Across Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees, we have a ‘needs led’ neurodevelopmental pathway as we want to make sure you and your child are supported as much as possible, if you or a professional thinks that your child has a neurodevelopmental need. These are needs which are associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Family Support Service
If you live in the Tees Valley, the Family Support Service, delivered by Daisy Chain, is here for you. The team supports young people aged 0-18 years and their families, no matter where they are on their autism, ADHD, sensory processing or Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) journey. This means that your young person does not need to have a diagnosis or be on the neurodevelopmental pathway to access support from the service. The Family Support team is here to listen to your concerns and offer support.
Click here to find out more about the Family Support Service.
Details of the Hartlepool and Stockton drop-in sessions for local families can be found here.
The Family Support Service also provides a range of online learning opportunities covering a variety of topics to help support individuals and families.
Bubble of Support
We have created a ‘bubble of support’ across your local area with many services which can offer advice, guidance or support. There are also very active Parent Carer Forums which can offer peer support. Details of all the support available is listed below. There is also a comprehensive ‘virtual’ offer which can offer alternative websites and support tips for you to try at home.
For a full downloadable description of the pathway, a guide has been written for parents by parents:
Neurodevelopmental Pathway Guide
Bubble of Support Links
Bubble of Support
Services to help meet the needs of your child and family
- Meeting Educational Needs
Stockton Information Directory
Hartlepool Now - Mental Health
Stockton CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
Hartlepool CAMHS
Here is a link to the Learning Disability Matter website for families; it has a range of resources to support family resilience and health and wellbeing of children and young people with a learning disability. - Self help / virtual offer
Please take time to look through the Self Help and Virtual Offer sections below as there are various organisations, websites and videos for you to access. All have been recommended by NHS England and the Regional Parent Carer Forum. - Parent Carer Newsletter
Parent carer organisations from across the region have worked together with NHS England to develop the North Cumbria & North East Children & Young People’s Peer Network newsletter which is full of advice, signposting and training opportunities.
NCNE Children and Young Peoples Network Newsletter April 2021 - Parent Carer Forums
Hartlepool Parent Carer Forum
Stockton Parent Carer Forum - 0-19 Service
0-19 for Hartlepool – The Children’s Hub
0-19 Service Hartlepool
0-19 Service Stockton – Growing Healthy Service – Stockton-on-Tees - Early Years / Early Help
Early Help for Stockton
Early Help for Hartlepool - Support for Carers
Stockton: waiting confirmation. Hartlepool Carers - Speech and language therapy
Speech and language therapy in Hartlepool and Stockton is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust Speech and language therapy for children
Other resources you might find useful:
South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Paediatric Speech & Language Therapy
South Tees NHS Speech Therapy YouTube channel
BBC website ‘Tiny Happy people’ - Occupational therapy
North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust Children’s occupational therapy - Family Support
Contact can provide support to families where they think their child could have a neurodevelopmental need. Please see flyer for more details.
You can also find more information on their website - Daisy Chain Family Support Service
Daisy Chain Neurodevelopmental Child and Family Support - Sunflower Sensory Service
Hartlepool and Stockton sunflower sensory service - Other resources
North Tees Autism information and guidance
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Self-Help / Virtual Offer
Please take time to explore this section, as there are a selection of strategies, activities and webinars for you to access. All have been recommended by NHS England and the Regional Parent Carer Forum.
A website developed by a local paediatrician gives parents an overview of autism and provides advice and guidance to parents:
Stockton and Hartlepool Autism Information
Behaviour
Develop your new routine as soon as you are able. Have fixed points within the day that you can focus on, even if there is ‘free time’ at other parts of the day. Use diaries, timetables, lists and other familiar supports to aid this. Click on National Autistic Society – Visual Supports
Consider using social stories or social narratives to explain the changes we are making and why they are happening.
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation have made all their videos about managing behaviour that challenges available online.
The Challenging Behaviour website offers lots of helpful advice and guidance for parents, carers and professionals.
Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) is an evidence-based approach which is recognised as best practice in supporting people with learning disability and behaviours that challenge. The overall goal is to improve a person’s quality of life and the lives of people around them and minimise the chances of behaviour that challenges happening in the first place.
The North East and Cumbria PBS Steering Group is working with partners from across the health and care sector, including Northumbria University, and has developed a website at www.pbsnec.co.uk which provides information and resources to support families around PBS on upcoming events, courses and latest news.
Sensory Ideas for the Home
A recorded webinar has been developed by an Occupational Therapist to outline tips and guidance for supporting children and young people with sensory needs within the home.
Positive Behaviour Support
Below are the links to a short film created to showcase the co-production of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) training for parents of children with a learning disability, autism or both. The project has been created by parents who work at Skills for People (Jillian Allan and Shona Chambers) working alongside Alison Branch (North East and Cumbria PBS Community of Practice) and is set to expand in the coming year.
The film was made by Beacon Films and funded by an NHS England / NHS Improvement Sharing and Celebrating Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare Community Grant.
Wellbeing
Here is a link to the Learning Disability Matter website for families; it has a range of resources to support family resilience and health and wellbeing of children and young people with a learning disability:
Early Years / Early Help
Speech and Language
North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust Speech and language therapy for children
South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Paediatric Speech & Language Therapy
South Tees NHS Speech Therapy YouTube channel
BBC website ‘Tiny Happy people’
Occupational Therapy
North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust Children’s occupational therapy
Returning to School; support and strategies for managing behaviour and worry:
Parent Carer Guides
Parent carer organisations from across the region have worked together with NHS England to develop the North Cumbria & North East Children & Young People’s Peer Network newsletter which is full of advice, signposting and training opportunities.
NCNE Children and Young People Newsletter – April 2021
Parent Carer Forums
The Parent Carer Forums work in partnership with the Local Authority and the Clinical Commissioning Group to ensure that the voices of parents or carers and of children and young people are heard. The Parent Carer Forums will also offer support, advice and guidance to families with Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Daisy Chain Family Support Service
Daisy Chain Neurodevelopmental Child and Family Support
Carers Support Service
Stockton: waiting confirmation
Sunflower Sensory Service
Hartlepool and Stockton sunflower sensory service
0-19 Service
The 0-19 Service is a team of specialist public health nurses that include health visitors and school nurses. The roles of this team are to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of children and young people aged from birth to 19 years old. Click on the following links for your area:
0-19 Service Stockton – Growing Healthy Service – Stockton-on-Tees
0-19 for Hartlepool – The Children’s Hub
Mental Health
Stockton CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
Speech and Language Therapy
Hartlepool and Stockton speech and language therapy services
Meeting Educational Needs
Stockton Information Directory
Other resources:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – click on ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders – click on FASD Network UK