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Parental feedback on our recent inclusion survey- spring 2026

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Parental feedback on our recent inclusion survey- spring 2026

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A specialist SALT therapist works in our school fortnightly offering advice, support and targeted interventions to our pupils with speech, language and communication needs.

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We understand the difficulties and barriers schools have accessing Speech and Language Therapy Services. Just take a moment to think about the impact of having easy, consistent and 'on tap' support from an expert in your school.

Our therapists are here to give you immediate support, complete timely assessments and reports, to help secure funding and to empower your workforce. We can reduce your workload. We complete onward referrals.

We organise meetings. We plan and deliver intervention. We set and review targets. We work closely with SENCos and Senior Leaders to develop bespoke packages of support that suit your specific needs.
FIND OUT MORE

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More Than Talk - Manchester | A speech and language therapy service designed specifically around developing the communication needs of your child or teenager.

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We understand the difficulties and barriers schools have accessing Speech and Language Therapy Services. Just take a moment to think about the impact of having easy, consistent and 'on tap' support from an expert in your school. Our therapists are here to give you immediate support, complete timely assessments and reports, to help secure funding and to empower your workforce.

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Our Universal offer and graduated approach to children with SEND identifies what provision and adaptations are available

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Parental feedback on our recent SEND survey- summer 2025

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Parental feedback on our recent SEND survey- summer 2025

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Parent voice 2025

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Parental feedback on our recent SEND survey- Spring 2025

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Parental feedback on our recent SEND survey- Spring 2025

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Parent feedback on our recent SEND survey- autumn 2023

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Parent feedback on our recent SEND survey- autumn 2023

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Dyspraxia Foundation - Local Directory of services, activities and events in Bolton

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The Dyspraxia Foundation is a national, registered charity with its administrative and fundraising centre in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.  Founded…

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Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing and spelling.
It's a specific learning difficulty, which means it causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing.

Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn't affected.

It's estimated up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a lifelong problem that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support is available to improve reading and writing skills and help those with the problem be successful at school and work.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

Signs of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts school and begins to focus more on learning how to read and write.

A person with dyslexia may:

read and write very slowly

confuse the order of letters in words

be confused by letters that look similar and write letters the wrong way round (such as "b" and "d")

have poor or inconsistent spelling

understand information when told verbally, but have difficulty with information that's written down

find it hard to carry out a sequence of directions

struggle with planning and organisation

But people with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Read more about the symptoms of dyslexia.

Getting help

If you think your child may have dyslexia, the first step is to speak to their teacher or their school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about your concerns.

They may be able to offer additional support to help your child if necessary.

If your child continues to have problems despite extra support, you or the school may want to consider requesting an in-depth assessment from a specialist in assessing specific learning difficulties (SpLD), an educational psychologist or a speech and language therapist.

This can be arranged through the school, or you can request a private assessment by contacting:

Adults who wish to be assessed for dyslexia should contact a local or national dyslexia association for advice.

Read more about how dyslexia is diagnosed.

Support for people with dyslexia

If your child has dyslexia, they'll probably need extra educational support from their school.

With appropriate support, there's usually no reason your child can't go to a mainstream school, although a small number of children may benefit from attending a specialist school.

Techniques and support that may help your child include:

occasional 1-to-1 teaching or lessons in a small group with a specialist teacher

phonics (a way of teaching children to identify and process the smaller sounds that make up words) combined with other techniques

technology like computers and speech-recognition software that may make it easier for your child to read and write when they're a bit older

Schools and colleges must offer support to students with a specific learning difficulty like dyslexia, and have access to specialist staff who are trained in helping students with special education needs.

Assistive technologies such as speech-recognition software, word processors and electronic organisers can be useful for adults, too.

Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to help people with dyslexia, such as allowing extra time for certain tasks.

Read more about how dyslexia is managed.

Support groups

As well as national dyslexia charities such as the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), there are several local dyslexia associations listed on the BDA website.

These are independently registered charities that run workshops and help to provide local support and access to information.

What causes dyslexia?

People with dyslexia find it difficult to recognise the different sounds that make up words and relate these to letters.

Dyslexia isn't related to a person's general level of intelligence. Children and adults of all intellectual abilities can be affected by dyslexia.

The exact cause of dyslexia is unknown, but it often appears to run in families.

It's thought certain genes inherited from your parents may act together in a way that affects how some parts of the brain develop during early life.

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Read about dyslexia, a common type of learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

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On Thursday 13 April 2017 Matthew Haw and Karen Spears of RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP were appointed as administrators of Dyslexia Institute Limited t/a Dyslexia Action. Please contact RSM with any queries regarding assessments booked with Dyslexia Action prior to this date.
Dyslexia Action Training, Shop and Guild will continue to operate as normal. Please note: Dyslexia Action will no longer be providing assessment services.
If you are seeking an assessment for you or for your child, you can contact the organisations below.

There are also lists of private providers available at:

Cost

Costs of services vary depending on the type of services requested, please enquire for specific costs.

