Who can help prior to or after a formal autism assessment?

From the section: Local offer - Autism

In this section:

Who can help prior to or after a formal autism assessment?

How you can get help for a child or young person before or after they have been assessed for autism.

Help with behavioural difficulties

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from birth to school entry. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep,eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria 

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN.

Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ.

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW.

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors
CWPCC Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU.

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD.

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

School nurse

The fundamental aim of the school nursing service is to maximise the health and wellbeing of all children and young people of school age to enable them to make the most of their educational and wider social opportunities. The objectives of the service are to:

  • ensure children have a smooth transition into school and from primary to secondary school, building on the early years support to ensure they are ready to learn and continuing to lay down the foundations for healthy lifestyles which will prepare them for adulthood.
  • manage the interaction between health and education so that the child or young person enjoys good health and well-being therefore achieving optimal education.
  • work in partnership with parents, carers, specialist health professionals and others to develop in-school care plans for pupils with complex health needs and long term conditions, including provision of education and training for carers and school staff where necessary.

Access Criteria

 The service covers maintained schools and academies and includes child health surveillance, health promotion, health protection and health improvement and support outlined in the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 but not vaccinations.

School nursing services for children and young people in special schools is not included in this generic service as this is the responsibility of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

However, there will be a requirement for good communication and partnership working to ensure that the health and wellbeing needs of school aged children are met regardless of educational setting.

All parents of electively home educated children will receive a letter explaining the services offered by the School Nursing service and advertising contact details for those parents who wish to access services.

Contact

School Nursing North Team
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR

  • Telephone: 0121 770 1919

School Nursing South Team
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
Solihull
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4550

Childrens Community Learning Disability Nurses

The Learning Disability Nurses assess the child’s behaviour and create a plan to decrease inappropriate behaviours and promote positive behaviours. The Learning Disability Nurses also facilitate a workshop for parents and carers within the special schools in the borough, they usually run between October and December.

Access Criteria

Children with a moderate to severe learning disability and additional health needs. The child must be registered with a Solihull GP.

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Learning Disability Nurses HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4436
  • Working hours: Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm 

Community Paediatrics

The community Paediatricians  will assess children for neurodevelopmental difficulties such as ADHD which may co-exist with or mimic Autism. They may give some behavioural advice but would usually pass on to other services for longer term work. We may use medication to treat ADHD as appropriate

Access Criteria 

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Paediatrics HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4476
  • Working hours: Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm

Specialist Inclusion Support Services (SISS)

This is a specialist teaching service providing a range of support to children

Access Criteria

Details of how to access services can also be found via the links.

Contact

SISS work Monday to Friday term time only.

The team are based at:

Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

SENCOs

Each school has a Special Educational Needs co-ordinator (SENCO). If you are concerned about your child's behaviour you may wish to discuss it with your school SENCO.

Access Criteria

Please arrange an appointment through your child's school

Contact

Contactable through your child's school.

Autism West Midlands (partner in SOLAR)

  • Individual advice appointments to parent/carers to advise on specific autism related issues (diagnosis not required)
  • Range of training courses for parent/carers from one day autism awareness course to 6 session programmes - behaviour difficulties are covered in the general courses and specific behaviour management courses also offered including one day understanding my child’s behaviour and Practical Interventions. (diagnosis not required for all courses)

The Birmingham helpline is accessible to all across the West Midlands (is not part of the SOLAR contract) and provides advice and information on a range of autism related issues.

(Our SOLAR service is currently under review, there may be changes to the activities we offer going forward.)

Access Criteria

SOLAR families - we used to be open access for some elements of the service but are moving towards access to SOLAR families only so access arrangements not yet formalised

Help with high levels of anxiety

Solar

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Barnardo’s and Autism West Midlands work together to provide emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people in Solihull. We provide multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of children and young people with mental health or emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Solar is able to provide a range of interventions, such as group work around anxiety management and emotional wellbeing, and session based treatments for mental health difficulties. The service has a Crisis team where there are immediate concerns around the deterioration in mental health and safety of a child or young person, such as active thoughts and plans of suicide.

