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It is offering services and supporting the children with the Autism, but first the child need to be diagnosis with tree specialists.

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Social Communication Pathway Autism Assessment - Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

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There are other reasons that children and young people can present with social differences, communication differences and behaviour that challenges. For example, if the child has specific learning or language difficulties; or behaviour may be a reaction to significant life experiences. We may feel an autism assessment is not appropriate in this case.

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It Local Authority Designated Officer

Report any unacceptable behaviour or action by any employee working with you

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The role of the LADO (or Designated Officer) is set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) (Chapter 2 Paragraph 4) and is governed by the Local Authorities duties under section 11 of the Children Act 20004.

The Officer LADO is responsible for managing allegations against adults who work with children. This involves working with police, children's social care. employers and other involved professionals. The LADO does not conduct investigations directly, but rather oversees and directs them to ensure thoroughness, timeliness and fairness. Ordinarily, to ensure impartiality, the LADO will not have direct contact with the adult against who the allegation has been made, or the family of the child/children involved but will, as part of their role ensure that these have information regarding outcomes.

This guidance outlines procedures for managing allegations against people who work with children who are paid, unpaid, volunteers, casual, agency or anyone self employed.

The LADO must be contacted within one working day in respect of all cases in which it is alleged that a person who works with children has:

behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed a child;

possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or

behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.

There may be up to three strands in the consideration of an allegation:

a police investigation of a possible criminal offence;

enquiries and assessment by children's social care about whether a child is in need of protection or in need of services;

consideration by an employer of disciplinary action in respect of the individual.

The LADO is responsible for:

Providing advice, information and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations around allegations and concerns regarding paid and unpaid workers.

Managing and overseeing individual cases from all partner agencies.

Ensuring the child's voice is heard and that they are safeguarded.

Ensuring there is a consistent, fair and thorough process for all adults working with children and young people against whom an allegation is made.

Monitoring the progress of cases to ensure they are dealt with as quickly as possible.

Recommending a referral and chairing the strategy meeting in cases where the allegation requires investigation by police and/or social care.

The LADO is involved from the initial phase of the allegation through to the conclusion of the case. The LADO is available to discuss any concerns and to assist you in deciding whether you need to make a referral and/or take any immediate management action to protect a child.

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The role of the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) - national-lado-network.co.uk

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The role of the LADO (or Designated Officer) is set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) (Chapter 2 Paragraph 4) and is governed by the Local Authorities duties under section 11 of the Children Act 20004. The Officer LADO is responsible for managing allegations against adults who work with children.

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Specialist Sensory Education Team

Provides services for children with sight or hearing loss or problem.

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The information on this page is aimed at professionals. If you are a parent and want information on what we do please see our:

What we do

We work collaboratively with schools to provide effective support for children with hearing loss and/or visual impairments to ensure that they can access the curriculum and achieve the best outcomes possible

Our support teachers provide support according to the individual needs of each child including:

Direct teaching support as required

Regular liaison with the SENCO and class teacher about the implications for access to the curriculum and advising on strategies and differentiation

Regular liaison with allocated school support staff and providing ongoing training in the support of a child with a hearing loss or visual impairments

Carry out an environmental audit of the environment providing recommendations to schools on modifications or equipment

Provide advice on any health and safety implications

Specialist equipment

Loan of specialist equipment or advice on equipment to be provided by school

Monitoring, maintenance and evaluation of specialist equipment

Advise on general classroom equipment to improve accessibility

Liaise with the Paediatric Audiology Team for updates on hearing levels and hearing aid settings

Regular hearing aid checks including hearing aid analyser checks OR cochlear implant or bone anchored hearing aid checks

Advise on, or arranging hearing aid repairs or replacements

Attend audiology appointments where appropriate

Radio aid checks (if provided)

Liaise with the ophthalmologist and/or orthoptist for updates on levels of vision and prescribed low vision aids

Monitor the use of prescription aids such as glasses and hand held magnifiers

Assessments

Non-verbal abilities tests

Annual assessments of receptive and expressive vocabulary and language

Functional vision and listening assessments

Annual reading and spelling tests

Keyboard/typing skills

Mobility and independence needs

Advice on access arrangements for external examinations or assessments. These should also be in place as the normal way of working for a child and for internal school examinations or assessments.

Training

We provide training for professionals including:

Whole school or small group training on the implications of hearing loss and/or visual impairment

Individual ongoing training on strategies to support a child

Annual courses for staff working with children with hearing loss and/or visual impairment

Our requirements

To provide effective support and advice our support teachers require:

Access to a quiet, well lit room to provide individual support and assessments

Regular meetings to discuss support and progress

Regular access to SENCO and/or class teacher

Regular liaison with allocated school support staff

Effective monitoring of the use of specialist equipment.

Referring a child

Medical professionals can make a referral to SSET if there is a hearing loss and/or visual impairment that could affect a child's access to learning. Parents must always give permission before SSET can provide support.

Contact us to refer a child for our help

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Specialist Sensory Education Team (SSET)

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Information for professionals - Supporting young people with significant hearing loss or visual impairments that could give them problems in their education.

