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Togetherness, the NHS team raising awareness and sharing relationship-focused information about emotional health and wellbeing through accessible training and learning.

Emotional resilience for the everyday

Accessible, evidence-based tools from children's and adolescent mental health experts to support all parents and families to help raise confident, kind, resilient people who can thrive in our changing world.

Togetherness is the new home of the Solihull Approach, a trusted model for raising emotional wellbeing and resilience, developed by Dr Hazel Douglas MBE, Clinical Psychologist and Child Psychotherapist, and her team as an integrative framework that has delivered more than 25 years of impact for families and also practitioners.

Togetherness online learning pathways for parents and families

Bitesize learning pathways written for parents to build confidence for raising kind, emotionally aware, resilient children who can thrive across all walks of life. Tailored journeys bring psychology and experience together to share proven theories and tested ideas for meaningful change in relationships for happier family lives. You will find pathways for:

Join the growing number of people benefiting from Togetherness. Contact us to learn more about training, resources and accreditation.

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Emotional resilience for the everyday Accessible, evidence-based tools from children's and adolescent mental health experts to support all parents and families to help raise confident, kind, resilient people who can thrive in our changing world. Togetherness is the new home of the Solihull Approach, a trusted model for raising emotional wellbeing and resilience, developed by [...]

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Parenting and Family Support - Family Lives (Parentline Plus) | Family Lives

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Parenting and family support from Family Lives (formerly Parentline Plus) through our website, helpline 0808 800 2222, email service at askus@familylives.org.uk, live chat and local services.

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The Beyond Behaviour group is a 6-week workshop designed to teach parents and carers strategies to support their children.

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Darley Dale Primary School SEND Information Report 2024 2025

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The SEND information report has been written in response to the revised Special Education Needs Code of Practice (2014), The Children and Families Act 2014/5 and The Equality Act 2010. It aims to publ

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What is a Neurohub? Neurohubs are welcoming local spaces for neurodivergent children and young people aged between 0 to 25 and their families. …

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Derby and Derbyshire Neurodiverse Community Hubs

There are 5 Neurodiverse (ND) Community Hubs located within Derbyshire; 4 are run by ' Autism East Midlands', and another by ' Mid Mercia':

Buxton

Fairplay (Chesterfield)

Derby City

Heanor (Formerly Ripley)

South Derbyshire (Mid Mercia)

With no formal referral needed, the hubs will offer children, young people up to the age of 25, their families, and carers drop-ins for advice and information, one to one sessions or groups via appointments, a space to work out how to manage their situation, support with the assessment process, before and after a diagnosis, training for parents and individuals, and specialist sessions covering housing, benefits, finance and employment.

The hubs will also provide a safe and supportive environment where people can ask questions, be heard without having to repeat their story, receive hope and encouragement to reduce isolation.

Neurodevelopmental Pathway - Derby City & South Derbyshire

Localities: Derby City, Erewash, Amber Valley, South Derbyshire and South Derbyshire Dales

The Neurodevelopmental Pathway is a specialist service responsible for the assessment of neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Referrals for an ADHD assessment for children will be considered from the age of 5 and a half years.

Find out more about the support available to children and young people living in Derby and South Derbyshire who need an assessment for a neurodevelopmental condition.

Neurodevelopmental Pathway - North Derbyshire

Localities: Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire and Bolsover, High Peak, North Derbyshire Dales

The Neurodevelopmental Pathway at Chesterfield Royal Hospital is a specialist multi-professional pathway supporting families in North Derbyshire. The pathway includes the Child Development Psychology Team, Specialist Speech and Language Therapists and Consultant Paediatricians.

The service is aimed at assessing neurodevelopmental conditions including Autism Spectrum Disorder in children from pre-school age up to age 17 years. This can also include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and we consider the relationship between abilities, behaviour and development.

The assessment process usually includes several stages, such as discussion and information gathering from parents and carers as well as meeting and assessing the child in an appropriate setting. This has recently expanded to include virtual assessment options. We will also gather information from school when the child attends school and ask parents to complete some questionnaires.

We aim to identify the child's strengths and areas of needs. The assessments may or may not lead to a diagnosis depending on the needs of the child. We will then support parents and carers to understand the outcome and what this means for their child and also suggest any other helpful support options.

Referrals can only be made by letter by health professionals, such as GPs, addressed to:

Paediatrics Department, The Den, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Calow, Derbyshire, S44 5BL.

Referrals are only for children whose GPs are in North Derbyshire. However, health professionals can refer from out of this area as long as the child lives in North Derbyshire.

For enquiries, call the department on 01246 514549.

Neurodevelopmental Pathway - Glossop

For information about the assessment pathways for Autism and ADHD, please visit:
Tameside Metropolitan Borough - Autism Service for Children
Tameside Metropolitan Borough - ADHD and Autism

For general information about support groups and advice, please visit:
Tameside Metropolitan Borough - Advice and Support Groups for Parents

Do you have a query around Autism or ADHD and need support? Contact the CAMHS Service on 0161 716 3600 to access one of the Tuesday consultation slots with one of the Neuro Specialist Team. This could be delivered digitally, over the phone, or, where there are risks, we can support face to face. You can access more than one consultation appointment if you need to.

Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools Project (PINS)

The Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools Project (PINS) is a nationally funded pilot project for 2024/25, building on the success of the national Autism in Schools Project. The approach of PINS has been developed around the key principles of Autism in Schools:

Whole School Approach

Good quality training for staff

Parents Supporting Parents groups

Understanding students experience of schools

In Derby and Derbyshire, PINS is being delivered through a partnership by the NHS, Local Authorities and the Derby and Derbyshire Parent Carer Forums in mainstream primary settings to:

Help shape whole school SEND provision

Provide early interventions at a school level

Upskill school staff

Support strengthening of partnerships between schools and parent carers

We hope that PINS will leave a sustainable impact after the funded period and build evidence on the benefits of closer collaboration between education and health, including working collaboratively across professional boundaries.

The focus is on a needs drive rather than a diagnosis focussed programme. Strengthening knowledge, skills and improving environments to better meet the needs of neurodiverse children, will reframe the focus to how a supportive learning environment and well-equipped school can improve the outcomes for this group of children.

37 mainstream primary schools across Derby and Derbyshire are taking part in the PINS project.

