Across South 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).
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:
Bubble of Support Links
Family Support
Contact are providing support to families of children with neurodevelopmental needs living in Darlington, Middlesbrough or Redcar and Cleveland.
The support they offer includes:
- Free online workshops for families, including “Understanding sensory processing” and “Encouraging positive behaviour”.
- Free 1:1 Telephone Support Service: talk with an experienced family support adviser in confidence for 1 hour – a supportive ear and helpful advice.
- Free 1:1 Autism Telephone Support Sessions: telephone support provided by Marie Jevon, Director for Include ‘In’ Autism with over 32 years experience in autism. www.includeinautism.org.uk
To book an appointment, visit www.contact-tees.eventbrite.co.uk
To find out more, please contact: south.tees@contact.org.uk or call our freephone number on 0800 2540890.
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: https://www.autism.org.uk/about/strategies/visual-supports.aspx
Consider using social stories or social narratives to explain the changes we are making and why they are happening.
The Challenging Behaviour Foundationhave made all their videos about managing behaviourthat 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.
With subtitles:
https://vimeo.com/423221243/bae45b191a
Without subtitles:
https://vimeo.com/423220234/96572afc01
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:
SEND Local Offer
The Local Offer aims to bring together useful information across education, health, and social care within one website. You can find information, advice and guidance and a range of local service providers who support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Simply click on the link below that applies to you, or your child if you are a parent or carer.
Virtual offer (to be developed)
Parent Carer Forums
The parent carer forum work in partnership with the Local Authority and the Clinical Commissioning Group to ensure parent or carer and the children and young people’s voices 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).
Redcar & Cleveland Parent Carer Forum
Middlesbrough Parents 4 Change
http://www.parents4change.co.uk/
Support for Carers
Carer support services provide a range of different services to help support adults, children and young people who are in a caring role.
Redcar & Cleveland
Middlesbrough
https://www.middlesbroughmatters.co.uk/Categories/247/Carers-Family-and-F
https://thejunctionfoundation.com/services/young-carers/
0-19 Service
The 0-19 service are 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:
Independent Travel Training
Independent Travel Training provide support and assistance to school or college for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Early Years (Portage team)
The Portage service is a team of skilled and experienced specialist staff that provide specialist home support for very young children with complex needs.
Early Help
The Early Help team provides support to a family when a problem emerges, at any stage in a child or young person’s life, from the foundation years through to teenage years.
North East Autism Society (NE-AS)
The North East Autism Society offers a wide range of services across South Tees supporting autistic, neurodiverse children, young people, adults and their families.
Specialist Teaching Service
The Specialist Teaching Service is a team of specialist qualified staff who work towards a varied approach to ensure the environment for children and young people is ASC friendly, enabling children and young people to enjoy and achieve their desired outcomes.
Sensory Teaching Advisory & Resource Service (STARS) Team
The STARS team offers support to children and young people aged 0-25 with a sensory impairment. Click here for more information.
Speech and Language Therapy Service
The Speech and Language Therapy Service has specialist and generalist therapists and therapy assistants who work with children with speech, language and communication needs.
Please click for South Tees
Overfields Speech and Language Therapy Unit
The Speech and Language Therapy Unit at Overfields Primary School provides a specialist education for children with significant speech and language difficulties.
Please click for South Tees
Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Providers have come together across South Tees to be able to provide emotional wellbeing and mental health services to support Children, Young People and their families providing a range or support and services and resources.
Education settings, health and social care services, together with parents, carers and peers play a key role in supporting Children and Young People’s emotional health and wellbeing and can have a significant impact on the overall experiences and life outcomes for our children. Very few children will need specialist intervention by a clinical service/mental health professional.
Locally across South Tees, Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health support services are provided by:
The Link – provides a variety of services to support looked after children as well as children who have been adopted. https://www.redcarlink.com/our-services/
The Junction Foundation is a children and young people’s charity based in Teesside that provides a range of holistic support to meet the needs of children and young people aged 5 to 25 years https://thejunctionfoundation.com/services/emotional-wellbeing/
MIND – Mental health charity in Teesside with the aim that that everyone in the local area has good mental health. The charity works across all communities and individuals to ensure they can access support to improve their emotional wellbeing. http://www.middlesbroughandstocktonmind.org.uk/services-support.aspx
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) – provides assessment and appropriate treatment or intervention for children and young people up to their 18th birthday who are experiencing mental health problems, with the aim of positive mental health promotion. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) across Teesside has a single point of access for referrals and self-referrals to CAMHS services – telephone 0300 013 2000. https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/services/community-mental-health-teams-for-children-and-younger-people-in-teesside/
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) – Single Point of Contact (SPOC) – The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) across Teesside has a single point of access for referrals and self-referrals to CAMHS. The service is available to anyone with concerns including parents, carers, school staff, health professionals and GPs, and children and young people worried about their own mental health.
