Staged Intervention

and

Joint Support Teams

in

East Renfrewshire

Guidelines

Staged Intervention (STINT) for East Renfrewshire

Rationale:

Vision for children

The Scottish Executive’s ambition for the children of Scotland is that they should be ambitious for themselves and be:

confident individuals

effective contributors

successful learners

responsible citizens

To achieve this vision, children need to be:

  • Safe: Children and young people should be protected from abuse, neglect and harm by others at home, at school and in the community.
  • Nurtured: Children and young people should live within a supportive family setting, with additional assistance if required, or, where this is not possible, within another caring setting, ensuring a positive and rewarding childhood experience.
  • Healthy: Children and young people should enjoy the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, with access to suitable healthcare and support for safe and healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Achieving: Children and young people should have access to positive learning environments and opportunities to develop their skills, confidence and self esteem to the fullest potential.
  • Active: Children and young people should be active with opportunities and encouragement to participate in play and recreation, including sport.
  • Respected and responsible: Children, young people and their carers should be involved in decisions that affect them, should have their voices heard and should be encouraged to play an active and responsible role in their communities.
  • Included: Children, young people and their carers should have access to high quality services, when required, and should be assisted to overcome the social, educational, physical, environmental and economic barriers that create inequality.

Definition of ‘Additional Support Needs’

The Additional Support for Learning Act introduces the term additional support needs. This new term applies to children and young people who, for whatever reason, require additional support, long or short term, in order to help them make the most of their school education. Children and young people may require additional support for a variety of reasons and may include those who:

  • have motor or sensory impairments
  • are being bullied
  • are particularly able or talented
  • have experienced a bereavement
  • are looked after
  • have a learning difficulty
  • are living with parents who are abusing substances
  • are living with parents who have mental health problems
  • have English as an additional language
  • are not attending school regularly
  • have emotional or social difficulties
  • are on the child protection register
  • are young carers.

The above list is not exhaustive nor should it be assumed that inclusion in the list automatically implies that additional support will be necessary.

In order to address this range of needs within East Renfrewshire we are putting in place a staged intervention process based on the previous Step Process but now expanded to take into account the requirements of the ASfL Act and the Vision for Scotland’s Children.

Examples of ‘Additional Support’ as stated in ‘Supporting Children’s Learning: Code of Practice’

Additional support for children and young people may include:

• a particular approach to teaching: for example, as used with children and young

people with autistic spectrum disorders, dyslexia or sensory impairments

• the deployment of personnel from within the school and education authority, as

well as from other agencies: teacher, support for learning assistant or auxiliary;

health, social services or voluntary agency staff

• provision of particular resources: including information and communications

technology (ICT), and particular teaching materials.

Examples of additional support provided from within education services to children

and young people are the following:

• a learning assistant supporting a child with an autistic spectrum disorder in a

nursery

• class teacher helping a child by following a behaviour management programme

drawn up in consultation with a behaviour support teacher

• tutorial support from a support for learning teacher to help with a reading difficulty

• designated support staff working with Gypsy/Traveller children on their site to

help them improve their literacy and numeracy skills

• in-class support provided by an English as Additional Language (EAL) teacher for

a child whose first language is not English

• a more able child at the later stages of primary school receiving support to

access the secondary mathematics curriculum

• use of voice recognition software by a child with dyslexia.

Some children and young people will require additional support from agencies from

outwith education services if they are to make progress. Some examples are:

• social work support to help a young person remain drug free

• communication programme drawn up by a speech and language therapist and

teacher, for implementation in the classroom

• an anger management programme delivered to a group of young people by staff

from a voluntary agency

• counselling provided by a voluntary agency for a child coping with bereavement

• psychiatric support for a child with mental health difficulties

• specialist equipment support from physiotherapy or occupational therapy

• group or individual career support to engage choices for education, training or

employment in preparation for leaving school.

‘The key values and principles of assessment and intervention taken from the ASfL Act are as follows:

taking a holistic view of children and young people and their circumstances, and what they need to grow and develop and achieve their potential

seeking, taking account of and noting, the views of children, parents and young people

ensuring that parents, and young people, understand, and are asked to agree to, the purpose of any assessment

ensuring that assessment is an ongoing, integrated process of planning, making provision for, and reviewing, services for the individual

adopting the least intrusive and most effective course of action for children, young people and families

taking into account issues of diversity and equality and ensuring that outcomes do not discriminate against children, young people and their families. This includes not discriminating on grounds of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion or belief, and age

working in partnership with parents to secure education for their children and to promote their child’s health, development and welfare.

