The Early Communication and Autism Partnership

The Early Years Diagnostic Centre, administered by NORSACA, has recently completed a three-year action research project developing the Frameworks for Communication approach; a diagnostic and intervention programme for very young children with autism and their families. Evaluation of the programme has demonstrated significant progress in the children involved and high levels of satisfaction amongst the parents who felt empowered to work effectively with their own children.

Following this Nottinghamshire Local Education Authority, NORSACA and the Health Service, as part of an evolving partnership between the agencies, started to meet to explore ways of enhancing services for pre-school children with autism based on this approach.   This led to the establishment of the Early Communication and Autism Partnership (ECAP) in September 2001 for families living in two areas of the county (Gedling and Broxtowe).  Following a very positive evaluation from Sheffield Hallam University ECAP was then extended to Rushcliffe in 2003.  Over recent months multi-agency meetings have led to the establishment of ECAP (North) to provide a similar service in Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and (from September 2004) Bassetlaw.

A consultancy panel, with representation from all three agencies, has been formed which will receive and consider enquiries and referrals from statutory and voluntary agencies.  This panel will meet on a regular basis and receive as much information as possible about each child.  The panel will recommend a range of options which may include:

• exploring existing routes for assessment and service delivery if this has not already taken place
• arranging, in consultation with other relevant professionals, for an assessment by the Early Communication and Autism Partnership team
• agreeing that intervention from the partnership service is appropriate
• deciding that the full service offered by the partnership would not be appropriate and suggesting other courses of action 

Liaison with other involved professionals is a priority for the panel, which wants to work in harmony with existing arrangements but not to lead to unnecessary delay in intervention.

The following core service will be provided by the ECAP intervention team.

• Initial assessment and a regularly updated individual programme
• Weekly home visits (lasting about 2 hours) from a specialist member of the team, working with the child and helping the family develop programmes and strategies to carry out with their child on a daily basis
• A parent workshop series of 8 sessions (each lasting 3-4 hours) when parents and carers can learn together about how to improve communication with their child, share their experiences and benefit from mutual support
• A series of ‘How to…’ booklets giving practical strategies which are reinforced by advice given during the home visits and workshops
• Follow up support to enable children to make a successful transition to nursery or school, this will include training for staff

It is expected that up to 70 children and families will receive this input from the intervention team at any one time but that many more who do not, for a variety of reasons, receive the core service will benefit from the consultancy panel referring on to other services, or by receiving parts of the partnership project (eg parent workshops or written material).  The follow up support that can be provided to nursery and school staff will also benefit future children entering this provision.

The partnership service will focus on children who are aged 4 and under at the point of initial referral and who present with a social and communication difficulty, even though a diagnosis of autism may not have been made at this time.  If you are working with a child who fits this description and want to find out more details please contact:

Ruth Hardy, Acting Head, Inclusion Support Service, Meadow House, Littleworth, Mansfield, Notts.
Tel:01623 433433

Phil Christie, Director of Child and Educational Services (NORSACA), Sutherland House School, 272 Longdale Lane, Ravenshead, Notts.
Tel: 01623 490879

Karen Sprigg, Manager, Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service, St John Street Health Centre, Mansfield, Notts.
Tel: 01623 784344

Penny Holland, Senior Educational Psychologist, Educational Psychology Service, North Base, Meadow House, Littleworth, Mansfield, Notts.
Tel: 01623 433433

Referrals, made with parental consent, can be directed to the Consultancy Panel via

Phil Christie (address as above) for ECAP South (Broxtowe, Gedling, Rushcliffe).

Ruth Hardy (address as above) for ECAP North (Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield, Newark).