Access Criteria

We accept referrals for children and young people up until their 19th birthday, who have a Solihull GP, or children/young people under the age of 19 who are in the care of Solihull MBC and live out of the borough, and therefore do not have a Solihull GP. Referrals to Solar should indicate a need around a child or young person’s mental health or emotional well-being that is having an impact on their daily life.

The service accepts self-referrals as well as those made by professionals (e.g. GPs, schools)

Contact

Solar
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Craig Croft
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR.

  • Telephone: 0121 301 2750
  • Open from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Monday to Friday. This line has access to a trained nurse who will assess whether you need to be seen by the Crisis Team and will advise what to do next.

Out of hours the Crisis team are available (weekdays 5.00pm to 8.00pm, weekends 8.00am to 8.00pm and bank holidays) via Northcroft switchboard on 0121 301 5500 - please ask for the Solar Crisis Team.

Solar Youth Services

Help with sleeping difficulties

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from Birth to School Entry. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor  will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs. 

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria 

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors
CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone 0121 329 1920

School Nurse

The fundamental aim of the school nursing service is to maximise the health and wellbeing of all children and young people of school age to enable them to make the most of their educational and wider social opportunities. The objectives of the service are to:

  • Ensure children have a smooth transition into school and from primary to secondary school, building on the early years support to ensure they are ready to learn and continuing to lay down the foundations for healthy lifestyles which will prepare them for adulthood.
  • Manage the interaction between health and education so that the child or young person enjoys good health and well-being therefore achieving optimal education.
  • Work in partnership with parents, carers, specialist health professionals and others to develop in-school care plans for pupils with complex health needs and long term conditions, including provision of education and training for carers and school staff where necessary.

Access Criteria

The service covers maintained schools and academies and includes child health surveillance, health promotion, health protection and health improvement and support outlined in the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 but not vaccinations.

School nursing services for children and young people in special schools is not included in this generic service as this is the responsibility of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

However, there will be a requirement for good communication and partnership working to ensure that the health and wellbeing needs of school aged children are met regardless of educational setting.

All parents of electively home educated children will receive a letter explaining the services offered by the School Nursing service and advertising contact details for those parents who wish to access services.

Contact

School Nursing North Team
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR

  • Telephone: 0121 770 1919

School Nursing South Team
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
Solihull
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4550

Community Paediatrics

Community Paediatricians can support ways to encourage sleep hygiene. Paediatricians try to avoid medication such as melatonin but  can prescribe if needed - Paediatricians will ensure other options are used and explored before medication . They very occasionally use other medication.

Access Criteria

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact 

Community Paediatrics - HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4476

Working hours are from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Monday to Friday

Childrens Community Learning Disability Nurses

The Learning Disability nurses provide sleep programmes including information on the following: sleep hygiene, implementation of bedtime routines supported by visual schedules, social stories, sleep contracts and reward charts.

The Learning Disability nurses also facilitate a sleep workshop for parents and carers within the special schools in the Borough, they usually run between October and December.

Access Criteria

Children with a moderate to severe learning disability and additional health needs. The child must be registered with a Solihull GP.

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Learning Disability Nurses – HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4436

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm

Autism West Midlands (partner in SOLAR)

  • Individual advice appointments to parent/carers to advise on specific autism related issues (diagnosis not required)
  • Range of training courses for parent/carers from one day autism awareness course to 6 session programmes - we could offer courses on sleep if there is a demand but sleep can be covered in the general courses too. (diagnosis not required)

The Birmingham helpline is accessible to all across the West Midlands (is not part of the SOLAR contract) and provides advice and information on a range of autism related issues.

(Our SOLAR service is currently under review, there may be changes to the activities we offer going forward.)

Access Criteria

SOLAR families - we used to be open access for some elements of the service but are moving towards access to SOLAR families only so access arrangements not yet formalised.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provide assessment and advice to children and young people who are experiencing significant functional difficulties, impacting on their ability to participate and develop everyday skills such as personal care, school skills and play.

Occupational therapy can provide advice and support regarding developing the bedtime routine, for children who find it difficult to be able to prepare to go to sleep.

