Care and support

About the Professionals involved

Social Workers

Social Workers work in many different areas of the services provided by Hertfordshire County Council. They are split into various teams and specialise in particular areas for example Disability Team, Children and Families and Adult Care.
The role of the social worker in a Disabled Children's Team is to assess the needs of the individual referred and their family.
They then take the appropriate action to meet this need and continue to monitor the situation if needed until such time as any assistance is not required.
This is done by finding suitable services for the individual whilst also assisting and providing advice for the carers.
Social workers train for a minimum of two years in areas of childcare, child development and child protection. They will also have an extensive knowledge of the services in the area and work closely with many other organisations within the county.

Educational Psychologist

An Educational Psychologist has had lengthy training in psychology, specialising in the ways that children learn, think and behave and is also a qualified and experienced teacher.
If a child is experiencing difficulties at school with their learning or relationships, the staff at the school may feel they need to get specialist advice. This is done with the consent of the parents.

An Educational Psychologist will talk to the parents and the school staff to build an overall picture of the child. They will also look at approaches that have already been tried and suggest further action for helping the child.
They may look at the child’s work and observe the child in the classroom or playground.
They may also meet with the child in a quiet room to work and talk.

Often they will use special activities to gain a clearer understanding of the child’s strengths and weaknesses; these may include reading, spelling and number tests.
The Educational Psychologist will make a broad assessment of the child’s language and communication skills, but will also look at other skills, knowledge and behaviour.
The parent’s view and knowledge is very important in helping to understand the child’s difficulties and to find ways to support and help the child in the future.

SEN Advisory Teachers

SEN Advisory Teachers are appointed by CSF and have additional specialist training and experience in teaching pre-school children with severe/complex special educational needs.

Special Educational Needs co-ordinator (SENCO)

The Special Educational Needs co-ordinator (SENCO) is a member of staff who has responsibility for organising SEN provision within the school. In a small school the Head Teacher or Deputy may take on this role. In larger schools there may be a SEN co-ordinating team.

The SENCO will monitor the child’s Individual Education Plan and is responsible for applying for a Statement of Special Educational Needs and referring to specialist services.

Teaching Assistants

The role of Teaching Assistant will vary depending on different schools and individual pupils needs. They are there to offer support to pupils with special educational needs and ensure they gain access to the curriculum. They often work directly in the classroom alongside the teaching staff and assist pupils with reading, writing and numeracy as well as practical subjects. They will also help with physical needs including personal care and supporting pupils at lunchtimes. It is important that LSA’s develop good relationships with the pupils and parents, as well as teaching staff. Many LSA’s have specialist training geared to individual pupils that they are working with.

Professional Assistants

The Professional Assistant’s role is to assist the social worker. They can act as Care co-ordinator on specific cases. They will visit individuals at home, arrange and attend reviews and work directly with children/young people on particular pieces of work, often on a one to one basis.
They are involved with the constant monitoring of the individuals needs and work alongside many other professionals to ensure the best service is provided.
They also maintain and up date knowledge of local resources within the community.

Occupational Therapists

Occupational Therapists work in both Health Clinics and Hertfordshire County Council’s Children Schools and Families Service. The Occupational Therapists who work in clinics are focussed on treatment programmes, rehabilitation and child development. Their services are accessed by a referral from either a GP or Consultant Paediatricians at local hospitals.
Occupational Therapists who work for Children, Schools and Families are focussed on assessing a child’s abilities within the home environment, for example how they sit, how they move around the house or how they are able to bath.
Occupational Therapists are able to identify special equipment, minor or major adaptations that will enable a child to be more independent and safe at home.

Health Visitors

Health Visitors are a primary source of support for parents of disabled children. They offer advice and information and try to organise the right services to enable parents/carers to cope. Health Visitors also liase with GP’s, Hospital Consultants and other hospital staff. One of the Health Visitors key roles is to make sure your child is seen by all the necessary agencies.
Your Health Visitor has specific training in child development and may be the first person to pick up on areas of development delay, disabilities, and other medical problems.
Your Health Visitor can refer you directly to other agencies if they feel your child can benefit from their services or will liase with your GP for other direct referrals.
Your Health Visitor can be contacted through your local GP or your local health clinic.

The School Nurse

The School Nurse acts as a liaison between the family and the Health and Education services involved in the welfare of the child. They ensure that a child with special needs has the opportunity to reach their full educational and health potential.