Referral details

No referral

Special provisions

Ofsted report

SEN type

Cognition and learning

Communication and interaction

Rate this service

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On Thursday 13 April 2017 Matthew Haw and Karen Spears of RSM Restructuring Advisory LLP were appointed as administrators of Dyslexia Institute...

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All Saints Universal Offer and Graduated Approach 2025-2026 (1).doc

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily.
This topic is about DCD in children, although the condition often causes continued problems into adulthood.

Find out more about DCD in adults.

Symptoms of DCD

Early developmental milestones of crawling, walking, self-feeding and dressing may be delayed in young children with DCD. Drawing, writing and performance in sports are also usually behind what is expected for their age.

Although signs of the condition are present from an early age, children vary widely in their rate of development. This means a definite diagnosis of DCD does not usually happen until a child with the condition is 5 years old or more.

Find out more about symptoms of DCD in children.

When to seek medical advice

If you're concerned about your child's health or development, talk to a GP or health visitor, or speak to a nurse, doctor or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child's school.

They may refer your child to an occupational therapist, paediatrician, or another health professional who can assess them and try to identify any developmental problems.

Find out more about diagnosing DCD in children.

Causes of DCD

Doing co-ordinated movements is a complex process that involves many different nerves and parts of the brain.

Any problem in this process could potentially lead to difficulties with movement and co-ordination.

It's not usually clear why co-ordination doesn't develop as well as other abilities in children with DCD.

However, a number of risk factors that can increase a child's likelihood of developing DCD have been identified.

These include:

being born prematurely, before the 37th week of pregnancy

being born with a low birth weight

having a family history of DCD, although it is not clear exactly which genes may be involved in the condition

the mother drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs while pregnant

Treating DCD

There's no cure for DCD, but a number of therapies can help children to manage their problems.

These include:

being taught ways of do activities they find difficult, such as breaking down difficult movements into smaller parts and practicing them regularly

adapting tasks to make them easier, such as using special grips on pens and pencils so they are easier to hold

Although DCD does not affect how intelligent a child is, it can make it more difficult for them to learn and they may need extra help to keep up at school.

Treatment for DCD will be tailored to your child and usually involves a number of different healthcare professionals working together.

Although the physical co-ordination of a child with DCD will remain below average, this may be less of a problem as they get older and develop coping strategies. Some children may continue to have problems.

However, difficulties in school - particularly producing written work - can become much more prominent and require extra help from parents and teachers.

Find out more about treating DCD in children.

Dyspraxia or DCD?

While many people in the UK use the term dyspraxia to refer to the difficulties with movement and co-ordination that first develop in young children, this term is used less often by healthcare professionals.

Instead, most healthcare professionals use the term developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) to describe the condition.

This term is generally preferred by healthcare professionals because dyspraxia can have several meanings.

For example, dyspraxia can be used to describe movement difficulties that happen later in life because of damage to the brain, such as from a stroke or head injury.

Some healthcare professionals may also use the term specific developmental disorder of motor function (SDDMF) to refer to DCD.

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children

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Read about developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, a condition that affects physical co-ordination.

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Graduated approach to SEND – SEND Local Offer

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The Local Offer provides a single point for information to help families access details about services available to them, and offer guidance in multiple areas, such as:Early years placesSchools (including academies and free schools)CollegesHealth and careLeisure activities

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Admission to special schools

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is required for all children and young people who are enrolled to a special school or resourced provision.

If you feel that a special school or resourced provision would be the most appropriate placement for your child or yourself this should be discussed at their or your annual review.

Special schools in Bolton

Primary schools

Green Fold School (for children with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties)

Ladywood School (for children with complex needs and moderate learning difficulties)

Secondary schools

Lever Park School (for children and young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties)

Rumworth School (for children and young people with complex needs and moderate leaning difficulties)

Firwood School (for children and young people with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties)

All-through school

Please refer to the school's directory for a full list of schools and further information.

Resourced provisions in Bolton

Below is a brief list of those mainstream schools in Bolton who have resourced provisions for certain types of need.

Primary schools

Secondary schools

Please refer to the school's directory for further details of each of these schools.

Independent schools and colleges

For a list of all independent schools and colleges for children with special educational needs or disability (SEND), including schools and colleges approved under section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014 in England and Wales, independent special schools in England, including non-maintained special schools (NMSS) please refer to Gov UK.

Help finding work for young people with learning difficulties

We offer support in a variety of ways from j ob search through to job placement and student support during those placements.

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An Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) is required for all children and young people who are enrolled to a special school or resourced provision.

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SEND and Inclusion

Pre-School Matrix of Developmental Needs

The Pre School Matrix is used to determine a child's level of Special Educational Needs within the four areas of the SEND Code of Practice:

Social, emotional and mental health

Communication and interaction

Physical and sensory

Cognition and Learning.

The Pre School Matrix is used to support the panel in allocating the Inclusion Fund for children with Special Educational Needs.