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Encourages children in care and those who have been in care to accomplish their educational goals.

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Salford Virtual School is highly ambitious for our children in care. As corporate parents, we are driven by the question 'Would this be good enough for my child?' in the work that we do.

We passionately believe that our cared for children deserve the best education possible, and advocate on their behalf to ensure that they have access to the best educational opportunities within a high quality educational setting.

Cared for children are the children that are subject to Care Orders and those who are voluntarily accommodated who live with foster carers, in residential homes or remain with their family.

In these cases the local authority acts as their corporate parent, responsible for their care and support. The Virtual School takes the lead in ensuring that all of our cared for children who are of school age have the best educational opportunities possible and that there is consistency of approach across Salford schools.

We work in partnership with schools, social workers and other professionals to ensure that:

all Salford cared for children have an appropriate school place

all Salford cared for children have a high quality Personal Educational Plan

all Salford cared for children achieve good outcomes

the educational achievement of cared for and some categories of previously cared for children is prioritised

What service does the Virtual School team offer?

Our main focus is cared for children, but we also provide an advice and guidance service for certain categories of previously cared for children (those who are adopted, subject to a Special Guardianship Order, or a Child Arrangement Order, straight from care). Our work with previously cared for children is detailed here.

For cared for children, we collect, monitor and analyse attendance, attainment and progress data to help us to prioritise our work.
We work closely with schools, social workers and other professionals to offer:

oversight and management of the Personal Educational Plan (PEP) process

advice on PEP targets and suitable interventions

scrutiny of Premium Plus Grant which is awarded to schools to support their cohort of cared for children

a wide range of advice and training for designated teachers and other school staff relating to education and emotional health and wellbeing of cared for children, for example attachment

fast referral routes to our commissioned educational psychologists and speech and language therapist

casework, with VST teacher advisors advocating for individual children and their education

support and challenge to headteachers and designated teachers to ensure compliance with their statutory responsibilities

support to social workers by providing consultation, advice and training around admissions, exclusions, progress and attainment, the PEP process and targets and good practice around a school's use of the Pupil Premium Plus Grant.

support to social workers to navigate sometimes complex educational issues, including cross-authority protocols, including liaison with other virtual schools

Meet the Virtual School team!

Headteacher: Sue Johnson, sue.johnson@salford.gov.uk

Deputy Headteacher: Danielle Sanderson, danielle.sanderson@salford.gov.uk

Deputy Headteacher: Kelly Smith, kelly.m.smith@salford.gov.uk

PEP/PPP co-ordinator: Jenna Johnson, jenna.johnson@salford.gov.uk

Information and data officer: Adele Foster, adele.x.foster@salford.gov.uk

Education Officer (Attendance): Katie Law, k.law@salford.gov.uk

Teacher advisor (Primary, Early Years and Key Stage 1): Nicola Rafter, nicola.rafter@salford.gov.uk

Teacher advisor (Primary, Key Stage 2 and Transition): Daniel Buckley, daniel.buckley@salford.gov.uk

Teacher advisor (Secondary KS3): Nina Harvey, nina.harvey@salford.gov.uk

Teacher advisor (Secondary KS4) Niki Madden, niki.madden@salford.gov.uk

Teacher Advisor (Special) and SENDCO Angela Cooper, angela.cooper@salford.gov.uk

Teacher advisor (Post 16): Karen Bromelow, karen.bromelow@salford.gov.uk

Lead Education Advisor - Extended Duties: Catherine Hindley, c.hindley@salford.gov.uk

How can you contact the Virtual School team?

You can email the relevant Virtual School team officers using the email addresses above if you have a specific query, or you can email virtualschoolteam@salford.gov.uk if you have a general query.

This page was last updated on 6 September 2024

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Salford Virtual School Team•Salford City Council

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Salford Virtual School is highly ambitious for our children in care. As corporate parents, we are driven by the question ‘Would this be good enough for my child?’ in the work that we do.

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Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS)

Provides support and service to families whose first language is not English

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Early Years (SEND)

Helping Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who are ages 0–5. To provide them the finest start in life and the opportunity to realise their full potential, this entails determining and attending to their specific needs.

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Many children with Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) are able to access the same types of provision that are available for all children/young people. They will not require any additional resources beyond some advice or signposting to enable them to do this. Information about these services and how to access them is available on the SEND Local Offer.

This pathway describes the three levels of additional support available for children in the Early Years with SEND. View the Early Years Pathway diagram in the download section of this entry.

The different levels of support and the types of services in those areas are featured in the document in the download section.

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Early Years Pathway for Children aged 0 to 5 with SEND (Special Educational Need or Disability)

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Many children with Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) are able to access the same types of provision that are available for all children/young people. They will not require any additional resources beyond some advice or signposting to enable them to do this. Information about...

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Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Service

Offer a variety of services to children and youth who have learning disabilities or challenges, making sure they get the help they need to thrive in school and beyond.

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Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

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Children with special educational needs (SEN) can get the help they need to get an education - SEN support, education, health and care plans, SEN before September 2014