Rochdale Communication Aids Team (RCAT)

About

RCAT is a multi-agency team consisting of representatives from Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, schools and the Children and Young People with Additional Needs Service.

We are jointly funded by Health and Education.

What we do

We assess and support children and young people who have significant difficulty in communicating or interacting with others or their environment.  We use highly specialised equipment to support students’ spoken and/or written communication and their curriculum or environmental access.

We work in partnership with students, their families, local therapists and professionals to provide expert support, guidance and equipment.

We seek to identify what assistive technology (AT) or alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) strategies and resources will work best for the student. This will involve trialing different kinds of equipment over a period of time.

Following assessment, we continue to provide support to the child or young person, family and school to ensure continued good use of the equipment.

RCAT equipment is intended for use throughout the child or young person’s daily activities for example at school, home and in the community.  Often we aim to offer the child or young person a variety of equipment so they can choose what works best for them at any given time.

How to access the service

Referrals are taken from schools via the RCAT referral form which is available on the Rochdale schools intranet. Other education and health professionals can refer via the address.

Help and advice for young people and families regarding whether a referral to the team would be appropriate is available via the contacts details. To discuss whether a referral to RCAT is appropriate, talk to your RANS teacher or therapist.

Who to contact

Telephone
01706 926400 Ask for teacher responsible for RCAT 01706 926400 Ask for teacher responsible for RCAT 01706 925981 Ask for officer responsible for RCAT 01706 925981 Ask for officer responsible for RCAT 01706 676777 Ask for therapist responsible for RCAT 01706 676777 Ask for therapist responsible for RCAT
E-mail
rans/epsadmin@rochdale.gov.uk
Parent Organisation
Rochdale Additional Needs Service (RANS)

Where to go

Name
Number One Riverside
Address
Rochdale Additional Needs Service
Smith Street
Rochdale
Postcode

OL16 1XU

View OL16 1XU on a map

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