Matrix Nursery 2 is for children in their preschool year (children who will start Reception Class in September 2024).

Matrix Nursery 1 is for children in their rising 3 year (children who will start Reception Class in September 2025).

Matrix Nursery 0 is for children who turn 2 within this school year (children who will start Reception Class in September 2026).

Featured Downloads

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As a parent carer forum, we ensure that the voices of Bolton’s parent carers are heard by SEND professionals locally, and also nationally. Services have a duty to consider parent carers, children's and young peoples views, when developing, reviewing and changing any services that are used by families with a child or young person (0-25) with SEND.

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As a parent carer forum, we ensure that the voices of Bolton's parent carers are heard by SEND professionals locally, and also nationally. Services have a duty to consider parent carers, childrens and young peoples views, when developing, reviewing and changing any services that are used by families with a child or young person (0-25) with SEND.

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As a parent carer forum, we ensure that the voices of Bolton's parent carers are heard by SEND professionals locally, and also nationally. Services have a duty to consider parent carers, childrens and young peoples views, when developing, reviewing and changing any services that are used by families with a child or young person (0-25) with SEND.

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Bolton IAS is a statutory service, that provide legally informed information, advice and support, to parents and carers who have children between birth and 25 years, with any type of SEND. We also support young people directly. We cover Education, Health and Social care matters. All IAS staff are qualified, skilled, parent carers themselves, and experienced in delivering information, advice and support. Local Authorities must have an IAS service.

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IAS Bolton - Information and advisory Service in Bolton- supporting families and young people with SEND

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How can Bolton Information and Advisory Service help parents?

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How can Bolton Information and Advisory Service help parents?

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IASS video for Parents - what they are/how they can help?

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Interim Statement regarding the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Pathway:

In Bolton, we are currently revising the ADHD pathway for children. Bolton's ADHD diagnostic pathway is for children and young people registered with a Bolton GP from aged 5, up until a young person's 18th birthday.

As with any multiagency process, we expect the lead professional to gather the relevant information and initiate a referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) if they have concerns about possible ADHD, which impacts on the child in their daily life.

For children attending schools and colleges, this referral is typically made by the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) or education professional.

For those not attending school but on role in a school, this should be coordinated by the SENCO (if they hold relevant information) with support from agencies with current involvement e.g., Public Health Nursing, GPs.

For those children and young people who are Electively Home Educated (EHE), responsibility sits with the EHE Officer at the Achievement, Cohesion and Integration Service (ACIS). If concerns about disordered conduct and suspected ADHD are raised, the professional should contact the Electively Home Educated Officer who will further liaise with appropriate professionals.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - SEND Local Offer

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The Local Offer provides a single point for information to help families access details about services available to them, and offer guidance in multiple areas, such as:Early years placesSchools (including academies and free schools)CollegesHealth and careLeisure activities

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NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)

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Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be categorised into 2 types of behavioural problems:

inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)

hyperactivity and impulsiveness

Many people with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this is not always the case.

For example, around 2 to 3 in 10 people with the condition have problems with concentrating and focusing, but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness.

This form of ADHD is also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADD can sometimes go unnoticed because the symptoms may be less obvious.

ADHD is more often diagnosed in boys than girls. Girls are more likely to have symptoms of inattentiveness only, and are less likely to show disruptive behaviour that makes ADHD symptoms more obvious. This means girls who have ADHD may not always be diagnosed.

Symptoms in children and teenagers

The symptoms of ADHD in children and teenagers are well defined, and they're usually noticeable before the age of 6. They occur in more than 1 situation, such as at home and at school.

Children may have symptoms of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity and impulsiveness, or they may have symptoms of just 1 of these types of behaviour.

Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)

The main signs of inattentiveness are:

having a short attention span and being easily distracted

making careless mistakes - for example, in schoolwork

appearing forgetful or losing things

being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming

appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions

constantly changing activity or task

having difficulty organising tasks

Hyperactivity and impulsiveness

The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are:

being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings

constantly fidgeting

being unable to concentrate on tasks

excessive physical movement

excessive talking

being unable to wait their turn

acting without thinking

interrupting conversations

little or no sense of danger

These symptoms can cause significant problems in a child's life, such as underachievement at school, poor social interaction with other children and adults, and problems with discipline.

Related conditions in children and teenagers with ADHD

Although not always the case, some children may also have signs of other problems or conditions alongside ADHD, such as:

anxiety disorder - which causes your child to worry and be nervous much of the time; it may also cause physical symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, sweating and dizziness

oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) - this is defined by negative and disruptive behaviour, particularly towards authority figures, such as parents and teachers

conduct disorder - this often involves a tendency towards highly antisocial behaviour, such as stealing, fighting, vandalism and harming people or animals

depression

sleep problems - finding it difficult to get to sleep at night, and having irregular sleeping patterns

autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) - this affects social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour

dyspraxia - a condition that affects physical co-ordination

epilepsy - a condition that affects the brain and causes repeated fits or seizures

Tourette's syndrome - a condition of the nervous system, characterised by a combination of involuntary noises and movements (tics)

learning difficulties - such as dyslexia

Symptoms in adults

In adults, the symptoms of ADHD are more difficult to define. This is largely due to a lack of research into adults with ADHD.

