Spring Meeting 2008

The morning session was devoted to a discussion on swimming risk assessments. A blank Risk Assessment form used in Wakefield was circulated together with two completed assessments relating to physical/mobility needs and epilepsy. Hull ESPD circulated general guidance and a checklist; they also gave a detailed account of the process they had gone through to create them. The Hull service circulated packs to all schools in their LA. They audited the swimming facilities, highlighted transport issues, job specifications for support assistants and the criteria for how parents should be involved (the fact that they should be treated as every other visitor to school). It was interesting to see the different emphasis in each Authority and the involvement balance between the support service and schools involved. Issues around adult support and responsibilities were discussed together with DDA considerations.

***Paperwork will be circulated to every bodies e mail accounts.***

Hull recieved an outstanding OFSTED in relation to swimming provision and it could be characterised by
* offering additional support to children who take longer to learn to swim
* putting the responsibility clearly with the school and not the LA
* balancing the needs of the year group against those of the individual
* allowing at least three months for the planning
* encouraging schools to provide competent staff
* including swimming support on job specifications
* sending out 'advance notice' forms to parents (se checklist)

The afternoon session was concerned with introducing AAC to children and to their support workers. There was a common experience of support services and Speech and Language Therapists having involvement and not always the same approach. The Wakefield Access team have been lucky enough to been involved in a project to give every child who needs one, an AAC device that meets their needs and is available to them across transition boundaries. The equipment has been supplied by Health and will be managed by ICES.

Wakefield use a number of AAC devices but stick to a basic programme of introducing core vocabulary alongside specific vocabulary. For ealy years and SLD they also use the 'Teach and Talk' file with the Springboard, The 'COM.I.C.E' file and teaching materials from PRI Liberator. The benefits and downfalls of introducing AAC to a non reader in Key stage 3 were discussed and the importance of good basic language teaching to non speakers. The Wakefield team track progress against P level indicators and by using data from the LAM files to for Evidence Based Practice. They don't necessarily get things right but most in the group agreed that teachers are could at structuring learning, keeping records and using a firm approach with children to achieve results. The group also consider that AAC needs specialist teaching that takes considerably more time than it is allocated.

The next meeting in June will consider the Physical Therapy files introduced to Wakefield schools over the last 12 months. Other items for discussion to be emailed to Lyn Clarke lclarke@wakefield.gov.uk