Communication and language team

The Communication and Language team (CAL) provides support for children with severe speech, language and communication needs. They will need an intensive level of specialist support to access the curriculum. This service provides three levels of support:

• universal - input that benefits all children
• targeted - input for an identified group of children who need more support
• specialist - specific and direct input for students with severe needs

This involves collaborative and multi-disciplinary assessment between schools, parents and students. This will improve outcomes for children with severe speech, language and communication needs.

Support from the CAL team is provided for a maximum of two continuous terms. Referrals to this team can be made by Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs). Referrals can be made for students with and without EHCPs.

The CAL team also provide outreach support for children across all schools.  To access outreach support from the CAL team, schools are required to first seek support through termly planning meetings. They must then provide evidence of how recommendations following this discussion have been put into place. Evidence will be considered as soon as it is available. Settings do not have to wait until the next planning meeting to present evidence that specialist advice has been put into place.

For more information on the CAL support please contact the team at cal.team@iow.gov.uk.