Health professionals working with young children are often the first people families might talk to if they have concerns about their child's development.
Under section 23 of the Children and Families act 2014, health professionals have a legal duty to notify the local authority of any child under statutory school age who may have, or are likely to have, a special educational need or disability (SEND).
This notification is called a section 23 notification and allows different services and professionals to work together to ensure a child’s needs are not missed and that the right support is in place in good time (for example, when they start school).
Once a notification has been completed, if the named child is in an early years setting, an early years specialist teacher (EYST) will contact the setting as part of Lincolnshire’s inclusion support.
Where the child is not yet in an early years setting, a member of the early years and childcare team will contact the family to share details of the local early years and family hubs offer.
