South Tyneside's Ordinarily Available Provision Expectations of all education settings

Foreword

Welcome to our Ordinarily Available Provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in South Tyneside.

We want South Tyneside to be a place where everyone leads healthy, happy, fulfilled lives. We recognise that when children are included in their school and community, with education support tailored to their unique learning needs, they will learn, grow and achieve.

Timely identification and well-planned support is essential to secure the best outcomes for children and young people with SEND and it is the responsibility of all to identify and address those needs.

All children and young people are unique, therefore the support should be adapted to meet their needs. This guidance explains to schools/settings, parents/carers and other practitioners what should be in place for those with SEND.

It is not intended that every element of this guidance will be required for every child, it provides a range of strategies and interventions that schools/settings can use flexibly. Above all, settings should work collaboratively with children and young people, their families, and other practitioners to identify approaches and strategies that work best for them.

We have worked in partnership with our settings and families to produce this guidance and believe that this guidance alongside the SEND Ranges and the broad range of additional support available to settings will ensure our children and young people are supported to achieve the best outcomes.

Introduction

We want every child and young person in South Tyneside, to be included in their setting and community, with education support tailored to their unique learning needs so that they can learn, grow, and achieve.

The right support at the right time is essential to achieving the best outcomes for our children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Quality first teaching, building strong relationships with families and a consistent approach to evaluating intervention are all important elements of providing inclusive education.

South Tyneside’s Ordinarily Available Provision defines the expected high-quality provision to be available within all settings across the local area, ensuring inclusive practice that supports and enables our children and young people to learn, grow and achieve.

The OAP has been produced in partnership with SENCOs, parents/carers and other education, health, and care partners through a range of engagement methods. It has been written with reference to work published by other local authorities, including Portsmouth Council, Northumberland County Council & Bristol City Council.

About this Document

Every setting is required to identify and address the differing needs of learners, this guidance provides both explicit expectations and support strategies for leaders, SENCO’s and staff within settings.

Settings should use the guidance alongside their legal duties and national guidance to ensure that they are providing the right support for CYP with SEND.

The guidance is divided into two sections:

Section One: Inclusive Practice

Section Two: Support For Broad Areas Of Need

Terminology

CYP	Children & Young People
EHCP	Education Health & Care Plan
OAP	Ordinarily Available Provision
IHCP	Individual Health Care Plan
SCoP	SEND Code of Practice (2015)
SEND	Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
Settings	Mainstream Settings (including Academies), Early Years Setings & Post 16 Provision
Staff	Adults who support CYP

The Local Authority and settings have defined duties in supporting CYP with SEND under the Children & Families Act (2014) and the SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years (2015). Settings also have a range of duties under the Equality Act (2010), preventing them from unlawfully discriminating against anyone because of their sex, race, disability, religion/belief, or sexual orientation.

Settings must ‘have regard’ to the SCoP, this means that they should do what it says, provide an explanation where this has not been so and detail what they have done instead.

Inclusive education is one of the principles that underpins the SCoP, whereby no child’s needs or disabilities are too great or complex for mainstream settings.

All settings are required to identify and address the differing needs of all CYP, they must ensure that CYP with SEND can take part in all elements of setting activity alongside their peers (Section 35, Children & Families Act 2014).

One of the key duties for settings is to use their ‘best endeavours’ to support CYP with SEND (Section 66, Children & Families 2014). This means that they must do everything possible to meet a CYP’s needs, and where necessary find specialist support from outside agencies. It is the settings Governing Body’s responsibility to ensure that their setting is making all reasonable adjustments and adhering to their duties.

This section is intended to support all settings to plan, put in place and reflect on their inclusive practice for all CYP. By adhering to the following principles every CYP will be included in their setting and community with education support tailored to their unique learning needs.

1. Recognise and celebrate our children and young peoples unique strengths, abilities, and interests
2. Always put the voice of the child or young person and their family at the centre of planning
3. Work together, to agree and achieve goals that are important to the child or young person so that they can achieve their goals and ambitions
4. Develop and deliver flexible environments that effectively meet the needs of all children and young people
5. Ensure that there is a strong focus on effective provision which supports personal development and promotes wellbeing
6. Develop and deliver a flexible curriculum that effectively meets the unique learning needs of all children and young people
7. Ensure staff have the right tools and knowledge, with effective training and support to reflect and develop their teaching
8. Pursue innovation, share best practice, and learn from other professionals
9. Work together to ensure children and young people have positive and effective transitions between stages of learning and into adulthood

We will adhere to these principles by:

Recognising & Celebrating

Everyone in the setting recognises and celebrates children and young people’s unique strengths, abilities, and interests by:

1. Sharing high expectations for all CYP and being ambitious for their future
2. Ensuring all setting policies reflect an inclusive ethos
3. Accepting and celebrating every CYPs individuality, promoting inclusion within the setting and the community
4. Getting to know and valuing all CYPs unique learning needs, planning what support they need to achieve
5. Using effective and personalised reasonable adjustments
6. Sharing information with parents and carers about progress and well-being

Voice of the Child/Young Person

Always putting the voice of the child or young person and their family at the centre of planning by:

• Encouraging CYP and parents/carers to be involved in decision making and planning
• Encouraging CYP and parents/carers to be ambitious and to share their hopes and dreams
• Agreeing goals and outcomes with CYP and parents/carers which are designed to help them achieve their aspirations
• Supporting CYP to understand these goals and how they will be supported to achieve them
• Ensuring parents/carers and young people (where appropriate) are informed they are on the SEN register and are invited to review their progress, support, and interventions at least three times each year. This should be approached with flexibility based on the needs of the CYP and their family.
• Supporting CYP to understand how they learn best, encouraging and advocating for them to develop independence and celebrate their achievements
• Involving CYP and parents/carers in planning and preparing for adulthood from the earliest age
• Co-producing the SEND Information report with parents/ carers, ensuring it is easy to read and published on the settings website.
• Using South Tyneside SEND Local Offer as a central information point, promoting this on the settings website and encouraging parents/carers to use it.
• Ensuring all parents/carers feel confident to approach their child’s setting, they know who to talk to about their child.

Hopes & Dreams for the Future

Working together, to agree and achieve goals that are important to the child or young person so that they can achieve their ambitions for the future

• Working with individuals to explore opportunities for their future, helping them to understand how to achieve their goals and plan with them how this can be supported
• Seeking the support of others if needed to help them achieve their goals and ambitions
• Exploring with the individual how they learn and achieve best, ensuring that this is their normal way of working wherever possible
• Identifying and understanding potential barriers, working together to remove them
• Accurately assessing the starting point for individuals, regularly evaluating their progress fairly and using this information to plan support for the future
• Making sure all aspect’s of the CYPs development are considered and supported (for example their health and wellbeing as well as academic progress)
• Providing opportunities and support to CYP to enable them to recognise and measure their own achievement and progress
• Consistently monitoring interventions and support, assessing their impact on the individual and making changes if something is not working
• Provide regular, accessible, and specific feedback to the CYP and their parents/carers.