As ADHD is a developmental disorder, it's believed it cannot develop in adults without it first appearing during childhood. But symptoms of ADHD in children and teenagers often continue into adulthood.

The way in which inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness affect adults can be very different from the way they affect children.

For example, hyperactivity tends to decrease in adults, while inattentiveness tends to remain as the pressures of adult life increase.

Adult symptoms of ADHD also tend to be far more subtle than childhood symptoms.

Some specialists have suggested the following as a list of symptoms associated with ADHD in adults:

carelessness and lack of attention to detail

continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones

poor organisational skills

inability to focus or prioritise

continually losing or misplacing things

forgetfulness

restlessness and edginess

difficulty keeping quiet, and speaking out of turn

blurting out responses and often interrupting others

mood swings, irritability and a quick temper

inability to deal with stress

extreme impatience

taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of others - for example, driving dangerously

Related conditions in adults with ADHD

As with ADHD in children and teenagers, ADHD in adults can occur alongside several related problems or conditions.

One of the most common is depression. Other conditions that adults may have alongside ADHD include:

personality disorders - conditions in which an individual differs significantly from the average person in terms of how they think, perceive, feel or relate to others

bipolar disorder - a condition affecting your mood, which can swing from one extreme to another

obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) - a condition that causes obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour

The behavioural problems associated with ADHD can also cause problems such as difficulties with relationships and social interaction.

Page last reviewed: 24 December 2021
Next review due: 24 December 2024

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Symptoms

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Read about symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which are categorised into inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

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ADHD is not a mental illness or a learning disability, though children and young people with ADHD may also have other conditions or experience mental health problems.

Living with ADHD can be very challenging, for your child as well as for you being their parents and carers. The right diagnosis, treatment and support can make a big difference to your child's learning, life skills and relationships, as well as making family life easier. There is also lots you can do as a parent/carer to help your child manage the things they find difficult.

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, there are different ways in which you can help to support them such as:

Children with ADHD are diagnosed and treated by Bolton Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). NHS Bolton CCG, Bolton CAMHS and other partners such as Educational Psychology and Behaviour Support are currently reviewing the ADHD pathway. This page will contain the pathway and further information for parents and carers once agreed.

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ADHD is not a mental illness or a learning disability, though children and young people with ADHD may also have other conditions or experience mental health problems. Living with ADHD can be very challenging, for your child as well as for you being their parents and carers.

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ADHD Parent support Booklet

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What is Autism?

Autism describes the differences in social communication and social interaction, along with repetitive and restricted behaviours. Identity-first language (i.e., "autistic people" rather than "people with autism") is used throughout this page as this is in line with a range of Greater Manchester autism standards and strategies. This also aligns with research based on the response of over 3,000 people, led by the National Autistic Society (NAS) and the preference of our young autistic people involved in this project. Some people prefer ''person with autism'' so it is always important to ask what language the individual is comfortable with.

Social communication includes changing or adapting how you speak to fit a social situation, for example, speaking quietly in a library or speaking more casually when with friends. People with social communication differences may find it hard to understand tone of voice, sarcasm, or engaging in 'small talk'. Social interaction is about how you use eye contact, facial expression, body language and gesture. Repetitive and restricted behaviours can include things like an insistence on things being the same, repeated words or movements, intense interests, and sensory differences. If there are differences in all three of these areas that significantly impact on a person's ability to function in their day to day lives it may be appropriate to consider further assessment via the local autism pathway.

It is estimated that one in one hundred people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK ( National Autistic Society) - their website contains a useful description and the video below:

The definition of autism has changed over the years, other associated terms such as Aspergers are now no longer detailed in diagnostic manuals. Every individual with autism has a range of strength and needs. In an ever evolving climate of criteria and research, one thing remains constant; autistic people have the same rights as non-autistic people and with the right support after diagnosis and reasonable adjustments all help allow autistic people to feel understood and valued in their communities.

We know that around half of people with autism have a learning disability and around 70% of people with autism also meet diagnostic criteria for at least 1 other (often unrecognised) physical or mental health problem, such as sleep problems, eating problems, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, problems with attention, dyspraxia, motor coordination problems, sensory sensitivities, self-injurious behaviour and other behaviour that challenges (sometimes aggressive) (NICE guidance). These coexisting difficulties can significantly impact a person's quality of life and that of their families or carers.

How is autism diagnosed in Bolton?

