Health and Wellbeing

If your child requires further assessment and support, this can be arranged by the GP, Health Visitor or School Health Nurse if needed, with referrals to Children’s Community Healthcare Services.

Nursey and School settings support your child’s development in all areas. The Graduated Approach is used to capture support available to your child for targeted areas of concern.  Additional support can be accessed if indicated.

Speech, Language and communication development. 

Movement 

Skills for independence 

Eatting and drinking

Sleep routines 

Sensory development 

Emotional wellbeing and mental health 

Continence

Some children and Young People have support needs in a number of areas of development. They would benefit from an appointment to see a Specialist Children’s Doctor called a “Paediatrician”. The paediatrician has special knowledge of child development and childhood health conditions.

A child under school age (under 5 years) might need a period of assessment by a team of specialist children’s practitioners; could include Paediatrician, Speech and Language Therapist, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Specialist Nursery Nurse. The Child Development Team.

The Children’s Assessment Service CAS provides a multi-professional autism assessment for pre-school children.

Some children and young people have a specific health condition for which they have support from their hospital based doctor or Clinical Nurse Specialist (eg Epilepsy, diabetes, sickle cell anaemia, asthma, heart conditions). Dudley Group Hospitals Paediatricians / Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Some children and Young People have very complex health conditions which are considered life limiting. Children and Young People and their families (parents and siblings) will need dedicated support which is available from the Integrated Community Children’s Nursing Teams .

Preparing for Adulthood requires the development of skills in “Health Literacy”. This is the skill of understanding your own health history (eg childhood illnesses, immunisations, past operations and interventions) including any diagnosis that you have, what it means, how it impacts on your day and what you do to keep healthy or avoid periods of ill health. This is part of the school Personal Sexual Religious Economic curriculum and can be supported by the School Health Nurse.  It is also important to know how to recognise when you might not be well, when, who and how to seek support from when these changes in health are noticed. Young People with long term conditions or health needs can be supported in preparing for healthcare transition from children’s service with a “Ready, Steady Go” action plan. The Clinical Nurse Specialist for Healthcare Transition is available to support Young People with SEND through this period.

A few children are at risk from frequent hospital admission due to complex and long term health needs. Sometimes the support required to avoid ill health episodes resulting in hospital admission is not available from the services in the community. A child or young person can be assessed as to their Continuing Care needs. It might be that a Personal Health Budget is part of the discussion.

If you have any concerns about your child’s development, health and well-being and don’t know who to turn to, you can speak to your GP, school or nursery, and they will help to signpost you to the right help.