SEND notifications - Section 23 notice and referral guidance

Bromley early identification process for preschool age children who may have a special educational need and/or a disability (SEND).

For some children, additional needs or disabilities can be identified from birth or at an early age. Health practitioners, such as a paediatricians, health visitors, speech and language therapists etc, are often the first to raise concerns about a child’s development. These professionals are ideally placed to identify children who are likely to have special educational needs and/or a disability and discuss this with their parents/carers/guardians.

When a health professional working with a child or family is concerned that a child under school age may have a special educational need they are required to inform colleagues in the local authority using SEND Notification form (see below). They should complete and send this to: Data and Panels Manager, via secure e-mail to: EYSENDnotifications@bromley.gov.uk.

Before a notification is made health professionals must ensure the following:

• A discussion takes place with parents/carers to express their view that their child may have special educational need and/or a disability.
• Parents/carers are given the opportunity to discuss their child’s additional needs and the likelihood of special educational need and/or a disability.
• Parents/carers are informed that health professionals have a duty to bring details of their child to the attention of the local authority.
• Parents/carers are directed to the local offer website and organisations that may be able to provide support and advice about any special educational needs and/or a disability which their child may have.

Health professionals will be required to provide information/evidence about the nature of the child’s health needs such as a clinic report or letter and details of any safeguarding concerns. They will also need to indicate the area of possible special educational need as detailed in the Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Code of Practice (2014) i.e. Cognition and learning; communication and interaction; sensory and/or physical; social mental and emotional health.

Health professionals will need to make a note in the child’s clinical record that a notification of possible special educational needs and/or a disability has been sent to the local authority. They will also need to state that a notification of possible special educational needs and/or a disability has been sent to the local authority in clinic letters, reports etc. They will also need to explain to families what is meant by the notification and what they can expect.

The purpose of the SEND notification is to ensure the local authority is aware of children with, or who may have special educational needs and/or a disability. The information provided may trigger further discussion with agencies to ensure services are planned and available to meet the needs of the individual child. Information collated from all SEND notifications will support the strategic planning of services and future commissioning.

Completing a notification and/or referral

Confidentiality and data protection

It is important that professionals ensure that in completing the notification/referral agreement is made to the sharing of data.

In Bromley, we recognise the importance of early identification and that some children will require an individualised approach to developing their learning. Therefore, the SEND Notification form is in two parts:

Part 1 notification only

Health professionals must complete part 1 of this form to make a notification only to the local authority. This will be in cases where the practitioner has a view that the child may have special educational needs and/or a disability but does not require additional support from the Sensory Support Service (SS), or Early Years Inclusion Team (EYIT) at this time.

Part 2 referral

Health professionals must complete both parts 1 and 2 of this form in cases where they wish to make a notification and a referral to a local authority preschool education service as above. This will be in cases where the practitioner has a view that the child may have a special educational need and/or disability that may benefit from additional support. The threshold for a referral is that the child has severe, complex and enduring SEND which may require support arrangements which are in excess of those that can reasonably be provided within the local offer.

Response from local authority to SEND notification from health

The local authority offer a range of early intervention services for children, aged 0 to 5 years, with SEND.

The Early Years Inclusion Team (EYIT) offers inclusion support to children. This is provided by outreach services into homes (Portage Home Visiting) and/or early years settings and can offer some support into school. The service also offers a range of focused parent/child support groups. Some children may be given SEN Inclusion Funding (SENIF) if this is appropriate.

Once a referral is accepted a member of the service will visit the child and family at home and/or in their pre-school setting if attending, to carry out an Initial visit.

In partnership with parents/carers, and others working with the child, an SEN Support Plan will be put in place, identifying the child’s strengths and needs, the desired outcomes parents/carers want for their child and recording the interventions and support from all involved.

Children with SEND and their families may also access:

The Sensory Support Service (SSS), which provides support for children and young people with a visual and/or hearing impairment, from qualified (mandatory qualification) Teachers of the Deaf (ToD) or Teachers for the Visually Impaired (QTVI) on diagnosis.