ATS Physical Disabilities Team

The Physical Disabilities Team is part of the Advisory Teaching Service which is a countywide Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching and advisory support service organised into 4 local area bases. Support is available for children and young people at all stages of the graduated Gloucestershire Pathway for SEND. The team consists of specialist advisory teachers, pre-school support workers and occupational therapists.

What’s important to us:

We enable all children and young people to participate and achieve in all aspects of life

·  by developing their skills and those of their families, schools and settings

·  through collaborative working in which the voice of the child or young person is paramount

We do this by being:

·  Positive: believing in the potential of all people and in our skills as a Service

·  Pro-active: developing the capacity of families, schools, settings and systems to meet the needs of all children and young people

·  Collaborative: engaging with others as partners

·  Professional: consistently providing a high standard of support as individuals and a Service and promoting equality of opportunity

·  Accountable: demonstrating that the Service makes a difference

·  Innovative: continually looking to improve the way things are done and finding new ways to do them

We want children and young people with physical disabilities to make good progress, achieve well and enjoy school life.

What we do:

·  Work in partnership to develop practice so learners with physical disability access activities with their peers, secure good outcomes and work towards achieving their dreams and aspirations

·  Support, advise and empower staff in schools and settings to understand the needs of children and young people with physical disabilities

·  Provide advice in relation to the child or young person’s physical disability and learning needs

·  Ensure that the views, perspectives and experiences of the children and young people are fully reflected in their provision

·  Loan and demonstrate specialist resources including how to adapt educational materials when/if necessary

Who we offer this service to:

We work with CYP who have:

·  A diagnosed physical disability or need

·  A physical need that impacts on a CYP’s education

How and when we do it:

·  We work in homes, early years settings, schools and other educational settings. This is available during term time

·  The level of support offered to each child and young person and family is based on the CYP’s needs in relation to their physical need, their stage of development and the knowledge and support that they have around them.

Who we work with:

We work collaboratively with SENDCO’s, class teachers, teaching assistant and other support staff and other agencies involved with the CYP including:

§  Paediatricians

§  Physiotherapists

§  Occupational therapists

§  Specialist nurse teams

§  Continence teams

§  Wheelchair therapists

§  Speech and Language Therapists

§  Portage Workers

§  Health Visitors

§  Educational Psychologists

§  Early Help Advisors

§  Specialist advisory teachers

§  Social care teams including Early Help, Families First

SENDIASS

We liaise with a range of other agencies and voluntary organisations including:

·  Scope

·  Jennifer’s Trust

·  Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

·  Back Up Trust

·  Whizzkidz

How to contact us:

Advisory Teaching Service
Battledown Centre
Harp Hill, Cheltenham, Glos. GL52 6PZ
' 01242 525456
7 01242 239309
/ Advisory Teaching Service
Dockham Road
Cinderford, Glos. GL14 2DB
' 01594 823102
7 01594 826186

Advisory Teaching Service
Matson Lane, Matson,
Gloucester, GL4 6DX
' 01452 426955
7 01452 426842
/ Advisory Teaching Service
Redwood House, Room F01,
First Floor, Beeches Green,
Stroud, Glos. GL5 4AE
' 01452 583728

Who can refer and how:

·  Schools and settings, through the Advisory Teaching Service Referral Form

·  Other professionals through the Advisory Teaching Service Referral Form

If you have concerns regarding your child your first port of call should be the school or setting they attend. Establish where your child is on the Gloucestershire Graduated Pathway and what adjustments, support or interventions are being made in response to their needs. If necessary ask that the setting or school refers to our Team. As a parent/carer you will be asked for consent. The teacher offering support in your area will contact you and the setting directly.

Key search words for local offer:

Access

Achondroplasia

Acquired brain injury

Cerebral palsy

Chronic fatigue

Continence

Diabetes

Diplegia

Disabled

Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Epilepsy

Heart conditions

Hemiplegia

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Life limiting conditions

Medical need

Mobility

Neuromuscular

Physical Disability

Physical impairment

Physical need

Quadriplegia

Short stature

Spina bifida

Spinal cord injuries

Spinal muscular atrophy

Tetraplegia

Walking frames

Walking sticks

Wheelchairs

PD Team December 2015