Recommendation 5 update
Recommendation 5:
The local area partnership should ensure that appropriate support is in place from health services for children and young people who are awaiting health needs assessments, so that early intervention reduces the risk of any escalation of concern.
What we wanted:
Families know where to find support whilst waiting for assessment and that they are given the right information at the right time.
What we did:
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) have been providing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) support sessions for parents and carers of children and young people with or awaiting a diagnosis. These take place across a number of community venues as well as virtual sessions
- Kids Autism Hub launched to provide online support for children and young people newly diagnosed or on the diagnostic pathway and their families
- Sensory Awareness Toolkit launched by the Essex-wide Occupational Therapy group to support families and education settings in supporting young people with sensory differences/difficulties
- EPUT has ensured their web pages have information about routes to referrals, assessment and treatment pathways. Resources are also available to provide support and advice for families whilst waiting for assessment
- Southend Essex and Thurrock (SET) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) website outlines resources available to support a range of difficulties as well as clear information on referral routes and what to expect next. This includes voluntary sector services such as online counselling, for example KOOTH
- My Care Bridge, a new online portal for referrals for ASD and ADHD services in Mid and South Essex has launched. Families and settings can access supporting information and resources whilst viewing the status of their referral
The difference it made:
A number of initiatives have been launched across health providers to provide additional support to children and young people and their families waiting for assessments.
Priority 2024-25:
Evaluate the user experience for all community health services so that support to families that are waiting for assessment is consistent across all pathways.