Services for children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD)

Policy and Guidance

Introduction
We provide a multidisciplinary approach to the education of children and young adults (aged 3-19) with PMLD. Students are provided with specialised educational and therapeutic provision within a Total Communication approach. Our multi-sensory child centred approach ensures pupils have full access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum is suitably differentiated to meet their individual specialist needs. This service is staffed by specialist teachers, tutors, therapists and learning support workers together with on site nursing support.

Who is it for?
At Northern Counties School there is a distinct population of children who have very complex needs. These children have significant physical disabilities, which affect their gross and fine motor skills and have severe/profound learning difficulties. Each child may have either a hearing or visual impairment and some have both senses affected making their disability very complex hence the term "profound and multiple learning disabilities".

It is necessary to provide these children with experiences that will help them to reach, in their own way, those milestones necessary to further the achievement of personal skills. The aims of their education and therapy are to:

  • Help the child and their family to become more effective in their interactions
  • Stimulate and motivate the child to use all their abilities in all areas of development
  • Encourage the child to function at the optimum level.

These children will develop new skills at varying rates and progress will be measured in very small steps that require a highly structured teaching and assessment programme in which observation and interpretation of progress will be needed.

Typically provision will be suitable for children where:-

  • Their need for specialist education packages can be fully met by experienced and well-qualified staff
  • Additionally resourced unit provision cannot fully meet their needs
  • They require teaching in small groups with high levels of individual support from specialist staff experienced in working with children with profound and multiple learning difficulties.
  • The complex nature of their needs require a high level of therapeutic input.
  • They require a highly structured and fully modified curriculum with an emphasis on multi sensory approaches and experiences.
  • They require personal and social independence opportunities to encourage active participation in daily routines.
  • Some may require a 24 hour curriculum to fully meet their needs.

What do we provide?
Class programmes are devised and provided by an integrated team of teaching staff, therapists and learning support workers, all of whom have expertise at leading sessions across the curriculum. The focus is very much a needs led programme which maximises the multi sensory opportunities we build into the curriculum. Particular attention is given to alternative communication methods such as switch access and objects of reference. Occupational Therapy input is provided on both an individual basis for children in school and particular attention is given to the home situation. Physiotherapy programmes include both passive stretching sessions in class and whole group movement programmes which aim to maximise purposeful movement within a set of motivational tasks that are verbal, aural and physically stimulating. Children have individualised timetables designed on a needs led basis to ensure a child centred approach to the curriculum.

We guarantee to deliver:-

  • High quality and specialised staffing trained in working with children with complex needs including teachers of the deaf, a teacher of the visually impaired, a teacher for children with multi-sensory impairment, therapy team and learning support workers.
  • 1:1 for each child within a small teaching group of 4 - 6 children.
  • Therapeutic multi-sensory curriculum with individual timetables to meet the needs of each pupil. This is intended to be age appropriate in terms of topic content but developmentally matched to the child's needs.
  • Specialist communication approaches to encourage responses including the use of signs or on-body signs, intensive interaction and use of all skills such as gesture, facial expression, and aids such as switches.
  • Full time Occupational Therapy support providing specialist programmes in switching and independent mobility, specialist seating and postural management programmes, and advice for families with regard to issues in the home.
  • NHS team of Physiotherapists who provide individual programmes and and are available throughout the week. This includes input into three movement programmes each week that incorporate some of the principles of Conductive Education in enhancing the motivation of children to take an active part in physical activity.
  • Hydrotherapy on site which allows each child two or three sessions each week to stimulate, encourage communication and maximise physical movement.
  • Rebound Therapy with qualified staff which helps the child to become more alert and therefore to engage in learning more effectively.
  • Light stimulation programmes in a specially designed room to encourage the use of residual visual skills and develop visual abilities such as tracking.
  • Use of a Sensory Room to encourage switch access and communication skills using tactile, kinaesthetic, auditory, visual and olfactory stimuli.
  • Individual nursing care plans with full time nursing support available to children with complex medical requirements.
  • High quality personal care to maintain the child's dignity and encourage active participation in routines.
  • Provision of special diets as required with direct input from our dysphasia trained speech and language therapists.
  • Partnership programmes for parents including a School for Families which teaches family members how to support their child at home and how best to stimulate and encourage communication.
  • Access to a 24 hour curriculum (for some children). Flexible residential position is made to enable children who cannot commute daily on account of the distance between the school and their homes, or for whom education support outside the school day is required for them to become independent. The residential unit provides a warm, safe, supportive environment where the children can continue to learn through increased opportunities to develop their independence, personal and social skills, build self-esteem, value others and promote positive attitudes.
  • School based clinics from visiting consultants for ENT and the School Medical Director.
  • Links with external agencies to support periods of transition, particularly at the end of educational provision to ensure a package of care is established in other services. We also offer training and liaison to agencies providing home based programmes or respite, to ensure consistency in approach.
  • An open door policy in which parents are welcome to join in any aspect of the school day in order to develop a consistent approach in care and to share expectations at school and in the home.

Should you require any further information about our services for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties please contact: Judith James (Head Teacher) on 0191 2815821 or email j.james@percyhedley.org.uk