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Neurodevelopmental Support - Derbyshire Local Offer

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Neurodevelopmental Support including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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Neuro Divergent Hub - Zink for life and work

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Get involved with Zink There are lots of ways you can join in or help out. If you need one of our services or want to join in with activities. Details within!

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Solihull Approach | Parenting - We're all about emotional health and wellbeing!

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Online Courses for Parents - Solihull Approach | Parenting

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Our online courses cover from conception to 19 years. They include the same content as a face to face group. Digital parenting offer available. Find out more!

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Solihull Approach | Parenting - We're all about emotional health and wellbeing!

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Book Click here to book Solihull Approach training or event. An exciting, well-established model that really works! Welcome to the SOLIHULLAPPROACH Are you a parent? Go to inourplace to discover our range of online courses. Go to inourplace We’re all about emotional health and wellbeing! Across the UK and internationally, the Solihull Approach supports mental

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We're rebranding to become Togetherness. We're still the same team behind the Solihull Approach and Inourplace.co.uk but we're getting having a bit of a refresh and we'll soon be changing our name along with a new approach to design and presentation.

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Autism East Midlands has developed a range of training courses and workshops for the parents, carers, siblings and the extended families of individuals with autism of all ages. These range from short 2 hour workshops to 8 week courses and are designed to help you support and better understand your...

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NVR Practitioners Consortium supports parents and carers to use the Non Violent Resistance (NVR) parenting approach and offers Continuing Professional Development to practitioners working with families

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Neuro Divergent Hub - Zink for life and work

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Get involved with Zink There are lots of ways you can join in or help out. If you need one of our services or want to join in with activities. Details within!

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If problem behaviour is causing you or your child distress, or upsetting the rest of the family, it's important to deal with it.

Do what feels right

What you do has to be right for your child, yourself and the family. If you do something you do not believe in or that you do not feel is right, it probably will not work. Children notice when you do not mean what you're saying.

Do not give up

Once you've decided to do something, continue to do it. Solutions take time to work. Get support from your partner, a friend, another parent or your health visitor. It's good to have someone to talk to about what you're doing.

Be consistent

Children need consistency. If you react to your child's behaviour in one way one day and a different way the next, it's confusing for them. It's also important that everyone close to your child deals with their behaviour in the same way.

Try not to overreact

This can be difficult. When your child does something annoying time after time, your anger and frustration can build up.

It's impossible not to show your irritation sometimes, but try to stay calm. Move on to other things you can both enjoy or feel good about as soon as possible.

Find other ways to cope with your frustration, like talking to other parents.

Talk to your child

Children do not have to be able to talk to understand. It can help if they understand why you want them to do something. For example, explain why you want them to hold your hand while crossing the road.

Once your child can talk, encourage them to explain why they're angry or upset. This will help them feel less frustrated.

Be positive about the good things

When a child's behaviour is difficult, the things they do well can be overlooked. Tell your child when you're pleased about something they've done. You can let your child know when you're pleased by giving them attention, a hug or a smile.

Offer rewards

You can help your child by rewarding them for good behaviour. For example, praise them or give them their favourite food for tea.

If your child behaves well, tell them how pleased you are. Be specific. Say something like, "Well done for putting your toys back in the box when I asked you to."

Do not give your child a reward before they've done what they were asked to do. That's a bribe, not a reward.

Avoid smacking

Smacking may stop a child doing what they're doing at that moment, but it does not have a lasting positive effect.

Children learn by example so, if you hit your child, you're telling them that hitting is OK. Children who are treated aggressively by their parents are more likely to be aggressive themselves. It's better to set a good example instead.

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Advice for parents and carers on dealing with difficult behaviour in toddlers and young children, including toddler temper tantrums.

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Stay calm

This helps to prevent situations escalating and is a good opportunity for you to model how you want your child to behave. Children from a young age can also be supported to breathe calmly, put their hand on their heart and feel the beats as a relaxation technique when they are panicking or becoming overwhelmed.

Reframe the behaviour

Instead of saying 'Why are you behaving like this?' try 'What's happened?'

Give praise

Rather than focusing on the negative behaviours, find opportunities to praise your child for small acts of kindness and good behaviour. Praise builds your child's self-esteem and helps to motivate them to choose behaviours they know you like.

Use empathy

Try to understand your child's point of view and how they are feeling - even if you don't necessarily agree with it. Feeling understood and listened to is very powerful and helps to build positive relationships. Try saying 'I can see you are angry/upset/worried, let's try using your words to tell me what you feel.'

Have realistic expectations

These should match what your child is able to do. We all develop at different rates and what one child finds easy, another may find hard. Acknowledge small steps and effort. Some examples of what you might see your child doing:

4 year olds - may have an imaginary friend, may still use a comfort object, increasing ball skills, becoming more coordinated, getting dressed with minimal help, enjoying silly games and talk, sometimes might lie, may be bossy, may blur reality and fantasy, starting to choose own friends, tend to be dry at night.

5 year olds - will be able to do most of the gross motor skills such as jumping, running and climbing, learning how to share but may still find this difficult, may become afraid of things e.g. monsters, learning to become more independent and want to choose clothes and food.

6 year olds - May ride a bike, may start to see some words have more than one meaning, giggles about toilet talk, understands concept of time, testing limits around behaviour, may start to fear death. Children develop at different rates and what one child finds easy, another may find hard. Acknowledge small steps and effort.

7 year olds - starting to talk about feelings and understand that they affect behaviour, hand-eye co-ordination is well developed, has good balance, able to understand reasoning and makes right decisions, tends to complain and has strong emotional reactions.

8 year olds - focus and attention span are improving, likes to collect things, reading because they like the content of the book rather than just improving their skills, understands the days of the week and months, becoming more aware of their bodies, able to complete personal hygiene tasks and get dressed.

If you have any concerns about your child's development, you can speak to the school nurse or your GP.

Use consistent boundaries

Make sure boundaries are clear and fair. This will help your child to feel safe and to become more independent.

Use rewards

Rewards help your child remember what behaviour you want to see more of. There are a range of ideas that can support working towards rewards such as:

Filling a jar with pasta or marbles

Earning stickers or points

Cutting up a picture of the reward and they earn a piece of the picture

There are many ideas you can use - try to tie pictures or charts in with your child's interests.

Give choices

Choices help your child become responsible e.g. Do you want to wear your red jumper or your blue one? Family Links has some great steps for giving choices and introduces ideas to help children understand there are consequences to the choices they make.

