Heathermount benefits from a dynamic onsite multi-disciplinary therapy team which consists of three Speech Therapists, an Occupational Therapist and an Occupational Therapy Assistant.  Each discipline offers a unique and different perspective to understanding the needs of young people with autism and collaborate to give our school a more holistic view of how best to support our students.

Therapists work at many different levels. This includes:

• Individual input to address specific needs
• Group sessions to focus on social aspects and other needs identified by staff and students
• In class support
• Therapeutic advice and programmes for class staff
• Observations, formal and informal assessments
• Providing training and advice to staff and families
• Input into Autism Support Plans (ASP) and Behaviour and Risk Assessments (BARA)
• Contribution to Annual reviews and a Speech and Language Therapist is present in each review
• Debriefs with students

During the 12-week assessment period, students undergo a variety of assessments and observations including formal and informal Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Psychology assessments.  These assessments, the EHCP, staff observations and input from families are used to identify the therapeutic needs of the student. These findings are then shared with staff to ensure that the learning environment, presentation of work and structure of lessons are adapted for the student. Assessment takes place over time and in a variety of contexts across the school.

We are currently using the Zones of Regulation ™ (Leah. M. Kuypers), Social Thinking ™ (Michelle Garcia Winner) and Interoception ^TM  (Kelly Mahler) programmes as part of our therapeutic input. Therapeutic practices and input are embedded throughout the school day at Heathermount.

The Therapy Team is an integral part of the school community and collaborates closely with staff, students and families.

All of our Therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and are members of registered bodies such as The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy (RCSLT), Royal College of Occupational Therapy and The British Psychological Society (OSHCR)