We draw on the expertise and knowledge of a range of external partners in order to support students’ learning and progress.  We use their advice and recommendations to problem solve and support students more effectively.  Our partners include:

Educational Psychology

Educational Psychologists work with children and young people aged up to 19 years and with their teachers, parents (and other carers) and other professionals involved e.g. doctors, social workers. Educational Psychologists work to find solutions to difficulties children and young people may be experiencing. This might be difficulties with learning, social and emotional development or behaviour, to name a few! Sometimes they work directly with children and young people , and sometimes they work only with the adults in the children’s lives.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) helps children to participate in daily activities. These activities may be personal care tasks (such as dressing, toileting or feeding), work and play tasks (such as activities carried out at pre-school, school or college) and/or leisure activities. These are ‘occupational performance’ tasks.

Occupational therapists work with the child, parents and teachers to find solutions to minimise the difficulties children face, helping them get the most from life.

Students at Catcote receive support for mobility and posture management from the Paediatric Occupational Therapy team at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.  The team can recommend things like seating and moving and handling equipment.

We also purchase additional support from Smart Occupational Therapy and a member of their team is based in the school for one day per week.  This is mainly focused on supporting our students’ sensory needs.

If we think that your child would benefit from working with an Occupational Therapist we will contact you to discuss this, before completing a referral form.

Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and language therapists (SLTs) help children to communicate. This means they can help with different skills: to make someone easier to understand, help them communicate with others and to understand what others say to them. They can work with schools and settings or parents to help them to support children and young people’s communication skills. SLTs can also provide training and strategies for other people to use.

We will always ask for your permission before we make a referral to the Speech and Language Therapy team.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Children, young people and their families can be offered support by CAMHS if they are experiencing difficulties with their behaviour or emotions, or are finding it hard to cope with life in the family, at school or in the wider world.

Hartlepool’s CAMHS team is based at Dover House and provides a range of support following referral.  We will always ask for your permission to make a referral to this service.