The Children's Disabilities Team is a small specialist team working in Children’s Social Care at North Tyneside Council.
The team will work with children up to 17 years who have severe and complex disabilities which have a significant impact on day-to-day life.
Support available
The team supports children and young people with disabilities, and their families by:
- Assessing needs and finding services and support to meet them
- Reviewing and monitoring the support in place
- Providing support for children in need, children in our care, those in need of protection, and those subject to public law proceedings
The Team is led by two Team Managers who are qualified social workers.
The team includes
Social Workers who carry out assessments, and develop plans to support families with disabled children who have a more complex level of need.
A Transition Worker who works with young people from the age of 14 in preparation for adulthood.
Who can access the service
The team supports children and young people with a broad range of needs, up to the age of 17.
This includes children / young people with:
- Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy and other physical disabilities that significantly impact on the child's wellbeing
- Learning disabilities
- Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which has a significant impact on their communication needs, social and behavioural development
- Multiple or severe disability
- Global development delay
- Severe sensory impairment
- Complex physical disability and health needs
The team will look at the severity of the disability and the level of need.
How to access the service
Telephone Front Door on 0345 2000 109
Transition Team
The Transition Team (TT) is an integral part of North Tyneside Council’s Social Care resource, working alongside the Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT adults) and Children’s Disability Team (CDT), all of these fall under the umbrella of the Whole Life Disability Service. These teams have developed a close working partnership with CLDT Health colleagues.
The Transition workers have been transferred from the adult Community Learning Disabilities Team and received relevant training and preparation in relation to working with children, young people and families.
When a child/young person reaches the age of 14 and is open to the Children’s Disability Team, the allocated Social Worker will introduce a Transition worker.
The role of the worker, if required by the family, will be to support as smooth a Transition from Children’s to Adult services as possible, becoming the contact point for any query relating to Transition processes and to Preparation for Adulthood, including independent supported living, employment/volunteering and developing friendships.
As well as guidance and advice, the Transition worker can provide practical support such as independent travel training, they will also provide an information pack for families regarding available resources and contacts, this includes the Adult Ways to Wellbeing Assessment, which is the tool used to assess eligible Social Care needs for someone 18 years old and over.
The Transition Team can be contacted via CDT admin, 0191 6434151.
Friends, Relationships and Community
Having a wide circle of friends, positive relationships and contributing to their local community, are all recognised as being beneficial in promoting a feeling of general wellbeing in people.
A Transition worker can provide support for any young person who is open to the Children’s Disability Team (CDT), to widen their circle of friends. The worker will complete a checklist of the interests someone has and use this to find opportunities to meet likeminded people. They can then provide short term support to enable someone, where possible, to travel independently to, and become confident in a new social setting, with the aim of building relationships and developing natural support.
If a young person wishes to have a stronger presence in their local community, the Transition Worker can provide support to improve this aspect of their lives, with the aim of, not only having a presence in their community, but of making a positive contribution. This is often by promoting volunteering opportunities, and again they can provide travel training and contribute to short term support whilst natural, supportive relationships are being developed.
Independent Supported Living
The Transition Worker can provide practical support and advice regarding the options for, and availability of, Independent Supported Living opportunities for young people who are open to the CDT.
The CDT Social Worker will introduce a Transition worker to the interested family, this worker will ensure that young people and their family are well informed regarding available options and will make a referral to the CLDT Housing Team. The Transition worker will then remain in place at all stages, from the point of an initial discussion, enabling informed decision making, through to agreement on an accommodation pathway.
Matching people who have similar personalities and interests and who are seeking to share a tenancy and support, is an important part of the process. The Transition worker will identify any potential sharing opportunities and then provide practical support for people to meet over a period of time to find out if they get along well enough to consider living together.
Part of the Transition worker role will be the completion of a baseline assessment of the young person, regarding the skills required for Independent Supported Living. This assessment will then inform the adult Ways to Wellbeing Assessment, which will be completed between the ages of 17 - 18 and will formally identify the eligible needs and support requirements of the young person.