Physical & Sensory Environment

Developing and delivering flexible environments that effectively meet the needs of all children and young people

Physical environment

• Assessing the accessibility of the setting environment and making reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of individual CYP
• Regularly reviewing the settings accessibility plan and sharing it on its website
• Adjusting existing provision and seeking external advice if required in advance of new CYP starting
• Ensuring all resources are easily accessible and well signposted to CYP, promoting inclusion and independence
• Seeking information from CYP and parents/carers about necessary adaptations and adjustments
• Providing additional support and equipment as required
• Using Assistive & Augmentative Communication (AAC) strategies to support alternatives to written recording when needed and to promote independence
• Considering texture, colour and font-type of texts presented to CYPs.

Sensory environment

• Being aware and accepting of the individual sensory needs of CYP, including but not limited to, e.g., hyper- and hypo- sensitivities to external stimuli or the potential negative impact of clothing type or texture
• Accepting and supporting self-regulatory behaviour such as fidgeting or ‘stimming’
• Creating learning environments which are structured, understandable, and predictable
• Fostering a calm, low arousal learning environment and wherever possible have a withdrawal space(s) for use when needed
• Removing or reducing sensory stimuli, including maintaining tidy, orderly classrooms, removing, or reducing wall mounted reflective surfaces (e.g., laminated posters) and reducing the visual ‘noise’ of all displays
• Assessing when CYPs may benefit from the use of supportive sensory equipment as required
• Considering all sensory needs when creating seating plans and arranging movement breaks
• Considering the impact of any lighting in the room and adjusting this when it causes issue for CYPs
• Providing optimum listening conditions which absorb or minimise certain sounds For further information on bullet points, above, see ‘further guidance’.

Personal Development

Ensuring that there is a strong focus on effective provision which supports personal development and promotes wellbeing

• Having an ethos of acceptance, including a behaviour / relationships policy which is grounded in positive language and is sensitive to different and additional needs
• Taking a coordinated and evidence informed approach to mental health and wellbeing
• Recognising the prevalence of poor mental health in CYPs with SEND and the impact of unmet need on a CYPs mental health
• Through a whole setting approach, providing strong preventative and reactive measures which promote good mental health, also ensuring that Mental Health Champions understand SEND and are available to support in crisis situations
• Ensuring all CYP know who they can talk to in setting if they are worried or have a concern
• Educating all CYP to be aware of, sensitive towards and accepting of difference
• Promoting a zero-tolerance approach to bullying
• Delivering a PSHE programme which supports the development of well-being and resilience
• Seeking the opinions of CYP and using their voice to inform effective individualised support for wellbeing
• Creating an environment where all CYP feel they belong, are safe and valued
• Supporting all CYP to develop an understanding of their own emotions and of supportive strategies they can use when dysregulated or upset
• Accepting and actively supporting needs-based and regulatory behaviours
• Ensuring all staff are clear on processes for referring to external mental health support, across all parts of the ‘need’ scale and from services and teams across Education, Health and Social Care (e.g. Adolescent Services, Healthy Minds, Lifecycle, CYPS).

Curriculum

Developing and delivering a flexible curriculum that effectively meets the unique learning needs of all children and young people

Developing a broad and balanced curriculum which recognises and promotes the need for a range of pathways and is aspirational for all CYPs by:

• Ensuring genuine access to all available curriculum subjects at all stages and for all CYPs
• Including all CYPs in all learning opportunities including extra-curricular activities and educational visits
• Successfully developing an ambitious curriculum which is designed to meet the needs of all CYPs and develops their knowledge and skills and ability to apply them
• Ensuring all CYPs are provided with opportunities to develop acceptance of different needs and disabilities
• Providing opportunities for CYPs with SEND to plan and co- produce resources to help raise awareness of difference
• Establishing high quality teaching across the setting which is differentiated and personalised to meet individual needs.

Inclusive lesson planning, using knowledge of each CYP to inform practice, for example by:

• Encouraging independent learning (e.g. via pre-teaching, overlearning, scaffolding and appropriate differentiation)
• Modelling tasks to help CYPs understand what is expected
• Using a range of visual and auditory methods to show and explain planned outcomes and learning activities
• Planning the work of all adults in the classroom so that they are effectively supporting the learning of all CYPs
• Breaking down tasks into small, manageable steps which are clearly explained and repeated as require
• Ensuring adaptations and additional support with homework are available when needed.

Promoting reflection on curriculum planning and delivery with regards to positive impact on the progress of all CYPs by:

• Analysing and reporting assessment data with particular attention to the outcomes for CYPs with SEND, and using this to inform curriculum development
• Quality assuring strategies to ensure that they are supporting learning and are therefore good value for money
• Ensuring that teachers fully understand the progress of CYP through the assessments they use, meaning that they can forward plan what is needed to move to the next steps.

Skills & Training

Ensuring staff have the right tools and knowledge, with effective training and support to reflect and develop their teaching

• Ensuring that there is a culture of inclusion and a focus on best practice for CYP with SEND
• Prioritising the effective leadership of SEND provision
• Promoting the understanding that every teacher is a teacher of SEND with responsibility for the CYP in their classes
• Embedding understanding and use of the graduated approach by all staff, having a whole setting approach to Continued Professional Development around SEND
• Ensuring that setting priorities clearly identify areas for development around inclusion
• Ensuring that all staff understand the importance of the voice of the CYP and their parents/carers
• Providing an induction programme which includes information and training on expectations and implementation of inclusive practice
• Supporting staff to understand that behaviour can be the result of an unmet need and to explore this with the CYP and their parents/carers
• Ensuring all adults within classrooms are supported to develop CYP skills, encourage progress towards achieving targets and promote independence
• Making sure that all staff understand any ‘out of lesson’ interventions and how those interventions support classroom learning and progress
• Encouraging all staff to regularly reflect and review their current teaching and learning strategies
• Regularly sharing effective supportive strategies across staff teams
• Encouraging peer support within a culture of coaching and reflection to inform and develop practice

Professional Advice

Pursuing innovation, sharing best practice, and learning from other professionals

• Ensuring all staff know how to access extra support and advice from colleagues
• Making timely and appropriate referrals to external agencies for further advice and support, and making sure the CYP and their parents/carer know why the support and advice is being sought
• Keeping clear records of all agencies and/or services involved in supporting a CYP
• Sharing information with relevant staff teams
• Applying advice and recommendations from colleagues and external practitioners to inform and support what is in place for a CYP in setting.

Transition

Work together to ensure children and young people have positive and effective transitions between stages of learning and into adulthood.