Early identification of need remains a crucial part of a diagnostic journey. In Bolton, our autism diagnosis process is called the Bolton Social Communication and Interaction Pathway (BSCIP). In Bolton we continue to commit to a multiagency pathway which is underpinned by the relevant diagnostic guidance we must follow. Within the multiagency team there are two main referral routes into the pathway. The first is usually through community paediatrics and looks at under 11s where there are concerns regarding their development or medical conditions. The second is through usually CAMHS who support over 11s often who may have other mental health conditions which can make it difficult to make a differential diagnosis (tease apart mental health and social communication and interaction needs).

What is needed to make a referral?

Autism is a lifelong diagnosis and as such there needs to be robust evidence from the team around the child or young person before referring into the pathway. This may include assessments and advice given by the child's health visitor, for a school age child or young person this will include interventions and strategies put in place via the early help process. This process forms part of the evidence gathering stage and helps schools identify through the graduated approach what might help in meeting a child's needs. The lead professional may make referrals on to other agencies including Speech and Language Therapy, Behaviour Support Services, Ladywood Outreach or Educational psychology to help gather the information. The young person, parent or carer will be asked for their views. For those children and young people who are Electively Home Educated (EHE), contact should be made with the EHE Officer at the Achievement, Cohesion and Integration Service (ACIS). Health Care professionals may also contact the EHE Officer who will further liaise with appropriate professionals.

Information needed:

Evidence of autism friendly classroom/setting - SEND Handbook Page 31

Evidence of the graduated approach - SEND Handbook Page 55-59

Questionnaires

Evidence from a range of external agencies which may include:

Ladywood Outreach

Ladywood Outreach are specialist teachers who gather information for children in Bolton schools and settings. They do this through a detailed observation and provide a written report for every child listed for BSCIP panel. The team attend panel meetings and complete structured assessments such as Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). After the panel, the team complete post diagnostic meeting in the setting with the parent or carer and setting staff. The team also deliver Early Bird plus and Teen life to families who have had a recent diagnosis.

Behaviour Support Services

Schools can request Behaviour Support Services to gather information prior to a referral being submitted to BSCIP. They help identify underlying needs by completing observations and assessments, attending meetings with the family, and completing a report to alongside the school's information. A representative from the Bolton Behaviour Support Service is a member of the panel.

Educational Psychology

On request from early years settings and schools, Educational Psychologists gather information on children through a range of means including observation, working directly with pupils and consulting with staff and parents / carers and produce a report as required. A representative from the Bolton Educational Psychology Service attends panel meetings and completes structured assessments such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2).

Community Paediatrics

Community Paediatrics offer appointments in community clinics in the Bolton area. You will be seen by a Paediatrician or an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. The clinician will talk to you about your concerns to gather some background details and information about how they are at home. They will observe social communication and interaction skills in the clinic setting - this may be through play and/or by chatting to the child and may include a medical examination to consider medical causes for your child's strengths and needs.

CAMHS

CAMHS contribute to the multiagency pathway for autism diagnosis in Bolton. This might include leading on cases referred through BSCIP via school or evaluating young people for autism who may already be open to CAMHS for concerns around their mental health or behaviour or already receiving treatment for conditions such as ADHD. The assessment of young people may involve gathering information through parent and child interview; observation and structured assessment such as Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2).

Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapists contribute to the multiagency pathway for autism diagnosis in Bolton. Speech and Language Therapists are trained to assess the speech, language and communication needs of the child or young person, this includes looking at how someone's ability to understand and use language can affect how they interact with people and the world around them. Speech and Language Therapists can help identify differences in social communication and how to support where there are challenges in this area.

Next steps:

All the above forms a piece of the diagnostic jigsaw puzzle which is essential in reaching the right outcome.

Referrals to the BSCIP panel are made by the lead professional for children and young people with a Bolton GP. BSCIP meetings aim to gather accurate information about your child's social communication skills in terms of strengths as well as any difficulties they may be having. This is where professionals from a range of backgrounds come together to carefully consider the information received and think about the appropriate next step.

They may decide to:

Arrange a further assessment such as an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2)

Give a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder based on the information provided

Further information may still need to be gathered and plans will be made about how to do this

It may be decided that based on the evidence supplied your child's social communication skills do not currently require further assessment.

All the above options will be shared with you and the professional who referred you.

What is an ADOS?

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) is a sequence of play and social activities that are completed with the child or young person. It uses a range of age appropriate activities to assess social communication skills. The ADOS activities provide an opportunity to observe the child's social and communication skills and any repetitive behaviours that happen frequently. The assessment tends to take between 45 and 60 minutes. There are usually two professionals present during the ADOS; one conducts the assessment while the other observes the assessment and makes notes.

There are four different ADOS modules, one of which is selected according to the child's age and language ability.

What is post diagnostic support?

Post diagnostic support should be needs led. This means that if your child has been identified as requiring some additional support or reasonable adjustments as part of the pathway, that this provision should be offered to them. This should happen whether you get a diagnosis of autism or not. In Bolton, there will be an individualised description of your child's needs with signposting to appropriate services and support. For those diagnosed with autism, there is the following offer of post diagnostic support, these courses are developed by the National Autistic Society and delivered by trained Bolton practitioners:

We are currently working to further develop this offer based on feedback from our Bolton Parent Carer Forum and the GM Autism Consortium work streams.

