What are reasonable adjustments for a child with a physical disability?

The duty is ‘to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid the substantial disadvantage’ to a disabled person caused by a provision, criterion or practice applied by or on behalf of an educational setting, or by the absence of an auxiliary aid or service.

In the Equality Act 2010, there are three elements to the reasonable adjustments duty that relate to:

• Provisions, criteria and practice
• Auxiliary aids and services
• Physical features

The physical features element does not apply to schools in relation to disabled pupils; instead, they have a duty to plan better access for disabled pupils generally, including in relation to the physical environment of the school.

The duty to make reasonable adjustments in relation to provisions, criteria and practices is not a new duty for schools and is the same as the duty under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The new element of the duty for schools is the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled pupils.

Many of the reasonable adjustments that schools are already making for disabled pupils undoubtedly include the use of some auxiliary aids, such as coloured overlays for dyslexic pupils, pen grips, adapted PE equipment, adapted keyboards and computer software.

The duty to make reasonable adjustments requires an educational setting to take positive steps to ensure that disabled pupils can fully participate in the education provided by the educational setting, and that they can enjoy the other benefits, facilities and services that the educational setting provides for pupils.

Further Guidance is available at:

• Reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils (2012): Technical guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (2014): statutory guidance from the Department for Education  

We have a child who we think may be dyspraxic. How do we confirm this?

PATOSS have developed a checklist of characteristics which identifies areas that a child may need support with at school.  It has sections for different ages, Early Years, Primary and Secondary.  It is a useful tool for teachers and teaching assistants to use to inform the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle.  The combined checklist is available in either paper copy or online. If the child presents with dyspraxic characteristics then s/he will benefit from a fine and gross motor skills programme as mentioned above.  If s/he continues to have difficulties which impact on everyday life at home and school advise parents to see their GP and ask for a referral to a Paediatrician or Occupational Therapy Service to query a diagnosis of dyspraxia.

How to make PE accessible for disabled children?

The following strategies can be used to make PE accessible for a disabled child.

• Zoning e.g. pupils of similar abilities are zoned together on a pitch.  A team can’t score a goal (shoot a basket) until all zones have touched the ball.  This ensures that all pupils are involved.
• Barriers e.g. around table tennis table.
• Include sports for the physically disabled in the curriculum e.g. Boccia
• Extra time to change.  Full change not required.
• Permission to come/go to school in PE kit
• Differentiate equipment e.g. large/slow/weighted balls
• Buddying up with more able/similar ability child
• 1:1 support
• Differentiated task
• Train the child to referee or coach

See our Disability Sports Organisations section below for details of disability sports organisations who may be able to provide further guidance.

How do I ensure a disabled child has access to practical subjects such as Art/Food Technology?

Try the following strategies to ensure a disabled child has access to practical subjects.

• Specialist equipment
• Seating stools with back rest, arms, foot plint
• Height adjustable work stations/cookers/sinks etc
• Extended arm on brushes etc
• Paint pens
• Sloping boards for posture
• Specialist equipment e.g. scissors, kitchen appliances
• IT paint programmes and specialist mouse
• 1:1 support to provide physical assistance.
• Buddy
• Adaptive switches for electrical appliances

What support does this child need?

• This will be decided upon on very much an individual basis. Always consider what you can do to encourage the child to be as active and independent as possible. How can they be included in the life of the educational setting?

• An adult supporting the child will need to know when to step back and when to support. Try to promote independence and child to child interactions wherever possible.

• Always ensure you have risk assessments in place and involve parents in these so that you are transparent and open.

How do I keep a child with a Medical Needs safe?

The first step in keeping a child with medical needs safe is to complete a Risk Assessment and a Care Plan, seeking parent and professional guidance as required.

Who can provide training for other members of staff on administration of medicine?

The educational setting should contact the school nursing service for advice; medical professionals linked to the care of the individual child may also be able to provide training.

What is considered suitable training to administer medicine?

Basic medication awareness training is considered appropriate training to deliver basic medication. Further training will be required to administer asthma medication or epi-pens and for pupils with complex medical needs. Please contact your school nurse for further information and advice. 

For further guidance on medication please refer to:

• Guidance for Children and Young People and Children who are Missing Education Due to Health/Medical Needs 
• Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (2014): statutory guidance frm the Department for Education

How do I develop independence in a child with a physical disability?

This will depend on individual need. Consider what you can do to encourage the child to be as active as possible. How can they be included in the life of the educational setting? A good teaching assistant will know when to step back and when to support. Try to promote child to child interactions wherever possible as other children often talk to the child through the teaching assistant. Always ensure you have risk assessments in place and involve parents in these so that you are transparent and open.

