Brent Outreach Autism Team (BOAT)

BOAT is a service supporting settings of students at an individual and whole setting level. Involvement from BOAT is dependent on agreed needs of the students and the setting.
The SENCo is the main point of contact for questions from parents and carers.

Whole setting offer 

• Partnership Plan meetings twice a year to discuss the students known to BOAT and involvement required for each student.
• Autism Champions – offer for up to two staff per setting to join skill development programme.
• Setting training – including autism awareness training, behaviour that challenges and tailored training courses: see training offer.
• Centralised training offer – tailored sessions to support autistic sessions run centrally: see centralised training offer.
• Additionally Resource Provisions (ARP) in mainstream settings with an autistic students – see ARP offer to support staff within the provisions. Students attending these provisions are not referred to BOAT individually for involvement.
• Email / phone calls for signposting and guidance.
• Email network group of professionals supporting autistic students. 

Individual student offer 

• Initial meeting by phone / virtual for all accepted new requests for involvement.
• All students known to BOAT banded to identify involvement required and reviewed when required – see banding criteria.
• Band 1 and Band 2 students meetings in person / virtual / observations / targeted support as required.
• Band 3 and Band 4 students known to BOAT and supported by universal strategies and high quality teaching at settings. SENCo to make contact with BOAT if concerns / questions arise.
• Banding levels can change throughout the academic year – SENCo to contact BOAT if support needs change.

Request for involvement (referral) from settings only to BOAT

Request for involvement

Requests accepted if: 

• student is a Brent resident and attends a Brent mainstream setting 
• student is a Brent resident, attends an out of borough mainstream setting and has an EHCP
• student is a non-Brent resident in a Brent setting and does not have an EHCP
• referral form fully completed and confirmed autism diagnosis.

Requests not accepted if: 

• form not fully completed including consent and parent / carer signature
• student does not have a confirmed autism diagnosis
• student attends independent school, specialist provision or college
• student attends out of borough setting and does not have an EHCP
• student is not placed in an educational setting
• referral NOT from educational setting.

Communication with referrer if request is not accepted 

• Provide information why the referral was not accepted
• Signposting to support e.g. teams in neighbouring boroughs.

Acknowledgment 

• Email sent to setting to acknowledge request received.

Request for involvement Processed 

• Processed and assigned to a team member at the weekly team meeting - during term-time within 10 working days of receiving the request.
• BOAT worker contacts setting to arrange initial meeting with SENCo and if possible teacher / key worker.

Initial meeting 

• Initial meeting with setting to identify needs within 35 working days of request for involvement.
• Notes of meeting emailed to setting.
• Next steps identified and level of involvement from BOAT identified.

Next Steps 

• BOAT involvement in line with BOAT banding criteria.
• Students known to BOAT but may not have active involvement.
• Support settings with the implementation of the graduated approach.

Discharge

Student discharged when:

• moved to out of borough provision and do not have an EHCP
• move to specialist placement
• left school setting / no longer a Brent resident
• parent/carer request

BOAT does not carry out initial or formal assessments for diagnosis of Autism. These are conducted by paediatricians or the developmental progress team at the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

The team is a setting advisory service. Support is provided through advice and consultation with education staff. We do not deliver direct intervention programmes for children or young people.

The level of support provided depends on the child or young person’s level of need, the needs of the individual setting, and whether they go to a Brent setting. This support is not offered in isolation, but in consultation with parents, staff and other professionals.

We make every effort to attend a child or young person's annual review when enough notice has been given in line with the SEND Code of Practice.

Referrals are made directly to BOAT from the setting the child or young person attends. Referrals cannot be made by parents, carers or other professionals.

All referrals require confirmation of diagnosis and signed consent from parents, along with permission to share information with other professionals.

While we make every effort to respect confidentiality, we are mindful of our legal responsibilities in keeping children and young people and their families safe, and there may be times when information will have to be shared to ensure their safety.