• Making sure that everyone works together to support transition; CYP, setting staff, parents/carers, outside agencies.
• Information is actively sought and shared about CYP to support successful transitions and manage change both within the setting and beyond
• This information is available for the CYP’s parents/carers, other colleagues within the setting and receiving or previous settings as required.
• Planning support before, during and after a move between settings, or between years in setting
• Planning learning and transition activities to support the CYP understanding of transition (e.g. social stories)
• Supporting development of resilience, coping skills, social communication skills and preparation for common transition difficulties that can be associated with greater risks of setting refusal.

There are four broad areas of need:

• Cognition & Learning
• Communication & Interaction and Autism
• Physical and/or Sensory
• Social, Emotional & Mental Health

These give an overview of the range of needs that a CYP may have and an indicator of the different needs that should be planned for. They are not intended as a label for the CYP, and in practice it is often the case that a CYP will have needs from more than one and potentially all four areas.

By considering these broad areas of need, within a graduated approach, staff can assess an individual’s needs and work with them and their family to co-produce a plan of support.

This guidance sets out examples of the provision that we expect settings to be able to provide. Settings may not have knowledge or experience of all strategies, interventions and resources outlined. It is important for settings to seek training, advice, or guidance about individual needs where necessary and specialist teams within the Local Authority can support with this.

There may also be limitations in space available within settings and this may impact delivery of provision and the sensory environment. Working with CYP and their parents/ carers is the best way to understand the possible impact of the environment on them, and to find solutions.

It is the expectation that all appropriate strategies to support the inclusion of CYP with different or additional needs are implemented. It is the settings statutory duty to make reasonable adjustments and set up cycles of support which show an understanding of a CYPs needs.

The Graduated Approach

At the centre of all planning, implementing, and reviewing SEND provision is the voice of the child or young person and their parents/carers.

	Assess
Review		Plan
	Do

In South Tyneside, we recognise and value the importance of early intervention. Therefore, as soon as a need is identified, the right support should be put in place. Intervention and support does not rely on receiving a formal diagnosis of a specific condition or disability.

Each CYP’s provision will be made up of a range of support, strategies and interventions that will be regularly monitored, reviewed, and evaluated to inform next steps. This is known as the Graduated Approach or the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle.

Provision and support put in place often does not remain the same over time. It flexes and adapts as the CYP grows and achieves. It may mean support is altered or reduced over time and for others more support is put in place to make sure that they are making progress.

It is important that there is a collaborative approach when determining the range and levels of need a CYP has and what will work best to support them. The CYP, their parents/carers, the SENCO, staff within the setting and other practitioners where appropriate will work together to identify all the CYPs needs and develop a plan to support them.

By following and evidencing the graduated approach, settings can be certain that there is a long term and significant need, that may require more targeted or specialist provision.

The Role of the SENCo

The SENCo has a critical role to play in ensuring that CYP with SEND in their setting receives the support that they need.

The SCoP requires the SENCo to be a qualified teacher and a newly appointed SENCo must achieve a national aware required by the post.

They have an important role to play in determining the strategic development of SEN Policy and provision within the setting and will be most effective as a member of the Leadership Team.

The type of responsibilities a SENCO has include:

• Supporting the identification of CYP with SEND
• Co-ordinating provision for CYP with SEND
• Liaising with providers, agencies, and external professionals
• Liaising with parents/carers of CYP with SEND
• Ensuring that the setting keeps the records of all pupils with SEN up to date
• Overseeing the day-to-day operation and implementation of the setting’s SEN Policy.

Behaviours resulting from unmet needs

Leaders and teaching staff must recognise that the way a CYPs behaves can be a direct result of them having an unmet need

All settings and supporting professionals must look to understand what the is underneath the behaviour and address that need.

Unmet needs often lead to poor mental health in CYP, and it is the responsibility of the adults to try and understand the need, put in place strategies to support it and review the impact of these.

Examples of behaviours that may result from unmet needs:
Loud and/or regular vocalisation
Poor attendance or withdrawal from lessons
Poor organisational skills
Work refusal
Apparent inability to folow instructions or know what to do
Regular emotional outbursts
Rude or disrespectful language
Difficulty with sharing or paired work
Setting-related anxiety

Medical Conditions

Children and young people with medical needs can be supported in all settings including trips and physical education, even those with the most significant medical conditions.

It is the governing bodies responsibility to ensure that arrangements are in place to support pupils at settings with medical conditions.

Some CYP will need an Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP). This sets out the CYPs medical needs and how they should be handled. An IHCP is for those who have continuing health care needs that requires ongoing support with regular medication and/or treatment, or those that may need emergency medication. The document should be developed with the CYP and their parents/carers and any relevant medical professional and reviewed at least annually.

An IHCP is not the same as an Education Health & Care Plan.

The following are supportive strategies for specific needs within the area of Cognition & Learning

Literacy Based Needs

• Provide high quality training to all staff which details strategies for teaching literacy to a range of CYPs, including effective use of intervention strategies where difficulties are highlighted
• Provide a consistent and graduated approach to literacy- based difficulties that is grounded in up-to-date best practice
• Incorporate short daily practice sessions to support retention of learning
• Teach one skill at a time and identify effective methods which are suited to the individual
• Ensure differentiated learning tasks that are based on evidenced-based effective practice
• Ensure that planned learning and support provided by teaching assistants is evaluated for impact, with work and progress monitored and reviewed by the class teacher
• Effectively use SEN support plans to overcome barriers to progress, recording, for example, the use of precision teaching approaches
• Deliver evidence-based Interventions regularly and consistently in the way they were intended. Monitor and adapt intervention based on assessment where necessary
• Consider and offer technology-based literacy support where appropriate
• Seek support from specialist agencies and teachers where relevant
• Model and promote ‘talk to write’ approaches, whereby CYPs talk through planned responses before writing.

Numeracy Based Needs

• Carefully select and use concrete resources to develop understanding of number (e.g., number lines, 100 squares, calculators)
• Recognise the need to provide and / or accept different strategies to solve numerical problems
• Focus on basic number skills which are regularly re-visited in an age-appropriate format appropriate to the CYP
• Make learning relevant to the CYP, grounding concepts in everyday experiences
• Ensure targeted use of online games/ activities where evidence and observation demonstrate positive impact
• Be aware of the language demands of tasks/ working memory demands and adapt as appropriate
• Pre-teach specific maths vocabulary and concepts.

Attention, Concentration & Processing Difficulties

• Seek to fully understand the cause of attention, concentration and processing difficulties as they may present for a number of reasons, including ADHD, ACEs & early trauma, anxiety disorder, autism etc.
• Make reasonable adjustments to activities, lessons and timetables so that they are delivered flexibly
• Support and accept a CYP’s movement needs (such as the need for some CYPs to ‘fidget’, move and stand throughout a lesson).

