Access Through Technology (ATT)

The Access Through Technology team (ATT) is a small specialist team within Norfolk County Council's Children's Services. We are specialist teachers and teaching assistants who work within schools across the county, providing advice, assessment, equipment, and training for pupils who may benefit from using technology to communicate and to learn.

We work closely with health colleagues and other professionals (eg occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, sensory support teachers) in whatever combination is appropriate for the individual child.

If you think that we may be of help to you or you want to discuss a referral please contact Helen Hards:

• Email: helen.hards@norfolk.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01603 505324

For more information please see the links at the top of the page.

The child or young person:

• Is between 4-19 and experiencing significant and complex communication difficulties caused by developmental, cognitive or physical disabilities or a combination of these. They are likely but not required, to have an Education, Health & Care Plan (If the child is under four years of age, please call to discuss their needs)
• Must have involvement with at least one health professional (eg occupational therapist, speech and language therapist etc) and/or evidence of an enduring medical need affecting written or verbal communication
• Has a named NHS health professional who agrees to the appropriateness of this referral

The school:

• Will be able to demonstrate that its existing technological resources have been used and are inadequate to meet the child's or young person's needs
• Has discussed and agreed the referral with parents/carers

We receive referrals from maintained schools, free schools and academies, and are also alerted to children who may need our input via Early Years colleagues, health colleagues and other specialist teams.

Parents and carers should discuss an ATT referral with their child's school.

To refer, please complete the referral pack and submit with supporting evidence to att@norfolk.gov.uk.

If you have any queries call Helen Hards on 01603 505324 or email helen.hards@norfolk.gov.uk.

Download the ATT referral pack (Word doc) [137KB]

ATT works as part of a multi-disciplinary virtual "team around the child", providing the SEND/ICT specialist teaching perspective in relation to the identification of the appropriate communication technology to meet an individual pupil's needs and working closely with the school to ensure that the ICT solution agreed will be compatible with the child's educational environment and will contribute to pupil progress.

1. The referral, together with the supporting evidence, should be emailed to att@norfolk.gov.uk
2. The school will be notified when the referral has been received.
3. If the referral is accepted, a member of the ATT Team will contact school to make arrangements for the assessment. This should be within one term.
4. The assessment will identify the appropriate technology and targets for the provision. A report of the assessment will be sent to the ATT funding panel for agreement.
5. Once agreed, school will be sent a copy of the report and asked to share and discuss the report with parents/carers.
6. ATT will organise delivery and set-up of the equipment and train relevant school staff in its use. The time from assessment to delivery of equipment should be no longer than 6 weeks.
7. The effectiveness of the provision will be monitored by ATT through School Self-Reviews and (if required) school visits.
8. The school must agree to complete these reviews in a timely fashion.

For children

• Promotion of independence in learning rather than learnt dependency
• Accelerated pupil progress with significant increases in motivation, concentration and attention
• Development of learning and communication skills which allows participation in school and with family and friends
• Reduction of risk of the development of behavioural difficulties due to frustration

For schools

• Specialist help in matching the needs of the child to the hardware and software required for them to make progress
• Expert teaching and teaching guidance in using the communication technology required
• A multi-disciplinary approach enabling specialist perspectives to be brought together simultaneously to reach negotiated, workable solutions
• A one-stop shop where referral, multi-disciplinary working, provision of hardware and software, training and ongoing support is provided
• No cost, as all aspects of ATT work, including provision of equipment, is funded and no additional contribution is required
• Support in the development of new SEND ICT skills in school staff thus providing increased staff confidence in supporting children with SEND and training them to be able to do so

For families

• Happier children who are better able to make their needs known and share their achievements
• Confidence that services are able to work together to arrive at possible solutions and then provide them without fences to be scaled between identification of need and provision
• Recognition that their contribution is vital and valued, and that they will always be included in the making of decisions
• Confidence that children will be tracked across the schools and phases in their education in relation to their SEND ICT needs