Brent Outreach Autism Team
Brent Civic Centre
Engineers Way
Wembley, HA9 0FJ
Tel: 020 8937 4659
Email: [email protected]
www.brent.gov.uk
Brent Outreach Autism Team
Making a positive difference to the
education and well being of children and
young people, families and staff within
Brent
Adapted March 2014
(adapted from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council)
BOAT
Clare Henshaw
Autism Outreach Co – ordinator
[email protected]
Clare initially joined SOS for Autism in December 2001. She was integral to establishing the
service within the borough and developing BOAT. Clare trained as a Speech and Language
Therapist and specialised in supporting children and young people on the autism spectrum. She
has worked in a range of educational and health settings both within the UK and abroad
including America, Beirut and India.
Clare has an MA in Autism.
Clare is the primary point of contact for support in mainstream primary schools. She also coordinates the team.
Sara Morrissey B.Ed (Hons)
Autism Outreach Teacher
[email protected]
Sara joined the team in January 2009. She trained as a teacher and had been working in
Children’s Centre and primary schools across Brent for 13 years. She has specialised in Early
Years.
Sara is the primary point of contact for children in the Early Years and key stage one.
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Sara started her Masters of Education in Autism in September 2011 at Birmingham University.
Diane Gholam
Autism Outreach Teacher
[email protected]
Diane started her career as a qualified teacher of modern languages and after a journey
encompassing nursery through to sixth form, she became a specialist teacher of autism within
the mainstream secondary sector.
She joined BOAT in April 2012 and is the main point of contact for our secondary age students.
Imogen BoSmith
Autism Outreach Assistant
[email protected]
Imogen joined the team in September 2012. She has a masters degree in neuroscience and a
post graduate diploma in psychology. She has experience working with students on the autism
spectrum with a special school and has run social groups with children and adults on the autism
spectrum with the National Autistic Society. She is our main point of contact for general
enquiries and questions regarding the students and the service we offer. She also provides
advice and support to settings and families.
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All staff can be contacted at the following address:
Brent Civic Centre
Engineers Way
Wembley
HA9 0FJ
Other useful contacts
Emma Dudley
Strategic lead for of Sensory and Communication Services
[email protected]
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BOAT – About Us
The Brent Outreach Autism Team (BOAT) is based within the Brent Civic Centre.. This team
has been developed to support the staff and parents working with children and young people
(CYP) up to the age of 16 Years who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, or 19 years
if the CYP attends a mainstream provision for 6th Form.
The service is a school based service but also provides advice and support to families where
appropriate.
The service is tailored to facilitate a multi-disciplinary approach (with professionals listed below)
addressing the individual needs of the child. Support is directed towards:
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Parents and/or carers
Family members
Teachers
SENCO’s
Nursery staff
Other agencies including; Brent Short Break Scheme; Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Team; Educational Psychologists; Home Tuition Service; Music Therapists; Occupational
Therapists; National Autistic Society (and other ASD charities); Paediatricians; Brent Parent
Partnership; Physiotherapists; Social Care; Special Educational Needs Assessment
Service; Speech and Language Therapists.
Support staff including welfare assistants, teaching assistants, learning support staff,
lunchtime and playtime supervisors
Classroom peers of children on the autism spectrum
Range of support includes:
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Face to face discussions on a regular basis (regularity dependent upon the level of need)
Observations of the CYP in various settings
Home visits
Target setting with reviews and updating of the targets on our school visits
Modelling behaviour / approaches and positive interactions
Resources for the CYP / staff / the home and school environment
Telephone and email support for staff and families
Liaison with a range of professionals
Inset training for staff within the setting / children in the setting / peers of child on the autism
spectrum
Literature concerning the autism spectrum upon request
Attending annual reviews and multi disciplinary meetings- supporting target setting at these
meetings.
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Parent support groups and training.
Special interest group (SIG) for professionals
Email network for professionals
Supporting students understanding their diagnosis
Peer support work – training for the peers in small groups / whole class discussions
Modelling and information concerning the lego© programme
Who do we work with?
Residency
All CYP must be residents of the London Borough of Brent. The service will also support Brent
children and young people with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum attending out-borough
mainstream placements.
For those children and young people who are attending Brent schools and are not residents of
Brent, the team will offer generalist training regarding the autism spectrum to the setting.
Diagnosis
All CYP accessing the service are recognised and known to the borough to have a medical
diagnosis of being on the autism spectrum. This includes autism, High functioning autism,
Aspergers Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorders NOS (not otherwise specified).
This does not include semantic / pragmatic disorder.
Age and Placement
BOAT supports all CYP up to 19 years of age who are attending mainstream settings. Support
is offered to mainstream provisions if they are placed in an educational setting. Support will also
be offered to additionally resourced provisions, Pupil Referral Units (if the child has come from a
mainstream setting) and the Speech and Language Units at Kensal Rise Primary School,
Oakington Manor School and Preston Manor High School. (Speech and Language Resource
Unit Only)
Support is also offered for children at times of transition including:
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Unplaced to nursery
Nursery to primary
Infants to juniors (different school)
Primary to secondary
Mainstream to a specialist provision
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Referrals
Referrals can be received anytime during the year and are sent directly to the outreach team
(BOAT).