Access Criteria

We have an open referral system which means that parents or professionals can refer

Contact

Childrens Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Help with eating issues

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from birth to school. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor  will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs. 

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

Children’s Speech & Language Therapy

Paediatric Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) provide assessment, advice and treatment to children & young people who have a feeding and swallowing difficulty. Our support aims to ensure children are able to eat and drink according to personalised safe eating guidelines.

Dysphagia (difficulties with eating &/or drinking) assessments take place at home or the child’s educational setting and will last approximately 1 hour.

  • during the appointment, a therapist will take a case history and observe your child eating and/or drinking and may listen to their swallow using a stethoscope. Parents may be asked to offer a range of tastes and textures during the appointment and the therapist will advise you on what to prepare beforehand.
  • following the assessment, the therapist will write a report with recommendations and will discuss sharing this report with any other professionals who may be involved in your child’s care.
  • you may also receive a mealtime plan or management plan. This will describe your child’s feeding recommendations in detail (e.g. positioning, textures to be offered/avoided).

Your child’s progress with their recommendations may be reviewed or they may be discharged with the option to re-refer if required.

Access Criteria

  • Solihull GP registrant.
  • school-aged children must have communication needs requiring direct support from SLT.
  • Looked After Children (LAC) - children in foster care who are under the care of Solihull Children’s Services will be seen regardless of GP registration for assessment of communication need, unless the foster carer’s address is prohibitively far to attend necessary appointments. These children will be transferred to their local SLT service. Children in foster care who are under the care of other boroughs but living in foster care in Solihull will be seen regardless of GP registration if clinically appropriate.

NB Children and young people whose eating and/or drinking difficulties are primarily sensory in nature may benefit from different support in order to address those difficulties.

Contact

Speech and Language Therapy
Children’s Community Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre
Birmingham
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Children's Community Learning Disability Nurses

The Learning Disability Nurses provide advice/support to parents/carers including healthy eating and strategies to encourage a variety of foods through play and positive reinforcement. The Learning Disability Nurses also facilitate a Fussy Eating workshop for parents/carers within the special schools in the borough, they usually run between October and December.

Access Criteria

Children with a moderate to severe learning disability and additional health needs. The child must be registered with a Solihull GP.

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Learning Disability Nurses - HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4436

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 5.00pm. 

Solar

Solar offers a specialist service - The Eating Disorder Service (TEDS) for children and young people who are experiencing difficulties with their eating that is significantly impacting on their weight, health and well-being.

Access Criteria

We accept referrals for children and young people up until their 19th birthday, who have a Solihull GP, or children/young people under the age of 19 who are in the care of Solihull Council and live out of the borough, and therefore do not have a Solihull GP.

Referrals to Solar should indicate a need around a child or young person’s mental health or emotional well-being that is having an impact on their daily life - in this case eating.

The service accepts self-referrals as well as those made by professionals (e.g. GPs, schools)

Contact

Solar
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Craig Croft
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR

  • Telephone: 0121 301 2750

You can call us from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Monday to Friday. This line has access to a trained nurse who will assess whether you need to be seen by the Crisis Team and will advise what to do next.

The out of hours the Crisis team are available (Weekdays 5.00pm to 8.00pm, weekends 8.00am to 8.00pm and bank holidays) via Northcroft switchboard 0121 301 5500 - please ask for the Solar Crisis Team.

Solar Youth Services

Autism West Midlands (partner in SOLAR)

Individual advice appointments to parent/carers to advise on specific autism related issues (diagnosis not required).

  • Range of training courses for parent/carers from one day autism awareness course to 6 session programmes - eating difficulties are covered in the general courses when we look at sensory behaviours and rigidity. (diagnosis not required)

Our Birmingham helpline is accessible to all across the West Midlands (is not part of the SOLAR contract) and provides advice and information on a range of autism related issues.

(Our SOLAR service is currently under review, there may be changes to the activities we offer going forward.)

Access Criteria

SOLAR families - we used to be open access for some elements of the service but are moving towards access to SOLAR families only so access arrangements not yet formalised.

