Special Needs and Early Years: A Practitioner?s Guide

`This is one of the best books I have read on special needs and the very young and I thoroughly recommend it to all with a professional or personal interest in this area′ - Special Children

`This well crafted "practitioners guide" thoughtfully addresses the many issues that practitioners face when they consider their involvement in early education in the context of work with special educational needs. Those who read this book will find that they know a little more about these important issues and may find themselves challenged to reflect on their personal attitudes towards inclusive education: ideally becoming better providers for children with learning difficulties`- Cathy Nutbrown, Journal of Early Childhood Research

`This is an exemplary introductory textbook for students, and a veritable mine of information. Undoubtedly, this is an early years/special needs book that many readers can and will relate to′ - Sheila Wolfendale, European Journal of Special Needs Education

`The book offers theories, case studies and practical strategies. We strongly recommend it to all early years professionals, to those working with young children with special needs and their families as well as students in the field′ - Handicaps-Info

`This is Kate Wall′s first book and, in my view an excellent one. Anchored within the framework of inclusion, it provides a clear focus on under-fives with special educational needs. The author′s concentration on pre-school children reflects her opinion that there already exists a plethora of information about children who have attained statutory school age.

Above all, Special Needs and the Early Years is a true practitioner′s guide. Kate Wall draws on her extensive experience and proven skills, supplementing them with personal observation. She combines these skillfully with current theory and thoughtful reflection to produce an impressive and coherent work, one that I thoroughly recommend′ - British Journal of Special Education

`This is a fairly long and detailed book, and Katie Wall obviously has a wide knowledge of current research and publications. I found the book to be useful and thorough, with some very interesting case studies to put across the point being made. It has the usual format that most books on this subject seem to follow these days, with chapters covering partnership with parents, working with outside agencies, observation, assessment and planning IEPs, and so on. Each chapter concludes with a very useful summary that highlights the main points, and helps the reader to think back quickly on what has just been covered. This can work in reverse by scanning the conclusion first, to see whether the chapter contains the points you want to read about. Overall it is a good, soundly researched and written book, and one which would be useful on your shelf′ - Nursery World

Research in early years and special needs shows the need for early and appropriate intervention. But not all early years practitioners have the expertise, knowledge and skills to ensure these expectations are transformed into high-quality special needs provision.

Kate Wall believes that all children should be entitled to achieve their full potential, and that all practitioners should have the necessary skills to support children and their families. Her extensive work as a teacher in mainstream and special early years settings, combined with her current senior lecturing experience, has helped her to identify the key issues for practitioners and parents including:

} working with families

} partnerships with parents

} observation and assessment

} programmes of intervention

} responding to the affective needs of children.

Having spent many years supporting families of children with special needs she now shares her expertise in an accessible book based on her own research and practice. The book offers practical suggestions for working practice and in-service training.

This book is essential reading for early years practitioners, professionals dealing with special needs children and their families, and students in the early years and special needs fields.

Kate had over twenty years experience as an early years practitioner working with young children with special needs and their families before moving into HE in 1999. She was the Programme Director of the Early Childhood Studies degree programmes in her previous post. Kate has written several books on special needs along with many articles and has presented at National and International conferences. She is currently a member of the National Early Years Advisory Board within NASEN (National Association of Special Educational Needs).