Welcome - this page explains about the children's services we provide, and how our children's services work.
Children's services we provide
We offer a range of health services to children and young people and their families, mainly up to the ages of 18, in Derby City and the southern part of Derbyshire. We work alongside other NHS healthcare providers, Derby City and Derbyshire County Councils and voluntary section organisations to provide joined up care for those who use our services.
We also work with children and young people who have or may have Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND), and their families. For more information about SEND click on the tab at the bottom of this page.
How our children's services work
Some children's services are open to everyone, while some need a referral from a health professional like a GP.
Services which are open to everyone
Family health services (Health Visiting and School Nursing services)
- For Derby city visit our Family health - Derby city section
- In Derbyshire, family health services are provided by another NHS Trust, and details of these services can be found by visiting the Derbyshire Family Health Service website.
Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline
- A 24/7 telephone support service for Derby and Derbyshire people of all ages experiencing anxiety or distress. Call 0800 028 0077 or visit the Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service page. If you have a life-threatening medical emergency, please phone 999 or visit your nearest hospital emergency department.
Services which need a referral
The children's services that we provide that need a referral can be found under:
- Children’s complex health – Derby and southern Derbyshire
- Children's mental health services (CAMHS) - Derby and southern Derbyshire
These services are aimed at children/young people and families who have an identified need. Some of these services you can refer yourself to and others need to be referred to by another professional. Please see individual services pages by clicking on the links above. Access to these services is based on the needs of the child/young person wishing to access the service. The only other requirement is that you are registered with a Derby or Derbyshire GP.
Other NHS children's services
If you cannot find the service you are looking for here, other NHS Trusts may provide these. See below for links to the other Derbyshire NHS Trusts:
- University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust - includes Children's Emergency Department at Royal Derby Hospital, Ronnie Mackeith Centre and Children's Outpatients
- Derbyshire Community Health Services (DCHS) NHS Foundation Trust - includes Derbyshire Family Health Service
- Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - includes CAMHS for north Derbyshire. Click on 'C' in their service search tool to see a list of children's services.
The SEND reforms set out the responsibilities placed on providers of services for those under the aged of 25, as part of the Children and Families Act 2014. These reforms require the local area to provide a strategy for children and young people who have or may have SEND to improve access to education, health and social settings, so those with SEND have the same opportunities as other children and young people.
The local area must provide information about what is available in their area and how to access this. This can be found for our local areas at:
- Derby city: Derby's SEND Local Offer - Derby City Council
- Derbyshire: Local Offer directory (derbyshire.gov.uk).
Other responsibilities are to identify needs for children at the earliest opportunity and support them. This is referred to as the Graduated Response. This can involve services from education, health and social care working together. All our services are open to children as part of the Graduated Response as they are based on clinical needs of the child/young person. This working together may involve sharing care plans/letters, and/or meetings including the family and if appropriate the child/young person.
Health services have a statutory responsibility to inform the local authority if we think a child under the age of five has, or may have a SEND. This is done by the child’s Health Visitor or Paediatrician, we will normally discuss this with you first.
Some children who have a range of needs and service use may go on to have a formal assessment and plan written called an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This is led by the council, however health services will contribute to the initial assessment if the child/young person is open to the service. This is a formal plan which identifies all their needs, and how services across education, health and social care will work together to meet the agreed outcomes. Further information can be found on the local offer pages mentioned above.
If a child/young person is issued with an EHCP this will be reviewed at least every 12 months. Health services will contribute to this by:
- informing local authority the child has sufficient progress and they no longer require the service and have been discharged
- writing a report about the progress in the period since the last review and the next target
- or attending a meeting.
If you have any concerns about the SEND processes for your child/young person there is an independent support service in each area to provide further information and support.
Derby City: Derby SEND | Information & Advice Support Service (SENDIASS) (derbysendiass.org.uk)
Derbyshire: Welcome to the Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service for SEND Derbyshire Information, Advice & Support Service for SEND (derbyshireiass.co.uk)