If you are concerned about your child's behaviour you don't have to cope alone. In the first instance speak to your child's class teacher - are they seeing the same challenges?

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Many parents tell us they're not always confident in dealing with challenging aspects of their 4-8 year old's behaviour, so here's our guide to help with this.

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Dance Mat Typing for 7 - 11 year olds - BBC Bitesize

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Learn how to touch type with the BBC Dance Mat Typing game. It's a fun introduction to touch typing game for kids and covers levels 1, 2, 3, 4.

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Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing and spelling.
It's a specific learning difficulty, which means it causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing.

Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn't affected.

It's estimated up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a lifelong problem that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support is available to improve reading and writing skills and help those with the problem be successful at school and work.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

Signs of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts school and begins to focus more on learning how to read and write.

A person with dyslexia may:

read and write very slowly

confuse the order of letters in words

be confused by letters that look similar and write letters the wrong way round (such as "b" and "d")

have poor or inconsistent spelling

understand information when told verbally, but have difficulty with information that's written down

find it hard to carry out a sequence of directions

struggle with planning and organisation

But people with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Read more about the symptoms of dyslexia.

Getting help

If you think your child may have dyslexia, the first step is to speak to their teacher or their school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about your concerns.

They may be able to offer additional support to help your child if necessary.

If your child continues to have problems despite extra support, you or the school may want to consider requesting an in-depth assessment from a specialist in assessing specific learning difficulties (SpLD), an educational psychologist or a speech and language therapist.

This can be arranged through the school, or you can request a private assessment by contacting:

Adults who wish to be assessed for dyslexia should contact a local or national dyslexia association for advice.

Read more about how dyslexia is diagnosed.

Support for people with dyslexia

If your child has dyslexia, they'll probably need extra educational support from their school.

With appropriate support, there's usually no reason your child can't go to a mainstream school, although a small number of children may benefit from attending a specialist school.

Techniques and support that may help your child include:

occasional 1-to-1 teaching or lessons in a small group with a specialist teacher

phonics (a way of teaching children to identify and process the smaller sounds that make up words) combined with other techniques

technology like computers and speech-recognition software that may make it easier for your child to read and write when they're a bit older

Schools and colleges must offer support to students with a specific learning difficulty like dyslexia, and have access to specialist staff who are trained in helping students with special education needs.

Assistive technologies such as speech-recognition software, word processors and electronic organisers can be useful for adults, too.

Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to help people with dyslexia, such as allowing extra time for certain tasks.

Read more about how dyslexia is managed.

Support groups

As well as national dyslexia charities such as the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), there are several local dyslexia associations listed on the BDA website.

These are independently registered charities that run workshops and help to provide local support and access to information.

What causes dyslexia?

People with dyslexia find it difficult to recognise the different sounds that make up words and relate these to letters.

Dyslexia isn't related to a person's general level of intelligence. Children and adults of all intellectual abilities can be affected by dyslexia.

The exact cause of dyslexia is unknown, but it often appears to run in families.

It's thought certain genes inherited from your parents may act together in a way that affects how some parts of the brain develop during early life.

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Read about dyslexia, a common type of learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

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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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Ways to cope for parents of children with ADHD

Caring for a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be challenging. The impulsive, fearless and chaotic behaviours typical of ADHD can make everyday activities exhausting and stressful.

Although it can be difficult at times, it's important to remember that a child with ADHD cannot help their behaviour. People with ADHD can find it difficult to suppress impulses, which means they may not stop to consider a situation, or the consequences, before they act.

If you're looking after a child with ADHD, you may find this advice helpful.

Plan the day

Plan the day so your child knows what to expect. Set routines can make a difference to how a child with ADHD copes with everyday life.

For example, if your child has to get ready for school, break it down into structured steps, so they know exactly what they need to do.

Set clear boundaries

Make sure everyone knows what behaviour is expected, and reinforce positive behaviour with immediate praise or rewards. Be clear, using enforceable consequences, such as taking away a privilege, if boundaries are overstepped and follow these through consistently.

Be positive

Give specific praise. Instead of saying a general: "Thanks for doing that," you could say: "You washed the dishes really well. Thank you."

This will make it clear to your child that you're pleased and why.

Giving instructions

If you're asking your child to do something, give brief instructions and be specific. Instead of asking: "Can you tidy your bedroom?" say: "Please put your toys into the box and put the books back onto the shelf."

This makes it clearer what your child needs to do and creates opportunities for praise when they get it right.

Incentive scheme

Set up your own incentive scheme using a points or star chart, so good behaviour can earn a privilege. For example, behaving well on a shopping trip will earn your child time on the computer or some sort of game.

Involve your child in it and allow them to help decide what the privileges will be.

These charts need regular changes or they become boring. Targets should be:

immediate - for example, daily

intermediate - for example, weekly

long-term - for example, 3-monthly

Try to focus on just 1 or 2 behaviours at a time.

Intervene early

Watch for warning signs. If your child looks like they're becoming frustrated, overstimulated and about to lose self-control, intervene.

Distract your child, if possible, by taking them away from the situation. This may calm them down.

Social situations

Keep social situations short and sweet. Invite friends to play, but keep playtimes short so your child does not lose self-control. Do not aim to do this when your child is feeling tired or hungry, such as after a day at school.

Exercise

Make sure your child gets lots of physical activity during the day. Walking, skipping and playing sport can help your child wear themselves out and improve their quality of sleep.

Make sure they're not doing anything too strenuous or exciting near to bedtime.

Read our physical activity guidelines for children and young people, which includes information on getting active, and how much activity you and your child should be doing.

Eating

Keep an eye on what your child eats. If your child is hyperactive after eating certain foods, which may contain additives or caffeine, keep a diary of these and discuss them with a GP.

Bedtime

Stick to a routine. Make sure your child goes to bed at the same time each night and gets up at the same time in the morning.

Avoid overstimulating activities in the hours before bedtime, such as computer games or watching TV.

Night time

Sleep problems and ADHD can be a vicious circle. ADHD can lead to sleep problems, which in turn can make symptoms worse.

Many children with ADHD will repeatedly get up after being put to bed and have interrupted sleep patterns. Trying a sleep-friendly routine can help your child and make bedtime less of a battleground.

Help at school

Children with ADHD often have problems with their behaviour at school, and the condition can negatively affect a child's academic progress.

