Find information on early years support, including education for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
We also have information about early years support in easy read format, download Early years education for children under 5 Easy Read [PDF]
On this page
- Child health and development
- Early support services
- Early years education and childcare
- Choosing a school
- Support for special educational needs
- Education advice and support
Child health and development
Understanding your child’s changing, growth and development is an important part of parenting. As your newborn grows into a toddler and child, they may encounter physical or emotional issues. Getting support early can help both you and your child for the future.
Where do I get help if I have concerns for my child's health and development?
If you have concerns about your child's health or development, you should discuss these at the earliest opportunity with your GP or health professional.
Contact your doctor (GP)
All children and young people should be registered with a doctor (GP) from birth. Children under age 16 need to be registered by their parent or guardian.
Your family's GP is the main point of contact for all your family's health needs. They can refer your child to other NHS services if your child requires specialist support, for example Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy or to a Community Paediatrician.
Find out how to register with a GP surgery (NHS)
Healthy Family Teams
Healthy Families Teams are an NHS service for children, young people and families, made up of specialist workers and their teams, who used to be known as Health Visitors and School Nurses.
They provide advice and support to all families living in Nottinghamshire with a child aged between 0 and 19 years.
Parents or carers can call their advice line to discuss a number of things, including:
- child development and health
- infant feeding
- diet and nutrition
- sleep
- behaviour.
Call the Healthy Family Team advice line on 0300 123 5436
Find out the support that can be offered through the advice line in this 2-minute YouTube video:
Age 0 to 4 years information and support
For information on general early years support, including child development, immunisations, baby feeding, sleep and toilet training, go to 0 to 4 years: Best Start for Life Offer
Early support services
Family Hubs
Family Hub Networks are located in every district of Nottinghamshire and offer a wide range of services for children up the the age of five and their families, including supporting children and families to play, learn, have fun and be ready for school.
For further information, including how to get support, go to Family Hub Networks (Nottinghamshire County Council)
Family hubs will offer support from pregnancy, through the child’s early years, later childhood and into young adulthood, up to the age of 19 (or up to age 25 for young people with special educational needs and disabilities).
Services will include:
- antenatal and postnatal appointments and sessions
- children’s health sessions
- early help advice
- parenting support for mums and dads
- play sessions
- young people services
- libraries
- SEND support.
The Early Help Unit
The Early Help Unit provides a central contact point for families wanting to access early help services in Nottinghamshire, including support around communication and behaviour.
Contact the Early Help Unit by:
Telephone: 0115 804 1248
Email: early.help@nottscc.gov.uk
The opening hours of the Early Help Unit are:
9am to 4:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
10:30am to 4:30pm on Wednesday
Find out more about the The Early Help Unit in our service directory
Early years education and childcare
You may be thinking about suitable pre-school education or opportunities for your child to have a play, stimulation and interaction with other children. Attending a playgroup or nursery will help your child's development and be a great chance for you as a parent to meet other parents and carers.
Finding childcare
All nurseries, playgroups, Family hubs and childcare providers should welcome young children with special needs, but some services aim to offer something extra.
If your child's special needs are complex or severe, you may be looking for something more specialised.
The Notts Help Yourself website has details of childminders, toddler groups and nurseries, including information on the support and provision they make for children with special needs and disabilities.
We also have information on the funding that is available to support parents or carers with childcare costs on the Help with childcare costs page
Choosing a school
Most children with special educational needs can go to a local mainstream school with the right support.
When your child first goes to school, you can choose up to four mainstream schools that you would prefer your child to go to. This also happens when they move schools because of their age. For example, when they move to secondary school.
You are not guaranteed your first choice so it is important to use all your four options and not miss the application deadline.
For more information about school admissions, go to the Schools admissions hub (Nottinghamshire County Council)
All schools should give appropriate thought to the provision that can be made to support a child or young person with special educational needs. There is a school admissions code that all schools and admissions authorities must follow.
If you feel you require independent support about admissions, you can contact Ask Us Nottinghamshire by going to their website.
Children with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and those transferring from another area
For information on school places for children with an EHC plan, if you are struggling to find a school place for your child or transferring to another area, go to our SEND Local Offer: School admissions page
Support for special educational needs
Children learn at different rates and so a child may experience learning difficulties at some point in their time at school. This is not unusual. For most children the difficulties are temporary and are soon overcome with help and encouragement from home and school.
The term 'Special Educational Needs (SEN)' is used to describe learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for children to learn than most children of the same age.
Children with SEN are likely to need extra or different help from that given to other children their age.
For information on support that can be offered to children with special educational needs at school, go to our Special educational needs support page.
SEND Inclusion Service
The SEND Inclusion Service has specialist Teachers and Teaching Assistants with additional qualifications and experience in working with children and young people with a range of special educational needs aged 0 to 19 years.
The service includes the Early Years Team who support children with special educational needs and disabilities from age 0 to 7 years to the end of key stage 1.
Find further details on the SEND Inclusion Service (Service directory)
Education advice and support
Ask Us Nottinghamshire is a service which offers free impartial and confidential information, advice and support for parents and carers of children or young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Their support includes:
- finding a suitable school for your child
- understanding the different ways the school will support your child
- building and maintaining a good working relationship with school staff
- being fully involved in decisions made about your child’s education
- resolving problematic situations.
You can contact Ask Us Notts if you are the parent of a child with SEND, or if you are a young person up to age 25 years looking for support.