Specialist Teacher Support - A tiered approach to supporting children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND)

The Integrated SEND Service is part of Buckinghamshire County Council’s local offer for children and young people with SEND. The service consists of a range of specialists including Specialist Teachers, Educational Psychologists, and Education, Health and Care who carry out statutory services for education, health and care needs assessments, planning, and monitoring.

The service is organised across the county in area hubs, which are located in Aylesbury, Wycombe and Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire. The Sensory, Physical, and Down syndrome teams are countywide teams that work across the hubs.

The Integrated SEND Service works in partnership with schools, settings, and post 16 providers to promote inclusion, achievement, and participation, towards securing better outcomes for children and young people with SEND across Buckinghamshire.

This is done through enabling the development of skills for staff in schools and settings, typically around an individual child or young person. There is a focus on promoting an understanding of learning, development, and emotional wellbeing for all.

The Integrated SEND Service works with individual schools (both maintained and non-maintained), clusters, alliances, and multi-academy trusts, within Buckinghamshire. Wherever appropriate, involvement is carried out in partnership with other agencies across health and social care.

The purpose of the service is to support and facilitate effective SEND provision, ensuring that children and young people are enabled to reach their full potential and secure positive outcomes for now and for their futures.

The Integrated SEND Service supports this vision with the aims of:
• Schools/settings being supported to more ably meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.
• Schools/settings increasing in confidence so that children and young people with SEND are included and can achieve to their highest potential.
• Parents/carers gaining a better understanding of the needs of their child and will have confidence that their needs are being met within schools/settings. Schools/settings building their own expertise through wider workforce development leading to a highly-skilled system of support

Specialist Teachers within the Integrated SEND Service have specialisms in areas of need, including:
• Autism
• Language
• Cognition and Learning

The Sensory, Physical, and Down syndrome teams, are part of the Integrated SEND service but are organised on a countywide structure. The following specialists who are part of that include:
• Vision Impairment
• Hearing Support
• Physical Disability
• Multi-sensory Impairment
• Down syndrome

The Integrated SEND Service is aimed at supporting settings when their own resources have been utilised, but where difficulties remain so that they can successfully include children and young people who have SEND. This includes those who may or may not have or require an education, health, and care plan (EHCP).

The tiered approach encompasses work around the most vulnerable children and young people, based on their individual needs.

When considering involvement through the tiered approach, the needs of the child or young person will be assessed, with consideration of their individual needs and the wider context, e.g. family situation, experience of the setting, and involvement of other agencies.

The tiered approach is provided via the local authority and is free at the point of delivery, where children and young people meet the eligibility criteria.

The tiered approach includes the whole SEND system of the local area, encompassing the responsibilities that schools and settings have in relation to the SEND CoP, i.e. that they are expected to do the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle (APDR).

This includes where a pupil is identified as having SEN, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put an effective special educational provision in place. This SEN support should take the form of a four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined, and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes.

This is known as the graduated approach and it draws on more frequent review and more specialist expertise in successive cycles in order to match interventions to the SEN of children and young people (chapter six of the SEND CoP).

In all requests for support from the Integrated SEND Service for children and young people all of the following five criteria must be met:
1. The child or young person is a resident, or receiving education in a Buckinghamshire educational establishment.
2. The child or young person is in the age range 0-25 years.
3. The child or young person has special educational needs and/or disability
4. The request for support has been discussed with parents/carers and signed consent has been obtained from those with parental responsibility or from a young person themselves, where they are considered to be competent and are over sixteen years of age.
5. The request is within the specialist areas of expertise available in the Integrated SEND Service

Extenuating circumstances

It is recognised, that some circumstances may mean that a child or young person requires support even if they don’t fulfill the criteria described. This will be because of exceptional circumstances, such as:
• Being new to the local authority and needs haven’t been fully assessed
• Having particular personal/family needs, e.g. being a looked after child or a child in care
• Being vulnerable because of specific circumstances which result in significant adverse childhood trauma.
• Context, including the educational setting, which is impacting learning and development.
• Being out of school due to no available school place or being permanently excluded due to behaviours that are related to SEND.
• Being highly mobile and has special educational needs and/or disabilities, i.e. frequent school/setting moves and/or in a service family.
• Experiencing serious mental health issues and these are significantly impacting on education.
• Suffering from chronic health needs that are significantly impacting education.
• Persistent substance abuse and this is impacting education and welfare.
• Being a young offender and has unidentified/unmet SEND.
• Is looked after by the local authority and SEND may be present.
• subject to a child protection plan and SEND may be present.
• Being severely bullied or is bullying others, causing significant harm either as perpetrator or victim, and these behaviours are related to SEND.
• Has SEND and are from a military family and whose parent is deployed to a conflict zone.

