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WHO’S WHO
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WHAT’S WHAT
2013/14
HEALTH
Most of our health services are based in Withybush General Hospital in Haverfordwest. There are lots of
departments within the hospital which offer help and support to children who may have disabilities and
their families. The way to get support from the hospital is often through the GP, who will be the first
point of contact for most families who have worries about their child’s development. The following is a
list of the people you might meet, but there are lots of professionals working in the Health Service, with
a variety of titles. If you have an appointment with someone, but don’t really understand what that
person does, always ask them.
AUDIOLOGY
The Paediatric Audiology service ensures that any child with a hearing loss is seen early and suitable help is
given. An Audiologist will organise tests to assess hearing levels and advice on aids to improve hearing if
this is necessary.
Telephone: 01437 764545
CDT – CHILD DEVELOPMENT TEAM
When a child is first thought to have a difficulty and has various assessments, it can be a worrying time for
a family. The Child Development Team (CDT) is set up to support families at this time. The team is made
up of all the professionals working with the child. They meet up regularly (usually 6 monthly) to look at the
progress the child has made and make a plan setting out what should be happening next.
Telephone: 01437 761330
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
A Clinical Psychologist for children with difficulties will help parents to deal with behavioural, emotional and
developmental problems. They will work with families either in their own home or in a clinic. There is a
Clinical Psychologist based in the Child Health Department at Withybush General Hospital and another
based with the Positive Behaviour Intervention Service at Haverfordia House.
CHILDRENS COMMUNITY NURSES.
Community Nurses work with people of all ages who have a learning disability. They can help with health
difficulties, continence problems, developing independence, learning new skills and behaviour etc. They also
offer support and advice to parents and carers.
Telephone: Teresa Lewis – 01437 773853
DIETICIANS
Dieticians are able to assess a child’s diet where there are concerns about nutritional adequacy or relating
to the child’s growth. They are able to five specialised dietary advice and provide ongoing monitoring and
support. If deemed necessary, a Dietician may request special dietary supplements or prescription.
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WHO’S WHO
FAMILY DOCTOR (GP)
Your family doctor will usually be your starting point for any concern about your child’s health or
development. Your GP acts as a gateway to other professionals and can refer you to specialist services for
tests, diagnosis or treatment.
HEALTH VISITOR
Health Visitors are trained nurses with specialist qualification who can give advice on child care and
development. They have special responsibility for all children under 5 and will give new parents a red book
to record a child’s personal health record. They may see you in your home or at a clinic.
PBIS – POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION SERVICE
The Positive Behaviour Intervention Service is a group of health workers who offer advice and support –
mainly about managing behaviour – to people with learning disabilities and their families. They will assess
children and young people who have behaviour which is proving difficult and will develop a plan to help
families to manage the behaviour. They will work with a family until they feel they are confident about
dealing with the behaviour.
Telephone: 01437 776404
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FOR CHILDREN
The Paediatric OT service is based at Withybush General Hospital and aims to help children access play and
learning experiences and increase their independence. Children from 0-19 are seen either in clinic at the
hospital or in the community – at home, school or playgroup. The OT would assess a child’s needs and offer
individual treatments and advice. Advice about specialised equipment and seating can also be given.
Telephone: Aveline Woolf – 01437 773052
OPHTHALMOLOGY SERVICES
If a child is thought to have any problems with their vision they may be referred to a Consultant
Ophthalmologist at the hospital. The child may be seen by an Orthoptist who assesses for visual problems
and squints.
Telephone: 01437 764545
PAEDIATRICIAN (COMMUNITY)
Community Paediatricians are doctors who specialise in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of children and
young people. They work with lots of other professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists
and Speech Therapists. The Consultant Community Paediatrician leads a team of doctors called Clinical
Medical Officers. The Community Paediatrician sees children with a range of special needs.
Telephone: Dr M Simmonds – 01437 773848
CLINICAL MEDICAL OFFICERS (CMO)
Clinical Medical Officers are doctors working within the Child Health Department at the hospital. They
usually see children in their own home community and are linked with local schools. They offer lots of
services including:
 Health Screening
 Assessment of children with developmental difficulties or delay
 Assessment for possible educational needs
 Hearing and vision checks
 Child Protection work
The Clinical Medical Officers work as a team along with Health Visitors, School Nurses and others to
provide a comprehensive health care service for children within local areas.
Telephone: 01437 764545
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WHO’S WHO
PAEDIATRICIAN (HOSPITAL)
Hospital Consultant Paediatricians play a major role in the diagnosis and treatment of children with acute
illnesses as well as disability and chronic illness.
Hospital Consultants see children in the hospital ward and also in hospital out-patient departments. They
may hold joint out-patient clinics locally with visiting Consultant Specialists from another hospital.
Telephone: 01437 764545
PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES
Physiotherapists (Physios) use exercise and other physical treatments to improve movement, strength and
co-ordination and to help the body to develop and work properly. They can show parents and carers,
teachers and assistants how to handle a child to help him/her cope better with the needs of daily life and
to reach their greatest possible level of mobility. Treatment may be given at home, the clinic or in school.
Telephone: 01437 773261
SCHOOL NURSES
School Nurses are nurses who have specialist skills in dealing with the health needs of children. They have
overall responsibility for the health screening of all children in school and they are available to met parents
to deal with any aspect of their child’s health they may be concerned about. School Nurses also work
closely with teachers on health education programmes in school as well as on a one-to-one basis with a child
and family. Each school in Pembrokeshire has their own School Nurse and School Doctor. The school nurse
will take over from the Health Visitor when a child begins school.