Speak to your child's teachers or their school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about any extra support your child may need.

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Living with

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Read about living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), caring for a child with ADHD, plus ways of coping with the condition.

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What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects behaviour and concentration.

Children and young people with ADHD often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go. Some people with ADHD do not experience hyperactivity; this used to be called attention deficit disorder (ADD), though the term in no longer used officially.

ADHD is not a mental illness or a learning disability, though children and young people with ADHD may also have other conditions or experience mental health problems.

Living with ADHD can be very challenging, for children and young people as well as for their parents and carers. But the right diagnosis, treatment and support can make a big difference to a child's learning, life skills and relationships, as well as making family life easier. There is also lots you can do as a parent/carer to help your child manage the things they find difficult.

What are the most common symptoms of ADHD?

A child with ADHD may be:

easily distracted, finding it difficult to start or finish tasks

often unable to concentrate

often restless or fidgety

very talkative, often interrupting or blurting things out

impulsive, acting before considering consequences, prone to taking risks

easily angry or frustrated, struggling to deal with emotions

finding making or maintaining friendships difficult

disorganised, for instance often losing things or being late

lacking awareness of time

Every child or young person with ADHD is individual and they may not display all of these behaviours. And many of these traits and behaviours are typical in younger children, or can follow a traumatic experience - they don't necessarily mean your child has ADHD.

Age and gender can also affect how someone with ADHD behaves. This can make it harder to spot signs of ADHD, particularly in girls, who are more likely to be undiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed with other conditions.

Typically the symptoms of ADHD develop in early childhood and they may become particularly noticeable at times of significant change, such as starting or changing school.

What to do if you think your child might have ADHD

If your child frequently experiences some of these symptoms and it's affecting their day-to-day life, discuss your concerns with your child's GP. Before doing this, talk to your child's teacher and the school special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about what they have noticed.

The GP may want to refer your child for assessment, as ADHD can only be diagnosed by a specialist such as a child and adolescent psychiatrist or paediatrician.

Sometimes parents are reluctant to pursue assessment. They may be worried about 'labelling' their child or about stigma, or they may prefer to watch and wait. These feelings are normal. But parents and young people who do seek diagnosis can find it helps them access the right support; understand and manage challenges; and identify individual strengths.

We have more information about getting support from the GP, CAMHS or school in our guide.

ADHD diagnosis, support and treatment

ADHD assessment is usually done through the specialist Children and Young People's Mental Health Services, commonly referred to as CAMHS.

Diagnosis is most commonly made in childhood, and in the majority of cases, symptoms affecting daily life continue into adulthood.

There is no single, definitive test for ADHD. Specialists will base clinical diagnosis on a combination of observations of your child; discussions and questionnaires (with you and your child); and information from your child's school.

They will consider how long the symptoms have been present; their impact on your child's daily life; and whether they might be due to another condition. The NHS states that approximately 60-80% of children with ADHD have at least one other condition (such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, anxiety or behaviour problems), and your child may be given more than one diagnosis.

Support and treatment options

You and your child should be offered support and advice to help manage ADHD in their day-to-day life.

ADHD can also be treated with medication and/or therapies. These should be discussed with you when your child is diagnosed, and are set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on ADHD.

ADHD can be treated with therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). For more information about therapy, see our parent guide to counselling and therapy.

There are a number of types of medication. These are not a cure for ADHD, and many children do not take them, but they can help manage some of the symptoms. Medication must be prescribed and overseen by a specialist.

You may also be offered ADHD -focussed parent training. This does not mean your parenting is somehow wrong. It is designed to provide support and specific strategies and skills to help you and your child thrive.

Jack is still perennially late, disorganised and impulsive; but he's also energetic, original and creative. The medication is helping him make the most of all of that.

What you can do to support your child with ADHD

Be explicit and consistent about unacceptable behaviour, such as violence. Set appropriate consequences and follow them through, but try to stay calm in the moment to avoid escalation. Dealing with challenging behaviour can be very hard, and our parent guide has helpful advice.

Plan the day so your child knows what to expect. Maintaining regular sleep patterns, physical activity and mealtimes can help your child. Some people find dietary change and/or certain supplements helpful. But the NHS states that there is no clinical evidence for this, and medical advice should be sought first. Our young person's guide has helpful advice on sleep problems.

The impact of ADHD on your child's mental health

Any child or young person can struggle with their mental health and wellbeing, whether or not they have ADHD. This might be caused by things like family change, bullying, exam stress or a traumatic event.

But having ADHD may also mean your child has extra challenges - such as social difficulties, struggling to manage their emotions or getting into trouble at school - that leave them more vulnerable to low self-esteem, anxiety or depression.

Children and young people with ADHD frequently have other developmental or mental health conditions and it is important to ensure they have the appropriate support for these.

As a parent there is a lot you can do to support your child with their wellbeing and mental health:

encourage your child to talk about how they are feeling with you. Our starting a conversation guide has ideas for keeping communication open

if you feel your child may have a mental health problem or another condition alongside ADHD, discuss your concerns with their GP or ADHD specialist.

Working with school if your child has ADHD

ADHD is a special education need (SEN), and it may be referred to as a specific learning difference (SpLD). Your child is entitled to appropriate support to help them thrive socially and educationally. This could include potential adjustments in certain situations, such as extra time or rest breaks for exams, movement breaks in lessons, written instructions for tasks and a seating plan that minimises distractions.

Discuss the diagnosis and needs with the school's SENCO, taking a list of your concerns and background information to the meeting.

Your child may be entitled to an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) which details the support they need and how it will be provided. (The National Autistic Society has helpful information about EHC plans.)

Good communication between you and school can be really helpful in ensuring your child thrives in education and meets their potential. Our parent guide to support has more advice on talking to school or college.

ADHD in teenagers and beyond

If your child is a teenager or young person, their needs and the support you give may well be different from when they were younger. They may like to read our young person's guide to ADHD and mental health. But there are still many ways you can help.

Looking after your own wellbeing

Parenting a child with ADHD can sometimes be isolating, upsetting or exhausting. Sometimes parents feel judged or blamed by others (unjustifiably as parenting does not cause ADHD). It is entirely understandable if you are finding things difficult.

It's important to recognise the impact the situation is having on you, and think about ways you can take care of yourself - including getting support from other people so that you can take some time off. It's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust. We have advice on looking after yourself as well as your child.

