Sensory & Communication Support Service (SenCom)

The SenCom regional service is hosted by Torfaen Council working regionally with Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen councils.  

The Service is made up of three teams:   

Communication Intervention Team (ComIT)   

ComIT is a school-based service working to enable schools to identify and support children and young people with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). 

ComIT aims to meet the additional needs of children and young people with a non-clinical diagnosis and primary need of speech, language and communication when that need is severely impacting on the child’s learning. The team consists of advisory teachers, speech and language therapists and specialist teaching assistants.  

Requests for pupil support are received directly from schools.  

Support Service for d/Deaf Children & Young People  

The Support Service for d/Deaf Children & Young people assist all children and young people with an identified level of deafness to achieve their maximum potential and to acquire the necessary skills for life.  The service supports successful inclusion into early years settings and schools. The team includes qualified Teachers of Deaf Children and Young People and Specialist Teaching Assistants. 

The service is dynamic and encourages close links with home, school and other agencies. We aim to build capacity in schools in meeting pupils’ needs and provide focused support in response to the changing needs of children and young people.  

Most referrals are made via health professionals concerned about a child or young person’s hearing. Contact is then made with the school’s Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator.  

Vision Impairment Service (VIS) 

The service provides expertise and resources to schools to support pupils with visual impairments to enable full inclusive access to learning.  Independent living and mobility skills are taught by VIS specialists. 

VIS is able to provide a range of services in relation to individual needs. We work in partnership with children and young people with vision or multi-sensory impairment, parents, schools, education/career services and medical agencies to meet individual needs as identified through the assessment process.  

We welcome enquiries and referrals from anyone involved with children and young people who may have concerns regarding a possible vision or multi-sensory impairment.  

Make a referral for assessment by a Qualified Teacher of Vision and/or Multi-Sensory Impairment.  

To contact SenCom, telephone 01633 648888 or email sencom@torfaen.gov.uk