Ensure the following examples are explored and in place as appropriate:

Use of timers	Use of visual timetables	Now and next boards
Clear expectations	Remove any unnecessary copying	Short/ chunked tasks and instructions
Uncluttered environment including worksheets	Write a plan with simple stages before any work is started	Focus the CYP’s attention on relevant aspects of the task e.g. highlighting key words, colour coding
Access to quiet space / movement breaks active learning, taking into account the sensory needs of the CYP	Seating in the least distracting place in the classroom for the individual and reduce/limit the other environmental distractions	Encouraging CYPs to be self-aware of what helps and hinders their attention and focus on teaching self-regulation

• Allow a CYP time to process information and respond
• Use partner talk time to help CYPs process and gather their thoughts before sharing with the group
• Some CYPs may need reduced access to resources to avoid overload
• Have clear classroom routines, including visual timetables, visual cues, or task reward cards
• Allow and/or plan rest and movement breaks.

Working Memory & Retention Challenges

• Ask CYPs to repeat back what has been said or is expected
• Provide opportunities for retrieval practice
• In collaboration with a CYP and their parents/carers, develop strategies to manage anxieties which might be having an impact on memory and retention
• Support CYPs to be aware of their own memory strengths and needs, and teach strategies to support memory
• Implement a structured approach to the teaching of fluent handwriting, finding the right age and stage to introduce ICT as a method of recording
• Consider a wider range of methods for recording responses or sharing understanding, such as drawing, mind-mapping, use of apps, voice and video recordings as appropriate
• Present information tasks in a variety of formats e.g. verbal, written, visual
• Observe and respond to how a CYP gathers visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and spatial information
• Carefully plan visual modelling and verbal explanation of the task
• Communicate with all key adults a CYP’s needs and preference to maintain consistency and therefore avoid cognitive overload
• Promote recognition and acceptance of any ‘spiky profiles’ and variations between expressive and receptive language and build on strengths
• Break tasks or instructions into chunks as appropriate.

Specific Learning Difference (SpLD)

A specific learning difference (SpLD), also labelled ‘Specific Learning Difficulty’, is a difference or difficulty with some particular aspects of learning

The most common SpLDs are Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia. Sometimes there is a diagnosis of Specific Learning Difficulties, rather than Dyslexia or Dyspraxia because the individual experiences a unique combination of difficulties which cannot be readily categorised but may include features of one or more recognised SpLDs. Similarly, some people will have an assessment for more than one SpLD; it is very common for there to be an overlap.

• Ensure staff training provides overarching understanding of need(s) and supportive strategies associated with them (seek external advice as required)
• Ensure that input from all associated practitioners is shared with families and relevant staff, signposting additional training or support as available
• Provide opportunities to develop awareness or alliteration and rhyme, identify single sounds in words and deleting single sounds
• Provide additional sessions to practice recognising phonic patterns in reading and spelling
• Use evidence-based reading interventions currently available in setting delivered in the manner in which they were intended
• Paired and reciprocal reading (opportunities to work as the more knowledgeable other)
• Fluency, expression and comprehension practice
• Visual tracking activities
• Use line guides, reading rulers, coloured overlays and other materials that CYP’s find helpful
• Use increased font size
• Provide high frequency words spelling intervention
• Provide phonic spelling practise
• Provide additional opportunities to practise spelling in setting
• Use multi-sensory spelling approaches/interventions
• Provide punctuation prompt cards
• Employ specific handwriting programmes
• Give extra time to think and respond in both oral and written formats
• Remove time pressures from classroom tasks
• Provide extra time for assessments and consider the examination access arrangements that may be needed
• Deliver interventions focusing on whole word methods where appropriate (alternatives to phonological based approaches according to assessment of individual)
• Consider alternative methods of recording ideas to demonstrate understanding, whilst written recording skills are developing (Dictaphones etc).

The following are supportive strategies for specific needs within the area of Cognition & Learning

NB. Difficulties may not be restricted to one area and may be demonstrated at different levels.

Challenges with Receptive Language

• Ensure visual supports are used and are consistent between home and setting as well as across classes
• Use matched visuals between timetable, instruction and location or resource (e.g. present a visual cue for movement to the dining hall and ensure the same visual is present on the dining hall door)
• Use visual, sequential steps of learning activity and demonstrate them to support clarity of expectation
• Provide thinking time to support processing of information and give CYPs time to formulate language and responses
• Simplify language and check understanding regularly, repeating instructions/explanations
• Pre-teach new vocabulary and provide opportunities to practice and reinforce in class
• Use clear language to express sequences of learning or events (e.g. ‘Now’, ‘next’)
• Use explicit, developmentally appropriate, instructional language. E.g. Rather than saying “Put it over there”, say “Put the pencil on the table.” If necessary, model the instruction
• Explicitly plan outcomes relating to receptive language
• Gain the CYP’s attention, using their name, before giving an instruction and/or make sure they are aware if a group instruction includes them.

Challenges with Expressive Language

• Talk alongside adult and CYP activities to model language processes
• Provide support strategies to organise ideas and information e.g. mind maps, colour coding
• Consider an evidence-based intervention programme which focuses on listening and attention e.g. Talkboost (Early Years/ KS1/KS2)
• Provide scaffolding and models of language structures
• Use visual cues to help a CYP to formulate their responses
• Provide vocabulary lists with visuals to help with word finding/recall difficulties
• Teach the use of a structured framework to spoken language and support with visuals, including word maps (who, what, where, when)
• Allow CYPs to rehearse/practise a response so they can join in class/group activities
• Use role-play to encourage expressive language
• Offer alternative and augmentative communication methods (AAC) e.g. Makaton, PECs
• Implement an individualised language programme as directed by a specialist teacher/speech and language therapist (SALT) following detailed assessment.

Challenges with speech and sound

• Be aware of, sensitive to and accepting of CYPs’ specific difficulties with speech
• Give CYPs time to process and recall speech sounds correctly
• Use activities to develop phoneme awareness, e.g. use CVC (Consonant, vowel, consonant) words to help distinguish sounds
• Seek advice/assessment from a specialist teacher/speech and language therapist if the usual strategies are not working
• Implement an individualised language programme as directed by a specialist teacher/speech and language therapist following detailed assessment
• Provide access to a quiet room to focus on speech and language work
• Provide specific teaching of sounds, using visuals to support, the production of multi-syllabic words, under the guidance of a SALT or specialist teacher
• Explore and provide alternative means of communication alongside speech-based support strategies, as directed by a SALT or specialist teacher.

This section describes how a setting can meet the needs of Autistic CYP through high quality teaching and universal provision alongside some more specific and targeted supportive strategies.

