SBC Care Plan + 2025

Guidance for completing an SBC Care Plan +  (Individualised Support Plan)

• Once a child has been identified as needing a Care Plan + the team should complete it together:
• • • Discuss child’s interests and skills
    • Plan focussed observations – at different times/days, ensuring it is factual
    • Analyse observations – identify key strengths and needs of the child
    • Agree areas they may need to support and behaviours displayed when needing support
    • Identify possible strategies which could support child’s needs to ensure positive outcomes

• The plan should build skills step-by-step to improve success and give children and young people a chance to test strategies out and receive encouragement and feedback.
• Ensure strategies are clear, age and stage appropriate, manageable, which are respectful of the individual. Strategies may include additional guidance from allied professionals – e.g SaLT, OT, home support teacher.
• Ensure that all practitioners & parents/carers recognise potential stressors, such as changes in behaviour, mood, or relationships, of both children and staff, and then implement strategies to strengthen coping mechanisms and resilience.
• EYO &/or Key Worker work together with parents/carers to discuss the creation of the Care Plan + and above points
• Meet with any professionals currently involved (eg. Health visitor, pre-school home link worker etc.) to agree the creation of the Care Plan + and above points.

Holistic and consistent approaches are crucial for meeting all children’s needs and supporting positive outcomes.

Implementation

Once the document has been drafted it must then be shared, agreed and signed by all parties (ELC team, parents/carers and any other health professionals) and reviewed regularly.

• All practitioners should ensure consistent implementation within the setting. The plan must be available for all visiting staff, e.g. supply practitioners.
• Up-skill parents in how to use the key strategies at home, thus providing the child with a consistent approach from all adults e.g. giving them the same visual symbols to use at home / information around Keys to Communication, helpful links etc.
• Regularly check-in with parents should discuss the manageability and effectiveness of strategies being implemented at home.
• Bear in mind that the length of time that the strategies are needed for or are effective for, will differ depending on the needs of the child. For example, if the child is distressed by loud noises (and this is a sensory sensitivity) this plan will most likely be in place for longer than if the distress is leaving a parent as they transition into ELC.
• If the strategies are ineffective, they should be reviewed as needed and adapted to encourage success.

The review process

• Dates for revisiting and reflecting on the information must be planned, recorded in chronologies, or on the Quality Assurance Calendar – all parties should be aware of the review processes and reflect upon the efficacy of the intervention/ series of strategies in place.
• As this is a live document, changes can be made – minutes of the meeting should detail key points from the review and why changes are being made. It is best practice to minute all meetings – it may feel tedious, but this will ensure a clear record of the processes in place and the rationale for changes – which will support any further input / referral process.​
• It is important to celebrate achievements, and strengths which the child is developing as part of the review process. The child should be aware of how they are developing in an appropriate way such as verbal praise and positive visual aids, – so that they are a part of the process and can see how the supportive strategies are helping them to be more engaged/ more regulated (UNCRC article 12)
• Ensure the whole team is aware of all information and any edits made and the rationale for the changes.
• During these reviews, strategies must be assessed, achievements noted and any developments must be updated on the revised Care Plan +. Staff should sign that they have read, agree new developments and a copy shared with parents.

 

This has also been added to the bottom of the Care Plans Portal page.

 

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