Sheffield City Council Early Years CPD Programme

A group consultation with Sheffield Educational Psychologists offers a safe and supportive space for early years practitioners, SENCos and teachers to reflect, whilst engaging in professional dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, helping practitioners strengthen their practice and improve outcomes for children and families.

A group consultation with an Educational Psychologist (EP) is a collaborative discussion where early years practitioners come together with an EP to explore concerns, reflect on practice, and develop strategies to support children’s learning, development, wellbeing and inclusion.

Unlike training, group consultation is not about receiving expert answers. Instead, it provides a structured opportunity to think together about real situations in practice. The Educational Psychologist facilitates discussion, helps practitioners understand underlying needs, and supports the group to identify practical approaches that can be implemented within their setting.

What might be discussed within a consultation session-

• Supporting children with emerging SEND needs
• Communication and language development
• Social and emotional health needs
• Behaviour that may be communicating unmet needs
• Working effectively with families
• Creating inclusive environments and routines
• Whole-setting challenges and areas for development

Benefits for Early Years Providers attending and participating in a group consultation session-

• Gain new perspectives and insights from an Educational Psychologist
• Develop practical, evidence-informed strategies to try in your setting
• Learn alongside colleagues from other settings and share experiences
• Promote reflective practice and problem-solving skills
• Support earlier identification and intervention for children who may need additional support
• Enhance inclusive practice across the whole setting

Participants are invited to bring questions, concerns or anonymised case examples. Through guided discussion, the group works together to explore possible explanations, solutions and next steps. The focus is on building capacity within the workforce so that practitioners feel more confident and equipped to support children effectively.

Feedback from previous attendees:

“I found it useful to have time to talk through the challenges and then have time to listen to suggestions and ideas from people from other settings and have taken on some ideas which we can try.”

“I am feeling confident about sharing strategies and useful contacts with my team.”

“Just thank you!”

Audience: Early Years SENCos, teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants, early years leaders and managers, Year 1 teachers, childminders and home-based early years practitioners.

Date/s and time, location:

Locations: Mansel Primary School 157 Chaucer Rd, Parson Cross, Sheffield, S5 9QN
Phillimore Community Primary School, Phillimore Rd, Sheffield, S9 5EF
Manor Community Childcare, 33 Vikinglea Rd, Sheffield, S2 1BE
The Meadow Family Hub Community Network Site, 349 Shirecliffe Road, Shirecliffe, Sheffield S5 8XJ

Cost: Free for Sheffield Schools and Early Years Providers to attend.

Training Team: Educational Psychologists

Emotion Coaching is an evidence informed approach that supports adults to respond to children’s emotional experiences in a way that supports children to understand, express and regulate their emotions. This approach promotes positive relationships and complements trauma-informed/relational approaches. It provides adults with a structured way to guide children through moments of heightened emotion, supporting them to learn self regulation skills over time.

The intended outcomes of this training are-

• Develop strong, trusting relationships.
• Increase children's emotional literacy.
• Improve children’s self-regulation and resilience.
• Strengthen problem-solving skills.
• Feel more confident to support wellbeing and behaviour in a calm, consistent way.

Audience: Early Years SENCos, teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants, early years leaders and managers, Year 1 teachers, childminders and home-based early years practitioners.

Date/s and time, location:

Location: The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WG

Cost: 1 Token or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Educational Psychologists

Support children to understand, express and manage their emotions with confidence. Our evidence informed training is designed for early years practitioners to explore the importance of emotional regulation and the impact for children who have differences in this area. This training will provide an opportunity to think about how your setting can build-up the approaches you have in place to support emotional regulation.

The intended outcomes of this training are-

• Understanding of the psychological theories underpinning supporting emotional regulation.
• Time to think about how your setting can implement and further embed approaches to support emotional regulation.
• Examples of small group interventions to develop emotional regulation skills.

Audience:Early Years SENCos, teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants, early years leaders and managers, Year 1 teachers, childminders and home-based early years practitioners.

Date/s and time, location:

Location: The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WG

Cost: 1 Token or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Educational Psychologists

Introduction to attachment and trauma, exploring how early experiences shape children’s development, relationships and learning.

