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13 May 2019 /

Children’s speech and Language Therapy

C/O Regent House

8th Floor
Heaton Lane
Stockport
SK4 1BS
Tel: 0161 426 5000
Fax: 0161 426 5999
Minicom: 0161 477 2585

Meeting Re Autism for pre-school and school age children – 5th March 2007-03-12

Attendance: CS, AC, PB, JA, JA, LS, MP, CA, HB

Notes:

1. Introductions and purpose of meeting.

2. Pathways shared

Pathways have been changed to reflect they are pre-school and school age pathways, NOT under 5s and over 5s – attached as sep documents – please delete the old versions.

It was agreed that Health visitors should refer any children with suspected ASD direct to CDU paediatrician and not to community SALT.

Action – SALT to re-address appropriate referral pathway to HV and to send any referrals for social communication to CDU / portage immediately and to write back to HV explaining this is the process. SALT to see what tools HV are currently using to detect ASD in pre-school and support them with training if necessary.

3. Pre-school MDA

one assessment is held every 4 weeks.

Last calendar year 28 assessments were offered and 27 taken up. Approx 80% diagnosed ASD.

If the child was referred to CDU prior to being school age the CDU will assess even once in school but all other school age referrals to go to CAMHS or SLT ASD list if non complex.

4. School age ASD assessments

Issues to resolve/ development of service.

Assessment needs to be by unknown person

Medical involvement is needed from CAMHs

Medic should lead the process of sharing the news – parents should be supported in this process.

The additional funding in CAMHs for children with LD will include all children with ASD even if they do not have a ‘learning disability in addition to the ASD as for the purposes of the CAMHs review it was deemed all children with ASD would come under the umbrella term of learning disabilities as their needs were significant and ongoing, ie. it would include the children with Apergers.

This additional funding should allow for the CAMHs service to take a lead in ASD assessments with other services linking in –

Action – CAMHS rep and cmmittment to this change process needed.

5. Roles of services

Inclusion co-ordinators provide:

  • Training
  • Visual support strategies
  • Support to follow SLT programmes
  • Emotional / behavioural support
  • Differentiating curriculum
  • Transitions – support nursery to school and between classes.
  • Aspergers – year 3/4 who are really having difficulty with increased demands of school.

6. Issues identified:

Schools not accessing training

Lots of services offering similar training

Programmes are not implemented as lack of modelling opportunities so staff not sure what to do.

Need to work towards joint assessment followed by joint plan of action

Agenda for follow up meeting:

8th May 2007 1pm – 2.30 pm floor 1 Beckwith house

  • Competencies of support workers and teachers – can we list basic strategies and training they should be using.
  • Training – can we pull it together and stream line
  • What servies are providing currently – where is the overlap what we can stop doing and what new could be done with this time?
  • How do we achieve joint assessment and planning – can CAMHs lead this team?