Our son's challenging behaviour with ADHD had an enormous impact on the whole family, as we and his brothers bore the brunt of his anger.

Where to get further support

If you would to speak to a professional adviser or find out more about how you can support your child, these organisations can help.
While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

This page was reviewed in March 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with ADHD. We will next review the page in 2025. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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ADHD Support For Your Child | Parents Advice Guide

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If your child is struggling to manage their ADHD, read our tips on what you can do to support them, how to get a diagnosis and where to find help.

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Guided by our mission, vision, values and approach, we have provided mental health services in schools for almost 30 years.

In the last school year:

6,901 pupils were supported through one-to-one counselling

33,327 pupils booked their own appointments to speak to our mental health professional

How can we support you?

Please get in touch with our team about our range of school support services.

Celebrating 10 years of our Royal Patronage

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Place2Be has begun a new five-year partnership with the School of Education at the University of Glasgow.

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Our work with schools on children's mental health - Place2Be

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Find out more about our work with schools and how it makes a difference to children's and young people's mental health and wellbeing.

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Race for Friendship

In aid of our upcoming Learning for Life series, Caring Friendships, we held a dragon boat racing fundraiser!

Our trustees led the charge, and raised an incredible £14,400 for Learn and Thrive.

A challenging day, but filled with fun! Watch the video to see how it went, and to hear about the difference Learn and Thrive makes for children and young people with Down's syndrome.

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Down's syndrome charity, supporting learners with Down's syndrome to access specialist support to help them learn and thrive. FREE digital tools and video learning empowers people with Down's syndrome to thrive throughout their lives.

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The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) has been the voice of dyslexic people since 1972. We are a membership organisation working to achieve a dyslexia-friendly society for all.

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How can I support my child? - British Dyslexia Association

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The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

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iPad Apps for learners with Dyscalculia numeracy difficulties

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iPad Apps for learners with Dyscalculia numeracy difficulties

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Learning to read with phonics? Click the '+' for advice.

Learning to read with phonics

If you live in England, your child will learn to read using phonics. Their school is very likely to use either the Letters and Sounds phonics framework or the Read Write Inc. programme. Check with your school if you're not sure which one they use.

Using Letters and Sounds?

If your child is using Letters and Sounds, you can find this list of eBooks by Letters and Sounds Phases useful. Bear in mind the following:

If you don't know your child's Phase, you can check with your school. As a guide, most Reception children will be on Phases 1-4 and most Year 1 children will be on Phases 4-5. Beyond Phase 5, your child will be able to decode most books.

In Letters and Sounds, there are 'sets' within the Phases - so your child might not know all the sounds in every book within their Phase.

Some series contain occasional 'tricky words' that your child can't decode using phonics. Use the inside front cover notes to teach your child these words before they start the book.

Find out more about Letters and Sounds >

Using Read Write Inc. Phonics?
If your child is being taught to read using the Read Write Inc. programme, you can find books suitable for them by clicking on the 'Levels' menu below and using the 'Read Write Inc.' filter to select the right level.

Find more support and resources for Read Write Inc. in our parents' guide to Read Write Inc. >

Looking for printed books for phonics practice at home?

Not reading to practise phonics?

Sharing books and independent reading

If your child is reading simply for enjoyment, comprehension, or practice, just browse the library or use any of the other filters. You can check which level is right for your child with this simple test from Read with Oxford.

Reading for pleasure

Are you a teacher? Find out about the Oxford Owl for School eBook library.

More available on Oxford Owl for School

Schools who are registered with Oxford Owl can provide pupils with access to an additional 30 Oxford Primary eBooks, plus a separate library of 50 Read Write Inc. titles all for free using a class login associated with their Oxford Owl for School.
How to set up a class login >

If you need more eBooks, Oxford Owl for School has introduced a new annual subscription of up to 550 titles. For more information, please visit the OUP website.

Are you looking for your class login?

Accessing your class eBook library from home

The class log in link has moved. If your teacher has given you login details to use your class library at home, please use the log in link at the very top of this page and select 'Students'.

sign up log in

Songbirds

Levelled phonics books from the fabulous Julia Donaldson, author of The Gruffalo.

Read Write Inc. Phonics

A step-by-step phonics programme to support reading. Learn at home with Read Write Inc. Phonics

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Free eBook library | Oxford Owl from Oxford University Press

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Browse our library of free children's eBooks to read with your child including Oxford Reading Tree adventures with Biff, Chip and Kipper.

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Our trained ELSA member of staff is Mrs Jane Harrod.

The Intervention is designed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources. This is achieved by training teaching assistants to develop and deliver individualised support programmes to meet the emotional needs of children and teenagers in their care. It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are also addressed.

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What is ELSA?

Origins

The ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) intervention was originally developed within Southampton, then Hampshire, by Sheila Burton, Educational Psychologist. It was designed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources. This is achieved by training teaching assistants to develop and deliver individualised support programmes to meet the emotional needs of children and teenagers in their care. It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are also addressed. This intervention is now widely implemented by educational psychologists across Britain.

ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by educational psychologists, who apply their professional knowledge of children's social and emotional development to areas of need experienced by pupils. They provide on-going professional supervision to help maintain high quality in the work undertaken by ELSAs, thereby helping to ensure safe practice for ELSAs and pupils alike.

Click here for guidance for educational psychology services (Local Authority or independent) interested in introducing ELSA training and supervision in their local area.
The role title of ELSA may only legitimately be used by people who:

have attended (or are currently attending) a full ELSA training course delivered by one or more fully qualified educational psychologists (courses lasting a minimum of 5 but more usually 6 days)

regularly attend half-termly supervision in small groups (with a recommended maximum of 8 ELSAs per group and duration of 2 hours per session), led by a qualified educational psychologist

are currently delivering bespoke programmes of support to individual pupils and sometimes small groups

All ELSAs must be employed within an educational establishment (or other organisation that works with children and young people), and must receive line management support in the ELSA role. For reasons of accountability and safety, the ELSA Network will not endorse anyone to work independently or on a voluntary basis as an ELSA.
Registration of ELSAs
If any of the above criteria do not apply, the role title of ELSA should not be used. Practising ELSAs are registered with local educational psychology service providers who deliver initial training and on-going professional supervision. Each service provider is responsible for maintaining a local register of practising ELSAs and will remove from their register any person no longer fulfilling the role requirements as detailed above.
The ELSA Network only endorses practice that meets these minimum standards. Find out more about the network

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What is ELSA? Origins The ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) intervention was originally developed within Southampton, then Hampshire, by Sheila Burton, Educational Psychologist. It was designed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources. This is achieved by training teaching assistants to develop and...

