Part of the Communication, Interaction, Physical and Sensory Advisory Service (CIPS) our Physical and Sensory service supports children (and settings) with a physical disability, deafness and hearing loss and vision impairment.
The aim of the service is to enable all pupils with physical impairments and/or medical conditions to access their educational environment alongside their peers, promoting greater understanding of individual pupil needs and helping to break down barriers promoting inclusion.
This service has three support offers:
This team consists of a Specialist Teacher and Specialist Teaching Assistant. The team coaches, consults and co-works with children and young people, families, and educational settings across the Dudley borough, helping reduce barriers to learning caused by physical disability.
Referrals can be made by parents/carers, school staff, Integrated Early Years, health professionals such as speech and language therapists, Ear nose and throat (ENT) consultants, school health advisors and hearing centres.
Support Allocation Matrix
Level of support is determined by an Eligibility Framework (PDF), which guides the process through systematic consideration of a wide range of relevant factors designed to provide the basis for a fair allocation of available resources (Eg degree of physical disability) It is used as part of a full assessment by a specialist teacher.
- No further action - support can be provided by ordinarily available provision in settings- below 10 %
- Advice - Eligibility Score 10 -19%
- Monitor - Eligibility Score 20 – 39%
- Support - Eligibility Score 40% onwards
Types of Package
Tier 1 – Advice Package
- On request support the setting providing advice or adjustments to learning.
- Assessment and report provided for transition. E.g. secondary transfer, post 16 transfers. Reports outside of these times provided by request from, setting or health professionals.
- On request provide advice to settings on risk assessments and PEEPS.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
Tier 2 - Monitor Package
- Half termly or termly visits
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Support the effective use of adjustments to learning.
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Use and model a range of teaching and support strategies to promote access to learning, and progress towards targets.
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- Advice for Risk Assessment and PEEPs.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child through safer handling people training.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
- Specialist report, including access arrangements for examinations.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
Tier 3 Support Package
- At least monthly visits.
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Support the effective use of adjustments to learning.
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Use and model a range of teaching and support strategies to promote access to learning, and progress towards targets.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Advice for Risk Assessment and PEEPs.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child through safer handling people training.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
- Annual specialist report, including access arrangements for examinations if required.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
This is a team of Qualified Teachers of Deaf Children and Young People, Educational Audiologist, Higher Level Teaching Assistant and Specialist Teaching Assistants, including native British Sign Language users who offer support to children and young people, aged 0-25 with a diagnosed or suspected hearing loss.
The team coaches, consults and co-works with children and young people, families, and educational settings across the Dudley borough, helping reduce barriers to learning caused by deafness and hearing loss.
Referrals can be made by parents/carers, school staff, nursery/early years settings, health professionals such as speech and language therapists, ENT consultants, school health advisors and hearing centres.
Criteria for support:
- The child is diagnosed or suspected hearing loss living in Dudley borough and is one of the following:
- Aged 0-4 years and live in the Dudley borough.
- Aged 0-16 years and attend a Dudley educational setting.
- Aged 5-16 and are Children Missing Education or Elected Home Education.
- In education other than at school (EOTAS) as specified in an EHCP.
- The service can also offer support to the following via its traded (paid for services)
- Post 16 to age 25 if in further education and reside or attend a Dudley post 16 provider
- School age pupils attending Independent Schools
Families of babies who are diagnosed with a permanent hearing loss through the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme will be contacted within 24 hours of the referral from Audiology.
For other referrals, on receipt of a signed referral form you will be contacted by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf within one week for a new hearing aid wearer or four weeks for a functional listening assessment during term time only.
Support Package
Packages of support are determined by The NatSIP Eligibility Framework, which guides the process through systematic consideration of a wide range of relevant factors designed to provide the basis for a fair allocation of available resources. It is used as part of a full assessment by a Qualified Educational Audiologist/Qualified Teacher of Deaf Children and Young People.
