Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team

Our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team provides all education settings with early identification and intervention of social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs for children and young people with social, communication and development needs.

What is the Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team?

Our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team support all children and young people displaying SEMH needs alongside their primary need of social, communication and development needs. We will ensure that the child or young person is seen by the most appropriate professional through our triage process.

What is EHP's triage process?

EHP's triage process involves a single point of referral to the Early Access Teams, and following referral a member of our team will ensure that each child and young person is seen by the most appropriate team.

What does EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team do?

EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team maximises the emotional wellbeing and SEMH of children and young people with a primary area of need related to social, communication and development. EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team take a holistic approach and facilitate early intervention to promote positive mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Improving understanding and awareness of SEMH needs in relation to social, communication and development promotes an inclusive environment to support children and young people in living a happy, healthy and fulfilled life.

Children with communication needs can also experience additional barriers including:

Judgments being made about a child's ability to communicate which are not based on accurate information and specialist advice
Low expectations
The assumption that speech is the only or best way to communicate and nonverbal means of communication not being recognised as valid
The child's preferred method of communication not being recognised
Communication impairments may not always be immediately 'visible'
No one available who is familiar with the child's method of communication to support them in expressing their wishes and feelings
Not having access to their communication system at all times for example their communication board remaining at school
Augmentative communication systems not containing the words necessary to express what the child wants to say or describe an experience of abuse or neglect
Assessments, planning meetings and reviews not allowing enough time to enable the child's wishes and feelings to be obtained and expressed
Lack of accessible information

Supporting looked after children with communication needs

Which professionals from within EHP are in our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team?

Our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team has a range of specialists, including:

Speech and language therapists
Occupational therapists
Psychologists
Specialist teachers
Special educational needs consultants

The mix of specialists within the team ensure that all primary and secondary needs will be assessed and addressed by the most appropriate member of the team.

We're registered

EHP is registered with all major professional memberships.

Which children and young people will our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team support?

EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team supports children and young people whose primary area of need is related to social, communication and development needs with secondary SEMH difficulties. Children and young people who our team work with may have or display:

Challenging conduct (behaviour)
Autism spectrum conditions, or associated behaviours
Specific language impairment (SLI)
Selective mutism
Developmental delay
Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)
Language difficulties

EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team works with children and young people with social, communication and development needs, including:

Children and young people on the waiting list for CAMHS assessment or intervention
Children and young people on a CAMHS pathway, for example Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) or speech, language, communication needs (SLCN)
Children and young people with a diagnosis of ASC or SLCN who require further input
Children and young people whose parents or carers have noticed autistic type behaviours at home

EHP's specialist Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team assess children and young people to identify needs. When needs have been identified then they can be addressed effectively.

Communication needs are central to and common in association with a range of impairments including general learning difficulty; autistic spectrum disorder, syndromes such as Down's syndrome, sensory impairment (hearing, visual or multi-sensory), cerebral palsy, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and selective mutism.

Supporting looked after children with communication needs

Who we work with

Our specialist services can be accessed by education, health and other professions working with children and young people.

What types of screening and assessments can EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team provide?

EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team offer a variety of screening and assessments to identify SEMH needs within children and young people who have a primary area of need related to social, communication or development. Screening and assessments may require adaptations or a dynamic approach due to the communication and development needs. Our team can train education staff in carrying out and interpreting screening related to SEMH needs as part of our cost effective service, or we can assign the appropriate professional should adaptations need to made.

Why is early SEMH needs identification and intervention important within social, communication and development?

Early identification and intervention is particularly important for individuals who have social, communication and development needs as there is an increased risk of SEMH within this group. This is because primary social, communication and development needs are associated with, or can mask, SEMH difficulties. Our specialists can accurately identify and address needs before they escalate.

For children's wellbeing and mental health to be supported in a school environment, it is
essential that any communication and interaction needs that they have are identified and supported.

Communication and interaction skills are fundamental and foundational. They enable us to
understand and to be understood. They are central to our wellbeing and mental health. They
play a crucial role in our development, our ability to form relationships, our educational
achievement, social interaction, and life chances.

Many children with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) also have communication and interaction difficulties. These difficulties are often undetected.

81% of children with emotional and behavioural disorders have significant language deficits.
People with a primary communication impairment are at greater risk of a secondary
mental health disorder, commonly anxiety or depression.
40%-54% of children with behaviour problems have language impairment.
Two-thirds of seven to 14 year olds with severe behaviour problems have
communication needs.

