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• Autism Support Service

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• Education and learning
• Special needs and inclusion
• SEN and Inclusion Support services
• Support services available

• Autism Support Service

Coventry Autism Support Service

The Autism Support Service is a team of specialist teachers and teaching assistants who provide advice and support for children and young people diagnosed as having an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

We all have specialist knowledge and skills on:

• Things that may affect learning in children with ASD
• The special support that is likely to help their learning and development.

What do we do?

We work together with children, teachers, parents/carers, the Local Education Authority and other agencies to promote the development and learning of children with ASD.

Our main role is to:

• Assess your child’s educational needs (linked to the ASD)
• Advise school and yourself on special methods, approaches and resources which will help your child. This may include working with school on your child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP)
• Where appropriate, do work with your child, alongside other staff, in a nursery or school setting.

We also:

• Provide training on Autistic Spectrum Disorder to schools, parents, agencies and mother organisations (for example, the NAS EarlyBird course for families of pre-school children)
• Run a toddler and family playgroup (called 2-Can Play)
• Keep up to date with research, and developments in the field of autism
• Have a library, with books available for loan to parents and school staff.

How do we do it?

If your child receives a diagnosis of ASD a written referral is sent to us from the Health Service. We will write to you to let you know that we are planning to contact your child’s nursery or school.

After this we will:

• Assess your child’s educational needs through observation and discussion with those who know your child well
• Provide advice to teachers (often through a review and planning meetings) at nursery or school
• Visit the nursery or school on an agreed basis to advise and, sometimes, work alongside staff
• Happily respond to any queries that you have about your child’s education
• We will also work closely with other services in Education, Health and Social Services, but before discussing your child with another service we will always first check that you are happy for us to do so.

Where do we do it?

We visit a variety of venues to provide support to your child that includes:

• Homes (Pre-school children)
• Playgroups, nurseries and family centres
• Mainstream and special schools
• In units/resource bases attached to mainstream schools.

We also provide training in a number of venues.

What other specialist help is available?

The Education Service operates eleven other SEN and Inclusion Support Services. These services all work with schools and parents/carers to promote the educational, personal, social and emotional development of children and young people.

The other services are:

• Access and Technology Service (for children/young people with special educational needs who require technological support)
• Education Access Service (for looked after children)
• Educational Psychology Service
• Education Welfare Service
• Hospital Education Service
• Learning and Behaviour Support Service (Primary)
• Learning and Behaviour Support Service (Secondary)
• Parent Partnership Service (for parents and carers of children with special educational needs).
• Pre-School Education Support Service
• Sensory Support Service (for Hearing and Vision)
• Speech and Language Support Service

Contact details