Autistic Girls

We are really pleased to share the Autistic Girls Resources for Schools, which is a guide to understanding and supporting internalised presentations of autism in Bolton.

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Autism Pathway in Bolton - SEND Local Offer

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The Local Offer provides a single point for information to help families access details about services available to them, and offer guidance in multiple areas, such as:Early years placesSchools (including academies and free schools)CollegesHealth and careLeisure activities

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Find out about common signs of autism in young and older children.

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Autism friendly Cinema screening at Bolton cinema

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Autism friendly Cinema screening at Bolton cinema

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Autism friendly screenings

We regularly schedule relaxed screenings designed for guests with autism and their friends to enjoy.

These screenings are designed to help people with sensory sensitivity enjoy the cinema. To make these screenings more comfortable, the sound is turned down and the lights are only dimmed, not turned off, and the film will play without ads or trailers. Guests are welcome to move seats if they want and are welcome to bring in their own food. Our autism-friendly screenings are also ideal for youngsters and adults with learning disabilities and for those who would prefer a more sensory-friendly environment.

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Autism-friendly screenings for our guests and their friends with the sound turned down and the lights on.

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There's a new autism strategy for England - but what do you really need to know about it?
Every five years or so, the Government brings out a new strategy saying how they're going to support autistic people. They started doing this back in 2009, when the Autism Act was passed. The autism strategy has the potential to impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of autistic people and their families. Read on to find out why it's important for autistic people and their families:

1. The strategy outlines the Government's plans to improve your services and support

This covers mental health, diagnosis, employment, education, public understanding and the justice system. The big things they have committed to include:

Investing £10.5 million into finding new ways to reduce diagnosis waiting times for children and young people

Investing £2.5 million into improving the quality of adult diagnostic and post-diagnostic pathways and diagnosis waiting times

Increasing public understanding of autism with a long-term, nationwide initiative

Providing £18.5 million to prevent autistic people from falling into mental health crisis and £21 million to local authorities to help people in mental health hospitals back into the community

Improving understanding by training education professionals, job centre staff and frontline staff in the justice system.

You can find all the commitments here.

2. This strategy has more money than any of the other previous strategies, but it really needs social care to be fixed too.

One of the biggest flaws in previous versions of the autism strategy was the lack of money to make change happen. This time, the Government has committed almost £75 million to the first year of this strategy - this will be put towards developing a public understanding campaign, reducing diagnosis waiting times and increasing crisis support in the community, among other things.

However, we know that the biggest struggle that many autistic people have is getting support from social care. In 2019, we found that over 2 in 3 autistic adults don't get the support they need to carry out everyday things, like going out and about, making meals and paying bills. The strategy doesn't set out specifically what services will be provided to help these people, so it will be really important that every council talks to autistic people in their area to ask them what they need, and then invest in those services.

Social care across the whole of England desperately needs reform and long-term, sustainable funding. On his first day in office, the Prime Minister promised to fix social care. We will continue to campaign until he has delivered on that promise.

3. It's the first autism strategy to include children

Previous strategies have focused only on autistic adults. The National Autistic Society successfully campaigned for this strategy to include children and young people. There are many new commitments as a result, including more training for teachers, a new anti-bullying programme in schools and making sure autistic young people can find supported internships and apprenticeships.

4. The commitments are only until 2022

Although the strategy is supposed to cover five years, the commitments in this new strategy only take us up to 2022. This is because there is a Spending Review scheduled for autumn. The Spending Review sets out how much money the Government plans to spend on public services, usually over a 3- or 4-year period so that government departments can make long-term plans. The Department of Health and Social Care needs to know how much they can spend on the rest of the strategy before they can make any commitments. We will campaign to make sure that the strategy receives appropriate funding for years 2-5. We need your help to do this, so sign up for updates on our campaigns here.

5. Every local council in England needs to implement the autism strategy

The autism strategy is underpinned by legally binding guidance to councils. Each council and NHS body needs to look at the strategy to see how it can improve its local services. Nearly every council has an Autism Lead or an Autism Partnership Board who oversees the carrying out of the strategy. You can make sure the strategy works for autistic people in your area by getting involved with your local Autism Partnership Board through your council. We'll keep working with our campaigners and branch members to make sure that the autism strategy is implemented in local areas. This has been a small snapshot of what the autism strategy includes. If you would like more detail, you can read our news story or the full strategy here.

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Five things you need to know about the Government's new autism strategy for England

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There's a new autism strategy for England - but what do you really need to know about it?

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Bolton Speech and Language Therapy service

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Bolton Speech and Language Therapy service

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Our Speech and Language Therapy service is comprised of multiple teams who see adults and children with a range of communication and swallowing difficulties.

