Children with Disabilities Service

Children's Disability Services

The Children's Disability Service includes Social workers and assistants, occupational therapists and specialist development workers who provide a service to severely disabled children (learning and physical disabilities) and children substantially or permanently affected by illness, injury or congenital condition. 

The team can offer:

• Information and advice
• Social work support and guidance
• Planning for the future
• Day care
• Short breaks
• Equipment and adaptation Referrals to specialist services                        

Who can receive the services?
Information and advice is available to anyone, but other services can be provided only after an assessment of need has been carried out.

What is an assessment of need?
When conducting an assessment, everyone involved will share information about you and your family in order to decide, with you, what would be likely to help you most. Information about you and your family will be treated as confidential. We will ask your permission before talking to anyone about you or your family. The only exception to this would be if there might be significant harm to a child or children. If this was the case you would still be kept fully informed. 

Disabled Children's Resources

These are a range of services that are provided by a team of skilled and experienced professionals for children with disabilities and their families. The aim is to support children and families appropriately following assessment by a Social Work Team, with whom we work closely in the best interests of the child.

The services which can be accessed and tailored to meet individual needs include:

• Care to Share

• Sessional Work

• Holiday Play Schemes and After School Clubs

• Residential Units

For further information please contact us using the details at the top of this page.

Equipment and Adaptations

An assessment for equipment and adaptations needed in your home can be requested from the Occupational Therapist and the Children’s Disability and Health Team. Short term loan of small appliances may be arranged through your Health Visitor.

Wheelchairs and buggies - if your child has serious walking difficulties, ask your child’s occupational therapist, physiotherapist, social worker or doctor for a referral to your nearest wheelchair service. You will be assessed at home or at your local NHS Wheelchair Service Centre.

Ask your Child’s Occupational Therapist or Doncaster Council for bed rails if you believe they are necessary for the safety of your child. 

A full list of wheelchair hiring services in Doncaster is available from DIAL Doncaster.

Home Support for Children with Disabilities

Home Support is a scheme which offers individual support for a child or young person with a disability who lives at home. This support is time limited and is designed to meet an individual goal for the child or young person. A worker is assigned to do the work with a child and they are supported and supervised by the Home Support Coordinator on a regular and ongoing basis.

The support is individual to each child or young person and may include:

• Support to access an activity or social club e.g. Brownies or Youth Club

• Support to develop independence

• Life Skills

A Social Worker from the Children's Disability Service will complete an assessment. For more information please contact the service using the contact details at the top of this page.