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Supporting children's wellbeing and mental health in a school environment, 2017

What interventions can our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team deliver?

EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team deliver and support a broad range of cost effective interventions to maximise an individual's potential and promote their emotional wellbeing. Our professionals will share support strategies with an appropriate member of school staff to offer intervention to the individual or group.

Social, communication and development needs awareness
Social, communication and development needs acceptance
Facing fears
Anti-bullying groups
Circle of friends
Transitions
Recognising and using strengths
Nurture groups
Conflict management and resolution
Building positive relationships
Conversation skills
Sliding in programme for children and young people with selective mutism
Lego therapy groups
Understanding and communicating emotions and feelings
Anxiety groups
Mindfulness
Social and emotional skills
Resilience groups
Art therapy
Play therapy
Increasing self-esteem and self-worth
Peer mentoring
Positive psychology techniques

Interventions can be individual and group-based, the type of interventions chosen will be based on the individual child, young person or group.

Evidence shows that an effective approach to promote positive behaviour, social development and self-esteem is to couple positive classroom management techniques with one to one or small group sessions to help pupils identify coping strategies.

Mental health and behaviour in schools, 2015

What do our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team provide for the whole school?

There is a large evidence base for the effectiveness of comprehensive whole school approaches with a focus on improving SEMH and wellbeing.

Evidence shows that interventions taking a whole school approach to wellbeing have a positive impact in relation to both physical health and mental wellbeing outcomes.

Future in mind, 2015

Our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team can incorporate social, communication and developmental aspects into the whole school approach. Examples of the whole school work our team can do are:

Mental health promotion for staff and students
Identifying at risk groups
CPD and training for all staff
Reducing risk factors
Ofsted response
Curriculum adaptation
Learning walks
Advising on specific areas of social, communication and development
Drop ins and workshops
Environmental reviews
Helping to implement a peer mentoring service
Promoting inclusion of vulnerable groups

Implementing whole school changes have long-term, sustainable impact across many areas of wellbeing and learning within your education setting.

What training can our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team deliver?

Our specialist Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team deliver a broad range of training, including:

Attachment
Understanding trauma
Building social skills
Understanding and supporting the SEMH difficulties alongside social, communication and development needs
Promoting self-esteem and self-image
Safe internet usage for vulnerable students
Positive psychology techniques
Nurture and friendships
Effective communication strategies
An introduction to PECS
An introduction to TEACCH
Social communication
SEMH in developmental conditions
Reducing anxiety
Classroom strategies
Assistive technologies

The above list is not exhaustive, so if you have a training idea in mind then don't hesitate to get in touch. At EHP our professionals also design and deliver bespoke training to address the needs present within your education setting.

Why use EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team?

EHP's Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team brings many benefits to education settings through its unique approach to specific areas of need alongside associated SEMH needs. As a specialist team we:

Are multidisciplinary
Promote early identification and intervention
Are bespoke to needs
Respond to emerging needs
Work with all levels of need
Offer flexible packages
Work with all ages up to 25
Are school-based
Provide immediate access to our services

Our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team reduce challenges related to SEMH needs in addition to supporting children and young people in maximising their potential through taking a holistic approach.

School-based programmes of social and emotional learning have the potential to help young people acquire the skills they need to make good academic progress. [School-based SEMH programmes] also produce benefits to pupils' health and wellbeing, offering a significant return for the resource and time investment by schools to establish such programmes.

Ofsted has identified a strong correlation between schools that achieved a high grade for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) and those that were graded outstanding for overall effectiveness.

The link between pupil health and wellbeing and attainment, 2014

Do we work with children and young people with looked after status or who have been adopted?

Yes, in addition to our Looked After Team and Adoption Team our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team includes professionals who are specialists in the complex needs of children and young people with looked after status or who have been adopted.

How can you refer to our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team?

Referring to our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team is swift and simple. Education providers can refer to our SEMHS services over the phone or online. A member of our team will then oversee the referral to ensure that each child and young person receives the most appropriate support. If you would like to find out more about our referral and triage process then please get in touch to talk to a member of our team.

Next steps

Step 1.Interested?
Step 2.Request more information
Step 3.Commission EHP

Funding

Our services can be funded through a variety of ways.

Our Early Access Social, Communication and Development Team provides support for primary needs alongside SEMH needs. By focusing on both areas of need, challenges faced within the education setting will be reduced whilst maximising a child or young person's potential.