Early Years
Introduction to the Early Years Graduated Response
What is the Graduated Response?
Most children’s needs can be met through the universal offer - this is the everyday provision for all children.
The graduated response explains the steps setting practitioners should take to meet the needs of children who may be identified as having SEND. Parents should be involved at each stage of the process.
The triangle diagram is to show the steps of the graduated response, starting at the base of the triangle, with the universal offer, and moving upwards through SEND Support. A small number of children may go on to require an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), shown at the top of the triangle. The subsequent diagrams show each stage of the graduated response process in more detail, and explain how practitioners should monitor the child’s progress, following cycles of assess, plan, do and review. Depending on the progress the child makes, and in consultation with parents, a decision is made whether support should continue, and whether to proceed to the next stage of the graduated response. Arrows at the side of the triangle show that the support can be increased or decreased, depending on the child’s progress.
Follow the graduated response approach (Assess, Plan, Do, Review) and Quality First Teaching. Key person to liaise with setting SENCO and raise any concerns.
Universal Support would be used for a child who a setting may have concern about and is receiving Quality first Teaching and differentiated activities. This would be the first time they are part of the Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycle. The child’s needs would be met within the settings universal offer and their activities would be monitored.
Download Universal diagram (coming soon)