Explores theory and neuroscience relating to attachment, trauma and brain development.

Highlights the importance of relationships and emotional safety.

Supports staff to reflect on their role as emotionally available adults.

Provides practical strategies to support children, including relational and trauma‑informed approaches.

Whole‑setting approaches to embedding trauma‑informed practice.

The intended outcomes of this training are –

• Interactive session with opportunities for reflection and discussion.
• Tools to support children to feel safe, connected and ready to learn.
• Greater awareness of how to respond in a trauma‑informed way.

Audience: Early Years SENCos, teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants, early years leaders and managers, Year 1 teachers, childminders and home-based early years practitioners.

Date/s and time, location:

Location: The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WG

Cost: 1 Token or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Educational Psychologists

This workshop explores the importance of supporting effective transitions for children with special educational needs and disabilities at key stages of their development.

This session will cover collaborative working with the SENCo, practical considerations for transition visits, and the importance of timely information sharing, including transition reviews and ensuring Extended Support Plans and EHCPs are current and appropriately shared.

The session will also highlight the value of early partnership working with professionals, parents, and carers to support children from entry into a childcare setting through to school transition. In addition, we will consider what ‘school readiness’ means for each individual child and those supporting them.

Audience: Early Years Practitioners from PVI settings, Childminders and SENCos who are supporting children with SEND transition

Date/s and time, location:

Locations: Burngreave Family Hub 19 Spital Street, Sheffield S3 9LB

Cost: Free to Sheffield schools and settings

Training Team: Early Years Quality Improvement Team

"Making Sense of Autism in the Early Years" is a foundational, awareness-raising training session developed by the Neuroinclusive Education Network and delivered by the Sheffield 0-5 SEND specialist teachers.

The training workshop will support attendees to extend their expertise in recognising a child’s individual strengths and differences and support them to redirect their focus from managing behaviour to understanding the autistic brain and creating neuro-affirming environments.

Attendees will have the opportunity to explore:

• Communication & Interaction: Learning to provide extra processing time (e.g., the 10-second rule) and using clear, direct language.
• Sensory Processing: Understanding how environments (lights, sounds) impact learners and making reasonable adjustments.
• Social Understanding: Fostering positive relationships and promoting an individual's unique strengths rather than focusing on deficits.
• Information Processing: Recognising how autistic pupils process information differently to remove barriers to learning.

Audience: Designed for all practitioners across a range of Early Years settings, including preschools, private, voluntary or independent nurseries, schools, child minders and home-based early years practitioners as well as SENCos.

Date/s and time, location:

Locations: Mansel Primary School, 157 Chaucer Road, Parson Cross, Sheffield, S5 9QN
Manor Community Childcare Centre, 33 Vikinglea Road, Sheffield, S2 1BE

Cost: Free to Sheffield schools and settings

Training Team: 0-5 SEND Specialist Teachers

Are you a new SENCo, interested in becoming a SENCo or need a refresher after returning to the role?

Training includes:

• An overview of the key aspects of the SENCo role and the SEN Code of Practice
• To know what we mean by SEND and how to identify needs
• To understand the graduated approach and be aware of a range of support strategies including ordinarily available provision
• To understand the EHCP process
• To know what the 0-5 SEND Team does and how to refer, and other agencies available to support
• To be aware of a range of available help for Sheffield early years, settings and families

Audience: SENCos new to role.

Date/s and time, location:

Locations: Moorfoot Learning Centre, Moorfoot, Level 1, West Wing 1, South Lane, Sheffield S1 4PL

Cost: Free to Sheffield schools and settings

Training Team: 0-5 SEND Specialist Teachers

Neuroinclusive Education Network

Early Stages Good Autism Practice- Accredited

The Autism Education Trust have re branded and are now called the Neuroinclusive Education Network (NEN).

This course is designed to follow on from Making Sense of Autism (see training dates offered in the SEND section of the Early Years Training offer) or for delegates who have a basic knowledge of Autism/social communication differences.

This new 2026 course includes updated knowledge and understanding of social communication differences and Autism, and provides strategy toolkits to use in your setting.

What will you learn?