How do I keep a child with a physical disability safe?

The first step in keeping a child with a physical disability safe is to complete a Risk Assessment and a Care Plan, seeking parent and professional guidance as required.

How do I complete a risk assessment?

See our Risk Assessment Guidance.

Do I need a Care Plan?  How do I complete a Care Plan?

See our Care Plan Guidance.

Do my staff need any specialised training?

This will depend upon the individual needs of the child; a thorough risk assessment and detailed Care Plan should help to identify training needs. For children who require manual handling or have specific health needs such as epilepsy or the administering of some types of medication staff will generally require specialised training, if in doubt seek guidance from the professionals working with the child.

Do I need to use two members of staff for personal care?

This will depend upon the personal care needs of the individual child. For all children requiring assistance with personal care the school/setting should carry out a personal care risk assessment and complete a personal care plan. For more detailed guidance and risk assessment and care plan proformas please refer to the Personal Care Guidance.

Dignity and Care Guidance

We have a child who has fine and gross motor difficulties.  How can we support him?

Undertake a basic fine and gross motor assessment to identify specific areas that the child struggles with.   Consider following a fine and gross motor skills programme such as Pindora’s Box or Motor Skills United.  If handwriting is an issue follow a six-week handwriting programme.  Key features to look at are how the child is sitting and how they hold the pencil.  A good handwriting programme is Write from the Start.  If the child still has difficulties after these interventions a referral to the Occupational Therapy Service through the school nurse service may be appropriate.

I have a pupil with physical writing difficulties.  What could help?

 Try the following alternative ways of ways of recording answers.

• If the pupil’s writing takes excessive time and effort and the quality of writing output is poor; legibility, spelling, letter shape and length of writing is poor,
• Or if extended writing causes pain
• And if the pupil struggles to get his/her ideas down then

Alongside continuing to practise handwriting and putting physical programmes in place to develop fine motor skills and trying alternative writing tools the pupil should be given the opportunity to develop an alternative method of recording.

• Staffordshire County Council recommends the use of computers, alpha smarts, dictaphones or iPads to record. When using alternative methods of recording it is important that the method is efficient.
• The pupil needs to have good keyboarding awareness and keyboard skills.
• Recommended resources to develop keyboard skills include: 
• English Type Junior,
• Nessy Fingers
• Free online resources:
• Doorway Online
• BBC Dancemat

Touch typing is not feasible for some pupils so ‘keyboard familiarity’ practise might be more useful.

If keyboard access is not appropriate try an onscreen keyboard available in Windows settings or speech recognition programmes such as Siri or Google Docs or the commercial programs such as Dragon Naturally Speaking.

If the alternative methods of recording are not appropriate then the pupil should use a scribe.  This skill needs to be practised to become efficient.

For further advice on supporting writing difficulties visit the Call Scotland website.  Suggestions for useful apps for learners with dyslexia, reading and writing difficulties are also available from Call Scotland.

How do we get the appropriate specialist equipment?

When an Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Specialist Nurse recommends that a child/young person needs specialist medical equipment to access education, they will: -

Discuss the needs with the setting

Setting to confirm that they will fund the first £350 per item of the required equipment.  Provide assessment and identify the equipment required.  The Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse will then complete the order for the medical equipment following the process outlined in the funding section via the pathway.

Schools will be expected to order and fund non-medical equipment eg. laptop, height adjustable tables.

Disability Access Funding (DAF) may be available for childcare providers/schools (providers) with three and four year olds who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and taking up Early Education Funding (EEF).

The purpose of the fund is to help providers make reasonable adjustments within their provision to support disabled children. DAF is a one-off payment of £615 per academic year to the provider for each eligible child.

How do I fund staff to support a child with physical needs?

All schools have a notional SEND Budget of £6,000 per pupil. Where the costs of supporting the physical needs of a pupil go above this amount a school may be able to apply for additional funding for educational support through the AEN Funding process and/or applying for an Educational Health Care Plan.

I need to adapt the building to include a child with a physical disability.  Where can I get help?

For pupils in Local Authority maintained schools with high level needs who require adaptations to buildings some funding may be available from the Local Authority.  For non-maintained schools funding will be managed through the Academy funding agreement. 

Does a child with a diagnosed Physical Disability need an Education, Health and Care Plan?

