Children with Disabilities Service

The Children's Disability Team (CDT) supports some children and young people, aged from birth to 18, who have a formal diagnosis of a learning or physical disabilities, special educational needs or autism to reach their full potential.

However for most children and young people their needs will be met through education settings and or community services for example leisure centres, wrap around school provision and community activities.

A wealth of information can be found on this website or via your local family hub.

The criteria detailed below explains the assessments and criteria that will generally be used to help to identify the children and young people who, as a result of their disability, meet the criteria for entitlement to support and services from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council’s (Dudley MBC) Children’s Disability Team’s Social Work Service.

In accordance with the Children’s Act 1989, the criteria for entitlement to support from the Dudley CDT Social Work Service shall be:

(a) A child or young person has a permanent or long-term disability and meets at least one of the following criteria:

(i) A severe or profound learning disability

(ii) A severe or profound physical disability

(iii) Significant or profound sensory disability

(iv) Complex medical needs

(v) Life threatening illness

(vi) Severe communication disabilities or behavioural difficulties but related to the child’s disability

(vii) Severe developmental delay

(viii) A combination of disabilities, which individually are not severe, but together generate needs equivalent to a severe disability

(b) The above criterion is not met, in the case of the children and young people with the following:

(i) Mental health disorders, unless it is a complex medical need or is in conjunction with a learning, physical or communication disability

(ii) A diagnosis of ADHD or ADD, unless in conjunction with a learning, physical or communication disability

(iii) A disability or disabilities that are not severe

(iv) Behavioural problems due to social/environmental factors, i.e. not associated to a disability.

(c) Children's Social Care will determine that the child or young person requires support or services available from Dudley’s CDT Social Work Service.

However, where a request is made and there is a disagreement about whether it meets these criteria, the matter should be escalated by the CDT Team Manager to the respective Service Managers for consideration and, if necessary, to the respective Heads of Service.

This should be done as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary delay in the provision of services.

If you feel your child or young person is eligible for as assessed service, please contact us on 0300 555 0050, option 3.