NB. Whilst autism should only be recorded as a primary need if there is a confirmed diagnosis, it is expected that a CYP presenting with needs outlined below will access appropriate supportive provision and strategies. It is also important to be aware that comorbid conditions may be present, requiring higher levels of support.

In South Tyneside we aim to:

• Improve understanding and acceptance of autism within its educational settings
• Improve autistic CYP’s access to high quality education and supporting positive transitions into adulthood
• Supporting more autistic people into employment
• Tackle health and care inequalities for autistic people
• Building the right support in the community

Executive Function

Executive function is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Trouble with executive function can make it hard to focus, follow directions, and handle emotions, among other things. Autistic people commonly report that executive functioning problems have the greatest impact on their ability to effectively manage daily routines and tasks. Many of the supportive strategies detailed in this section will support CYPs in reducing barriers resulting from executive functioning problems.

Communication & Interaction

• Target social skills development during class time and break times
• Use adult modelling of non-verbal language and use visuals to support
• The use of role-play and social stories to develop CYPs’ understanding of social situations
• Keep language clear and avoid sarcasm, idioms etc.
• Consider alternative means for CYPs to share verbal and written responses as required (e.g. ICT, Makaton, PECs)
• Explicitly teach non-verbal communication and social communication
• Accept and celebrate differences in the way CYPs’ choose to interact
• Seek specialist advice around dysfluency from NHS SaLT Service
• Provide CYPs with non-speaking ways to express that they need help
• Explain how verbal instructions link to visually presented information
• Ensure all instructions are sequential
• Use a CYP’s name to prompt them to listen to key pieces of information
• Visual supports, visual timetables and task planners will support CYPs, especially when preparing for a change or transition
• Take time to listen and model good listening behaviours
• Clearly introduce key topic vocabulary and keep language clear and positive
• Pre teach subject specific vocabulary
• Give time to process and understand language
• Speak clearly, slowly and calmly in an age-appropriate way
• Seek specialist advice if the CYP is presenting with selective mutism or is non-speaking. Remove any pressure to speak, whilst developing and maintaining close relationships to adults and peers
• Build in programmes or activities to support interaction and communication including buddy/peer support systems
• Recognise and accept directness of language as difference rather than deficit.

Emotional Understanding & Self Awareness

• Teach the vocabulary of emotions and model identification of present emotion
• Adults label CYPs’ emotions and encourage self- identification, including through the use of visual support
• Adults structure learning that develops CYPs’ understanding of the causes of different emotions
• Adults introduce calming strategies and encourage CYPs to identify and implement strategies that are effective for them
• Adults structure learning in a way that helps the autistic CYP to develop an understanding of the emotion of others, including the causes of the emotions
• The curriculum recognises the need to explicitly teach about the identification of risk in various situations
• Adults accept that the ability to understand one’s own and read the emotion of others is difficult for some people
• Adults empathise with and recognise emotions displayed by CYPs, listening to them to help identify useful support strategies
• Adults support CYPs to understand the change in self that might take place at different stages of development
• Ensure that CYPs are involved in planning their own future and shorter term outcomes.

Interests Routines & Processing

• Recognise the need for clear and visual routines, and for planned and managed changes
• Provide structured, visual and sequential learning activities and daily, visual timetables
• Ensure a tidy, well organised and well-labelled classroom in which resources have designated, with labelled storage spaces
• Explicitly teach setting and classroom-based rules, including subject specific rules and expectations (eg. practical Science lessons). Model what correct following of rules and procedures looks like, telling the CYP what is expected, not what isn’t expect (eg.’all chair legs on the floor’ rather than ‘don’t swing on your chair’)
• Plan and visually manage all transition points, including into/ out of the setting setting. Ensure consistency of routine and planned transition
• Plan and prepare CYPs for unforeseen changes to expected routine. For example, a ‘whoops’ card for use in a visual timetable where a staff member is absent or a session changes focus
• Recognise special interests as of real value to a CYP and don’t present it as a negative characteristic. Use special interests to engage positively in activities and exchanges
• Break tasks down into manageable steps with clear start and finish points
• Give clear, completed examples so CYPs understand what they are expected to achieve
• Clearly identify the purpose of each activity and link it to previous learning
• With the CYP and family, plan clear routines for homework
• Ensure that rules, rewards and corrective actions are explicit and are applied consistently
• Recognise that changes to routine present a real and impactful challenge to Autistic people. Empathise where a change results in distress
• Ensure evidence-based approaches support application for alternative arrangements for assessments and examinations, led by a CYP’s voice.

Social Understanding & Relationships

• Arrange a quiet area of the classroom
• Aim to keep the environment quiet and calm
• Provide time-out strategies appropriate to their age with a view to CYPs becoming independent in meeting their own regulatory needs in time
• Offer CYPs opportunities to leave the classroom 5 minutes early to avoid the rush at times of mass movement
• Provide opportunities to leave the classroom should a CYP feel overwhelmed within the environment
• Support engagement in social and learning conversations, accepting that CYPs may have preference for solitary play or unstructured times
• Use of a workstation for certain tasks
• Provide adult modelling and support for social play skills in class and during break/lunch times where a CYP wishes, but struggles, to
• Opportunities to access programmes to support social skills and the understanding of emotions
• Consider use of CYPs’ seating position to support the understanding of non-verbal communication, where sensory needs aren’t negatively impacted
• Teach and introduce strategies which may support a CYP to manage anxiety. Record and share effective strategies across all supporting adults.

Sensory Processing

• Have a calm, relaxed learning environment, including allocating designated seating
• Remove classroom stimuli not required by CYPs as part of their learning or daily routines
• Recognise and act on a CYP’s expression of sensory likes / dislikes, accepting them as a part of the young person’s needs
• Provide sensory based learning activities and regulatory sensory spaces/breaks that meet the sensory needs detailed by the CYP, their family and/or other practitioners
• Consider all reasonable adjustments that prove effective for CYPs. This includes ensuring display boards are free from reflective materials where possible, closing the classroom door during lessons, offering a desk space which faces a wall, or trial a ‘TEACCH’ bay
• Record and share the way in which an Autistic CYP may look for sensory input, including seeking recommendations from occupational therapy if required
• Offer use of ear defenders where auditory noise negatively impacts on a CYP
• Accept that limited diets accessed by Autistic CYPs are often a requirement of sensitivities to taste, smell or texture, and that sensory needs relating to food can take many forms
• Recognise the impact of particular clothing on CYPs’ sensory needs and work with CYPs to identify alternative forms of clothing where and item of uniform causes extreme discomfort
• Develop a progressive series of outcomes which moves a CYP from accepting therapeutic sensory support from an adult to meeting their own sensory needs independently
• Provide a move/sit cushion, sloping board/pencil grips or other equipment where required
• Identify a safe place to be made available as and when needed, as well as a quiet space if required at break/lunch times.