The Act does not dictate any particular model of assessment and intervention, but the Code of Practice recognises that a staged approach should contain ‘discrete stages of intervention which seek to resolve difficulties as early as possible and with the least intrusive course of action.’

The following proposal is based on a re-launch of the Step Process in light of the new Act.

This East Renfrewshire model for Staged Intervention will be referred to as STINT.

The proposed East Renfrewshire model for ‘Staged Intervention’ (STINT)

* NB it is assumed that all staff providing additional support will carry on from STAGE 1

to 2 and so on e.g. Class Teacher centrally involved at STAGES 2, 3, 4 and 5 as well

as 1, Support Staff involved in 3,4 and 5 as well as 2.

Taking a closer look at Stage 1

Key Features:

At Stage 1 the class teacher / pre-school staff may seek advice from school-managed staff/TASN (e.g. colleague, ASD/ Dyslexia Adviser Support for Learning Staff, SMT/ ASN Coordinator, Inclusion Facilitator, HI Staff, VI Staff, Home Visiting Teacher) but the class teacher will implement and monitor any strategies, which are used to provide the child with additional support.

Completed Stage 1 planning and recording forms should be collated. These will provide valuable information for future additional support. Staff who currently work (or will work) with the child identified as requiring additional support will be able to build a support programme around the successful strategies, whilst avoiding the replication of unsuccessful approaches.

It is good practice to share information with parents/carers and draw on their knowledge and expertise. This may be achieved through formal or informal methods. Parents concerns should be responded to quickly.

‘Framework For Intervention’, ‘Restorative Approaches’ and ‘Solution Oriented Approaches’ may be useful at this stage.

Taking a closer look at Stage 2.

Key Features:

At Stage 2 the child will receive additional support from the class teacher/ pre-school staff and other school/ nursery-managed staff ( e.g. ASD/ Dyslexia Adviser, Learning Support Staff, SMT/ ASN Coordinator, Inclusion Facilitator, HI/VI/CCC visiting staff). The class teacher/ pre-school staff will implement some of the strategies whilst other identified members of school / nursery-managed staff implement the others.

Stage 2 planning and recording forms will be completed collaboratively by the class teacher and ASN Coordinator to reflect the collaborative nature of the additional support provided for the child. The ASN Coordinator and class teacher will collate completed Stage 2 planning and recording forms.

It is important at this stage that parents feel included and encouraged to contribute to discussions, so that they are clear on what to expect and the next steps.

‘Framework For Intervention’, ‘Restorative Approaches’ and ‘Solution Oriented Approaches’ may be useful at this stage.

Consideration may be given for additional support from outwith the school at a JST Meeting, Pupil/Pastoral Review, Psychologist Pre Referral. At this point, if no additional support from other agencies is incorporated into the plan, the child will remain at Stage 2. If additional support is provided by other agencies (including educational psychology, Integrated School Team, Social Work Staff or Health Staff) then the child will move to Stage 3.

Taking a closer look at Stage 3

Key Features:

At Stage 3 the child may receive additional support from education, health, social work, voluntary agencies as required (e.g., ASN Co-ordinator or SMT, Inclusion Facilitator, Educational Psychologist, Frameworker, Quest, Spark of Genius)

It should be the role of the SMT/ASN Coordinator to ensure effective communication, collaboration and integrated assessment and provision when other agencies are involved. For example, where a child is looked after and accommodated there will already be involvement from social work and health staff as well as, possibly, voluntary organisations

Stage 3 planning and recording forms will be completed collaboratively to reflect the integrated nature of the additional support provided for the child.

Parents and young people should be involved in processes and roles explained by the identified Key Worker or ASN Coordinator. They should be actively involved in decision-making (unless it is not appropriate or in the best interests of the child). Times of meetings should take account of parent availability.

‘Framework For Intervention’, ‘Restorative Approaches’ and ‘Solution Oriented Approaches’ may be useful at this stage.

Taking a closer look at Stage 4

Key Features:

At this stage the child/young person will receive additional support from the Integrated School Team and any other agencies as required (e.g. vol org )

A Case Discussion will be held to put a coordinated action plan in place. A decision will be made to appoint, or change, a named Key Worker if that has

not already been done.

It is the role of the Key Worker to ensure effective communication and collaboration and provision when other agencies are involved. This may consist of reviewing provision and contributing to established plans e.g. Looked After plan, Child Protection Plan, Health Plan.

Planning should be completed collaboratively to reflect the integrated nature of additional support.

Parents and young people should be part of this holistic planning and assessment process and their views taken into account (unless it is not appropriate or in the best interests of the child). They are likely to attend meetings but may choose to speak only with the Key Worker.

