Neurodiversity Team (0-19)
Portsmouth’s Neurodiversity Team (0-19) consists of family support workers, practitioners, an educational psychologist, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and service lead.
The team supports the city’s neurodiversity pathway which aims to improve early identification of neurodiversity and offer increased support for families and professionals, meaning children and young people may not need to go through the lengthy assessment process to get their needs met.
The Neurodiversity Team will provide:
- A single point of access for parents/carers and professionals who require additional support and/or training to meet a child or young person’s needs
- Universal and consistent support for families, children and young people
- An extended offer for more complex cases which may include assessments, diagnoses, and focused support, but this is dependent on each case
Please get in touch with the team if you have any queries or questions about the pathway.
Neurodiversity Platform
The Neurodiversity Platform contains resources, guidance, and information that can be used alongside the neurodiversity profiling tool.
To access the platform, visit the Family Assist website and click the ‘Neurodiversity’ tab on the menu.
Advice clinics
The team offer regular advice clinics at your local family hub, please contact the team if you would like to book an appointment.
Pathway
From September 2022, a new pathway was launched for young people presenting with neurodiversity needs. Any children who were previously on the waiting list for an assessment with CAMHS remain on the waiting list and sit within the new neurodiversity team. They will be seen for an assessment as soon as the team are able to.
The neurodiversity service is a standalone service and is not part of CAMHS – it is a multidisciplinary team who are able to support and help anyone who may have a concern about a young person presenting with ND needs.
The Learning Disability and Autism Keyworker Programme
The Learning Disability and Autism Keyworker Programme supports children and young people (up to age 25) with a learning disability and/or autism who are at risk of admission to hospital or placement breakdown. Portsmouth Neurodiversity Team manage the keyworker programme in the city. Support is tailored to each child or young person’s needs and is not dependent on a diagnosis alone.
