The Enfield Communication Advisory Support Service (ECASS) brings together speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, and advisory teachers into a single integrated team.
Developed to address the gap in communication support for children who do not meet thresholds for specialist services but still require targeted help, ECASS is built on early identification and strong multi-agency collaboration. The ECASS team works flexibly across mainstream schools, early years settings and homes to support children who may be struggling to communicate confidently.
The London Social Work for Children team sat down with ECASS representatives Cigdem Alkan, Algul Jenkins, and Robert Blankson along with Caroline McCallum of Verbo - the online speech and language app that has enhanced ECASS' ability to make an impact.
ECASS provides timely, practical support to both children and their families, helping to reduce escalation and improve school outcomes. This includes staff training and modelling, individual and group sessions, and capacity-building work with school staff to embed strategies in the classroom. As a result, practitioners across the borough report stronger confidence in supporting speech, language and communication needs.
One of the key strengths of ECASS is its flexible approach. The service does not rely on a formal diagnosis or clinical threshold for access. Instead, referrals are based on need, allowing for a more responsive, inclusive offer that ensures children get the right help at the right time. This flexibility has been particularly valuable in reaching children who may otherwise fall through the gaps between education and health.
The partnership has also helped shift the focus from a ‘refer and wait’ model to an embedded, relational way of working that builds the confidence and capability of educators, parents and carers alike. By working together, practitioners can ensure that speech and language needs are understood and met within the child’s everyday environment.
The service was showcased at the 2025 London Children’s Services Summit as part of Practice Spotlight – a regional programme recognising London’s most innovative and impactful practice. ECASS attracted strong interest from across the sector, with attendees keen to understand how the collaborative model could be adapted in their own local areas.
Practice Spotlight shines a light on the most innovative and impactful work happening across London’s Children’s Services. Led by the London Innovation and Improvement Alliance (LIIA), the initiative drew over 100 submissions across 9 themes: