Children's Disability Team

Support for children and young people with a broad range of needs, up to the age of 17.

Contents

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

Overview

The Children's Disabilities Team is a small specialist team working in Children and Families Social Care at South Tyneside Council.

The team will work with families and children whose disability is impacting on their ability to:

  • have opportunities to get the best start in life
  • remain healthy, and
  • aspire to a brighter future

Support available

The team supports children and young people with disabilities, and their families, by:

  • Assessing needs and finding services and support to meet them (see referrals and assessments)
  • Reviewing and monitoring the support in place
  • Providing support for children in need, looked after children, those in need of protection, and those subject to public law proceedings

The Team is lead by a Practice Manager who is a qualified social worker. 

The team includes:

  • Social workers - who carry out assessments, and develop plans to support families with disabled children who have a more complex level of need
  • Family workers and social work assistants - who provide support and advice to children with disabilities and their families, where universal services and community resources will meet their needs.

Who can access the service

The team supports children and young people with a broad range of needs, up to the age of 17.

This includes children / young people with:

  • Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy and other physical disabilities that significantly impact on the child's wellbeing
  • Learning disabilities
  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which has a significant impact on their communication needs, social and behavioural development
  • Multiple or severe disability
  • Global development delay
  • Severe sensory impairment
  • Complex physical disability and health needs

The team will look at the severity of the disability and the level of need.

If your child is entitled to Disability Living Allowance at the higher rate, it is likely that the Children's Disability Team would become involved.

The team does not usually provide services to support children / young people with Attention Deficit (Hyperactive) Disorder alone, or those whose primary needs are emotional, social or behavioural. 

The team does not offer targeted or specialist mental health support.

How to access the service

Phone the Contact and Referral Team on 0191 424 5010.