The Autism support service is part of the High Incidence Needs Team and offers school-based support to children and young people in Northumberland with social communication difficulties or a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

 

Our key aim is to develop and enhance the skills and practices of school staff so that we can help to improve educational outcomes for children and young people with social communication/ASD needs and promote their successful inclusion in educational settings across Northumberland.

Our team work closely with  the young person, their parents/carers and school staff to try to ensure that every point of view is heard and used to inform the recommendations that we make.

If you feel that your child would benefit from the involvement of the Autism Support Service, please follow the steps outlined below:

 

STEP 1: Discuss your concerns with the school

• Parent/carers should discuss any concerns that you may have about your child’s provision and progress with staff within the educational setting that they attend. This will usually be with the school SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) but may also be your child’s class teacher in the first instance.

• The school will be able to explain to you how they are currently addressing the needs of your child.

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STEP 2:  Parent/Carer & Class Teacher/SENCo to decide if a referral to the Autism Support Service is appropriate  

• Prior to seeking support from our service some strategies and approaches to attempt to meet your child’s needs should have been identified, trialled and reviewed by school staff across a period of at least one school term. This is often referred to as a cycle of assess, plan, do and review.  If at the end of the identified period of intervention it is felt that an appropriate level of progress has not been made a request for support can be submitted.

 

STEP 3: The school will request support from the Autism Support Service

• The SENCo will complete a NIES ‘Request for Support’ form. Alongside the form they will provide information that outlines the support that they have put in place to try to meet your child’s needs to date. 

• All requests for support require signed parental consent.  So, once the ‘NIES Request for Support’ form has been completed by your child’s SENCo or Class Teacher, they will share it with you. If you agree that the information contained within the form is accurate you should sign, date and return the form to school. 

• The SENCo or class teacher will post or email the completed form to the High Incidence Needs Team (HINT).

 

STEP 4: The form will be checked by the HINT Admin Team

The information received will be checked to ensure that:

• Signed parental consent has been given and shared with us

• Evidence of at least one cycle of assess, plan, do, review has been submitted

• Fully completed ‘NIES Request for Support’ form

 

If any of the documentation listed above is missing the school will be notified and the request for support will not progress until it is received.

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Step 5: All information required by the support service is present; the case will be allocated

The case will be allocated to a Specialist Teacher and or Support Worker employed within the Autism Support Service who will make introduce themselves to you and contact the member of school who submitted the form to agree a date for their initial meeting/visit to take place.

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CYGNET Training for parents

We also offer Cygnet Training for parents of children who have received a diagnosis of ASD from either Northumberland Children and Young People's Service (CYPS) or Northumberland Early Communication Clinic. Parent/carers can request a place on the course by completing the form below.

View Cygnet Training Information for Parents

Go to Cygnet Application Form 

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Resources for parents

We have put together a resource pack that we think parent/carers and school staff alike may find helpful. These can be located by clicking on the link below:

 

Access Autism Support Service Information Padlet

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Northumberland County Council (NCC) website

The Northumberland County Council Website contains an Autism Support Service Webpage that provides information about the service that is relevant for parents/carers, school staff and other professionals who may wish to know more about the service. It can be accessed by clicking on the link below:

See NCC Autism Support Service on NCC website  

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Contact us 

If you have any questions or queries about the support that the Autism Support Service provides please call us on 01670 624802 or email us at hint@northumberland.gov.uk

 

 

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