Integrated Treatment Services see scores of SENCOs booking onto ‘hubs’ to make provisions for 10% of students with SLCN as reformations loom and NHS remains controversial.
With the summer holidays already being a distant memory to most teachers, a team of UK experts at one service provider have recorded over 200 delegates, such as SENCOs, registering to attend training hubs in response to reformations. As holistic CPD, training and networking sessions, schools in their droves have taken the opportunity to ensure staff are prepared for supporting children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) by booking them onto the free hubs.
Within every class, 2-3 students have language difficulties meaning 1 in 10 children are currently not getting the intervention they need. 1% of children in schools have the most complex issues; often needing one-to-one support. Recognising the need to reform the support options available; the government have introduced a new Code of Practice, set to have been implemented on September 1st. In short, the new COP empowers parents and students themselves to have a say in which specialists, such as those provided by Integrated Treatment Services, to enlist to provide relevant and effective support for their child.
With a professional commitment to providing an outstanding service to children and adults throughout the UK, Integrated Treatment Services have been delighted to see so many schools book staff into their hubs. Lisa Franklin, a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, said, “Considering that around two thirds of young offenders have had SLCN issues since childhood, the current provision is proven to be unsuccessful. Converse the reformations, cuts have left many children without provision for SLCN. We aim to provide an awareness of entitlement and expert level support.”
Furthering to this, Lisa added, “we are just keen to be sure that as many children as possible are getting the best support available to them.” Passionate about sharing information, ITS see one of the key benefits of the day as the option for envoys to share their own good practices together with those from other schools; creating not just a CPD session, but a networking opportunity as well.
The agenda for the hub days includes talks from both Lisa and an Educational Psychologist from the team, covering an overview of what the changes in the COP will mean for delegates; an introduction to educational psychology and an overview of assessment; assessing SLCN; and structuring intervention programmes. Lisa and her team have produced resources specifically for those with SLCN, which those attending the hub sessions will be able to take away and begin implementing in their school.
