Jess, the SENDco at Orchard Garden Day Nursery and the team have been using Valuing SEND to work with parents and carers to better understand their children’s needs, and plan more impactful support. Here we hear from Jess, and a brilliant family of a little boy in her care, about the impact of this work on both school and home. Xander has complex SEMH needs and when he arrived at the nursery, he regularly displayed problematic behaviours such as biting. Both Xander’s parents have additional needs too. By working closely with Xander’s family and using the Valuing SEND tool to plan support, Orchard Garden nursery have provided really meaningful support. Xander now rarely bites and is making rapid progress, particularly in his communication and language skills. He and his parents are looking forward to his transition to mainstream primary school in September.

Honestly, it’s been so successful. The staff have become more like friends. We don’t feel judged, they have really broken down barriers. My partner has previously struggled to take part in these kind of conversations, but this is a good little tool, it’s helped him realise he’s actually doing really well as a dad and he can help to plan Xander’s support. He actually did almost all the scoring in the end, he finally feels involved.”

Amanda, Xander’s mum (or super-mum as we call her)

Partnership working

For mum, using Valuing SEND has meant better interaction with school. “I feel like we’re getting daily feedback… if he has a bad day but they know how to calm him down, they know what he needs before Xander knows himself. It just feels different. It’s been quite nice to be asked questions about home. I might seem like I’ve got it all together, but I’ve got a full-time job and I’m a full-time mum and I rarely get time to just reflect.” For Jess, it’s all about planning support that really works, “Xander’s parents are great at meeting his needs. They are a really good team, it’s given us insight into their family life, it’s been useful to tap into Mum’s instinct and Dad’s strategies.

Better support

Jess and her team now have creative solutions to supporting Xander; as well as the semi-private space they are using a visual timetable and providing continuity for Xander in how they manage transitions so he has a similar experience at home. “We are having less biting incidents, and the staff can intervene to prevent situations escalating because they know about his triggers. We can’t believe how much he’s come on from when he first started. He has so much more language.” Both Mum and Jess are quick to praise Gemma, Xander’s key worker who has really worked hard to understand his needs, and those of the family.