SEN Support Services

CONSENT FORM FOR PARENTS /CARERS

Cornwall Council’s SEN Support Services provide support, advice and training to schools and settings, so that the needs of children and young people with special educational needs are met. The SEN Support Services work closely with families.

The SEN Support Services are: Alternative and Augmentative Communication Team, Cognition and Learning Service, Hearing Support Team, Physical and Medical Needs Advisory Service, Vision Support Team.

BY SIGNING THIS FORM I AGREETO THE FOLLOWING:

  • I give my consent for my child’s school to request involvement from the SEN Support Services to support my child in school. School have discussed the content of the request for support with me.
  • I give my consent for the following SEN Support Services to become involved with my child: (please tick )

☐Augmentative and Alternative Communication Team

☐Cognition and Learning Service

☐Hearing Support Team

☐Physical and Medical Needs Advisory Service

☐Vision Support Team

  • I understand this may involve a range of different activities including consultation with school staff and other professionals, observation, direct work or assessment with my child, including talking to my child about their views relating to their education, and attendance at review meetings.
  • I understand that I will be given a copy of any written records from the SEN Support Service and that a file will be opened for my child and that this will be kept in a secure place. It will be held in a secure environment until the individual’s 30th birthday in accordance with Cornwall Council’s data retention guidelines , after which time it will be destroyed in a secure manner
  • I give consent for reports written by the relevant SEN Support Service to be shared with other professionals to inform the types of support that may be available to my child (e.g. Speech and Language Therapist, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Audiologist, Orthoptist other Cornwall Council SEN Support Services).
  • I have read the data protection information in the box below.

Data Protection Act
The data collected on this form by SEN Support Services is on behalf of Cornwall Council as Data Controller.
This information is being collected for the purpose of determining the educational needs of the named pupil.
Data on your child may also be shared with other relevant professionals such as other SEN Support Services, teachers, relevant health staff and social workers, to inform their work. The data held relating to the delivery
of support by the relevant SEN Support Service to your child will be used both for the provision of services and also for performance and service planning in accordance with the data protection principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. This information will be held in a secure environment until the individual’s 30th birthday in accordance with the EHSC data retention policy after which time it will be destroyed in a secure manner.
A copy of the Council’s Data Protection policy can be found at

Please note that you have the right to withdraw consent at any time. Should you wish to withdraw your consent please contact the relevant team - see contact details listed below.

Additional Parent/Guardian comments:
Name of child/young person:
Parent/Guardian signature:
Print Name:
Date:

Eligibility Criteria for Involvement of SEN Support Services

Augmentative And Alternative Communication

Eligible pupils will:

  • either have been assessed/or being assessed through the Cornwall AAC assessment pathway (CAACAT). This is a joint assessment process, involving Speech and Language Therapists and staff from the AAC team
  • be using a powered (or hi tech) communication aid provided by Cornwall Local Authority or one provided by NHS England
  • use this communication aid as a main mode of communication

Cognition and Learning

Eligible pupils will:

  • have Cognition and Learning needs including either moderate learning needs (MLD) and specific learning needs (SPLD)
  • be achieving significantly below age related expectations
  • attend a mainstream educational setting

The school or educational setting must:

  • evidence 2 cycles of Assess, Plan, Do Review (involving pupils and parents/carers)
  • evidence that they have implemented a period of intervention with a focus on desired outcomes (over a period of at least a term/12 weeks)

Hearing Support

Eligible pupils will:

  • have a diagnosed hearing loss (Schools can request an initial hearing assessment, by completing theCHA1Sreferral form and return it to Treliske Hospital)

The school or educational setting must:

  • evidence how a pupil’s hearing loss is impacting on the pupil’s education, social interaction or their well-being in the setting

The Hearing Support Team will request that medical information related to the child / young person’s hearing loss is shared with the Team prior to their involvement. This facilitates consistency of medical and education advice.

A standardised set of criteria will be used to determine levels of support using the National Sensory Impairment Partnership guidelines

Physical and Medical Needs

Eligible pupils will:

  • be attending a mainstream educational setting or an Area Resource Base
  • have a physical and/or medical need which affects their ability to access the curriculum, for example within the classroom environment, in practical lessons or school trip

Referrals are accepted from schools (usually the SENCO), from medical professionals and from other colleagues in the Council's Support Services.

The Physical and Medical Needs Advisory Service can provide Moving and Handling Training for staff working with specific students. ‘In Safe Hands’ is the new provider of Moving and Handling training for mainstream and Area Resource Base staff. Please contact the Service using the email: for the referral form for Moving and Handling.

Vision Support

Eligible pupils will:

  • have a diagnosed visual impairment , diagnosed by an Ophthalmologist
  • have a visual impairment which impacts on their ability to access the curriculum and any aspect of their learning

The school or educational setting must:

  • evidence how a pupil’s visual impairment is impacting on the pupil’s education, social interaction or their emotional well-being in the setting

The Vision Support Team will request that medical information related to the child/young person’s visual impairment is shared with the Team prior to their involvement. This facilitates consistency of medical and education advice. A standardised set of criteria will be used to determine levels of support using the National Sensory Impairment Partnership guidelines.

Contact details for the teams

Telephone : 01872 323400

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Team:

Cognition and Learning Service:

Hearing Support Team:

Physical and Medical Needs Advisory Service:

Vision Support Team:

If you would like this information to be provided in an alternative format please contact the appropriate SEN Support Service