Paediatric Dietician

For children who are underweight or have a very limited variety of foods in their diets ( for example only eating foods from one food group) they can be referred for one to one consultation with a paediatric dietician to assess the nutritional adequacy of the diet and offer  support with improving the quality of the diet.

The child will be seen in dietetic clinic at Solihull Hospital.

Access Criteria 

A referral from GP or paediatrician, sent to Dietetic Department at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital

Contact

Nutrition and Dietetic Department
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital
Bordesley Green East
Birmingham
B9 5SS

  • Telephone: 0121 424 2673
  • Fax: 0121 424 1675

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provide assessment and advice to children and young people who are experiencing significant functional difficulties, impacting on their ability to participate and develop everyday skills such as personal care, school skills and play.

Occupational therapy can provide advice and support regarding developing cutlery skills, and also for children who find it difficulty tolerating a range of food textures.

Access Criteria

We have an open referral system which means that parents or professionals can refer

Contact

Children’s Community Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre
Birmingham
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Help with toileting difficulties

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from Birth to School Entry. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor  will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive, Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

School Nurse

The fundamental aim of the school nursing service is to maximise the health and wellbeing of all children and young people of school age to enable them to make the most of their educational and wider social opportunities. The objectives of the service are to:

  • ensure children have a smooth transition into school and from primary to secondary school, building on the early years support to ensure they are ready to learn and continuing to lay down the foundations for healthy lifestyles which will prepare them for adulthood.
  • manage the interaction between health and education so that the child or young person enjoys good health and well-being therefore achieving optimal education.
  • work in partnership with parents, carers, specialist health professionals and others to develop in-school care plans for pupils with complex health needs and long term conditions, including provision of education and training for carers and school staff where necessary.

Access Criteria

The service covers maintained schools and academies and includes child health surveillance, health promotion, health protection and health improvement and support outlined in the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 but not vaccinations.

School nursing services for children and young people in special schools is not included in this generic service as this is the responsibility of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

However, there will be a requirement for good communication and partnership working to ensure that the health and wellbeing needs of school aged children are met regardless of educational setting.

All parents of electively home educated children will receive a letter explaining the services offered by the School Nursing service and advertising contact details for those parents who wish to access services.

Contact

School Nursing North Team
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR

  • Telephone: 0121 770 1919

School Nursing South Team
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Rd
Shirley
Solihull
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4550

Children's Community Learning Disability Nurses

The Learning Disability Nurses provide advice/support to parents and carers to enable the child to become toilet trained through the use of techniques, schedules, social stories and reward charts. The Learning Disability Nurses also facilitate a toileting workshop for parents and carers within the special schools in the borough, they usually run between October and December.

Access Criteria

Children with a moderate to severe learning disability and additional health needs. The child must be registered with a Solihull GP.

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Learning Disability Nurses - HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4436

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provide assessment and advice to children and young people who are experiencing significant functional difficulties, impacting on their ability to participate and develop everyday skills such as personal care, school skills and play.

Occupational therapy can provide advice and support with regards developing independence with managing clothes, and with wiping after using the toilet.

Access Criteria

We have an open referral system which means that parents or professionals can refer

Contact

Children’s Community Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre
Birmingham
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Community Paediatrics

Treatment for constipation or organic problems in urination. NB we not provide an enuresis service.

Access Criteria

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact 

Community Paediatrics - HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4476

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Autism West Midlands (partner in SOLAR)

Individual advice appointments to parent/carers to advise on specific autism related issues (diagnosis not required):

  • Range of training courses for parent/carers from one day autism awareness course to 6 session programmes - toileting difficulties are covered in the general courses when we look at sensory behaviours and rigidity but workshops on toileting could be offered if there is demand/capacity. (diagnosis not required)

Our Birmingham helpline is accessible to all across the West Midlands (is not part of the SOLAR contract) and provides advice and information on a range of autism related issues.

(Our SOLAR service is currently under review, there may be changes to the activities we offer going forward.)