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Resources for Emotional Literacy Support Assistants - ELSA Support

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Emotional literacy support assistants - or ELSAs - are teaching assistants trained to provide emotional and social skills support to children.

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Derbyshire's Sensory Processing Need Toolkit

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Derbyshire's Sensory Processing Need Toolkit

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It is not an assessments or diagnostic tool; however, it draws on the experience and expertise of these professionals to enable schools/ settings to consider environmental factors and behaviours which may have a sensory basis.

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The Sensory and Physical Support Service (SPSS) works with children, young people, their families,nsory and Physical Support Services - Derbyshire Local Offer

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Derbyshire Sensory and Physical Support Team

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Derbyshire Sensory and Physical Support Team

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The Sensory and Physical Support Service (SPSS) works with children, young people, their families, and schools, offering information and support where difficulties may impede learning or development. The Sensory and Physical Support Service has 3 specialist areas:

d/Deaf and Hearing Impairment

Physical Impairment

Vision Impairment

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Sensory and Physical Support Services - Derbyshire Local Offer

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The Sensory and Physical Support Service (SPSS) supports d/Deaf & Hearing Impairment, Physical Impairment & Vision Impairment, including Habilitation Support

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Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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We support children and young people, and their families and carers, in lots of different ways. Some of our work takes place in the city of Derby; some takes place in Derby and southern parts of Derbyshire; and some across the whole of Derbyshire.
In Derby...

We support children and young people aged 0 to 18 through our family health services. Our health visitors work with families with young children, helping mums and dads to raise happy, healthy kids. Our school nurses and public health nurses work with older children and their families, carrying out health reviews and offering advice and information.

In Derby and southern Derbyshire...

We provide mental health services for children and young people. These are sometimes called CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. These services help children and young people who are feeling very anxious, stressed or low. There is also support for young people with eating disorders and young people with a learning disability.

We also run a number of services for children and young people with complex needs. This means they may need a number of different types of support at the same time. Or they may need a very special type of care. These services include:

Support for children in care and adoption

Support for children with neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD and autism

Support for children with complex disabilities.

Across the whole of Derbyshire...

We offer perinatal (mother and baby) mental health services. We offer these in the community, with visits to people's homes, and in a hospital unit called The Beeches.

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Our children's services :: Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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Information about the different children's services we provide in Derby, southern Derbyshire and across the county

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Special Needs Jungle creates easy to understand resources, articles and information for parents and carers of children with special needs, disabilities and health conditions to better enable them to navigate the special needs system.

We aim to inform, educate and empower families to self-advocate confidently, so their children get the help they need to live the best life they can.

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Special Needs Jungle provides parent-centred information, news, resources and informed opinion about SEN, disability, children’s health and SEN politics

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The Autism Education Trust helps children and young people with autism to receive an education, providing training for professionals.

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About the Autism Education Trust

The AET is a not-for-profit organisation, led by the National Autistic Society and  Ambitious about Autism, and supported by the Department for Education.
We work in Partnership.
Our training programme and education resources are created in partnership with our panel of Autistic Young Experts, parents/carers, and our network of Training Partners, education professionals, experts, and specialists.

All our materials bring to life the latest research in autism and the current, lived experiences of autistic children and young people in education.
The AET Board
The AET programme is governed by its Programme Board which determines its strategy, protects its values and supports, and holds the staff team to account for the delivery of its objectives.

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Since 2007 we have been helping you to develop good autism practice for autistic children and young people. Discover our vision, mission & journey.

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DERBYSHIRE AUTISM SERVICES (charity number 1105525) is a small and very hardworking charity, working right across Derbyshire.

We offer information, advice and guidance but above all support to children, young people and adults affected by autism - with or without a diagnosis - and their families.

We also work with professionals in other services to make sure that individuals and families affected by autism have their needs met and fully taken into account when involved with them.

More detail on our services is provided through the links below and other areas of the site can be accessed through the buttons above.

If you'd like to support DAS, you might like to consider becoming a member - this would allow you a vote at our Annual General Meeting and you'd also receive a copy of our quarterly DAS newsletter.

Memberships cost:

£15.00 individual

£20.00 Family

£25.00 Professional

If you'd like to register, just complete the application form on the link below or email us on enquiries@derbyshireautismservices.org

Visit our Facebook page for regular updates and news!

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DERBYSHIRE AUTISM SERVICES (charity number 1105525) is a small and very hardworking charity, working right across Derbyshire. We offer information, advice and guidance but above all support to children, young people and adults affected by autism - with or without a diagnosis - and their families.

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SEND Review 2022 Right Support, Right Place, Right Time.

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SEND Review 2022 Right Support, Right Place, Right Time.

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Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This statutory code contains:

details of legal requirements that you must follow without exception

statutory guidance that you must follow by law unless there's a good reason not to

It explains the duties of local authorities, health bodies, schools and colleges to provide for those with special educational needs under part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

The code, which applies to England, is for:

headteachers and principals

governing bodies

school and college staff

special educational needs (SEN) co-ordinators

early years providers

other education settings

local authorities

health and social services staff

Other SEND guides are also available.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014.

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The EHCP and the person centred connection

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The EHCP and the person centred connection

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The EHCP and The Person Centred Connection

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If your child, or you as a young person (aged 16 plus), has been identified as needing additional support it is important to communicate to the people who work with you or your child.

You should ask about the provision that has been made as part of a graduated response. Settings and schools will be expected to provide information about the additional help and support made available as part of the graduated response.

You can find information about the role of schools and settings in supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in the early years and education sections of the Local Offer.

There are five steps from requesting an EHC needs assessment to an EHC plan being issued, if you or your child need a plan. This process takes up to 20 weeks.

Step one (four weeks)

Request an EHC needs assessment: a team of professionals from different backgrounds will look at what support has already been given and how funding is being used. A decision will be made at this point whether an EHC assessment needs to be carried out. If the team decides that an EHC assessment is not necessary, you will be given reasons why not and information on how to get any extra help that you may need.

