Kay working functions are significant at this time to ensure that parents are aware of childcare options and early year’s services.
Childcare
There are a wide range of childcare providers and services across Hartlepool that children and young people can access. Click the links below to see what is available:
- Childminders – Hartlepool Now
- Day Care Nurseries – Hartlepool Now
- Breakfast Clubs – Hartlepool Now
- After School Clubs – Hartlepool Now
- Free Nursery Entitlement for 2,3 & 4 year olds – Hartlepool Now
Education
Within this section you can find lots of information about education settings within Hartlepool and the surrounding areas. We have also included information about out of area schools that some Hartlepool children may attend.
You can also find information about Attendance, School Admissions and Elective Home Education in this area.
Elective Home Education
Find more information on the Hartlepool Borough Council website.
Free Nursery Entitlement
Free Nursery Entitlement for 2 year olds
What is it?
Some 2 year old children are entitled to receive free nursery sessions. These can be taken in a school nursery who delivers 2 year old provision or with an approved day nursery or childminder.
Free Nursery Entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds
All three and four year old children are entitled to receive free nursery sessions. These can be taken in a school nursery or with an approved day nursery or childminder.
What is my child entitled to? (2, 3 and 4 year olds)
Your child is entitled to receive 570 hours free nursery education per year. This equates to a maximum of 15 hours per week for 38 weeks per year (term time only) or 11.5 hours over 50 weeks. You do not have to take up the full entitlement however you are encouraged to do so.
Do I have to attend a session every day? (2, 3 and 4 year olds)
No, settings and schools have been required to offer the free nursery entitlement more flexibly. The offer of 570 hours can be stretched over a longer period of time but less hours per week will be available free. For examples of how this may be taken please consult your provider or call Kim Rowntree on 01429 284881
When will my child become eligible for a free 2 year old place?
National guidelines dictate the following:
| A child born between: | Will be eligible for a free place from: |
| 1st April – 31st August | The start of the autumn term following their 2nd or 3rd birthday until statutory school age (September) |
| 1st Sept – 31st Dec | The start of the spring term following their 2nd or 3rd birthday until statutory school age (January) |
| 1st Jan – 31st March | The start of the summer term following their 2nd or 3rd birthday until statutory school age (April) |
Can my child attend more than one setting?
Yes, 2 settings can be used, however we would encourage that your child stays with one provider as far as possible as it is important for the child to have consistency and stability.
How will the places be funded?
The places will be funded by the Local Authority with payment made directly to the provider. If your child takes less than 15 hours per week, the payment will be adjusted pro-rota.
A parent is not expected to contribute towards the costs of their free entitlement, it should be free at the point of delivery. A child’s free entitlement however does not cover any additional services that the setting may offer e.g. extra hours or transport, you will need to speak with your provider to discuss any charges for this.
Will the nursery session(s) my child receives be of good quality?
Yes, providers offering the free nursery entitlement must be registered with Ofsted. Being registered means that the provider must comply with the requirements of The Department of Educations’ Code of Practice on the Provision of Free Nursery Education Places for Three and Four Year Olds. The provider will be subject to an inspection by OFSTED, the organisation which also inspects schools to make sure that the child is being educated appropriately. Local Authority staff work closely with settings to develop and enhance the learning environment and experience for your child.
How can I apply?
To apply for your child’s free nursery entitlement contact the school/nursery or childminder you are interested in your child attending. They will let you know if they are a registered provider and if so, when your child can take advantage of this entitlement.
If you do not have a provider in mind, contact Kim Rowntree on 01429 284881 where a list of registered providers is available.
Please note that the free nursery entitlement is not a guarantee of placement with a particular provider, it is a guarantee that a free place will be available for your child in Hartlepool.
The Local Authority will carry out checks as part of their remit to ensure that a child is not claiming more than their full entitlement.
For further information contact:
Kim Rowntree
Hartlepool Borough Council
CETL
Brierton Lane
Hartlepool
TS25 4AF
Direct Line: 01429 284881
Childcare Element of Working Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit is paid to people in work to top up low wages. This includes earnings from employment and earnings if you are self-employed.
- Working Tax Credit is being replaced by Universal Credit.
- You cannot get Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit at the same time.
- You must use an Ofsted registered Childcare provider such as Childminder, play scheme, nursery or school.
Eligibility for Childcare element of Working Tax Credit
- If you are a single parent, you must work for a minimum of 16 hours a week
- If you are part of a couple, both of you must work a minimum of 16 hours a week each.
- You can receive up to 70% of your childcare costs covered up to £122.50 per week for one child attending a registered provider or £210 for two or more children.
Please visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to compare the support you may receive and to confirm which option you may be eligible for.
School Admissions
Find more information on the Hartlepool Borough Council website.
Primary Schools
Find more information on the Hartlepool Now website.
Additional Resourced Provision Schools
A small number of mainstream schools in Hartlepool provide an Additional Resourced Provision (ARP) to support children and young people with their special educational needs.
An ARP can be a separate building within the school or it can be something as simple as a class with limited number of pupils and a higher staff ratio.
These places are commissioned by the local authority and places are allocated through the local authority SEND processes.
The schools with this provision are:
High Tunstall College of Science
Pupil Referral Unit – Horizon School
Home & Hospital – Horizon School
Special Schools
Special Schools cater for students with special education needs. These may include learning disabilities or physical disabilities. Pupils at Special Schools have an Education, Health and Care Plan.
Find a list of Special Schools in Hartlepool and surrounding areas on the Hartlepool Now website.
SEN Support
What is SEN Support?
Every child with special educational needs should have SEN Support. This means help that is additional to or different from the support generally given to most of the children of the same age.
The purpose of SEN Support is to help children and young people achieve outcomes or learning objectives set for them by the school in conjunction with parents and the pupils themselves.
If you think your child has a special educational need that has not been identified by their school or nursery, you should talk to your child’s teacher, or ask to see the SENCO (this is the person in school who has particular responsibility for coordinating help for children with special educational needs) or Headteacher. You will be able to talk about your concerns and find out what the school thinks.
Working together with your child’s teachers will often help to sort out worries and problems. The closer you work with them, the more successful any help for your child can be.
All early years settings, schools, academies and colleges are responsible for meeting special educational needs through teaching that is adapted and personalised for individual children. Some children will need support that is additional to or different from what is provided for most of its peers. This kind of help is called special educational provision and education settings must make every effort to ensure that this is in place for children who need it.
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 0 – 25 gives guidance to all of the people that help to identify, assess and provide support for children with special educational needs.
Click here to download the SEND Code of Practice: Download SEND Code of Practice PDF.
SEND Code of Practice
This Code of Practice provides statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated regulations and applies to England. It relates to children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabled children and young people. A ‘young person’ in this context is a person over compulsory school age and under 25. Compulsory school age ends on the last Friday of June in the academic year in which they become 16. For ease of reference, young people are referred to in this Code of Practice as ‘over 16’.
Click here to download the SEND Code of Practice: Download the SEND Code of Practice PDF.
Teach Me Too
Teach Me Too is run by a charity called Learn and Thrive.
Teach Me Too provides resources for children with Down’s syndrome and special educational needs in early years and KS1.
The series cover:
- Literacy
- Maths
- The Wider Curriculum
- Exploring Language
- Language through Play
These resources are created with specialist teachers and speech and language therapists for children with Down’s syndrome/ SEN, to be used at home, in school, or at support groups.
Teach Me Too is dedicated to utilising innovation and technology to break down barriers to education and learning for every person with Down’s syndrome, regardless of wealth, background, or postcode. As a result, all the resources can be access completely FREE. These resources are used across the UK and globally to support the learning of children with a range of SEN.
While they were created for those with Down’s syndrome, these resources have been found to be helpful to many SEN. All these resources can be accessed online. They have been made in conjunction with Key Communication, Inclusively Down, and Symbol UK.
For more information or to access the free online library, please visit: www.learnandthrive.org.uk/teach-me-too
The Graduated Approach
When a Special Educational Need has been identified the education setting should start a cycle of actions to make sure that they put effective support in place. The cycle is called the Graduated Approach and involves these stages:
- Assess
- Plan
- Do
- Review
There are lots of professionals that can help education providers to support children and young people and they should be involved through the graduated approach, depending on your child’s needs. For example, they might ask for help from a specialist teacher, an educational psychologist, a speech & language therapist or other health professional.
Schools are encouraged to develop a coordinated support plan to support children and young people who do not meet the threshold for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.
You can access impartial information, advice and support by contacting Hartlepool SENDIAS Service.
Telephone: 01429 284876/07776491662
Email to: HARTLEPOOLIASS@hartlepool.gov.uk.
Further information about the SENDIAS Service can be found on the website: www.hartlepoolsendiass.co.uk
Education, Health & Care Assessments and Plans
Children with more complex needs may require a more detailed assessment and may need an Education, Health and Care Plan.
The Education, Health and Care Plan replaced Statements of Special Educational Need and Learning Difficulty Assessments in 2014.
This section of the Local Offer will provide you with information on Assessments and Education, Health and Care Plans.
What is an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment?
The majority of children and young people with Special Educational Needs or disabilities will have their needs met within local mainstream early year’s settings, schools or colleges. Some children and young people may require an EHC Needs Assessment in order for the local authority to decide whether it is necessary for it to make provision in accordance with an EHC plan.
The purpose of an EHC plan is to make special educational provision to meet the special educational needs of the child or young person, to secure the best possible outcomes for them across education, health and social care and, as they get older, prepare them for adulthood.
An EHC Needs Assessment is only necessary if your child’s education setting cannot provide all of the help that they need and will usually only happen after the graduated approach has been followed.
How can I request an EHC Needs Assessment and what happens after an EHC Needs Assessment is requested?
The following people have a specific right to ask the local authority to conduct an education, health and care needs assessment for a child or young person aged between 0 and 25:
- The child’s parents
- A young person over the age of 16, but under the age of 25, and
- A person acting on behalf of a school or post – 16 institution (this should ideally be with the knowledge and agreement of the parent or young person where possible)
In addition, anyone else can bring a child or young person who has (or may have) SEN to the attention of the local authority, particularly where they think an EHC needs assessment may be necessary. This could include, for example:
- foster carers
- health and social care professionals
- early years practitioners
- youth offending teams or probation services
- those responsible for education in custody
- school or college staff
- family friend
Bringing a child or young person to the attention of the local authority will be undertaken on an individual basis where there are specific concerns. This should be done with the knowledge and, where possible, agreement of the child’s parent or the young person.
Parents, carers and young people can also talk to Hartlepool SEND Information, Advice and Support Service who can provide more information and assist in making a request for an EHC needs assessment.
What happens after an EHC needs assessment is requested?
The Local Authority has a SEND Panel which meets to consider requests for EHC needs assessment. The panel includes representatives from education, health and social care and meets every 4 weeks.
When the local authority receives the request for an EHC needs assessment they will send you a letter confirming this and to let you know when the date of the next SEND Panel meeting will be held to discuss and make a decision on your request for an EHC needs assessment.
Following a request for an EHC needs assessment, or the child or young person having otherwise been brought to its attention, the local authority must determine whether an EHC needs assessment is necessary. The local authority must make a decision and communicate the decision to the child’s parent or to the young person within 6 weeks of receiving the request. The local authority does not have to consider whether an EHC needs assessment is necessary where it has already undertaken an EHC needs assessment for a child or young person during the previous six months, although the local authority may choose to do so if it thinks it is appropriate.
