Council expands early years SEND support thanks to new centre in Penhill

Located in a repurposed nursery building on the site of the Everleigh Centre in Penhill, the new facility marks a significant expansion of the services provided by The Swindon Early Years Centre, which already has another Ofsted Registered Early Years setting at The Saltway Centre in Middleaze.

At an opening ceremony attended by local families, staff and Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh. Guests were invited to explore the newly-refurbished facility, which has undergone a £600,000 transformation thanks to Council investment.

Swindon Early Years Centre follows the Portage model and is officially registered with the National Portage Association. This means that the centre works closely with parents, other professionals and the child’s regular early years setting to help each child do their best. Staff at the site include Early Years Practitioners and two Family Support Workers, who can give advice and help parents find other services if needed.

The centre will offer much-needed support for families and will operate through an admissions process based on specific criteria to ensure that places are allocated to those who need them most.

The new centre has been thoughtfully designed to create an engaging, calming and inclusive environment. Facilities include:

• a soft play area
• a dedicated sensory room
• a main playroom filled with age-appropriate books and activities
• a welcoming parent space where families can connect, share experiences and build supportive networks

Parents are encouraged to stay at the centre while their child is in a group. This helps staff give better support to both the child and the parents in a caring and flexible way.

Cllr Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said, “I’m incredibly proud to see the opening of this new specialist early years centre in Penhill. It represents a real investment in our youngest children with SEND and their families, providing not only tailored support but also a safe, welcoming space to connect with our residents.

“Early intervention can make a huge difference in a child’s development and this centre will help ensure more families can access the right help at the right time. I’d like to thank everyone involved in bringing this much-needed resource to life.”

Alongside the on-site support, staff at Everleigh include a group of Portage Teachers who visit families at home to support children with more complex needs. This supports the ambition of providing early support to families which is flexible and is based on each child and family's individual situation.