- No further action; support can be provided through ordinarily available provision in setting- Score below 5 %
- Advice - NatSIP Eligibility Score 6 -24%
- Monitor - NatSIP Eligibility Score 25 – 49%
- Support - NatSIP Eligibility Score 50 – 70%
- Support Plus - NatSIP Eligibility Score 70% and above
Tier 1 - Advice Package
- Annual follow-up with parents/carers and education setting.
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- On request support the setting in using the appropriate criteria for the monitoring and evaluation of the child’s progress.
- Assessment and report provided for transition. E.g. school entry, secondary transfer, post 16 transfers. Reports outside of these times provided by request from family, setting or health professionals.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child or contribute towards whole setting and school training on supporting children who are deaf or have a hearing loss.
- Additional support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
Tier 2 - Monitor Package
- Half termly or termly visits by a Qualified Teacher of Deaf Children and Young People (QTOD).
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Additional support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup.
- Contribute or, where appropriate, lead meetings in a Team Around the Child approach.
- Support the effective use of differentiated planning and teaching.
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Use and model a range of teaching and support strategies to promote access to learning, and progress towards targets.
- Support the setting in using the appropriate criteria for the monitoring and evaluation of the child’s progress.
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Provision of an Assistive Listening Device system if required.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- Advice for Risk Assessment and PEEPs.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child or contribute towards whole setting and school training on supporting children who are deaf or have a hearing loss.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
- Annual functional listening and language assessments.
- Annual specialist report, including access arrangements for examinations.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
Tier 3 - Support Package
- Monthly or fortnightly visits by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf Children and Young People (QTOD)
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup.
- Contribute or, where appropriate, lead meetings in a Team Around the Child approach.
- Support the effective use of differentiated planning and teaching.
- Specialist teaching and assessment.
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Use and model a range of teaching and support strategies to promote access to learning, and progress towards targets.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- support the setting in using the appropriate criteria for the monitoring and evaluation of the child’s progress.
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Provision of an Assistive Listening Device/Remote Microphone system if required.
- Advice for Risk Assessment and PEEPs.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child, or contribute towards whole setting and school training on supporting children who are deaf or have a hearing loss.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
- Annual specialist report, including access arrangements for examinations if required.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
Tier 4 - Support Plus Package
- Weekly visits by a Qualified Teacher of Deaf Children and Young People (QTOD).
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Offer support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup
- Contribute or, where appropriate, lead meetings in a Team Around the Child approach
- Consideration for placement within Resource Base provision (established through statutory assessment process)
- Specialist teaching and assessment.
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- support the setting in using the appropriate criteria for the monitoring and evaluation of the child’s progress.
- Provision of a Assistive Listening Devices if required.
- Advice for Risk Assessment and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs).
- Deaf awareness/peer awareness/ specialist training.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process
- Annual specialist report provided including access arrangements for examinations if required.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
This is a team of Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Habilitation Specialist (mobility and independence training), Specialist ICT and Specialist Teaching Assistants who offer support to children and young people, aged 0-25 with a diagnosed vision impairment that cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses, and which may have an impact on the child's development and/or learning.
The team coaches, consults and co-works with children and young people, families, and educational settings across the Dudley borough, helping reduce barriers to learning caused by vision impairment.
Referrals can be made by parents/carers, school staff, nursery/early years settings, health professionals such as Consultant Ophthalmologists. Referrals are made for a child/young person with a diagnosed vision impairment or where glasses are not corrective of vision.
Criteria for support:
- The child has a diagnosis of vision impairment that cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses and are one fo the following:
- Aged 0-4 years and live in the Dudley borough.
- Aged 0-16 years and attend a Dudley educational setting.
- Aged 5-16 and are Children Missing Education or Elected Home Education.
- In Education other than at school (EOTAS) as specified in an EHCP.
- The service can also offer support to the following via its traded (paid for services)
- Post 16 to age 25 if in further education and reside or attend a Dudley post 16 provider
- School age pupils attending Independent Schools
Support Package
Packages of support are determined by the National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) Eligibility Framework, which guides the process through systematic consideration of a wide range of relevant factors designed to provide the basis for a fair allocation of available resources. (Eg level of distance/near vision). It is used as part of a full assessment by a qualified specialist Qualified Teacher of Vision Impairment.
