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Local Visits

Learners who need specialist support can be referred to the Integrated Services Team (IST). This team is made up of specialists from different areas, e.g. Speech Language Therapists, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Counsellors, Educational Psychologists.

If anyone from a learner’s team or whanau has noticed that they need help to support the child or young person, then they can refer the learner to the Integrated Services Team.

A referral can be about communication, movement, sensory, social, behavioural, cognitive, and emotional needs, as well as Audiology or Assistive Technology.

Following an accepted referral and initial engagement with our Telepractice service, a Deaf / Hard of Hearing (DHH) learner may qualify for a Local Visit. This is where a specialist/s from the Integrated Services Team would travel to the learner and whānau’s home area. The IST offers a limited number of Local visits each term.

A Local Visit may be considered if

  • 'In person' assessment/ programme implementation is required
  • Telepractice is limiting progress/ not meeting the needs of the learner
  • The whānau does not have the ability to travel to a Ko Taku Reo centre for an In-Reach visit
  • The learner needs to be seen in their own environment

The Local Visit may take place at the learner’s school, pre-school, home, or another appropriate venue.

    • Whānau and members of the teaching team are available at agreed times during the visit dates.
    • A quiet space to meet with whānau/ teaching team and work with the learner one on one if required.
    • Prior to the Local Visit, the specialist, learner, their whānau, and teaching team will agree on the aims of the visit. For example:
    • complete assessment and/or provide programme implementation, training and/or coaching
    • meet the learner, whānau and teaching team ‘in person’
    • set/ review goals as outlined in the learner’s Support Plan
    • The learner is considered a very high priority for receiving ‘in person’ sessions for support (reference Learner Need triangle and Model of Intervention Triangle).
    • whānau/ team have engaged well with the Outreach School Telepractice service (either for direct or indirect input).
    • whānau have been offered an In-Reach visit but have declined (for personal or other reasons are unable to attend).
    • Telepractice is not currently meeting the needs of this learner. Barriers have been identified and solutions tried.
    • The needs of the learner show that ‘in person’ assessment/ programme implementation will be of benefit.
    • If the Local Visit eligibility criteria are met, an IST specialist will contact the whānau/teaching team to offer a Local Visit, explain the Visit requirements, what is involved, and discuss possible dates.
    • If the learner’s whānau agrees to a Local Visit, then dates will be agreed.
    • If the learner’s whānau declines this offer then Telepractice may continue if it is providing some benefit to the learner, whānau, and team. If Telepractice is no longer of benefit, the Support Plan for this learner may be closed. The Learner can be re-referred to the IST again in the future if required.

  • During the Local Visit, a Support Plan will be co-constructed, if the learner does not already have one. The Support Plan will be a clear plan with learning goals and an agreed time frame. The time frame will specify review points for the support that is in place. If the learner already has a Support Plan, the Local Visit will be following what was set out in the Support Plan.

    Follow-up work, after the visit, will be done via Telepractice with the learner’s team.

  • At a final review meeting, progress will be reviewed and final recommendations will be discussed before the learner’s Support Plan is complete.

    When a learner’s Support Plan is complete, a closure report will be written by the specialist.

    The learner may be re-referred to the Integrated Services Team in the future if anyone from the learner’s team (existing or new) identifies that they need help to support the child or young person.