You will then have a maximum of 6 weeks to wait before you find out if the Panel has agreed that an assessment should start or has recommended that the child’s needs can be met at SEN Support.
It is important that the request for an EHC needs assessment contains as much information as possible so that the Panel can reach the right decision about whether or not to start the assessment. The Panel might ask for more information if it is felt that there is not enough detail to make a decision.
After the Panel meeting, the local authority will contact you to let you know what has been decided. If it is decided that your child does not need an assessment, and you disagree with the decision, you can talk to the SENDIAS Service or ask for details of the Independent disagreement resolution arrangements and mediation.
You can contact the service by;
Telephone: 01429 284876/07776491662
Email to: HARTLEPOOLIASS@hartlepool.gov.uk.
Further information about the SENDIAS Service can be found on the website: www.hartlepoolsendiass.co.uk/
If you are still unhappy, you have a right to appeal to the First – tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability).
EHC Needs Assessment & EHC Annual Review Timescales
The diagram below sets out the statutory timescales and decision points for the process of EHC needs assessment and EHC plan development that local authorities must adhere to, subject to specific exemptions set out in paragraph 9.42 (Page 152) in the SEND Code of Practice January 2015.
Throughout the statutory process for EHC needs assessment and EHC plan development, local authorities must work in partnership with the child and his or her parent or young person.
What happens during an assessment and how is an Education, Health and Care Plan prepared?
The whole assessment process must take no longer than 20 weeks (except in a few exceptional circumstances) from the Local Authority receiving the request for assessment. If the Panel make a decision to carry out an assessment you will be allocated an SEN Case Officer who will take you through the process from start to finish.
You will be asked to sign a contract form that will give the local authority permission to share information between the people who will be involved in the assessment. The local authority will also explain how the assessment process will work, including how long each stage of the process will take, and also make a list of the people who are already involved in supporting your child.
The SEN Team in conjunction with your child’s school (if they attend school), will then organise a date for the Assessment Planning Meeting. You know your child best and it is very important that you are part of this meeting. At this point, this is the section that will be discussed and your allocated SEN Case Officer will normally be responsible for overseeing this meeting and they will record what everyone says.
During the Assessment Planning meeting, everyone will decide together who will do what and a list will be made of the reports that will be produced during the rest of the assessment. Everyone who will be writing a report has 6 weeks to do so, but they should share it with you before anyone else.
After 6 weeks, a Support Planning meeting is held. Again you and the professionals supporting your child will get together – this time to share the information that people have gathered during the assessment of your child.
The Support Planning meeting will discuss the short and long term outcomes that you child will work towards-these will be suggested by the people who have completed assessments and recorded by the SEN Case Officer. For each outcome, a list of the support that your child will need to achieve it will be made.
The local authority must send the draft EHC plan (including the appendices containing the advice and information gathered during the EHC needs assessment) to the child’s parent or to the young person and give them at least 15 days to give views and representations on the content. During this period, the local authority must make its officers available for a meeting with the child’s parents or the young person on request if they wish to discuss the content of the draft EHC plan. When the local authority sends the draft EHC plan to the child’s parents of the young person the following apply:
- The local authority must notify the child’s parent or the young person that during this period they can request that a particular school or other institution, or type of school or other institution be named in the plan. The draft plan must not contain the name of the school, maintained nursery school, post-16 provision or other institution or the type of school or other institution to be attended by the child or young person
- The local authority must advise the child’s parent or the young person where they can find information about the schools and colleges that are available for a child or young person to attend, for example through the Local Offer
- The local authority should seek agreement of any Personal Budget specified in the draft plan (see Paragraph 9.95 onwards for more information) SEND Code of Practice: Download SEND Code of Practice PDF
You can access impartial information, advice and support through the process by contacting Hartlepool SENDIAS Service.
Telephone: 01429 284876/07776491662
Email to: HARTLEPOOLIASS@hartlepool.gov.uk.
Further information about the SENDIAS Service can be found on the website: www.hartlepoolsendiass.co.uk/
What would happen if the local authority makes the decision not to issue an EHC Plan and if the parent/carer or young person disagrees with the local authority’s decision?
Following the completion of an EHC needs assessment, if the local authority decides that an EHC plan is not necessary, it must notify the child’s parent or the young person, the early year’s provider, school or post-16 institution currently attended, and the health service and give the reasons for its decision. The notification must take place as soon as practicable and at latest within 16 weeks of the initial request or of the child or young person having otherwise been brought to the local authority’s attention.
The local authority must also inform the child’s parent or the young person of their right to appeal that decision and the time limit in which to appeal, and the availability of information, advice and support and disagreement resolution services.
The local authority should also ensure that the child’s parent or the young person are aware of the resources available to meet SEN in mainstream provision and other support set out in the Local Offer.
The local authority should also provide written feedback collected during the EHC needs assessment process, which the child’s parent, the young person, early years provider, school or post-16 institution can understand and may find useful, including evidence and reports from professionals. This information can then inform how outcomes sought for the child or young person can be achieved through special educational provision made by the early year’s provider, school or post-16 institution and coordinated support from other agencies
Parents/carers and young people have the right to challenge the Local Authority’s decisions on:
- Not to carry out an Education, Health and Care assessment
- Not producing an Education, health and Care plan
- The special educational support included in the plan
- Cease to maintain a plan
The parent/carer or young person has the right to appeal at First Tier Tribunal should the local authority decide not to issue an EHC Plan. The SENDIAS Service will be able to provide advice and support.
You can contact the service by;
Telephone: 01429 284876/07776491662
Email to: HARTLEPOOLIASS@hartlepool.gov.uk.
Further information about the SENDIAS Service can be found on the website: www.hartlepoolsendiass.co.uk/
Registering an appeal with the Tribunal
Parents and young people have two months to register an SEN appeal with the Tribunal from the date when the local authority sent out the notice containing a decision which can be appealed or one month from the date of a certificate which has been issued following mediation or the parent or young person being given the mediation information, which every is the later. In some cases parents and young people will not register the appeal within the two-month limit. Where it is fair and just to do so the Tribunal has the power to use its discretion to accept appeals outside of the two-month time limit.
The Tribunal will not take into account of the fact that mediation has taken place or has not been taken up, nor will it take into account the outcome of the mediation. Parents and young people will not be disadvantaged at the Tribunal because they have not chosen to go to mediation.
The Tribunal forms part of the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber). Tribunals are overseen by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service.
The Role and function of the Tribunal is to hear appeals against decisions made by the local authorities in England in relation to children’s and young people’s EHC needs assessments and EHC plans. It also hears disability discrimination claims against schools and against the local authorities when the local authority is the responsible body for the school.
The Tribunal seeks to ensure that the process of appealing is as user friendly as possible, and to avoid hearings that are overly legalistic or technical. It is the Tribunal’s aim to ensure that a parent or young person should not need to engage legal representation when appealing a decision. Parents and young people may find it useful to have support from a voluntary organisation or friend at the hearing.
To find more information on Tribunals, visit the gov.uk website First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) page.
Reviewing your child’s EHC Plan
The local authority must check your child’s progress and make sure that the plan continues to meet their special educational need. This must be done at least once a year (6 monthly for under 5’s), or a review could be more frequent depending on your child’s needs.
You will be contacted with a date for the review meeting, usually by your child’s education setting inviting you to attend. Before the meeting you should be asked for your views on your child’s progress since the last review.
Education settings will also ask for updated reports from the professionals who have been supporting your child since the last review. Before the meeting you should receive copies of all reports that have been written.
During the annual review meeting, your child’s progress towards the outcomes set out in the plan will be discussed and new outcomes will be set for the coming 12 month – key stage. Any proposed changes to your child’s plan will be recorded.
The review meeting will usually take place in your child’s educational setting. You can take along a family member or friend with you. Alternatively Hartlepool SENDIAS Service can support you with this.
After the meeting a decision will be made whether the plan is maintained, ceased or amended. The plan will be amended by a member of the SEN Team who will send you the plan and ask for your comments/amendments to be considered
You have 15 days to consider the plan and contact the SEN Team to discuss any changes you wish to be made. If the local authority does not hear from you, the plan will be finalised. However, you continue to have the same rights if you disagree and you also have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal.
You can access impartial information, advice and support through the process by contacting Hartlepool SENDIAS Service.
Telephone: 01429 284876/07776491662
Email to: HARTLEPOOLIASS@hartlepool.gov.uk.
Further information about the SENDIAS Service can be found on the website: www.hartlepoolsendiass.co.uk/
How long does an EHC Plan last?
Your child could have an EHC Plan for the whole of their education, or just part of it. The reviews of your child’s plan may indicate that they will continue to make good progress with the help that their education provider can put in place from their own resources. In these cases, your child will no longer be considered to need statutory support and the local authority would cease to maintain their EHC Plan.
As long as a child or young person continues to access statutory special educational provision, the EHC Plan can last up to the age of 25.
After the age of 16, an EHC Plan could still apply in:
- Specialist schools or colleges;
- Mainstream further education and sixth form colleges;
- Training Providers;
- Apprenticeships;
If a young person decides to move into employment or on to university (higher education) an EHC Plan does not apply because this is not special educational provision, although there should still be support available.
What happens if you move to another area?
If you are going to move, you should let the local authority know by contacting the SEN Team (sen@hartlepool.gov.uk). You should also contact the SEN Team in the local authority area you are moving to, so that you can talk to them about your child’s needs and the best way of ensuring that they continue to be met.
Where a child or young person moves to another local authority, the ‘old’ authority must transfer the EHC plan to the ‘new’ authority on the day of the move, unless the following condition applies. Where the old authority has not been provided with the 15 working days’ notice of the move, the old authority must transfer the EHC plan within 15 working days beginning with the day on which it did become aware.
The old authority should also transfer any opinion they have received under the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 that the child or young person is disabled. Upon the transfer of the EHC plan, the new authority becomes responsible for maintaining the plan and for securing the special educational provision specified in it.
The requirement for the child or young person to attend the educational institution specified in the EHC plan continues after the transfer. However, where attendance would be impractical, thenew authority must place the child or young person temporarily at an appropriate educational institution other than that specified – for example:
- Where the distance between the child or young person’s new home and the educational institution would be too great – until the EHC plan is formally amended
The new authority may not decline to pay fees or otherwise maintain the child at an independent or non-maintained special school or boarding school named in an EHC plan unless and until they have amended the EHC plan
You can access impartial information, advice and support by contacting Hartlepool SENDIAS Service.
Telephone: 01429 284876/07776491662
Email to: HARTLEPOOLIASS@hartlepool.gov.uk.
Further information about the SENDIAS Service can be found on the website: www.hartlepoolsendiass.co.uk/
IPSEA
Please click here for further information
SENDIAS Service
Please click here for further information
SEND Code of Practice
This Code of Practice provides statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated regulations and applies to England. It relates to children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabled children and young people. A ‘young person’ in this context is a person over compulsory school age and under 25. Compulsory school age ends on the last Friday of June in the academic year in which they become 16. For ease of reference, young people are referred to in this Code of Practice as ‘over 16’.
Click here to download the SEND Code of Practice: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf
Independent Resolution and Mediation Services for Education, Health and Care Assessments and Reviews
Disagreement Resolution Services are for all parents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and young people aged 16 years and over. Using this service is voluntary and covers SEN provision as well as disagreements about health and social care.
This applies specifically to parents and young people who are considering appealing the tribunal about Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment and the special education element of the EHC Plan.
