Therapy Support

Providing Specialist Therapy support to Autistic students

Sundial Therapy Team is a Multi disciplinary Team of Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Therapy Assistants and our Therapy dog Nico. We also work alongside additional Therapists who provide Rebound Therapy and Music Therapy.

Occupational Therapy

Our Occupational Therapy Team focuses on function in everyday life. We aim to develop the skills, independence and well-being of those we work with. We aim to overcome barriers and ensure that everyone can participate in the activities that are meaningful and important to them.
We aim to develop skills that will support a person throughout their college life and beyond into the community.

Occupational Therapists at Ascent may provide support with:

• Sensory Processing
• Fine and Gross Motor Skills
• Motor Planning and Motor Coordination
• Functional skills
• Executive functioning skills
• Visual Motor Integration and Visual Perception Skills

Students at Ascent will receive Assessment from OT, and a bespoke Therapy plan will be devised providing, integrated, targeted or specialist support. We work collaboratively with a range of professionals and communication partners.

Speech and Language Therapy

Our speech and language therapy team aims to support students to communicate what they want, to who they want, when they want, using whatever method they choose. Using a Total Communication approach, we support students to develop their communication skills so that individuals can express the things that are important to them. All methods of communication are respected and celebrated, whether this be spoken language or Alternative and Augmentative Communication methods (AAC).

Speech and Language Therapy may provide support in the following areas:

• Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC)
• Self-advocacy
• Perspective taking
• Understanding own neurodivergent communication styles and communication styles of others
• Emotional literacy and regulation
• Student voice
• Expressive language
• Receptive language
• Developing communication skills within college, community and work placements
• Supporting communication partners to understand communication strengths and needs

Students will receive assessment from SaLT and a bespoke therapy plan will be devised providing integrated, specialist or targeted support. The support each student receives is bespoke to their skills, needs and priorities. We work collaboratively with a range of professionals and communication partners.

Working with the Sundial team

The Sundial Team works collaboratively as a multi-disciplinary team, often planning and delivering jointly with other Therapist and with Education staff. At Ascent, therapy informs teaching, and teaching informs therapy, so individual learning needs are met. Shared person-centred therapy targets ensure a cohesive, consistent practice in meeting learning needs outlined in Educational Health Care Plans. Outcome measures are used to show the progress and benefits of therapy support.

The Sundial team works closely with families/carers, external Multi-Disciplinary Teams and the wider community, providing advice, support and sign-posting. The Therapy Team can offer support with Dietary, Sleep, Sex education, sensory regulation and Positive Behaviour Support.