The following are supportive strategies for specific needs within the area of Sensory and/or Physical Needs.

Physical Needs

• Setting leaders are skilled in identifying and overcoming challenges in relation to physical access to the setting
• An accessibility plan is produced in collaboration with governors, parents and CYPs
• Complete, share and audit all relevant risk assessments in collaboration with CYPs, their families, setting staff and health practitioners on a regular basis, using external support to ensure the accessibility arrangements are robust
• Risk assessment is used to ensure full participation in all aspects of setting, including extra-curricular activity, visits and residentials
• Adjustments are made to the setting building, classrooms, seating, layout of classrooms where needed to ensure full access
• Adjustments are made to promote full inclusion in all setting activities
• CYPs, their families and relevant staff implement effective therapy programmes through engagement in joint planning and information sharing with health practitioners, including Occupational Therapists and (OT) or Physiotherapists
• Additional time is allowed for movement between lessons/ classes with access to a lift where necessary
• Relevant staff are familiar with any specialist equipment required by the CYP
• A nominated key worker supports a CYP to ensure all equipment and organisation is in order, where required
• Additional time, and support if required, is provided to allow for participation in practical lessons e.g. changing for PE.

Deafness & Hearing Impairment

Deafness or hearing impairment affects many aspects of an individuals life, for children and young people, this can include their language development (spoken or signed), educational achievement and their personal wellbeing.

• Promote the use of any personal hearing equipment and assistive listening devices. ALDs used efficiently and consistently, with daily checks to ensure and is it is in good working order. Assign a member of staff to be trained to carry out daily checks of all equipment, encouraging CYP independence over time
• Adults working directly with CYP with HI have appropriate training (provided by Hearing Impaired Service)
• Examination access arrangements may be required for any assessment and at any stage of a CYPs education (seek advice from Hearing Impaired Service).

Best Listening Environment

• Consider Seating plans so that the CYP can be near (1-2m) the focus of any discussion about tasks, or during whole class teaching, or hall activities. Encourage good listening behaviours for ALL CYPs: sitting still, speaking one at a time, good looking and listening
• Manage the sound created by the CYP during tasks Consider using a ‘noise level monitor’ app to support groups of CYPs to regulate the noise they generate when working
• Close doors and windows (where practicable) to classrooms or learning spaces to reduce undesired competing noise and distracting sound
• Minimise background noise made by projectors, heaters, music etc. as far as possible, turning off when not needed
• Prevent scraping sounds - using rubber or felt pads on furniture/ can be helpful
• Reduce the echo in teaching spaces by putting blinds/ curtains at windows, adding fabric to wall displays etc.
• Create a quiet area for focussed listening tasks
• Be aware that additional access issues may arise from being taught in large/open spaces (wind, increased distance) e.g., for PE where it is more difficult to hear spoken instructions so adapt teaching delivery accordingly.

Visual Support When Listening

• Ensure rooms are always well lit (no dark rooms for audio visuals)
• Use blinds and curtains to prevent excessive glare in a room
• Support verbal interactions with the use of visual aids and repetition
• Use objects and photographs to support understanding of concepts and new vocabulary
• Any audio-visual resources are subtitle enabled as normal practice for all classes
• For older students, provide alternatives or support for the spoken word on audio/visual recording, either by a person (note taking) or via written transcript. Be aware that animated or voiced over audio-visual resources have no facial cues to support listening. All new staff should write their name on the board for the whole lesson.
• Any laminated resource should be matt to prevent glare.

Staff Directed Support

• Ensure staff have the attention of a CYP with HI before giving instructions
• Staff face a deaf /hearing impaired CYP when giving instructions, not moving around the room, covering the mouth, or standing in front of a window as these can all impede access to facial and lip cues
• Instructions are delivered clearly at an appropriate volume (natural speech is much easier to follow) and supported by gesture or written prompt. Raising the voice hampers clear access to speech
• Staff naturally repeat or rephrase all peer contributions in class discussions
• Be aware that a CYP with HI may require extra processing time so chunk teaching information; and wait without interruption/ prompting to allow CYP to answer questions
• Build ‘listening breaks’ into the day to avoid listening fatigue – listening using hearing aids/ Cis and ALDs is always harder work
• Where needed, 1:1 sessions (peer or adult) in quiet situations are useful to develop turn taking, listening and language use, under the direction of a specialist teacher

Promoting Emotionally Inclusive Environments

• Positive attitudes to deafness are part of the ethos in the setting, school or college
• Staff remain aware of the importance of social interactions and how a hearing impairment may affect such interactions particularly in noisy places such as the playground, dining hall or on transport
• Deaf children are visible in resources used throughout the school (book subjects and illustrations, on posters)
• Deafness and/or British Sign Language are incorporated into PHSE or citizenship programmes
• Staff understand that there is a potential impact of deafness on emotional wellbeing and advice should be sought from Hearing Impaired Service around ways to develop deaf identity and self-advocacy
• Avoid tasks where CYPs are required to listen and write at the same time as this can lead to cognitive overload
• All staff who work with a CYP with HI are made aware how best to support them in setting.

Vision Impairment

A vision impairment affects many aspects of an individual’s life, for children and young people specifically, this can include their, educational achievement and their personal wellbeing.

Physical Environment

• Ensure there is good quality lighting with blinds to control natural light and matt laminates available to cover materials to reduce glare e.g., display materials
• All Signs, walls, doorframes, floors, furniture and handles are a contrasted colour and step edges are highlighted
• The layout within classrooms are constant, with clearly marked learning areas and appropriately formatted signs and labels
• The furniture is matt and clearly contrasts with surroundings

Classroom Management

• Staff understand the nature and impact of a specific vision impairment on the individual (as advised by Visually Impaired Service)
• CYP have appropriate seating positions an do not directly face a window e.g., central, front facing, near the focus of the lesson
• Curriculum materials are modified appropriately e.g., worksheets and PowerPoint presentations to be large, clear and clutter free (Standards from UKAFF)
• Provide access to information on display e.g., verbalise
• Ensure whiteboard is clean and a broad black marker is used
• Consider planning visual-heavy content towards the beginning of the setting day
• The CYP should have access to their own copy of books/ worksheets/board notes
• ICT settings to be altered to provide large and well contrasted icons, text, and pointers
• Access to adult support during practical subjects for safety and guidance
• Examination access arrangements in place e.g., Modified exam papers, extra time, rest breaks
• Encourage self-advocacy and independence.