Health
The Little Orange Book is a great resource and covers everything from common minor ailments like teething, constipation and colds, through to more serious conditions like urinary tract infections and wheezy chests. The booklet uses a traffic light system to help parents and carers decide what action to take when their child is sick. It points parents in the right direction, letting them know whether self-care, consulting with a primary care professional (Pharmacists or GP), a 111 call, or even a visit to Accident and Emergency is the right course of action.
The Little Orange Book is available to download to share with others, whether as an emailed PDF or a link via social media.
For more information and to access the download please visit https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/our-work/workstreams/children-and-young-people/little-orange-book/
Annual Health Checks
People with a learning disability often have poorer physical and mental health than other people. It is important that everyone with a learning disability over the age of 14 who is on their doctor’s learning disability register has an annual health check.
An annual health check can help you stay well by talking to your doctor or nurse about your health and finding any problems early so they can be looked into.
You do not have to be ill to have a health check, most people have their annual health check when they are well. If you are worried about seeing a doctor, or there is anything they can do to make your appointment better, let the doctor or nurse know and they can make changes to help you. These are called reasonable adjustments.
For more information about annual health checks please visit the following links:
Care, Education and Treatment Reviews (CETR)
Care, Education and Treatment Reviews (CETR) are focused on children and young people whom either have been or may be about to be admitted to a specialist mental health and/or learning disability hospital either in the NHS or in the independent sector.
The CETR bring together those responsible for commissioning and providing services (this will include nurses, social workers, education, commissioners and other health, education and social care professionals, alongside strategic commissioners where appropriate) with independent clinical opinion and the lived experience of children and young people and families from diverse communities with learning disabilities, autism, or both.
The CETR is driven by the NHS but the involvement of local authorities and education services in the process and its outcomes is integral to improving care, education and treatment for children and young people with learning disabilities, autism or both and as well as their families.
In Hartlepool these reviews are supported by a multi-disciplinary team of representatives from NHS North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and Hartlepool Borough Council.
More information can by visiting the following links:
Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Crisis and Liaison Service
The Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Crisis Team is a team of nurses that responds to young people experiencing mental health crisis. The service is open to all young people up until their 18th birthday. The service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In Hartlepool this service is delivered by Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.
More information can be found at: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/services/camhscrisis/
Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Tier 4 Inpatient Services
Tier 4 Wards are currently closed, for more information please go to the Tees Esk & Wear Valley website link below.
More detailed information can be found at: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/
Child Health and Wellbeing Network
The North East and North Cumbria Child Health and Wellbeing Network works to bring organisations together to design and deliver joined-up services to provide improved outcomes for children and plans to make a real difference to children’s services. Their vision states:
In the North East and North Cumbria we believe all children and young people should be given the opportunity to flourish and reach their potential, and be advantaged by organisations working together.
The Network works with people from all sectors across the region: such as Health, Education, Local Authorities and the Voluntary and Community Sector as well as with children, young people and their families too. The Network aims to achieve meaningful and realistic engagement with key stakeholders from across the North East and North Cumbria.
Current priority areas, which were defined by the system, are Mental Health, Poverty, Additional Needs and Vulnerability, Inequalities and Access, Best Start in Life, Health Promotion and Childhood Illness. Following the first surge of the COVID pandemic the priorities were reviewed and Family Support was added as an additional priority area.
The Network is keen to invite people to join their journey- for more information on becoming a member and receive their newsletter, or to hear about projects and plans, please contact the Child Health and Wellbeing Network team via england.northernchildnetwork@nhs.net
More information is available at:
and /or at twitter via @NorthNetChild
Children’s Care Co-ordinator
The Children’s Care Co-ordinator will support you and your family from the point of diagnosis by signposting and navigating you through the health, social care, and education system to ensure you get the right support and advice at the right time.
The co-ordinator will work in partnership with your family, providers, local authorities, and the voluntary sector, to ensure that the needs of your child are met, and your voices are heard. This support will be as personal and flexible as possible and provide you with a point of contact to support you through this journey.
The co-ordinator will utilise the personalised care approaches and support any transitions of young people through into adulthood.
If you have a child or young person or you are a young person with a life limiting condition that feel they require further support, please contact the Children’s Care Co-ordinator (Life Limiting Conditions) on email: necsu.cypcarecoordination@nhs.net
Children’s Continuing Care (CCC)
Some children and young people under the age of 18 may have very complex health needs. These may be the result of congenital conditions, long-term or life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, disability, or the after-effects of serious illness or injury. Their needs may be so complex, that they cannot be met by the services which are routinely available from GP practices, hospitals or in the community.
Continuing care is not needed by children or young people whose needs can be met appropriately through existing universal or specialist services through a case management approach.
A children and young people’s health assessor and nurse specialist will assess a child’s eligibility for CCC funding and will arrange a bespoke package of care to meet the complex health needs of the child.
Where a child or young person is eligible for CCC they are able to receive their bespoke package of care via a personal health budget (PHB), commissioned complex health care provider and through jointly commissioned packages with Local Authorities.
Continuing care should be part of a wider package of care, agreed and delivered in collaboration between health, education and social care.
The functions of the Children’s Continuing Care team are to implement:
- Initial screening of referrals
- Coordinate assessment and information gathering
- Coordinate and chair Decision Support Tool (DST) meeting
- Complete DST paperwork to determine eligibility or not and to feedback to referrer and family
- Promote PHB’s and facilitate as required (specific to locality area)
- Support the family to secure a package of care to meet the child’s assessed needs
- Present proposed package in a forum to seek funding approval by the LA and ICB
- Review new packages of care after 3 months
- Review eligibility for CCC annually
- Monitor and alter a care package if appropriate and to re -present in the forum for agreement
- Provide Fast Track support for Children and Young People at the end of their lives and to implement a supportive package
This service is provided by NHS North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) on behalf of NHS North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).
Further details can be found by emailing necsu.childrenscontinuingcare@nhs.net
More detailed information can be found on the National Framework at:
Children and young people’s continuing care national framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Community Eating Disorder Service
The Children and Young People’s Specialist Eating Disorders Service works with young people up to 18 years of age who have difficulties with eating. The Evergreen Centre is a consultant led, specialist 12 bed unit which provides an exceptionally high quality, caring environment for young people with eating disorders living in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Tees Valley, and North Cumbria, who need inpatient care.
The team provides assessment and treatment of children and young people who are already undergoing assessment within tier 3 child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) for an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia or EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified)
In Hartlepool this service is provided by Tees, Esk & Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust.
More information can be found by visiting the following link:
https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/services/eating-disorder-glades-teesside/ or by calling CAMHS Eating Disorders Outpatient Service (Teesside) on 0300 013 2000 and selecting option 7.
Community Services
The NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of Paediatric and Community Children’s nursing services for the local population. The service offers a range of clinics for children and young people from birth to 18 years old and depending on the clinic, a team of paediatricians, doctors, specialist nurses, speech and language therapists, community nurses or other members of the team are available.
Various clinics and interventions not limited to but include:
- diabetes
- epilepsy
- endocrine
- respiratory
- feeding
- general and urology surgery
- general paediatrics
- urinary tract infections
- constipation
- allergy
- gastroenterology
- neuro-disability
- dietetics
- neonatology
- cardiac echo screening
- BCG immunisations
- speech and language
- psychology for children and young people with diabetes
- blood sampling
There are several consultants from other NHS trusts who provide specialist clinics for immunology, hepatic conditions, cystic fibrosis, paediatric nephrology, neurology, genetic conditions, paediatric respiratory and muscle disorders. Initial consultant appointments are overseen by specialist nurses on an ongoing basis.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
More information can be found at: https://www.nth.nhs.uk/services/childrens-outpatients
Continence
There are different levels of intervention to provide continence support to Children, Young People and their families, responsibilities for the commissioning of services are placed with different authorities.
Level 1 is early intervention including, advice and guidance from the 0-19 Universal Services Team and provide support for toilet training, night time wetting, day time wetting and constipation. This is commissioned by the Local Authority Public Health Teams.
Level 2 is a nurse led service commissioned by the ICB and covers all aspects of continence and provision of products.
Level 3 is specialist care commissioned by the ICB and requires consultant input i.e. urological issues.
Level 2 and Level 3 Paediatric Continence Service covers all children from birth to 19 years old with continence problems, including children with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. Young adults between the age of 18 and 25 years old can receive continence services from the Continence Advisory Service which is delivered by the NHS Foundation Trust.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
More information can be found at: Children’s Outpatients – North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (nth.nhs.uk)
Designated Clinical Officer (DCO)
In June 2015 the Department for Education and the Department for Health produced statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support Children and Young People (CYP) who have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). One of the provisions described within the Code of Practice is around the identification of a Designated Medical Officer (DMO) or a Designated Clinical Officer (DCO).
The role of the DCO is:
- Provide a point of contact for local authorities, schools and colleges seeking health advice on CYP who may have SEN or disabilities
- Maximise outcomes for CYP with SEND by working to improve quality of life, school absences, secondary mental and physical health conditions, a personal autonomy and engagement in further education and employment
- Play a strategic role in relation to the SEND agenda, developing, improving and influencing services design and delivery
- Provide an expert resource for CYP health information, guidance, reassurance and support for families and professionals
- Attend multi agency panels and support decision making on the basis of clinical judgement
- Challenge and approve packages for the CYP and SEND
- Co-ordinate and pull together information from various services involved with the CYP (current and historic involvement)
- Develop processes for the quality assurance of the finalised EHCPs and the input from Health Colleagues
- Undertake trend analysis for the CYP cohorts and identify commissioning gaps to inform future commissioning
- Make and follow up safeguarding referrals
- Liaison with professions from health providers both internally and externally to ensure that all relevant health information is available to support EHC decision making at panel and provide longer term specialised and strategic oversight
There has been a DCO appointed to the ICB since 1st June 2018 who is working across the Tees Valley Local Authority boundary
Down Syndrome Parent Champion Service
Down Syndrome North East (DSNE) have parent champions who are here to support you. Parent Champions can share with you what support is available locally and nationally for children with Down Syndrome and from their own experiences are able to offer advice and guidance on accessing appropriate services and support.
If you would like to be linked in with a parent champion for a chat, please email support@dsne.org.uk and one of the team will be in touch.
Drug, Alcohol and Substance Misuse Services
Drugs and alcohol often play a significant role in the lives of young people, whether that be curiosity, experimentation, recreational or problematic use and very infrequently, dependent use. Public Health has a role in ensuring the availability of appropriate services to support the identified needs of the local population.
These services support young people to recover from problematic substance use that is impacting on their day to day life and relationships with family. These services can be accessed via self-referral or another referral from any source. Duration of intervention is not time limited and is flexible and responsive to support the individual needs and preferences of the Children, Young People and their families.
In Hartlepool Foundations provides treatment service in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council as part of the START (Supporting Treatment and Recovery Together) brand.
Foundations provides the clinical interventions including substitute prescribing where appropriate and Hartlepool Borough Council provides the assessment, recovery co-ordination PSI and other wraparound support. The two agencies work in partnership as START with nurses and Care Co-ordinators working together under the START umbrella to achieve the best results for service users.
More information can be found by calling 01429 285000 or emailing substancemisuse@hartlepool.gov.uk
Dynamic Support Register (DSR)
Local health and care services and statutory bodies should develop a dynamic register based on sophisticated risk stratification of their local populations to enable local services to anticipate and meet the needs of those people with a learning disability and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges, or who are at risk of developing behaviour that challenges, ensuring local services plan appropriately and provide early interventions, including preventative support.
It is the responsibility of Hartlepool Borough Council to ensure this register is up to date.
