3.5 Supporting Children with Additional Needs We supported parents of children with additional needs to access the Childcare Offer Additional Support Grant , ensuring inclusive access to childcare provision. Working in partnership with Early Years colleagues , we provided funding for 16 children , enabling childcare settings to offer additional staffing and tailored support . This not only helped children fully benefit from their childcare experience but also supported parents in accessing work or training and eased the transition to school. 3.6 The Index for Children with Disabilities or Additional Needs
This year, we registered 175 children on The Index , marking a 14% increase from the previous year. We identified two new referral pathways — with Cardiff and Vale UHB Neurodevelopmental Service and the Local Authority Education Department — which are expected to launch in 2025 – 26, helping to further increase registrations. To strengthen collaboration, our Index Officer introduced and chaired a series of regional ‘ Index and Health ’ meetings, bringing together professionals including health visitors, school nurses, community connectors, and colleagues from Cardiff Index and the Vale ASD Project. These meetings have helped boost referrals and improve service awareness.
They also developed and published bespoke resources, including:
• A Guide to Education for Children with Additional Needs (viewed over 1,100 times)
An Anxiety Card
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• A Padlet of Inclusive Activities and Family Support Services (to be published in 2025 – 26)
The Index was proud to be a finalist for the Inclusive Services Award at the Thinkedi Diversity and Inclusion Awards. Additionally, new connections with the Visual Impairment and Hearing Impairment teams have enhanced our understanding of accessibility and improved the support we offer.
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