Though many have welcomed the government's special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) improvement plan, early years leaders have said it needs 'sufficient investment' to make a difference to families.
Following the Department for Education's announcement of its £70 million plan to provide support for all families and children with SEND, early years leaders are calling for the strategy to be sufficiently resourced to make it a success.
The plan includes measures to fund up to 5,000 early years staff to gain an accredited level three early years special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) qualification, and £30 million will go towards developing new approaches to providing respite for families with complex needs.
Though Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said she welcomed the plan, she added it needed to be adequately funded.