Access Criteria

SOLAR families - we used to be open access for some elements of the service but are moving towards access to SOLAR families only so access arrangements not yet formalised

Help with educational difficulties (Children attending an educational setting)

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCOs)

If your child is in school the first point of contact around any educational difficulties should be the school’s named SENCO.

Access Criteria

The SENCO would have a discussion with any parent of a child on the school roll around concerns

Contact

Through your child’s school reception.

School Lead for Autism

Many schools in the borough have a lead for autism within their school, this person will have received additional training and support around autism, and can provide you with information, advice and support.

Access Criteria

This is for children and young people with a confirmed diagnosis of autism.

Contact

Through your school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO).

Early Years Team

The early years team can support before a child enters reception. The Area SENCo supports the setting SENCo and the early years inclusion support practitioners can support parents. 

Early Years Team

Access Criteria

If a child has 3 areas of high educational need, then the setting or health team can make a referral to early years.

Contact 

Monday to Friday

Based at:

Council House
Manor Square
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 3QB

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6150

Specialist Inclusion Support Services (SISS)

The SISS team is a specialist teaching service providing a range of support to children and young people .

Schools will need to purchase these services. Some schools prefer to seek expert advice from other sources.

Access Criteria

Access to these services is via your child's school.

Contact

SISS work Monday to Friday term time only.

Based at:

Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
West Midlands
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans

The majority of children with a diagnosis of an Autistic Spectrum Disorder will not require an EHC plan. This is because main stream schools are able to meet your child's needs.

All schools in the borough have received staff training in using the Autism Education Trust materials to ensure good understanding of ASD. These are sound approaches and can be used to support any child either before or after a diagnosis.

A small percentage (less than 2%) of children may require an EHC plan. This may be required if your child’s needs cannot be met within your local mainstream school. The school SENCO will discuss with you any additional support that your child may need. Support  can be provided in a variety of ways often meaning that an EHC plan is not required in order to refine support.

A range of support is available to help and advise parents if an EHC plan is decided to be the best way forward to meet a child's needs.

These services include

  • Educational Psychology
  • Specialist Educational teams such as SISS Communication and learning difficulties team , SISS Emotional social and mental health team and team supporting children missing education or home educated children.
  • Social Care teams
  • all health professionals e.g. Mental health teams, Speech and Language therapy, Occupational therapy, Health visitors, learning disability nurses,  community paediatricians.
  • Statutory Assessment and advice team (EHCP Service) also based in Elmwood place.
  • SENDIAS

Contact

Based at:

Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
West Midlands
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

Solihull SENDIAS

Solihull SENDIAS Service (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support) is available to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs SEND and their parents/carers.

The vision for the service is that children and young people with SEND, and their parents/carers, will be more aware of their entitlements, the options available and will be able to make informed decisions.

Information, advice and support for children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers will be impartial, free to access, accurate, confidential, comprehensive and easily accessible/understandable.

Access Criteria 

Children and young people aged 0 to 25, who live in, or attend school in Solihull, or are registered with a Solihull CCG GP.

Contact

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from Birth to School Entry.  They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor  will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors
CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

Community Paediatrics

Paediatricians may contribute to the EHC process, although if all information is already provided our further input may be minimal. We will sometimes give advice regarding schooling but more usually leave this to education professionals, although we will inform them of underlying health or developmental diagnoses.

Access Criteria

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Paediatrics - HEFT
3rd Floor, Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4476

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provide assessment and advice to children and young people who are experiencing significant functional difficulties, impacting on their ability to participate and develop everyday skills such as personal care, school skills and play.

Occupational therapy can provide advice and support with regards developing skills such as  handwriting, attention in the classroom and  independence with self care skills.

Access Criteria

We have an open referral system which means that parents or professionals can refer

Contact

Children’s Community Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre
Birmingham
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Help with educational difficulties (Children not attending an educational setting)

The parents of Children not attending an educational setting can be supported by the Children missing education service.

Early Years Team

The early years team can support before a child enters reception. The Area SENCo supports the setting SENCo and the early years inclusion support practitioners can support parents. 

Early Years Team

Access Criteria

If a child has 3 areas of high educational need, then the setting or health team can make a referral to early years.

