(UK) $2.4B early intervention for "under-fives"; "local areas create teams of practitioners to support children"

June 8, 2026, Nursery World - Early years support key focus of Government’s £1.8bn SEND intervention programme - Nursery World

Support for under-fives is a key focus of a new government programme designed to increase access to early intervention support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), new Department for Education guidance reveals.

The DfE has issued guidance for local authorities, leaders of mainstream settings, including early years settings and parents, about its £1.8 billion [$2.4B] Experts at Hand programme which will see local areas create teams of practitioners to support children before they receive a formal diagnosis.

Teams will include speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists and specialist teachers who will deliver early intervention support within settings, Best Start Family Hubs and through health visiting services.

According to the government guidance, ‘Through this approach, more children can be supported effectively without the need for escalation to specialist services, helping to reduce pressure on the system over time.’