Social Communication Skills

SKILLWHAT TO DO FIRST
Identifying and supporting need		ASKING FOR HELP
Starting Assess, Plan, Do, Review		WHEN MORE HELP IS NEEDED
Targeted support
Social Communication SkillsIndividual child:
Early Years practitioners to refer to specialist services e.g. ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) for any immediate concerns e.g. breakdown in placements or complex safeguarding issues.
Consult with key people in the child’s life e.g., parents, carers and professionals currently involved to understand individual current communication skills, preferences, strengths and challenges.
To implement person-centred planning (PCP) meetings or 4+1 meetings alongside Plan-Do-Review documentation to explore response to strategies.
Child to have access to responsive communication partners who can embed interaction strategies within the routine.
Advice and strategies available to support interaction and communication through a naturalistic approach on via the Hanen Centre.
If struggling to embed and apply strategies, or more personalised, bespoke communication systems required, consider accessing further help from ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team. 
Classroom/Early Years room:
Early Years setting/school to establish consistent and predictable routines. Early Years practitioners to refer to advice and visual resources to support routines and transitions as a full class approach:
Using visual supports such as objects of reference, first-then boards and visual schedules.
Transition cues (verbal warnings, transition songs, timers, traffic lights). 
Prepare for upcoming changes to routine, supported by visual aids e.g., symbols, photos, drawing.
Early Years practitioners to refer to advice sheets and resources for interaction and communication strategies and embed into all classroom activities. Visuals available for: 
Creating communication opportunities.
Activity specific communication boards for aided language modelling.
Symbols and photos for aspects of the routine and areas in school.
Helping children interact.
Whole School/Early Years Setting:
Early Years practitioners to encourage a total communication approach and accept all forms of communication e.g., spoken, gesture, signs, written word, Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).
Early Years practitioners to recognise that ‘good listening’ and ‘good looking’ may look different for everyone. Don’t expect eye contact or sitting still. Sensory or movement breaks are incorporated into lessons. Access to multi-sensory learning opportunities within continuous provision and structured activities.
Schools/Early Years settings to have access to a robust, consistent symbol-based system to support all children and provide communication opportunities. Examples of these include Boardmaker, Twinkl and Widget (cost included to purchase).
Early Years practitioners to follow ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy team’s Language and Communication Standard for reception-aged children
Early Years practitioners to access Early Years Forum for general advice and strategies (for reception-aged children).		Early Years practitioners to continue to embed strategies to support consistent and predictable routine and transition support strategies.
Early Years practitioners to continue to embed interaction strategies and create communication opportunities embedded within routine and learning activities.
Provide a more personalised curriculum allowing flexibility in the organisation of the learning environment and the school day. For example, you could offer access to a low stimulus, distraction-free base either within or outside of the classroom for certain tasks. Adapt group and individual activities in line with the individual’s communication and interaction profile.
To implement person-centred planning (PCP) meetings or 4+1 meetings alongside Plan-Do-Review documentation to explore response to strategies.
Development of a one-page profile on communication and interaction styles to share with all Early Years practitioners.
Early Years practitioners to access training provided by ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) and Tameside Specialist Outreach Support Services (TSOSS). Contact TSOSS to book 2-part visual workshop:
Using Visuals to Support Understanding of Language and Routine.
Using Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Systems.
 
To access training provided by ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT):
Social Communication in the Early Years (based on Hanen More Than Words).
Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) –Introduction (part 1), Modelling and demo of AAC (part 2).
 
Early Years practitioners to consider carrying out targeted interventions in individual or small groups to support interaction and communication:
Attention autism an intervention model which aims to develop natural and spontaneous communication through the use of visually based and highly motivating activities.
Social Stories can be created to provide children with a concrete way to prepare for future situations or better understand social situations. It is important that these follow the official and recommended format. Consider consultation with ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) for further support in generating these.
Zones of Regulation is an intervention that supports the development of self-regulation and emotional control. ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy offer training on Zones of Regulation.
The Incredible Five Point Scale is a tool to explore emotional regulation and tools to support this.
Use of personalised visuals e.g. objects of reference, photos and symbols, now and next, choice boards, activity boards, traffic lights, sand timers. Consider seeking further advice from the SLT team regarding personalisation and implementation of visuals.
For all children requiring access to alternative communication systems, referral to ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) is required. Additional resources and support for aided language modelling, choice boards and core word teaching are available on:
The Ace Centre: Resources | Ace Centre.
Assistive Ware: AAC Resources – Assistive Ware.
Use of a sensory checklist and environmental adaptations to minimise impact of sensory distractions and sensory processing differences e.g. opportunities to work in quieter spaces with reduced distractions when completing focused activities, access to tailored sensory activities or resources. There is no scoring necessary for the sensory checklist. This tool can be used to help adults to identify areas where a child may be over or under responsive.
Early Years practitioners to access Early Years Forum for general advice and strategies (for reception-aged children).
Consider referral to ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) for further support and advice around targeted resources.
Early Years practitioners to refer to specialist services e.g. ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) for any immediate concerns e.g. breakdown in placements or complex safeguarding issues.		Provide a personalised curriculum allowing increased flexibility in the organisation of the learning environment and the school day, (e.g. offering access to activities in line with interests and preferences, allowing alternative opportunities for transitions such as break time, consistent structure, and provide access to a quiet, distraction-free environment if a child needs this support, ensuring access to a safe and trusted key person). 
Regular staff meetings, linking in with families where possible, centred around the child’s strengths and support needs, particularly if multiple staff members are involved in support (e.g. sharing and updating the one-page profile, discussing therapy plans, ensuring training completed).
Multi-agency assessment to identify persistent and complex needs e.g. access advice from external services such as Tameside Specialist Outreach Support Services (TSOSS), ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) and Tameside Educational Psychology Service (EPS), to tailor programmes and activities to support their communication development. Multi-agency assessment to highlight any onward referrals required (e.g., diagnostic multi-disciplinary teams such as multi-agency autism assessment team (MAAT) pathway, paediatrician)
Early Years practitioners deliver and support daily, individualised targeted interventions, based on support and guidance from external services. Certain interventions may require specialist training from the ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team.
Use of a robust, bespoke high or low Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) system, embedded within all routine and learning activities, accessible at all times to thechild with specialist training, targets and support from the ISCAN Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team. ISCAN SLT may complete onward referral for external specialist services (e.g., The ACE Centre).