Telephone: 01437 773850
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY
The Speech and Language Therapist is concerned with assessing, diagnosing and helping children with a wide
range and variety of communication difficulties. They also help with feeding and swallowing problems in
children. Communication covers a wide range of things including speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Therapists provide support and advice to both children and their carers. They work closely with teachers
and health professionals, including doctors and psychologists. Children are seen at home, in the clinic or in
school.
Telephone: Lynne Roberts 01437 773393 or 773267
EDUCATION
If a child has a disability or additional needs, they may be receiving some help from the Health Department
before they start school – possibly speech and language therapy, physiotherapy or maybe extra help at
playgroup. The staff working with pre-school children will want to let the Education Department know
about any additional needs a child might have. This is to make sure that the children have the help they
require when they start school. The department responsible for schools is the Education Department and
you can contact them at County Hall on 01437 764551.
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Educational Psychologists understand how children learn and develop. They are trained to work with
children from birth to 19 who are having difficulty with learning or behaviour. They work with parents,
teachers and other professionals to assess what difficulties a child may be having. Educational
Psychologists are based in the Education Department at County Hall.
Telephone: 01437 764551
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WHO’S WHO
ADDITIONAL LEARNING NEEDS COORDINATOR (ALNCO)
All schools have a teacher who is responsible for co-ordinating the help received by the children in school
who have special needs. This teacher is called the ALNCO. In smaller schools the ALNCO is often the
Head Teacher or Deputy Head. In larger schools the ALNCO will be the Head of the Additional Needs
Department. This is the person to speak to if you have concerns about how your child is doing in school.
LEARNING SUPPORT ASSISTANTS (LSA)
They work closely with teachers and ALNCO’S to help children with their education. They provide support
to children under the direction of the teacher.
SPECIAL NEEDS SUPPORT SERVICES
Specialist teachers come into school to give advice and support to teacher, individual children and their
parents. The work of the service includes:
 Support for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
 Support for children with sensory impairments
 Support and advice to pre-school children with disabilities and to their parents.
Support teachers are based in the Education Department in County Hall.
Telephone: 01437 764551
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (SEN)
A child with a learning difficulty finds it harder to learn than other children of the same age. It may also
be that the child has some behavioural difficulties that make it difficult for them to concentrate on
learning. Education Law says that if a child has a learning difficulty then they should have extra help at
school. Most of the children who have a special need stay at their mainstream school and the extra help is
given to them there. Some children who have very particular difficulties may go to a specialist school so
that these needs can be focussed on.
SOCIAL CARE AND HOUSING
If you need help in meeting your child’s needs at home, then a referral has to be made to the Social Care
and Housing Department in County Hall. This referral can come from you, or from one of the professionals
working with you and your family. The following are the workers or teams you may meet once a referral has
been made.
SOCIAL WORKERS
Social Workers offer advice, information and emotional support. They assess the needs of children and
young people and their families and then organise and co-ordinate the services they need. There is a team
of social workers who work with children with disabilities. At times the social work teams also work with
children who have suffered harm, or may be at risk of harm.
Telephone: 01437 764551
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VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Social Care and Housing or Education may give money to voluntary or charitable groups to provide some
services for families. Here are some of those offering services or advice in Pembrokeshire.
BARNARDO’S
Barnardo’s Pembrokeshire Family link provides a range of services to disabled children and young people and
their Families living in Pembrokeshire.
 Domiciliary care /activity services
 Support workers enable the child/young people to access play and leisure activities in the
communities.
 We also offer a sitting service in the Childs own home /with siblings if appropriate.
Short break care – We have team of experienced short break carers who provide overnight short breaks in
their homes, these carers are recruited, trained and assessed as foster carers, children and young people
may stay one night a fortnight or more depending on their assessed need.
Both these services are registered with the CSSIW and inspected annually by them.
Both services are referred to by the Children with Disabilities team or Action for Children key workers and
children and young people will have had an assessment of need.
Telephone: 01646 687064
REFERRAL SCHEME
If you would like your child to attend his/her local playgroup but feel that he/she will not cope there
without extra support, the referral scheme may be able to help organise a Helping Hand to help your child
join in the activities of the playgroup.
Telephone: Claire Cox – 01437 775700
SPECIAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT PLAYGROUP (SNAP HAVERFORDWEST)
This is a playgroup held at the Child Health Department at Withybush General Hospital for children with a
disability of developmental delay. Through the play opportunities SNAP provides, they assess a child’s
developmental needs and plan their future needs in readiness for them starting school or local playgroups.
There is also a small SNAP playgroup in Pembroke Dock.
Telephone: 01437 773860
SPECIAL NEEDS ADVISORY PROJECT (SNAP CYMRU)
The SNAP project gives information, advice and support to parents to help them make sure their children
are having the support they need within schools or nurseries. They can offer help to parents during the
assessment of their child’s educational needs with writing or understanding reports, writing letters and
attending meetings. They are also helpful for directing parents towards other support e.g. other voluntary
groups, explaining options, helping them to understand the jargon used by professionals and helping them to
understand the processes of help and support for them and their children.
Telephone: 01437 768097
FAMILY INFORMATION SERVICE
This is an information service which covers the whole of Pembrokeshire and can offer accurate, impartial
and up-to-date information on many aspects of child care. For example, they have details of childminders
and crèche facilities as well as information about playgroups and holiday play schemes.
Telephone: 01437 775700
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