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ASD post diagnosis support Sept-Dec 2026

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ASD post diagnosis support Sept-Dec 2026

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Talent competition - closes 31st August 2026

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Talent competition - closes 31st August 2026

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OTs focus on the day to day activities that children want or need to do like dressing, washing, writing, brushing teeth, eating, etc. This often includes developing independence.

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We would encourage you to try ideas from the resource hub before seeking a referral to Children's Occupational Therapy - we often find that once parents and schools have accessed these resources and implemented strategies, they understand better how to support their child's needs and won't require input from Occupational Therapy.

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Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) CAMHS

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SET CAMHS provides advice and support to children and families who are in need of support with their emotional wellbeing or mental health difficulties.

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Southend, Essex and Thurrock Children's and Adolescent's Mental Health Service

Who are we?

The Southend, Essex and Thurrock Children's and Adolescent's Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) provides advice and support to children, young people and families who are in need of support with their emotional wellbeing or mental health difficulties.

The service covers Southend, Essex and Thurrock and is open to young people between the ages of 0-18, or up to 25 for those with special educational needs.

Any child or young person experiencing mental health difficulties as well as any parent, guardian or professional can access the service for help and guidance.

There are lots of ways to access the service.

A child or young person can contact us directly

Any parent/guardian or professional such as a teacher, school nurse or GP can contact us on the behalf of the young person

When the service can help?

Everyone goes through ups and downs, but sometimes feelings or behaviours can start to get in the way of day-to-day living. When this happens, it might be time to seek some help.

We can support people with a range of mental health difficulties faced by young people, which can include:

Low mood

Anxiety

Obsessional thoughts

Sleep problems

Body image and eating difficulties

Behavioural and emotional difficulties

Trauma and loss

Parenting and family difficulties

These are some of the things we can help you with. If we feel SET CAMHS is not right to help your particular need, then we can put you in contact with a number of different organisations who might be more appropriate.

What the service can do

SET CAMHS offer a range of both individual and group talking therapies such as;

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)

DBT (Dialectical Behavioural therapy)

Trauma focused therapies

Play based therapies

Art and creative therapies

Psycho-dynamic therapy

Family therapy

Group Therapy

Medication

Journey through the service

Waiting times may vary but we aim to see people within 12 weeks. However, if you find that things become more stressful while you are waiting to be seen, contact us as soon as possible so we are able to provide support.

Useful online resources

MiLife

MiLife; is an online help service designed by young people from Essex with useful information and links to other organisations that work with young people.

Kooth

Kooth; is an online mental health service for children and young people which offers online counselling and emotional-wellbeing support.

For a full list of NHS approved online self-help services visit the website link here.

Important contact details

To contact the service between the hours of 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, you or someone on your behalf can;

Call SET CAMHS: Freephone 0800 953 0222

Email: SET-CAMHS.referrals@nelft.nhs.uk

If you need urgent help or out of hours help; call NELFT out of hours: 0300 555 1200

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Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) CAMHS

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Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) CAMHS service provides emotional
wellbeing and mental health advice and support for young people and
their families across Southend, Essex and Thurrock.

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Speech and Language Therapy

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Advice and activities on the following sheets may be useful in helping you to understand and develop your child's speech, language and communication skills. However, if you have specific concerns regarding the development of your child's speech, language or communication skills, please access further advice via the preschool drop-in sessions or speak with your child's school or GP regarding a referral to the Speech and Language Therapy team.

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Thurrock school health service

What we do

We offer health information, support, and advice to children, young people and their families who attend school in Thurrock. We aim to promote the physical, mental and emotional well-being of school aged children and young people (5-19 years) and seek to develop the skills they need to manage challenges they face in school, at home, in their personal lives or online.

The service focuses on:

Personal, social and health education (PSHE) and promotion of sexual health and healthy relationship education

Planned drop-in sessions for Secondary School children and young people and Primary School drop-in sessions for parents and carers

Supporting children at risk

Safeguarding for children and young people

Universal healthy lifestyle programmes throughout all schools

Routine and targeted hearing and vision screening for reception aged children

Development growth screening (National Child Measurement Programme) for reception and year 6 children

A targeted Healthy Lifestyle programme linked to the National Child Measurement Programme

Additional evidence-based health improvement programmes such as ASSIST

Health assessments for children and young people at key transitional stages

Working to reduce 'risky' behaviours (including alcohol and drug use)

Building strong, supportive relationships with local schools

Onward referrals and signposting to specialist services to further support the children, young people and families.

