Our values
As a team we adhere to the organisational values of Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. We provide a patient centred service by focusing on the child / young person and the team around the family looking to make a positive difference to their lives.
We constantly strive to evaluate our service and look for new, more effective and innovative ways of working.
We value all forms of communication and aim to communicate in an open and honest way that enables an atmosphere of trust and respect throughout.
We offer a professional quality service, following local and national professional guidelines with a comprehensive management structure, support and training packages that ensure best evidence-based practice at all times.
We are locally-led and flexible about the settings of our intervention to best meet the needs of the child and family.
We are efficient and use our resources wisely to ensure quality care and value for money.
Working with our partners
Evidence shows that the best results are achieved when we work with those in daily contact with the child and young person.
This enables those around him / her to promote positive behaviour in a variety of meaningful environments.
The service works with Parents / Carers, Paediatricians, Allied Health Professionals, Education staff, G.P’s, Social Workers and Private and Voluntary Organisations as a team around the child.
The service works in a variety of settings to deliver support and integrate management strategies and techniques into daily life to improve the potential of the individual child/young person.
We aim to form a partnership with families and professionals to enable others to maximise the child’s potential.
Parents are a significant member of the team who hold a unique insight into their child and whose contribution we value.
Our role as a Specialist Service is to provide support and advice to the significant people in the child’s life.
We aim to work in an integrated way with partner agencies to develop services for children and young people with additional health needs.
This includes joint working at a planning level e.g. involvement in the Additional Health Needs Panel, Short Breaks Panel, Continuing Care Panel, ADHD Foundation project and also close liaison with Social Care, Inclusion, CAMHs and Education on a daily basis.
How are decisions made about who can use the service?
The service can be accessed by children/young people aged 0-19 with a Learning disability, ASD or ADHD. Children under 5 who do not have a diagnosis may be seen as part of the Neuro Developmental Assessment.
Inappropriate referrals will be signposted to the appropriate service where possible.
Moving on – transitions and discharge
As the child or young person’s needs change and skills develop, or intervention has been successful, a child/young person will be discharged from the service.
Children and young people can be re-referred to the service if difficulties reoccur or new behaviour emerges.
The decision to discharge to the support of all others in the child’s life will always be discussed and agreed with the child or young person, their family and other relevant professionals.
It is sometimes necessary to refer on to the adult learning disability team to continue behavioural support. Discussion will take place with the adult LD nurses through the transition planning process in school. If care is still active as the child reaches 18, a formal referral will be made to allow a smooth transition and handover by the time the child reaches 19 and is closed to this service.
Young people with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum conditions who are accessing mainstream education will be referred back to their GP at the point of transition.
How does the team communicate with families and involve them in decision making and planning?
Families can expect clear communication from the team members both face to face, over the telephone and in writing.
All other relevant professionals involved with the child including the GP and referrer will be provided with copies of any written information.
Families will be fully involved and contribute to all decision making and planning for the child.
Families will be informed and give consent for relevant information to be shared with professionals working with the child/young person.
What families can expect
- That the Specialist Nursing Team fully respects the family’s detailed knowledge of their child.
- To be fully involved in collation of information about the child to inform the assessment, plan, intervention and evaluation.
- A person centred approach in order to meet the child’s needs
- To be fully involved in the development of a management plan for their child
- That the plan will contain clear measurable goals and expected outcomes
- That the goals will link to strategies for families and others to implement on a daily basis
- Families can expect programmes that they and relevant others, are to implement on a daily basis.
- Families can expect that they and important others, such as teaching staff, develop their own skills in using the appropriate strategies to support their child on a daily basis.
- That all who work with the child have written information which is always copied to the family
- That where appropriate the Specialist Practitioner will contribute to Education, Health and Care plans and reviews for children and young people with additional needs
- Families can expect signposting to other agencies and services where appropriate and when families consent to this beneficial support
- That where relevant, goals and management plans are provided jointly in order to work in a holistic and meaningful way with families.
- A detailed assessment is carried out in order to gain the information needed in order to plan the appropriate support.
- Families are fully involved and participate in the assessment and development of a management plan for their child.
- The child’s management plan contains clear, measurable and meaningful goals and expected outcomes for the child and that these are fully discussed and explained.
- A joined up approach is taken in working in a holistic manner with families.
- Interpreters/translation services are available if required.
Methods of seeking views from families
The Specialist (LD) Nursing Team is always keen to seek the views of service users and value their feedback.
This includes regular review of the effectiveness of the intervention strategies.
Experience based questionnaires are also used to gain feedback from families.
Families are also requested to complete Talk to Us Forms at various stages of involvement.
We operate a Patient Partner System and we would like to invite families to work with us to improve services.
Is the Specialist Nursing Team fully accessible?
Accessibility is not an issue as appointments are usually carried out at the purpose built Child Development Centre or within the home environment.
The Child Development Centre is fully accessible and contains appropriate facilities for families and children with additional health needs.
Families are able to contact team members using the phone and all enquiries will be responded to promptly.
What training do the team members have?
The Specialist Nursing Team are DBS checked and have a range of Professional Qualifications and additional training and experience relevant to support Children and Young People with Additional Needs.
Who can I contact for further information?
If you have had previous involvement with the team, you are invited to ring them/us directly and discussion can take place regarding the appropriate action.
For parents/carers who feel their child meets the team referral criteria, they should discuss their concerns with their consultant paediatrician at their next appointment.
Alternatively it may be more appropriate to contact their Health Visitor, School Nurse, G.P., social worker or school SENCO who can offer advice and support and if appropriate make a referral to the team.
Further concerns
Our Patient Services is a point of contact for families seeking advice or information about services or to raise issues or concerns. You can contact the team on 0800 587 0562.
Information sharing
In order to offer integrated, high quality services for children, all of our Childrens Services work closely with preschools, nurseries and schools.
We share information about the outcomes of assessments and the strategies recommended in order that preschools, nurseries and schools implement the same strategies on a daily basis.
We also inform preschools, nurseries and schools when a parent does not attend an appointment.
This will greatly help your child, but it you do not wish information to be shared you may withdraw your consent at any time.
Ask Ollie
You may find it helpful to view the local offer site for further information about support and services in the area. ‘Ask Ollie’ is the local offer that supports parents and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and young people with SEND themselves.
The link to Ask Ollie is: https://www.warrington.gov.uk/localoffer/
Ask Ollie is co-produced by Warrington Borough Council with local young people with SEND, parents and carers of children with SEND and SEND practitioners who support these families.
Useful links
National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service