Complex Needs Team

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The Complex Needs Team supports and advises staff in Sefton schools and settings to facilitate the inclusion and academic progress of children and young people with physical and/or medical complex needs. Key support provided by the team includes:

  • Build capacity in schools and settings to include children and young people with physical and/or medical complex needs through the delivery of training appropriate to needs.
  • Assist schools to ensure optimum progress and best pupil outcomes by advising on a personalised curriculum for pupils performing well outside national expectations.
  • Assist schools to ensure that pupil progress data is accurate and robust, and informs next steps in learning for the child or young person.
  • Carry out access assessments in conjunction with therapy services, to consider the physical access needs of a physically disabled pupil in terms of the school site and the curriculum.
  • Work alongside Health Care Professionals to ensure that the educational implications of a pupil’s medical needs are understood by school staff, and they are able to make reasonable adjustments to their practice to effectively include the child or young person.
  • Co-ordination of transition meetings when a pupil is moving between schools or Key Stages.
  • Multi-agency working with health and social care professionals.
  • Close liaison with parents and carers.

The team receive referrals from schools, settings, Health Visitors, Therapy Services.

For more information you can contact Sefton SEN and Inclusion Service on 0151 934 2347 or by emailing SEN & Inclusion Service:SENIS@sefton.gov.uk

You can find the Sefton SEN and Inclusion Service at:

4th Floor, Magdalen House

30 Trinity Road

Bootle

L20 3NJ

The Engagement Model

The DfE has now released the final guidance on The Engagement Model.

The guidance describes the formative and summative assessment of children as “not engaged in subject specific learning”. It will be statutory assessment in schools for those children and young people, those who previously would have been on low P-Scales

The guidance is an output of the Rochford Review , who have piloted the Model. It builds on the research led for the ‘DfE’, by Professor Barry Carpenter as part of the Complex Learning Disabilities and Difficulties project.

This project identified, through a systematic review of the international literature around learning in children with SEND, that ‘engagement was the single best predicator of successful learning in children with special needs/disabilities’ (Carpenter et al, 2015.)

From this solid evidence based, a pedagogy evolved through systematic research across UK schools, and a series of International trials, which created the Engagement Framework for Learning: www.engagement4learning.com. This includes the ‘Engagement Profile’ which aids baseline assessment, and gives insight into the learning pathways of the child with Complex Needs. The Engagement Profile is a classroom based planning tool which links to formative assessment . Both are compatible with, and indeed inform, the summative assessment opportunities of the new Engagement Model.

Click here for further information https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-engagement-model

Medical Information and Resources for Schools

Please click below for useful information and resources.

Inclusive Education Muscular Dystrophy

An Introduction to PEG feeding

Tricuspid Atresia Factsheet

DESST Info Sheet Teachers Staff

Charcot Marie Tooth disease

Everybody Different

Talking to Children and their Parents/Carers

Getting it right for the Child

Counselling

Same but different

Education Guidelines in full

Batten disease or Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are several different genetic life-limiting neurodegenerative diseases that share similar features.

Although the disease was initially recognised in 1903 by Dr Frederik Batten, it wasn’t until 1995 that the first genes causing Batten disease were identified.

Since then over 400 mutations in 13 different genes have been described that cause the various forms of Batten Disease. We estimate that approximately 11 – 17 children, young people and adults are diagnosed with a form of the disease each year; meaning there are between 100 – 150 affected individuals currently living with Batten disease in the UK.

http://www.bdfa-uk.org.uk/what-is-batten-disease/

Chromosome and gene disorders

Unique provide free Information Guides to specific chromosome and gene disorders, as well as guides translated into various languages. Do scroll down to the bottom of the ‘Chromosome Disorder Guides – English’ table to view guides and reports on a wide range of related general topics like DNA sequencing, deletions and microdeletions, inversions etc. Be sure to check back regularly as new and updated guides are added.

https://www.rarechromo.org/disorder-guides

Learners with Complex Additional Support Needs: Resources and guidance for parents to support their child’s learning

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/learners-with-complex-additional-support-needs-resources-and-guidance-for-parents-to-support-their-child-s-learning-at-home/

 

The resources take a wide range of formats including  offline programmes, downloadable/printable resources, links to websites or apps, YouTube films, or practical resources/packages/games produced by schools on a range of topic areas. The resources are grouped into the following categories:

 

Communication : strategies, stories, games, picture cards, sing or sign along ideas, activities that involve choice.

Movement, games and play : physical activities that can take place in the home, in the garden, on a walk, in the park and suchlike as well as ideas for movement to music or dance, ideas for games and play, activities that develop motor skills or coordination.

Making Sense of the World : any activity that connects the child to the world such as developing skills and knowledge, such as, safe use of social media; virtual tours of museums, art galleries, and places of interest; films on the wonders of the natural world; exploring sounds and music; using toys or tools for a purpose.

Daily routines and skills for independence : learning or practicing daily routines or activities, regular personal routines such as dressing, eating etc.

Sensory activities : this category overlaps with all the other categories however, these activities specifically focus on sensory stimulation or experiences. For example, a sensory story specifically exploring touch and textures.

Click here to visit Alder Hey Hospital Useful information leaflets.


Last Updated

Last updated: 28/11/2023

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