This will depend upon the severity of the impact of the child’s physical disability on their educational progress. “Children and young people with such conditions do not necessarily have SEN…. Where a disabled child or young person requires special educational provision, they will also be covered by the SEN definition.” (SEND Code of Practice 0-25 – 2014).

The Physical Disability section of the “Education Health and Care Needs Assessment: Criteria for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) 0 - 25 years,” outlines the criteria for children to be considered for an EHCP.

Educational settings should familiarise themselves with Staffordshire County Council’s All Age Personal Care Guidance: Good Practice Guidelines for all settings and schools supporting Children and Young People with personal care needs in Staffordshire.

The policy and guidance have been developed to ensure best practice is promoted within all settings in Staffordshire.  Personal care and dignity are of the utmost importance.  Guidance on safeguarding children and staff is also incorporated.

This guidance and policy support the fundamental principles of The Children’s and Family Act 2014, the Code of Practice 2015 and the Equality Act 2010.  It is helpful to read this guidance in conjunction with the Accessibility Strategy and the Accessible school and settings pathway.

This document provides information about meeting personal care needs in Pre-school, Primary, Middle and High Schools and FE Staffordshire. It is relevant for adults who are working with:

• Children and Young People who have a developmental delay and who may achieve independence in personal care later than their peer group
• Children and Young People who have a disability or who require special arrangements for personal care due to medical, emotional or social needs

The guidance is based on good practice and is designed to support the implementation of effective procedures.  It aims to:

• Ensure that all Children and Young People are included in their local community school regardless of their personal care needs
• Provide advice to staff
• Assure parents and carers that staff are provided with guidance to help them be knowledgeable about personal care, and that their individual concerns are taken into account
• Safeguard (KCSIE September 2018) the rights and well-being of the Children and Young People
• Reassure and protect the interests of staff working in a personal care capacity

Regardless of age, children and young people who have personal care needs fall within the terms of the Equality Act and the setting must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support them, i.e. “due diligence”.

Personal care can incorporate all those tasks of an intimate nature associated with bodily functions, bodily products and personal hygiene. These may include: -

• Dressing and undressing
• Helping someone to use the toilet
• Changing continence pads/nappies
• Bathing/showering
• Washing intimate parts of the body
• Changing sanitary wear
• Changing stoma bag (following training from Stoma Nurse)

Where staff are involved on a daily basis in providing personal and intimate care to young people with special educational needs arising from learning difficulties, sensory impairments and physical disabilities they are placed in a position of great trust and responsibility.

Children and young people with special needs and/or disability can lack confidence and assertiveness.  Activities related to intimate care should offer opportunities for personal development and choice.

It is vital that educational settings seek to engage with parents, and children and young people, prior to enrolment and at any transition to discuss the normal routines of the educational setting and staff most likely to be involved in delivering aspects of intimate care.

See the Eric website for information on 'The Right to Go' and their:

•  'Guide to helping Early Years settings and Schools manage Continence –The Right to Go’ and
• ‘Guides to Children’s Bowel and Bladder Problems’  

Care Plan guide.

Risk Assessments guide.

Some children with a physical disability need help to move around. This can be with adult assistance or with the assistance of specialised equipment e.g. a hoist. Ensuring safe movement and handling procedures is a statutory duty. Adults undertaking this type of activity should be trained in manual handling.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations state that employers should adopt a hierarchy of control measures:

1. to avoid hazardous Manual Handling Operations so far as is reasonably practicable.
2. to assess any hazardous Manual Handling Operation that cannot be avoided.  (See Manual Handling risk assessment proforma).
3. to reduce the risk of injury so far as is reasonably practicable, which includes wearing suitable, flat closed shoes and suitable clothing.
4. to ensure staff have Manual Handling Training which is up to date.  Current regulations state refresher training is required every year.  Training is available through the Health & Safety Team at Staffordshire County Council.
   
   Telephone: 01785 619402
   Email: ehtechsupport@staffordbc.gov.uk

Basic Principles of Manual Handling

There are some basic principles that everyone should observe prior to carrying out a manual handling operation:

• ensure that the child/young person is light enough to lift, is stable and unlikely to shift or move
• heavy or awkward loads should be moved using a handling aid
• make sure the route is clear of obstructions
• make sure there is somewhere to put the load down wherever it is to be moved to
• stand as close to the load as possible, and spread your feet to shoulder width
• bend your knees and try and keep the back's natural, upright posture
• grasp the load firmly as close to the body as you can
• use the legs to lift the load in a smooth motion as this offers more leverage reducing the strain on your back
• carry the load close to the body with the elbows tucked into the body
• avoid twisting the body as much as possible by turning your feet to position yourself.

