Research and analysis
Early years provision for children with SEND and in deprived areas
Research to better understand childcare and early years provision among providers caring for children aged 0 to 4 with SEND and those living in deprived areas.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This research aims to better understand childcare and early years provision among providers caring for children aged 0 to 4 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those working in deprived areas.
This research involved:
- in-depth quantitative analysis of data collected in the 2023 childcare and early years provider survey
- findings from 22 in-depth interviews with early years providers
The main findings are that:
- between 2019 and 2023 an increasing proportion of providers are looking after children with SEND (particularly those with more complex needs)
- providers value and want more access to special educational needs coordinators (SENCos) and training to help them more quickly identify children with SEND, navigate paperwork, access funding streams and provide the appropriate support for these children
- some providers reported challenges engaging parents of children eligible for additional funding such as the disability access fund and early years pupil premium