Children with Disabilities Family Help Service
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The new Bi-Borough Children with Disabilities (CWD) Family Help Service, brings together the Disabled Children’s Teams and the Bi-Borough Short Breaks Service into one combined offer.
The Children with Disabilities (CWD) Family Help Service is a new multi-disciplinary service including Family Help Practitioners, Social Workers, systemic clinicians, occupational therapist and our CWD respite centres.
Meet the team
Find out more on the following sections:
Who can access this service and how?
The threshold criteria for accessing this service is:
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Severe physical, learning disability or sensory impairment, which is substantial and has a negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.
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Profound multiple disability
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Children with complex physical health needs and those with life-limiting conditions, where these severely impact the functioning of the child.
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Children with autism who also meets one of the above criteria
How can this service be accessed?
All children who meet the criteria for the Children with Disabilities Family Help Service will receive a 'Single Assessment' undertaken by a Family Help Practitioner or Social Worker to identify their needs and determine the most appropriate intervention and support to help meet their needs.
The assessment will consider the needs of child or young person, as well as their parents, carers and siblings.
For a child in Kensington and Chelsea, please email: [email protected]
or phone: 020 7361 3013
What does this service offer?
A family plan will be made with the family to identify appropriate interventions to meet the needs identified. The service offers a range of support and interventions including:
- a lead professional
- family navigator – support to access other services and time limited interventions
- 0-5 Portage - programme of support for parents of children under 5
- developmental play
- targeted family interventions
- inclusion support
- post diagnosis support
- parenting programmes and support
- targeted financial intervention
- Carers Assessment
- sibling support groups
- preparation for adulthood
- statutory social work intervention including Child Protection and Looked After Children (LAC)
- occupational therapy
- respite
- speech and language therapy
- Short Breaks - aimed at families with children aged 1-17 years that have a severe or substantial disability or complex healthcare and cannot access leisure activities in the community without additional help or support. A short break may include respite care after school and holidays or support to access targeted activities to meet identified need.
Parent/carer assessment
All families will be offered the opportunity to complete a 'parent/carer assessment' under the 'Section 97 of the Children and Families act 2014', where they are caring for a child with a disability.
Parent Partnerships
Full of Life – The Kensington and Chelsea parent / carer forum
Contact details: Full of Life – Support to families living within Kensington and Chelsea
Make it Happen – The Westminster parent / carer forum
Contact details: Make it happen Westminster Parent Participation Group
Children with Disabilities Centres
The service includes our Children with Disabilities Centres in Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster, offering:
- after school and holiday respite provision
- parenting support,
- information, advice and guidance
- Family Fun Days
- Speech and Language support
- YES Programme (Inclusion)
- Developmental play
- Signpost to family hubs and CWD Family Help Service
What if my child does not meet the threshold criteria?
Where the eligibility criteria for the CWD Family Help Service is not met there are a range of other services available to support children and their families: