Services for Young Children - Early Years Education Outreach Service 1) What does your service do? Early Years Education Outreach Service (EYEOS) offers support to non-maintained Early Years Education (EYE) practitioners, including nurseries, pre schools and childminders, for the children within the setting who have been identified by the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (SEN COP) as needing additional support. The range of services undertaken include: empowerment of staff to provide for an individual child’s needs visits to groups to provide guidance, support and advice with target setting and writing Individual Education Plans (IEPs) direct work with children - modelling of interventions, training, coaching and developing skills, making and loaning resources, equipment loans, signposting on to other agencies and support with transitions Advice is usually focused at the individual level but the outreach service can also offer advice and support to help meet the needs of the child within a small group of children. Support will depend on levels of need and available resources. Outreach is delivered by a variety of established outreach providers which include specialist nurseries, special schools and Hampshire Portage Service.
2) Where is it located and what areas does it cover? The Early Years Education (Portage) Outreach Service can be accessed from :
Eastleigh & Winchester District: SfYC, The Aviary Children’s Centre, Blackbird Road, Eastleigh, SO50 9JW, Tel: 02380 651983 Havant District: SfYC, Mill Hill Children's Centre, Mill Road, Waterlooville, PO7 7DB. Tel: 02392 261057 New Forest District: SfYC, Ashurst Child & Family Health Centre, Lyndhurst Road, Ashurst, SO40 7AR Tel: 02380 293768 Test Valley District: SfYC, Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover. SP10 3AS. Tel: 01264 368656 Basingstoke and Deane District: SfYC, Vertex, Chineham Court, Lutyens Close, Basingstoke, RG24 8AG 01256 359002 East Hants District: SfYC, Bushy Leaze Children and Families Centre, Eastbrooke Road, Alton, GU34 2DR Tel: 01420 80862 Hart and Rushmoor District: SfYC, Rushmoor Borough Council Offices, Farnborough Road, Farnborough, GU14 7JU Tel:01252 814770 Fareham and Gosport District: SfYC, Woodcot Primary School, Tukes Avenue. Gosport, PO13 0SG Tel: 01329 286750
External outreach providers:
Bushy Leaze Children & Families Centre Eastbrooke Road, Alton, Hampshire. GU34 2DR Covering : Alton, Bordon, Grayshott, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Ropley Farnborough Grange Moor Road, Farnborough, Hampshire. GU14 8HW Covering : Farnborough, Aldershot Haven Children's Centre Harris Road, Bridgemary, Gosport, PO13 0UY Covering : Fareham, Gosport, Locks Heath Heathfield School Oldbury Way, Fareham, Hants. PO14 3BN Covering : Fareham, Hedge End, Portchester, Locksheath, Warsash Lanterns Children's Centre Bereweeke Road, Winchester, Hants. SO22 6AJ Covering : Winchester, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Romsey, Alresford, Cheriton, Colden Services for Young Children - Early Years Education Outreach Service
Common, Botley, Kingsworthy Maple Ridge School Maple Crescent, Basingstoke, RG21 5SX Covering : Basingstoke Riverside Community Special School Scratchface Lane, Purbrook, Waterlooville, Hants. PO7 5QD Covering : Havant, Waterlooville, Emsworth, Petersfield, Steep, Denmead, Hambledon
3) Who does your service provide for? All early years settings can apply for an outreach service for children requiring support. There are no disabilities or additional needs that would not be supported by the service but some children’s needs might be better supported by other providers such as the Specialist Teacher Advisor (STA) team outreach. Children who are already supported by the Thomas Outreach Service (TOP? Not TOS?) (local offers needed for Thomas? Yes, I think so if it’s a separate service), Portage Plus or Core Portage (add link to both Core and Plus local offers) would not be eligible for EYEOS.
4) How can I start to use the service? Open referral routes using the on-line outreach referral form can be completed by parents/carers, early years settings, health colleagues and other professionals. There are local variations in the range of activities that each outreach service undertakes across the County - this will depend on levels of need and available resources. This service is currently available to all Early Years Education (EYE) funded childcare provision. For details and the referral form: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/childcare/providers/inclusion/area-inco- support/sfyc-outreach.htm
5) How are decisions made about who can use your service? Referrals for outreach are managed by the Inclusion Team Leader (ITL) for the area – the ITL in discussion with the relevant Area Inclusion Coordinator (Area InCo), will decide which outreach provider is best placed to offer the service in line with the referral allocation protocol. (haven’t got a protocol in place yet)
6) How do you communicate with service users and how are they involved in decision making/planning ? Clear service guidelines are available on-line in the Early Years Education Outreach Service (EYEOS) guidance document for parents, practitioners and professionals including the online referral form. (guidance document not ready yet either currently under review) The Area Inclusion Coordinator Service will provide support and guidance to setting SENCos on when and how outreach services should be sought. Service user pre and post evaluations are collected, monitored and recommended changes taken to the outreach task group. This task group is comprised of representatives from our outreach providers, SfYC inclusion team members and the childcare inclusion manager http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/childcare/providers/inclusion/area-inco- support/sfyc-outreach.htm
7) Is your service fully accessible? Services are not provided from local office locations as it is outreach provision. Every effort is made to make sure our service is as accessible as possible, utilising the resources available through Hampshire County Council such as translators, Braille, large print, hearing loops, etc. Similarly all early years and childcare settings are encouraged to make reasonable adjustment Services for Young Children - Early Years Education Outreach Service to their environment to ensure all families can be included.
8) What training have the staff working with children with SEND had or are having? External outreach providers are responsible for the continued professional development of their workforce. Portage outreach workers are qualified to a minimum of (qualification name/level here) or equivalent. On-going relevant training is provided by Hampshire County Council’s Services for Young Children in line with their Continuous Professional Development protocol.
9) Who can I contact for further information? Practitioners/professional – use the outreach page on the website http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/childcare/providers/inclusion/area-inco- support/sfyc-outreach.htm For parents - Setting SENCo is your first point of contact - speak to your setting’s SENCo about your concerns or your child’s requirements and ask if an outreach referral would be appropriate.
10) How will I know my child will be safe using this service? Hampshire County Council’s internal Outreach providers (Portage) have a responsibility to ensure all children who attend a Hampshire setting are safe. All Portage staff have a good understanding of the working together to safeguard children document and are fully briefed in Hampshire’s own safeguarding processes (link to processes). The Inclusion team leader (ITL) takes a lead in providing support, advice and guidance to the Lead Practitioner in a setting for Safeguarding (LPS) through support groups, policy documents and direct links with the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) team (http://www.4lscb.org.uk/hants/). Safer recruiting practices are adhered to by all recruiting staff. The professional phone line (01329 225379) provides instant professional advice and guidance to all staff that have concerns over a child’s welfare. The reception and assessment (R&A) team (0845 603 5620) are there to provide immediate child protection advice. The Local Authority Designated Office (LADO) role (01962 876364) who supports practitioners with any allegations made against adults working in the childcare sector. All Portage staff attend a two day child protection training which is renewed every 3 years. Team leads have a responsibility to ensure that there are safer working practices in place to protect staff teams and also attend safeguarding training regularly in line with good practice guidelines. (link to good practice guidelines when available on line)