Speech and Language Therapy for Children

Our purpose is to empower others to effect change for children with speech, language, communication and feeding needs.

The Speech and Language Therapy Service will assess, diagnose and develop an individualised programme of care to maximise the communication potential of the children and young people referred to them and under their care.

The work involves direct contact with children and young people with communication difficulties as well as their carers and other key people in their lives. Therapists also support children and young people with swallowing, eating and drinking difficulties.

Speech and Language Therapy for Adults

The team works with inpatients and patients in the community with a wide range of conditions, including stroke, head injuries, dementia, progressive and degenerative conditions and head and neck cancer.

Our friendly team is made up of therapists, therapy assistants and administrative staff. We are based at Royal Bolton Hospital (Acute Team), Lever Chambers (Community Team) and Crompton Health Centre (Community Stroke Team).

Key contact numbers

Children's Speech and Language Therapy

Tel: 01204 462670

Adult Inpatient Team

Tel: 01204 390603

Adult Community/Voice Team

Tel: 01204 463210

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Speech and Language Therapy - Bolton NHS FT

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Our Speech and Language Therapy service is comprised of multiple teams who see adults and children with a range of…

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The Speech and Language Therapy Service will assess, diagnose and develop an individualised programme of care to maximise the communication potential of the children and young people referred to them and under their care.

Speech and Language Therapists work with children who may need help:

Understanding what people say to them

Listening and following instructions

Playing and communicating with other children

Eating and drinking

Understanding their environment

Saying sounds and talking clearly

Using words in sentences

The work involves direct contact with children and young people with communication difficulties as well as their carers and other key people in their lives. Therapists also support children and young people with swallowing, eating and drinking difficulties.

Speech and Language Therapists may provide advice, intervention and/or training if this is seen to be appropriate. The therapist may work closely with parents/ carers/ teaching staff, discussing the child's needs and provide coaching on ways to practise activities at home/school. We work collaboratively with other professions including teachers, support assistants, nursery staff or others who the child has regular contact or support from. The therapist will discuss the child/ young person's needs to help others understand the nature of the difficulties and provide them with ideas and strategies to help promote, support and develop communication skills.

How we meet your needs

The service offers support in a range of settings. If your child has an EHCP we may see them in their educational setting (nursery, school, college) where we can ensure that the targets set and work is embedded in to their curriculum. We also offer home visits to ensure that the parents /carers feel able to support their child's functional skills within the home and community. We recognise that some children and young people with SEND may benefit from being seen in a clinic setting. Each child is different and their provision will be based on where we can maximise potential and reach the agreed outcomes and aspirations.

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Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy - SEND Local Offer

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The Speech and Language Therapy Service will assess, diagnose and develop an individualised programme of care to maximise the communication potential of the children and young people referred to them and under their care.

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How do Rosenshine's principles support students with Anxiety (SEMH)?...Discuss

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How do Rosenshine's principles support students with Anxiety (SEMH)?...Discuss

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Fine Motor Skills Activities for Older Kids

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These fine motor skills activities could work with older kids who find other tasks too childish.

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The Dyslexia-SpLD-Trust, or the Trust, is a collaboration of voluntary and community organisations with funding from the Department for Education to provide reliable information to parents, teachers, schools and the wider sector. It acts as the important communication channel between government, leading dyslexia organisations, parents, schools, colleges, teachers and the sector.

For specific information and guidance on how to support children and young people with dyslexia-SpLD please feel free to contact us.

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Until recently, dyscalculia was thought of as being an umbrella term for all maths learning difficulties but since 2019 that is no longer true as we now have a definition of dyscalculia which was developed by the British Dyslexia Association dyscalculia committee and was accepted by SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) who regulated assessment in 2019.
Find out more about dyscalculia
A full definition of dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics. It will be unexpected in relation to age, level of education and experience and occurs across all ages and abilities.

Mathematics difficulties are best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and they have many causal factors. Dyscalculia falls at one end of the spectrum and will be distinguishable from other maths issues due to the severity of difficulties with number sense, including subitising, symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparison, and ordering. It can occur singly but often co-occurs with other specific learning difficulties, mathematics anxiety and medical conditions.

What is significant about this definition is that it suggests that maths learning difficulties are a continuum with dyscalculia at the extreme end. In other words, lots of people may have maths learning difficulties which arise from other conditions such as dyslexia where key issues associated with dyslexia, like working memory, difficulties with information retrieval, processing speed, sequencing, will impact on maths learning. Likewise, difficulties with spatial awareness, lateral thinking, and visual perception, which are associated with dyspraxia, will also affect maths learning. And other important issues like maths anxiety, which is a very real condition and causes the brain to freeze, as well as environment and social issues such as school absence, stereotyping, culture, maths curriculum, and methodology of teaching can all impact.

People with dyscalculia may share all the above difficulties, but what makes them distinct is their lack of number sense which is a cognitive function associated with the left parietal sulcus and the frontal lobe. Humans and animals are born with a built-in sense of number for survival purposes.