HSF 24 Manual Handing Risk Assessment & Handling Plan

Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years

"6.34 Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time.…….

6.35 Some children and young people with a physical disability (PD) require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers."

Staffordshire County Council: Education Health and Care Needs Assessment: Criteria for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) 0 - 25 years 

Specific Criteria: Sensory and/or Physical  

This section outlines the criteria for an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment for children and young people with Sensory and/or Physical needs. This includes children and young people with physical difficulties or medical conditions that are complex, severe and long-term, as well as children and young people with severe/profound hearing loss, or a severe/profound vision impairment, or multi-sensory impairment. 

Most children and young people with sensory and/or physical needs will be supported within their ordinary setting within existing resources. In order to conduct an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment, the Local Authority must have evidence that despite relevant and purposeful action being taken to identify, assess and meet the needs of the child or young person, he/she has not made expected progress and therefore requires a higher level of specialist resourcing which is different from and additional to that which is usually provided. 

Relevant and purposeful action will usually be demonstrated by evidence of all of the following:

• The setting has provided a higher level of resourcing which is over and above the nationally prescribed threshold per pupil per year (£6k for all mainstream schools and mainstream further education providers.)
• External professionals such as health professionals, specialist advisory teachers and/or educational psychologists have been involved in devising strategies and programmes for the individual pupil or student
• A comprehensive assessment of the child or young person’s needs has been completed (assess)
• Advice to support the child or young person has been followed (plan and do)
• The impact of these interventions has been evaluated over time (at least two cycles) (review) 
• Evidence will show that the child or young person has made minimal progress or, where progress has been made, it has only been as the result of much differentiation, additional intervention and support over and above that which is usually provided
• Parents/carers and the child or young person have been fully involved and genuinely engaged in the process 

Physical 

The child or young person will typically have one or more of the following: 

• Severe, long-term physical difficulties which may be degenerative
• A healthcare plan that requires a higher level of resourcing which is over and above the nationally-prescribed threshold per pupil per year
• A need for alternative approaches and specific individualised resources and/or equipment, to enable them to access the curriculum 
• A need for named staff with appropriate competencies/qualifications to meet their physical needs to support them to access the educational environment 
• The child or young person may also have: 
• Emotional and/or behavioural problems such as withdrawal, disaffection, reluctance to attend
• Additional learning, communication or behaviour difficulties requiring specialist intervention
• A slower rate of learning than would normally be expected which is affected by absences, fatigue or medication

PVI/FE/Mainstream Schools – Specialist Equipment Access Route (Not Sensory)

1. Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse assesses and identifies need for resource in education setting?
2. Discuss requirement with education setting.
3. School to complete contribution template and send to send.tippingst@staffordshire.gov.uk 
4. Local authority to confirm agreement of contribution to Occupational Therapy.
5. Order placed on system (TCES) by Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse.
   
   If Standard Stock available or recycled special please refer to numbers 6-10 below. For Special Refurbish Stock please refer to numbers 11-15 below.  Special Purchase is outlined in numbers 16-20 below.
   

   Standard Stock

6. Standard Stock available or recycled special.
7. Item delivered by Medequip to education setting.  Standard stock item and delivery charge made to Staffordshire County Council contract.
8. Item no longer required.  Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse raise collection request.
9. Medequip collection at £6 charge per item to Staffordshire County Council contract.
10. Item return to shelf credit of standard stock item made with possible repair or cleaning charge made to Staffordshire County Council contract or item scrapped.
    
    

    Special Refurbish Stock

11. Special Refurbish Stock.
12. Item delivered by Medequip to education setting and delivery charge made to Staffordshire County Council contract.
13. Item no longer required.  Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse raise collection request.
14. Medequip collection at £6 charge per item to Staffordshire County Council contract.
15. Item returned to special refurbish stock item with possible charge for repair or cleaning made to Staffordshire County Counicl contract or item scapped.
    

    Special Purchase

16. Special Purchase Required two quotes sourced by Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse.
17. Approved by Occupational Therapy commissioned contract (OT Direct).
18. Item no longer required.  Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse raise collection request.
19. Medequip collection at £6 charge per item to Staffordshire County Council contract.
20. Item returned to special refurbish stock item with possible charge for repair or cleaning made to Staffordshire County Counicl contract or item scapped.

When an Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Specialist Nurse recommends that a child/young person needs specialist medical equipment to access education, the Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse will: -

Discuss the needs with the setting

Setting to confirm that they will fund the first £350 per item of the required equipment. Provide assessment and identify the equipment required.  The Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist/Nurse will then complete the order for the medical equipment following the process outlined in the funding section, above, via the pathway.

