SEND childcare and early years

Other help for parents and carers of children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) includes:

There are family centres across Buckinghamshire that offer:

• free advice and support for parents and carers
• universal health services for children and young people with SEND aged 0 to 25

Universal health services are free and available to everyone, not just children with SEND.

Search our directory to find a family centre near you:

Our SEND and Inclusion team work countywide to support settings with children who have SEND. This includes:

• Consultations and advice for settings
• General support visits
• Visiting children with SEND in settings to support inclusion
• Training for settings such as SENCO training, Autism training in partnership with the AET

Our SEND and Inclusion team runs the National Autistic Society EarlyBird Programme, which works with parents to gain:

• Advice and support
• Information about autism
• Skills to develop their child's communication skills
• Supporting their child's overall development and behaviours

Register for EarlyBird by filling in an online application form.

The Buckinghamshire Portage Service is an early years home visiting education service for children aged 0 to 3 years with SEND.

The service offers:

• Support to children with a delay in at least two areas of their development by a minimum of six months.
• Various portage packages depending on the needs/age of your child.

There is an open referral system so parents and carers can request the service themselves.

The Buckinghamshire Early Years and Childcare extranet has a range of information for childcare professionals, including:

• SEND information and advice
• setting up your own business
• training and qualifications
• safeguarding and welfare