Teaching Strategies

• Address all students by name during class discussion and activities so that the CYP knows when they are being spoken to
• Build rest breaks into the learning day
• A flexible teaching approach to compensate for a lack of incidental learning
• Verbalise what is written on the board and describe pictures
• Do not use non-verbal communication e.g., pointing in the direction of something, shrugging shoulders, pulling faces
• Modification of teaching materials where appropriate
• Differentiated curriculum to remove barriers
• Taks and homework are adjusted e.g., less questions but graduated difficulty
• Provide opportunities to gain first-hand experience, handle real objects and get close to demonstrations
• Allow extra time to complete tasks
• Opportunity to develop visual perception skills if identified by QTVI as an area of need
• Pre and post teaching from a QTVI.

Recording

• Provide bold and/or wide lined books/squares where necessary
• Provide black (felt) pen or soft pencil for darker marks for increased contrast
• Marking policy to consider CYP’s needs for size, colour and contrast.

Specialist equipment and resources

• Provide and encourage (correct) use of specialist equipment for sighted or non-sighted methods e.g., low vision aids (LVA), typoscope, large print ruler, large print protractor, coloured glue stick, sloping board, sound balls, talking sales
• Provide storage for specialist equipment, consistently in the same place.

Mobility

• Keep floor space clear
• Organised travel systems e.g., allow learners to leave earlier or later to avoid crowds
• Supported travel
• Advice from a qualified habilitation specialist (QHS).

Social and Emotional

• Plan, prepare and give forethought to ensure the CYP is included in the whole life of the school e.g., enhancing self- esteem, facilitating friendships, lesson changes, unstructured times
• Peer awareness training from QTVI or QHS.

Educational Visits

• Risk assessments are carried out with CYP’s visual difficulties in mind
• Contact venue ahead of visit to arrange better access.
• Ensure additional support is available for safety or educational reasons.

Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI)

Multi-sensory impairment (MSI) is a condition which causes difficulties with both sight and hearing. Many CYPs also face other challenges, such as medical conditions or physical disabilities. A very small proportion of CYPs with MSI are blind and deaf, but the majority have some functioning vision and/or hearing. In our experience, CYPs with MSI will require significant medical, educational, and therapeutic input and intervention and will have special educational needs (SEN). Communication may be oral or may require the introduction and ongoing support of sign language.

• Employ strategies to ensure the listening environment is optimal. (See HI)
• Equipment to support access to sound will have been provided and equipment to support visual information will have been recommended, according to the severity of the impairments. Staff ensure it is used effectively. (See HI/VI)
• All HI/VI strategies described in the universal offer sections above will help
• Attention, listening and visual fatigue will be an issue for an MSI CYP as considerable extra effort is required to filter out what is useful information from what is not (i.e. background noise and visual distractions). Building short breaks into learning blocks will improve concentration. Quiet times in quiet spaces will have a favourable impact on learning
• 1:1 support will be required within the setting environment to help with access to the curriculum, mobility, promote self- esteem and confidence, and support communication and interaction with others (advice and training from Sensory Support)
• All HI/VI strategies described in the sections above will help
• Special arrangements/adaptations for examinations may be required to accommodate the needs of an MSI CYP.

Social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs are a form of special educational needs in which CYPs have severe difficulties in managing their own emotions and behaviours. This may be present as showing inappropriate responses and feelings to situations.

This means that a CYP may have trouble in building and maintaining relationships with peers and adults; they can also struggle to engage with learning and to cope in the setting environment without additional supportive strategies. A CYP with SEMH needs will often feel anxious, scared, and misunderstood.

It is important to recognise the voice of the CYP and understand their wider background and home environment to determine possible trauma responses as well as considering presentation as a symptom of underlying unmet need (such as autism or ADHD).

Some CYPs may experience short term emotional, social and/ or mental health difficulties as a direct result of circumstance or a life event. Again, understanding the wider picture as well as using the voice of the CYP and their guardians is vital in informing effective support. Unlike some other special educational needs, effective supportive strategies means that SEMH does not have to be a lifelong condition

Barriers to learning may include:

• Encountering difficulties with communication or relationships with adults and peers
• Struggling to form effective or appropriate attachment to peers and adults
• Finding it difficult to challenge peers or adults appropriately. They may find it hard to stop non-harmful or unhelpful behaviours
• Finding it difficult to understand, express and manage their own emotions
• Demonstrating signs of distress in everyday social situations or activities, e.g. withdrawing, refusing, avoiding interactive situations
• Presenting with undesired and/or harmful behaviours, including verbal and physical aggression towards others of harm to self (including self-harm, sexualised behaviours, and substance misuse)
• Appearing to challenge authority, where underlying need or antecedent isn’t yet understood
• Feeling withdrawn and isolated, generally seeking too little or too much adult attention with limited communication
• A negative view of themselves
• Poor setting attendance
• They may demonstrate difficulty in keeping their attention on one thing
• Causing damage to property and/or take items that don’t belong to them
• Avoiding new experiences or those which they find difficult.

Mental Health

Consider carefully that a CYP may present in a way that is symptomatic of SEMH but is, in fact, neurological difference or underlying undiagnosed condition. It is vital that CYPs, families, settings and health practitioners work together to ensure that such cases are identified in order to best tailor support.

Where CYPs present in one or more of the ways highlighted above, there is increased risk of mental health conditions. This risk is particularly great where underlying need is not identified or fully met. Such mental health conditions include:

• Depression
• Anxiety and anxiety disorder
• Eating disorders
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Withdrawal from environment (including agoraphobia)
• Physical symptoms that cannot be explained
• Attachment disorder
• Problems of conduct (oppositional problems or significant aggression).

Whole setting approaches to Supporting SEMH Needs

• Ensure a culture and climate which is accepting and supportive for CYPs and their parents / carers
• Senior leaders prioritise, support and monitor the emotional wellbeing and mental health of all CYPs
• Insist that adults recognise behaviour as a means of communication, unmet need or regulatory action. Commit to working with the CYP to understand the behaviour and develop non-harmful alternatives through meeting need
• Promote staff wellbeing, specifically in identifying supervision or counselling support if required where closely supporting a CYP’s emotional and/or mental health needs
• Ensure staff feel supported in maintaining positive engagement with CYPs. This may include implementing methods by which staff can provide a ‘change of face’ where deemed necessary
• Gather and act on CYP, parent and staff voice in order to develop effective support
• Ensure that setting is secure, safe and provides predictability
• Develop a clear whole setting behaviour / relationships policy, which is differentiated according to need and context and is Attachment Aware and Trauma Informed
• Embed whole setting practice which supports social, emotional and mental health (e.g. Thrive, Mindfulness, Emotion Coaching, Growth Mindset, Resilience programmes)
• Embed an effective PSHE and emotional literacy curriculum, using assessment to plan intervention where required
• Ensure that staff record and communicate relevant information about CYPs’ backgrounds and circumstance, with clearly planned, individualised and supportive strategies for CYPs who are identified as having SEMH needs
• Establish strong and effective home-setting communication through which positive feedback is provided regularly and negative feedback is presented through a solution-focused format
• Provide staff with the necessary skills to manage risky behaviour when it does occur. Proactively plan for behaviours that challenge, including physical intervention training through an accredited training provider where necessary.