Close working with GPs and other health services, Thurrock Council, and the voluntary sector.

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Thurrock school health service We offer health information, support, and advice to children, young people and their families who attend school in Thurrock. We aim to promote the physical, mental and emotional well-being of school aged children and young people (5-19 years) and seek to develop the skills they need to manage challenges they face in school, at home, in their personal lives or online.

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13th September

11th October

8th November

13th December

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SNAP - Special Needs And Parents. Registered charity (No.1077787)

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SNAP’s aims are to inform, encourage and support parents so that they can grow in strength and knowledge and become better equipped to give the best possible help to their children.

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SNAP - Special Needs And Parents. Registered charity (No.1077787)

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If you have a child between 0-25 years who has any special need or disability and you live under Essex County Council, Thurrock or Southend then we are here for you and your family.

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Parent Advisory Team Thurrock

Special Educational Needs & Disability Information Advice & Support Service

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Getting the best out of your child's time at school

An Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a strategy document developed collaboratively by parents, carers, young people and children in decisions about what support a child or young person needs, now and in the future.

It's prepared in partnership with professionals working across education, health and social care specialist services.

If your child has Special Educational Needs and you feel they would benefit from an EHCP then book an appointment with us and find out how we can help.

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Getting the best out of your child's time at school An Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a strategy document developed collaboratively by parents, carers, young people and children in decisions about what support a child or young person needs, now and in the future.

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Ready, Set, Year 7- SEND Transition Magazine Flyer 

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The physical card acts as a photo ID that can be used to easily communicate your access requirements to events and venues, so that the venues can provide accessibility to the needs of their visitors.

It also works online with other platforms like ticketing systems, to unlock the access facilities you need.

The card shows a photo ID and translates a persons disability or impairment into symbols, effectively highlighting the barriers they face and the reasonable adjustments they might need.

The Access Card app provides you with a personalised directory of venues, with first-class accessibility information to help you plan your trips.

Just £15 for 3 years

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Get your access requirements recognised at thousands of events, attractions, venues, and locations across the UK and beyond.

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily.
This topic is about DCD in children, although the condition often causes continued problems into adulthood.

Find out more about DCD in adults.

Symptoms of DCD

Early developmental milestones of crawling, walking, self-feeding and dressing may be delayed in young children with DCD. Drawing, writing and performance in sports are also usually behind what is expected for their age.

Although signs of the condition are present from an early age, children vary widely in their rate of development. This means a definite diagnosis of DCD does not usually happen until a child with the condition is 5 years old or more.

Find out more about symptoms of DCD in children.

When to seek medical advice

If you're concerned about your child's health or development, talk to a GP or health visitor, or speak to a nurse, doctor or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child's school.

They may refer your child to an occupational therapist, paediatrician, or another health professional who can assess them and try to identify any developmental problems.

Find out more about diagnosing DCD in children.

Causes of DCD

Doing co-ordinated movements is a complex process that involves many different nerves and parts of the brain.

Any problem in this process could potentially lead to difficulties with movement and co-ordination.

It's not usually clear why co-ordination doesn't develop as well as other abilities in children with DCD.

However, a number of risk factors that can increase a child's likelihood of developing DCD have been identified.

These include:

being born prematurely, before the 37th week of pregnancy

being born with a low birth weight

having a family history of DCD, although it is not clear exactly which genes may be involved in the condition

the mother drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs while pregnant

Treating DCD

There's no cure for DCD, but a number of therapies can help children to manage their problems.

These include:

being taught ways of do activities they find difficult, such as breaking down difficult movements into smaller parts and practicing them regularly

adapting tasks to make them easier, such as using special grips on pens and pencils so they are easier to hold

Although DCD does not affect how intelligent a child is, it can make it more difficult for them to learn and they may need extra help to keep up at school.