More information can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/service-model-291015.pdf
The Dynamic Support Register, or Enhanced Care and Support List (ECSL), is a register of people with learning disabilities and/or autism who may need higher input from services and who may be at risk of being admitted to a specialist or mental health hospital.
For further information about the register please visit your local offer page and/or the following: NHS England » Dynamic support register and Care (Education) and Treatment Review policy and guide
Emotional, Wellbeing and Mental Health
The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is provided by Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV). The service works with children, young people, and their families up to the age of 18 years old who are experiencing mental health problems, complex emotional and behavioural difficulties, offering assessment, diagnosis and treatment.
The team has a wide range of professional registered practitioners including Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, and Primary Mental Health Workers.
In addition, there is a CAMHS team specifically for Children and Young People with a diagnosed Learning Disability to ensure that the needs of the children, young people and families are met in the most appropriate way.
The service provides a range of specialist health services to children and young people up to the age of 18 years old with mild, moderate, or severe learning disabilities as well as significant mental health problem of complex need.
Once the young person turns 18 years old this service is provided by the adult team.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation trust.
More information can be found at: Community mental health services in Teesside for children and young people – Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust (tewv.nhs.uk)
Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) provide training for parents and carers who wish to develop an understanding of children’s mental health issues.
For more information and how to access this training please visit the following links:
CAMHS Single Point of Contact (SPOC) – to provide a point of contact for children and young people to access a Mental Health professional who, through a meaningful conversation with understanding and reassurance, can provide experience and knowledge to reach a collaborative agreement as to where their needs can be most appropriately met.
The service can be accessed on a self-referral by calling 0300 2000 000, your details will be taken, and a clinician will call you back. Alternatively, a referral can be submitted by a GP, School Teacher or Social Worker.
For more information, please contact the team on 0300 013 2000 and select option 4.
Equipment Service
NHS North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) has worked with the local authorities in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton and Hartlepool to commission a coordinated service to provide equipment for children across Tees.
Health professionals and social care teams now order equipment via Tees Community Equipment Service (TCES).
Once equipment has been ordered from TCES health or social care professionals will confirm this with parents/carers who, thereafter they will be able to liaise directly with TCES to understand delivery times and any issues or problems they experience once the equipment has been delivered.
For more information and support please contact TCES on 01642 224205.
Family Support Service
The Family Support Service supports children and young people aged 0-18 years and their families, no matter where they are on their autism, ADHD, sensory processing, or Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) journey.
This means that a child or young person does not need to have a diagnosis or be on the neurodevelopmental pathway to access support from the service.
The service can support in various ways including developing routines, visuals and social stories, understanding communicative behaviour, identifying your child’s needs and sensory strategies and regulation. The team will also signpost and refer to other services that could support you.
The Family Support Service also provide a variety of learning and educations workshops and weekly drop-in sessions to help support children, young people, and their families.
For further information and how to access these services please visit:
Healthier Together Website and App
Healthier Together is a website and downloadable app that provides accurate and trusted NHS healthcare advice for parents, carers, young people & health professionals.
Healthier Together is also available to download as an app to your mobile phone, just search “Healthier Together” in your app store.
To access the website and download the app please visits: https://www.nenc-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/
Hospice Services
Butterwick Hospice welcome babies, children, teenagers, young adults and their families offering 24-hour care, 7 days a week. Children and Young People can stay on their own or with their families. The team compromise of registered sick children’s nurses, registered learning disabilities nurses, nursery nurses, health care assistants and trained volunteers. They are there to ensure visitors are well cared for, feel happy, safe, are listened too, and have lots of fun. Access to Butterwick is by referral from a medical professional.
Further information can be found here: About Us – Butterwick Hospice
Zoë’s Place Trust is a registered Charity providing palliative, respite, and end of life care to babies and infants aged from birth to five years with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Care is provided in a caring, safe, home from home environment known as Zoë’s Place Baby Hospices. During the time that the child stays with us, we provide various therapies to try and improve quality of life.
Most of the support provided at Zoë’s Place is respite care. All the babies at the Hospice have a life-limiting or life-threatening condition and require differing levels of 24-hour support on a one-to-one basis. Zoë’s Place offers our parents and carers a chance to recharge their batteries or to spend time with their other children.
Alongside the respite care offered to the children, the hospice also supports the whole family through the challenges that they face. The trusts nurses are trained and on hand to provide counselling, support & advice to families at any time (even in the middle of the night). The hospice also provides bereavement support during the most difficult time of anyone’s life, dealing with the loss of a child.
Zoe’s Place Baby hospice is based in Middlesbrough and will care for babies across the whole of the Tees Valley and beyond.
For more information please visit: About – Zoe’s Place (zoes-place.org.uk)
Hospital Based Services
NHS North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) commission Children’s Paediatric Services from the NHS Foundation Trust. There is a team of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, health care assistants and specialists in care for children.
This service provides a comprehensive range of Child Health, Paediatrics and Neonatal services.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and is based at the University Hospital of North Tees.
More information can be found by visiting the following links:
Kooth
Kooth is an online mental health service for children, young people and adults which offer a counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile phones, tablets and desktop computers and are free at the point of use. It gives children and young people easy access to an online community of peers and a team of experienced counsellors. Access is free of the typical barriers to support: no waiting lists, no thresholds, no costs, and complete anonymity.
The service offers easily accessible mental health support to young people, irrespective of where they are on the spectrum of mild, moderate, or complex need.
Kooth is anonymous and free to use, making it a powerful early intervention and treatment resource which young people are keen to use. Young people can register on Kooth without having to provide personal details such as their name or address. It provides a safe and non-judgemental place for them to talk, connect and chat with others and know they are not alone.
Kooth is free and available to use for all residents and students aged between 11 and 18 years old across Hartlepool.
More information can be found at: Digital Mental Health Care – Kooth plc
Midwifery and Maternity Services
Expecting a baby is a very exciting time. NHS North Tees & Hartlepool Foundation Trust have options available for discussions with your midwife, partner and family regarding where you choose to have your baby delivered.
The Trust currently offer Continuity of Care pathways for groups of low-risk women, pregnant teenagers, diabetic mothers and women who may have booked a caesarean section. Continuity of Care means that women will receive dedicated support from the same midwifery team throughout their pregnancy.
The NHS Pregnancy & Birth Choices have a handy digital interactive booklet that is available featuring key information and advice to better understand the choice of available birthplace settings and recording decisions and notes as your pregnancy progresses. This can be downloaded by clicking the following link:
Pregnancy and Birth Choices in the North East of England & North Cumbria
Alternatively, please visit the following link for further information:
www.nth.nhs.uk/services/maternity/
National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)
Child and Family Healthy Weight Service providing the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) programme and offers one to one / group interventions to children, young people and their families regarding healthy weight and lifestyle.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by Hartlepool Borough Council.
More information can be found at:
Needs Led Neurodevelopmental Service
The Needs Led Neurodevelopment Pathway service is aimed at improving the experience and outcomes for families, children and young people who present with neurodiverse needs associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The needs led pathway is for children and young people in the Tees Valley aged 5 to 18 years old. For children aged under 5, work is still ongoing, please continue to speak to your health visitor, GP, or other health professional.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by Tees, Esk & Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust.
More information can be found at:
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB)
North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board has replaced what was formerly Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and is now responsible for the planning and commissioning of most health care services for your local area.
More information can be found at: About us | North East and North Cumbria NHS (northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk)
North East and North Cumbria Key Worker Service
A Key worker service is available across the Tees Valley for children and young people that have autism and/or learning disabilities. The workforce will support children, young people and families to help avoid unnecessary admissions into mental health hospitals within the integrated care system.
In line with new policy, children and young people are referred to the Key Working service when they are included on the dynamic support register.
Key workers work with children, young people and their families with the most complex needs to make sure families feel listened to and included in decisions, are fully involved in their care plans, care plans are personalised, and they have the right support at the right time, in a co-ordinated way.
For further information on this service please visit the following links:
Regional information; North East and North Cumbria (NE and NC) Keyworker Service – Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (cntw.nhs.uk)
National information; https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/care/children-young-people/keyworkers/
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
NHS North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for providing services to meet the needs of the local population and all services have a responsibility to continually improve the services provided.
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offer confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. They provide a point of contact for patients, their families, and their carers. You can also find officers from PALS in your local hospital.
PALS provides help in many ways, for example, it can help you with health-related questions, help resolve concerns or problems when you’re using the NHS and tell you how to get more involved in your own healthcare. PALS can give you information about health services and the NHS complaints procedure, including how to get independent help if you want to make a complaint, as well as support groups outside the NHS. PALS also help to improve the NHS by listening to your concerns and suggestions.
The North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) provide a complaints function on behalf of the ICB. Each individual NHS provider trust has their own internal complaints procedures.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
More information can be found by visiting the following links:
Personal Health Budgets
A personal health budget is an amount of money provided to support health and wellbeing needs, which is planned and agreed between you (or someone who represents you), and your local NHS team. It allows an individual to manage healthcare and support such as treatments, equipment and personal care, in a way that suits individual needs. It works in a similar way to personal budgets, which allow people to manage and pay for their social care needs.
A child or young person up to the age of 18 years old who are in receipt of Children’s Continuing Care (CCC) or a young person over the age of 18 years old who are in receipt of Continuing Healthcare (CHC) have the legal right to a Personal Health Budget (PHB). Children and young people in receipt of an education health and care plan (EHCP) have the option to request a personal health budget for support to meet their health outcomes outlined in their plan, however the ICB can decline this request if existing commissioned services can meet the health needs of the child or young person.
In Redcar & Cleveland this service is provided by NHS North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).
For more information, please visit the following links:
Primary Care Services
Primary Care Services provide the first point of contact in the healthcare system, acting as the ‘front door’ of the NHS. Primary Care Services includes general practice, practice nurses, community pharmacy, dental, and optometry (eye health) services.
These services support individuals and families to manage their primary healthcare needs, including diagnosing illness, advice and guidance about general ailments and support with the monitoring and management of long-term conditions and prescribing appropriate medications to treat and manage conditions.
As well as this Primary Care Services also support with vaccination programmes and also screening services for early identification and prevention of illness.
In Hartlepool these services are commissioned by NHS England.
More detailed information and a list of these services can be found by visiting the following links:
The NHS website – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Find a pharmacy – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Find a dentist – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Opticians and sight tests – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Rainbow Trust Family Support
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity supports families who have a child or young person aged 0-18 years with a life-threatening or terminal illness.
Some families may have to face the very real possibility that their child may die and struggle to cope on a day-to-day basis. The Rainbow Trust’s family support workers provide a lifeline to these families.
Family Support Workers support the whole family including parents, carers, the unwell child or young person, brothers, sisters, and grandparents. Rainbow Trust Support Workers enable families to make the most of their time together, offering them practical and emotional support, whenever they need it, for as long as it’s needed.
Support is varied and depends on the needs of the family and can include:
- Listening to families fears and anxieties
- Helping to explain illnesses, diagnosis and treatments
- Keeping a seriously ill child or young person company during hospital stays
- Driving families to medical appointments to help save time and money
- Organise fun activities for unwell children or young people and their siblings
- Offer support through bereavement and grief
For more information please visit: Sponsor a Family Support Worker | Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
Regional Communication Aids Service
The Regional Communication Aid Service is based at Walkergate Park, Newcastle upon Tyne and is a specialist Electronic Assistive Technology Service. The service aims to improve the independence of people of all ages who experience severe communication difficulties through the provision of specialised services for Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Aids.
They support local teams in working with individuals to understand their AAC needs and in providing specialised communication aids.