Schools will be expected to order and fund non-medical equipment e.g. laptop, height adjustable tables.

Accessibility Strategy

Additional funding for providers to support children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) aged three and four.

Introduction

Staffordshire County Council is committed to ensuring that all children have equal access to learning. As part of this commitment, we have implemented a government initiative call Disability Access Funding (DAF) for childcare providers/schools (providers) with three and four year olds who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and taking up Early Education Funding (EEF).

The purpose of the fund is to help providers make reasonable adjustments within their provision to support disabled children. DAF is not based on an hourly rate and will be paid as a one-off payment of £615 per academic year to the provider for each eligible child.

Eligibility

Providers in Staffordshire are eligible to receive DAF where a three or four year old child is taking up a place and;

• The child is in receipt of DLA; and
• The child is taking up EEF (either some hours or all hours of their entitlement).

Please note: Four year olds in primary school reception/foundation stage classes are not eligible for DAF funding.

Providers are encouraged to raise awareness of DAF with parents/ carers in order to identify eligible children.

If a child, eligible for DAF, is splitting their free entitlement across two or more providers their parents/carers will need to nominate the provider to whom they wish the payment to be made. This will usually be the provider where the child is accessing the majority of their free entitlement hours.

If a child receiving DAF moves from one provider to another, the new provider is not eligible to receive DAF for this child within the same academic year. The new provider will need to wait until the following academic year to be able to apply for funding for the child.

Eligibility Checking

Parents with an eligible child must provide a copy of their child’s DLA award letter, (applications without this supporting evidence will not be considered), which must be sent by their provider of choice with the application form to:

Early Education and Childcare, 2^nd Floor, Staffordshire Place 1, Tipping Street, Stafford ST16 2DH. (due to data protection completed forms should not be emailed).

Staffordshire providers can submit DAF applications for eligible children who attend their provision but reside outside of the county boundaries.

DAF funding application

Following identification of pupil need, should schools require building alterations or adaptation to accommodate accessibility works, initial contact may be made with the Entrust Access Officer:

Iain Atherton:

Email: iain.atherton@entrust-ed.co.uk  Telephone: 07773 792129

Working in conjunction with the school, Iain will be able to advise on requirements, and with appropriate commission, develop a scheme of works that addresses the shortfall identified, seek regulatory approval, undertake procurement and site manage the project through to completion.

For Local Authority and Academy schools, landlord approval should be sought through the relevant Development Officer on confirmation of a preferred scheme of work. For Trust establishments, landlord approval should be sought following the Trust’s own policy and procedures and for Voluntary Aided schools, approach to the appropriate Diocesan authority should be undertaken.

It should be noted that no funding is held by Entrust Property to carry out the capital value of the works. The Access Officer will only be acting as a commissioned consultant with expertise in accessibility design.

An Entrust Property service level agreement is not necessary to make initial contact or enquiry, but schools may be required to formally commission feasibility and/or design and development before a project progresses depending on the service level agreement purchased.

Early Years Forum

 Some children need extra help before they start school. Parents and health professionals such as health visitors and doctors are usually the first to notice if a child may need extra help. 

 Staffordshire County Council Education Service has Early Years Forums in each district to help identify these children, recommend the appropriate support available and monitor progress, in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies. 

What is the Early Years Forum? 

The Early Years Forum is a monthly multi-agency meeting that monitors that the right services are involved to support a child. The people at the meeting represent the services that may help your child, including EHC Assessment and Planning Service, Specialist Health Visitors, Early Years Area SENCOs, Community Paediatricians, Educational Psychologists, Local Support Team members, Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Child Development Social Workers and Specialist Teachers.

Why are children referred to the Forum? 

Children will be referred to the forum when:

• Their progress is causing concern in one or more areas of development.
• They may need extra help or assessment before starting school 

For any further information please refer to:

 Miss Emma Dodd, Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist

2 Staffordshire Place, Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2 DH

Telephone:  01785 356863

Email: emma.dodd@staffordshire.gov.uk

Or go visit our Early Years Forum page. 

Early Years Area SENCO Team

In future only available after a referral to  the Early Years Forum. No direct referrals to Entrust.

Moving from one setting to another can be extremely stressful for both parents and children and young people but this stress can be minimised by paying close attention to the key principles below.

