Abstract
It is suggested at the very beginning of this book that ‘all children, like all adults, have individual needs’ (p. xiv), a theme that the author returns to many times during this delightful book. In some respects it is a shame that the term Special Needs is so prominent the cover, because the book encompasses a multitude of good practice ideas for every practitioner, whatever their area of work with early years.
This is the third edition of Kate Wall’s book and it has been substantially updated to include the many legislative and policy changes in Special Needs over the past five years. For example, the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) was in its infancy when the second edition of the book was written. This edition includes the many aspects of childcare that the CWDC was involved with, such as implementing integrated working and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). This makes it an incredibly valuable book for practitioners and for students who need the most up-to-date information possible.
The opening chapter is a comprehensive guide to current legislation and policy, with an extremely useful timeline of key legislation (p. 33). This sets the scene and demonstrates graphically the dizzying array of policy reports and guidance that have been produced in the last decade. These are discussed succinctly in the text, which makes this an excellent reference chapter.
Interestingly, the next two chapters deal with the families and parent partnership, two areas which can sometimes be sidelined. Issues surrounding fathers, grandparents and siblings are dealt with sensitively and are updated to include the Laming Inquiry as well as recent research. These are illustrated using examples that practitioners will relate to. The detailed analysis of partnership with parents highlights good practice, whether there is a Special Need or not. There is also a statement about parent partnership which should be emblazoned over every setting’s entrance – it is about ‘equality, respect and involvement’ (p. 62).
The chapter on ‘Responding to the Affective Needs of Young Children’ covers personal, social and emotional development in relation to behaviour and involves a fascinating exploration of causal factors (p. 98) such as poverty and poor attachment. A particularly pertinent, and often overlooked, point is on practitioner’s attitudes, which is beautifully illustrated using a personal example from the author’s own practice (p. 100). Unfortunately, the Social and Emotional Aspects of Development (SEAD) documentation (DCSF, 2008) is not included. There are many points made in this chapter which would be equally valid for any child attending a setting. The observation and assessment chapter contains plenty of advice on good practice, which is given clarity with relevant examples.
The next three chapters, ‘Programmes of Intervention’, ‘Interagency Working’ and ‘Inclusive Education for Young Children’ are firmly rooted in Special Needs. These have been updated to reflect the current good practice and legislation. The two most likely Special Needs, statistically, are speech and language problems and autism. These are covered in depth with useful definitions and some excellent ideas for intervention strategies in the ‘programmes of intervention’ chapter. The large section on the professionals involved (p. 180) is a comprehensive summary of who may be involved, as well as their key roles and responsibilities. This is incredibly informative and contains some worrying statistics. For example, ‘23% of SENCOs [Special Educational Needs Coordinators] were allocated no time for the role’ (p. 187).
In the penultimate chapter, ‘Inclusive Education for Young Children’ the issues and legislation are revisited in a summarised form. This is followed by some thought-provoking discussion points which would be equally useful for students looking for critical analysis of inclusion or practitioners looking for practical advice about inclusion.
The final chapter, ‘Key Issues for Consideration’ pulls together the threads of the updated sections, noting the differences and similarities in policies of the past and future. There have been some significant changes since this chapter was written, notably the changed face of the CWDC, the Tickell review of the EYFS and the future of Sure Start centres. However, the final comments in the book are still very insightful – a plea for all key players to ‘stop and draw breath, to review all the expectations and aims of every report, strategy document and initiative. . .’ (p. 226). These are wise words laced with common sense for the whole of the childcare sector. In fact, I would highly recommend this book for its sensitive and practical approach throughout.