Specialist SEND alternative provision

Supporting young people to build trust, confidence and meaningful next steps.

EmpowerEd North provides specialist, highly individualised education support for autistic young people and learners with complex SEND who may be struggling to access or sustain their current school or college placement.

Support is calm, sensory-informed and communication-led, with careful planning around safety, regulation, engagement and meaningful progress.

In our first stage of opening, EmpowerEd North will have two clear strands: the main commissioned specialist AP offer for autistic learners aged 14-16 and post-16 with complex SEND, communication, sensory, regulation or transition needs; and a separate Home Education Pilot for autistic learners aged around 12-16 with social communication differences who are not currently attending school full time. Learners outside the main commissioned age groups may be considered on an individual basis where need, suitability, risk, staffing, insurance and commissioning arrangements fit the provision.

Where a learner is of compulsory school age, commissioned placements are normally arranged on a part-time basis and agreed with the commissioning school, local authority and family. Post-16 attendance patterns may be more flexible where the learner is no longer of compulsory school age, but each arrangement is still agreed case by case around EHCP outcomes where relevant, Preparing for Adulthood, safeguarding, staffing, venue suitability and insurance.

We plan to build on this carefully over time. We are keen to understand local need, hear what would genuinely help families, schools and commissioners, and shape future provision around meaningful education and real next steps.

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Planned strands

Two first-stage strands, one shared purpose.

Most of this site explains the commissioned specialist AP offer. The Home Education Pilot is a separate, smaller strand being explored alongside the main offer.

Commissioned specialist AP placements

The main offer is individual commissioned support for autistic learners aged 14-16 and post-16 with complex SEND, severe learning disabilities, communication needs, sensory needs, anxiety, dysregulation, placement breakdown or carefully managed transition needs. Other age learners may be considered on an individual basis where need, suitability, risk, staffing, insurance and commissioning arrangements fit the provision.

For compulsory school-age learners, placements are normally part-time and sit within a wider education plan agreed with the responsible school, local authority or commissioner.

These placements are planned with the school, local authority, family or commissioner, with suitability, risk, staffing, location and review arrangements agreed before a placement begins.

Read about the commissioned offer

Home Education Pilot Programme

A separate developing small-group pilot for autistic learners aged around 12-16 with social communication differences who are home educated, not currently attending school, or not attending school full time.

This pilot is not intended to replace highly individualised commissioned support where a young person needs intensive 1:1 or 2:1 planning, significant care or medical support, or a risk-managed transition package.

Read about the Home Ed pilot

Who we support

For learners who need time, trust and carefully planned support.

Autism and complex needs

Autistic learners aged 14-16 and post-16 with complex SEND, severe learning disabilities, communication needs, sensory differences and individual learning profiles. Other age learners may be considered individually where the provision can safely and appropriately meet need.

Placement pressure

Learners experiencing anxiety, dysregulation, prolonged non-attendance, disengagement or risk of placement breakdown.

Next-step support

Transition planning for school, college, supported living, social opportunities, community access or other agreed outcomes.

How we work

Small, relationship-based and responsive.

EmpowerEd North is designed for learners who may not be ready for a standard timetable or classroom model. Sessions can be low-demand, practical, community-based or highly structured depending on what the young person needs.

Education is understood broadly: not only completing tasks, but building the communication, regulation, independence and confidence that help a young person take part in everyday life.

For one learner, progress might be sharing space with another person. For another, it might be using a communication system, visiting a familiar shop, returning to a learning routine or preparing for next steps such as college.

How placements are agreed

EmpowerEd North is a specialist alternative provision and is not currently a registered school, independent special school, college or Section 41 provider. Each placement is planned with the family, school, college, local authority or other commissioner, with age/status, suitability, support level, safety, attendance pattern and review arrangements agreed before a learner starts.

For schools, colleges and local authorities

Planned as part of a wider education or support plan.

EmpowerEd North works as part of an agreed wider education or support plan. Before any placement begins, we agree referral information, safeguarding routes, attendance reporting, risk assessment, review points, communication arrangements, proposed hours and commissioning expectations.

