This section covers the physical and mental health services and support available for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It includes early, or universal, support right up to specialist help.
All children have access to a universal NHS service. Families are supported by their local GP and midwife before birth of a baby and for the first 10 days after birth. Health visitors and family nurses support families after the first 10 days up until children reach school age. Once children reach school age, they are supported by the school nursing service.
Some children with SEND will have more complex physical and health needs. The support from universal services will help to ensure these needs are identified early. Appropriate referrals can be made to specialist services.
Young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability are eligible for a free annual health check provided by the NHS.
All health practitioners will work with families to provide information for school health plans and education, health and care needs assessments, when required.
Early Help
Some families will know that they require specialist help right from the start. Others may be at the beginning of their journey and need to know where to find early help and support.
The advice and support given below can help families at the start of their journey.
Dimensions Of Health and Wellbeing
Dimensions of Health and Wellbeing is a free, online tool providing self-care information to support adults, children and young people in Coventry and Warwickshire. Self-care information is tailored to a person’s own needs and the challenges they face and is available 24/7.
- The Dimensions Tool
- Watch Dawn talk about Dimensions as a parent or watch a walkthrough on how to use Dimensions
Early Years 0-5
Help and support for the early years is provided in our early years section:
Talk to someone
It is helpful to raise early concerns with someone who knows your child. Your health visitor or GP are good first points of contact.
You may also find it useful to speak with the link worker at your local children and family centre or your child’s nursery or school setting.
- Find your nearest health visiting clinic - NHS
- Find your local GP - NHS
- Find your local children and family centre
- Text a health visitor or school nurse
If your child needs further help, such as speech and language therapy or another specialist service, they can make a referral for you.
Referrals made to specialist services can assess suspected medical needs or a learning disability. They can make or refer for a diagnosis, if necessary.
NHS Services
NHS health services are usually discussed in terms of primary care, secondary care and tertiary care. These terms refer to the different levels of care in the NHS.
Primary Care – also known as ‘universal services’. These services can be accessed directly. Services in primary care include doctors (GPs), health visitors, dentists and opticians. Primary care is the first point of contact.
Secondary Care – these are the sort of services you may be referred to if your child needs to be seen by someone with more specialist knowledge. Secondary care includes hospital services, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and child development centres. You will need a referral from primary care to access secondary care.
Tertiary Care – these services may be used if your child has a complex or rare condition. Tertiary care includes specialist hospitals such as Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Children and Young People's Continuing Care and NHS Continuing Healthcare
Some people with long term complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. This is called Children and Young People's Continuing Care for children and young people aged under 18 and NHS Continuing Healthcare for adults aged 18+.
Children and young people may receive a ‘continuing care package’ if they have needs arising from disability, accident or illness that cannot be met by existing universal or specialist services alone. Children with complex needs may also have special educational needs and social care so it is important that the package of care is assessed and developed through multi-agency input. This will create a holistic plan reflected within the child or young person's EHC plan, if they have one.
Find out more about:
- NHS Continuing Healthcare for adults aged 18+
- NHS Coventry and Warwickshire's Continuing Healthcare for adults aged 18+
- Children and young people’s continuing care package - GOV.UK
Attending health and medical appointments
All services must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to meet the needs of their patients. This might mean letting staff know of a child or young person’s needs before an appointment. This will allow time to make suitable adjustments. It can also prepare staff to adapt their treatment approach. It might mean giving a longer appointment time. This can make the different between a successful visit and a traumatic one.
If your family have specific needs it helps to let the services know as soon as you can.
Although every effort should be made to accommodate need, sometimes it is not possible to do this. In this case, you should share your concerns with the service so that they can improve your experience when you next visit.
Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care System have put together a useful infographic for autistic people and providers to help consider what adjustments may be required: