Brighter Beginnings

The Early Years Inclusion Award is an outstanding achievement that settings can receive once they have demonstrated they are an inclusive setting to all children including those with additional needs. This award validates that settings are meeting the requirements for the SEND Code of Practice.

Early Years settings must submit evidence to demonstrate that they have met the standards and competency framework of the Inclusion Award to gain this status.

Settings are supported by the Early Years Team, Portage Team, Autism Advisor and Educational Psychology service to work towards meeting these standards.

This award will:

  • Enrich workforce development within Early Years providers
  • Have a positive impact on children, diminishing the difference in children’s attainment
  • Improve choices for parents of children with SEND
  • Promote and increase inclusion by providers of the EYFS
  • Increase the sufficiency of places for children with SEND to include take up of the 30-hour entitlement

Settings that have achieved the Level 1 and 2 Award, will then provide support to other early years settings, who are working towards achieving the Brighter Beginnings Inclusion Award.

We currently have 10 Reading childcare settings taking part in the award, these include day nurseries, maintained nursery, pre-schools and a childminder.

Information on early help for professionals

Each setting will have an appointed Inclusion Lead.

There will be a display in the setting that signposts staff, parents and visitors to information regarding the award as well as information in regard to finding help and information in regard to SEND.

All staff will have an awareness of speech, language and communication needs.

All staff will have an awareness of Special Education Needs and Disabilities

All staff will know how to access information or local services and support groups for parents

Settings will provide evidence to the award panel and must meet the 8 outcomes that make up the award.

The Level 1 award must be refreshed after 2 years, settings who have subsequently been working towards the Level 2 award will be reassessed during the process of that award.

Upon completion of level 1 all of the settings will be able to display a plaque within the setting, the award logo will be published on their Family Information page.

Having achieved Level 1 of the award, settings must now demonstrate their ability to meet the needs of young children with SEND within the framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This will be achieved by:

  • Establishing (or developing) their practice in accordance with all relevant Autism Education Trust early years standards
  • Establishing (or developing) competencies of all staff, appropriate to their needs and role, in accordance with the Autism Education Trust early years competency framework
  • Establishing (or developing) their  practice in regard to The Speech, Language and Communication Framework
  • Establishing (or developing) competencies of all staff, appropriate to their needs and role, in regard to the Speech, Language and Communication Framework

The Level 2 award must be refreshed after 3 years. Settings which have subsequently been working towards the Level 3 award will be reassessed during the process of that award.

Upon completion of level 2 all of the settings will be able to display a plaque  within the setting, the award logo will be published on their Family Information page.

Settings can contact brighter.beginnings@brighterfuturesforchildren.org to request an information pack about the criteria for Level 1 and a next steps guide. Settings can then submit their request to be involved, whereby they will be invoiced £150 which will cover the support and training they receive to assist them to work towards achieving all 3 awards (information about that is in the pack).

This will commit the setting to completing the Brighter Futures Inclusion Award documentation, which will be submitted to the Early Years team and the verification panel as part of the validation process no later than 9 months from the agreed start date.

The Brighter Futures for Children Early Years team is responsible for overseeing the award process from application to presentation of the award gained.

In conjunction with the setting a training plan is agreed and delivered using the trainers from within the Early Years team and as well as external trainers who are experts in the required field.

Brighter Beginnings is the Reading programme to support preschool children who have SEND, particular regard is given to social communication difficulties and autistic spectrum disorder, their families and practitioners who work with them.

Brighter Beginnings is underpinned by these principles:

  1. An understanding of SEND is essential for sound educational practice.
  2. Professionals need to work with parents as partners to maximise benefits for children with SEND.
  3. Children can benefit from inclusive education.
  4. Parents can trust that the setting is inclusive and have confidence they will provide support to children as individuals.

There are three levels to the award:

  1. All settings displaying this award have met the 8 competencies which ensure the setting is working within the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice
  2. Settings are able to meet the individual needs of children with SEND, they have the knowledge and confidence to ensure the correct support is provided for each child.
  3. Settings go over and above supporting families through their journey, demonstrating their ability to follow the graduated approach and apply for additional resources where appropriate. Settings will be supporting each other to develop their inclusive practice and work towards achieving the award.

Please contact the Brighter Futures for Children Early Years team:
Brighter.Beginnings@brighterfuturesforchildren.org
Telephone: 0118 937 4730