Early years ordinarily available provision guidance - The unique child - summary

The unique child summary - text version of the diagram above

1. Parent or carer(s) knowledge about their child is used to inform planning and support for the child's learning and development. This includes information about their interests, strengths, needs, routines, preferences, and any additional needs.
2. There are planned opportunities for children to engage in activities that promote their development across all areas of learning within the environment before they start school.
3. Understanding that every child has a unique set of characteristics which influence how they learn best; practitioners plan activities that reflect these individual differences.
4. Practitioners are aware of the risk factors that may impact on children's learning and development including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and disadvantageous home circumstances.
5. Where a child attends more than one setting or moves between settings, practitioners share relevant information about the child's progress with each other to ensure continuity in children's needs are understood.
6. Practitioners understand that the behaviour observed indicates how children communicate their needs.
7. There is an embedded cycle of assessment where observations inform planning which leads to assessment; this cycle should have a clear purpose.
8. Every child has 'next Steps' identified based on observations made by practitioners; these steps should be achievable within a short period of time through focused adult support around activities and experiences.
9. The Progress check at 2 years old identifies any areas where additional support may be needed; this check involves parents/carers as partners in understanding their child's progress at this stage.
10. Where assessment indicates a need for additional support or intervention, practitioners work with parents/carers to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or targeted approach as agreed with them.
11. Written consent is to be obtained from parents when professionals from external services are involved as necessary.
12. A 6-12 weekly cycle of Assess, Plan, Do Review ensures that interventions remain appropriate over time; these plans are regularly reviewed with parents/carers.
13. Listening to the child's views from a strength-based approach ensures that the right strategies are being used to embed best-practice.