Flexibility, in tandem with professional discretion, will be used in such circumstances, as described above. In principle, this means that support will be allocated in response to individual requirements, taking into account complex and significant difficulties and presenting areas of need.

The Integrated SEND Service works in accordance with Buckinghamshire’s children and young people strategy and in compliance with equal opportunities, safeguarding, and other relevant statutory and non-statutory guidance.

In particular, the Children & Families Act, 2014 and the SEND CoP has an overall assumption that priority is given to ensuring that services are available equitably, irrespective of where children and young people live in the county, or which school/setting they attend.
Part of the responsibilities laid out in the C&FA and the CoP are to ensure that provision and services are kept under review, including the views of children and young people, parents/carers, and schools/settings.

Therefore, it is important that feedback from schools/settings will form an integral part of the continuing development of the service, which means there will be:
• Partnership working with schools/settings to develop services that are efficient, effective, and responsive.
• A response to stakeholder feedback through listening to what schools/settings say as priorities change.
The Integrated SEND Service is quality assured through self-evaluation, planning, and review of the impact of the provision.

Clarification of ‘complex’, ‘vulnerable’ and ‘significant’

In all cases, the most complex and vulnerable children and young people, who have the most significant needs will be prioritised, regardless of the status of their setting (including, maintained, academy, independent, and free).

The terms ‘complex’, ‘vulnerable’ and ‘significant’ in the context of the Integrated SEND Service are intended to encompass children and young people whose needs cannot be met without additional expertise, over and above what is typically expected in schools and settings (see Ordinarily Available Provision).

As a general guide, complex and significant needs will be characterised by the following:
• The child or young person’s progress is significantly delayed, has regressed, or has been arrested in comparison with the progress of those of the same age, and the pace of learning may mean this gap is widening.
• Attainment is very low and there is significantly delayed progress to the extent that the child or young person is unable to participate with their age-related peer group.
• The child or young person needs frequent and longer-term targeted support in order to be safe, be healthy, make progress, and/or access any learning opportunities.

It is important to note that the child or young person might be achieving at an expected or even higher level but other factors contribute to their complex range of needs. Other factors might also trigger the need for a joint multi-agency approach to meeting their needs and this could, for example, include children and young people who have the learning potential to achieve at expected levels or above but are experiencing;

• Health issues (including life-limiting conditions)
• High levels of anxiety
• Social dysfunction leading to isolation and impacting on well being
• Mental health issues (below the threshold for CAMHS)
• Co-morbid conditions

Exceptions to the eligibility criteria

Cases outside the eligibility criteria can be directed to Senior Specialist Teachers when requested by EHCCo’s as part of the approach within the Integrated SEND Service. This will typically be in relation to the education, health, and care needs assessment (EHCNA) process or by direct request from the SEND Area Team Manager or the resolutions team.

The Integrated SEND Service will, on occasion, use professional discretion to agree on core cases outside the criteria depending on the context, e.g. school, family, and involvement of other agencies, where this makes the child or young person vulnerable.

Support for Buckinghamshire children and young people attending schools outside of the county

Access to support for children and young people who attend educational establishments outside of Buckinghamshire will comply with the cross-border arrangements agreed by different local authorities.

On this basis, children and young people attending schools in other local authorities may be supported by the Integrated SEND Service, where they meet the eligibility criteria or they may be supported by the local authority where the school sits.

