Positive Relationships with Parents and Carers of Children with Additional Needs

Parents/carers should involved in their child’s development at every stage. For more information and examples on Positive Relationships please refer to the Positive Relationship Theme.
It is essential that SENCos receive consent from parents/carers before they contact or share information with outside agencies.

Code of Practice:

Parents/carers must be involved in the child’s progress from the outset. The setting must ensure that this continues throughout their development.
“Partnership with parents plays a key role in promoting a culture of co-operation…”
(Special Educational Needs Code of Practice November, 2001 DfES Page 16)

Early identification and contact with parents/carers:

Where practitioners have an initial concern regarding a child attending their setting, they must share this information with the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo). The SENCo’s first steps must be to share these concerns with parents/carers.
For more information on the role of the SENCo see ‘Role of SENCo’ section on the Birth to Five Service Website.
The initial conversation should be positive and sensitive. It should be viewed as an opportunity to share information between the setting and parents/carers.
This can be very informative. Parents/carers may share the following:

• They may have had some concerns and been wanting to discuss these
• They have not been sure who to talk to
• They may already be receiving support from professionals such as, their health visitor or speech and language therapy
• They may be using successful strategies at home which the setting could introduce to support the child
• They may be able to explain some of the behaviours the child is presenting and how to support these.