Early Years Neurodivergent Support Service

The Early Years Neurodivergent Support Service is part of the Services for Young Children (SfYC) Inclusion Team. The service will support pre-school children with an emerging or identified neurodivergent profile, with or without social, emotional, and mental health needs. Support will be offered in the child's Hampshire Early Years Setting.

Neurodivergent conditions are natural variations in brain function, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, Tourette's, and learning disabilities, which affect how people think, learn, process information, and interact socially, seen as differences, not deficits, requiring understanding and tailored support for individuals to thrive.

Support offer
  • Support will be offered to children aged between 9 months to statutory school age
  • The child must have at least one term before starting school
  • The child should be attending or there are plans in place to attend a Hampshire Early Years setting
  • The service will be offered in the child’s Early Years setting (where a child attends an Early Years setting)
  • Service will be offered for up to 6 months
  • Support visits will be on a fortnightly basis
Who can complete the request for support

Hampshire Early years educational settings-nursery, pre-school or childminder (with consent from parent)

Request for support

Children can be identified by the setting if they experience differences in how they process sensory information, in listening and attention skills, social relationships, understanding their own needs as well as the needs of others or who struggle to regulate their emotions or behaviours. Children may also have differences in their executive functioning (selective attention, planning and organisation skills) or have a social communication need.

Settings can make a request for support by completing the Services for Young Children Early Years Neurodivergent Support Service form.

If you are unsure which Services for Young Children team can best support a child in your setting, please contact an Inclusion Setting Support Officer (ISSO) via the Services for Young Children General Enquiry Form.

Once a request for support is received it will be assessed and added to a waiting list. The Early Years setting will be contacted when a Neurodivergent Service Support Worker has a space. Support will be started and parent/carer notified.

Further information about the Early Years Inclusion Team and self-help support options
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