Multidisciplinary Approaches to Learning Disabilities

1
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Learning
Disabilities

• Lorraine Petersen

2
Every Child Matters

• Children Act 2004
• Build Services around the child
• Understand and respond to childrens needs in a
  holistic way
• Support parents, carers and families
• Better safeguards for children and young people
• Focus on opportunities for all
• Development of workforce and changing culture and
  practice
• Integration of working practices, processes,
  strategy and governance

3
Every Child Matters

• Five outcomes for children
• Healthy mentally, physically, emotionally
• Safe physically, emotionally, and protected from
  harm, harassment, bullying
• Enjoying and Achieving present, included,
  participating, achieving to their potential
• Positively contributing through exercise of the
  young persons voice in shaping and evaluating
  services
• With economic wellbeing housed, fed, employed,
  in families free from want and communities free
  from fear of want

4
Multi-Agency Working

• Education
• Social Care
• Health
• Childrens Services

5
Team Around the Child
6
Team Around the Child

• Lead Professional
• Information sharing
• Accountability
• Common Assessment Framework
• Funding

7
Multi-Agency Working

• Model 1- Multi-agency panel
• Practitioners remain employed by their agency
• They meet as a panel or network on a regular
  basis to discuss children with additional needs
  who would benefit from multi-agency input
• In some panels, casework is carried out by panel
  members. Other panels take a more strategic role,
  employing key workers to lead on casework.

8
Multi-Agency Working

• Model 2 Multi-agency team
• A more formal configuration than a panel, with
  practitioners seconded or recruited into the team
• The team has a leader and works to a common
  purpose and common goals
• Practitioners may maintain links with their home
  agencies through supervision and training
• Scope to engage in work with universal services
  at a range of levels (small group, family and
  whole-school work

9
Multi-Agency Working

• Model 3 Integrated Service
• A range of separate services that shares a common
  location, and works together in a collaborative
  way
• A visible service hub for the community
• Has a management structure that facilitates
  integrated working
• Commitment by partner providers to
  fund/facilitate integrated service delivery
• Usually delivered from school/early years
  settings

http//www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/multiagencywor
king/
10
Early Identification

• Parents
• Health
• Pre-school
• School

11
Early Identification

• Parents
• Health
• Pre-school
• School

12
Inclusion Agenda in UK

• Inclusion is a process by which schools, local
  authorities and others develop their cultures,
  policies and practices to include all children
• Department for Education and Skills 2002

13
School

• Every teacher is a teacher of children with
  learning disabilities

14
Approaches to Learning
Auditory
Oral
Kinaesthetic
Tactile
Visual/spatial
15
Access to the curriculum

• Differentiation
• Specialist learning resources
• Use of ICT software/hardware
• Personalised learning
• Flexibility

16
Supporting Learning Disabilities in the classroom

• Class Teacher
• Support Assistant
• Specialist Teacher
• Speech Language Therapist
• Educational Psychologists
• Learning Mentors
• Counsellors
• School Nurse
• Key worker/lead professional
• Parents

17
Good Classroom Practice

• Set routines, rules and procedures
• Clearly defined areas
• Resources are well labelled and easily accessible
• The classroom is prepared for each lesson
• The labels and signs around school are clear and
  consistent
• Childrens work is celebrated through display
• Good behaviour management strategies which
  celebrate positive contribution
• Friendly, stimulating and safe environment

18
Challenges

• Common understanding/terminology
• Co-ordination of professionals
• Changes in roles and responsibilities
• Mapping of provision
• Training
• Funding

19

• Lorraine Petersen
• Chief Executive Officer
• nasen
• (0044) (0)1827 311500
• lorrainep_at_nasen.org.uk