Support Available

Core support for children and young people who meet the eligibility criteria may include:
• Advice and signposting to other agencies.
• Advice and support with SEND provision planning and development of specialist interventions.
• Support and challenge the school for LA processes and procedures in relation to SEND.
• Support and challenge in respect of the Equalities Act and the SEND CoP.
• Support for statutory processes, including, statutory advice writing for education, health, and care plans and contributing to annual reviews and/or attending these, where the following applies;
I. Significant changes are to be made.
II. Planning for a period of key transition.
III. If requested by EHCCo’s as part of the statutory process.
IV. Preparation, advice, and attendance in relation to SEND tribunals, as requested by the Resolutions Team.
• Support in the event of a critical incident or exclusion.
• Targeted services for vulnerable groups as identified in the eligibility criteria above.
• Work with individual children and young people who meet the SEND specific eligibility criteria

Support for Special Schools and mainstream specialist provision

Special schools and mainstream additionally resourced provision (ARP) will have their own specialist staff so will only need to draw upon the Integrated SEND Service for individual children and young people who have a vision, hearing, or multi-sensory impairment.

The Integrated SEND Service, mainstream ARP, and special schools will work in partnership, as part of the whole SEND network of support and provision in Buckinghamshire.

The ‘tiers of support’ approach in Buckinghamshire is aligned with the SEND banding system for allocating resources. This means that resources, support, and provision are considered as part of an individualised and coordinated approach to meeting the needs of children and young people.

As described above, Specialist Teacher support is available to all children and young people on roll in mainstream schools (maintained and academies), some non-maintained nurseries, and some specialist provision, where there is a sensory need. In addition, hearing support, vision impairment, and multi-sensory impairment specialists support families at home from diagnosis at birth.

Once support has been initiated the relevant Specialist Teacher will contact the setting to arrange to come and carry out an assessment of the pupil’s need. This assessment will help to determine the support the pupil will receive.

In line with the tiered approach, it is recognised that schools need access to early intervention and support. A weekly phone line is available so that schools/settings and parents can access advice easily and at the earliest stage for pupils with communication and interaction needs. This phone line will be manned by Specialist teachers from the language and ASD teams.

Communication and interaction mean...Children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others.

This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time.
They may have difficulty with one, some, or all of the different aspects of speech, language, or social communication at different times of their lives.

Children and young people with autism are likely to have particular difficulties with social interaction.
They may also experience difficulties with language, communication, and imagination, which can impact how they relate to others.

Support from Communication & Interaction Specialist Teachers

Communication & Interaction Specialist Teachers run regular advice sessions and these are open for all schools/settings to book onto.

Following access to support at the advice stage, the next step would be the SENCo Support Network where peer support can be offered. The format of these takes the place of network meetings to facilitate peer-to-peer support through a ‘solutions-focused’ approach.

The aim of this is to encourage SENCo’s to discuss specific cases to obtain ideas from colleagues and other professionals in the room in order to move things forward for the child or young person. These meetings are facilitated by a Specialist Teacher.

Following discussions at the SENCo Support Network one of the following outcomes may be decided:
1. The school/setting has been given a range of strategies and ideas to implement and trial and will feedback on outcomes at a future meeting.
2. The school/setting requires answers to specific questions which could not be provided by the professionals in the room. This advice will be given via follow-up telephone support.
3. The school/setting requires a longer, more in-depth discussion of the specific case. These will be offered via a face-to-face advice session with the relevant Specialist Teacher.
4. The school/setting requires a visit from a Specialist Teacher in order to give more personalised advice and guidance for an individual child or young person. The referral form for this is appended to this document.

Benefits of SEND Support Networks include:

• Engagement and collaboration with schools/settings, Specialist Teachers, and other colleagues from the Integrated SEND Service, allowing for informal support networks to be formed.
• SENCos being supported within their role.
• Empowerment for schools/settings to reach suitable solutions for individual pupils and to implement these within their own setting.
• Allowing for the sharing of ideas and good practice across a number of schools/settings.
• Support and engagement for local authority initiatives, such as Ordinarily Available Provision, ensuring all schools/settings are aware of updates in policy and practice and are able to implement these.
• Support for the tiered approach model and provide access to Specialist Teacher support at the earliest stages prior to the need for a formal referral process.

If a setting wishes to make a request for support of the communication and interaction specialists in relation to a child or young person with needs in this area, the following criteria will normally be met:
1. The child or young person’s difficulties have documented evidence that shows the ‘assess, plan, do, review’ (ADPR) cycle.
2. Difficulties occur in relation to the characteristics associated with autism.
3. Difficulties occur in relation to the characteristics associated with language and communication needs.

