Early years SEN support in Malta
I offer early years SEN support to childcare centres, nurseries and kindergarten teams in Malta, drawing on my current role leading SEN provision in the early years. I work in person or online, in English or Italian.
What I help settings with
I help you notice needs early and describe them clearly. How a child communicates, moves, settles and plays, put into plain words. I don’t diagnose. I help you understand what you’re seeing and what it means for the child’s day.
From there, we look at what the child actually needs. Individualised programmes that fit the child, not a one-size plan. Routines and transitions, where difficulties often show up first: arrivals, mealtimes, tidy-up, going home. Communication: what a child can express, and what staff might be missing.
I also guide your team, so everyone responds in the same way, and can run staff training. [confirm: does Rossella observe in the room and model strategies, or consult away from the children?]
We start with a conversation about your setting: what you’re already doing and what isn’t working. Then we decide what fits: a consultation about one child’s needs, a review of the strategies you’re using, a staff workshop or training session, or ongoing consultation, meeting regularly to talk through situations as they come up. Sessions are in person in Malta or online.
Working with families
Talking to parents about a child’s needs isn’t always easy. I help staff explain what they’re seeing, what it means for the child’s day, and what they’ll try next.
Parents know their own child best. What works at home, what worries them and what they’d like to see change shape everything that follows. Raising a concern early isn’t a failure; it’s paying attention.
When it helps, and with the family’s consent, settings work alongside other professionals, such as the Early Intervention Service or the child’s paediatrician.
Is kindergarten mandatory in Malta?
No. Compulsory education in Malta starts at age 5. Before that, childcare covers children from birth to 2 years 9 months, and kindergarten covers 2 years 9 months to 5 years.
Malta’s Early Intervention Service sits within the national support for young children with additional needs.
If a child in your setting may need extra support, raising it early with the family gives everyone more time to plan together.