, share strategies and build trust as a team with families. Consistency between our setting and home creates security for the child, and confidence for the family.
Getting Curious!
No one, however experienced or passionate, can know everything. We can’t always have the answers, but we can always choose to be curious. Asking reflective professional questions as part of our practice helps inclusion to become embedded in our provision.
Thinking about “How can we make sure this isn’t overwhelming” or “Whose voice isn’t being heard?”. Asking these questions of ourselves, with colleagues, with families, and being really curious about what children are communicating to us through their actions, choices and behaviours too.
Inclusion in Practice
In our network sessions, practitioners shared a range of thoughtful ideas as examples of how inclusive thinking translates into everyday practice:
- Adapting, not adding: Adjusting existing provision, rather than creating separate activities. For example, using visual supports for all children as a standard part our universal provision improves experiences and outcomes for all children, including those with SEND.
- Using observations: To find out more about children’s interests and competencies, not just their challenges.
- Sensory awareness: Considering light, noise, smell and texture to support regulation – ensuring children have opportunities to engage in their own way. Some children will be more sensitive to certain stimulus; others will be less.
- Communication-rich environments: Embedding visuals, signing, gestures and modelling as part of everyday practice for all children, to make communication accessible for all.
- Shared reflection: Opportunities to work with any colleagues to discuss inclusion and celebrate progress (however small) as well as to discuss barriers and challenges.
The Impact
As a result of the networks, participants reported increased confidence around how to embed inclusion as part of everyday practice.
Before the sessions, 57% of respondents reported feeling ‘somewhat confident’ supporting children with SEND, with 35% feeling ‘confident’ and 0% feeling very confident. By the end of the 4 weeks, all 100% of respondents had moved into the ‘confident’ or ‘very confident’ category.
The increase in awareness and confidence means that children are benefitting from environments that are calmer, more responsive and more accessible to them. Over time, we hope that the dissemination of these ideas can contribute to more confidence across the wider workforce, better family engagement and improved experiences for children and for the practitioners who work with them.
Looking Ahead
These are not new or complex ideas – but they are powerful when applied consistently as part of what we do.
Every small, intentional act builds an environment where children with SEND are not just present, but actively participating and belonging. And when a child feels truly seen and valued, their whole world expands – now, and for their future.
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Further Reading and Resources
DfE SEND Code of Practice: SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years - GOV.UK
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework: Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework - GOV.UK
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF): Early Years | EEF
NASEN - National Association for Special Educational Needs: www.nasen.org.uk