The Autism Education Team provides advice and support to schools and settings for children and young people who have autism and social communication differences. The Team also have links with the Ryegate Childrens Centre, including joint training sessions for parents and the joint running of a pre nursery autism group.
The Team has an open access policy. We can be contacted by parents/carers and professionals on
Tel: 0114 250 6800
Email: autism.educationteam@sheffield.gov.uk
How to make a request for intensive support
Requests for Intensive support are open to anyone who has a concern that may meet the indicators.
The Sheffield Autism Team supports schools and settings meet the needs of social communication difficulties including autism. We also offer direct work with children and provide advice and support to parents and professionals.
The aims of the service are to ensure children have their needs met as locally as possible. We strive to ensure children and young people make good progress in their learning and development and are able to enjoy and contribute to their local communities.
We work with schools and education settings to make them more autism-friendly
Provided parental support, advice and guidance
Offer support when children move into school or start a new school
Provide intensive support to individual children /young people when they are vulnerable and their school is struggling to cope with their needs.
Work collaboratively with the Ryegate Children’s Centre to assess children/young people and offer post-diagnosis support.
We have a dedicated phone service that is manned by experienced teachers from the team. The service is available Monday to Thursday during term time from 1pm to 4pm.
Call: 0114 2506800
We offer support to all Children and Young People who have identified social communication difficulties or autism. Evidence of this would usually come from a relevant professionals such as: Ryegate Children’s Centre Communication Clinic Team; Local CAMHS team; Educational Psychologist; Clinical Psychologist; Speech & Language Therapist
Autism Team: Transition Support
All Children and Young People who are moving between schools or starting school will have support from the team. Once we know of a child or young person we make contact at each transition. All parents of school starters receive support materials and a visit from a member of the team. Schools SENCO’s have responsibility to plan for transitions and we contact them to make sure good support plans are in place.
Drop-in sessions for parents/carers
We are beginning to offer sessions across Sheffield City where parents can book to have short, 40 minute, conversations with members of the team in confidence. These are advertised locally and within schools in the area.
Autism Team: Intensive Support
The Autism team provides intensive support to schools on a targeted basis. The aim of this support is to stabalise situations where a child who experiences social communication difficulties is particularly vulnerable or where their school placement is at risk.
Typically intensive support will involve an initial discussion of a request with one of the team’s teachers. If there is agreement to the request for support and the school have gained parental consent a package of support will be set up. An agreement document will be completed to formalise the support and expectations.
Currently three types of support packages are available:
Package A:
- Pupil observation
- Support and advice
- Appropriate resources
- Evaluation/review of support
Package B: Regular support
Package C: Intensive support
Package D: Outreach from The Rowan School
Packages of support will normally be reviewed on a six weekly basis.
The capacity of the team to respond in this way is limited. Because of this the following indicators of need will be used to inform judgements about whether a service can be offered.
Indicators of need
Information and evidence is available which indicates a Child/Young Person who has identified social communication difficulties is:
At imminent risk of exclusion. Normally this will mean they have had at least two incidents which have led to fixed term exclusions in the current academic year.
Demonstrating very high levels of stress and anxiety and has been referred to CAMHS and/or the Clinical Psychology Team at Ryegate Children’s Centre.
A Child Looked After by the Local Authority and there is a high level of concern shared by the social worker and school staff about how well the school can meet their needs.
A Child/Young Person on the Child Protection register and there is a high level of concern shared by the social worker and school staff about how well the school can meet their needs.
There is a request from the Local Authority for support from the team which will contribute to a multi-agency response to supporting a Child/Young Person.
The Team has an open access policy. We can be contacted by parents/carers and professionals on:
Autism Team tel: 0114 2506800 email: moira.bolan@sheffield.gov.uk
Or Autism Team Support Line Tel: 0114 2506800
How to make a request for intensive support
Requests for Intensive support are open to anyone who has a concern that may meet the indicators.
As a targeted service we adjust our staffing to the level of assessed need.
All our teachers and Teaching Assistants are experienced in working with Children/Young People with social communication difficulties or Autism. They are familiar with alternative means of communication.
We would normally make arrangements for a translator to be present when working with families and Children/Young People whose first language is not English.
All team staff have regular training on Child Protection. The programme of team development will include updates on best practice, using alternative communication methods and behaviour management.
Parents will be be asked for consent for their child to receive support. The school /setting should share visit records of any involvement team members have with their Child/Young Person. All our records contain a reminder for the school or setting that this is our expectation. We also attend reviews to give direct feedback and provide evidence of progress.
The team focusses on school support but does provide materials and advice to parents. Usually this would be part of the co-ordinated approach from all services working with the family.
The Team began offering Cygnet parent training courses in April 2014. This is a parenting support programme for parents and carers of children and young people aged 7 to 18 years with an autistic spectrum condition.
The Cygnet programme is delivered over 6 sessions by 2 trainers. The group is ideally no more than 12 parents and carers. Each session last between 2 and half to 3 hours. A follow up session is offered 3 months after session 6