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If your child has significant or complex delays to their development, they may need more specialist services and support.
If your child is in an early years setting, your setting SENDCo can give your more information about services and support.
Your GP or health visitor should be able to give more information about these health services and how to access them.
Early Child Development Pathway
Children and Family Health Devon provides Specialist Children’s Assessment Centres for children aged 0 to 5 years with significant developmental difficulties. The centres offer assessments in the most appropriate venue for you and your child.
Speech and language therapy
Speech and language therapists (SLTs) play a key role in the diagnosis of children with different speech, language and communication needs. More information about SLTs and other support available can be found in our speech, language and communication needs guide.
Physiotherapy
Vranch House provides physiotherapy for children aged 0 to 5.
How to access this support
If your child needs a service from Vranch House, anyone working with your child can make a referral.
If you are in east or west Devon, this will be sent straight to Vranch House; in North Devon the referral goes to the Physiotherapy team in Barnstaple Health Centre.
To access South Devon based services Torbay Hospital John Parkes Unit (except for emergency and inpatient care), use the link to find out more information.
Early Years Inclusion and Learning – specialist support
Our team of Inclusion Practitioners support children who have a significant or profound Special Educational Need and/or Disabilities (SEND). They support children to achieve success using a small-steps, play based, child centred approach. All of the Inclusion Practitioners have completed their National Portage Association (NPA) training and the service is registered with the National Portage Association, which is recognised by the Department for Education as an early intervention service for children with significant and complex needs aged 0 to 5 and their families.
One of the key principles of support from an Inclusion Practitioner is to work together with parents, carers and early years professionals to agree shared goals and targets, which are broken down into small, manageable steps giving opportunities for children to learn new skills and progress in their development.
The Inclusion Practitioners work in the home, community and in early years settings with parents and partner agencies, to promote inclusive practice and to build confidence and resilience.an early years setting report for all children currently attending a setting (including childminders).
- evidence of a significant and complex delay in two developmental areas which must include detailed evidence of significant cognitive delay (see criteria above)
- evidence of how professionals have tried to target areas of delay in the community, for example, demonstrated through a TAF
- evidence of the graduated response if a referral is from an early years setting – settings should have discussed the child with their early years consultant prior to the referral being made
- evidence that the child has had an Early Help Assessment (Right for Children) if appropriate
- copies of ASQs, Two Year Old and Let’s Talk More assessments where appropriate, including a summary of the child’s needs.
Find our more about the support the Early Years Inclusion Team can offer.