2 year check

Coordinator - Sarah Adams

When a child is aged between two and three, practitioners must review their progress, and provide parents and/or carers with a short, written summary of their child’s development in the prime areas. This progress check must identify the child’s strengths, and any areas where the child’s progress is less than expected. If there are significant emerging concerns, or an identified special educational need or disability, practitioners should develop a targeted plan to support the child’s future learning and development involving parents and/or carers and other professionals (for example, the provider’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) or health professionals) as appropriate.

Beyond the prime areas, it is for practitioners to decide what the written summary should include, reflecting the development level and needs of the individual child. The summary must highlight: areas in which a child is progressing well; areas in which some additional support might be needed; and focus particularly on any areas where there is a concern that a child may have a developmental delay (which may indicate a special educational need or disability). It must describe the activities and strategies the provider intends to adopt to address any issues or concerns. If a child moves settings between the ages of two and three it is 19 expected that the progress check would usually be undertaken by the setting where the child has spent most time. Practitioners must discuss with parents and/or carers how the summary of development can be used to support learning at home.

Two Year Check Procedure

  • All staff to inform Sarah of any children who need a 2 Year Check verbally and Sarah will make a record on the 2 Year Checklist which is in the Activities and Lists folder located in the polytunnel.   

  • If a keyworker receives a new child, please follow guidance in step one.

  • The Two-Year Check must be completed between the age of 24-36 months. Staff should ensure that the check is written by the time the child is 31 months. If this is not possible, such as when the keyworker has a new child older than this, or a child has experienced a period of ill health, or the child has a period of non-attendance or irregular attendance, it should be discussed with Sarah and a timeframe be set for completion

  • The 2 Year Check form is in the 2 year checklist folder for staff to photocopy. One can be emailed to the keyworker if requested, all requests to be made to Sarah.

Preparing for Two-Year Check

  • Keyworkers to inform parents that their child’s 2 Year Check is due and explain that it is a statutory assessment which we are required to carry out, of children’s development, health, and wellbeing and that they will be completing this.

  • Keyworkers to give parents the 2 Year Check handout letter to parents.

  • An informal appointment to be made at pick up or drop off to discuss and fill out the 2 Year Pre-Checklist with parents, which will help the keyworker to gain a deeper understanding of how the child is developing at home and if the parents have any questions or concerns or need further advice and support. The checklist can be found in the 2 Year checklist folder.

  • When completing the 2-year Check, Keyworkers to consider parents comments from the 2-year Checklist and statements in 0-5 Birth Matters and make notes. Remember to look at the whole child in the context of how they are at home and within the setting and not a one-to-one basis and consider what the child can do without additional prompting or encouragement.

  • Once determining what range, the child is developing in, according to Birth to 5, you will need to highlight the corresponding range box on the 2 Year Check form.

  • The form should be typed.

  • Keyworkers should refer to handout and use this to assist with writing the Two -Year Check. Copies of this can be found in the 2 year check folder.

On completion

  • Once completed the keyworker should notify Sarah and she will book in a time to go though it with the keyworker.

  • If there are concerns regarding the child’s development, the keyworker and Sarah will discuss this, and suitable strategies will be put in to place to help the child. This may include making a referral to other health professionals but only with permission from the parent.

  • The keyworker should inform parents the document is ready and make an appointment for them to come into the setting, having ensured you have agreed a time with Sarah in the diary, to discuss the Two-Year Check, you can hand out a preschool card with the date and time on.

  • Keyworker to read through with parents and ask them if they have any questions or concerns regarding their child’s development. If so, the parent should write in the Parent Comment on the bottom of the Two-Year Check form. If they are happy with the form and have no concerns then to write this in too.

  • Should the child require further assessments or a referral to be made the keyworker will gain consent from the parent.

  • Parent to sign the Two-Year Check. It must also be signed by Sarah.

  • The Two-Year Check should then be photocopied. A copy must be given to the parent. If the child attends another setting you must inform Sarah so that a further copy will be sent electronically to them.   

  • A copy must then be placed into the Two-Year Check Folder.

Apr 24