Contact 

Monday to Friday

Based at:

Council House
Manor Square
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 3QB

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6150

Specialist Inclusion S

Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans

The majority of children in the borough with additional needs  will not require an EHC plan. This is because main stream schools are able to meet your child's needs.

A small percentage (less than 2%) of children may require an EHC plan. This may be required if your child’s needs cannot be met within your local mainstream school.

If an EHC plan is decided to be the best way forward to meet a child's needs and your child is not accessing a school setting

You may wish to take advice from SENDIAS.

EHCP Service

Considered of an EHC application  is considered by Solihull Statutory Assessment team (EHCP Service )

This is for children who’s identified needs cannot be met from within a schools budget.

Other services to support would include:

  • Educational Psychology based at Elmwood place
  • Social Care teams based at Elmwood place
  • all health professionals eg Mental health teams, Speech and Language therapy, Occupational therapy, Health visitors, learning disability nurses,  community paediatricians.
  • Statutory Assessment and review team (EHCP Service) also based in Elmwood place.

Access Criteria

Advice on EHC plans can be provided by the START team.

Contact 

The Children missing education service is based at:

Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
West Midlands
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

You are able to contact SENDIAS on:

  • Telephone: 0121 516 5173

START team
Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
West Midlands
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

Solihull SENDIAS

Solihull SENDIAS Service (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support) is available to support children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers.

The vision for the service is that children and young people with SEND, and their parents/carers, will be more aware of their entitlements, the options available and will be able to make informed decisions. 

Information, advice and support for children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers will be impartial, free to access, accurate, confidential, comprehensive and easily accessible/understandable.

Access Criteria

Children and young people aged 0 to 25, who live in, or attend school in Solihull, or are registered with a Solihull CCG GP.

Contact 

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from Birth to School Entry. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor  will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

Community Paediatrics

Paediatricians may contribute to the EHC process, although if all information is already provided our further input may be minimal. We will sometimes give advice regarding schooling but more usually leave this to education professionals, although we will inform them of underlying health or developmental diagnoses.

Access Criteria

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Paediatrics - HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4476

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. 

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provide assessment and advice to children and young people who are experiencing significant functional difficulties, impacting on their ability to participate and develop everyday skills such as personal care, school skills and play.

Occupational therapy can provide advice and support with regards developing skills such as  handwriting, drawing, maintaining attention and being able to sit still to participate in learning.

Access Criteria

We have an open referral system which means that parents or professionals can refer

Contact

Children’s Community Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre
Birmingham
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Help with communication difficulties

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from birth to school. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor  will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCOs)

If your child is in school you may wish to discuss any difficulties with the school’s named SENCO.

Access Criteria 

The SENCO would have a discussion with any parent of a child on the school roll around concerns

Contact

Through your child’s school reception.

School Nurse

The fundamental aim of the school nursing service is to maximise the health and wellbeing of all children and young people of school age to enable them to make the most of their educational and wider social opportunities. The objectives of the service are to:

  • ensure children have a smooth transition into school and from primary to secondary school, building on the early years support to ensure they are ready to learn and continuing to lay down the foundations for healthy lifestyles which will prepare them for adulthood
  • manage the interaction between health and education so that the child or young person enjoys good health and well-being therefore achieving optimal education
  • work in partnership with parents, carers, specialist health professionals and others to develop in-school care plans for pupils with complex health needs and long term conditions, including provision of education and training for carers and school staff where necessary

Access Criteria

The service covers maintained schools and academies and includes child health surveillance, health promotion, health protection and health improvement and support outlined in the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 but not vaccinations.

School nursing services for children and young people in special schools is not included in this generic service as this is the responsibility of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

However, there will be a requirement for good communication and partnership working to ensure that the health and wellbeing needs of school aged children are met regardless of educational setting.

All parents of electively home educated children will receive a letter explaining the services offered by the School Nursing service and advertising contact details for those parents who wish to access services.

Contact

School Nursing North Team
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR

  • Telephone: 0121 770 1919

School Nursing South Team
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Rd
Shirley
Solihull
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4550

Children’s Community Health Speech & Language Therapy service

Paediatric Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) provide assessment, advice and treatment to people who have communication impairment and/or a feeding and swallowing difficulty. This includes difficulties with speech and language, voice, fluency and social communication.