General Principles

1. Forward Planning – Start as soon as possible. If a child is of school age, this should start in the school year prior to the year in which the child will move.
2. Good communication - Between the setting and the parents and between settings.
3. Good liaison and information sharing - Between all the medical and educational professionals currently involved with the family and those who will be involved when the child or young person moves on. Share information in the best interests of the child.
4. Preparation - Extra visits for the child or young person, parents and the appropriate staff from the current setting. Site visits to check access. Risk assessments and care plans should be in place before the child moves / starts.
5. Effective follow-up (A meeting for parents and professionals involved to discuss how well the transition has gone and negotiate any adjustments).

Key Transition Times

• Nursery to Infants / Primary school (at age 4/5 years)
• Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 / Infant to Junior School (at 7 years)
• Key Stage 2 to Secondary / High School (at 11 years)
• First School to Middle/Junior School (at 9 years)
• Middle to High School (at 13 years)
• High School to College / University (at 16 years or 18 years)

Checklist for Current Setting

Once a new setting has been identified:

• Has the Key worker or Special Needs Co-ordinator contacted the new setting and a visit for parents been arranged?
• Has a meeting for all relevant Educational and Health professionals been arranged?
• Have additional visits for child/student been arranged if necessary?
• Has the transfer of specialist equipment (if any) been organised?
• What has worked well in your setting? – Share your experiences and skills with the new setting.

Checklist for New Setting

Once place has been secured:

• Has an application for the appropriate level of additional funding been submitted if necessary?
• Have all ‘reasonable adjustments’ been made?
• Has any necessary specialist equipment been ordered?
• Is relevant training in place?
• Have additional personnel been appointed/trained if necessary?
• Arrange for key staff to visit the current setting to observe the management of the child/student and their needs?
• Are Care plans and Risk assessments in place?
• Where child/student is entitled to transport, has this been organised?

Parental Parnership 

• Work closely with parents.
• Parents may need support as starting at a new setting can be an anxious and emotional time for them.
• If appropriate, encourage parents to make an ‘All About Me book’ for their child to support the transition process. Wherever possible, support them to involve the child in this. 

Support from other Professionals

Consult with parents regarding services involved with the child, including the names of professionals and their contact details. For example:

• Physiotherapist
• Occupational therapy
• Child Development centre
• Health visitor / School Nurse
• Local support team
• Other settings
• Are there any letters from Paediatricians / Consultants / Hospitals that may offer any specialist advice or confirm any diagnosis or investigations being undertaken?
• Where appropriate, consult other services involved for advice
• Settings not able to refer to EYAS Team: this will be through Early Years Forum

Parking arrangements

• Is there a parking spot nearer the building that parents / transport can use?

Does the child have any medical needs?

• Is a care plan needed? (This will cover what to do in the event of an emergency)
• Is the child on any medication?
• Is a risk assessment needed?
• Do staff need any training?

Physical Access

• Is there sufficient physical space for the child to move around the room / setting? Is there a turning circle for a child in a wheelchair? Are there any sharp corners that present a risk?
• How safe is the child to move around? Does s/he need a helmet? Does s/he need supervision? Is a risk assessment needed?
• Are there any risks to members of staff with regards to their health, for example, back issues? If so complete an individual risk assessment for staff members.
• Do the staff need any manual handling training?
• Consider emergency evacuation procedures. How will the child vacate the building in an emergency? Who will take responsibility? Is an evacuation chair needed? 

Mobility

• Is any extra equipment currently used or needed? For example, a standing frame, Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO) splints, leg or arm gaiters, aids to walk with, any specific different seating needed? How would you incorporate these into the daily routin
• Think about the access to the environment. Will the child be able to access the activities? Are they appropriate? Do you need to differentiate? How could you do this? How can you support the child to be as independent as possible? What reasonable adjustments can we make? What other areas are used around the setting and how will these be accessed. For example, the library, the computer area?
• Are there any adaptations that you may need to consider? Ramp to outside? Are there any steps? Grab rail on door surround? Coat peg to be lowered? 
• Consider access to the outside environment and play equipment, including Forest School, if appropriate.
• Playtime arrangements - level of supervision? Are there any obstacles?

Seating

• Can the child or young person sit unaided? On the floor? On a chair? Are their feet flat on the floor? What can s/he sit on to access the curriculum? Does s/he need a Grabzi bar to support stability?
•  Consult Physiotherapist / Occupational Therapist as needed.

Physical Education

• How will the child access this?
• Does s/he need support for changing?

Methods of Recording

In the case of an older child transitioning, you may need to consider:

• How can the child record their work? Can s/he hold a pencil? Does s/he need any special resources e.g. pencil grip, sloping board? Does s/he need alternative methods of recording? How can you develop their fine motor skills?

