An independent report on rising needs in children under five commissioned by the Local Government Association has found councils and early years providers are consistently seeing an increase in volume and complexity of need.
An independent report on rising needs in children under five commissioned by the Local Government Association has found councils and early years providers are consistently seeing an increase in volume and complexity of need.
The report, 'Rising needs in the early years?', was carried out by Isos Partnership, and is being launched at the National Children and Adult Services Conference in Bournemouth, which starts on Wednesday (26 November).
In a survey carried out as part of the research, all councils that took part, and nine in 10 practitioners who responded, said they had seen an increase in early years needs, with early years providers putting in place extra support for children.
The most significant change described by practitioners was the growth in the number of children with communication and interaction needs, and the complexity of those needs, with more children presenting with very limited or no language and/or social communication needs.
A range of potential factors are identified as driving this, such as growth in poverty, family stress and hardship, increasing neurodivergence and pandemic lockdowns.
The report found providers are increasingly trying to arrange their provision to meet the needs of a rising number of children who require additional support. As one council early years lead said: “The walls of the classroom have changed, and we have to change with them.”
However nearly four in 10 reported reducing hours for children who needed additional support while almost a quarter have had to turn away children as they could not meet their needs.
Asked how to improve support for early years children with additional needs, the report found three quarters (75 per cent) of practitioners felt access to funding was needed, while nearly half (48 per cent) called for more early years specialist provision.
Two thirds (66 per cent) of council early years leads said a national workforce strategy was needed to raise skills, with over half (56 per cent) wanting reforms to the school curriculum/expectations in reception.
Data published by the Department for Education reflects the rising needs in the early years.
This shows greater growth in the number of new Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs) issued to children under 5 than across the rest of the EHCP cohort. The most common ages for EHCPs to be issued are now 4 and 5.
The LGA, which represents councils, is calling on the Government to boost inclusivity in the early years as part of wider reform to the SEND system in the Schools White Paper, expected in the New Year.
Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Chair of the LGA’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, said:
“The early years are a critical time in any child’s development. Getting it right in the early years and ensuring a seamless transition to reception can improve outcomes for children and families.
“We know that promoting inclusion and supporting children who need additional support is a core part of the Government’s Best Start in Life agenda and improving high quality early education take up and wraparound support will help councils to ensure more children reach a good level of development.
“This report highlights the significant challenges faced by councils and providers in supporting early years children with additional needs.
“We urge government to act on these concerns when it sets out its reforms to the education system.”