This service is provided by Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, it is a specialist service accessed through professional referral as required.
More information can be found at: https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/services/regional-communication-aid-service-neurological-service-walkergate/
Services for Specific Conditions
Health services provide a range of specialist services including paediatrics, social worker, health visiting, clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. In addition, there are a range of specialist services commissioned by the ICB which include asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and special community dental services.
Shine
Shine provides specialist advice and support for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you:
- Have Spina Bifida or Hydrocephalus
- Are pregnant and have had a recent diagnosis of Spina Bifida, Hydrocephalus, Encephalocele or Anencephaly
- Have a child with Spina Bifida or Hydrocephalus
- Live with or care for someone with these conditions
- Are a professional providing support
Then please join us, for free, as a member.
As a member of the Shine family, you’ll receive:
- FREE access to national and regional support groups
- Invitations to national and regional events
- A network of peers to help you
- FREE help and advice from our trained specialists
- A FREE copy of our twice yearly magazine Together
- Option to join our FREE home delivery service
We’re here to help!
To access local services, please contact Shine Charity.
Alternatively, you can email firstcontact@shinecharity.org.uk or call 01733 555988.
Short Breaks
Support for children and young people with complex needs to spend time away from their home while receiving the support they need is available in several ways:
- Day/Evening/Overnight placements/packages of support in a family home for children and young people with complex needs
- Day/Evening/Overnight placements/packages of support arranged in the homes of carers
- Short term overnight placements lasting anything from one night to several weeks, enabling both the Children and Young Person and their parents or carers to have a break
- Long term placements providing the opportunity for the person receiving support to live as part of the family
- Residential respite
Local Authorities arrange for and commission most of the short break provision for Children or Young People with special educational needs, additional needs and/or disability.
Baysdale provides short break respite care to children and young people with learning disabilities and associated healthcare needs. The service covers Teesside, both North and South of the Tees, and the length of the respite can vary, according to the individual needs of the young person and their carers.
More information can be found at: https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/info/20015/social_care_and_health/352/short_break_service_statement
Or by contacting Hartlepool hub on 01429 284284
Specialist Hospital Services
Specialist services support people with a range of rare and complex conditions. They often involve treatments provided to patients with rare cancers, genetic disorders or complex medical or surgical conditions. They deliver cutting-edge care and are a catalyst for innovation, supporting pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
These services are provided from centres where the clinical expertise exists, for example, the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), Newcastle and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), London or the Tavistock Hospital. Often care for Children and Young People are shared between specialist units and the referring local paediatrician, where the Child, Young Person and their family attend periodic appointments. All other care and intervention is delivered locally.
STARS – Sensory Teaching Advisory and Resource Service
Click here for further information
Sunflower Sensory Service
The Sunflower service is delivered by experienced members of the Paediatric Occupational Therapy team. They provide a series of three friendly and interactive workshops called Sunflower Parent Training. It is an education training course designed to provide parents/carers with information and strategies to empower them in lifelong support for their child’s experiences sensory integration difficulties.
The skills learnt will be used every day to support the child to develop, learn and play.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by NHS North Tees & Hartlepool Foundation Trust.
More information can be found by contacting:
Telephone: 01429 522 471 or E-mail: nth-tr.childrenstherapies@nhs.net
Support, Advice & Guidance for Families
Includes information in relation to:
- Sleep
- Toilet Training and Continence Issues
- Feeding
- Behaviour
- Communication
- Anxiety
- Downs Syndrome
- Epilepsy
- Recovery College Online
- Links to Local and National sources of help and advice
Tees Valley Sleep Service
The Tees Valley Sleep Service is co-delivered across the Tees Valley by health services and the Family Support Team at Daisy Chain. Using a tiered approach the service provides telephone support, resources, workshops and one to one sleep assessments as well as offering bespoke sleep support if required.
The service can be accessed by families who have a children and young people between the ages of 2.5 and 18 years old that have any additional needs. There are three different referral routes into the service, a self-referral, a referral from the family support team at Daisy Chain or from the health visiting or school nursing team.
The service is provided by Sleep Scotland and is currently running as a pilot that has been co-produced with NHS North East & North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, 5 local authorities and 5 parent carer forums. More information can be found at: https://teesvalleysleepservice.co.uk/
Therapy Services – Speech & Language, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy Services
Speech and Language Therapy
The Speech and Language Therapy service work with children and young people from birth to 19 years of age who have a speech, language and communication needs or difficulties with eating, drinking and swallowing.
As well as working with children and young people service, they also provide support to families and carers, teachers and other adults around them. The service aims to develop their best possible communication skills, taking into account their individual abilities and needs.
The service also aims to help the wider population to understand and promote children and young people’s language and communication development and provide training and support to a wide range of professionals who work with children.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
Speech and Language Services for young people between the ages of 19 and 25 years old with disabilities are met within adult services and is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
More information can be found at:
www.nth.nhs.uk/services/speech-language-therapy/children
Occupational Therapy Services
The Occupational Therapy Service provide a team of specialist therapists and assistant therapists to provide assessment, treatment and advice to children, young people and their families in a range of locations including home, school or hospital clinics. The service will assess and treat children and young people who have long term health needs or problems with movement and co-ordination.
The service will make sure your child reaches their potential and works alongside other professionals involved with the child or young person to ensure a holistic approach to treatment and assessment.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
Tel: 01429 522717
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5pm
More information can be found at: www.nth.nhs.uk/services/childrens-occupational-therapy
Physiotherapy Services
Physiotherapy Services provide a team of children’s physiotherapists and therapy assistants to offer the highest standard of care, ensuring that not only the health needs of the child or young person are considered but also the social, emotional, and educational needs up to and including Young People aged 18 years old (up to 19 for Young People with additional needs).
The service comprises of clinical specialists, specialised physiotherapists and assistants who provide an integrated acute and community service for inpatients, outpatients and within the community, offering treatment in a variety of settings including hospital wards, clinics, nurseries, children’s centres, specialist, and mainstream schools and within the family home.
In Hartlepool these open access services are provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees NHS Foundation Trust or for Young People with a Learning Disability can be supported by the Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust Tees Community Learning Disabilities Team.
In Hartlepool, physiotherapy services for young people between the ages of 19 and 25 years old with a disability are met within the adult physiotherapy service provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
Physiotherapy for children and young people who attend a special school in Hartlepool are provided by South Tees NHS Foundation Trust.
More information can be found by visiting the following links:
Children’s physiotherapy | North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (nth.nhs.uk)
Children’s physiotherapy – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
0-19 Services – School Nursing, Health Visiting and Parenting Support
0-19 services is the universal offer which refers to school nursing, health visiting and parenting support. This service is commissioned by the Public Health Team within the Local Authority.
Public health nurses offer universal support regarding the health and development of all children from 5 to 19 years of age. The service provides interventions on a one to one or group basis to increase resilience and reduce risk taking behaviours.
All practitioners deliver targeted support to families as needed and have statutory duty to be involved with the child in need and any child protection procedures. The service also undertakes reviews and health assessments for the Looked after Children.
In Hartlepool this service is provided by Hartlepool Borough Council.
More information can be found by visiting the following links:
The Children’s Hub | The Children’s Hub | Hartlepool Borough Council
CQC overall rating
Requires improvement
30 November 2022
Money Matters
The aim of this page is to provide information and advice on how you can access information when considering making financial decisions and the best use of financial resources.
To explore financial options available with regards to personal budgets and direct payments in relation to Education, Health or Social Care and through to adulthood.
Carers Allowance
Click here for more information
Continuing Health Care
Continuing Healthcare is a package of care funded by the NHS where an individual’s care is fully funded by the health service regardless of their wealth or savings. Continuing Healthcare may be available to you if your main requirement for care is down to health related problems. It can be received in hospital, a nursing home or at the individual’s home. This is often described as ‘fully funded care’.
NHS Continuing Healthcare is for people aged over 25. Children and Young People may receive a “continuing care package” if they have needs arising from disability, accident or illness that can’t be met by existing universal or specialist services alone.
To be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, you must be assessed by a team of healthcare professionals (a multi-disciplinary team). The team will look at all your care need and relate them to:
- what help you need
- how complex your needs are
- how intense your needs can be
- how unpredictable they are, including any risks to your health if the right care isn’t provided at the right time
Eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare depends on assessed needs, and not on any particular diagnosis or condition. If needs change then eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare may change.
In Hartlepool assessments and support for CHC is delivered by NHS North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS) on behalf of Hartlepool & Stockton-on-Tees CCG.
More detailed information can be found at:
and/or
Direct Payments
How do I find out if I am eligible for a Direct Payment?
You must contact us via the Children’s Hub where a discussion will take place around your child’s care needs. You may then be allocated a social worker from the Children with Disabilities Team who will carry out an assessment in order to understand your child’s needs and how best those needs can be met. If we assess that specific services are required and the needs cannot be met in any other way, then a direct payment may be offered. This would involve a support plan being agreed which outlines why support is needed, what support is required and how the support will be implemented.
The social worker will remain involved in order to continue to offer support and review the support package at least 6 monthly and re-assess need annually.
Should the assessed need of your child require a Direct Payment and no other social care intervention then support will be via our Direct Payment Pathway. This means the worker will contact you 6 monthly, one of which will to be review your child’s needs which will be an annual event.
For further information please contact The Children’s Hub on 01429 284284 or email childrenshub@hartlepool.gov
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Click here for more information
Free Nursery Entitlement
Free Nursery Entitlement for 2 year olds
What is it?
Some 2 year old children are entitled to receive free nursery sessions. These can be taken in a school nursery who delivers 2 year old provision or with an approved day nursery or childminder.
Free Nursery Entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds
All three and four year old children are entitled to receive free nursery sessions. These can be taken in a school nursery or with an approved day nursery or childminder.
What is my child entitled to? (2, 3 and 4 year olds)
Your child is entitled to receive 570 hours free nursery education per year. This equates to a maximum of 15 hours per week for 38 weeks per year (term time only) or 11.5 hours over 50 weeks. You do not have to take up the full entitlement however you are encouraged to do so.
Do I have to attend a session every day? (2, 3 and 4 year olds)
No, settings and schools have been required to offer the free nursery entitlement more flexibly. The offer of 570 hours can be stretched over a longer period of time but less hours per week will be available free. For examples of how this may be taken please consult your provider or call Kim Rowntree on 01429 284881
When will my child become eligible for a free 2 year old place?
National guidelines dictate the following:
| A child born between: | Will be eligible for a free place from: |
| 1st April – 31st August | The start of the autumn term following their 2nd or 3rd birthday until statutory school age (September) |
| 1st Sept – 31st Dec | The start of the spring term following their 2nd or 3rd birthday until statutory school age (January) |
| 1st Jan – 31st March | The start of the summer term following their 2nd or 3rd birthday until statutory school age (April) |
Can my child attend more than one setting?
Yes, 2 settings can be used, however we would encourage that your child stays with one provider as far as possible as it is important for the child to have consistency and stability.
How will the places be funded?
The places will be funded by the Local Authority with payment made directly to the provider. If your child takes less than 15 hours per week, the payment will be adjusted pro-rota.
A parent is not expected to contribute towards the costs of their free entitlement, it should be free at the point of delivery. A child’s free entitlement however does not cover any additional services that the setting may offer e.g. extra hours or transport, you will need to speak with your provider to discuss any charges for this.
Will the nursery session(s) my child receives be of good quality?
