Early years inclusive learning service - information for parents and carers

Parents know their children best. You may be worried about your child’s development if they are not doing things that other children are, or if they are not meeting their developmental milestones.

This may include:

• Delays in their speech and language such as not making sounds/babbling or not using single words to tell you what they need. Find out more at BBC tiny happy people and Stoke speaks out.
• Delays in their physical development such as not sitting, walking or crawling when you expected them to. For more information, visit Children's integrated therapies - Oxford health.
• Delays in their social interaction such as not looking at you and not showing interest in other children or adults.
• Difficulties with sleeping such as taking a long time to settle off to sleep despite having debtime routines. Helping you and your child sleep.
• Difficulties with behaviour such as banging their head when frustrated or hitting out at others.
• Delays in skills such as feeding themselves and toilet training. Find more information here Potty training children with additional needs and here Potty and toilet training.

You can find out about typical stages of development and milestones here: Child development and milestones - BBC tiny happy people.

Where can I get help and advice about my child's development?

If you are worried about your child’s development you should contact your child’s health visitor here Your child 0-5 years: midlands partnership trust university NHS foundation trust or call 08081783374. They will talk to you about your concerns. The NHS health visitor might:

• Arrange a face-to-face visit.
• Signpost you to helpful websites or local groups that may help your child's development.
• Refer your child to other health services to support their development, such as Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy or to a community paediatrician.
• Refer your child to the Early Years Forum.
• Refer your child to the Portage Service

If your child attends a nursery, you can speak to their key worker about your worries. Each nursery setting has a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). It is the SENCO’s job to oversee support for children in the setting who have additional needs.