Referrals can be made by all professionals working with the child. Referrals cannot be accepted
from parents themselves. All referrals require confirmation of diagnosis and signed consent
from parents. Parents are also asked permission to share information. Whilst we make every
effort to respect confidentiality we are mindful of our legal responsibilities in keeping CYP and
their families safe and there may be times when information will have to be shared to ensure
this.
A CYP with BOAT support named on their statement is referred to BOAT also by the Special
Educational Needs Assessment Service (SENAS).
All new referrals will be allocated to a BOAT worker within a month of receipt. The BOAT
worker will contact the school/family within 6 weeks of the referral during term time.
Special Needs
To access BOAT, all CYP require a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. They may present with a
number of the following:
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Social interaction difficulties
Social communication difficulties
Rigidity of thought and social imagination
Behavioural difficulties
Sensory difficulties
Some children may present with additional learning difficulties.
Consultation and Advice
Written parental consent is required at the initial referral stage. This provides parents with
details of the service and how to make contact.
Parents or carers will be regularly informed of progress and current targets via our visit record
forms, discussions by phone or e mail and/or home visits. Parents also have the option to
contact the service.
Schools and settings can also contact BOAT for advice over the telephone, by email or in
person.
The local authority may also contact the team for advice around e.g. support, placements,
provision and strategies.
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Assessments and Intervention
BOAT does not carry out initial or formal assessments with CYP. These assessments are
conducted by paediatricians and the Developmental Progress Team based at The Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language
Therapists and Occupational Therapists may carry out assessments as part of their work with
CYP on the autism spectrum.
Members of BOAT do not deliver direct intervention with CYP. Support is provided through
advice and consultation with staff and parents. At times, the team may model a specific
approach with a CYP e.g. PECS, Comic Strip Conversations or Peer Support.
Discharge Criteria
 The CYP has transferred to a specialist provision
 The school or parents feel support is no longer required and request to be discharged
from the BOAT service (unless BOAT is named in the statement). The child can be
referred again if necessary.
 The CYP is no longer a resident in Brent
 CYP who move to the Preston Manor High School AS Provision will be discharged.
 Children who attend the Fawood or Granville Additionally Resourced Provisions will not
be seen by BOAT but will remain on the caseload. At the end of their time in the
provision children moving to a specialist setting will be discharged and those moving to a
mainstream school will become active on the caseload.
 The CYP attends a college placement rather than a 6th form in a school.
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Working Arrangements
Once an enquiry has been made (by any professional working with the child), the team
responds and confirms it is an appropriate referral (child has a diagnosis, and is a resident of
Brent) and a referral pack sent to the referring professional.
Upon receipt of the completed referral form a letter acknowledging receipt of the referral is sent
to the referring agency and the parents. Once the pupil has been assigned to a BOAT worker a
phone call is made to the referrer and parents of the child or young person. They are given
information concerning the service. This is includes our working in partnership document outling
our expectations for aprtnership working with the setting.
An initial meeting is made with those staff involved with the CYP. This may include an
observation or meeting with the CYP. The amount of support a CYP requires may vary over
time. We use a banding system to support this which states the minimum amount of support
CYP in schools within the borough and those attending out of borough schools can expect to
receive.
Support allocation is established with staff dependent on the CYP’s level of need and whether
the school is within the borough of Brent or is out of borough.
Band
Band A
Band B
Band C
Band D
In Borough School
A
minimum
of
fortnightly
communication
A minimum of half termly support
Out of Borough School
A
minimum
of
half
termly
communication
A
minimum
of
termly
Communication
A minimum of termly communication
A minimum of 1- 2 communications
per year with the setting and/or
family where appropriate
A minimum of 1- 2 communications per Attendance at annual review
year with the setting and/or family
where appropriate.
(Support may be in the form of emails, phone calls, visits to settings, home visits and / or
meetings).
Additional support may also be included e.g. liaison, resources (where appropriate) and training.
BOAT will endeavour to attend annual reviews where possible. If BOAT member cannot attend,
a summary of input will be provided. BOAT’s attendance and submission of reports will be
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provided when enough notice has been given in line with the code of practice. Visit notes from
BOAT visits can be included in the annual review paperwork.
The level / type of support required can increase and decrease throughout the year subject to
review, according to the needs of the CYP and the staff in the setting.
It is important to note that the degree of severity of how their autism presents will vary for each
child and young person over time. It can also affect CYP across the whole range of intellectual
ability. Some children will have additional learning difficulties.
The nature and severity of these disabilities have implications for the levels of support given.
The level of support is also dependent on the staff knowledge, experience and confidence in
working with a CYP on the autism spectrum.
Additionally, it is important to recognise that the staff working with an individual CYP will change
throughout their education. Therefore the level and type of input and support will vary
accordingly.
The BOAT service is committed to supporting children and young people in the best way
possible. As a team, we have staff that have specialist knowledge at the various stages of
development. Children and young people supported by the BOAT team with therefore be
supported by different members of the team during their education.