Yes, providers offering the free nursery entitlement must be registered with Ofsted. Being registered means that the provider must comply with the requirements of The Department of Educations’ Code of Practice on the Provision of Free Nursery Education Places for Three and Four Year Olds. The provider will be subject to an inspection by OFSTED, the organisation which also inspects schools to make sure that the child is being educated appropriately. Local Authority staff work closely with settings to develop and enhance the learning environment and experience for your child.
How can I apply?
To apply for your child’s free nursery entitlement contact the school/nursery or childminder you are interested in your child attending. They will let you know if they are a registered provider and if so, when your child can take advantage of this entitlement.
If you do not have a provider in mind, contact Kim Rowntree on 01429 284881 where a list of registered providers is available.
Please note that the free nursery entitlement is not a guarantee of placement with a particular provider, it is a guarantee that a free place will be available for your child in Hartlepool.
The Local Authority will carry out checks as part of their remit to ensure that a child is not claiming more than their full entitlement.
For further information contact:
Kim Rowntree
Hartlepool Borough Council
CETL
Brierton Lane
Hartlepool
TS25 4AF
Direct Line: 01429 284881
Childcare Element of Working Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit is paid to people in work to top up low wages. This includes earnings from employment and earnings if you are self-employed.
- Working Tax Credit is being replaced by Universal Credit.
- You cannot get Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit at the same time.
- You must use an Ofsted registered Childcare provider such as Childminder, play scheme, nursery or school.
Eligibility for Childcare element of Working Tax Credit
- If you are a single parent, you must work for a minimum of 16 hours a week
- If you are part of a couple, both of you must work a minimum of 16 hours a week each.
- You can receive up to 70% of your childcare costs covered up to £122.50 per week for one child attending a registered provider or £210 for two or more children.
Please visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to compare the support you may receive and to confirm which option you may be eligible for.
Personal Budgets – EHCP
From 1st September 2014 The Children and Families Act and associated regulations in relation to children and young people are in force and a new coordinated Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) replaces the historic system for Statements of Special Educational Needs.
One of the central themes of Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 is making sure that services and support are ‘personalised’. This means that children, young people and their families have as much choice and control as possible over the support they need and that any support is built around the individual rather than trying to fit into existing services or ways of support, if these are not appropriate.
A Personal Budget is an amount of money identified by the local authority to deliver provision set out in an EHC Plan where the parent or young person is involved in arranging that provision.
There are four ways in which a Personal Budget can be delivered:
- Direct Payments made direct into an individual’s bank account which allows them to purchase and manage services themselves.
- An arrangement with the local authority, school or college where they hold the funds and commission the support specified in the plan (sometimes called a ‘notional arrangement’)
- Third party arrangements – where funds (direct payments) are paid to and managed by an individual or organisation on behalf of the child’s parent or the young person.
- A combination of all of the above.
Personal Health Budget (PHB)
A Personal Health Budget is an amount of money to support a person’s identified health and wellbeing needs, which is planned and agreed between the individual, their representative, or, in the case of the child, their families or carers and the local NHS Team. They work in a similar way to personal budgets, which allow people to manage and pay for their social care needs.
A personal health budget is not new money, it is money that would normally have been spent by the NHS on a person’s care being spent more flexibly to meet their identified needs. The use of personal health budgets is just one way in which the NHS can tailor services and support for people to enable them to have choice, control and flexibility over their care.
For more information on Personal Health Budgets, including eligibility criteria click here.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Click here for more information
Universal Credit
Click here for more information
West View Advice and Resource Centre
Click here for more information
Parent and Carer Support
In this section you can find information on support available in Hartlepool, the North East and Nationally. This includes support groups, registered charities and organisations who can offer advice, including helplines.
Please view the list below or click here to view more information which may be useful to you.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Click here for more information
CONTACT
Click here for more information
Early Help
What is ‘Early Help’ in Hartlepool?
It is really important to us that you can get help at the time that you and your family need it, when you are trying hard to manage but not knowing what to do, or who to go to.
Some organisations, like schools and health visitors, for example, call support ‘early help’ and this is because this is the support that you and your family may have when your worries or problems first start.
This help is not only when your child is young, but at any point in your child’s life when you all need help. We want, like you, to help your family, before problems or worries get bigger and then harder to manage and where they may become hurt, struggle to learn, feel sad, angry or frightened.
Help can come in different ways and for lots of different reasons. You might need some extra support from someone that you already know or from someone you haven’t met yet, heard of or see much of, like:
Doctor, midwife, health visitor, school nurse
Family Support Worker from a Family Hub or a Locality Team.
Teacher, Youth Worker, CAMHS, Harbour, Nursery, Changing Futures North East or Hartlepool Carers etc
If you have something you feel that you need help with, the best people to speak to are those people that you already know, like your child’s school/teacher or health visitor etc. They may say they can help you themselves, and that’s great, or that they need to talk to someone else who can help, that’s also great. When this happens, they will talk to you about the things that worry you, and what you think might help. They could ask you if it’s ok to talk to others who know you, like a teacher, mental health support worker or health visitor and add this to an Early Help Assessment (EHA, we’ll explain more on that later).
You can ring the Children’s Hub or a Family Hub to ask for help with any of the above. However, if you have already spoken to a professional, please talk to them about starting your Early Help Assessment with you. If you haven’t, please call….
Children’s Hub Telephone:
Civic Centre: – 01429 284284
Family Hubs Telephone:
Rossmere Family Hub – 01429 292444
Hindpool Family Hub – 01429 292444
The Early Help Assessment (EHA) and Family Plan start…
The person who is writing your information down on the EHA will talk to you about all the things that are good in your family and all of the things that are not so good that you are worried about. Once you have done this with the worker you and your family will end up with a Family Plan – which means, who is going to do what, when this will happen and that people do what they say they are going to do, including you. Our joint goal will be that things will get better for you all. When the EHA and family plan are agreed, the people who are working with you, might meet with you as a group so that you can all share how things are going, this is called a…
Team Around the Child Meeting
If the Early Help Assessment and family plan has something in it that the other people are stuck with and can’t do on their own, they will ask you if they can send your EHA to a Locality Team. When this happens, a Family Support Worker may be introduced to you and your family, they will come to your home, see your children in school or home, and work closely with you to help you with your family plan.
When a Family Support Worker is working with you, they will set up meetings where everyone gets together to talk about how things are going or if people needs to try something different, maybe because something isn’t working so well. These meetings happen every 6 weeks until you no longer need a Family Support Worker. At the last meeting, everyone might agree that the meetings will continue, and someone will agree to arrange them in the future, like the teacher or the health visitor.
Locality Teams
There are 2 Locality Teams in Hartlepool that can offer help and advice to you and your family.
We hear you say…
What types of things can you help us with?…here goes, pretty much anything, things like…
Your relationship with your children of all ages.
Help to manage your money better or help to come to arrangements with people that you might have borrowed money from, even loan sharks!
Your relationship with your partner or ex-partner, family members or even professionals.
Ideas about how to put rules and boundaries in place for you and your children that are fair.
Help you to get the help from the right services that you might not know are there, like help with emotional support or groups that you and your children can go to.
We talk to other professionals who know you, we meet with them too.
If your child is running away from home often and ideas to help stop would help.
Times when your child is struggling with your rules, they might be disruptive in school, try alcohol or drugs and become cheeky or try to hurt you.
If you are unwell and don’t have many close people that can help you and your family.
If you have a partner or close family member in prison and don’t know whether to visit or let your children visit.
Help you to build your confidence with your children and your family.
Settle into Hartlepool if you are from another town/country.
Apply to charities for help with furniture and other equipment (if this is available to you).
You are worried about your child’s development/wellbeing.
If you have little or no family or friends to support you.
We also, where you have asked for support yourself, can write the Early Help Assessment with you.
The Locality Teams are based in the…
Family Hubs
These are where Family Support Workers, Family Hub Workers, Health Visitors and Community Nursery Nurses are based.
The Family Hubs offer groups, parenting support, health visitor clinics, development reviews when your child is aged 9-12 months and 2-2.5 years old and advice and guidance on things like feeding your baby/child, toilet training, routines, safe sleeping, weaning and breastfeeding.
Groups that are offered for anyone who cares for a child or teenager and are called:
Being A Parent & Talking Teens
Please call Hindpool or Rossmere Family Hub to take part. You do not need to have a Family Support Worker to join us but you will need to let us know how old your child is so that we can involve you in the right group.
We are on Facebook: Hartlepool Family Hubs. Join us.
Hartlepool Carers
Click here for more information
Parent Carer Forum
1Hart, 1Mind, 1Future is the recognised Parent Carer Forum (PCF) for Hartlepool and was established in 2008.
This is a group of parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabled children aged 0-25 who work alongside the local authority, education, health service and other service providers to make sure they plan, commission, deliver and monitor the needs of children and families.
The group does this through active parent participation and ensuring parents have a voice.
As a Forum it works closely with Hartlepool Borough Council’s Short Break Lead to identify areas in which families feel short breaks could benefit them.
1Hart, 1Mind, 1Future believes it is important to enable families of children with SEN and Disabilities to live a fulfilling active life.
The group works closely with many other services to enable the reduction in isolation to families in Hartlepool and help increase resilient parents.
You can contact the group by:
Telephone: 07896 054361
Email: HartMindFuture@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.1hart1mind1future.co.uk
Facebook: 1 Hart, 1 Mind, 1 Future Group Forum
SENDIASS
Hartlepool SEND Information Advice and Support Service is a statutory service supporting parents/carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and children and young people with SEND.
Hartlepool SEND Information Advice and Support Service provides confidential information, advice and support through a range of services. This includes home visits, attending meetings in educational settings and liaison with all services working with children and young people. Training and guidance to parents/carers, young people and professionals on SEND issues are also provided.
Hartlepool SEND Information Advice and Support Service operates at ‘arm’s length’ from the Local Authority and the services provided are confidential and impartial.
For further information:
- visit the SENDIASS website
- telephone 01429 284876 or 0777 6491662
email HARTLEPOOLIASS@hartlepool.gov.uk
Parenting Smart
A Place2Be survey of 962 parents found that around half (52%) of parents of 4-11-year-olds have felt isolated during the pandemic, and almost half (48%) of parents felt they would have benefitted from advice about how to manage their children’s behaviour during the pandemic.
Place2Be developed Parenting Smart to help parents and carers support their children, and manage their behaviour. It’s completely free to use and access. Developed by Place2Be’s parenting experts, the site is full of tips and advice on a range of topics including transition to secondary school, meltdowns, and sleep difficulties.
Learn more at parentingsmart.org.uk
Social Care
Some children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) may have disabilities or other needs which may require support from Social Care Services. Depending on the age of the child or young person this service may be provided by children’s social care or adult social care.
Children’s Disability Team
The Children with Disability team works with those children and young people aged between 0-18 years of age who have a disability and may require specialist services as a result of their additional needs.
There are 2 key areas to the function of the team. Firstly, it is to assess the needs of the children, young people and their family and secondly it is to ensure that where needs have been identified, the appropriate services are in place and meeting the needs which have been identified.
This could involve specific pieces of work being carried out with the child/young person or family by the social worker or a family support worker or a more specialist or bespoke service being put in place.
The Social Worker has up to 45 days to complete the CIN assessment which looks carefully at the child’s development needs, the parents’/carers’ specific needs, any parenting issues and the wider family circumstances and environment. They will also gather relevant information from professionals involved with your child.
A support plan is devised following the assessment which includes the services and short breaks that may be appropriate to be provided and how this will meet the child’s/families’ needs. The plan is considered by a panel before the short break is approved.
