This package includes four short videos and four slide packs from Dingley’s Promise, a best practice SEND provision. The package intends to equip local authorities and providers with the confidence to foster meaningful inclusion throughout their settings.
Local authorities should signpost providers to these informative best practice resources, and providers should use them as a guide to foster meaningful inclusion within their settings. Providers could also use these resources as a training opportunity and discussion starter, so that all staff have a best practice foundation in inclusion.
The first video focuses on inclusive practice and creating the right environment. The experts at Dingley’s Promise explore how to respond to the developmental level and the individual learning styles of each child, supporting the effective differentiation of activities. Providers will also gain a deeper understanding of meaningful inclusion and its three principles: an enabling environment, consideration of different developmental and learning styles, and individualised, supported learning. Providers will then consider meaningful inclusion in the physical environment of a setting, with practical questions to evaluate success.
Dingley's Promise Part 1: Inclusive Practice Creating the Right Environment
The second video focuses on progressing the learning of children with SEND. Colleagues at Dingley’s Promise explore the psychology of early years learning, specifically delving into different play schemas. Providers will gain a practical understanding of how to identify a child’s play schema preference and utilise this knowledge to enable successful, effective and individualised ‘learning through play’ sessions. The second part of this video provides explanations and demonstrations of specific strategies for supporting children with SEND, including physical, communication, listening, attention, and observation strategies. Finally, colleagues at Dingley’s Promise share their best practice learner profile template to enable the most appropriate support to be put in place.
Dingley's Promise Part 2: Inclusive Practice - Progressing the Learning of Children with SEND
The third video focuses on the benefits of collaborative partnership working. Effective partnership working, with parents, external agencies and SEND professionals all work to improve children’s developmental progress and long-term outcomes. Colleagues at Dingley’s Promise explore how meaningful inclusion works best when we work in joined-up way. They provide practical advice on building trusting relationships with the whole family to foster SEND support networks and children’s progress. The second part of the video outlines working collaboratively with other professionals: speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, portage, and dual placements. Finally, funding access for providers with SEND children is explained in depth, including funding through Education, Health and Care plans.
Dingley's Promise Part 3: Working in Partnership
The fourth and final video focuses on strategies to support SEND children. The strategies explored include home visits, social stories, visual timetables, now and next, sustained shared thinking and turn taking. Each strategy is explained with examples, equipping providers with the understanding of which children it would be appropriate for and shares the child centered benefits.
Dingley's Promise Part 4: Strategies
Finally, colleagues at Dingley’s Promise have provided four best practice slide decks for provider leadership teams which equips them with the tools needed to plan for inclusion. The slides cover planning for welcoming ALL children, ensuring an inclusive physical environment and resources, staff training, as well as the benefits of inclusion not only for the children provider’s support but also the provider’s business model.