The issue with the dyscalculia is being able to relate the digits in our numerical system with the magnitude or value of a number - so they have no meaning. In the same way that dyslexics have difficulties with matching sounds with graphemes or letters that directly impact on the development of reading and spelling, people with dyscalculia don't have a sense of number and its relationship with magnitude. They could not automatically answer the question, "Would it be sensible to pay £4000 on a pair of shoes or £48 on a small slice of Tesco cheddar?" The relationship or mapping of that number to its value does not develop naturally. It can of course be learned to some degree with much instruction.

In normal development, a sense of number will evolve so a small child may not know how much a pair of shoes should cost at age 4 but by the time they are 10 they might. Everyone is different of course and issues may be mild or severe. But because it has an aetiology, it can be inherited and run in families.

How can it be informally identified?

All young children start by counting in ones but then they learn to become more efficient and can count on from a given number and step count. They start to know if their answers are way off the mark, they develop a sensible sense of numbers and magnitude.

Children with dyscalculia hang on to immature counting systems - usually in ones - they cannot generalise, i.e. use mathematical information in another context, and basically do not have a sensible sense of what numbers are. They tend to learn by rote and procedure and some even go onto to achieve a GCSE so they can often do a calculation but cannot explain what they are doing. They are often better at algebra and geometry. Their difficulties are exclusive to maths and no other subjects.

Adults with dyscalculia tend to have difficulties with time and money, being able to plan their day with regard to travel times or how long a task should take. They may also struggle with budgets and costs.

How can it be diagnosed?

Guidelines for assessors are clearly outlined by SASC but unfortunately not everyone follows them. A good diagnosis of dyscalculia would include general ability assessment, domain general cognitive assessment such as working memory, processing speed and phonological processing, and domain-specific assessment for dyscalculia i.e. specific tests for number sense, symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparisons and fluency. It would also include attainment in numeracy with an error analysis as well as attainment in literacy.

Sometimes only attainment in numeracy without domain specific testing is assessed and this will not give an accurate diagnosis as some people score poorly on maths tests for other reasons and are misdiagnosed as dyscalculic, and sometimes people with dyscalculia score OK on maths tests because they have memorised procedures and are not diagnosed as dyscalculic. All assessors should have an APC (Assessment Practising Certificate). BDA, SASC and Patoss have lists of approved and registered assessors.

How can it be supported in children?

There are very specific ways of establishing a sense of number that include the use of concrete manipulatives such as Cuisenaire Rods, Diene's apparatus, dot patterns, Numicon. The child is taught to visually internalise what a number (rather than a digit) looks and feels like. The child learns to match digits or numerals with visual quantities and learns how numbers can be deconstructed to make other numbers or quantities and reconstructed; in much the same way the children with dyslexia are specifically taught to match letters to sounds and how to deconstruct and reconstruct words from letters and sounds. This takes away the fear of numbers and establishes a sense of what numbers mean. With these basic tools they will never become Einstein in maths, but they will know if they are being over charged and learn to cope in a world of numbers and money.

How can it be supported in adults?

Adults need to develop their own reference points. At a very basic level: a can of coke should not cost more than £1.50 [at the time of writing] right through to interest rates, salaries, pensions etc. They will probably need someone to help them establish these references and they may need to write them down. The main areas of difficulty are estimating traveling times and distances, household budgets, changing recipes, accounts, discounts (percentages), money and what is good value, measurements and using different types of measure, currency and conversions, ordering. The list is almost endless; we use maths every day.

What percentage of the population are dyscalculic?

As the definition is very new, the figures of people who have been properly assessed and diagnosed need to be collated. But it is estimated that about 3% of the population have dyscalculia. However, a great many more have maths learning difficulties. 60% of people with dyslexia for example will have maths learning difficulties. If 10% of the population have dyslexia that is about 5 million people and therefore 3 million have maths learning difficulties from dyslexia alone. A few of those may also have dyscalculia.

Maths anxiety is being increasingly recognised. Many people with dyscalculia have maths anxiety. This is not dissimilar to PTSD where a learned bad memory will trigger a subconscious reaction that closes down the higher thinking brain. Children as young as 6 are now being diagnosed with maths anxiety. We need to look carefully at how we teach maths in schools as apart from children with dyscalculia, all children are born as good mathematicians with a good sense of number.

Find out more about dyscalculia
Check your own numeracy level

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What is dyscalculia and how can it be spotted and supported in children and adults?

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Until recently, dyscalculia was thought of as being an umbrella term for all maths learning difficulties but since 2019 that is no longer true as we now have a definition of dyscalculia which was developed by the British Dyslexia Association dyscalculia committee and was accepted by SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) who regulated assessment in 2019.

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Subject leaders for every curriculum area have produced an Inclusive Practice toolkit in collaboration with the SENDco and curriculum lead to ensure our curriculum enables all children with SEND to attend, engage, attain and excel.

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All Saints Design Technology Inclusive pedagogy