Treatment for DCD will be tailored to your child and usually involves a number of different healthcare professionals working together.

Although the physical co-ordination of a child with DCD will remain below average, this may be less of a problem as they get older and develop coping strategies. Some children may continue to have problems.

However, difficulties in school - particularly producing written work - can become much more prominent and require extra help from parents and teachers.

Find out more about treating DCD in children.

Dyspraxia or DCD?

While many people in the UK use the term dyspraxia to refer to the difficulties with movement and co-ordination that first develop in young children, this term is used less often by healthcare professionals.

Instead, most healthcare professionals use the term developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) to describe the condition.

This term is generally preferred by healthcare professionals because dyspraxia can have several meanings.

For example, dyspraxia can be used to describe movement difficulties that happen later in life because of damage to the brain, such as from a stroke or head injury.

Some healthcare professionals may also use the term specific developmental disorder of motor function (SDDMF) to refer to DCD.

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children

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Read about developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, a condition that affects physical co-ordination.

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Help With How I’m Feeling | Mental Health Advice | YoungMinds

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Help With How I’m Feeling | Mental Health Advice | YoungMinds

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If you’re feeling a difference in your mood or behaviour, it’s okay to ask for help. Find out about common feelings and where to get mental health support.

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Learning difficulties, executive functioning and ADHD

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Learning difficulties, executive functioning and ADHD

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Copyright © Understood for All, Inc.

Understood is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization (tax identification number 83-2365235). Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Understood does not provide medical or other professional advice. The health and medical related resources on this website are provided solely for informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for a professional diagnosis or for medical or professional advice.

Use of this website is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2014-2023 Understood For All Inc.

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Explore topics about ADHD, dyslexia, and learning disabilities. Learn about focus, hyperactivity, executive function skills, and trouble with reading, writing, and math.

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Life’s Journey - Downs Syndrome Association

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Life’s Journey - Downs Syndrome Association

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We’ll walk you through the different stages in life to keep you informed about living with Down’s syndrome and offer support every step of the way.

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Global Developmental Delay (GDD) | Contact

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A child may be described as having global developmental delay if they have not reached two or more milestones in all areas of development.
What is Global Developmental Delay?

Babies and children usually learn important skills as they group up. This includes sitting up, rolling over, crawling, walking, babbling (making basic speech sounds), talking and becoming toilet trained. These skills are known as developmental milestones.

Developmental milestones occur across different areas of development (known as developmental domains). These areas are:

Motor skills. This includes gross motor skills, like sitting up or rolling over, and fine motor skills, for example picking up small objects.

Speech and language. This includes babbling, imitating speech and identifying sounds, as well as understanding what other people are trying to communicate to them.

Cognitive skills. This is the ability to learn new things, process information, organise their thoughts and remember things

Social and emotional skills. Includes interacting with others and development of personal traits and feelings, as well as starting to understanding and respond to the needs and feelings of others.

While all children reach developmental milestones at different times, they usually happen in a predictable order and at a fairly predictable age. A child with Developmental Delay may not reach one or more of these milestones until much later than expected. A child has Global Developmental Delay (GDD) if they haven't reached two or more milestones in all areas of development.

You may also find it helpful to read our guide Developmental Delay

What are the causes of GDD?

The most common causes are problems with the child's genes or chromosomes, for example Down syndrome or fragile X syndrome.

Sometimes, a child can have GDD due to problems with the structure or development of the brain or spinal cord. Other causes can include:

Prematurity (being born too early).

Childhood infection (for example meningitis).

Metabolic diseases, such as having an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).

Other problems affecting babies before they are born.

Toxic (poisonous substances), such as alcohol in the case of fetal alcohol syndrome, can also contribute.

For some children, the cause of the GDD is never identified.

How do practitioners diagnose GDD?

As they grow, medical practitioners regularly assess a child's development. If the child isn't meeting the expected development milestones and levels of abilities, practitioners may refer them for more specialist assessment.

It is likely that a paediatrician (children's doctor) will see your child. If they suspect GDD, they may ask questions regarding your child's progress. They may look at their development (checking out what exactly they're able to do and when they became able to) and carry out medical tests to try to identify a cause for the developmental difficulties.

