Vale of Glamorgan Council
Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
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Specialist Support Services

 

A small number of pupils need specialist support which requires expertise and/or resources that are not available in the learner’s setting. If this is the case then the setting may refer to the ALN department within the Local Authority to consider whether the child would be best supported by accessing a Specialist support service or Outreach service. 

 

Should this referral be accepted, following a panel decision, the setting will be notified and a collaboration with stakeholders will proceed.

 

No referral will be made without the consent of the child’s parent or guardian. 

 

There are a number of specialist support services in the Vale of Glamorgan:

 

 

Cognition and Learning Outreach

 

The purpose of Outreach is to support the learner who has persistent cognition and learning needs identified in an Individual Development Plan (IDP).

 

The leaner may exhibiting a complex profile, involving additional needs in one or more of the following areas;

  • Communication and Interaction

  • Behaviour, Emotional and Social Development 

  • Sensory and / or Physical needs.

 

 

Specific Learning Difficulties Outreach

 

The purpose of SpLD Outreach is to support the learner who has a specific learning need or difficulty with one or more certain parts of learning.

 

The Outreach service endeavours to meet the learners specific need through direct work.


 

Speech, Language and Communication Outreach

 

The purpose of outreach is to support learners who have a significant SLCN including Developmental Language Disorder and/or Specific Speech Disorder.

 

Learners may exhibit a complex profile, involving additional difficulties / needs in one or more of the following areas; sensory, communication, medical.

 

Additionally, some learners may have become vulnerable or isolated in mainstream setting and /or learning and social experiences may have adversely affected progress and development.

 

 

Physical and Medical Outreach

 

The purpose of Outreach is to support educational placements and parents effectively to manage the needs of learners diagnosed with a physical or medical diagnosis or difficulty.

 

The learner may exhibiting a complex profile, involving additional needs in one or more of the following areas;

 

  • Communication and Interaction

  • Behaviour, Emotional and Social Development

  • Cognition and Learning.

 

 

Visual Impairment Outreach

 

The purpose of Outreach is to support educational placements and parents effectively to manage the needs of learners diagnosed with a visual impairment. To ensure that effective learning takes place.

 

The Outreach service endeavours to meet the pupils sensory, communication, social and emotional needs as part of a visual impairment, and to support children whose visual impairment is not necessarily their principal ALN.

 

Hearing Support Outreach

 

The purpose of Outreach is to support educational placements and parents effectively to manage the needs of learners diagnosed with a hearing loss. To ensure that effective learning takes place.

 

The Outreach service endeavours to meet the learners sensory, communication, social and emotional needs.

 

 

Engagement Service

 

The purpose of this service is to support schools to develop their provision to meet the needs of complex and vulnerable learners. It is a trauma and mental health informed service that is DDP informed.

 

The team understands both the challenges and strengths of neuro-developmental differences and celebrate diversity.