• Consider transport arrangements. Is the chosen location accessible? Does it have accessible toilets / changing facilities if needed? Does the child have a blue badge that can be borrowed if needed? Make sure you do a risk assessment.
• Does the educational setting access the local community? For example, a local church or a park. Where do you go? Is it accessible? How will the child get there?

 Entrust Educational Visits Advisor:  Gareth Lloyd

 Email: eva@entrust-ed.co.uk   Telephone:07794 331 637    Evolve website

• Does the child have any feeding or swallowing difficulties?
• Are Speech and Language therapy involved?  If so, ask for a copy of the feeding programme.
• If the child is tube / peg fed, seek advice. Find out who the parents contact is and get training before the child starts at your setting.
• Lunchtime arrangements. For example, seating, carrying tray, food consistency. What are the child’s needs? Are there any barriers? How can you address these? What level of supervision is needed? At all times, consider what you can do to promote independence.
• Are any special plates / dishes / cutlery / cups needed for eating and drinking?

• What are the child needs?
• Are facilities in place to meet those needs? For example, changing facilities? Suitable toilet / potty? Can they access the sink? Can s/he turn the taps on and off? When sitting on the toilet is s/he secure and relaxed and are feet able to reach the floor? Does s/he need a foot block? Does the paper towel dispenser need to be lowered? Are grab rails needed?
• Is a risk assessment needed?
• Is support needed for undressing and dressing?
• At all times, consider what you can do to promote independence.

 For more information follow the links below:

• Draft All-Age Personal Care Policy
• ERIC Guide to helping early years settings and schools on managing continence - "A Right To Go".
• ERIC Guides to Bladder and Bowel Problems

Responsibility for the assessment and authorisation of requests for travel assistance for pupils and students with special educational needs and / or disabilities has recently transferred to Families First.  All requests for transport falling within the category of ‘SEND’ will need to be considered and approved by the SEND Assessment Team before being processed in the usual way by the Integrated Transport and Planning Team.  

Information included is:

• Details of the definition of ‘SEND’ Transport
• The pupils/students that this change applies to
• A new travel assistance request form
• Details of a new process which will provide a smarter way of working

 A copy of Staffordshire’s current Home to School Transport policy can be found here.

Questions about the new arrangement should be sent to: send.communication@staffordshire.gov.uk    

Transport for Students with Special Educational Needs

Further information on transport for students with Special Educational Needs can be found on the Staffordshire County Council website.

• Physiotherapists - County wide
• Occupational Therapists - North Staffordshire 
• Occupational Therapists - Stafford and South Staffordshire (Stafford/Stone/Eccleshall/Rugeley/Cannock/Wombourne/Codsall/Penkridge)
• Occupational Therapists - East Staffordshire (Tamworth/Lichfield/Burton/Uttoxeter).
• School Nurses (0-19 Families Health and Wellbeing Service)
• Children's Speech and Language Therapists
• Families First and Local Support Teams
• SEND Assessment and Planning Service
• Entrust Development Officers
• Early Years Forum

• Dyspraxia Foundation                          
• Movement Matters
• National Handwriting Association 
• Discovery Centre University of South Wales 
• Box of Ideas 
• Dystalk (a series of podcasts)
• Ican
• Afasic                                                      

Please note this is not an exhaustive list of disability charities.  More information on support groups, both nationally and locally, can be found on our SEND Local Offer.

• Epilepsy Action - British Epilepsy Association
• Brittle Bone Society
• Coeliac UK
• Cystic Fibrosis Trust
• Diabetes UK
• Dyspraxia Foundation
• Headway - National Brain Injuries Association
• Hemihelp (hemiplegia) - Part of Contact Group
• ME Association
• Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Motor Neurone Disease Association
• Muscular Dystrophy UK
• Epilepsy Society
• Reach- Helping children with upper limb differences live life without limits
• Shine - Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
• Scope
• Sickle Cell & Young Stroke Survivors
• Stroke Association
• Whizzkids - supporting wheelchair users 
• Young Epilepsy  

• British Paralympic Association (BPA)  A registered charity responsible for selecting, funding and managing Britain's teams at the Paralympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games. They also operate talent identification days to find the disabled sporting stars of the future.
• International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS)  Founders of the original Paralympic Games and organisers of international sporting events for disabled people.
• Wheelpower (formerly British Wheelchair Sports Foundation)  Wheelpower organises and supports wheelchair sports at all levels, putting on events for junior, senior and rehabilitation purposes.
• boccia.uk.com.  Boccia is a sport designed for athletes with severe impairments.
• CP Sport England and Wales  CP Sport promotes and seeks to increase sport and physical recreational opportunities for disabled people, especially those with cerebral palsy.
• Disability Snowsport UK. Opportunities for disabled people to take part in snowsports.
• Doing Sport Differently  A guide to exercise and fitness for people living with disability or health conditions.
• Disability Gymnastics  Find a club near you.