A formal identification of autism and/or developmental language disorder is not required to access core services.

Some children and young people require special educational provisions because they have a disability that prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided.

These difficulties can be age-related and may fluctuate over time.
Many children and young people with vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI) and multi-sensory impairment (MSI) will require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning or habilitation support.

Children and young people with MSI have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties.

Some children and young people with a physical disability (PD) require additional ongoing support and equipment to access all the opportunities available to their peers.

Support from Hearing Support, Vision Impairment, Multi-sensory Impairment, Physical Disability, and Down syndrome Specialist Teachers

For children and young people who have a hearing and/or vision impairment, only medical referrals can be made directly to the Integrated SEND Service. All referrals require confirmation of a medical diagnosis.

If you wish to make a request for support to the sensory and physical/medical Specialist Teachers in relation to a child or young person the relevant essential eligibility criteria must be met:
1. There is a formal medical diagnosis in relation to sensory and/or physical difficulties and this significantly impacts on the child or young person’s learning. Deaf and hearing impaired children and young people are expected to be referred to the service as soon as a diagnosis is made by audiologists.
2. Core provision will be provided for children and young people with permanent hearing loss. This can be defined as mild: 21-40dB, moderate: 41-70dB, severe: 71-95dB profound: in excess of 95dB or children and young people who have a conductive hearing loss who are given hearing aids.
3. Children and young people with vision impairment and cerebral visual impairment will have vision that is less than 6/12 and/or loss of visual field.

For children and young people who have a Physical Disability or Down syndrome, medical referrals can be made along with referrals from other professionals e.g. Portage, SENCo, Physiotherapist, or Occupational therapist.

All referrals will need to be sent to sts@buckinghamshire.gov.uk along with supporting information. Parents are then asked to give their signed consent.

In line with the tiered approach, it is recognised that schools/settings need access to early intervention and support.

A decision on how much time will be spent with a child or young person with a sensory or physical impairment will be measured using modified national criteria (NATSIP), which takes into account how well a child or young person is functioning in school or at home. For a pupil with Down syndrome, the service matrix will be used to determine support.

A formal diagnosis in relation to needs in this area is required to access core services.

For more information about the Integrated SEND Service, there is a range of supporting documents on the Local Offer website, including, Ordinarily available provision; outlining SEND provision in mainstream schools/settings.

The work of the Integrated SEND Service Specialist Teachers does not follow prescribed criteria for assessing children and young people, however, it will be done in consideration of national guidelines from recognised bodies, wherever appropriate, including:

• Department for Education: Quality Standards for SEN Outreach.
• National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) criteria.
• Autism Education Trust standards and guidance.

Communication and Interaction Tiers of Support (aligned with resource allocation bands)

Tier 1 

Requirement

There are no pre-requisites for accessing support at T1.
There is no need to demonstrate the APDR cycle.
Schools/settings are expected to implement Ordinarily Available Provision at this level for all children and young people.

Child or young person support 

Freely available support and guidance include:
• Weekly phone advice line for the county. There are no pre-requisites for accessing this, including parent/carer support, as this is a confidential service, and the child or young person does not need to be identified.

School/setting support

• Autism Education Trust (AET) for early years, school, and post 16 settings
• Making Sense of Autism (Tier 1 AET training)
• In collaboration with schools/settings and professionals from other disciplines, the Integrated SEND Service may also be involved in organising and delivering parent programmes
Freely available support and guidance include:
• Ordinarily Available Provision: a graduated response, located on the local offer website; and 
• Advice sessions, both accessed via Buckinghamshire Family Info 
• Liaison with SENCo and relevant school/setting staff.
• Advice and signposting to other agencies via the Local Offer.
• Training courses available via the Integrated SEND Service.

Tier 2

Requirement 

Children and young people may be at SEN Support or EHCP level at this stage.
Schools/settings must demonstrate Ordinary Available Provision, application of a graduated approach, and a minimum of one cycle of ADPR cycle.

