SEND Outreach Service- Communication and Interaction Team

The Communication and Interaction Team work with children and young people, aged 4 to 25 years.  The team is staffed by 4 experienced Specialist Teachers who have a range of experience across mainstream and specialist settings as class teachers, SENCos and Senior Leadership. Working alongside the specialist teachers are SEN Support Workers who have experience of working with pupils who have social communication and interaction needs, bringing their experiences from both mainstream and specialist settings. A number of the team members have lived experience of Autism.  

The team provides advice and support to improve the outcomes for children and young people who have social communication and interaction differences which may impact their experience of school.   

Our core offer includes direct work with mainstream schools across Newcastle Upon Tyne and providing Autism Education Trust training to develop a whole school approach to supporting learners with social communication differences. 

For more information, please click the drop-down menus below.
 

How we support schools

Where a child or young person’s communication and interaction differences impact on their experience of school and staff require additional advice/support, a referral can be made to the SEND Advice and Support Allocation Panel.  

Support provided will be individualised and based on the needs of the child or young person.  

This may include:
•    School observations
•    Pupil voice consultation
•    Discussions with staff
•    Discussions with parents
•    Providing reports 
•    One to one session with SEN Support Workers
•    Small group/settings advice
•    Modelling of strategies and support 
•    Attendance at some meetings
 

Training

Autism Education Trust Training

Key Facts - Autism

Autism is a processing difference that can affect the way that a person communicates, interacts and experiences the world around them. Being autistic can have an impact on many areas of a person’s life.  Autistic people have differences in three key areas.  

These are:
o    Social understanding and communication
o    Flexibility, information processing and understanding
o    Sensory processing and integration
(Autism Education Trust)

While autistic people share some similar characteristics, they are also different from each other - this is because autism is considered a spectrum. Each autistic person is unique with range of different strengths and needs, in the same way that all neurotypical people are unique with a range of strengths and needs.

The number of pupils diagnosed as autistic in Newcastle has doubled from 1.5% of all pupils to 2.9% of all pupils over the last five years to 2022-23 (Getting it Right Together, SEND Strategy for Newcastle upon Tyne LA 2023). There are children and young people in education who are not yet diagnosed as autistic, meaning this figure is likely higher. Therefore, all school staff are likely to work with autistic pupils at some stage.

Over 70% of autistic pupils are educated in mainstream schools in England.

Autism is the most common Special Educational Need (SEN) for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP).
 

AET Training Plan 2023-2024

Accordion content.

Resources for Practitioners

Click here to view the Autism Padlet for supporting Young people and Families

Resources for Families

Click here to view the Autism Padlet for supporting Young people and Families

Local Offer: Autism Padlet - Supporting Young People and Families
 

North East Autism Society
https://www.ne-as.org.uk/

National Autistic Society
https://www.autism.org.uk/

Newcastle Parent and Carer Forum
 

Newcastle Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
https://www.newcastlesendiass.co.uk/