Tryphina Louise Roberts

“Children develop at their own rates, and in their own ways” taken from Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Families

regularly raise concerns with practitioners at RCC and most of the time we can allay their fears and explain how this is part of a normal wide range of development. If you have any concerns about your childʼs development, however minor, you can raise it with your childʼs Keyperson or Tryphina, who is also the SENCO (Special Education Needs Co-ordinator). We are all there to help.
We keep track of each childʼs personal development through using the guidelines from the EYFS and the Keyperson completes an Individual Progress Review every term. If this highlights a possible problem the Keyperson will speak to the family and suggest activities that could be encouraged at home and at the setting to develop this area of progress.
Similarly, if the family raises concerns the Keyperson will observe the child closely and then report back to the family and the settings SENCO. With the family, the SENCO will write a Plan and share it with all practitioners who may work with this child. Over time it may be appropriate to involve other specialists or outside agencies, e.g. Speech and Language therapist, Health Visitor, Portage, but this will always be done after full consultation with the family.

By completing the Individual Progress Review every term, the Keyperson will quickly notice if a child is not developing in any particular area. With children under the age of 3 years we are particularly concentrating on the 3 Prime Areas of development, their Personal, Social and Emotional Development, their Communication and Language and their Physical Development. If all these areas progress within the very wide range that is considered ‘normalʼ in the EYFS, then other Specific areas, i.e. Literacy,

Mathematics, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design, will develop naturally as the child grows.
Our daily activities continuously encourage the use of language and listening, sharing with, and learning to empathise with their playmates and understanding their bodies and their physical abilities. The individual planning carried out by the Keypersons is based on the observations of your child over the last month so that there is a continuous circle of Observation, Assessment and Planning.
Should the Individual Progress Review indicate that a child is not progressing for their age/ stage range then the SENCO, Tryphina, will arrange to speak to the family so that together, we can help your child by providing activities to ‘spark an interestʼ and putting specific strategies in place.

Through the Individual Progress Reviews and the Individual Planning, the Keyperson and SENCO will devise activities around your childʼs interests. They will share this information with other practitioners in your childʼs age group so that everyone has the same expectations and your child can grow in confidence.
Your childʼs Learning Journal will indicate their successes and give examples of observations and their creative work. All the Individual Progress Review will be filed in this journal so you can see their progress and discuss any entries with their Keyperson at any time. The individual planning for your child is based on the observations over the last month so that there is a continuous circle of Observation, Assessment and Planning.

There are regular opportunities to share time together to discuss your childʼs development (Parents 1-1 at the setting- ‘child freeʼ occasions where you meet with your childʼs Keyperson to sit down and concentrate on your childʼs progress looking through their Learning Journal together. Tryphina/the SENCO, will always be available too so that you can immediately raise any questions that you may have after the meeting.
This is not the only time that you can talk to any of us. In the setting, photos and brief updates are uploaded daily to enable you to have a

‘snapshotʼ of your childʼs day. Please use your childʼs journal on tapestry as a ‘Sharing Bookʼ regularly so that the Keyperson can better understand your childʼs interests and encourage communication. The team works together closely and you can always ask to speak to Anyone of us privately. Allowing for the correct staffing ratios to be maintained at all times, this may be an immediate meeting, or be booked as soon as possible.
On the Parent Noticeboard we outline the broad topics that will be focused upon in each age group during that month. For example, this term we are looking at

harvest, Spanish songs, fireworks, forest schools activities such as autumn leaves and puddles. You can then help to support your child by incorporating these broad topics in your home activities/play.
In addition to the Parent 1-1ʼs , there are 3 Parent Focus events a year, such as Transition to school, funding and early years education and raising 2ʼs and learning information about the Eyfs and seven early learning goals. Each session will discuss questions raised during the meeting or suggestions. Subjects can be as diverse as ‘Choosing Your Childʼs First Schoolʼ to discussions on potty

training, sleeping, behaviour and understanding the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Parents tell us that they find these meetings empowering as they are able to confidently take control of their childʼs behaviour and learning.

RCC has a strong family ethos and from your first visit we will want to hear about your child and your family, his/her needs and interests, so that we can start to get to know each other and plan for your childʼs learning. Most importantly, we want you all to be happy and confident in

our service, progress will then follow.
We will be fully involved in settling your child and ensuring that all the relevant information about his/her needs and preferences are shared with all caregivers in the setting. All medical needs properly recorded and behaviour/learning discussed with the Keyperson.
Medication forms will be completed together so that we can be sure that we are administering treatment according to your GPʼs instructions. We are also able to administer homely medicines (paracetamol and ibuprofen) and creams

providing we have your signed permission in advance.
Your child will be safe. The garden is fenced to a height of over 6 foot, both gates securely locked. The front door is locked and only opened by a member of the staff who will then question the visitor if they are not recognised. Your child will only be allowed to leave with you or another adult that you have named on your Emergency Contact Form, and only then if they can give us the correct password.
Please ask to see policies on safeguarding, medication, staff training.