All plans are reviewed at least 6 monthly to make sure they respond to the needs of a child and family. Examples of a specialist short breaks package may include: day placements/ overnight stays within a residential or foster placement, the provision of a Direct Payment in order to fund specific activities to meet the identified needs of your child such as accessing a specialist group or club or to fund 1:1 support to enable attendance and participation at a specific activity.
Early Help
What is ‘Early Help’ in Hartlepool?
It is really important to us that you can get help at the time that you and your family need it, when you are trying hard to manage but not knowing what to do, or who to go to.
Some organisations, like schools and health visitors, for example, call support ‘early help’ and this is because this is the support that you and your family may have when your worries or problems first start.
This help is not only when your child is young, but at any point in your child’s life when you all need help. We want, like you, to help your family, before problems or worries get bigger and then harder to manage and where they may become hurt, struggle to learn, feel sad, angry or frightened.
Help can come in different ways and for lots of different reasons. You might need some extra support from someone that you already know or from someone you haven’t met yet, heard of or see much of, like:
Doctor, midwife, health visitor, school nurse
Family Support Worker from a Family Hub or a Locality Team.
Teacher, Youth Worker, CAMHS, Harbour, Nursery, Changing Futures North East or Hartlepool Carers etc
If you have something you feel that you need help with, the best people to speak to are those people that you already know, like your child’s school/teacher or health visitor etc. They may say they can help you themselves, and that’s great, or that they need to talk to someone else who can help, that’s also great. When this happens, they will talk to you about the things that worry you, and what you think might help. They could ask you if it’s ok to talk to others who know you, like a teacher, mental health support worker or health visitor and add this to an Early Help Assessment (EHA, we’ll explain more on that later).
You can ring the Children’s Hub or a Family Hub to ask for help with any of the above. However, if you have already spoken to a professional, please talk to them about starting your Early Help Assessment with you. If you haven’t, please call….
Children’s Hub Telephone:
Civic Centre: – 01429 284284
Family Hubs Telephone:
Rossmere Family Hub – 01429 292444
Hindpool Family Hub – 01429 292444
The Early Help Assessment (EHA) and Family Plan start…
The person who is writing your information down on the EHA will talk to you about all the things that are good in your family and all of the things that are not so good that you are worried about. Once you have done this with the worker you and your family will end up with a Family Plan – which means, who is going to do what, when this will happen and that people do what they say they are going to do, including you. Our joint goal will be that things will get better for you all. When the EHA and family plan are agreed, the people who are working with you, might meet with you as a group so that you can all share how things are going, this is called a…
Team Around the Child Meeting
If the Early Help Assessment and family plan has something in it that the other people are stuck with and can’t do on their own, they will ask you if they can send your EHA to a Locality Team. When this happens, a Family Support Worker may be introduced to you and your family, they will come to your home, see your children in school or home, and work closely with you to help you with your family plan.
When a Family Support Worker is working with you, they will set up meetings where everyone gets together to talk about how things are going or if people needs to try something different, maybe because something isn’t working so well. These meetings happen every 6 weeks until you no longer need a Family Support Worker. At the last meeting, everyone might agree that the meetings will continue, and someone will agree to arrange them in the future, like the teacher or the health visitor.
Locality Teams
There are 2 Locality Teams in Hartlepool that can offer help and advice to you and your family.
We hear you say…
What types of things can you help us with?…here goes, pretty much anything, things like…
Your relationship with your children of all ages.
Help to manage your money better or help to come to arrangements with people that you might have borrowed money from, even loan sharks!
Your relationship with your partner or ex-partner, family members or even professionals.
Ideas about how to put rules and boundaries in place for you and your children that are fair.
Help you to get the help from the right services that you might not know are there, like help with emotional support or groups that you and your children can go to.
We talk to other professionals who know you, we meet with them too.
If your child is running away from home often and ideas to help stop would help.
Times when your child is struggling with your rules, they might be disruptive in school, try alcohol or drugs and become cheeky or try to hurt you.
If you are unwell and don’t have many close people that can help you and your family.
If you have a partner or close family member in prison and don’t know whether to visit or let your children visit.
Help you to build your confidence with your children and your family.
Settle into Hartlepool if you are from another town/country.
Apply to charities for help with furniture and other equipment (if this is available to you).
You are worried about your child’s development/wellbeing.
If you have little or no family or friends to support you.
We also, where you have asked for support yourself, can write the Early Help Assessment with you.
The Locality Teams are based in the…
Family Hubs
These are where Family Support Workers, Family Hub Workers, Health Visitors and Community Nursery Nurses are based.
The Family Hubs offer groups, parenting support, health visitor clinics, development reviews when your child is aged 9-12 months and 2-2.5 years old and advice and guidance on things like feeding your baby/child, toilet training, routines, safe sleeping, weaning and breastfeeding.
Groups that are offered for anyone who cares for a child or teenager and are called:
Being A Parent & Talking Teens
Please call Hindpool or Rossmere Family Hub to take part. You do not need to have a Family Support Worker to join us but you will need to let us know how old your child is so that we can involve you in the right group.
We are on Facebook: Hartlepool Family Hubs. Join us.
Fostering and Adoption
What is fostering?
Fostering is a way of providing family life for children who cannot live with their own parents.
Fostering is often used to provide temporary care while parents receive help to sort out problems, or to help distressed and troubled children and young people through a difficult period in their lives.
Most fostered children remain in contact with their families and eventually return to their own homes. In some cases this cannot happen and the foster carer will help the child or young person prepare for their next move, maybe to move to a permanent foster care placement, or to be adopted, or to begin life as an independent young adult.
There are many reasons why a child or young person may need foster care. These can include:
- Their parents are unable to look after them because of physical or mental health problems.
- A member of the family may have a drug or alcohol related problem that seriously affects the safety and care of the child.
- The child may have been neglected or abused and a decision has been made that it is not safe for the child to stay with the family.
- A young person may be remanded into foster care by the court.
- There are major problems and tensions in the family and regular, brief periods of care for the child or children enable the family to remain together in the long-term.
Families of a disabled child or children may benefit from short breaks, where the child enjoys time in a new environment and the parents have some time to themselves.
For further information in relation to fostering, click here.
Adoption Tees Valley
In Tees Valley, the 5 Council adoption teams of Hartlepool, Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough and Stockton, have joined forces to become Adoption Tees Valley. By pooling these teams, we create more opportunities for children to be matched more quickly, and prospective adopters are then available to a larger number of children.
Why choose Adoption Tees Valley?
- We are THE adoption agency for Tees Valley and beyond (within 100 miles).
- We provide a direct match with our adopters and the children of Tees Valley which means we can move more quickly than other agencies.
- We provide outstanding lifelong support including groups, events, training and therapeutic support.
- We have the expertise of 5 local authorities all under one roof and we specialise in adoption only.
- We’re a community and we’ll make you feel at home. We pride ourselves on our friendly, approachable and supportive service.
If you think you could adopt, we’d love to hear from you.
Service Details
Location: Adoption Tees Valley, Oxbridge Avenue, Stockton, TS18 4LE
Phone: 01642 526400
Email: info@adoptionteesvalley.org.uk
Website: Adoption Tees Valley North East – Home
Local Safeguarding Children Partnership
Click here for more information
Short Break Activity Programme
Please click here and here for more information.
Short Break Activities
Click here for more information
Short Break Service Statement
Introduction and Background
This information is for families living in Hartlepool who have a disabled child aged 0 – 18 years. It describes the process agreed with the Parent Led Forum, 1 Hart 1 Mind 1 Future to prepare and publish our statement of short break services.
It is important to note that whilst we know that both local and national research demonstrates that short breaks are a priority for families with disabled children they should be delivered as part of a broader package of family support services. All recent research indicates the need for early ‘timely intervention’ so that families should not be kept waiting with no knowledge of what services are available, or how they can access them.
Paragraph 6 of schedule 2 to the Children Act 1989 requires local authorities to provide a short break service designed to assist individuals who provide care for disabled children. This duty and the Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2010 came into force on 1st April 2011. The regulations require each local authority to produce a Short Break Services Statement so that families know what services are available, the eligibility criteria for these services, and how the range of short breaks is designed to meet the local needs of families with disabled children. Regulations are detailed in Appendix A of the Short Break Services Statement (see link below)
Who prepared this Statement?
A working group was also established to oversee the review of the statement which was circulated for wider consultation before its final sign off in the Local Authorities Children’s Services Committee in June 2017. This group consisted of parents and local authority officers who lead and support the development of short breaks for families of disabled children.
Who is responsible for this Statement?
The Officer responsible for the preparation of the statement is the Short Break and Parent Participation Officer. Overall responsibility for this statement lies with the Director of Child and Adult Services and the Children’s Services Committee for Hartlepool.
How will this Statement be published?
Hartlepool Borough Council’s Short Breaks Statement will be published on the local authority’s website and the Parent Led Forum (1 Hart 1 Mind 1 Future) website and the local offer webpage. Paper copies will be available on request, and will also be made available through the Parent Led Forum, including links to the identified websites. In addition it will be made available in all of our special schools and our additionally resourced bases in mainstream schools and a copy will also be given to the Special Educational Need Coordinators (SENDCOS) in all of Hartlepool’s schools.
Click here to download a copy of the Short Break Service Statement.
For more information please contact Hayley Wrigley/ Tracy Richardson on 01429 292444
The Children’s Hub and Other Services
The Children’s Hub
Call 01429 284284 or childrenshub@hartlepool.gov.uk for concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children in Hartlepool.
Housing Strategy, housing advice and homelessness
For enquiries about how to register and bid for social housing contact 01429 806834.
For general housing advice including homelessness contact 01429 266522.
Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Resettlement
For general enquiries contact 01429 284074 or resettlement@hartlepool.gov.uk.
Welfare Support
For enquiries relating to Local Welfare Support, Discretionary Housing Payments, access to foodbanks and fuel top ups contact 01429 523469 or welfareandbenefit@hartlepool.gov.uk
The Emergency Duty Team
provides an out-of-hours response to emergency situations involving child protection, childcare, mental health and other adults care service matters.
They provide a point of advice and where necessary, immediate service to individuals and families who are experiencing problems. They work closely with other emergency services including Health, Warden Call, Police, Women’s Refuges and the Benefits Agency.
They are only available outside of normal office hours on telephone 01642 524522.
Children’s Disability Register
Click here for more information
Leisure & Activities
On this page you can obtain more information about leisure activities that may suit both you and your child to provide you with a break from caring and to relax, whether it be for a few hours, a day, weekend or longer.
Take a look at what is available both locally and further afield.
Why not register for a free Max Discount Card, which will afford your family the opportunity to access many attractions across the country with large savings for families. To make an application, contact 01429 284876.
Click here to search for activities and organisations that may interest you.
Short Break Activity Programme
Please click here and here for more information.
Hartlepool Activities and Food Programme (HAF)
Hartlepool Holiday Fun, part of the Holiday, Activities and Food Programme, offers a wide variety of provision to the children and young people of Hartlepool over the key holiday periods of Easter, summer and Christmas. The HAF Programme offers activities and food to children and young people in Hartlepool in receipt of benefits-related to free school meals of who meet other vulnerabilities.
We took the decision locally to make it so all provision is and will remain, free of charge to all children and young people with an active Education, Health and Care Plan or who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance.
This holiday provision has featured a good mix of specialist SEND providers such as Springwell School and Families First North East to more universal provision such as multi-sports and arts and crafts and offers such as karate and mindfulness. One thing we have been sure to bring into our ethos is that all providers must offer provision that is adaptable to meet at least a certain degree of SEND needs based on their ability to offer the required levels of support.
