Menu

Children’s Autism Outreach Team (CAOT)

Service Information:

CAOT is part of the Children and Young People’s specialist service, SEND & Inclusion support Somerset.

Children’s Autism Outreach Team (CAOT) work with parents and carers and their child or young person with a diagnosis of autism aged 0-14 years (to 15 birthday).

For families / careers who have a young person on the autism pathway aged 0 -14 years (15th birthday) they would be welcome to attend CAOT coffee mornings or CAOT activities to gain support from CAOT and other families / carers in the same situation. An EHA would not be required because CAOT would not be offering direct support until a firm diagnosis is given. Parents can request information by emailing CYPspecialistservice@somerset.gov.uk.

CAOT provide home visits to help parents and carers with advice and strategies within the home, help with new skills to support their child and/or help with access to other suitable resources.

They also provide activities for children and young people that would otherwise be inaccessible for many families without support and advice. These include clubs for families and activities during every school holiday.

Please read these notes alongside the EHA as you complete it.

Please note acceptance for CAOT is currently up until 14 years of age (CAOT support children and young people up to their 15th birthday.).

Special educational needs schools completing an EHA, CAOT will accept an EHA for any of your pupils with a diagnosis of autism and a member of CAOT staff will be in contact with the referrer to discuss how we can work together to support the young person and their parent /carer. We appreciate that you know this young person well and believe it is important that we use a consistent approach to communication and visuals within school and home. A joint meeting will be suggested within your school for the referrer to attend with the parent /carer to support CAOT with suggestions and share ideas. [if referrer does not know or work with the young person, we would request someone else from the school to attend the meeting that does].

Sections 1 and 2

  • These can be either completed by the SENCo/Headteacher etc for a child in school.
    Or
  • If parents wish to refer their child or if their child is not on roll of a school, they can phone Somerset Council on 0300 123 2224 where a member of staff will take their contact details and the CAOT manager will ring them back to complete the EHA with them.
    Or
  • A Health/Medical or Social Care colleague who has involvement with the CYP and can provide the evidence of an autism diagnosis.

Section 3

  • This must be completed as it gives consent.

Section 4

  • We only require details of the child being referred but you may complete the whole section to provide a wider context.

Section 5

  • We only require the names, address and contact details of parents/carers.
  • Please ensure you add Parent /carers email address

Section 6

  • We only need to know professionals who are directly involved with the child you are referring. You may complete the whole section to provide a wider context.

Section 7

Please complete as much as you can in section 7 and you must include the information below:

  1. To meet criteria for support, the Children’s Autism Outreach Team (CAOT) will only accept an EHA if: The young person is 0 -14 years (15th birthday) and they have a current diagnosis of autism. Please make this clear in Section 7: the date of diagnosis and who gave the diagnosis, e.g. Paediatrician or the CYP Neurodevelopmental Partnership. For evidence, please email the letter of diagnosis along with the EHA”.
  2. The Desired Outcomes for the child in section 7a. (e.g. how CAOT can support).
  3. In order for the allocated CAOT worker to have a clear understanding of the child’s or young person’s needs and the support required please identify what you would like support with i.e. social communication skills, managing sensory issues and developing independent learning within section 7a.

Section 8

  • Please complete as much of section 8 as you are able to.

Section 9