Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 41
41
Accepted
Introduce new inclusivity requirements for all early years settings linked to funding.
Recommendation
There is a need to increase access to CPD and ensure that staff from all agencies in every early years setting has the expertise to undertake the effective early identification of SEND needs. Through the Best Start in Life strategy the Government should also ensure that there is a strong and consistent framework for building SEND capacity and good practice in early years settings through the deployment of educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and other specialists in training the workforce. From September 2025, 80 per cent of the funding for early years providers will come from the Government, and the Department should introduce a new set of inclusivity requirements for all early years settings, provide the foundation for greater inclusivity across all early years settings. (Recommendation, Paragraph 177) 163 Post-16
Government Response Summary
The government details its existing 'Best Start in Life' strategy, including ongoing training for early years SENCOs, and significant investment in training additional educational psychologists, along with work to improve access to speech and language therapy, but does not commit to introducing a new set of national inclusivity requirements for all early years settings.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We are making changes to improve the system for children with SEND already. The Best Start in Life strategy means a stronger focus on early identification, inclusive access to early years education, and tailored family support. We are doing this by: • making inclusive practice standard practice, working with early years educators, including Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), to embed inclusive practice across all early years teaching and qualifications. For the early years workforce, we have already funded training for 1000 early years Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) to achieve their level 3 Early Years SENCO qualification by the end of FY2025–26, having already funded training for up to 7000 early years SENCOs in previous years. The Department is working closely with DHSC and NHS England to improve access to community health services, such as speech and language therapy, for children and young people with SEND... Educational psychologists also play a critical role in the support available to children and young people, including those with SEND. The Department is already investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists over two cohorts starting their studies in 2024 and 2025. This is in addition to the £10 million being invested in the training of over 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.