Social Services - Disabled Children

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• Social Services - Disabled Children

The Moor Lane Centre
Moor Lane
Chessington
KT9 2AA

Telephone: 020 8547 5004

Office hours:

Monday to Thursday
8.45 to 5.00pm

Friday:
8.45 to 4.45pm

This is a team of social workers who provide advice and support on a range of issues related to caring for a young person with disabilities. The team provides an Assessment and Care Planning Service for children with disabilities and their families/carers. The aim of the team is to work in partnership with parents/carers and young people to assess what support services will best enable the young person with disabilities to attain their full development potential. The assessment takes account of how demanding at times it can be caring for a child or young person with disabilities and the team aims to provide support for parents/carers with this.

Social workers in this team are also responsible for children and young people with disabilities who are looked after by the council and they also have a duty to provide a child protection service to children and young people with disabilities who are at risk of harm.

If you would like to discuss how the team might be able to support your family, please contact the duty social worker via the Children, Schools and Families phone number: 020 8547 5004.

Team Manager: Angela Firth               

Email: angela.firth@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

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Team Manager: Carol Nelson              

Email: carol.nelson@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

The team, based at Beaconsfield Children's Resource Centre (and from 14 September 2009 at The Moor Lane Centre), provides specialist services to families caring for a child/young person with disabilities. These services include:

Families caring for a child or young person with disabilities sometimes have difficulty finding suitable sitters because of the additional care  their child requires. This service links families with an approved sitter who has training and experience in caring for children or young people with disabilities. Where appropriate, sitters may care for non-disabled brothers and sisters. The scheme operates by a voucher exchange system and parents/carers pay an hourly rate. Financial assistance is available where families are in receipt of income support.

The sitting service is designed to provide parents/ carers with a short break and is currently aimed at families who are receiving less than two overnight breaks from caring per month.

Priority is given to families who do not have other support services although this is regularly reviewed. To be eligible for this service the child or young person must have a registerable disability and need a specialist sitter. An assessment by a social worker is not required, however, if the Disabled Children's Team does not know the child, other professional advice may be required.

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This service has a team of experienced and trained workers who support families in caring for their child or young person with disabilities at home or in the community. It aims to be flexible and adaptable in meeting the needs of the child or young person and the whole family. It provides practical practical help and support which ranges from help with feeding and bathing through to play and activities.

Referral to this service is made by a social worker following an assessment of the child and family's needs. This scheme is specifically aimed at helping families who are under stress and experiencing difficulty in managing the care of their child. The service is dependent on the availability of staff with suitable skills for the tasks involved.

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Being a parent can be a tough job at the best of times. Being a parent with a child with disabilities can often present extra challenges. When parents find it especially hard to understand and manage their child's behaviour, they sometimes find it helpful to talk about it.

Clinical Psychologists are able to provide opportunities for parents and/or their children to talk about behaviour problems. To help families find their own solutions the Clinical Psychologist uses knowledge about how children develop, how behaviour problems develop and how best to change behaviour problems. Clinical Psychologist can also play a part in assessing children's skills. They may then go on to support parents who want to help their children acquire new skills. For example, they can be involved in helping children to develop a better understanding of what happens in social situations and how to understand and cope with their own feelings.

The Clinical Psychologists see children and young people aged 0-19 years and are based within the Team who are part of Kingston Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). Referrals are usually taken from within the Disabled Children's Team but if you would like to discuss a referral to this service please contact us.

Dr Sarah Lister Brook

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When young people with disabilities approach adulthood there is a need to plan for the future. Effective planning involves consultation with the young person, their parents/carers, health, education, community services, and any other significant people. The Transition Worker has a responsibility to ensure that this planning process happens for young people who will continue to need support services and are over 14 years of age.

How does this happen?

If a young person has disabilities the Transition Worker will attend their 14+ review, where possible, and keep track of the young person through school and on to college. At an appropriate time, a Transition Plan will be written so that Adult Services are aware of what the young person's needs are. Adult services will allocate a care manager from the adult team to work alongside the Transition Worker to help plan a smooth and successful transition.

Learning Disabled Young People transfer to Adult Services at 19.

Physically Disabled Young People transfer to Adult Services at 18.

Email: wendy.jenkins@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

Email: katie.angiolini@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

Email: tom.quilter@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

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The Carers' Support Scheme recruits and approves individual befrienders for young people with disabilities aged 12 to 19 years. A befriender will help the disabled teenager to take part in a range of leisure activities in the community or in their own homes, so they can have fun and develop their independence.

Befrienders are recruited from young people aged 16 to 25 years who live in or near Kingston; they may be at sixth form college, university or working in the local community. They are approved, trained and matched to individual young people according to their interests, age and experience.

Parent/carers get a short break from their caring role in the knowledge of their son or daughter is involved in social activities appropriate to their age. A befriender whom the parent/carer has come to know and trust provides short breaks.

Referral to the Befriending Project is the same as Share the Care.

Co-ordinator: Clare Warne (voicemail available)          

Email: clare.warne@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

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This service is for children and young people with physical impairments up to age 18 years, and up to age 19 years for severely disabled young people. The occupational therapist will assess for the provision of specialist equipment and home adaptations required for daily living activities such as bathing, dressing or eating, and for assisting carers in the daily management of their child or young person. The occupational therapist can also assess if specialist equipment or changes to the home are required where a child or young person's disability raises issues of safety.

Paediatric Occupational Therapist: Pat Folkerd        

Email: pat.folkerd@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

This service is for children and young people with physical impairments up to age 18 years, and up to age 19 years for severely disabled young people. The occupational therapist will assess for the provision of specialist equipment and home adaptations required for daily living activities such as bathing, dressing or eating, and for assisting carers in the daily management of their child or young person. The occupational therapist can also assess if specialist equipment or changes to the home are required where a child or young person's disability raises issues of safety.

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A social worker based in the Paediatric Department at Kingston Hospital provides a service to families who have a child who has health difficulties, during what can be a time of crisis for many families.

Working as a member of a multi-disciplinary team alongside health professionals, the social worker is able to access a wide range of information and support services relevant to the child and family's particular needs.

Suzi Holley                        

Email: suzi.holley@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

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Crescent Resource Centre

Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9.00am to 1.00pm.

The Sensory Impairment Team provide information and advice on all aspects of sight and hearing loss, e.g. equipment and mobility training.

Email: sit@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

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