You will be able to chat with a mental health nurse about your worries and concerns and the nurse can then consider the most appropriate next steps to best support the child or young person. Help and support can come in many forms, including self-help guidance, signposting to appropriate support services in the voluntary and third party sectors, or referral into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Tel: 0300 2000 000 Email: tewv.stspoc-camhs@nhs.net
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Crisis Team – offer 24/7 support for children/young people in mental health crisis. Call 08000 516171 or visit the website at www.tewv.nhs.uk/services/camhscrisis/
Below are a list of national resources and information for families to access:
The North East and Cumbria Child Health Network – works to bring organisations together to design and deliver joined-up services to provide improved outcomes for children. Click here for more information.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families – provides research, developing clinical practice and policy and workforce development nationally, working to support families of children and young people with mental disorders and associated challenges by developing resilience and supporting to manage these challenges https://www.annafreud.org/ www.annafreud.org/coronavirus , https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/risks-and-protective-factors/coronavirus-supporting-childrens-mental-health/
Mind – offer resources to help plan for staying at home or indoors and for taking care of your mental health and wellbeing. www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/
Kooth – free, online forum and counselling/mental health support for young people aged 11+. Visit www.kooth.com to find out more.
Recovery College online – free resources to help support people struggling with mental health difficulties. Visit www.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk to find out more
Childline – free, private and confidential service where children can talk about anything – www.childline.org.uk/get-support/contacting-childline/update-from-childline
Shout 85258 – free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope www.giveusashout.org/
World Health Organisation – public information about the virus and how to keep yourself safe at:
www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
Gov.Uk – advice to manage mental health and wellbeing aspects of Covid-19 – click here
Carers UK – guidance for carers: www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/health/looking-after-your-health/coronavirus-covid-19
MindEd – provides support for frontline staff working through the Covid-19 pandemic to help manage their mental health and wellbeing. https://covid.minded.org.uk/
WeheartCBT – free CBT resources to help schools, parents and professionals support children with mental health difficulties. Visit www.wheartcbt.com or @WeHeartCBT
Additional, more localised information can be found on the following individual area Local Offer pages:
The Neurodevelopmental Pathway Team
A team has been developed specifically to co-ordinate the assessments and support which a child and their family might need whilst undergoing an assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The remit of this team will expand to include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) over time. The service is provided by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Foundation NHS Trust (TEWV) and is for children aged between 5 and 18 who are registered with a GP in South Tees.
For children aged under 5, work is still ongoing to change this assessment process, but at this time, please continue to speak to your health visitor, GP or other health professional.
How to refer your child for a specialist assessment
Referrals will be accepted from all professionals who work with children and young people, including paediatricians, speech and language therapists and schools.
If you think your child or young person has not had their needs met by accessing the services highlighted in the bubble of support or who you feel would benefit from a multi-agency pathway assessment, please make an appointment with one of the agencies referred to above.
Alternatively, you can contact the team directly and they can discuss your child’s needs with you.
Once a referral is received, it will be discussed at the weekly multi-agency triage panel, following which the panel coordinator will be in touch as soon as possible to share conclusions and next steps with you. This panel is made up of representatives from health, education and local authority as all organisations have a role to play in meeting the needs of your child.
As we follow a ‘needs led’ approach across South Tees, you could be asked to access additional services (those in the bubble of support) to meet the needs of your child before a more formal diagnostic route is taken. You will be talked through this process and this will be coordinated by the Pathway Team.
Making a referral to the team
Referrals should be made using the referral form which can be downloaded below and which must be completed jointly by the professional and the parent / carer before being submitted via email to the team. We also ask that as much information as possible relating to the child’s needs is included with the referral, a list of what can be submitted is included on the form.
What will happen if my referral is accepted onto the diagnostic pathway?
The team will communicate with you throughout the process to explain which assessments your child will require. These can range from speech and language therapy, community paediatrics, consultant psychiatry and educational psychology, to autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS), school or home assessments.
The journey for each child and young person is different and will depend on their individual needs, not every child will require all of the assessments outlined above. All of these referrals and assessments will be completed and coordinated by the Pathway team. You will then receive appointments directly from the services that are required to assess your child.
The team aims to support young people, parents and carers as much as possible throughout their assessment process and is happy to offer support and advice. For any additional information, please contact Tewv.asdteam@nhs.net
You can download the following Pathway timeline to help you follow the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessment process.