The RCC team includes 1 level 5 and the rest of the team are qualified as Early Years Childcarers at level 3, with 2 undergoing additional training now for send.
The whole team are qualified Paediatric First Aiders and have undergone Child Protection training and Food Safety /hygiene training. We take full advantage of

Paceyʼs training courses and staff have been on many courses, such as Behaviour Management, Communication literacy , ASD specialist courses, creating learning opportunities for 2 year olds, the outdoor classroom, forest schools and courses to develop early communication.
Through out the year we have ongoing whole staff team Discussions/ meetings. This gives us the chance to work in partnership and put relevant planning in place when needed. This promotes emotional health and well being in our children and families, can be particularly useful when

dealing with children with SEN, speech delay or behaviour issues when we work as a team and maintain good communication. These meetings enable the team to discuss individual children, sharing best practice and ideas, ensuring that we can get the best results possible for each child.

There are many outings throughout each year. Such as to a local childrenʼs farm , library, local fire station, church and many more, they are offered to all children with no exclusions. We ask

parents , grandparents, family members to offer some time to us by giving the children a talk, learning experience to include something special to them, such as cooking a favourite recipe, sharing another language through story, talking or song, or sharing special experiences. All families are strongly encouraged to join us.
During the day we sometimes take children off site for walks, forest schools or to the park or library; we keep note of which children go so that we can include all children over a period of time. These outings are very dependent on having sufficient staff and other

adults to be able to accompany the children to ensure everyoneʼs safety. We usually go out with ratios of one adult to three children.
If we feel that a childʼs safety can only be ensured through one to one attention then we would only be able to take that child if enough adults were available. Parents are always very welcome to join the outing and supervise their child.

(Indoors and outdoors) We have already welcomed children who are visually impaired and their needs are carefully accessed and

minor changes put in place, such as markings on steps to assist the child.
We have also welcomed portage in to the setting and specialist teachers to help make our setting more accessible and user friendly to children with ASD, sensory difficulties and mobility issues. For some children, changes have been only to make more visual cards more relevant to them and available and lots of opportunities for sensory activities.
We have two practitioners who are looking to complete a British Sign Language course so we could fully integrate a hearing impaired child.

Other needs would be accessed on an individual basis with full consultation with the family to ensure that our building is suitable and that we are able to provide the right expertise. Practitioners would access specialist courses at the earliest possibility if this was advised by other professionals involved in a SEN childʼs care.
RCC is a Semi detached house. Inside there is the main room on the ground level leading to two of our playrooms and to the garden all accessible for a wheelchair user. Outside the majority of the garden is on one level, so we are able to

enable access by wheelchair through a side gate if other members of the family are wheelchair users and would like to attend family events at the setting.

All children must visit the setting at least 2/3 times for settling in sessions before starting – these visits can be extended to as many as needed depending on the individual childʼs needs. The aim, before starting, is that we have all the information that we need about the

childʼs SEN, their diet and medication and the ways that he/she communicates. We will have allocated a Keyperson and by the time the child starts we will have strived to build a relationship between the child and Keyperson and at least one other practitioner so that the child will accept ‘comfortʼ when needed.
As the child moves through the setting we will ensure that new relationships are built with practitioners who will take over the main caring role. This will extend to the whole family so that you are confident in your childʼs care.
When the time comes to

move onto school we will make contact with the school SENCO as soon as you have the school place confirmed. Together (school, RCC and family) we will agree visits by the school to the Setting and the child to the school until we are all confident that all information has been shared and the child is ready to make the next move in their educational journey. Depending on your childʼs particular needs, other professionals named on the childʼs Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan may need to be involved in this transition.
The Learning Journal will be passed onto the school.

During the first term the SENCO from RCC will keep contact with the school SENCO to answer any questions and offer any help to ensure that the transition is smoothly completed.
For all children wether new to the setting or already attending, we will continue to offer the best possible care to all our children by working closely with other professionals and calling for help if needed.

We will always work with you in partnership and no decisions will be made

without full consultation with the childʼs family. We expect to involve at least the Health visitors and if relevant, all the professionals named on the childʼs EHC Plan.
As with all our children, progress will be judged through the Individual Progress Reviews. The new SEND Code of Practice allows for a revised system to identify, support and assess childrenʼs needs. The SENCO at RCC will work together with the family to agree ambitious outcomes for identified children and set clear progress targets, and be clear in their planning about how agreed resources are going to support the child to reach the targets.

This is called the Individual Education Plan (IEP).

If you have any questions about RCC and whether this might be the best Setting for your child, please contact Tryphina Roberts. You will be invited along for a pre-visit with your child, if she/he has SEN then the Tryphina will speak to you all during the visit. Together we will agree whether we can fully meet your childʼs needs and research the help that may be available. Tryphina can be contacted at Roberts Childcare.

Once your child has started at RCC you will be able to speak to his/her Keyperson. Not all staff work 5 days a week, (most of them have their own families too,) but there will always be someone available to speak to you about any concerns.