Working in the early years means seeing children grow, develop and change at an incredible pace.
Those daily interactions often bring moments of curiosity and reflection. A child who is finding it difficult to regulate their emotions. A child who seems withdrawn from their peers. A child whose communication isn't developing in the way we'd expect. Or perhaps a child whose behaviour has changed noticeably over time.
Often, the first sign that something may need further exploration isn't a formal assessment or referral. It's a professional instinct.
I've noticed something.
But what happens next?
For many early years practitioners, that's where the challenge begins.
Recognising a potential need is rarely the difficult part. The greater challenge is deciding what to do with that observation. How do you explore it further? Who needs to be involved? When is the right time to start a conversation? And how do you ensure the child remains at the centre throughout?
These questions sit at the heart of early identification and early intervention, and they're becoming increasingly important across early years practice.
Rising need, rising expectations
Across education, there is growing recognition of the importance of identifying children's needs.
The number of children and young people identified with special educational needs continues to increase year-on-year. More than 1.8 million pupils in England now receive SEN Support or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), with speech, language and communication needs remaining among the most commonly identified areas of need. Social, emotional and mental health needs also continue to represent a significant proportion of identified need.
Within nursery-aged provision, around one in five children are identified as receiving SEND support or holding an EHCP.
Behind these statistics sits a reality that many early years settings recognise. Children arrive with a wide range of strengths, experiences and needs, while practitioners are working within an increasingly complex landscape of support pathways, external services and growing expectations around inclusion.
Against this backdrop, identifying emerging needs early has become more important than ever.
The growing focus on early identification
The emphasis on early identification can be seen across policy, guidance and inspection frameworks.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework requires providers to have arrangements in place to support children with SEND and highlights the importance of responding to children's individual needs while working in partnership with parents and carers.
Similarly, the SEND Code of Practice places early identification and early intervention at the heart of effective support, emphasising collaboration between practitioners, families and wider services.
Alongside this, Ofsted's inspection framework places a strong focus on inclusion and how effectively settings understand and respond to barriers that may affect children's learning, development and wellbeing.
Taken together, these developments reflect a wider shift across the sector. There is increasing recognition that timely support often begins with timely conversations.
The challenge isn't noticing. It's knowing how to respond.
Most concerns do not begin with certainty. They begin with questions.
Is this part of a child's individual developmental journey? Is there something temporary influencing what we're seeing? Or could this indicate an emerging need that requires further exploration?
At this stage, the goal is rarely to reach a conclusion. Instead, the challenge is understanding how to move from observation to meaningful action.
That may involve sharing observations with colleagues, speaking with a setting's SENCO, reviewing what is already known about the child, or considering whether the time is right to involve parents and carers in the conversation.
This is where confidence becomes essential. Not confidence in having all the answers, but confidence in approaching the situation thoughtfully, professionally and with the child's best interests at heart.
Keeping the child at the centre
Once a concern has been identified, multiple perspectives often come into play.
Senior leaders may need to be involved. Families may have different experiences of the child's behaviour or development at home. External professionals may become part of the picture. Throughout all of this, the child remains at the centre.
Effective early identification is not about labels or assumptions.
It's about building a fuller understanding of the child's strengths, experiences and needs.
What helps them feel safe, connected and ready to learn? What can we learn from their relationships, behaviours and emotional responses? What might they be communicating through their actions?
At Thrive, these questions sit at the heart of a relational approach.
Rather than focusing solely on what we can see, Thrive encourages practitioners to consider children's social and emotional development, recognising that behaviour is often a communication of need. Looking beyond the presenting behaviour can help create a deeper understanding of the child and support more meaningful conversations with the adults around them.
Creating the conditions for effective conversations
Conversations about a child's development can be some of the most important conversations practitioners have. They can also be some of the most sensitive.
Families may arrive with different perspectives, experiences or concerns of their own. Practitioners may be carefully balancing professional observations with a desire to maintain trust and partnership. Leaders may be considering the wider support available within the setting.
The goal is not simply to raise a concern. It's to create a shared understanding of the child and explore the best way forward together.
As policy and practice continue to place greater emphasis on early identification, confidence in these conversations is becoming increasingly important.
Guidance consistently highlights the role of partnership working, collaboration and inclusive practice in helping children receive the right support at the right time.
The challenge for many practitioners is not recognising the importance of these conversations. It's feeling confident about how to navigate them in a way that is supportive, child-centred and rooted in positive relationships.
Join the conversation
Recognising that something may need further exploration is often only the beginning.
The next steps require professional curiosity, strong relationships and a shared commitment to understanding each child's experiences and needs.
In our upcoming webinar, Recognising Need Early: Having Confident Conversations About Children's Needs, Thrive's Viv Trask-Hall alongside child & educational psychologist, Dr Kirstie Rees, will explore how early years practitioners can move from observation to action, considering the role of professional judgement, partnership working and relational practice in supporting children and families.
Wednesday 7th October | 4.00 - 4.45pm (BST)
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