A variety of free typing programmes are available on-line.

Handwriting 

• Not Just Dots (TTS Publishing).  Photocopiable worksheets.
• Start Write, Stay Right.  Handwriting worksheet programme (Alison Harris and Janet Taylor. Special Direct).  Photocopiable worksheets. Age 5-8 Books 1 & 2 Age 9 and Above Books 1 & 2
• Handwriting Problems in the Secondary School (Rosemary Sassoon).  Assessment tool for teachers.
• Left Hand Writing Skills. Fabulous fine motor practice. (Mark and Heather Stuart. Robinswood Press). Photocopiable worksheets. Books 1 - 3. CD available.
• Write Dance Uses music and movement to introduce handwriting (Ragnhild A. Oussoren. Sage Publisher). Age 4-8 years old. CD included.
• Handwriting Slopes
• Ergonomic pens, pencils and grips.
• Write from the Start. The Teodorescu Perceptuo-motor programme. (Ion Teodorescu and Lois M. Addy. LDA). Photocopiable. Teacher and pupil books KS 1 and 2.
• Handwriting papers. Taskmaster. Memory Motivators.  MSL Learning Support Handwriting Resources;  Pro Ed ; SEN teacher 
• MSL Handwriting Rescue Scheme. Structured exercises for cursive handwriting (Pippa Chudley).  Photocopiable. Also MSL handwriting papers.
• Inclusive Vinyl Keyboard Stickers.  Inclusive technology. For typing as an alternative to writing.
• Speed Up! A Kinaesthetic Programme to Develop Fluent Handwriting.  Intervention programme
• INPP Sally Goddard Blythe, Developmental Test Battery and exercise programme.
• Left/right writing guide Pens, pencils, writing aids
• National Handwriting Association. Developing a handwriting policy

Visual Perception

• Eye Can Developing Visual Skills for Reading. (Alison Harris and Nika Oberholster Special Direct).  Photocopiable worksheets.

Fine and Gross Motor Skills

• Take Ten Advice games and activities to develop fine motor skills.  (Sharon Drew. LDA). Assessment tool for teachers. Photocopiable worksheets.
• Fine Motor Skills (Mark and Katy Hill. LDA.  Photocopiable worksheets.
• Multi-sensory activities for improving fine motor skills. High Five Jive (Susan O’Connor.  Hobbs Printer Ltd)  CD included. Photocopiable worksheet.
• Motor Skills United An Occupational Therapy Programme, colour coded and fun filled to integrate and develop Motor Perceptual Skills which impacts on Learning and Handwriting (Sally Holmes.  Special Direct).  Photocopiable worksheets.
• Feed the Dog: Fine Motor Game.  Early Years.
• Posture cushions
• Foot plinths. 
• Tripp Trapp chair or Teezie Breezie chair.

Scissor Skills

• Developing Scissor Skills: A Guide for Parents and Teachers (PETA UK).  Photocopiable work cards. 
• Developing Basic Scissor Skills: A Guide for Parents and Teachers (PETA UK).  Photocopiable work cards. 
• Cutting Skills (Mark and Kay Hill, LDA).  Photocopiable worksheet.

• Success with Scissors.  All the steps you need to kick start scissor skills for children. (Alison Harris and Janet Taylor. Special Direct).   Photocopiable worksheet.

Memory Skills

• Rapid Recall. Develop strategies to develop your working memory skills. (Sally Northern.  Special Direct). Photocopiable worksheets
• Mighty memory Tricks. Easy ways to remember your classwork. (Susan O’Connor.  Special Direct)  Photocopiable worksheets
• Auditory memory Skills (Mark and Katy Hill. LDA).  Photocopiable worksheets.
• Visual memory Skills (Mark and Katy Hill. LDA).  Photocopiable worksheets.
• Memory Skills Board Games (Brain Builder. Smart Kids)
• Jungle Memory Games (Special Direct)
• Fiddle toys.

• Memory Fix An activity programme to improve children’s memory skills. (Kate Ruttle. Special Direct).  Intervention pack.