Special Educational Needs Assistive Technology
Advisory Service (SENATAS)
Statement
Every child/young person has a basic entitlement to access the technology
both hardware and software that is available to the pupils within their
school/setting.
Communication is a basic human right. Access to communication raises selfesteem, achievement and quality of life.
Technology can make accessing a child/young person’s environment for
learning, play and leisure easier and can promoting independence.
Aim
To provide advice to schools/settings through assessments carried out by
specialist professionals. We offer support for children/young person with
complex needs to access the curriculum using alternative methods of
recording, effective communication and accessing their environment for
learning, play and leisure.
Referral criteria
The pupil or young person must meet one or more of the following criteria for
the SENATAS referral to be accepted.
1) For assessing IT for learning and recording:The child or young person will have a need to use additional/specialist
hardware and/or software for alternative recording methods to enable them to
access the curriculum
2) For accessing communication for those with little speech and complex
communication needs:The child or young person will have a need for augmentative and alternative
communication in the form of an aid or aids, to help develop communication
skills and to access the curriculum. They will have little or no speech, or will
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have difficulty in making themselves understood to the majority of people. The
child/young person must have a speech and language therapist currently
involved, or who has been involved in the previous 12 months.
3) For accessing the educational environment using technology:The child/young person is likely to have significant physical and/or learning
difficulty and is unable to access the environment for learning, play and
leisure activities by standard means.
About SENATAS
SENATAS is a county wide service consisting of a variety of professionals
including the SEN IT Advisor, Specialist Communication Advisor, Advisory
Teachers, Support Assistant Advisors. We offer a wide range of skills and
experience supporting children/young person with complex needs. The
service works with of children/young person from per-school to further
education.
The service provides assessments for individual pupils, monitoring of pupils
progress referred to the service, training on specialist pieces of equipment,
and up-to-date information and advice on the vast range of assistive
technology, software and hardware available on the market to support all
children/young people. We will also provide ongoing support with these
specialist resources.
A referral to the service may require joint assessments with various
professionals as well as outside agencies such as the Integrated Therapy
Service eg Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist and
Advisory teachers from other support services. The assessment may require
several visits to ensure the correct advice and support is provided to the
child/young person, parents and school/educational setting.
A re-assessment may be required if the child/young person’s needs have
changed or SENATAS has not had any involvement within the previous 18
months. The school/setting will be asked to complete a new SENATAS
referral form which contains up to date information.
Equipment
SENATAS has a limited amount of specialist equipment including alternative
devices to access computers, communication aids and equipment to access
the environment, This can be loaned for an agreed period to schools/settings.
Schools are expected to purchase certain hardware that is recommended
from the assessment which is valued under £100.
Due to licensing laws SENATAS cannot purchase software for schools that is
recommended after a SENATAS assessment or review visit. It is therefore the
school/settings responsibility to purchase software that will support the
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child/young persons learning. If a child/young person requires communication
software on a specialist piece of equipment then this will be purchased as the
licence is associated with the communication aid not the premises.
The equipment loaned by SENATAS remains their property of Somerset
County Council. The equipment loaned becomes the school/setting
responsibility and a loan agreement form will be signed on delivery. A copy of
this form should be kept by the school/setting and SENATAS.
Training
A basic level of training will be provided by SENATAS for any equipment they
loan to the school/setting on delivery. They will also provide initial training for
recommended software. However, the school/setting will be expected to
commit staff to more in depth training if required such as the SENATAS whole
day training. SENATAS can also offer bespoke training for schools, contact
SENATAS for more information.
Support
SENATAS offers school ongoing support with differentiation and using
technology. This will be done in conjunction with the school/setting through a
Focused Intervention Plan with specific targets which refer to the child/young
persons Individual Education Plan that is set up in school.
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