Some families may go to a genetics service to see if there is a genetic cause for the difficulty. Others may see specialists such as psychologists, speech and language therapists or occupational therapists for further evaluations.

How do practitioners treat GDD?

Some children may catch up on developmental milestones later. This can happen without any additional support, and these children have no permanent problems and go on to develop as expected.

Some children require additional support to allow them to catch up with other children. Support may be with speech and language therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy or other methods of support. Special educational input is a common and useful support.

As a parent, it is natural to want to find ways to help your child develop as much as you can. You may want to speak to your GP, paediatrician, nurse or health visitor about strategies. They'll be able to discuss the type of support that's right for your child and how to get it.

Children and young people with generalised developmental delay experience higher rates of emotional and behavioural difficulties than other children. For this reason, some benefit from seeing a clinical child psychologist or a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

Some children may never catch up with the expected development milestones. This could be because there is an underlying condition that has not been diagnosed yet. For some families, it can take many years to get a firm diagnosis or reason why their child is behind.

Inheritance patterns and prenatal diagnosis

Inheritance patterns
This will depend on the underlying cause of the GDD. Infections are never inherited, although an infected mother can pass on an infection to her unborn child or during the birth.

Down syndrome, the most common identifiable cause of significant developmental delay, is a condition caused by a change in the chromosomes so that there is one too many. However, it is usually not inherited - the main risk factor being increasing maternal age. Conversely fragile X syndrome, the most common identifiable cause of inherited developmental delay is always passed on from one or other parent who may be unaware that they are at risk of doing so.

Prenatal diagnosis
This is dependent on the underlying cause of the condition. If there is a strong family history of GDD, your doctor should refer you to a genetics specialist to discuss testing.

Is there support?

If your child is affected by a medical condition or disability, we can help. Call our freephone helpline on 0808 808 3555 to get information, support and advice. We also offer emotional support for parents via our Listening Ear service.

We have a range of parent guides on aspects of caring for a disabled child in our resource library. You may also find our Early Years Support useful, which includes help for families going through the diagnosis process.

We've listed some support groups below and you can also meet other parents online in our closed Facebook group.

Brainwave

Brainwave is a registered Charity in England and Wales No. 1073238, established in 1982. It works with children under 12 with a range of conditions including Autism, brain injuries including Cerebral Palsy and genetic conditions such as Down's Syndrome. Parents are shown how to carry out a daily exercise programme with their child.

Group details last confirmed October 2015.

If the underlying cause is known, then support can be offered by the relevant condition group. Information and support in the UK for general developmental delay is provided by Mencap and Enable (see entry Learning Disability). Information and support in the UK for developmental delay, brain injury and other conditions affecting development is provided by bibic (see entry Brain Injuries).

Credits

Last updated July 2012 by Professor J Turk, Professor of Developmental Psychiatry, St George's and the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London and Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Neurodevelopmental Services, South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London, UK.

Back to A-Z Conditions print medical condition

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Global Developmental Delay (GDD) | Contact

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A child may be described as having global developmental delay (GDD) if they have not reached two or more milestones in all areas of their development (called developmental domains). These areas are motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills and social and emotional skills.

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Ten percent of the population are believed to be dyslexic, but it is still often poorly understood. With the right support, the strengths and talents of dyslexic people can really shine.

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Ten percent of the population are believed to be dyslexic, but it is still often poorly understood.

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Understanding Autism

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A definition of autism with an overview of communication, behaviours and interests, and sensory processing differences needed for an autism diagnosis.

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Adaptive Clothing For Kids | Adaptive School Uniform | George at ASDA

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Easy On Easy Wear clothing

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Adaptive Clothing For Kids | Adaptive School Uniform | George at ASDA

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Discover adaptive clothing & school uniform for kids, featuring soft seams, elasticated waistbands & easy-close fastenings to support independent dressing.

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What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower?

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Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone, with a "non-visible" condition genuinely needs support. Some people question whether you have a disability because you don't look 'like you have a disability".

That is why we created the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower - to encourage inclusivity, acceptance and understanding.

