Services for children and young people and families
Childhood Illnesses
A free app providing local NHS-approved support and information to parents and carers of children aged 0-5
https://www.sthelensccg.nhs.uk/local-services/catch-app/
The 'Big 6' - Information leaflets for parents on the six most common child illnesses
The 'Big 6' has pathways for GPs on the six most common conditions that children and young people present with to Urgent Care plus leaflets for parents/carers on what to do
GPs in the borough have also have been issued with the St Helens 'Big 6' document which contains standardised clinically agreed and NICE-approved pathways of care based on a ‘Red’, ‘Amber’ and ‘Green’ presentation of symptoms with clear clinical instructions on how to manage the condition at each level.
This includes information on how to safely manage these conditions in primary/community care and when and how to escalate to alternative provision locally such as the Children’s Observation Unit (ChObs). GPs can also print and give the above leaflets to parents for future reference and for ongoing management of the conditions and symptoms at home.
Continuing care and complex needs
Children and Young People
Continuing Care Assessment
and Complex Needs Panel
A continuing care package will be required when a child or young person (up to the age of 18 years) has needs arising from very complex health needs. This could be due to multiple and enduring health care needs due to disability, accident or illness.
Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Thoughtscape – First Stop for your Mental Health and Directory of Commissioned Services
Thoughtscape is a collaborative service offer for emotional wellbeing, resilience and mental health support for children and young people in St Helens. This offer results in easier, early access to support when a child or young person is struggling with their emotional health or wellbeing by delivering a 'no wrong front door’ model.
We are also proud that the name and strapline for this collaboration were created and selected by the children and young people of St Helens.
This offer will provide support and interventions to children and young people with mild to moderate mental health and wellbeing problems including anxiety, low mood and behavioural difficulties. The three main service delivery partners within this offer are the Resilience Teams (Barnardo’s), Mental Health Support Teams (NHS) and Kooth.
Online counselling and emotional support for children and young people aged 10-25
Support for young people and their families living with neurodevelopmental conditions
https://www.addvancedsolutions.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-in-st-helens.html
Counselling for children and young people affected by bereavement or other forms of loss
Crisis Response Team
Provides immediate crisis response and management out of hours for individuals who require urgent mental health support
01744 627 618(Professional Referral)
Neurodevelopmental Pathway
Multi-agency assessment of complex neurodevelopmental difficulties
St Helens Neurodevelopmental Pathway Team Leaflet
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Leaflet
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/neurodevelopment-pathway-team
5bp-tr.sthelensneuropathway@nhs.net
Urgent Mental Health Support Line
Self-referral for urgent mental health support that’s available 24/7
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/urgent-help
0800 051 1508
CYP specialist Mental Health Support – CAMHS and Barnardo’s
Support for young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties, and their families
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-service
Youth Mental Health Toolkit
Online kit filled with ideas for young people to embrace taking care of their mental health
https://padlet.com/StHelensYC/growyourhappy
Young People’s Community Eating Disorder Service
Assessment, treatment and support for young people with eating disorders and their families
School Nursing emotional wellbeing offer
Confidential drop in clinics in secondary schools, interventions and support
School Nursing (St Helens) - Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (wchc.nhs.uk)
Primary School delivered teaching of emotional awareness and problem-solving skills
http://www.pathseducation.co.uk/what-is-paths
Offering emotional well-being and resilience support to all secondary aged children and young people.
https://www.barnardos.org.uk/what-we-do/services/barnardos-st-helens-resilience-service
Barnardo's Resilience Service Referral Form
Mental Health Support Team
The Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) will offer consultation to professionals and families and direct intervention with children and young people. The first wave of MHSTs (April 2021) will support the following schools: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High, Cowley International College and St Cuthbert’s Catholic High with further rollout planned for the coming years to cover all secondary schools and primary schools.
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/assessment-team
YMCA Listening Service
Young Peoples Listening Service for young people aged 12 to 18 offering one to one support for young people aged 12-18 who would benefit from mental health focussed support and/or someone to talk to
Maternity
Maternity Services
Provide care for women and their baby from the start of their pregnancy through the birth and beyond, offering support, advice and information
Maternity Services leaflet Parents in Mind
Mental health peer support service for women experiencing mild-moderate mental health difficulties during pregnancy and with babies up to two years
Paediatrics
Developmental Paediatrics
Support children and young people with developmental needs
REFERRAL FORM FOR DEVELOPMENTAL PAEDIATRICS
Community Paediatric Service Leaflet
Paediatric Continence
Provide support, advice and treatment to children and young people with bowel and/or bladder problems
Hospital at Home
Support children and young people to help them leave hospital early and enable them to receive care at home
Children’s Community Nursing
Supports children and young people with complex health needs delivering care, support and training to families and carers
Children's Community nursing team website
Children's community nursing leaflet
Looked after Children’s Nursing Team
Support children and young people in care to ensure their health needs are being met
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/looked-after-children
Audiology
Ensures children have the best hearing levels possible so that they are able to communicate, learn and interact with others to the best of their ability
http://bridgewater.nhs.uk/haltonsthelens/childrensaudiology/
Orthoptics (eyes)
Diagnoses and treats eye problems in children
Community Dietetics
Support children and families who need nutritional advice
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/nutrition-and-dietetics-service
Podiatry (foot care)
Support children and young people conditions affecting their feet and lower limbs
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/podiatry-service-footcare
nwbh.podiatry.department@nhs.net
Public Health Services
Health Visiting
Health visitors are specialist public health trained nurses who hold qualifications and skills in child health and development, who offer support for pregnant women and families with children below school age.
