9 Current Roles of Professionals

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The roles of professionals described in the following section will be in relation to children with DCD except where otherwise stated when the general role of the professional will be given. The list is presented in alphabetic order as detailed in the previous section.

9.1 Education

9.1.1 The Role of School Based Teachers

Classroom, specialist or physical education (PE) teachers are often the first to pick up children whose co-ordination difficulties have not been severe enough to be picked up before a child starts school. Through observation, awareness of the normal range of developmental expectations and examples of specific areas of difficulty, class teachers should be able to identify children who have some sort of difficulty quite quickly. They may implement strategies to try and address the particular difficulties encountered. They also may wish further confirmation of their suspicions and consult with both the PE teacher and the Support for Learning Teachers. They may request assessment and advice from the Support for Learning Teachers. Class teachers are often the first to raise concerns with parents and to get information about the concerns that they have.

9.1.2 The Role of the Educational Psychologist

At present, the role of the Educational Psychologist working with this group of children lies mainly in making cognitive and educational assessments of children’s difficulties and in making recommendations about needs and support strategies to both parents and school. As part of these assessments, Educational Psychologists obtain detailed information about a child’s developmental history and other factors which affect progress and functioning. Therefore another role for the Educational Psychologist is to consider a child’s difficulties within this wider context and assist colleagues in the process of differential diagnosis. As multi-agency working becomes more structured and widespread, it may be that this role for Educational Psychologists will increase in the future.

Many children with DCD may not necessarily require a full Educational Psychology assessment and therefore the information requested by Health Services in the assessment of these children would come primarily from the class teachers with assistance where appropriate from the Support for Learning Teachers and PE staff. There may also be a consultative role for Educational Psychologists in schools through discussion of children about whom there are concerns in relation to co-ordination difficulties without the need for direct involvement.

9.1.3 The Role of the Pre-school Teaching Service

There are eight Pre-school Teachers for Children with Special Needs based across the Highland area. They can become involved with a child with DCD after referral to the Psychological Service.

The teachers often work on a regular basis in the children’s homes. They support and advise both Playgroup and Nursery placements, and work with the children up until and including school transfer.

The teachers help prepare children for school and prepare and train the primary schools’ staff to meet the special needs of children with DCD.

The teachers work in close partnership with parents and with multidisciplinary colleagues.

9.1.4 The Role of the Specialist Teachers - Autism Outreach Services

There are currently three Autism Outreach Teachers covering all of the Highland area. They also offer advice on the educational implications of DCD and offer training to school staff on strategies to reduce the effects of motor and organisational difficulties. The Outreach Service works closely with parents and with multidisciplinary colleagues. Parents and schools can make referrals directly to the Outreach Service.

9.1.5 The Role of Support for Learning Teachers

For children whose difficulties have first been noticed in school, the Support for Learning Teacher is consulted when the class teacher requires further information, advice or assessment. Support for Learning Teachers often have more detailed knowledge and experience in specific conditions affecting children’s learning than class teachers. They may also have more direct links to other professionals working within the schools than individual class teachers facilitating more detailed consultations. Support for Learning Teachers may discuss a child informally with other agencies such as Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology, the Community Paediatric Service or Occupational Therapy. They will also consult with the Head Teacher and, in collaboration with the parents, referrals to other agencies would be made where necessary. Support for Learning Teachers can also have very close links with parents and their central role within the school and their extensive network of contacts make co-ordination of services a vital feature of their role.

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