SECTION 5 - SPECIALISED INTERNAL SUPPORT NETWORK

SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILY

Tor Bank is totally committed to the support for the family programme and frequently offers opportunities for parents to come into our designated Parent Resource Room f or courses and meetings. Courses offered include ICT; Positive Parent; Managing Challenging Behaviours; Anti Bullying; Music Ideas for Parents of Young Children etc. Parents are welcome to come to our resource room for support in learning how to use a computer, or supporting their own child in the use of a computer. The Parents Resource Room is available for the use of all parents everyone is welcome.

The school offers a Learning Resources Library which caters for a wide range of pupils. Learning and Play Resources include toys, books, videos, games, computer software and switches and much more. The Library is open at regular intervals but is accessible on request.

INTENSIVE SUPPORT TEAMS

Tor Bank School aims to create an environment that supports the holistic needs of all pupils. To achieve this aim, staff, pupils and parents strive to ensure all learning takes place within an environment of trust mutual respect and empathy in which pupils are enabled to achieve their full potential in a caring and supportive atmosphere. Staff have a commitment to use positive intervention strategies to support and manage these behaviours, this is carried out in conjunction with the psychology services of the relevant trusts and SEELB.

As well as the intensive support team we have 2 staff who offer specialist support to pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and communication difficulties. We use an eclectic approach in teaching programmes e.g. TEACCH; PECS; I Con I Can etc.

The pupils are involved in a visually clear highly structured teaching system. The aim is to encourage social interaction, communication and independence and therefore enable the children to access appropriate curriculum areas. Support can be given in the classroom or in our intensive support centre.

Our vision for pupils with Autism attending Tor Bank School is to integrate them into a normal classroom environment where they will have opportunities to interact with their peers to become fully inclusive learners. To prepare those with severe to persistent challenging behaviours and autism to be able to cope and tolerate their peers in a fully inclusive classroom environment (where possible), pupils are withdrawn from their class (for short periods during the day) to receive intensive support to enable them to make transitions within this environment more manageable. Once successful structures and interventions have been established, staff within their mainstream classrooms are ‘trained’ to use the agreed support mechanisms with the child – firstly within the unit and secondly within the classroom. This ‘hands-on’ training is aimed at bridging the gap between ‘knowledge, experience and skills’ of staff and is provided by members of the Intensive Support Team as required.

An Autism Support Group was formed from a partnership between Tor Bank School and Autism NI (formerly PAPA). It is for parents of children of all ages with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and any professionals working within this field. Anyone else with an interest in autism would be very welcome to come along to our monthly sessions.

THE SPEAC PROJECT

Tor Bank and SEELB entered into a partnership with SPEAC (Specialist provision for Education of Autistic Children) and TreeHouse (London) on the 4^th May 2005 to deliver a more unique, intense and integrated approach to ABA within an educational framework. This is the first attempt in Northern Ireland to have a fully integrated school based approach to ABA. The partnership agreement which ran for a 3 year pilot period is now at the next stage of development.

A function of the centre was to teach the pupil to become a more inclusive pupil within the mainstream body of the school so that he will interact with his peers in a structured environment using socially acceptable means. The pupils are now based in classes throughout the school. Their ABA programmes continue with additional input from an ABA Consultant as provided by the SPEAC Charity

The SPEAC and Rainbow centres are now combined. The SPEAC Centre is used as a training unit where staff within the school and those outside the school can receive ABA training and subsequently use their knowledge within the classroom context at Tor Bank or alternatively within their respective environments.

Many of the programmes formerly carried out in the Rainbow Centre continue to be implemented within the SPEAC Centre.