Under Section 17 (10) of the Children Act 1989 social services are legally responsible to safeguard and promote the interests of ‘children in need’. The law recognises disabled children as being in need.
The legal duties of social services to disabled children and their families include:
- providing a social worker service
- maintaining a register of disabled children
- providing information about services which may be available
- assessing the needs of disabled children and their carers (needs assessments and carers assessments)
- providing a range of services to meet these needs.
There are two teams within RBKC who offer services to children (0-18 years) with additional needs: The Disabled Children’s Team (DCT) and The Locality Social Work Team.
Disabled Children’s Team (0-18years)
Disabled Children’s Team provides support and services to children aged 0 to 18 with a disability that substantially affects their everyday living by one or more of the following:
- Global developmental delay
- Physical impairment
- A profound sensory impairment
- A significantly disabling chronic ill health condition
- Severe communication or language disorder
- Autistic Spectrum Disorder with communication disorder and developmental delay
- Learning Disability
- A serious life limiting or terminal illness
The team provides a full range of statutory social care services for disabled children, including child protection and looked after children in accordance with the Children Act 1989. The services provided are aimed at enabling them to do what other children without additional needs can do without support.
You can contact the Disabled Children’s Team directly. Referrals to the team can be made by young people, parents, carers or professionals. The initial way to contact the team is through the Duty Social Worker Line on 0207 598 4921.
The Locality Team (0-19)
The Locality Team offers support and access to services for children and young people who are substantially and adversely affected in their ability to carry out normal day to day activities due to the following conditions:
- High functioning Autism and Asperger’s
- Emotional and behavioural difficulties that are not due to one of the areas listed above (this includes ADHD)
- Mental health conditions
- Dyslexia, Dyspraxia (learning difficulties as opposed to learning disabilities)
- Speech and language delays
The services available to support a child with Asperger’s, ADHD, and Mental Health Problems and their family are as follows:
- Locality SW service (Signposting & Family work)
- Local CAMHS (Behavioural support and management ADHD and Mental Health & Asperger’s)
- BFST (Behavioural Family Support Team – Behavioural Support Asperger’s)
- Additional support in accessing mainstream play during the holidays.
- Additional support in accessing mainstream after school provision, Support in the home Direct payments, Respite Fostering.
- St Quintins Centre, Click Here For Local Offer
To have an assessment, you can either be referred by a professional or self-refer by calling 020 7361 3013 or emailing socialservices@rbkc.gov.uk. A carer’s assessment can also be completed if requested. (Link to Carers Assessments First Steps for Help)