In certain circumstances, where there is a serious concern, a pupil may require additional support at stage 4 without intervention at previous stages e.g. exclusions. The JST should be involved before or as soon after the exclusion as possible. A case discussion should identify a clear action plan (see Standard Circular) to support the pupil during and after the period of exclusion.

Consideration should be given to the opening of a CSP (see ‘CSP Decision Tree’ in the ‘Code of Practice’ Ch4, p53 NB included as Appendix 1.

‘Framework For Intervention’, ‘Restorative Approaches’ and ‘Solution Oriented Approaches’ may be useful at this stage.

Taking a closer look at Stage 5

Key Features:

The Act and associated regulations set out the form and content for a coordinated support plan. The statutory parts of the plan and prescribed decisions, failure or information can be referred to the tribunal for review. Plans must contain:

  • the education authority’s conclusions as to the factor or factors from which the additional support needs of the child or young person arise,
  • the educational objectives sought to be achieved taking account of those factors,
  • the additional support required to achieve these objectives; and
  • details of those who will provide this support,
  • the name of the school the child or young person is to attend,
  • the details of the person who will co-ordinate the additional support identified in the plan, or the details of any person nominated by the education authority to carry out the coordinator function, if not an education authority official,
  • the details of a contact person within the local authority from whom the parents or young person can obtain advice and further information.

A decision might be taken that it is better for all agencies to contribute to an existing plan if it is the most appropriate planning document, rather than to open a CSP. In this case, school staff would be actively engaged in the agreed plan, which would be coordinated by another agency. Relevant areas of the plan must be made available for school staff who are providing additional support.

‘Framework For Intervention’, ‘Restorative Approaches’ and ‘Solution Oriented Approaches’ may be useful at this stage.

STINTStage 1 planning and recording form (Explanatory Notes)

Child/ Young Person’s name: Pupil’s class/ stage/ group: Class Teacher/ Key Worker: Date Form Started:

Brief description of concern:

Why are you concerned? Note areas of difficulty that are impinging on the child’s opportunity to benefit from school education or reach their fullest potential.

How was the concern initially identified? Note the ‘evidence’ you are basing this concern on with key observations or assessments (informal/formal)

When was the concern initially identified? Note the approximate time you started to become concerned (this timescale may vary prior to starting this Stage 1 form. e.g. beginning of a new term, start of a new topic, after a holiday, after an incident in/out of school).

Strategy / Start date for strategy / Date for evaluating strategy / Evaluation of strategy
These strategies will aim to provide additional support based on your assessment of the child’s needs. It should be as specific as possible (without being lengthy) to allow a colleague to understand what the actual intervention involves. At any particular time you may implement between 1 and 4 strategies alongside one another. / Once you have identified a strategy or range of strategies note the date you will implement these from. / Set this date at the same time as identifying the strategies. Aim for at least 6 weeks between start date and evaluation date. / Note brief comments on the effectiveness of the strategy. Try to write these as close to the evaluation date as possible. Were any adaptations necessary? What worked? What didn’t work? This information will be valuable when planning for the child in the future.

Stage 1 discussion (note dates) with: ColleagueLS TeacherASD / Dyslexia AdviserSMT/ ASN CoordinatorInclusion Facilitator Outreach/ CCC PT Pupil Support ( learning) PT Pupil Support ( pastoral) Behaviour Manager Social Justice Manager Family Learning Staff

Support continues at Stage 1Move to Stage 2

STINTStage 1 planning and recording form.

Child/ Young Person’s name: Pupil’s class/ stage/ group: Class Teacher/ Key Worker: Date Form Started:

Strategy / Start date for strategy / Date for evaluating strategy / Evaluation of strategy

Stage 1 discussion (note dates) with: Colleague LS TeacherASD / Dyslexia AdviserSMT/ ASN Coordinator

Pupil Support ( learning)PT Pupil Support ( learning)Behaviour ManagerSocial Justice Manager

HI/ VIHome Visiting TeacherOutreach/ CCCInclusion Facilitator

Family Learning Staff School Nurse

Support continues at Stage 1Move to Stage 2

STINTStage 2 planning and recording form (Explanatory Notes)

Child/ Young Person’s name: Pupil’s class/ stage/ group: Class Teacher/ Key Worker: Date Form Started:

Names and job titles of staff providing additional support:

Brief description of additional concerns:

If you have any concerns about the child, which are not noted on the Stage 1 form, please note them here using the key questions below.

Why are you concerned? Note areas of difficulty that are impinging on the child’s opportunity to benefit from school education or reach their fullest potential.

How was the concern initially identified? Note the ‘evidence’ you are basing this concern on with key observations or assessments (informal/formal)