Effective SEN support – delivered by Kerry Murphy

Aims and objectives – Delegates will have opportunities to:

1. develop their understanding of the four broad areas of SEND (Communication & Interaction, Cognition & Learning, Social Emotional & or Mental Health and Physical &/or sensory).
2. learn about the various stages and cycles of SEN support and how this feeds directly into the EYFS.
3. explore a repertoire of strategies across the four broad areas that can be used to develop a SEND toolkit back in the setting.

This course brings SEN support to life and is fun, practical and interactive.  Practitioners will have the opportunity to think about their high-quality teaching and provision including how to build upon this to support children with different types of SEND.  It will empower practitioners and give them the skills and tools to act in the first instance of early intervention. This course includes a free resource for building your own SEND toolkit.

The building blocks of behaviour – delivered by Kerry Murphy

Aims and objectives – Delegates will have opportunities to:

1. explore developmentally expected behaviours and to consider reasons why behaviours occur.
2. develop an understanding of the context of behaviour in modern childhood, and to consider reducing the risks of challenging behaviour.
3. consider their own responses and trigger points to behaviour and how best to deal with this.
4. build a wide repertoire of strategies to support behaviour and to help children to manage their own feelings and behaviour.

This course is interactive and thought-provoking. Of all areas of the EYFS, teaching behaviour can be challenging and frustrating. This course gives you the space to explore behaviour and the impact it may have but will also give you practical ideas for a consistent whole team approach that keeps the child’s health and well-being as the focus.

Diverse pathways of development in early childhood – delivered by Kerry Murphy

One prevalent myth in early childhood development is the belief that all children follow the same developmental pathway. According to this misconception, for a child to be deemed to be progressing well, they must exhibit typical and non-disabled learning and development. However, child development is inherently rich, diverse, and varied. This course explores the various ways children can develop, providing new perspectives and insights into divergent pathways of development.

Aims and objectives:

• To develop an understanding of neurodiversity and how this relates to early childhood development
• To consider the impact of ableism on our understanding child development
• To be introduced to key neurodiversity-affirming terms including divergent pathways of development, developmentally meaningful practice, and play patterns
• To explore examples of diverse development in neurodivergent and disabled children and to consider how this translates to practice.

Adopting a strengths-led approach to autism in the early years – delivered by Kerry Murphy

Themes likely to be covered in the session include:

• Understanding what autism is (and isn’t)
• Exploring misconceptions around autism, including around behaviour, assumptions, and stereotypes
• How practitioners can support developmental differences in practice through a strengths-led approach (rather than a deficit model)
• What inclusive practice looks and feels like.

Autism affirming practice in early childhood – delivered by Kerry Murphy

Our understanding of autistic identity has vastly increased in the last decade due to autistic-led research and community advocacy. There is, however, still the dominant view that to be autistic is to be disordered, impaired, or in need of ‘fixing’. This course draws upon a neurodiversity affirming view of autism, and explores meaningful ways to affirm and honour autistic child development and identity.

Aims and objectives:

• To introduce autism through a neurodiversity-affirming lens
• To explore the impact of ableist practice on autistic identity
• To consider alternative child development theories related to autism including:
  • Monotropism
  • The Double Empathy Problem
  • Interoception
  • Gestalt Language Processing
  • Play Patterns
• To consider practical ideas for supporting autistic children that affirm and honour their identity.

Understanding the influence of neurodiversity on child development – delivered by Kerry Murphy

Themes likely to be covered in the session include:

• Understanding what neurodiversity is and its role within the early years
• How neurodiversity can be influential in child development
• How to support developmental differences in practice
• What inclusive practice looks and feels like

Exploring neurodiversity in early childhood – delivered by Kerry Murphy

Neurodiversity is becoming increasingly prevalent in our understanding of early childhood development and education. This course explores the key principles related to neurodiversity. You will consider how these can be translated into your everyday practice to ensure that every child and family feels affirmed and supported by the inclusion practices you adopt.

Aims and objectives:

• To introduce neurodiversity and how this relates to early childhood development and education
• To develop an understanding of ableism in early childhood practices and the ways in which this can disrupt meaningful inclusion
• To consider the ways in which we can be in solidarity with children, parents, and carers during inclusion support
• To explore strengths-led practices such as referral writing, goal setting, and planning for neurodivergence and disability.

Self-directed play and neurodiversity in early childhood – delivered by Kerry Murphy

There is a common misconception that paly does not come naturally to children who are neurodivergent and/or disabled and that they need to be taught how to play functionally, appropriately, and purposefully. This course debunks this myth by reimagining our understanding of play through a neurodiversity-affirming lens and embracing that play has infinite potentially. Our role as educators is to explore the diverse patterns of play and to facilitate their intrinsic meaning to children.

Aims and objectives:

• To (un)define neurotypical and non-disabled measures of play.
• To explore the importance of self-directed play in the play continuum.
• To consider play patterns of neurodivergent and disabled children.
• To unpick how play has been appropriated for learning and development, and to consider how to liberate play.

Strengths-led goal setting in early childhood – delivered by Kerry Murphy

As educators and specialists, we are contributing to a child’s biography of lived experiences. It is important that the way we document their early experiences supports positive self-esteem and what is developmentally meaningful to them. This course explores the different strengths-led ways we can document and child’s early learning experiences, and how goal setting should affirm unique developmental pathways.

Aims and objectives:

• To introduce neurodiversity in the context of strengths-led documentation and goal setting.
• To consider the purpose of documentation, and how we can reframe language to write in affirming empowering ways
• To introduce the SHARE and ATTUNED framework for goal setting
• To consider practical tools for building a network of perspectives in neurodiversity-affirming support

Attachment & Key People – delivered by Kerry Murphy

Aims and objectives – Delegates will have opportunities to:

1. learn about the connection between brain development and early relationships in a fun and accessible way
2. explore attachment theory and how this impacts on early years practice
3. consider the role of key person and attachment and consider ways to build a secure base for children
4. think about the challenges they face in their key person role and to consider practical yet effective solutions
5. think about strategies for strong parent partnership
6. develop a repertoire of practices that support a whole team approach to key person and attachment practices

Every child deserves the benefits that a meaningful relationship can bring. As a key person, your responsibility is to provide a secure base from which growth, exploration and resilience can occur. This course provides you with the underpinning theory of brain development and attachment and also offers a range of strategies and practices that will empower you and the child.