Who else can help?
Listed below are some of the key professionals or services who may be able to support you or your child and how to refer to them.
Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCO)
Every school must have a SENDCO. If the SENDCO of your, or your child’s school is not currently involved but you feel they should be, you may like to contact them directly. Their contact details should be available on the school website or you can ask the class teacher or School reception.
Educational Psychologist
Educational psychologists work within Local Authorities, in partnership with schools, families and other professionals to help young children and young people achieve their full potential. They use their training in psychology and knowledge of child development to assess difficulties children may be having with their learning. They provide advice and training on how schools might help a child learn and develop. Strategies may include teaching approaches, improvements to learning environments, advice on curriculum materials or behaviour support. To access the local Authority educational psychology service the school SENDCO will need to make a referral. Young people or Parents/carers cannot self refer. Schools and parents/carers may also make the decision to commission independent Educational Psychologists.
Central Bedfordshire Council Advisory Teachers and Services
Advisory teachers usually have specialist knowledge and expertise in specific areas of development such as early years, social communication, visual or hearing impairment. They are able to provide advice and training on how schools may be able to support children or young people with needs within those areas and may sometimes work directly with a child or young person.
Within Central Bedfordshire Local Authority there are the following advisory and support services:
- Early Years Team - referrals are accepted from health and care professionals and SENDCO in early Years settings.
- Visual Impairment Service - schools, early years settings and parents and carers can make referrals to the service
- Hearing impairment service - referrals are accepted from the audiology department.
Further information about all three services can be found by clicking the link below:
The Jigsaw Centre
The specialist advisory teachers at the Jigsaw Centre provide outreach support in Primary schools to support emotional development and achievement and reduce the risk of exclusion. They provide in-reach education and support for pupils who have been permanently excluded from Primary school and reintegration packages to help pupils return to school. They also provide family support for children who are identified as having difficulties.
Click on the link below for more information.
ASD Advisory Service
The two area special schools in Central Bedfordshire, Ivel Valley school and the Chiltern School, currently provide an ASD advisory service as part of their outreach packages. The advisory teachers are able to provide advice, support and training to all mainstream schools to support the needs of Children and Young people with a diagnosis of ASD. Young people and Parents/carers cannot refer to the service themselves. The School SENDCO would normally refer to the service at the school geographically nearest via the referral form on the school’s website.
Early Intervention Outreach
Both Ivel Valley School and The Chiltern school offer Early Intervention outreach to all mainstream schools. The School SENDCO would normally refer to the service at the school geographically nearest via the referral form on the school’s website.
Medical Needs Service
The medical needs teaching service provides teaching and support for children and young people of statutory age and on the roll of a school, who due to illness require suitable alternative arrangements for their education for the period of that illness.
Further information can be found by clicking on the link below:
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Team
The Local Authority SEND team are responsible for carrying out the statutory duties and processes linked to EHC needs assessments and plans for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25years.
Telephone: 0300 300 8356
Email: statass@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
SEND Personal Advisors (Youth Support Service)
SEN personal advisers are dedicated to working with young people aged 13 to 25 years whom have an Education, Health and Care Plan, are looked after or care leavers or are known to youth offending services. They offer impartial information, advice and guidance around education and careers and support planning for transition, helping young people overcome barriers and make a successful transition to adulthood. SEN personal advisers will make contact with young people whilst they are statutory school age, usually during year 9. Young people can also self-refer.
Personal Advisers (Vulnerable Young People)
These advisors provide information, advice and guidance and intensive support to young people aged 16 to 19 years old who are Looked After Children and / or, known to Youth Offending Service. Referrals come via the Corporate Parenting Service, Virtual School or Bedfordshire Youth Offending Service.
Personal Adviser (Virtual School)
These advisers work across Virtual School and Youth Support to offer careers advice and transition support to young people aged 13 to 16 years old who are looked after by us.
Referrals come via the Virtual School or Corporate Parenting Service.
Personal Guidance Advisors (Youth Support Service)
These advisors support young people who are NEET (Not in Education, employment or training) or who are at risk of becoming NEET, 16-19 years old and up to 25 where they have an EHC plan or are care leavers.
Telephone: 0300 300 8352
CHUMS
Chums mental health and emotional well being service for children and young people provides therapeutic support in a variety of ways. Referrals are accepted by young people, parents and carers and professionals and may need to meet an admission criteria.
For further information go to:
CAMHS
Child and adolescent mental health services can support children and young people who are experiencing significant emotional and behavioural difficulties or who suffer with anxiety. They also support young people who may have Autism spectrum disorder, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating difficulties or other emotional difficulties. mental health problems. Referrals are accepted from the GP, school, youth worker or social worker and may need to meet an admission criteria.
Children With Disabilities Service
The Local Authority specialist service offers support to children with disabilities aged 0-18 and their families. The service comprises a small team of social workers and assistants and offer a range of services such as short breaks provision, leisure and recreation, long-term residential care, transition planning and direct payments. Referrals can be made to the Duty officer and may need to meet a threshold criteria.
For more information click on:
Central Bedfordshire Virtual School
This Local Authority service support and challenges all those involved in the education of children in care. All children in care from the age of 2 to 18 are part of the virtual school.
Bedfordshire Youth Offending Team
The Bedfordshire Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are directly involved in the administration of the Youth Justice System at local level. They give support to young people who become involved in the system, and to their families, from the initial point of involvement through to supervision of young people who have been through the courts.
Contact: 01234 276400
Bedfordshire Youth Offending Team
The Bedfordshire Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are directly involved in the administration of the Youth Justice System at local level. They give support to young people who become involved in the system, and to their families, from the initial point of involvement through to supervision of young people who have been through the courts.
Contact: 01234 276400
Contact Us
To contact us please use our referral form, or you can drop us an email or leave a message on our 24-hour voicemail service.