Community Child Health
Our community child health service assesses and manages children with a variety of developmental problems and neurodisability. Our team include clinical psychologists, clinical nurse specialists and therapists.
We also work with other agencies to provide initial health assessments (IHAs) for Looked after Children, medical assessments for Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs), adoption medicals and safeguarding medicals for children with suspected child abuse.
Who do we see?
We take referrals of children from 0 to 16 years but will continue to see children with complex needs whilst they are in education to their 19th birthday.
Please note we are not a behavioural service and do not see children with behavioural problems unless there are also neurodevelopmental concerns or known developmental problems. Concerns regarding behaviour should be directed to Early Help.
We cannot do developmental assessments on school age children – learning problems need assessment through the educational services and should be discussed directly with the child’s school.
We do not currently see children with ADHD or children of 8 years of age or over for ASD assessment, referrals should be sent to CYPMHS single point of access.
Once children are appropriately placed in specialist provision we would not continue to review unless there are ongoing medical issues.
Our specialties
Preschool
Children with significant delay (> 6 months) in 2 or more developmental areas
Children where there are concerns about neurodevelopmental disorders e.g. autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)
Children with complex neurodisability e.g. cerebral palsy, neurodegenerative disorders, and chromosomal / genetic disorders.
School age
Ongoing follow up of children with complex neurodisability where there are medical needs e.g. epilepsy, sleep disorder
Children transferring into our area with complex need requiring medical intervention
Children up to 7.08 years of age where there are concerns about possible autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Children over this age should be referred to CYPMHS single point of access.
Multiagency work
Assessment of children over 2 year of age (younger than this should go to the acute hospitals), for suspected child abuse
Assessment of children for EHCPs
Initial Health Assessments for Looked after Children
Adoption medicals.
Where do we provide services?
Ashford - The Rainbow MASH
Canterbury - The Children’s Assessment Centre, Kent and Canterbury Hospital
Dover / Deal - The Children’s Assessment Unit, Buckland Hospital, Dover
Shepway - The Beacon School, Folkestone
Thanet - Green Banks MASH.
How to refer a child to this service
Referrals from schools must be completed via our online school referral form.
For further referral information for Health Professionals, see our referral information.