Brunel Academies Trust

ARC Group Outreach

ARC Group Outreach for Key Stages 2, 3 and 4

Group Outreach is a tailored programme of support that is delivered to a group of CYP who have a need for support around their neurodiversity or with their communication and social knowledge. The sessions are designed to support the CYP with their communication and social knowledge, emotional regulation and offer them coping strategies to enable them to succeed in a mainstream/neuro-typical school setting. The programme is delivered in school by an experienced ARC worker and with a member of the school staff joining the group for the 1-hour session. It is good practice to work alongside school staff who already know the CYP to deliver the most effective and relevant support.

What Group Outreach includes

  • An initial meeting with the SENDCo to gather information to plan a programme based around the needs of the CYP who will be attending. The maximum number of CYP attending a group is 6.
  • A planned 10-week programme of weekly group sessions.
  • At the beginning of the programme the CYP will complete a questionnaire, and this will be completed again at the end of the programme. The results will be collated and used to report progress and identify future support. The views of the CYP will also be included in the end of programme report.
  • The sessions will include speaking and listening activities, activities around a relevant topic, a group game and time for self-reflection and discussion.

Things to consider when planning Group Outreach:

  • For optimum outcomes the group would need to be made up of different personalities who would benefit from working with others in a small group setting.
  • The school will need to get permission for the CYP to attend from their parent/ carer/ guardian.
  • Allocated use of the same school room to provide a safe, predictable environment for the CYP.
  • The same member of staff to attend the group so they can develop trusting relationships with the CYP and develop their own skills and expertise. They would also be expected to support with the school’s expectations of behaviour, register the CYP and report any absences.
  • The programme is 12 weeks. Week 1 would be meeting with the SENDCo, the planned programme would be delivered over 10 weeks. Week 12 would then be used to collate the questionnaire answers and write group reports. Evidence has shown that a 10-week programme achieves good outcomes as it can take several weeks for a CYP to trust the adults, get to know the other CYP and feel more confident to join in and participate during the sessions.

Testimonials from young people who have attended Group Outreach:

 

The group has helped me to be more connected with the world around me and be more confident.
Coming to the group has helped me with dealing with other people’s opinions.
The group has helped me to be more confident speaking.

 

If you interested in booking ARC Group Outreach, please email admin@basisbrunel.org.uk to request a referral form.

ARC Information Pack:

Please follow the link to view the ARC Information Pack