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<p>The department recognises the importance of providing high-quality support for
this group of children with very severe needs, and the work of special schools to
provide these children and their parents with education and support that helps them
prepare for adulthood. The department’s ambition for Special Educational Needs policy
is for all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs
and Disabilities (SEND) are, to receive the right support to succeed in their education
and as they move into adult life.</p><p>The department knows that the development
of communication for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties is critical,
which is why the department places a huge emphasis on its teaching in special schools.
For those pupils with profound multiple learning difficulties in special schools who
are working below the level of the national curriculum and who are therefore not engaged
in subject-specific study, the department has developed the ‘engagement model’ which
is driven by a teacher assessment tool. This model has been designed to enable all
pupils’ achievements and progress to be identified and celebrated, including the area
of communication and interaction which is one of the four areas of need in the SEND
code of practice. The model uses a holistic approach which takes into account their
preferred ways of communicating, in recognition of the different barriers that each
individual child can face to their communication skills.</p><p> </p><p>Assistive technology
(AT) such as alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices can remove barriers
to learning for students with SEND. The department is committed to building the evidence
base around the effective use of AT to ensure it understands the needs of staff and
pupils. Following the promising results of a pilot training programme to increase
mainstream school staff confidence with AT, the department extended the training to
capture more detailed data on the impact on teachers and learners. The department
will publish the impact report in May. The department is exploring the AT support
needs of staff at special schools, including those working with pupils with profound
and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and/or those using AAC.</p><p> </p><p>All
schools, including special schools, have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards
individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments,
including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, to prevent
them being put at a substantial disadvantage. This is particularly important in ensuring
that schools are providing tailored support for pupils with profound and multiple
learning difficulties that help with their communication.</p><p> </p><p>More widely,
the department is creating a new single national SEND and Alternative Provision (AP)
system for identifying and meeting needs. This new single national system will set
standards on what support should be made available in mainstream settings, as well
as guidance on when specialist provision may be more appropriate for meeting a child
or young person’s needs.</p><p> </p><p>As part of this, the department is developing
practitioner standards to provide advice to frontline professionals, including teachers
and early years staff. The practitioner standards will set out evidence-based best
practice in identifying and meeting individual needs. They will cover the areas of
need in the SEND code of practice, including speech, language and communication needs.</p><p>
</p><p>Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) is a two year pathfinder programme
being co-led by the department and NHS England, and is one of the reforms being tested
in the SEND and AP Change Programme. The programme will fund innovative workforce
models to identify and support children and young people with Speech, Language and
Communication Needs at an early stage and support them through universal and targeted
interventions, to reduce exacerbation of need that might lead to a specialist speech
and language therapy and/or Education, Health and Care plan referral.</p>
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