The Academic Year 2023-24 saw the continuation of Cognus Therapies Post 16 Assessment Clinic. Emma Perridge (Occupational Therapist, OT) and Ashlea Stephens (Speech and Language Therapist, SaLT) set up the clinic in September 2022, following a number of referrals into the Therapies service for the same young people (both OT and SaLT assessments and reports). To avoid duplication for the young people and their families, they decided to join forces and create a collaborative assessment and report template, focusing directly on the four Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) outcomes:
- Progression to further / higher education and/or employment
- Independent living and housing
- Friendships, relationships and being part of my community
- Being as healthy as possible in adult life
Young people were invited into the clinic space at Cognus’ offices in Cantium House, Wallington for a 2-hour assessment with the OT and SaLT together. The therapists used this time to gather information and complete functional assessment tasks to ascertain the therapy needs of young people. Subsequently, a joint report was completed detailing the findings and making recommendations for any therapy provision needed. Working in such a collaborative way, meant that joint outcomes and sometimes even joint provision was recommended in order to fully meet the needs of the young people.
Across the Academic Year 2022-23, 18 assessments were completed with young people across Sutton and the surrounding boroughs. On occasions when a clinic assessment setting was not appropriate, and by specific commissioning agreements, the therapists also visited individual education and residential provisions.
In the Academic Year 2023-24, five additional therapists were onboarded into the clinic, increasing the reach even further with Cognus Therapies completing 25 assessments during the academic year. They relished the opportunity to develop their skills with one therapist saying:
I have immensely enjoyed working in the Post-16 clinic, so much so that I have asked for more!
100% of young people and families who accessed the clinic were satisfied with the therapists’ communication and the assessment on the day. One parent said:
We felt the therapists were adapting the session based on M’s responses and how she was presenting. They were brilliant in engaging M in the assessment.
Cognus Therapies already have plans to extend the assessment clinic even further with several assessments already booked in for the new Academic Year 24-25. If any local Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) teams would like to hear more, then please contact julie.kiely@cognus.org.uk to discuss.