Services
The Service consists of 3 teams:
Autism Inclusion Team (AIT)
The Autism Inclusion Team is part of the Specialist Teaching Support Service. We work with children and young people aged up to 25 years with a diagnosis or accepted on the pathway to diagnosis of Autism. We offer specific support and advice to staff, children and parents in nurseries, mainstream settings, and deliver training to educational settings in Staffordshire. This support can continue into Further Education.
The Autism Inclusion Team consists of Specialist Teachers and Communication Support Workers, who work together to support Autistic children and young people across the county.
More information can be found on our local offer on Staffordshire Connects.
Deaf/Hearing Inclusion Team (DHIT)
The Deaf/Hearing Inclusion Team is part of the Specialist Teaching Support Service (STSS) and we support children and young people aged 0-25 with a diagnosed hearing loss at home, in early years settings, mainstream and special schools. This support can continue into Further Education.
Qualified and experienced Specialist Teachers of the Deaf/Hearing Inclusion Team work alongside other specialist professionals including Deaf Role Models, Communication Support Workers and Intervenors. We work in partnership with parents/carers, teachers and other professionals to provide support to each individual.
More information can be found on our local offer on Staffordshire Connects
Vision Inclusion Team (VIT)
The Vision Inclusion Team is part of the Specialist Teaching Support Service and we support children and young people aged 0-25 with a diagnosed vision impairment at home, in early years settings, mainstream and special schools. This support can continue into Further Education.
Qualified and experienced Teachers of the Vision Impaired, Mobility and Habilitation Officers, Intervenors (who work with children and young people with sensory impairments with additional needs) and Communication Support Workers (Specialist Teaching Assistants) work in partnership with parents/carers, teachers and other professionals to provide support to each individual.
More information can be found on our local offer on Staffordshire Connects
Aims
We are an educational based service and support pupils within mainstream schools, nurseries, pre-school settings and Staffordshire Colleges. The VIT and DHIT Team also support within specialist settings.
Who we are
The team consists of a range of specialist staff, including teachers, communication support workers, mobility officers, ICT Technician/Touch Typing tutors, Deaf/VI role models and Educational Audiologists who provide a wide range of support for pupils, families and settings.
What we do
The Team supports children and young people aged up to 25 years who have a confirmed diagnosis of a Deafness or Vision Impairment, Autism or are on Autism diagnostic pathway. The team provide specialist advice, awareness training, school visits and specific interventions. We have both ‘Core’ and ‘Traded’ aspects to our Services, please refer to individual Team leaflets* for further information on what each team can offer.
Referrals
Referrals for DHIT or VIT must be made through an appropriate medical diagnostic pathway. Schools and settings may make direct referrals to the Autism Inclusion Team (AIT) via their SENCO or Headteacher for children and young people who have an Autism diagnosis or who are currently on an accepted diagnostic pathway.
Parents, Carers who wish to refer are directed to the pupil’s school to discuss the referral in the first instance.
Contact Details
Specialist Teaching Support Service provides a County-wide provision. Contact details below.
Specialist Teaching Support Service
Staffordshire Place 1
Tipping Street
Stafford
Staffordshire
ST16 2LP
Tel: 01785 356830
Email: sss.service@staffordshire.gov.uk
For more information about individual teams within the STSS please follow the above links.
View our Local Offer page on Staffordshire Connects.