Child or young person support 

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Promote positive aspects of an individual’s abilities, skills, and behaviours to ensure these are utilised in any specific plans.
• Observation of child or young person and production of a record of the visit, including recommendations.
• Supporting with requests for statutory assessment.
• Review of recommendations.
• Advice regarding a request for EHCNA.
• Develop specific reward systems based on an individual's own strength and interests.
• Assessment, consultation, and advice.

School/setting support

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Modelling and training for staff on interventions, strategies, group work as appropriate.
• Advice and effective planning for transition between settings, schools, and colleges.
• Strategies for inclusive classroom practice.
• Support in auditing the environment to measure possible impact on sensory processing and behaviour.
• Supporting planning for achieving better outcomes for CYP with autism.
• Multiagency planning meetings.

Tier 3 

Requirement 

Children and young people will typically be at EHCP level at this stage.
Schools/settings must demonstrate Ordinary Available Provision, application of a graduated approach, and a minimum of one cycle of ADPR cycle.

Child or young person support 

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Direct involvement with the child or young person and school
• Direct intervention to assess needs in order to identify issues and develop recommendations.
• Input into curriculum planning and differentiation.
• Advice and recommendations for independent learning/skills.
• Social skills training for the child or young person.

School/setting support

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Input into curriculum planning and differentiation.
• Social skills modeling
• Supporting behaviour that challenges in autism
• Work with parents/carers and staff from other agencies.

Tier 4

Requirement 

Children and young people at this level will have an EHCP.

Child or young person support 

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Direct intervention to support assessed needs.
• Mentoring and gathering the CYP’s views.
• Advice on program planning and progress
• Direct intervention support access to the curriculum
• Support to prepare for change of placement, transition, and preparation for adulthood
• Social skills modelling
• Play skills for younger children
• Developing specific reward systems based on individuals own strengths and interests
• Support in auditing the environment to measure the possible impact on sensory processing and behaviour

School/setting support

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Parent programmes will be delivered in collaboration with schools and settings and will offer indirect support to them in terms of improving parental confidence and fostering positive relationships. These may include;
o Support for transition.
o Signposting and liaison.
• Facilitation of workshops, drop-ins, and support groups.

Tier 5

Requirement 

This level of support will only be accessed if there is:
• A highly complex situation
• A direction from a tribunal that requires specific intervention.
• A highly vulnerable child or young person who is placed out of authority and/or a high level of monitoring is required.

Child or young person support 

A direct response to the identified needs of the child or young person will be agreed where there are significant issues related to communication and interaction areas of need and these are as a result of:
• Requirement for a bespoke package of support in direct response to the specific circumstances of the child or young person.
• Any other issues and concerns raised by the Integrated SEND Service.

School/setting support

A direct response to the identified needs of the school/setting will be agreed where there are significant issues related to communication and interaction areas of need and these are as a result of:
• The impact on an Ofsted inspection and outcome on a school/setting.
• A notice to close that is putting children and young people’s placement at risk.
• A significant safeguarding concern.

Sensory and Physical Tiers of Support

Tier 1

Requirement 

There are no pre-requisites for accessing support at T1.
There is no need to demonstrate the APDR cycle.
Schools/settings are expected to implement Ordinarily Available Provision at this level for all children and young people.

Child or young person support 

Freely available support and guidance for issues related to SEND includes:
• Strategies for inclusive classroom practice.

School/setting support

Freely available support and guidance include:
• Ordinarily Available Provision: a graduated response, located on the local offer website at Buckinghamshire Family Info 
• Liaison with SENCO and relevant staff
• Implications of a sensory or physical impairment
• Advice and signposting to other agencies.

Tier 2

Requirement 

Children and young people may be at SEN Support or EHCP level at this stage. Sensory referrals need to come from relevant medical professionals for MSI, HI & VI or a relevant professional for DS and PD.

Child or young person support 

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Promote positive aspects of an individual’s abilities, skills, and behaviours to ensure these are utilized in any specific plans.
• Multiagency planning meetings.
• Developing targeted support plans
• Observation of child or young person and production of a record of visit, including recommendations and outcomes.
• Review of recommendations.
• Develop specific reward systems based on individuals' own strengths and interests.
• Recommendation of appropriate software and assistive technology to enhance literacy and numeracy for individual children and young people.
• Strategies for effective use of specialist equipment.
• Advice and support with regard to technology.
• Language and listening assessments to improve access to the curriculum giving recommended strategies, outcomes and advice.
• Direct individual work to support access to the curriculum.
• Reports and assessments as necessary
• Assessment visit/reasonable adjustments.

