Language and Autism Support Team

What our service does

We aim to improve the educational and life outcomes for children and young people with Language and Communication Needs, Social Communication Difficulties and Autism.

We offer advice and training to mainstream school staff and other professionals. We aim to support a ‘whole school approach’ to the identification, assessment, intervention and review of children with Language and Communication Needs, Social Communication Difficulties and Autism and make sure they are able to access all aspects of school life and learning.

We offer a programme of events and training for parents/carers and families of children with Language and Communication Needs, Social Communication Difficulties and Autism.

We contribute to all aspects the Education Health Care Planning process.

We offer the following additional interventions to children with a diagnosis of autism and their families:

• Training and advice to teachers, other school staff and parents on strategies, resources and personalised programmes of support that will help pupils with Autism learn.
• Strategies and approaches to managing behaviour and work with parents and schools to reduce the risk of pupils with Autism being excluded from school.
• Intervention packages for children with autism and the mainstream school staff working with them at major points of transition such as:
  • starting in reception class
  • moving from primary to secondary school (in Haringey mainstream schools)
  • explaining and supporting pupils to understand their autism diagnosis, with parental consent.

Together with the Child Development Centre and other professionals we offer parents/carers access to a two part ‘Autism Family Seminar’ session using resources developed by the National Autistic Society.

We are licensed providers of a National Autistic Society course for parents called ‘Early Bird’ which helps parents understand Autism and teaches them new strategies to help them develop their children’s communication and interaction skills.

We run a term-time weekly youth club for secondary aged children with Autism.

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Where service is located and the areas it covers

We are based on Level 2 Alexandra House, 10 Station Road, N22 7TY.

We work in all mainstream primary and secondary schools in the borough.

Currently most of our services are available free of charge. Some training provided to schools may incur a cost.

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Who our service provides for

We provide services to school-age children with Speech Language and Communication Needs, Social Communication Needs and/or Autism, school staff and other professionals working with them and their families.

We do not provide a service to children who attend special school or Additionally Resourced Provisions although we do support children to make a smooth transition into and out of such provisions.

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How a child or young person can start using the service

Most individual referrals come to the service from school SENCOs via a team referral form. Referral forms are sent to schools at the beginning of the year. SENCOs should contact the team by email or telephone if they need any advice on making referrals.

We aim to make initial contact within a week of receiving a referral.

Parents are able to access advice from the service by telephoning us or sending an email 

Young people are able to access the service by telephoning or emailing us

We are regularly notified of new diagnoses of Autism by Haringey Child Development Clinic.

Parents and schools also contact us directly to ask for our involvement.

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How decisions are made about eligibility for our service

All mainstream school staff are able to access advice, training and guidance on how to assess, plan, do and review learning for children with language and communication needs, Social Communication Difficulties and/or Autism.

All children who have a confirmed diagnosis of Autism and attend mainstream school are able to access our service.

All parents of children with Language and Communication difficulties, social communication difficulties and/or Autism, who live in Haringey, are able to access advice from the team.

How we communicate with service users and how they are involved in decision making/planning.

We communicate with parents in a number of ways including, face to face meetings, email and letter.

We provide consultation with a follow up of written advice and recommendations.

We offer training events for parents in collaboration with school staff and other professionals.

We work with interpreters when necessary.

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How accessible our service is

We would normally deliver all our services in school or in accessible training venues – so should be accessible to all children and their families

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Training our staff have had in supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

All team members have extensive experience of working with children with language and communication needs, social communication difficulties and/or Autism, their families and school staff. We have all completed specialist training in these areas and are required to regularly update our knowledge and skills through regular professional development.

4 members of the team hold qualified teacher status and have additional training and experience in Special Educational Needs and in particular in Language and Communication Difficulties, Social Communication Difficulties and Autism.

One team member is a qualified Nursery Nurse and specialises in Early Years.

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Who a service user should contact if they want to raise a concern or complain about something

A service user who wishes to raise a concern or complain about something can contact the team manager directly by telephone, email or letter or if a parent prefers they can ask the school SENCO to contact any one of us

Telephone: 0208 489 5039
Email: LAST@haringey.gov.uk

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Who a parent carer/young person can contact for further information

The team manager or any member of the team

Team manager: Esther Joseph
Telephone: 0208 489 5039
 Email: esther.joseph@haringey.gov.uk

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