• Develop your knowledge and understanding of good autism practice.
• Learn how to use a range of strategies and approaches for pupils with social communication needs or autism.
• Ensure you are providing a neuro-affirmative, positive experience for all neurodivergent pupils.
• Consider how to involve the pupil and their family in scaffolding strengths, interests and aspirations.

Audience: Any practitioners who work with Autistic pupils or those with social communication differences in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1

Date/s and time, location:

Location: The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW

Cost: 2 Tokens or £80.00 pay as you go

Training Team: Autism, Social Communication, Education and Training Service (ASCETs)

Aiming to inspire practitioners from across the early years sector, this training offers a balance of theoretical and practical support to enable a practitioner to carry out their role in supporting young children with additional needs. The Sheffield Early Years Quality Improvement team is pleased to offer you the opportunity to attend this training to gain an NCFE CACHE Level 2 accredited award.

The course content includes, understanding:

• Statutory guidance in relation to the care and education of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
• How children learn and develop in the Early Years and how to identify needs early
• The impact of transition
• Best practice for meeting the individual needs of young children and creating inclusive environments
• Planning to meet the individual stages of babies and young children
• Working in partnership with parents and other professionals

Delegates must attend the online introduction session to the training, expectations and online assessment portal as well as attend all three training days, and be aware that all work is to be submitted for assessment at the end of the course, to gain the accreditation. Study time is included in the day, providers are expected to stay for the duration of the day to access assessment support.

Audience: This training is designed to extend the knowledge of any EY practitioner who supports the development of children with SEND. Practitioners from both PVI and school settings would benefit from attending this training.MUST HOLD MINIMUM Level 2 in Child Development.

Cohort 1

Date/s and time, location:

Location: Leisure United Thorncliffe, Pack Horse Lane, Sheffield, S35 3HY

Cohort 2

Date/s and time, location:

Location: Moorfoot Learning Centre, Moorfoot, Level 1, West Wing 1, South Lane, Sheffield S1 4PL

Cohort 3

Date/s and time, location:

Location: Monday 7th June 2027, 10.00-11.00am (Introduction online via Teams)
Monday 14th June 2027, Monday 28th June 2027 and Monday 12th July 2027, 9.30-4.00pm at Burngreave Family Hub, 19 Spital St, Sheffield, S3 9LB

Childminder and home-based early years practitioner priority Saturday cohort

Date/s and time, location:

Location: Primrose Family Hub, Creswick Street, Sheffield S6 2TN

Cost: Free – funded by Sheffield City Council

Training Team: Community Early Years Practitioners, Early Years Quality and Access and Quality Improvement Teams

Children’s behaviour and emotions continue to be top of the agenda for many early years settings and schools. The Early Years Foundation Stage says that “Providers are responsible for supporting, understanding, and managing children’s behaviour in an appropriate way.”

Our understanding of why behaviour happens and how best to support children is changing all the time, and this means continued professional development in this area is vital.

This series of workshops explores complex behaviours and comes from the perspective that all behaviour makes sense once we understand the child’s life experiences, brain development and potential for nervous system vulnerability.

We will look at some of the current top areas of focus for Ofsted including:

• The role of routines in supporting children’s behaviour
• Opportunities for explicit teaching when it comes to emotions and strategies for regulation
• Executive function skills
• The importance of secure attachments and sensitive, skilled responses to children
• Helping children to develop inhibitory control
• Adjustments and adaptations to support the creation of a truly incisive environment

The intended outcomes to be covered over a series of 4 workshops-

Week 1- Introduction

• Revisiting behaviour
• Roots of complex behaviours
• Regulation, self-compassion and self-control
• The nervous system and felt safety

Week 2 - The environment

• Creating regulating environments that are emotionally and sensory safe
• Activities and experiences for inhibitory control and executive function
• The social environment

Week 3 - Teaching and caregiving approaches

• Co-regulation
• Routines
• Predictability

Week 4 - The child’s inner world

• Developing self-awareness
• Teaching children about feelings
• Sharing regulation strategies with children

Audience: Early Years SENCos, teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants, early years leaders and managers

Date/s and time, location:

*Please note all sessions must be attended

Location: Online via Teams

Cost: 2 Tokens or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Sarah Emerson – Childhood Understood

Autism can present differently from one child to another, and research suggests that some autistic children, particularly girls, may be overlooked or identified later because their needs are not always recognised. Differences in socialisation and expectations can influence how autistic traits are expressed, meaning that some children may appear to cope well while experiencing significant challenges beneath the surface. This contributes to a recognised gender gap in autism identification, with autistic girls more likely to be missed, misunderstood or diagnosed later than boys.