SLTs adopt a patient centred approach respecting the individual’s needs and opinions. Their aim is to work with the child, family and other professionals in order for the child to develop independent, functional communication.

We work in the setting most appropriate for your child’s particular needs, including:

  • health clinics
  • early years settings
  • mainstream schools
  • special schools
  • additional resourced centres
  • children's homes

Access Criteria

  • Solihull GP registrant.
  • school-aged children must have communication needs requiring direct support from SLT.
  • Looked After Children (LAC) – children in foster care who are under the care of Solihull Children’s Services will be seen regardless of GP registration for assessment of communication need, unless the foster carer’s address is prohibitively far to attend necessary appointments. These children will be transferred to their local SLT service. Children in foster care who are under the care of other boroughs but living in foster care in Solihull will be seen regardless of GP registration if clinically appropriate.

Contact

Speech and Language Therapy
Children’s Community Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre
Birmingham
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. 

Specialist Inclusion Support Services Speech Language and communication disorders team (SISS)

This SISS team are a specialist teaching service providing a range of support to children and young people. 

Contact

This team work Monday to Friday during term time only.

Based at:

Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
West Midlands
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

Help with movement difficulties

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCOs)

If your child is in school you may wish to discuss any movement difficulties with the school’s named SENCO.

Some Schools in the borough run movement based programmes within school such as BEAM or wake up and shake.

Access Criteria

The SENCO would have a discussion with any parent of a child on the school roll around concerns

Contact

Through your child’s school reception.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provide assessment and advice to children and young people who are experiencing significant functional difficulties, impacting on their ability to participate and develop everyday skills such as personal care, school skills and play.

Occupational therapy can provide advice and support with regards developing skills such as  coordination and balance, how to learn new movements (motor planning), and refined hand skills such as doing buttons, drawing or using cutlery.

Access Criteria

We have an open referral system which means that parents or professionals can refer.

Contact

Childrens Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Physiotherapy

If your child has additional movement difficulties or a co-existing condition which affects their movement, physiotherapy may be able to help to:-

  • enable children and young people to reach their full potential
  • maximise function and independence
  • promote normal movement
  • prevent or limit contractures and deformity
  • Improve quality of life

Access Criteria 

We accept referrals from Consultants, Community Paediatricians, GPs and other allied health professionals.

Contact

Childrens Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. 

SISS Physical Impairment Team

This is a specialist teaching service providing a range of support to children and young people. Details of what they can offer to help can be accessed by following the attached links

Access Criteria

Access is via your child's school.

Contact

This team work Monday to Friday during term time only.

Based at

Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
West Midlands
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from Birth to School Entry. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor  will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria 

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors
CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

School Nurse

The fundamental aim of the school nursing service is to maximise the health and wellbeing of all children and young people of school age to enable them to make the most of their educational and wider social opportunities. The objectives of the service are to:

  • ensure children have a smooth transition into school and from primary to secondary school, building on the early years support to ensure they are ready to learn and continuing to lay down the foundations for healthy lifestyles which will prepare them for adulthood.
  • manage the interaction between health and education so that the child or young person enjoys good health and well-being therefore achieving optimal education.
  • work in partnership with parents, carers, specialist health professionals and others to develop in-school care plans for pupils with complex health needs and long term conditions, including provision of education and training for carers and school staff where necessary.

Access Criteria: The service covers maintained schools and academies and includes child health surveillance, health promotion, health protection and health improvement and support outlined in the Healthy Child Programme 5-19 but not vaccinations.

School nursing services for children and young people in special schools is not included in this generic service as this is the responsibility of the Clinical Commissioning Group.

However, there will be a requirement for good communication and partnership working to ensure that the health and wellbeing needs of school aged children are met regardless of educational setting.

All parents of electively home educated children will receive a letter explaining the services offered by the School Nursing service and advertising contact details for those parents who wish to access services.