High Quality Teaching

• Provide a limited choice of learning and reward options to promote flexibility and reduce perceived demand
• Encourage helpful peer support, where deemed effective
• Plan for, in collaboration with the CYP and their parents/ carers where appropriate, transition and changes to routine
• Communicate and follow clear, consistent expectations, routines, rules and boundaries
• Build ‘check ins’ into the setting day with a CYP’s preferred adult
• Explicitly teach the language of emotion and to develop effective, non-harmful strategies where negative emotion is experienced
• Provide restorative conversations and corrective actions following instances of undesired or harmful behaviours. Ensure that an incident is ‘finished’ once corrective actions are completed
• Celebrate small step of success in a format which is accepted by the CYP
• Carefully consider seating arrangements
• Risk assess and proactively plan strategies to support success during less structured times and clearly identified trigger points (eg. assembly, breaktimes, PE)
• Provide whole class movement breaks which are planned and taught
• Accept the need for regulatory strategies (eg. theraputty, stress ball) identified by the CYP as being effective
• Clearly signpost safe spaces for CYP withdrawal and/or discussion with a trusted adult where required
• Work towards developing CYP independence in meeting their own needs over time.

Additional Support

Develop targeted support groups / 1:1 intervention which develop social and emotional skills, such as:

• Circle of Friends (peer support, social skills)
• SEAL (Social and emotional aspects of learning)
• Circle Time (emotional literacy)
• ELSA (emotional literacy)
• Nurture Groups
• Zones of Regulation (emotional awareness & self regulation)
• Anti-bullying interventions
• Art Therapy
• Play Therapy
• Lego Therapy
• Theraplay
• Social stories
• Friends Resilience Programme
• Thrive
• Growth Mindset.

Seek advice and guidance from outside agencies are sought and implemented (e.g. NIES Teams, Inclusion Support, Setting Health, Primary Mental Health, CYPS, Early Help Hub referral)

Healthy Minds Team

The Healthy Minds Team works directly into schools. The team offer emotional wellbeing support to children, young people, families and schools. They focus on resilience building and development of positive emotional health through low intensity CBT evidence-based interventions.

The Healthy Minds Team have an identified Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) for each education setting in the borough and will work with the school to look at individual needs, themes and training needs. The team can offer direct work 1:1 and group interventions with children and young people, as well as group based interventions for parents.

The team also has a focus on developing emotional resilience across the whole of school setting, called Whole School Approach, whereby they can offer whole class sessions, workshops, assemblies, and focus groups to deliver preventative interventions for emotional resilience. The team offer consultations to schools, as well as delivering mental health training to education and school staff. The service is part of the Lifecycle service and works specifically in schools supporting with mild mental health / emotional wellbeing issues.

Request for Support to be sent to:
Stsft.healthymindsadmin@nhs.net

Stronger Schools

Stronger Schools delivers health and wellbeing guidance for educators and other school staff working with primary-school- aged children.

Web: strongerschools.org
Contact: info@strongerschools.org

Autism Hub

The Autism hub provides support for all ages and their families. The Toby Henderson Trust caters for children and young people from Mondays to Wednesdays and Autism in Mind work with older people on Thursdays and Fridays.

The Autism Hub can provide Specialist “targeted” workshops and training, “Focus days” with experienced specialist clinicians, 1:1 sessions with understanding and knowledgeable staff, a Resource Centre (books, access to laptop and visual support generating software), an Information Point (autism friendly “what’s on” info. for the borough), Talking therapy for parents and carers and “Stay and Play” social groups and siblings group.

Contact: 0191 8160550 - support@ttht.co.uk

KOOTH

Kooth is an award-winning online counselling and support service. It is a safe, confidential, and anonymous way for 11–25-year-olds in South Tyneside to get emotional wellbeing and mental health support. Visit Kooth.com

On the Kooth website young people can:

• Read interesting and helpful articles about issues like bereavement, anxiety, stress, and more
• Get support anonymously from the Kooth community
• Speak to fully trained and qualified counsellors and emotional wellbeing practitioners via webchat, who are available until 10pm, every single day of the year

Lifecycle Services

The Lifecycle Service is a single point of access for anyone living in South Tyneside who is experiencing mental health issues. Lifecycle will make sure that you get support from the most appropriate service for the identified mental health need. Lifecycle is a lifespan service offering evidence based mental health interventions for children and adults.

Parents/carers are able to self refer their CYP to the service.

Tel: 0191 283 2937

For more information: www.southtynesidelifecyclementalhealth.nhs.uk

iCAMHS

The iCAMHS training is delivered by mental health professionals working within Lifecycle / Healthy Minds. The training covers a range of basic Child and Adolescent Mental Health information useful for all professionals but particularly those working in the setting environment. The aim is to relate the theory to participants workplace and practice. The information covered includes:

• Risk and protective factors
• Child development models
• Attachment styles
• Mental Health problems, disorders and interventions.

This training package consists of four x 1 and a half hour sessions and can be undertaken in twilight sessions or delivered in one full day of training. It can be commissioned by a setting, or part of a setting, to be delivered in the workplace. iCAMH can also run as a stand-alone course, which can be accessed by individual staff members.

Contact: CAMHS.Training@stft.nhs.uk

South Tyneside 0-19 Service

The 0-19 team in South Tyneside monitor, assess, promote and support the health and wellbeing of all children and young people between 0-19 years. They work in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies to ensure every child has the Best Start in Life.

Health Visiting: 0191 283 1508

School Nursing: 0191 293 2189

Educational Psychology & Emotional Resilience Team

Educational Psychologies use their expertise to make sure CYP reach their potential.
They have knowledge and skills in:

• Child development
• A wide range of SEN
• How children learn and achieve
• Ways to support CYP, their schools and families
• Emotional wellbeing.

The Emotional Resilience Team offer support in bereavement, Y6&7 transition and emotional resilience.

Settings can refer CYP to the Educational Psychology Service or the Emotional Resilience Team by e-mailing: eps@southtyneside.gov.uk

LA Support

• Inclusion Service Lead, Rachael Hood
  Rachael.Hood@southtyneside.gov.uk
• School Improvement Officer: SEND, Jennifer Breckon
  Jennifer.Breckon@southtyneside.gov.uk

Autism Education Trust

South Tyneside Council is an Autism Education Trust (AET) partner. As licensed trainers we provide a range of courses to education settings in early years, primary/secondary schools and post-16 providers.

The courses offer staff working within education settings a range of training options, practical strategies and free resources to enable them to support autistic CYP in both mainstream and specialist settings.