Case Study Consultations

EASA Case Study Consultations (CSCs) are collaborative meetings to consider the interests, strengths and support needs of a child or young person (CYP) and to think about the factors which might affect their communication, learning and wellbeing. The meeting is held with key school staff and the CYP’s parent(s). The CYP may attend part of the meeting if everyone feels this would be helpful and the CYP would like to take part. During the meeting, the EASA Advisor will go through each of the areas of the 8 Good Autism Practice Principles (AET) and discuss what is currently in place to support the CYP. They will then offer advice and suggestions to help improve understanding and support for the CYP.  

Why have a CSC? 

• To support school staff to make appropriate reasonable adjustments tailored to the CYP 
• To support implementation of strategies on an EHCP or an Individual Education Plan 
• To increase time in school for a child on a part-time timetable or struggling with attendance 
• To support the CYP’s engagement with learning and their wellbeing 
• To prevent potential suspension or exclusion from school  

How many CSCs can a school request? 

Every school can request up to 3 CSCs per year. More can be requested if they have more than 300 pupils on roll (1 per 100 students additionally).   

Requests will be granted according to capacity within the team. If the school has more children they wish to discuss, they should choose priority Case Studies (they may be 3 contrasting cases that will help the school to reflect on needs more generally). Some schools prioritise children for whom EHCP applications have been declined and where they have been asked to consider and implement EASA advice. If a pupil already has an EHCP, it may be more appropriate to ask the school to revisit the EHCP advice in the first instance.  

The CSC Process 

Registration 

We ask schools to start the process by making a CSC request using the online form. This gives us key information to register the request on our system (school name and contact details; CYP’s name and details and parent permission). 

Information Gathering 

After registering the CSC request, a key member of school staff should begin gathering information about the CYP for the CSC meeting. The following forms must be completed and emailed to admin@enfieldasa.org.uk 

• CSC - Implementing the 8 GAP Principles form (answering the questions in relation to the Case Study child or young person) – This is usually completed by the SENCo or Inclusion Lead. 
• One Page Profile – This should be completed by the child or young person themselves, or by those who know them well, including parents and class staff. It is helpful to have different versions completed at home and at school so we get a sense of how the child or young person is in different settings and with different people.  
• My Hopes, Dreams and Aspirations – As with the One Page Profile, ask the child or young person to complete this themselves if they are able to, or ask parents/class staff to do it with or for the child/young person.  

Booking the CSC and the Meeting Itself 

Once the Information Gathering forms have been received by the EASA Administrator, the CSC will be allocated to one of the Advisory Team and they will contact the school to book the CSC meeting.  

CSC Meetings are usually held at the school, in person, but can also be held online if this is more convenient for everyone. The school should ensure that the SENCo/Inclusion Lead or a member of senior staff can be present throughout and parents must be invited. It is helpful to have a member of class staff present (teacher, TA or LSA) who knows the CYP well. Sometimes the EASA Advisor may want to observe the CYP in class for a short time as part of the information gathering. If you think this would be helpful, please say so when booking the CSC meeting so that time is allowed for this. 

The CSC meeting will last about 1hr.  

The EASA Advisor will complete the CSC Implementing the 8 GAP Principles form, adding their advice and suggested next steps. They aim to send you the completed report within two working weeks. 

3 Month Review  

An opportunity is given to review the CSC advice three months later. A meeting date and time will be set for school staff and parents to discuss how things are going, what has been working well and whether any further advice is needed. The CSC Review form is used as part of this meeting. 

Please Note 

Each CSC and Review costs EASA approximately £850. We ask that schools and parents commit to this collaborative work once the request has been submitted, and make every effort to implement the advice given. If a CSC or Review needs to be cancelled for any reason (e.g. key staff or parents unavailable), please let EASA know as soon as possible. Failure to give reasonable notice or explanation about late cancellation may incur a charge to the school.