Providing Community Support and Social Inclusion for Disabled Children and Young People
at the Ann Tayler Centre
on Thursday 3rd April 2008
32 parents attended the group
Professionals attending
Pat Howley
Scilla Morgan
Lisa Schuler
Jenny Menzies
Catherine Love
Kunbi Jones
Frasier
John Loftus
Sally Sparks
Esther rumble
Sheila Ramdular facilitated the meeting.
1. Introductions from the speakers and parents:
Sheila welcomed everyone to the group and everyone introduced themselves
2. John Loftus- Therapies at the ark
John provided an introduction to the new Ark and the services that are offered there. These services are:
- Paediatrics
- Psychology
- Psychotherapy
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational therapy
- Children with disabilities team
- Speech and language therapy
- Portage
- Community nursing team
- Dieticians
- Information and support from the Key and Parent Partnership
- Audiology
- Key workers
The majority of services are offered to children aged 0-16 years and a referral for a child can be made by any professional, GP, Speech and language therapist, staff at nursery etc.
John explained that David Graham is now a key worker; this is a new pilot that is intended to provide a guide through your child's diagnosis and referral to the Ark. This assistance can be to help coordinate meetings and work alongside the family. This service is only available to the under 4's at the moment but this is set to change as the service has proved beneficial.
Q. Who has replaced David's old post?
A. No one has replaced David's old post, it is hoped that with the new services at the Ark that parents should be able to have contact with who they need easier. The new information and advice service should also act as a drop in where parents can gather information.
Q. Are all services only for 0-16yr olds?
A. We accept referrals for 0-16yr olds but this depends on the individual child's needs. Care services support children until they leave school at 19. Therapies work with children until 18yrs. Children at special needs schools will be provided for until they leave that school.
Q. I've moved from Waltham forest and found that there is no overlap between services; I see this as a big gap in the system.
A. We agree that there is a gap when coming into Hackney from another borough. We aim to provide you with similar services to the ones you have left. Waltham forest should write a referral for your child to give to the Ark so that we can start from there.
Q. How many children are referred to your service?
A. It is estimated that Paediatrics receive over 300 referrals. The OT dept receive around 200 and the Physiotherapists 170.
We are currently looking to make a database to have clearer numbers.
3. Esther Rumble- Speech and language therapy
The speech and language therapy service is now an integrated team with joint funding from the PCT and Learning trust. This allows us to provide a wider service and offer parents more continuity of care.
There are currently around 40 speech and language therapists and that is going to expand to 45-50. We are in the process of linking a therapist to all children's centres and primary schools in Hackney.
Parents can access the speech and language therapy department by ringing their hotline 0207 683 4587 or emailing sltinfo@chpct.nhs.uk This number can give information on what SLT is working in your child's primary school or nursery and give you more information if parents are looking for more support. Parents of children under 5 have access to a 'walking talking group', which is open access, this group provides on the spot assessment and recommendations. There is also a 'chatter matters' group, which is also open access. Call the hotline number for more information.
There is specialist SLT within the community, allocated by geography. Therefore if you live south of the borough, you will have the south SLT. For more information call the hotline number.
We carry out a lot of diagnosis work with children on the Autistic spectrum. This includes assisting with recent diagnosis and understanding Autism. We can provide home visits or parents and children can come to the Ark. We also provide Early bird and Early bird plus.
We aim to link the therapist model to mainstream schools as well as SEN. We work on a half term on and half term off basis. This is to allow the school to run with the ideas that the SLT has established.
Q. What do you offer children at secondary school?
A. We are starting an Assessment process for children leaving primary school. We offer services to secondary schools that they can buy in, however, there have been no requests from schools. We offer an 'yr 5 drive' scheme to assist with transitions; speak to us if your child has not received this.
Q. My child has a report from Great Ormond St, which the school have ignored. What power does the SLT have to ensure that the schools comply and work with them?
A. This is an issue that we face. We try to have as much influence as possible. A large amount of our services work on a 'drip' basis. This means that we try to change things slowly, through time. Schools have a set pot of money delegated to SLT and with every statemented child they receive money from the Learning trust. The school is responsible for using that money for the child.
The parent partnership can help parents with these issues.
Q. What development work are you doing to improve the service? Parents aren't informed of what is happening in their child's school. Things are said in meetings but do not transfer into reality.
A. We understand that we have issues regarding a high turn around of therapists. We are trying to ensure that we make the post more appealing to new applicants. It is important for parents to call us directly to find out what therapists are working and who is the therapist at the school. It is the aim of the speech and language therapists to ensure that they build a better relationship between parents and school.
4. Sarah Sparks- Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy
Physiotherapy accepts referrals for children from 0-19yrs old with difficulties with gross motor movements or has a physical disability. School, GP and other professionals can make a referral.
We provide assistance with providing walking/standing equipment and can assess at the child's home, school or at the Ark.
Occupational therapy is an integrated service between health and social care. Occupational therapy can help if a child has difficulty with everyday activities. They can provide equipment to help with eating, self-care etc. They can also help with a child's coordination, handwriting etc. Referrals must be made through the Access team at Morning lane. This is the service for adults also. The occupational therapy department are looking into changing the referral process so that referrals can come straight to the Ark. To make an enquiry/referral call 0207 014 7025
There is also a Safe environment service for children with learning or communication difficulties. The service is offered for children who are at risk in the home due to their behaviour. This can be due to them trying to escape, opening cupboards, pulling down shelves etc. This service looks into providing families with equipment to make the house safe or to recommend rehousing to a more suitable environment. For information or a referral to this service call 0208 356 6262
When making a referral for any service, please ask the person to make the referral as detailed as possible. All accepted referrals will receive an appointment to come to the Ark for an assessment, or to the child's home.
Q. Do you provide sensory integrated therapy?
A. We do look into the sensory integrated therapy as part of a child's day to day activities. We feel that sensory integrated therapy works better when included into daily life rather than taking a child out of their school or regular activities. We provide a 'sensory diet' that can be put into place at home and school.
Q. How long is the Occupational therapy waiting list?
A. Currently 10 weeks but we are hoping to cut that to 5 weeks by April 2009
5. Break
6. Question 'if you could change 1 thing about the services, what would it be?'
Group 1
- To have better contact with social services
- For therapists to contact the parents rather than the parents chasing the therapists
- To have all therapists under 1 roof
- To link speech and language therapists with parents and schools
- To not discharge children so quickly but to follow up after discharge and support parents
- To provide in school training for parents and teachers
- More parental involvement
- Multi disciplinary meetings to include parent or advocate if preferred
- To provide an opt out of information sharing if there are some issues parents preferred not to be disclosed.
- To inform parents who the speech and language therapist is, some parents don't even know that their child is receiving therapy at school
- To ensure that parents have a contact at each department so they always have one solid contact to fill them in on what's going on.
- To ensure that professionals communicate so the parent doesn't have to tell everyone what is happening.
- Speech and language therapists to improve communication and timings at school
- Speech and language therapists ask all parents to share their opinions and make their voice heard.
- A 10-15 min section to be included at the end of every session for parents to share information with one another. This will be called 'the grapevine'
- Carers conference is on Tues 8th April
- Key connexions day Sun 6th April, at Britannia leisure centre. Free therapies and lunch.
- Lisa Shuler from city and Hackney carers centre will be leaving HFT to work directly with mental health services at the centre. Bev Rolfe will replace her. All the group thanked Lisa for her hard work on the team.
- HFBU have made some information cards that parents can hand to people to explain their child's unusual/rude behaviour. It has a contact number on it so people can find out more. These will be made available at every meeting.
May 8th
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