NEWS:  27th January 2012- Westminster’s 'Moving on, moving forward'  guide for services for young adults with disabilities is now published.

Services for children with disabilities in Westminster are provided by a multi-agency team that give support, advice and information to families, carers and other professionals who are involved in caring for children whose disability has a significant impact on their day-to-day lives.

We are committed to the rights of these children to fulfil their personal potentials, ambitions and their roles in society. Our main work is with children who have severe learning and/or physical disabilities, children within the autistic spectrum and children who have sensory impairment.

Use our map to find services for children with disabilities in Westminster, or search our directory. You can also find out about Short Breaks available in Westminster for parents or carers of children with disabilities.  If your child is approaching 14 years old, you can also find out about our transition services which will help them on their journey from childhood to adulthood.

Our team is multi-disciplinary and is made up of social workers, occupational therapists, a welfare benefits worker, a transitions worker, a health development worker and a Connexions worker. We also work in close partnership with the Child Development Service based at Woodfield Road medical Centre, with the Special Educational Needs team based at Frampton Street and with the Paddington Green CAHMS service. A Social Worker/Behavioural Therapist from this service does outreach work into family homes.

If you feel that you need support we will need to complete an assessment. A duty social worker will visit you and your family/parents in your home to complete this assessment. They need to meet with you to find out how they can help.

The team provides a range of services including:

• Family support work - Assessments completed jointly by health and social services teams and ongoing support provided to families where necessary.
• Welfare benefits advice - Information and advice in applying for a range of disability benefits
• Transition support - Help for young people with the transition to adulthood.
• Occupational therapy - Assessments, aids and equipment to help children live more independently and advice on alterations required in the home.
• Behavioural support - Therapeutic support in the home for families experiencing difficulties managing their child's behaviour.
• Short term breaks - Care for a disabled child at home or in a different setting to give parents a break. (Download our full statement of short breaks services)
• Funded play provision/ activities for children/ young people - Information and advice to help you access local and specialist play services.

• Direct Payments - Money given to parents/ carers or disabled young people aged 16+ to purchase the services they want themselves.

Register for Children with Disabilities

If you are the parent of a child with disabilities in Westminster, you may be interested in joining the Way Ahead Register. The Way Ahead Register is a confidential record of information about children with special needs and disabilities living in Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea. Children’s names are added to the register at their parent’s request, and in return parents can receive information about services available in their area. A newsletter is sent to every family whose child is on the Register. It is voluntary to register you child, however doing so enables us to understand how many disabled children we need to plan future services for.

Find out more

 For further information on services provided for Children with Disabilities contact:

Children with Disabilities Team

The Medical Centre

7e Woodfield Road

London

W9 3XZ

Tel: 0207 266 7090

However if you wish to refer a disabled child to this service you need to contact Westminster Children and Families Assessment Team. This team complete all initial assessments of families in need. If it is identified that you require ongoing support the case will be transferred to the Children with Disabilities Team and a social worker allocated.

To make a referral contact the Children and Families Assessment team on: 0207 641 7525

Service directory for children with disabilities

Other organisations that can provide support include:

 Whizzkids

ContactaFamily

National Deaf Children's Society

National Blind Children's society

Disabled Living Foundation