Information from you, your child, the educational setting and any agencies or services involved can provide information to help the decision to be made. There should be evidence of the graduated response which has been put into place, and information about the impact of the support which should already have been provided.

Step two (six weeks)

Co-ordinated assessment: When an EHC needs assessment has been agreed, a named SEND officer will discuss the process with you. The SEND officer is impartial and is there to help you understand the process, coordinate the process and make sure the young person's views and the family's views are heard. This person will work with the family and professionals to coordinate the draft of the EHC plan. There will be a meeting to discuss the EHC plan, unless you decide you don't need one. Comments will be sought on the draft plan from parents and professionals.

Step three (two weeks)

Planning: Following receipt of the comments on the draft plan a panel of representatives from education, health and social care will consider the type of resources and support that the child will need. These will be allocated and listed in the plan. These resources will be included in the proposed EHC plan.

Step four (three weeks)

Proposed EHC plan is sent out: The proposed plan is sent to parents/carers for final consultation and to seek agreement.

Step five (five weeks)

Final EHC plan: Once agreed by the parents or carers, a school or education setting is included in the EHC plan. The plan is then agreed by us. The final EHC plan is then a legally binding document. The description of the child's SEN, the provision to meet those needs and the school or education setting named can be appealed up to a two-month period from date of issue.

Assessment Team

For queries regarding ongoing assessments or to place a request for a new Education, Health Care needs assessment, please contact: sendassessments@derbyshire.gov.uk

Post:

SEN Team
Derbyshire County Council
County Hall
Matlock
Derbyshire DE4 3AG

It is helpful if forms EHC 1 parts 4, 5 and 6 (in related documents section of this page) are completed and sent to us along with any supporting information or reports they think would be helpful.

If schools, colleges or other settings wish to request an EHC needs assessment they must complete and return forms EHC 1 parts 1, 2 and 3 and must also ensure that the parental information in EHC 1 parts 4, 5 and 6 is also completed and sent to us with their referral.

If you need any help, advice or support, please contact Derbyshire Information Advice and Support Service for SEND (DIASS), who will provide impartial information and can also represent you, if needed.

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Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) - Derbyshire Local Offer

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Education Health care plan (EHCP), process to apply, annual review

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Speech and Language UK: Information and support

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Speech and Language UK: Help for parents and families

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Chesterfield Hospital - Speech and Language Therapy Support

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Chesterfield Hospital - Speech and Language Therapy Support

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Skip to main content Skip to navigation Skip to accessibility tools

Our waiting times

We still have a longer than usual wait for initial assessments following the impacts of Covid-19. We are working as quickly as we can to see children.

We support children with speech, language and communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in North Derbyshire (including Chesterfield, High Peak and the northern part of Derbyshire Dales).

On this page, you will find information about our service and how to make a referral to us. If you're concerned about your child's speech and language development, you can also find helpful handouts and videos demonstrating actions you can use at home/in school.
We work with children who have difficulties with:

Speech sounds (learning or pronouncing speech sounds).

Language (understanding or using words, sentences or paragraphs).

Social communication (understanding the unspoken 'rules' of interaction and conversation such as turn-taking, sticking to a topic etc).

Stammering and dysfluency.

Eating, drinking or swallowing.

More about Children's Speech and Language Therapy

Our Speech and Language Therapists will identify each child's individual communication strengths and needs and support the development of skills in the child, alongside their carers and teachers.

These needs may be associated with wider needs or a diagnosis (such as autism, hearing impairment, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy etc) or may exist on their own.

We work in a variety of settings including family homes, schools and nurseries to support children and young people between the ages of 0-19 years.

We work in close partnership with other Specialist Children's Services and with our colleagues in local authority social and educational services at a local and regional level. We are a partner in the Speech, Language and Communication Needs Pathway.

Video consultations

Many families found video consultations more convenient during COVID-19. Where this works well, we may continue to use this as an assessment or intervention option. This will depend on the clinical needs we are working on.

Support with travel costs

If you have been referred to Speech and Language Therapy by a healthcare professional and feel you need assistance to support travel costs, you may be eligible for support under the healthcare travel cost scheme.

Where we are

Our service supports children who are registered with a GP in North Derbyshire. This includes Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire, Bolsover and South Normanton, the northern part of Derbyshire Dales and High Peak.

We offer clinic appointments at the following community locations:

Bolsover Clinic

Buxton Health Centre

Chesterfield, The Den

Clay Cross Clinic

Clowne, Springs Health Centre

Dronfield Clinic

Eckington Clinic

Killamarsh Clinic

Matlock, Whitworth Hospital

New Mills Clinic

Shirebrook Health Centre

South Normanton, The Hub

Staveley Clinic

As well as community clinics, children are seen in mainstream and special schools, nurseries, and their own homes. We also use NHS Attend Anywhere and your child may be offered a video appointment using this platform.

For all enquiries, please contact:

Children's Therapy Service
The Den,
Chesterfield Royal Hospital,
Calow,
Chesterfield
S44 5BL

Telephone: 01246 514624
Email:crhft.childrens.therapies@nhs.net

If your GP is not in North Derbyshire, please contact your local SLT service:

Making a referral

Who can be referred to our service?

Anyone can make a referral to the Speech and Language Therapy Service, as long as parents have given their signed consent. Children are prioritised according to their needs and some children may be offered advice and signposting and may not need to see a speech and language therapist.

If you are a parent/carer and have concerns about your child's speech, language, communication or feeding difficulties, speak to your health visitor or your child's teacher. They will know what to do and who to contact and will follow professional guidelines.

If you are a professional and have concerns, contact the child's health visitor or the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) in the child's educational setting who will follow an integrated speech, language and communication pathway.

We can only accept referrals for children who have a GP in the North Derbyshire Area.

For children over 7 years of age, we can only accept a referral if there is:

A significant disparity between communication and other levels of development

Significant change in social communication difficulties; please note these need to be evidenced by school reports and/or educational psychology reports

A stammer

Persistent hoarseness or other voice disorder following referral to ENT

Traumatic brain injury resulting in communication impairment

Any condition where the loss of previously acquired skills is apparent.

