Start support now, not when the diagnosis arrives
Start now: no autism diagnosis is needed. Ask the nursery SENCO to place the child on SEN Support, an assess-plan-do-review cycle of tailored help required under the EYFS framework for any child with additional needs. The trigger for support is identified need, not a label. Waiting for the assessment to come back wastes the early years window, which is exactly when targeted help does the most good for a 2, 3 or 4-year-old.
SEN Support is a statutory duty, not a favour. Under the EYFS statutory framework (in force for all registered providers from 1 September 2025), every setting must have arrangements to identify and support children with special educational needs or disabilities. Chapter 5 of the SEND Code of Practice sets out the graduated approach the key person, SENCO and parents run together: assess what the child needs, plan the help, deliver it, then review and adjust.
Put the practical help in place this term
Agree a small number of clear targets with parents and write the first SEN Support plan. Then build in the low-cost, autism-friendly adjustments that help most children awaiting assessment:
- visual supports and objects of reference, plus a predictable daily routine the child can rely on
- extra processing time before instructions, and short, concrete language
- a calm, low-arousal space and planned sensory regulation breaks
- warning and support around transitions between activities
Use your funding. Every nursery has a SEN budget to meet additional needs, and inclusion funding is allocated on the basis of need, not diagnosis. Bring in your Local Authority Area SENCO for advice, and make an early referral to early years speech and language therapy where communication is a concern, as that NHS support does not wait for an autism outcome either. Keep your nursery environment sensory-friendly so the whole room works for the child, not just the adult-led sessions.
Escalate if SEN Support is not enough
If the child is likely to need more than SEN Support can deliver, the setting or the parent can ask the council for an EHC needs assessment. A diagnosis is not required for this either: the local authority is under a duty to consider any request (Children and Families Act 2014, section 36). Be honest with families that an assessment can be requested but is not guaranteed to be agreed, and that you will keep evidencing the child’s needs through the review cycle whatever route you take.
One change is on the horizon. The 2026 Schools White Paper proposes a statutory Individual Support Plan duty that would reach nurseries for any child with identified SEND. A SEND consultation is live now, but this is a proposal: the SEN Support framework you run today has not changed.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.