Children's Services Prospectus 20232024 - Flipbook - Page 25
Therapy FAQs
What happens if my child need a referral to a specialist?
We have established links with our local GP surgery who provide a weekly clinic, we also provide clinics
throughout the year for visiting neurologists, foot clinics, dentist and other specialists as required.
Alongside this, our therapists work closely with the local orthotics department to ensure support and
maintenance of required orthotics input. In therapy and nursing, as well as the specialist therapist,
practitioners and nurses we provide onsite there may be times we need to refer to external services for
additional input for our children and young people. At these times, we work collaboratively with our
external partners to ensure referrals are completed as appropriate and these are completed in agreement
with families, the multi-disciplinary teams at St Elizabeth’s and, of course, with the children and young
people. Where required, a capacity assessment would be completed and action continued in line with the
child’s wishes and best interests as appropriate.
How often will my child access therapy?
Each child is assessed prior to admission and then follow up assessments completed upon admission.
These assessments alongside outcomes set in the EHCP will provide the clinical need for your child.
Therapy is delivered in a range of ways including 1:1 sessions, group therapy, whole class sessions and
programmes, care plans and protocols which are integrated throughout their day to ensure they receive
the therapy input they require. The frequency and duration of this input will vary depending on your child’s
needs. All needs are continually reviewed and assessed throughout the year to ensure their input is
appropriate to meet their needs and continue to help them to maintain and develop their skills to the best
of their ability.
Do you work with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)?
Our nursing and Positive Behaviour Support teams work closely with the wider multi-disciplinary team to
refer to CAMHS if this is felt to be required. For those individuals who are moving to St Elizabeth’s and
are currently seen by CAMHS, this would be part of the admission and transition process as to how their
input would continue depending on the placement your child would have at St Elizabeth’s. Some may
continue their current CAMHS input at home or this may be transferred to our local services. However,
whether your child is a day student or attends as residential our teams will work closely with their current
CAMHS provider to ensure the current input and support is continued and maintained.
How do you work with existing health care providers and therapists such as
teachers of children with visual impairments or private therapists?
During the pre admission process through to the admission stage, we work with those currently involved
with your child and their needs to ensure we have the most up to date and accurate information to ensure
continuity of care and input. Your child may already be seen by a private therapist, so depending on the
need this input may be transferred over to an allocated therapist on site, however we are also able to
accommodate continuation of the private therapist input alongside the input of our onsite therapists. For
some children and young people, their private therapists are very well known to them and it is important
their input is continued. This agreement would be made as part of the transition process. This would also
be the case for other specialist professionals such as teachers of children with visual impairments who
may continue to provide input during your child’s time at St Elizabeth’s.
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