South Tyneside's 0-19 Team

Contents

1. Overview
2. Support available
3. Who can access the service
4. How to access the service

Overview

South Tyneside's 0 - 19 team aims to make sure every child has a healthy start to life and that any health conditions are identified early so that appropriate healthcare can be put in place. This includes the Child Health Promotion Programme.

The team is made up of a range of health professionals including:

• health visitors
• nurses
• health care assistants
• school nursing assistants
• a special health visitor

The team work closely with community teams to support, promote and protect the health and wellbeing of children.

There are 2 teams within the 0 - 19 service, a 0 - 5 team and a 5 - 19 team.

0 - 5 Team

As recommended by the national Child Health Promotion Programme, all children from birth to the age of 5 are offered a service. The service includes regular appointments to review the health and developmental progress of the child as well as identifying any family health needs. Children, along with their parents and carers, will be invited to appointments at the following ages:

• Antenatal contact
• Birth visit - between 10 to 14 days of birth
• 6 to 8-week contact
• 9 to 12-month contact
• 2 to 2 ½ year contact

5 - 19 Team

The 5 - 19 team work closely with schools to promote and educate students on healthy lifestyle choices.

The team are trained to carry out health assessments and screening as well as offering support and advice where children, parents or carers have health issues such as:

• growth and development
• healthy eating
• weight management
• behaviour issues
• sexual health
• smoking
• mental health

Support available

When a child is identified as having an additional health need whether this be from birth or during first 5 years of life the following support is available:

• Early Help Support is available through an Early Help plan, this is initially coordinated by the child's Health Visitor. Once the child enters school age, the responsibility of the Early Help plan may be transferred over to the education setting. The meetings to co-ordinate care and services occur at least every 3 months.  
• The 0 - 19 service may make referrals to other services, where appropriate. For example, SALT / Physio / Pre-school and Portage / OT / Community Dentist / Vision and Hearing specialist services.
• For children with suspected social communication difficulties, the team will schedule a growing skills assessment and may make referrals to the Community Paediatrics service.
• Any baby / child with additional needs has an individualised targeted service according to need. Children may be offered an additional Healthy Child Programme appointment, for example, 3 to 4-month contact and pre-school contact. This includes support to parents caring for the child, emotional support and targeted behaviour management support.  
• The team may support with the development of the child's EHCP.
• The team may provide a Health Care Plans to support children in education settings.
• The team work closely with the Specialist Health Visitor for Children with Additional Support needs.
• The team work closely with professionals from Children Centre's to support inclusion into early education.
• They may support families to complete Disability Living Allowance application.
• The team offer continence support to school age children.
• CHAT Health to children aged 11 years and over.

Who can access the service

All children from birth to 5 years old will be offered the Child Health Promotion Programme.

All children who live in the Borough and have been identified as having an additional health need are offered the targeted service and support via Early Help Plan.

How to access the service

If a child is born in South Tyneside are, they will automatically be allocated a Health Visitor.

Children moving into the area may be referred to the 0 - 19 team via contact with universal health care service such as a GP, or through parental / professional concern.