The Enfield Communication Advisory Support Service offers universal and targeted speech, language and communication support to mainstream schools in Enfield.
The universal offer
ECASS provides fully funded online professional learning to educational settings, and parents and carers. The training programme includes sessions delivered by professionals from speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, educational psychology and specialist teachers.
The ECASS universal offer also includes the Strand 5 pupil referral and triage pathway. This allows schools to refer children and young people with moderate speech, language and communication needs. These children are seen by the ECASS Therapies team, and a communication programme of support is provided.
The targeted offer
ECASS works with several target schools each year. These schools take part in Elklan training delivered by the ECASS team. This offer allows up to 10 members of school staff to receive a level 3 accreditation.
In target schools, the ECASS Therapies team work with individual children and provide communication programmes. The class teachers of these children are supported to carry out the strategies outlined by ECASS specialist teachers.
The ECASS parent and carer offer
The ECASS Rising to Reception offer is a programme of support for parents and carers of children who are in their pre-reception year and are known to the Early Years Speech and Language team.
This programme consists of a series of online information sessions which are aimed at supporting the transition from nursery to reception. These sessions are hosted by different organisations and professionals, including the Enfield Admissions Team, Enfield Educational Psychology Service, Our Voice, Enfield Occupational Therapy and Enfield school staff.
At the end of the transition programme, parents and carers are enrolled onto the Elklan Let’s Talk programme for further guidance and learning. Children are given a term to settle into their new reception environment before being offered any additional support by ECASS. In some cases, children and families are signposted to other agencies.
Parents and carers can also access a variety of online training sessions. These sessions are delivered by the ECASS team and cover strategies to support children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
The full ECASS offer is fully funded by the high needs block. There is no cost to educational settings, parents and carers, or children and young people.