Any provider unwilling to offer provision to SEND young people will not be approved for funding. We are also looking to work with the likes of 1 Hart 1 Mind 1 Future to offer training to our providers to better support them in offering provision to SEND children and young people.
Transport
Some people may need additional support with getting around in Hartlepool whether that be for leisure, education, work or training.
Hartlepool Council may be able to support you to help you increase your independence or you may be eligible for Home to School Transport (subject to eligibility)
Community Travel Hubs
Hartlepool Borough Council Passenger Transport Services provide transport options that are specially designed for an individual or group of people. The journey can be for any purpose to any destination (presently within a two hour radius)
Passenger Transport Services have a range of vehicles available including:
- 70 seat vehicles
- 16 seat minibuses
- Accessible buses – suitable for mobility aid users
All drivers are suitably qualified, undergo comprehensive training and have an enhanced DBS check. For further information and to discuss your transport needs contact Passenger Transport Services on 01429 523267 or passengerts@hartlepool.gov.uk
Home to School Transport
The Education Act 1944 as amended by the Education Acts 1986 and 1996 and the Education Reform Act 1988 sets out the minimum provision for home to school transport which local authorities must provide.
Transport will be provided free of charge for those pupils of primary and secondary age who are travelling over the statutory walking distance to/from the main entrance of their nearest suitable school. The statutory walking distances are:
- 2 miles up to the age of 11 years (primary pupils)
- 3 miles from the age of 11-16 years (secondary pupils)
The Education and Inspections Act 2006 also extends Local Authority duties and powers by extending entitlement to those from low income families, this is called ‘Extended rights’. These rights extend free transport to those who are entitled to free school meals and those whose parents are in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit and include transport to:
- Three nearest schools between 2 and 6 miles from their home
Click here to view the current policy document and to access an application form.
Other Useful Services/Information
Connect Tees Valley – Your one stop shop for travel information in the Tees Valley by bus, train, foot, cycle, road and air.
Use the ‘Connect’ journey planner to help you to find the best options for your journey of to find live departure information, timetables and more https://connectteesvalley.com/
Traveline
Traveline Information Ltd is a partnership of transport operators and local authorities formed to provide impartial and comprehensive information about public transport. It operates in Scotland, England and Wales. http://traveline.info
NextBuses
Nextbuses is a mobile internet service which makes it possible to find bus times on your mobile internet enabled phone. iPhone, Android and Windows phone apps are also available. With NextBuses service you can select a bus stop close to where you are in Scotland, England or Wales and for that bus stop find the next bus times.
Traveline-txt
If you can’t get the NextBuses service on your phone you can check the next buses from a particular bus stop by sending the bus stop code in a text. The bus stop code may be displayed on the bus stop flag or in the timetable case.
To use the service, simply type the stop code as a text message – and send it to 84268 (except in Yorkshire where it is 64422). The message you send will cost your normal text message charge. In some areas the reply will be free of charge. In most areas the reply will cost up to 25p.
For further details on both these services visit the Traveline website at Traveline North East.
Special Educational Needs Transport
The majority of pupils with SEND will not require assistance because they will be attending their local mainstream school. Usually assistance will only be given to pupils with a statement of SEN or a single Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) and will be a result of advice and information gathered during the statutory assessment process.
The Local Authority considers pupils needs on an individual basis and will consult with all relevant parties before arriving at a final decision. When deciding if a pupil will be given assistance, the following will be taken into account:
- The age of the pupil
- Whether a walking route is appropriate
- The nature and severity of the pupil’s SEND
- Whether suitable public transport is available
- Whether the pupil would be a danger to drivers and other passengers if public transport were used
- Whether there are any prohibitive personal/family circumstances which impact on the pupils ability to attend school
- The most cost effective mode of transport for journeys to placements outside of Hartlepool
- Any other individual circumstances
For further information contact the Special Education Needs Team or click here
Taxis
Hackney Carriage (commonly referred to as a ‘Taxi’) – In Hartlepool all Hackney Carriages must be painted yellow and must have a payment meter installed that measures the distance of a journey travelled and calculates the fare. Hackney Carriages may be ‘flagged down’ or be found plying for hire at a designated Taxi Rank. In addition Hackney Carriages may be booked in advance but any fare agreed must be no more than the cost calculated by the meter – unless the journey ends outside the Borough of Hartlepool.
Private Hire – All private hire vehicles must be booked in advance. In Hartlepool they may be any colour other than yellow and must display round stickers on each front door stating ‘This vehicle must be pre-booked’. Private hire vehicles do not use meters to calculate the cost of the journey but instead the cost should be agreed between the company/driver and the passenger – ideally at the time of booking.
There are a number of operators in Hartlepool who operate vehicles suitable to carry those with mobility problems. To access the current contact details please click the link below.
Taxis – Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Licensing
Teeswide Safe Places Scheme
Hartlepool Council and the Tees Valley Authorities are committed to encouraging access to facilities in their communities via all transport options, with particular attention being paid to vulnerable members of society.
Teeswide safe places is a scheme operating across the Tees Valley providing a safe place to anyone feeling unsafe or who may have experienced an incident during their journey.
Teeswide Safe Places provides:
- Somewhere safe and friendly
- Staff to understand and give reassurance
- Staff to listen and provide help and advice
- Make a phone call
- Provide information (bus timetables, bus numbers, directions or any information required by the individuals
For further information on the safe places in Hartlepool or around the Tees Valley contact Passenger Transport Services on passengerts@hartlepool.gov.uk or click here.
Trains
Hartlepool train station underwent a significant refurbishment in 2009 which included a new interchange for buses and taxis. Buses from Hartlepool Interchange go to Durham and Peterlee with National Express coach services running to Leeds, London and York.
Northern Rail
From Monday to Saturday Hartlepool is served by hourly trains in each direction. Southbound services run to Middlesbrough via Seaton Carew, Billingham, Stockton and Thornaby, with some journeys extending to Nunthorpe. Northbound services run to Newcastle, calling at Seaham, Sunderland and Heworth, with some continuing to MetroCentre, Hexham and Carlisle.
Grand Central
There are five open access Grand Central services per day in each direction, except on Sundays when there are four. Northbound trains provide a second connection to Sunderland, running directly without calling at Seaham. Southbound services continue from Hartlepool to call at Eaglescliffe, Northallerton, Thirsk and York, before terminating at London King’s Cross. For up to date timetable and ticket prices access http://www.nationalrail.co.uk
Wheelchairs
Most trains can accommodate wheelchairs that are within the dimensions prescribed in government regulations covering public transport (700mm wide, 1200mm long). There are a small number of older trains that can only currently carry wheelchairs that have a maximum width of 670mm. The maximum combined weight of a person and their wheelchair that can be conveyed is limited by: the capabilities of the individual member of staff assisting the passenger and the stated maximum safe working load of the ramp (between 230kg and 300kg).
There are a limited number of spaces available to wheelchair users on each train, it is important therefore that customers book their space in advance.
Powered Scooters
Because scooters come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Many have problems on trains, including: tipping backwards on ramps; being heavier than the ramp’s safe working load; or being the wrong shape to manoeuvre safely inside a carriage. These problems mean that some companies have trains that cannot carry scooters so if you are a scooter-user who wants to travel by rail, you should contact the train company to check they can safely accommodate your scooter. Please remember to contact the train company to confirm that all the stations and trains you want to use are accessible. If you require assistance please let them know at least 24 hours in advance.
Bridge Card
The Bridge Card was developed in partnership with the five Tees Valley Authorities and local bus operators to provide support to any passenger whilst travelling on public transport. When you show your bridge card to the driver they will recognise that you may need extra help during your journey. This could be:
- Extra time to get to your seat
- Assistance with remembering which bus stop you get off the bus
- Help with knowing which bus you need
- Help with your fare or to count your money
- Use the bus features i.e. ramp to access the vehicle
The card is free of charge and can be obtained from Passenger Transport Services at 1 Church Street.
Passenger Transport Services Private Hire
Hartlepool Borough Council Passenger Transport Services Team operate a range of vehicles available for private hire with a driver at very competitive rates. The vehicle fleet includes:
- 60-67 seat vehicles
- 33 seat vehicle
- 16 seat minibuses
- Accessible buses – suitable for mobility aid users
All drivers are suitably qualified, undergo comprehensive training and have an enhanced DBS check. For further information or a price, contact Passenger Transport Services on 01429 523855 or passengerts@hartlepool.gov.uk
Public Transport
There are a range of Public Transport operators in Hartlepool providing a variety of commercial bus routes around the town, across the Tees Valley and the North East Region. Details of all operators and timetables can be obtained through the Connect Tees Valley website.
The following are links to bus timetables of operators who provide services in Hartlepool:
A number of operators have vehicles that are suitable to carry mobility aids, these services are supported by a low floor bus infrastructure at the majority of bus stops around the town.
English National Concessionary Fares Scheme (ENCTS)
Concessionary Fares scheme is also known as the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS). The scheme provides free travel entitlement on public transport between 09:30 and 23:00. There is also a Local enhancement to allow travel at a subsidised fare before 09:30, currently set at 30 pence per journey in the Tees Valley.
The Scheme is open to two broad categories of people eligible for a statutory concession: men and women who have attained the state pension age and eligible disabled people (where no age limits apply). Those applying on the grounds of disability must meet one of the categories detailed below:
- Is blind or partially sighted
- Is profoundly or severely deaf
- Is without speech
- Has a disability, or has suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his or her ability to walk
- Does not have arms or has long-term loss of the use of both arms
- Has a learning disability, that is, a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning
- Would, if he or she applied for the grant of a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, have his/her application refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the ground of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.
Applications for ENCTS travel passes must be made at the Civic Centre, Opening times:
- Monday to Thursday: 8:30am to 5:00pm
- Friday: 8:30am to 4:30pm
Successful applicants will have a pass posted to their address within ten working days. For further information and application forms see the below links:
Mobility Aids and Scooters
Mobility aids give a sense of freedom. They offer an excellent way of staying independent and give the user the ability to visit shops, friends and family. They are simple to use, easy to maintain and economical to run.
Classification of Mobility Aids
Three types of invalid carriage are defined in the Use of Invalid Carriage on Highways Regulations 1988:
Class 1 – Manual Wheelchairs
These wheelchairs are not electrically powered. You use your arms to move the wheelchair forward, or another person pushes you.
Class 2 – Powered Wheelchairs and Scooters
These are only suitable for riding on pavements or footpaths and have a top speed of 4 miles an hour (6 kilometres an hour)
Class 3 – Powered Wheelchairs and other Outdoor Powered Vehicles (including Scooters)
These are suitable for riding on roads, have a top speed of 8 miles an hour (12 kilometres an hour) and must not weigh more than 150 kilograms without the driver and any load. These also have a switch to limit the top speed to 4 miles an hour (6 kilometres an hour) on pavements or footpaths.
A Class 3 vehicle is not legally defined as a motor vehicle and the user does not need a driving licence or to take a test.
However, a Class 3 vehicle can only be used by a disabled person aged 14 or over, or by a person who is demonstrating a vehicle before selling it, training a disabled user, or taking a vehicle to or from a place for maintenance or repair.
For further information on the legal issues and safe use of mobility aids you can obtain the Integrated Transport Units ‘Mobility Aid’ leaflet or access the Dept for Transports guidance document below.
Mobility Scooters and Powered Wheelchairs on the road: guidance for users
Travel to Hospital
Click here for more information