Health Visiting (St Helens) - Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (wchc.nhs.uk)
School Nursing
School Nursing Service is available to all children and young people aged five to 19. The Teams deliver the Healthy Child Programme by promoting good health, preventing ill-health and providing services to do with physical and emotional health, including sexual health.
School Nursing (St Helens) - Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (wchc.nhs.uk)
Enhancing Families Programme
The Enhancing Families Programme will replace the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) in St Helens for families requiring additional support..
The criteria for the programme includes:
- Isolated and or unsupported teenager
- Current mental health concerns
- Current drugs and or alcohol misuse
- Current concerns of domestic abuse in relationship
- Looked after child or care leaver
As there is no parental upper age limit, the programme will have a wider reach and subsequent positive impact within the borough. Clients should be less than 32 weeks gestation at the time of referral and can access the programme for up to two years. The client can also return to the 0-19+ Health and Wellbeing Service (Healthy Child provision) at any point should they complete the interventions or decline further input.
Vaccinations and
Immunisations
We provide the routine national immunisation programme for school-aged children in St Helens. You can find out which immunisations your child needs, by visiting NHS Choices.
Vaccination and Immunisation Service :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Specialist Vision Screening
The Orthoptic Department provides expert assessment and treatment of childhood vision defects for CYP with additional needs
Vision Screening in Special Educational Needs (SEN) Schools Leaflet
National Child
Measurement Programme
The National Child Measurement Programme is delivered by the school nursing teams in St Helens as part of the healthy child programme
School Nursing (St Helens) - Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (wchc.nhs.uk)
Infant Feeding
Programme
The service offers a professional and caring approach to supporting mothers and families who wish to begin and continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish.
Children’s Specialist Weight Management Service
Support for children and families to eat healthier and exercise more through fun and engaging sessions offering nutritional information and exercise and games.
Children’s Well-Being Service
St Helens Wellbeing service makes it easier to access a wide range of healthy living and wellbeing support through a ’one stop shop’. They have joined up services that provide advice and help with healthy eating, exercise, weight management, stopping smoking, breastfeeding, emotional and social wellbeing, oral health and volunteering.
SEND
Annual health checks for young people with LD and/or ASC
Annual health checks with your GP are available for young people aged 14 and over who have a diagnosed Learning Disability
Please contact your GP directly to arrange an annual health check
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/learning-disabilities/annual-health-checks/
CETRs (Care, Education and Treatment Reviews)
Care, Education and Treatment Reviews are focused on those children and young people who either have been, or may be about to be admitted to a specialist mental health / learning disability hospital either in the NHS or in the independent sector. The process specifically relates to Children and Young People with a learning disability and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges, including those with a mental health condition
Please contact your lead professional- health, education or social care
https://learningdisabilitymatters.co.uk/cetr/
Designated Clinical Officer
A child or young person has special educational needs and disabilities if they have a learning difficulty and/or disability that means they need special health and education support, we shorten this to SEND. The Clinical Commissioning Group has specific responsibilities to support the identification and to meet the health needs of children and young people with SEND and this includes ensuring that there are health contributions to the Education Health and Care needs assessment process and the commissioning of specialist health services.
The Designated Clinical Officer Role
SEND Local Area Inspection Letter
SEND Local Area Inspection Letter Addendum
Social Care Support
Provide the Family Support and Befriending service in St Helens. They are a team of volunteers who work with families to provide 1:1 face to face and virtual emotional support. They also deliver parental training courses to parents and provide the ready for school programme
https://www.home-start.org.uk/
Offer the Family support and befriending service; provide early intervention and ‘wraparound care’ for struggling families, helping them to get back on their feet
Advocacy Focus provide the Children’s rights, advocacy and independent visitor service for St Helens
https://www.advocacyfocus.org.uk/
Together Trust provide the SEND Mediation and disagreement resolution Service in St Helens
https://www.togethertrust.org.uk/
Catch 22 provide the Missing from Home, Child Sexual Exploitation, and Child Crime Exploitation service in St Helens
Speech and Language, Occupational and Physiotherapy
Speech and Language Therapy
Supports children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/childrens-speech-and-language-therapy
Paediatric Occupational Therapy
Support families who have children and young people who struggle with functional and daily living skills
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/childrens-therapy-team
childhealthservices@merseycare.nhs.uk
Paediatric Physiotherapy
Support children/young people with physical needs e.g. musculoskeletal, neurological, developmental & orthopaedic conditions
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/our-services/st-helens/childrens-therapy-team
Wheelchairs and Equipment
Wheelchair Services
The Wheelchair Service provides assessment of mobility needs, pressure care and postural support in a wheeled device. The service provides the appropriate mobility equipment which allows patients to be mobile both in and outdoors
http://bridgewater.nhs.uk/haltonsthelens/wheelchairservice/
Equipment Services
HICES provides an equipment service to the people of Halton and St Helens to support independent living.
http://bridgewater.nhs.uk/haltonsthelens/integratedcommunityequipmentservice/