It is a simple tool for you to share that you have a hidden disability voluntarily. Simply by wearing the Sunflower, you're just letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time.

The Sunflower - always here to support you

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is here every day of the year to support people living with non-visible disabilities in their communities by raising awareness, training businesses and sharing stories to help create a more inclusive, understanding society.

Since its launch in 2016, businesses from every sector have been joining the global Sunflower network - ranging from retail, travel and tourism, transport including over 200 airports - as well as railway networks, coach and bus services and ferries, education (universities, schools and colleges), healthcare, central and local government agencies to football teams, theme parks, theatres and financial institutions.

The Sunflower has now been launched locally in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Latin America, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, the UAE and the USA.

Find out where it is known near you using our Sunflower map

Why did we choose a sunflower?

Without a visual cue, it can be difficult for others to identify, acknowledge, or understand the daily barriers faced by people living with an invisible disability.

We searched for a discreet sign that is clearly visible from a distance as well as being distinctive, joyful, and dynamic. We chose a sunflower as it suggests happiness, positivity, strength as well as growth and confidence and is universally known.

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What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower?

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Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone, with a "non-visible&rdqu

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Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children

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Usually, to qualify for Disability Living Allowance ( DLA) for children the child must:

There are some exceptions to these conditions if the child is living in or coming from an EEA country or Switzerland.

If your child currently lives in Scotland, you need to apply for Child Disability Payment instead.

You can claim DLA for children if you're in or out of work.

If you're not a British citizen

If you and your child are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you will usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to claim DLA for your child.

The deadline to apply to the scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people, but you might still be able to apply. Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Children under 3

A child under 6 months must have lived in Great Britain for at least 13 weeks.

A child aged between 6 months and 3 years must have lived in Great Britain for at least 26 of the last 156 weeks.

The rules on residence do not normally apply if a medical professional has said the child might have 12 months or less to live.

The child's disability or health condition

The child's disability or health condition must mean at least one of the following apply:

they need much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability

they have difficulty getting about

They must have had these difficulties for at least 3 months and expect them to last for at least 6 months.

If a medical professional has said they might have 12 months or less to live, they do not need to have had these difficulties for 3 months.

Care component

The rate the child gets depends on the level of looking after they need, for example:

lowest rate - help for some of the day

middle rate - frequent help or constant supervision during the day, supervision at night or someone to help while they're on dialysis

highest rate - help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said they might have 12 months or less to live

Mobility component

The rate the child gets depends on the level of help they need getting about, for example:

lowest rate - they can walk but need help and or supervision when outdoors

highest rate - they cannot walk, can only walk a short distance without severe discomfort, could become very ill if they try to walk or they're blind or severely sight impaired

There are also age limits to receiving the mobility component:

lowest rate - the child must be 5 years or over

highest rate - the child must be 3 years or over

If your child is under these ages and you claim DLA for them, you should be sent a claim pack 6 months before they turn 3 and 6 months before they turn 5. You can then apply for the mobility component if you think they're eligible for it.

If you have not received any claim packs and you think your child may be entitled to the mobility component, contact the Disability Service Centre.

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Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children

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Help for children under 16 with disabilities - DLA rate, eligibility, how to apply, claim form.

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BOZILY 16 Pcs Writing Aid Grip Pen Grips Pencil Holder Grip Handwriting Grip Soft Silicone Corrector Writing Tool for Kids Students Toddlers Preschoolers

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Great prices on your favourite Office brands plus free delivery and returns on eligible orders.

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Supports fine motor skills, hand strengthening and sensory seeking

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Therapy Putty for Hand strengthening and Motor Skills

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Sensory Direct Therapy Putty - Firm Blue Slime | For Strengthening & Motor Skills for Autism, Arthritis, Sensory Disorders & Special Needs Kids & Adults | Hand & Finger Physio Exercise | Non Toxic : Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care

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Protects from loud noises

Helps with learning and concentration

Used by many children with autism and/or sensory processing disorder

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Chew necklaces are helpful for children with Autism, ADHD, SPD and/or Oral Motor. They help to greatly reduce anxiety and stress for those with sensory input disorders and provide a safe alternative to chewing on clothing, pens, desk, hands.