People are invited to have a say on plans to create more accessible and inclusive SEND nursery places in Leicestershire communities.
Proposals include providing extra funding and support for early years places for children with additional needs in mainstream settings in their neighbourhoods, rather than at the four term-time specialist nurseries currently spread across the county.
Leicestershire County Council is planning to support settings to deliver the places with additional funding to mainstream nurseries and through expertise from its Early Years team.
The focus on creating specialist places in nurseries in local communities means it would no longer need to commission places at the four specialist nurseries currently used.
However, it is proposed that some of the buildings would be repurposed to instead provide much-needed additional SEND places for statutory school aged children and young people.
“Wherever possible, we should be trying to meet the needs of families of children with additional needs in their local communities.
“As it stands, some families are having to travel miles in order to access the specialist nurseries and use their childcare funding entitlement.
“Not only is this inconvenient, but studies tell us that children thrive and have better chances of meeting their full potential when remaining in their communities.
“Also, there are simply not enough places at specialist nurseries available to meet the needs of all children with additional needs.
“We are proposing to do what many other authorities have done already; focus instead on making sure there are more specialist trained staff and more specialist provision on people’s doorsteps.
“As the specialist nurseries are term-time only, this would also give greater opportunities for children with SEND to access funded year-round nursery places.
“We are keen to hear what people think about these proposals, so please do share your views with us, particularly if you have a child with additional needs, or work in the sector.”
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Person:Cllr Charles Pugsley, lead member for children and families
Under the proposals, mainstream nurseries would get higher funding rates for specialist places.
If given the go-ahead following this consultation, the aim is to phase the use of specialist nurseries out by April 2027. Have your say on plans to provide more SEND nursery places in local communities
Notes
Specialist nurseries in Leicestershire are:
- Menphys, the county council’s maintained Early Years specialist nursery, has sites at Wigston and Sketchley Hill in Burbage
- Two specialist provisions are attached to Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) settings (Lift Beacon, in Loughborough and Oasis Retreat, in Melton Mowbray)