Autism and social communication team- Learning Support Service (LSS)

We are a team of specialist ASC (Autistic Spectrum Condition) / social communication difficulties teachers and a specialist teaching assistant who support school staff and pupils with ASC. A diagnosis is not required to get support from us. You may hear us referred to as the LSS ASC Team.

We provide advice and guidance about supporting a child or young person with differences in:

Social communication, social interaction, sensory differences, information processing including managing feelings and emotions
Training for whole staff or key groups of staff on understanding autism and effective practice in schools
Training or modelling of specific support strategies delivered by LSS specialist teachers or TA’s
Advice about flexible approaches to teaching and learning
Guidance about environmental considerations
Advice and guidance about managing transitions & key transition phases
Attendance at meetings with parents, carers, or other professionals
Facilitation of group staff meetings around the needs of a child
Advice about target setting for Individual Education Plans or similar
Targeted SEN learning walks
Bespoke training in school around ASC
Drawing and Talking therapy delivered by our specialist staff
In depth pupil voice information gathering directly with CYP

We support:

SENCO’s in schools
Teachers and Teaching Assistants
Individual or small groups of pupils (Reception to Year 11)
Parents/carers of pupils on our casleoads

To access our service schools request support directly via our dedicated LSS referral website. To proceed with a referral parent/carer consent must be obtained by school and included as part of the online referral. They should also include evidence of any ongoing support in school, any other professionals involved and the impact of any support or advice already received. Waiting lists vary but generally we aim to see CYP referred to us within the half term they are referred.

Age Range(s)

4 - 16

Who to contact

Contact Name: Simone Leese
Contact Position: Learning Support Service Team Leader
Telephone: 01617780477 01617780477; email
Email: adminlss@salford.gov.uk
Website: ASC team website and referral form
Parent Organisation: Salford City Council

Where to go

Address: Salford City Council
Chorley Road
Swinton
Salford
Postcode: M27 5AW

Time / Date Details

Session Information: Monday to Friday from 8:45am to 3:45pm. (Term time only)

Availability

Referral required

Yes

Referral Details

The autism and social communication team are a team of specialist teachers who work to provide specialist advice for children and young people in mainstream primary and secondary settings, who have difficulties in the areas of social interaction, communication, flexibility of thinking and sensory differences. Some of these children and young people may have a diagnosis of autism, or may be on the pathway to a diagnosis of autism, but not all.

Important - please read along with the downloadable documents below

What to expect following a referral:

The team of specialist teachers process referrals weekly
Communication to school will be shared from the admin team with a referral outcome of allocated, deferred or declined. Deferred or declined outcomes may be issued where evaluation of SEN Support has been unclear or there is a lack of information or parental consent with the referral paperwork. On the referral form, we ask for a brief reflection of what provision has worked or not worked already in school, so that advice can be clearly tailored to the child’s needs in line with the graduated response to a child’s SEN
Where a referral is allocated, the specialist link teacher for that school will aim to make initial contact with the referrer within the following three weeks. Initial contact may involve either; arranging an observation of the child in their day to day provision, meeting with class teacher, meeting with SENCO or other professionals, meeting with parent or pupil directly
After the initial contact, a level of need will be identified and a record of involvement will be created and shared with recommended strategies, resources and advice. School will have clear next steps, and next steps for the specialist teacher will be clear. Next steps may involve either; closing the case on receipt of initial advice in agreement with school, monitoring and reviewing the case (with other professionals and services where required) for an agreed time period.