Early support plan

The way in which the child responds to interventions can form part of the assessment of the child’s needs. An early support plan should be completed by providers. 

Purpose 

The early support plan is for documenting relevant information about the child. It includes EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) baseline data. This can be used to set targets according to identified needs. Targets should be SMART. That means: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound. A date should be set to review the early support plan. 

Benefits 

Needs can be identified early. The early support plan helps understand how a child is responding to different interventions. If needs can’t be met within the setting, it provides evidence for what the setting has put in place. It provides valuable information to external support agencies. 

If a child is not making progress despite interventions being put in place, providers may refer to external agencies with parental consent.