Ace Centre welcomes the aspirations outlined by the government and is encouraged by the recommendations set out in the recently published White Paper.
The inclusion of trained SEND professionals within Best Start Family Hubs represents an important step forward, helping to ensure earlier identification of communication and access needs so that appropriate support can begin as soon as possible. We also recognise the value of the proposed Access to Experts at Hand model. Ensuring that children can access occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and specialist assessments will be crucial in securing timely interventions and in guiding educators on high-quality implementation support. Our experience consistently shows that collaborative, multidisciplinary working around each child or young person leads to the most meaningful and sustained outcomes.
We are pleased to see investment in training that supports the principle that all teachers are teachers of SEND, and we welcome the establishment of the New School Support Staff Negotiating Body, which acknowledges the vital role of teaching assistants. These staff are often central to the successful implementation of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) and assistive technology in educational settings. Further clarity on whether the proposed national training offer will explicitly include how to support AAC functionally in the classroom, as well as how to develop assistive technology competencies, would be highly beneficial.
Ace Centre also recognises the importance of strong professional networks in building confidence and expertise. Communities of good practice significantly enhance the skills of those implementing assistive technology, and we therefore see real potential in the White Paper’s focus on grouping schools into multi-academy trusts and strengthening SEND networks. These structures will give educators greater opportunities to share knowledge, refine practice and access peer support.
At Ace Centre, we recognise that technology can significantly expand opportunities for learners, particularly when appropriate access routes have been identified. Providing LEAs with Assistive Technology loan banks enables multidisciplinary teams to conduct impartial, needs led assessments. However, assistive technology represents only one element of effective support. It must be embedded within a wider ecosystem that includes trained staff who can develop learners’ access skills, as well as support and review assistive technology needs. This goes hand in hand with strategic processes for ongoing procurement, assessment, maintenance and review of need.
We welcome the White Paper’s acknowledgement of communication devices and the impact they can have. While they are referenced within the wider context of assistive technology, it is important to highlight that AAC is not limited to technology-based solutions. Signing systems and paper-based communication tools can be equally powerful in supporting learners to develop autonomous communication, and this breadth of AAC approaches should continue to be reflected in policy and practice.
The introduction of an oracy framework presents an exciting opportunity to embed AAC use meaningfully throughout the school day. Once the framework is published, Ace Centre hopes it will fully represent all forms of communication, including sign language, non‑verbal communication and all forms of AAC. Ensuring that these modalities are explicitly included will help schools to support the expressive and receptive communication needs of a diverse range of learners.
As the government develops specialist provision packages, it will be essential that they are designed to be ambitious and inclusive, rather than limiting learners’ opportunities. Implementation must recognise the complexity and individuality of each learner, ensuring that support is tailored to need rather than aligned to predetermined pathways. Many children and young people may have significant access needs yet still have an entitlement to a high quality, progressive and enriching education.
Ace Centre fully supports the White Paper’s ambition to move learners ‘from sidelined to included’, and we look forward to positively working with all partners to help make this aspiration a reality.
