Showcase Magazine Summer 2026 - Flipbook - Page 14
SEND
How Nursery Managers Can Support Staff Working
with Children with SEND: Part 2
Supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) starts with supporting the adults around them. Your
practitioners are the ones building relationships, adapting environments, and responding to individual needs every single day. When
they feel confident, equipped and emotionally supported, inclusive practice becomes far more consistent and effective. As a nursery
manager, your role is not to have all the answers - it’s to create a team that feels safe to ask questions, reflect and grow. Here’s how
you can support your staff to feel capable and confident when supporting children with SEND.
Support Emotional Wellbeing
Working closely with children who need additional support can be emotionally demanding. Staff may carry worries about a child or
family long after the day ends.
As a manager, you can:
Check in regularly on wellbeing – A quick conversation with a cuppa or spending a lunch break in the staff room can help this.
Encourage peer support – Mentoring for your apprentices or just those that are more vulnerable is an important thing. Like a key
person, it is a safe space for them.
Acknowledge when things feel challenging – Let them know that this is OK. We can feel challenges, but there are ways to
overcome these.
Celebrate progress, not just outcomes – They may not have reached your goal, but they have made steps and that counts.
Feeling emotionally supported helps practitioners remain patient, consistent and compassionate.
Strengthen Communication Across the Team
Inconsistent approaches can create confusion for both staff and children. Clear communication ensures everyone feels aligned.
You can:
Share updates on strategies and progress – All of the team need to know what is going on. Make sure you share all things that you
are doing so all of the team feel in the loop.
Ensure all key staff understand individual plans – Share these with your team. Make sure they are aware that they need to keep
checking back in.
Use simple, accessible documentation
Hold short team briefings when needed – Some people will just need more support and time. Be aware of who needs this.
Consistency builds confidence — for staff and children alike.
Empower Your SENCO
Your SENCO is a key source of guidance and reassurance for staff.
Support them by:
Ensuring they have time for the role
Encouraging them to mentor colleagues – Ensure they are supporting learners who have additional needs as well as children.
Providing access to training – This includes supporting adults.
Involving them in planning and reviews for those team members who have additional needs
When the SENCO feels supported, they can better support the wider team.
Supporting children with SEND begins with supporting the adults who care for them. When practitioners feel heard, guided and
emotionally supported, they are far more able to provide calm, consistent and responsive care. As a nursery manager, your leadership
sets the tone. By prioritising staff confidence, wellbeing and communication, you create a setting where both practitioners and children
can thrive. Strong teams create inclusive environments — and inclusive environments help every child flourish.
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Showcase Training 14
