How can my child access a SEND Hub place?

Hampshire County Council funds these specialist placements to ensure children with complex needs have the right environment to thrive.

• Hours: Hub places are offered for 15 hours per week.

• Eligibility: Placements are generally for three- and four-year-olds as part of their Early Years entitlement.

• Allocation: Places are allocated by the Pre-School Advisory Group (PAG), a multidisciplinary panel of health and education experts.

Does my child need an EHCP to access a Hub place?

No. An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is not required to access a Hub placement at Lanterns. Admission is decided solely through the PAG referral process.

What is the Pre-School Advisory Group (PAG)?

The PAG is a collaborative team of professionals (including Paediatricians, Educational Psychologists, Speech Therapists, and the Inclusion Team) who meet termly to ensure children with additional needs receive the right support at the right time.

• The Process: With your consent, a health or education professional working with your family (such as a Health Visitor, GP, therapist, pediatrician or nursery) submits a notification to the PAG.  After notification, a referral for a specialist hub place needs to be completed by either an Early Years setting (nursery, pre-school etc) or Services for Young Children (for example, the Portage team). These are 2 separate processes and both notification and referral are needed for a child to be considered for a hub placement. For more information on the referral process please see:    https://www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/childrenandfamilies/childcare/providers/inclusion/specialist-hubs

• The Discussion: The group focuses on your child’s strengths, their current progress, and the services already involved.

• The Outcome: The PAG may consider a Hub place at Lanterns (or another local hub) or recommend referrals to additional specialist services to further support your child’s development. PAG placements are agreed in consultation with Lanterns Nursery School. If a place is agreed, contact will be made within 2 weeks of the PAG meeting.