Rotherham Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service provide a specialist assessment for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The assessment will look at all your child’s strengths and weaknesses to provide a full developmental profile. We may also assess their cognition and learning ability and their functional skills. As part of this assessment we aim to gather as much information to help with our assessment; this will include liaising with school and any other professionals involved.
Referral for a neurodevelopmental assessment
Who can refer?
This has now changed and we will only accept referrals from schools or settings unless the child/young person is electively home educated – please contact us in these instances to discuss. We believe the best approach for referral into the service is for schools and parents to work together to complete the referral pack. We no longer accept referrals from doctors. If a Paediatrician would like to refer a child, they would need to liaise with the school to make this referral.
What is needed to make a referral?
We require the referral packs to be collated and submitted by the school setting. We do not accept referrals from parent/caregivers or self-referrals. The referral pack includes forms from parent/carer and young person’s and school/education setting. Both forms must be submitted for the referral to be accepted. If parents or young person require support to complete the pack, then we would encourage school and the young person’s setting to support them with this.
Referral Pack
Without this evidence referrals will not be accepted.
Download Parent and Young Person’s form by clicking on the link (please ensure you save your document)
Download School Pack by clicking on the link (please ensure you save your document)
Checklist – Before you submit check that you have included:
- Parent/Carer and Child form
- Schools/educational settings form
- SEN Support Plan or equivalent, which documents at least two terms of Plan, Do, Review evidence. Please be aware that referrals will not be accepted without at least two terms of Plan, Do, Review evidence
- Information about the agencies which are involved
- Provision Map
- Any reports by involved practitioners – past or current
- Any completed Sensory Questionnaires
The completed referral packs will then need to be emailed to rdash.rotherham-camhs-neuro@nhs.net by school
On receipt of the fully completed referral pack, the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Panel will screen these to assess whether further neurodevelopmental assessment is appropriate.
Screening
When we receive a referral, we must consider whether the information that is shared suggests that the individual may have a neurodevelopmental difference. We have recently made some changes to our pathway so that our referrals are now looked at by a multi-agency team that includes a member of the neurodevelopmental pathway along with representatives from Rotherham’s Educational Psychology Service and Specialist Inclusion Team, Speech and Language Therapy and the Children’s Disability Team. This allows for more detailed information and a range of perspectives allowing for a more holistic interpretation. We take lots of factors into account, including the information that is sent in by parents/carers and staff in settings. If we feel that we need more information to decide, we will always aim to seek this out. If it is felt that an assessment to explore a neurodevelopmental difference is needed you will be placed on a waiting list for an assessment. There are occasions where it is felt that there may be alternative explanations for the needs that an individual is displaying. In these situations, our team will aim to provide suggestions and advice about what next steps may be helpful.
Furthermore, we appreciate that children and families are waiting a long time before they are seen for an assessment and so we will also try to provide recommendations of other services, websites or strategies that can support you and school whilst you are waiting.
Our assessment includes the following:
1. Initial meeting
An initial meeting will be held with your child and family to discuss concerns and to gather information on family background, medical information and details of who we can contact to get more information. We will also discuss any risky or challenging behaviours your child might be displaying. At this point we might discuss if there are any other agencies or pathways within CAMHS that may be able to support you and your child.
At the end of this meeting we will agree a care plan with you around what future assessments will be required.
2. 2nd Meeting with Parents and Caregivers
This is a meeting with parents/caregivers to complete a detailed developmental history. This involves asking questions about our children early years, toddlerhood and when they were at primary school. We will also ask you questions about their current behaviours.
If you have any past reports or your child’s ‘baby record book
’ it may be helpful to bring copies along to the appointment.
3. Schools and Professionals
We will liaise with your child’s school and any other professionals involved in their care.
We will observe your child in a education setting – please be aware this may not occur with every child.
4. Assessments and Questionnaires
We will complete an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule . This is a play based observation assessment completed with the child.
Finally we may complete standardised questionnaires and psychometric assessments with your child. These tests may include a cognitive assessment and tests to explore various facets of attention.
5. Multi-disciplinary Team Discussion
Once the assessment process is complete all the information is carefully considered by the multi-disciplinary team. This team may include a clinical psychologist, an assistant psychologist, a nurse and/or a specialist CAMHS practitioner or a psychiatrist. The team will develop an understanding of your child’s strengths difficulties, which may or may not include a diagnosis.
6. How we Feedback?
Your family will be invited to a feedback appointment to discuss the outcome of the assessment and the next steps. In some cases, there may be a role for continues support with CAMHS, for example where mental health concerns have been identified or medication needs to be prescribed. In these cases, the child will be referred to the most appropriate care pathway.
A report of the full assessment will be provided so that families and professionals have a copy of the information on which decisions have been based.
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Link to our Neurodevelopmental Assessment Leaflets
Find out about resources, services, support, activities and events for Rotherham’s children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Healios Digital Assessment
In Rotherham we know that families are waiting too long for their assessment. This is reflected in other areas across the country. NHS partners are working together to understand the current high demand for Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis. As part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis process, NHS Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group has asked Healios to work with RDaSH, the current provider, to offer an option of online diagnosis where this is appropriate for the individual, based on need.
ADHD POST DIAGNOSIS PATHWAY
What happens after I have been diagnosed?
Once the Neurodevelopmental assessment process is completed, a referral will be made to the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Post Diagnosis Team. An initial appointment with your child, parent or carer will be offered where we will discuss yours or your child’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis and create a holistic treatment plan that addresses psychological, behavioural and educational needs.
We will advise you by offering and signposting you to education and information on the causes and impact of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder along with additional resources and strategies. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and behavioural strategies will be offered through the 123 magic parenting programme. With consent, the team will also liaise with your child’s school or college and offer classroom strategies if required. Medication will be offered if Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms are causing a persistent significant impairment after strategies have been implemented and environmental adjustments have been made.
During the first appointment, the CAMHS nurse may need to take your child’s height, weight and blood pressure as a baseline measurement. If medication is started your child will visit the CAMHS Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder clinic every 3-6 months to be reviewed.
What happens once I turn 18?
When you or your child turns 17, the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder CAMHS nurse will begin to discuss the process of ‘transition’ to the adult service. This involves an appointment with the CAMHS Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder nurse to discuss a collaborative and person-centred plan of care with you and your parent/carer. This appointment will include what to expect from the adult service, where you can find it and who your new worker will be.
The last appointment will be a joint appointment with your CAMHS Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder nurse and the Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Nurse. This appointment will be led by the Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Nurse but your CAMHS Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder nurse will be there to support you.
Links to further information
The Family Lives website has advice & information for parents at every stage of a child’s life – Early Years Development, Primary and Secondary Education, Teenagers and Bullying. Specifically, they have a section on SEND which provides information and advice about Special Educational Needs, along with sleep advice and fun things to do. They also have confidential helplines, forums, parenting advice videos and online parenting courses.
This website explains the symptoms and causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, how Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects the brain, co-existing conditions and positive traits. It has a section around living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and an overview of this at each stage in life – childhood, adolescence and adulthood.
Free educational resource on children and young people’s mental health for adults, but can also be really useful for teenagers. It covers lot of topics.
Help for children and young people – gives specific advice for different types of worries.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Foundation Resources