Physical Needs
Where limited or no progress is made using Universal strategies, further assessment of barriers should take place. This assessment will inform which strategies at both Universal and SEN Support should be put into place. Progress will be monitored through successive Assess, Plan, Do, Review (APDR) cycles.
Physical needs – tools for identification of need
- Conversation with the parent carer including whether any health professionals are involved – for example, occupational health, Paediatrician, Physiotherapist
- School staff are not expected to carry out any specialist assessments relevant to this area of need
Physical access to the school – what can help
For children and young people with physical needs that require SEN support, an Early Help Assessment (EHA) referral should be made to the AAT team for further advice and support. Information can be found on the Support Services for Education (SSE) website.
Toileting and self-care – what can help
To include Universal support plus:
- For children and young people with physical needs that require SEN support, an Early Help Assessment (EHA) referral should be made to the AAT team for further advice and support. Information can be found on the Support Services for Education (SSE) website
- Referral to the Children and Young People’s Specialist Service (previously known as SPOT) Occupational Therapy team via Somerset Council on 0300 123 2224
- Occupational Therapy (Children with Disabilities) – Professional Choices
- Referral to the continence team or school nurse. School Nurses cover Level 1 continence such as Primary Night-time wetting and the Bladder and Bowel team cover most other aspects relating to the school. For further information see the Paediatric Continence on our local offer website
- ERIC the Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity is the UK’s leading charity supporting all children and teenagers with a bowel or bladder problem. A free-to-access telephone and email helpline
- Clinically correct information and digital resources and use a credible online shop for continence products
- Training courses for health and education professionals and Support and information events for parent carers
Sitting and seating – what can help
- Referral to the Children and Young People’s specialist service (previously known as SPOT) Occupational Therapy team via Somerset Direct on 0300 123 2224
- Follow professional advice for reasonable adaptations and commercially available equipment
- Consider referral to Physiotherapy in CYPTS if strategies have not supported progress. Further information and referral criteria can be found on the service how to refer a child or young person page
Handwriting and fine motor skills – what can help
- Access to a dedicated laptop or tablet for recording work and word prediction to support spelling
- Text-to-speech functions – Microsoft Text-to-speech, Google Text-to-speech, iPad Text-to-speech, Mac Text-to-speech
- Dictate functions – Microsoft Dictate, Google Dictate, iPad Dictate, and Mac Dictate with training on their use
- Learnt to type programme – Typing Club Learn Touch Typing Free to access – TypingClub
Development of Touch Typing skills using programmes such as:
- Doorway Text Type, A highly accessible touch typing method, for all ages, free to access
- BBC dancemat touch typing, all ages, free to access
- English Type Junior and English Type Senior, all ages, at a cost
- Regular programme of fine motor skills activities individually or in small groups
Referral to the Children and Young People’s specialist service (previously known as SPOT) Occupational Therapy team via Somerset Direct on 0300 123 2224
Coordination and mobility – what can help
To include Universal support plus:
- a regular programme of motor coordination activities individually or in small groups such as Learn to Move
- Children and Young People’s Specialist Service OT offer children and young people-specific Manual Handling training. This will require a referral to the Children and Young People’s specialist service OT team plus prior attendance at the generic Moving and Handling Training course
- a referral to Children and Young People’s Specialist Service OT and Physiotherapy should further advice and support be needed. More information and referral criteria can be found on How to refer a child or young person
Visual Impairment
Visual impairment – tools for identification of need
Make sure you have looked at the Quick Checker and have had a conversation with the parent carers about your concerns. Ask if the child or young person have a Consultant Ophthalmologist.
School staff are not expected to carry out any specialist assessments relevant to this area of need.
Visual impairment – what can help
For children and young people with a vision impairment that requires SEND Support, an EHA referral should be made to the Vision Support Team for further EHA advice and support. Information about the Vision Support Team (including Habilitation Specialists) can be found on the SSE Vision Support Team page.
The Vision Support Team can:
- Carry out a Functional Vision Assessment and provide strategies and recommendations
- Depending on the assessment outcomes Vision Support team may provide the:
- Advice and guidance on things you can do in school including:
- adapting standardised curriculum assessments – for example, Neale Analysis of Reading Ability
- enhanced transition planning
- specialist equipment
- accessible resources for the curriculum – enlarging or modifying
- adaptations to the physical and sensory environment
- mobility and Independence
- independent Living Skill
- Deliver one-to-one teaching to children and young people and staff on:
- use of specialist equipment
- touch-typing
- introduction to electronic resources, such as books
- modification of curricular resources
- Advice and guidance on things you can do in school including:
Hearing Impairment
Hearing impairment – tools for identification of need
Conversation with the parent carers around your concerns. Ask when the child or young person last had a hearing check and if there are health professionals such as a Clinical Audiologist and/or Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant.
School staff are not expected to carry out any specialist assessments relevant to this area of need.
Hearing impairment – what can help
For children and young people with a hearing impairment that requires SEND Support, an EHA referral should be made to the Hearing Support Team for further advice and support. Information about the Hearing Support Team can be found on the SSE Hearing Support Team page.
Following acceptance of an EHA Hearing Support Team can provide:
- assessment and recommendations to support auditory access to the curriculum related to known hearing loss
- training from the Hearing Support Team (HST) about the specific hearing needs
- enhanced Transition planning support
- monitoring visits to observe curricular access and support the implementation of HST recommendations.
- advice on modification of curricular materials
- advice and training on specialist equipment
- provision of Specialist Equipment – assistive listening devices/radio aids
- signposting to voluntary agencies and other sources of information