Masking, where a child consciously or unconsciously hides autistic traits in order to fit in with social expectations, is often discussed in relation to autistic girls but can affect autistic children of any gender. Research suggests that sustained masking can have a negative impact on wellbeing, increasing feelings of anxiety, exhaustion and stress. This training will explore the implications of masking and delayed identification in early childhood, helping practitioners develop a deeper understanding of how autism may present across different children and how to create environments that support authentic participation, wellbeing and learning.

Autistic children can face a range of challenges when accessing early years settings and schools. Many practitioners would welcome greater confidence in recognising indicators that an autism referral may be appropriate and in providing effective support that meets individual needs. This training will explore the diversity of autistic presentation, including why some children, particularly girls, may be missed, overlooked or misunderstood. Participants will consider the impact of masking, social expectations and communication differences, and how these factors can influence children's experiences, wellbeing and outcomes.

The session will support practitioners to create inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming environments that embrace children's strengths and interests, respond to sensory needs, reduce anxiety and remove barriers to learning and development.

Intended Outcomes of the session-

• Understand why autism can be identified differently across children and why autistic girls may be at greater risk of being missed or identified later.
• Recognise possible indicators of autism, including presentations that may be less easily identified.
• Explain the impact of masking and how this may affect a child's wellbeing, learning and development.
• Consider the influence of social and gender expectations on autistic children's experiences.
• Identify communication differences and challenges that autistic children may experience.
• Reflect on ways to balance sociability, autonomy and emotional wellbeing.
• Consider environmental adaptations and reasonable adjustments that remove barriers to children's learning, participation and development.
• Develop strategies for creating inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming early years environments.

Audience: Early Years SENCos, SENCos, teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants, early years leaders and managers, Year 1 teachers, childminders and home-based early years practitioners.

Date/s and time, location:

Maximum Capacity: 30

Location: Online via Teams

Cost: 1 Token or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Sarah Emerson – Sarah Emerson – Childhood Understood. Sarah is a trainer, consultant and author with 25 years experience in the early years sector. She holds an MA in Early Childhood Studies, PgCert in Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Wellbeing, and is a qualified early years teacher. Specialising in children’s emotions, behaviour and neurodiversity affirming practice, Sarah advocates for environments and teaching approaches founded in co-regulation, responsiveness and knowledge of the individual child’s needs. She is passionate about neurodiversity affirming, inclusive environments for all children.

Are you supporting children whose demand avoidance is being misread as defiance, manipulation, or poor parenting? Do standard strategies keep falling flat, whatever the child's diagnosis or background?

This two-part training gives staff a clear understanding of demand avoidance and the practical tools to respond more effectively. Primarily designed for EYFS and Year 1 practitioners, it's relevant to anyone working with young children where demand avoidance may be a factor.

The training is split into two parts. Part 1 – an online module will be sent out dees upon booking / receiving pay as you go payment and can be accessed in their own time prior to the in-person training day.

Part 1: Online Module - A recorded session of up to 90 minutes, split into short sections for staff to complete in their own time. It builds a clear picture of what demand avoidance is, where it sits within our understanding of neurodivergence, and why it so often looks different from other profiles staff will be familiar with. By the time the in-person day comes around, everyone is starting from the same place.

Part 2: Full Training Day - Building on the online module, this face-to-face day gets into the detail of what demand avoidance may look like in early years and KS1 classrooms: the patterns staff see every day, why they can be so easy to misread, and what to do about them. The strategies brought into the room come directly from current classroom practice, with space for staff to bring their own experiences and questions.

Audience: Early Years SENCos, teachers, practitioners, teaching assistants, early years leaders and managers, Year 1 teachers

Cohort 1

Date/s and time, location:

Location: Online via Teams
The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WG

Cost: 2 Tokens or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Delivered by Simon Airey, Neuroaffirming with Simon