SEND Health Services Glossary

Service Glossary
Speech and Language therapy Speech and language therapy is concerned with the management of disorders of speech, language, communication and eating and drinking in children. Speech and language therapists may contribute to the diagnostic process, working as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Additionally, specific therapy may be provided for your child to support their individual health needs.
Occupational therapy Occupational therapists are often concerned with the functional difficulties children and young people have in carrying out everyday activities. Occupational therapists may contribute to diagnostic process, working as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Additionally, specific therapy may be provided for your child to support their individual health needs.
Physiotherapy Physiotherapy helps with movement and function when a child/young person is affected by injury, illness or by developmental or other disability. Physiotherapists may contribute to diagnostic process, working as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Additionally, specific therapy may be provided for your child to support their individual health needs.
Children’s Community Nursing Specialist Children’s Community Nurses can provide help and advice in the community for children and young people with a life-limiting or complex health need. The service generally provides assessment, care planning, treatment, and care delivery on a range of needs. Their roles and service provision may differ in different localities.
Community Paediatrics/Child Development Service Community Paediatrics offer a range of services with a focus, but not exclusively, on children and young people with physical and developmental difficulties. Community Paediatricians may contribute to diagnostic process and offer follow-up support in some cases. Community Paediatricians often work very closely with Child Development Team - a specialist multi-disciplinary and multiagency service, which is provided to those children and young people who need a co-ordinated disciplinary team approach.
General Paediatrics Paediatricians are doctors who look at specific health issues, diseases and disorders related to stages of growth and development. This is an area of medicine where the doctor works closely with the patient and their family. General paediatricians work in hospitals with sick babies, children and young people. Some Paediatricians sub specialise in specific areas for example neonatal medicine, diabetes and endocrinology, immunology, infectious diseases and allergy.
Autism Diagnostic services

The Autism Diagnosis Team may include the following professionals

  • Paediatrician
  • Clinical psychologist
  • Educational psychologist
  • Speech and language therapist

The team may call on the services of other professionals, as appropriate e.g. developmental psychiatrist, occupational therapist, child and adolescent psychiatrist (CAMHS)

Wheelchair Service The service will provide a comprehensive service for people of all ages with long-term mobility problems and associated postural needs in accordance with statutory requirements and locally agreed protocols. Including orthotics Eligibility and referral criteria apply.
Training and Education Service for Short Breaks (TESS) Training to enable access to short break leisure provision for children and young people who meet eligibility criteria.
Continuing Health Care NHS continuing healthcare is free care outside of hospital that is arranged and funded by the NHS. It is only available for people who need ongoing healthcare and meet the eligibility criteria. NHS continuing healthcare is sometimes called fully funded NHS care. For further information on Continuing Health Care, please contact your Continuing Care Team on 0300 303 8294. For the Craven area, please call 01274 423003.
Specialist Nurses – asthma Not applicable for Craven
Specialist Nurses – diabetes A qualified nurse with additional qualifications and experience in diabetes
Specialist Dietician A specialist dietician working with children with a range of complex conditions and feeding difficulties including diabetes and inherited metabolic conditions. The dietician may work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Specialist Nurses – epilepsy Not applicable for Craven.
Cystic Fibrosis Service Not applicable for Craven
Continence services A specialist service with continence advisers or specialists.
Enuresis Service A service for those with enuresis (bedwetting) which may be provided by a range of professionals.
Palliative care/Respite Specialist services for those who require palliative or respite care.
Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHs) CAMHs can include clinical psychologists, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, Nurse Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Mental Health Workers working in partnership with Social Work, Education and Health teams to promote mental health awareness. CAMHs provide assessment and intervention for children and young people with mental health needs.
0-5 Healthy Child Programme Health Visiting (0-5 years) A health visitor is a specially trained nurse who works with families with young children in the community. A health visitor may refer on to other professionals. Health visiting teams are based in the community and provide services for all pre school children. Teams can vary and may comprise Health Visitors (qualified nurses who have undergone additional specialist training), Community Staff Nurses and Community Nursery Nurses (sometimes called Assistant Practitioners or Child Development workers).

Teams are able to offer ongoing support to the whole family if needed. As part of this they may refer to and liaise with a wide range of other professionals as well as assess and plan care to help ensure needs of the child and family are met. Health visiting teams work closely with Children’s Centres and together they offer a rich source of local information offering advice and signposting around a range of local services and community resources.

5-19 Healthy Child Programme School Nursing (5- 19 years) School nurses aim to promote the health and well-being of children and young people aged 5-19 years. They can offer a variety of advice, support and information. To find details on Special School Nursing, please contact your local Health Visitor or GP (under 5s) or your School Nurse (over 5s)