School/setting support

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Reports and assessments to support ECHNA and other statutory processes.
• Interpretation of Audiology/ENT/ophthalmology/ medical reports.
• Advice and information to schools/settings regarding local support groups and voluntary organisations working with sensory/physical impairment.
• Referral for families to home communication activities.
• Maintenance and ongoing monitoring of specialist equipment, e.g. hearing aids, radio aids, Braille displays, and read back software
• Evaluation of the environment to meet changing needs of children.
• Setting and reviewing recommendations for whole school development.
• Modelling of increased personalised pupil interventions.
• Advice and effective planning for transition between settings, schools, and colleges.
• Support in developing effective strategies to monitor progress and for individual children and young people with multi-sensory impairment.
• Guidance re: the implications of hearing/vision loss.
• Information about listening and speech development.

Tier 3

Requirement 

Must demonstrate Ordinary Available Provision has been implemented and has a minimum of one cycle of ADPR.
Children and young people will typically have an EHCP at this level.

Child or young person support 

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Specialist support to promote a positive identity.
• Programme planning and progress, for example, cochlear implant rehabilitation, listening skills, and independent life skills.
• Direct individual work to provide access to the curriculum e.g. pre and post-teaching to access the curriculum.
• Referral for basic mobility/habilitation support.
• Individual or group therapeutic support, assessment, consultation, and advice.
• Language and communication assessments, observations, and advice.
• Listening assessments.
• Advice for access arrangements for exams and tests at all Key Stages.
• Advice for transition between settings, schools, and colleges.
• Mobility training, relating to access to school buildings and journeys to and from school.
• Provision of and training in relation to supportive technology for children and young people with Sensory Impairment.

School/setting support

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Support with and strategies for using and understanding equipment provided e.g. hearing aids.
• Visits to help organise the physical environment e.g lights and seating
• Support in auditing the environment/site to promote access.
• Provision of and training in relation to supportive technology for children and young people with vision impairment.
• Modelling targeted and evidence-based interventions which boost the skills of children and young people in reading, writing, numeracy, listening, attention, and physical skills e.g. Clicker, Numicon, See and Learn.
• Advice and support with SEND provision planning and development of specialist, targeted interventions.
• Support interpreting test results and clinical procedures.
• Strategies for effective use of aids.

Tier 4

Requirement 

Children and young people will have an EHCP at this level.

Child or young person support 

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• Environmental audits.
• Self-care and independent living skills
• Pre Braille sessions.
• Tuition in Braille, where there is an assessed need.
• Advanced mobility support.
• Life skills support.
• Consistent and appropriate use of technology, including maintenance programme.

School/setting support

In addition to relevant support from the tiers above, support may include a combination of the following:
• information about best practices to support the development of emerging early language and communication (including pre-verbal skills, spoken and signed communication, and written language.
• Strategic whole-school/setting development.
• Support and planning to develop deaf-friendly schools.
• Personalised support to those who teach children and young people with multi-sensory impairment. Advice and signposting to other agencies.
• Support to prepare for change of placement, transition, and preparation for adulthood.

Tier 5

Requirement 

This level of support will only be accessed if there is:
• A highly complex situation that calls for a bespoke solution.
• A direction from a tribunal that requires specific intervention.
• A highly vulnerable child or young person who is placed out of authority and a high level of monitoring is required.

Child or young person support 

A direct response to the identified needs of the child or young person will be agreed where there are significant issues related to sensory and physical areas of need and these are as a result of:
• Requirement for a bespoke package of support in direct response to the specific circumstances for the child or young person.
• A tribunal ruling indicating specific actions that are not covered within previous tiers of support.
• Significant social care needs that may result in alternative or residential placements.
• Any other issues and concerns raised by the Integrated SEND Service.

School/setting support

A direct response to the identified needs of the school/setting will be agreed where there are significant issues related to sensory and physical areas of need and these are as a result of:
• The impact on an Ofsted inspection and outcome on a school/setting.
• A notice to close that is putting children and young people’s placement at risk.
• A significant safeguarding concern.