When allocating levels of support, the individual needs of both the CYP and the staff are taken
into account. Specific targets are set to address pupil’s strengths, interests, areas of concern
and need. The targets may be included in their individual educational plans. These targets are
set, agreed and reviewed with the staff and/or the young person. There may also be targets set
to address the staff needs.
During the visits, targets are discussed and set jointly with staff. These targets are reviewed at
the following visit. This applies to home visits also. Written information will be given to staff and
sent home to families.
For CYP who are not attending an educational setting, home support will be provided for
children under 5. CYP of statutory school age will be supported at home if not placed by the
borough. However CYP being home schooled will not be offered support.
Parental involvement is an integral part of the service. Parents are encouraged to be involved in
the following ways:
 Home visits – Initial home visits will be offered to families where meetings cannot be
conducted within the school setting / seeing the home is deemed important. They will be
conducted in pairs by staff. Occasionally further home visits may be offered based on the
needs of the family.
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Contribution to reports
Discussions
Review/ school meetings
Parent training groups
BOAT staff will conduct a risk assessment during their first home visit to assess for any risks
when visit a home setting.
BOAT will support most CYP in the same manner; however support may vary according to age
and ability.
Support for younger CYP may focus on:
 Hygiene and Developing Self Help Skills.
 Sleeping Issues
 Eating and Dietary Issues
 Toileting
 Peer Support
 Family Support e.g. Understanding the Diagnosis
Support for older CYP may focus on:
 Peer Support Programmes
 Meetings with the CYP
 Comic Strip Conversations
 Exam and Revision Strategies
 Mental Health Issues
 Puberty, Sex and Relationships
 Understanding their diagnosis
Communication
Support for staff and families may be through meetings at the home / school setting, by
telephone, letter or email. The form of communication used is dependent upon individual
preference.
A termly newsletter is produced by BOAT and send to all parents and settings that BOAT
support.
Paperwork
A paper record of all visits and communication with those involved is maintained for each CYP
by BOAT and a copy is given to the setting and to the family.
Additional written support may be given to families in the form of supporting letters e.g. housing,
community awareness of their diagnosis (theme parks, airlines).
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A BOAT report will not be written for annual reviews to inform of current input and future
involvement. Details of strategies and advice can be seen in the visit record and can be
included in the annual review process. Discharge reports will be written when appropriate.
BOAT does not provide reports with information for the statutory assessment process unless
directed from the borough.
Each CYP has an individual file containing records of visits, communications with other
professionals, settings and families.
Training
BOAT offer a range of borough wide training courses for staff on an annual basis based at the
Centre for Staff Development. These include:
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Two full days awareness training course (on a termly basis)
A specialist pre-school training course
Training for newly qualified teachers
Training to support delivery of Lego© programme
Training supporting the understanding of sensory differences
INSET (In Service Educational Training) for all staff within school and settings is offered. INSET
is tailored to groups of individuals. For example:
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Training for SMSA’s
Training for teachers and learning support assistants (LSA’s)
Year group specific training
Key people working with a child or young person
Requests for autism awareness training are also considered for the following groups:- Resources for Autism (charity)
- Foster carers
- Child minders
- Groups of professionals e.g. Speech and Language Therapists.
- PVI’s
A charge may be made for this training.
A Special Interest Group (SIG) has been established within Brent at least once a year. This
group has visiting speakers and is open to all staff working in the borough. On some occasions
these meetings are also open to families. There is a charge for this group.
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Peer support training is offered for small groups of students, whole classes and assembly
forums. Training may also be offered to support the CYP with a diagnosis on the spectrum in a
child tailored programme.
All training is carefully evaluated to inform future training / needs.
Family support
Training for parents is also offered in the context of parent groups. Training is conducted on a
variety of AS related topics.
The training for parents is also tailored to the needs and ages of the CYP. The sessions will be
tailored to the needs of the group.
An annual event known as ‘The Blue Sky Vision Project’ is held as a day of celebration for CYP
diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum within Brent. It is a free event and is open to the whole
family.
Consent and confidentiality
BOAT gain consent from the family / carers from the point of initial involvement with the service.
Additional consent will be requested for participation in specific projects and interventions e.g.
peer support work.
The team also request consent to share information with other professionals to support their
work with the CYP.
The initials of the child’s name are only used in email communication.
If photo / video footage of CYP is used for training purposes / publications or advertisement,
consent is obtained from parents / carers.
Compliments and Complaints
BOAT are proud of their continuing professionalism, values and commitment to the children and
young people in their care.
Every three years BOAT evaluates the impact of the service through questionnaires and other
forms of communication.
If you are pleased with our work, we are always pleased to hear from you
However, there may be situations where the service or a member of the team has not met your
expectations and you would like to make that view known to us. As a team we are open to
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receiving any feedback and to efficiently resolve any complaints. Please contact us on 0208 937
4659.
If you feel you would like to make a further complaint about the BOAT service you can contact
Emma Dudley (Strategic lead for Sensory and Communication Services) on 0208 937 3343.
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