Each placement is planned carefully around the young person’s age/status, current education arrangements, needs, EHCP outcomes where relevant, and the level of support required to keep the learner and others safe.

Commissioner-ready information

Schools, colleges and local authorities can request key policies, referral information, suitability processes and placement documentation as part of due diligence and planning.

Why EmpowerEd North?

Led by experience, shaped around meaningful goals.

EmpowerEd North is led by Janice March, an experienced SEND practitioner with over 20 years' experience supporting autistic young people and learners with severe learning disabilities, complex communication needs and highly individual profiles.

Janice has worked across mainstream schools, specialist bases, special schools and further education, with experience from primary through to post-16, including senior leadership experience. She holds postgraduate qualifications in autism and has specialist training in approaches including SCERTS, TEACCH, Social Stories, sensory regulation and visual supports. Her previous work includes developing autism provision recognised by the National Autistic Society with an Inspirational Education Award, and developing provision judged by Ofsted as outstanding and life-changing.

Janice also brings lived family experience of autism, which informs her understanding of how complex and emotional it can be for families to navigate education, support and next steps.

Our work is practical, sensory-informed and relationship-based: understanding the learner, reducing pressure, building trust and helping the adults around them know what support actually works. Our aim is to provide meaningful education by working on the things that will make the biggest difference to each young person and to the people who care for them.

Meaningful outcomes

Goals are personal to each learner. They may include communicating wants and needs, feeling safe enough to learn, sharing space safely, accessing familiar places, building independence, preparing for appointments or moving towards a next step.

Bespoke transition support

Helping young people move towards their next step.

Some young people need careful support before they can move on. This might mean returning to school, starting college, accessing social or leisure opportunities, preparing for supported living, attending appointments or becoming more confident in community spaces.

Building trust first

We can work gradually with the learner so they feel safer with the adults, places, routines and expectations involved in the next step.

Working with the accepting provider

Where agreed, we can liaise with the school, college, setting, social care team or community organisation receiving the learner.

Making support practical

This may include visual supports, social stories, graded visits, sharing strategies, modelling approaches and helping other adults understand what works.

Meaningful participation

Broadening experiences, building opportunities.

EmpowerEd North aims to help learners safely experience more of the world around them, at a pace and level that is right for them. This may include new routines, community access, practical life skills, communication opportunities, social interaction, sensory regulation and activities linked to personal interests and EHCP outcomes.

Feeling safe enough to begin

For some learners, progress begins with feeling safe in a calm environment, building trust with familiar adults and knowing what will happen next.

Taking part in more of life

Support can include trying new activities, making choices, accessing familiar places, sharing space with others and becoming more confident in everyday routines.

Skills for now and the future

Learning can include communication, independence, self-advocacy, daily living skills and Preparing for Adulthood outcomes that support quality of life.

What support can look like

Practical support, planned around the young person.

Gentle beginnings

Short, carefully planned sessions, low-demand first meetings, familiar routines and time to build trust.

Communication and regulation

Communication support, sensory regulation activities, processing time and approaches that reduce pressure.

Learning through real life

Practical learning, independence, choices, daily living skills and meaningful tasks linked to the learner's next steps.

Community and appointments

Graded preparation for familiar places, community access, appointments or leisure opportunities when appropriate.

Transition visits

Supported visits, visual supports, social stories and gradual steps towards a new setting or opportunity.

Support for adults

Sharing strategies, modelling approaches and helping families or receiving providers understand what works.

Shaping future provision

We want to understand what is needed locally.

As EmpowerEd North grows beyond its first stage, we would welcome thoughts from families, schools, local authorities and professionals about what would make the biggest difference.

This could include gaps in provision, transition support, communication, life skills, community participation, or the kind of flexible education support that would help young people feel safe enough to learn and move forward.

Share thoughts and ideas

A short message is enough. We are interested in hearing what support people feel is missing and what would be genuinely useful.

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Discuss a potential referral

Schools, colleges, local authorities, families and professionals are welcome to make an initial enquiry. A brief outline of the young person's needs and the support being considered is enough to begin the conversation.

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