- No further action; support can be provided through ordinarily available provision in setting - below 5 %
- Advice - NatSIP Eligibility Score 6 -24% (Eg monocular vision seen annually)
- Monitor - NatSIP Eligibility Score 25 – 49% (Eg nystagmus seen termly)
- Support - NatSIP Eligibility Score 50 – 74% (Eg moderate to sever vision impairment seen half termly/fortnightly determined by QTVI)
- Support Plus - NatSIP Eligibility Score 75% and above (Eg severe to profound vision impairment at least weekly)
Tier 1 - Advice Package
- Annual follow-up with parents/carers and education setting.
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- On request support the setting in using the appropriate criteria for the monitoring and evaluation of the child’s progress.
- Assessment and annual report provided.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child,or contribute towards whole setting and school training on supporting children who have vision loss.
- Additional support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
Tier 2 - Monitor Package
- Termly visits by a Qualified Teacher of Vision Impairment (QTVI).
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Additional support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup.
- Contribute or, where appropriate, lead meetings in a Team Around the Child approach.
- Support the effective use of differentiated planning and teaching.
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Following observation provide advice and support strategies to promote access to learning, and progress towards targets
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- Advice for Risk Assessment and PEEPs.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child, or contribute towards whole setting and school training on supporting children with vision loss.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
- Annual functional vision assessment.
- Annual specialist report, including access arrangements for examinations.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
Tier 3- Support Package
- Monthly or fortnightly visits by a Qualified Teacher of Vision Impairment (QTVI)
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Offer support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup.
- Contribute or, where appropriate, lead meetings in a Team Around the Child approach.
- Support the effective use of differentiated planning and teaching.
- Specialist teaching and assessment.
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Use and model a range of teaching and support strategies to promote access to learning, and progress towards targets.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- Support the setting in using the appropriate criteria for the monitoring and evaluation of the child’s progress.
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Provision of modified learning resources eg. Modified large print.
- Provision of touch typing and ICT access tuition.
- Habilitation (mobility and independence training).
- Advice for Risk Assessment and PEEPs.
- Train individual staff to meet the needs of a specific child, or contribute towards whole setting and school training on supporting children with vision loss.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process.
- Annual specialist report, including access arrangements for examinations if required.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
Tier 4 - Support Plus Package
- Weekly visits by a Qualified Teacher of Vision Impairment (QTVI).
- Signpost and refer to other services or provide information.
- Offer support to families of pre-schoolers through a fortnightly specialist playgroup.
- Contribute or, where appropriate, lead meetings in a Team Around the Child approach
- Specialist teaching and assessment.
- Consideration for Specialist Teaching Assistant for Braille users.
- Provision of modified learning resources eg. Braille.
- Provision of touch typing and ICT access tuition.
- Habilitation (mobility and independence training).
- Advice on classroom strategies to access the curriculum.
- Advice on specialist equipment.
- Promote the child’s independence in the environment and in learning, including the use of specialist equipment and resources.
- Support the setting in using the appropriate criteria for the monitoring and evaluation of the child’s progress.
- Advice for Risk Assessment and PEEPs.
- Vision awareness/peer awareness/ specialist training.
- Contribute towards the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment process
- Annual specialist report provided including access arrangements for examinations if required.
- Transition report for post 16.
- Transition report for Higher Education.
What is the age range of children that each service works with?
- Physical Disability - Reception to year 11
- Outreach for Deaf Children and Young People – birth to 25 where young people remain in further education (post 16 through a paid for Service Level Agreement with the post 16 provider and the local authority)
- Primary Resource Base for Deaf Children and Young People Nursery to year 6
- Primary Resource Base for Deaf Children and Young People Year 7-11
- Vision Impairment - birth to 25 where young people remain in further education (post 16 through a paid for Service Level Agreement with the post 16 provider and the local authority)
How do I request support?
Parent carers, education settings and health professionals can make a request for support to CIPS by:
- Email: CIPS@dudley.gov.uk
- Telephone: 01384 816974
You will then be sent a request for support form to complete.