How to make a referral

If you want to refer a child for speech, language or communication difficulties or difficulties with feeding/swallowing, you can do so using the request for support form.
The following Developmental Information sheets may help you to decide if a referral is appropriate. You can complete these and send them with your Request for Support Form if they support your referral.
If you are making a referral for a child who has difficulty in pronouncing certain speech sounds, it can be helpful to complete and send in the speech screening assessment below AS WELL AS the Request For Support Form. We will sometimes send you this to complete if we need additional information before accepting the request for support.

Once the referral has been accepted, parents/carers will be sent a 'case history' form to fill in. This must be completed and returned to us within 4 weeks. If it is not returned, we will be unable to book your first appointment. If you require another copy of this to complete, please phone 01246 514624

Supporting Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are supported by our speech and language therapists in a range of settings including nurseries, mainstream and special schools, the child's home and in clinics across North Derbyshire.

Children with special educational needs and disabilities will often have some speech, language and communication needs and/or eating/drinking difficulties which will have been identified as part of their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and Inclusion Funding. Our therapists work with the staff at schools and nurseries to identify the most effective way to support an individual child. This may involve:

Working at a whole-school level to develop a communication-friendly environment.

Working directly with an individual child for a specified time to deliver an identified package of care.

Providing training to education staff, social care staff and parents/carers to support the child's needs.

For some children, the school environment will be very well-placed to meet their communication and social needs. In this instance, speech and language therapy services will not need to provide continued input.

Further information and useful links:

Derbyshire Local Offer - For information about support services available in the local area for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities, and their families.

Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service (DIASS) - For independent information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as their parents/carers.

Derbyshire Parent/Carer Forums - Parent Carer Voice for parents and carers in Derbyshire with children and young people with additional needs and disabilities. Parent Carer forums are led by parents/carers of children with SEND. They support parents/carers of children with SEND and help parents/carers have a voice in local SEND provision.

Our YouTube Channel

Are you looking for some more specific advice? Have you already been seen by a Speech and Language Therapist and have been given a programme to work through? If so, please have a look at our YouTube Channel where you will find information videos and videos demonstrating activities/strategies.

Useful Links

Information and advice about speech, language and communication difficulties in children and young people can be found on the following websites:

Speech and Language UK
A children's charity that specifically supports children with communication difficulties.w ww.speechandlanguage.org.uk
(The Trust cannot be responsible for information held within external websites).

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If we haven't been able to answer your questions, or if you have any concerns, you can also contact the hospital's PALS team.

The PALS office is in the main entrance and is open: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm, Monday to Friday.

Telephone: 01246 512640 or 513742
Email:crhft.acs@nhs.net

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Children's Speech and Language Therapy :: Chesterfield Royal Hospital

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Skip to main content Skip to navigation Skip to accessibility tools Our waiting times We still have a longer than usual wait for initial assessments following the impacts of Covid-19. We are working as quickly as we can to see children.

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Mrs Rhalina Kershaw is our SENDCO and works full time at our school. If you have any questions or if you would like to mention the wonderful work that your child has taken part in at our school, then please e-mail Rhalina at: rkershaw@darleydale.derbyshire.sch.uk

Special Educational Needs is the responsibility of ALL staff at DDPS, but there are a few other members of staff who specialist in supporting our SEND children that we can not forget to mention:

Mrs. Holly Beresford - Teaching and Learning Assistant - EYFS

Mrs. Rebecca Revill - 1-1 TA support (Year 2)

Mrs Helen Jackson- High Level Teaching and Learning Assistant (Year 4) (Forest School)

Mrs. Emma Beers - (Breakfast Club and After School Club Lead) and Year 1 Teaching and Learning Assistant.

Mrs. Lynne Marsden - Year 2 Teaching and Learning Assistant and SEND Medical Needs support.

Mrs. Jane Harrod (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and Positive Play Lead) and year 5 Teaching and Learning Assistant.

Mrs. Jacky Swift - Higher Level Teaching and Learning Assistant, Year 3

Mrs. Anne Arnold - Year 6 Teaching and Learning Assistant.

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Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service for SEND

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Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service for SEND

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Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service (DIASS) provides independent information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as their parents and carers.

We aim to help parents and carers increase their involvement in the education of their children and ensure that they have access to information and advice about issues relating to a child or young person's health and social care.

The service is impartial, confidential, and works at arm's length from the local authority. Our advice is free and accessible to all parents of children with SEND. We also offer support for children and young people with SEND.

We can also support you with:

the law around SEND

health and social care in relation to special educational needs provision

personal budgets

education health care plans (EHCP)

information on the Local Offer (services and provision available for those with SEND)

transition post 16 - preparing for adulthood

resolving any disagreements

The Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND code of practice are intended to strengthen the participation of parents, children and young people.

Please note that the service is currently operating and support workers are available. Due to current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) restrictions we cannot offer face to face support. However parents, carers, children and young people can contact us through email and telephone.

Find out how Derbyshire's Local Authority are supporting vulnerable children, young people and families during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Council for Disabled children has some useful information about COVID 19 (Coronavirus) and schools.

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Welcome to the Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service for SEND

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Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service (DIASS) provides independent information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as their parents and carers.

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Here you can find information on which schools and colleges are available across the county. You will also be able to find out how each school and college caters for different levels of need and how to apply for a place. Look at the education outside the normal year group information and further advice if you want to change schools.

To view what is available for young people leaving statutory education, visit Post-16 Education and Training.

The Section 41 list shows all Independent schools & colleges for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act.

To find alternative provision offerings in Derbyshire, search the Alternative Provision Directory.

You can also find out more information on our Access and Inclusion Support Services which cover:

Inclusion Support Services (ISS)
Behaviour Support Service (BSS)
Autism Outreach (AO)
Specialist Service for Special Education Needs (SSSEN)
Sensory and Physical Support Service (SPSS)

All Age Inclusion Services (AAIS)
Early Years SEN (EYSEN)
Educational Psychology Service (EPS)
Preparation for Adulthood (PfA)

Out of School Services (ACRE)
Esteem MAT Alternative Provision Academies
Temporary provisional panel (OOST and TMP) referrals
Education Welfare Service (EWS)
Elective Home Education (EHE)

Send Assessment Service (SENDAS)

The Virtual School (VS)
The Virtual School for Children in our Care has the overall responsibility for monitoring, supporting and providing or resourcing interventions. This includes ensuring Special Educational or Disability (SEND) needs are identified and plans are reviewed for children in care and they are supported appropriately to achieve their best possible educational outcomes.

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Education and learning, admissions outside age group, apply for a school