Contact

School Nursing North Team
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR

  • Telephone: 0121 770 1919

School Nursing South Team
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Rd
Shirley
Solihull
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4550

Help for Pre-School children

Health Visitors

Health Visitors work with children from birth to school. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as seep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (the number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team or Community Paediatricians

Access Criteria

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact 

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors
CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCOs)

If your child is in nursery the first point of contact around any educational difficulties should be the school’s named SENCO.

Access Criteria

The SENCO would have a discussion with any parent of a child on the school roll around concerns

Contact

Through your child’s school reception.

Early Years Team

The early years team can support before a child enters reception. The Area SENCo supports the setting SENCo and the early years inclusion support practitioners can support parents. 

Early Years Team

Access Criteria

If a child has 3 areas of high educational need, then the setting or health team can make a referral to early years.

Contact 

Monday to Friday

Based at:

Council House
Manor Square
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 3QB

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6150

Children’s Community Health Speech & Language Therapy service

Paediatric Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) provide assessment, advice and treatment to parents of young children who have communication impairment and/or a feeding and swallowing difficulty. This includes difficulties with speech and language, voice, fluency and social communication.

The service works  in the setting most appropriate for your child’s particular needs, including:

  • health clinics
  • early years settings
  • mainstream schools
  • special schools
  • additionally resourced centres
  • children’s homes

Access Criteria

  • Solihull GP registrant
  • School-aged children must have communication needs requiring direct support from SLT.
  • Looked After Children (LAC) - children in foster care who are under the care of Solihull Children’s Services will be seen regardless of GP registration for assessment of communication need, unless the foster carer’s address is prohibitively far to attend necessary appointments. These children will be transferred to their local SLT service. Children in foster care who are under the care of other boroughs but living in foster care in Solihull will be seen regardless of GP registration if clinically appropriate.

Contact

Childrens Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provide assessment and advice to children and young people who are experiencing significant functional difficulties, impacting on their ability to participate and develop everyday skills such as personal care, school skills and play.

Access Criteria

We have an open referral system which means that parents or professionals can refer.

Contact

Childrens Therapy Services
Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre

  • Telephone: 0121 722 8010

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Community Paediatrics

The community Paediatricians  will assess children for neurodevelopmental difficulties such as ADHD which may co-exist with or mimic Autism. They may give some behavioural advice but would usually pass on to other services for longer term work. We may use medication to treat ADHD as appropriate

Access Criteria

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Paediatrics - HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4476

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Autism West Midlands (partner in SOLAR)

Our service covers all ages of children including young children:

  • individual advice appointments to parent/carers to advise on specific autism related issues (Diagnosis not required)
  • range of training courses for parent/carers from one day autism awareness course to 6 session programmes (Diagnosis not required for all courses)

Our Birmingham helpline is accessible to all across the West Midlands (is not part of the SOLAR contract) and provides advice and information on a range of autism related issues.

(Our SOLAR service is currently under review, there may be changes to the activities we offer going forward.)

Access Criteria

SOLAR families - we used to be open access for some elements of the service but are moving towards access to SOLAR families only so access arrangements not yet formalised

Support for parents/carers

Health visitors

Health Visitors work with children from birth to school. They can discuss parental concerns regarding issues such as sleep, eating, toileting, behaviour, and developmental milestones.

Health Visitors can be accessed by telephone (The number should be in your child’s red book) or attending your local Well Child Clinic. Following an initial consultation your Health Visitor will decide in partnership with you the best way to proceed for your child’s particular needs.

This may be, telephone advice, an appointment in clinic to undertake a developmental assessment of your child using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire, a home visit or referral to another service such as Speech and Language Therapy or the Early Years Team.

Access Criteria

All pre-school children living in Solihull will have a health visiting team in their local area.

Contact

Friars Gate Health Visitors
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 713 8717

Grove Road Health Visitors
Grove Road Clinic
51 Grove Road
B91 2AQ

  • Telephone: 0121 704 3405

Balsall Common Health Visitors
Balsall Common Health Centre
1 Ashley Drive
Balsall Common
CV7 7RW

  • Telephone: 01676 536850

Chelmsley Wood Health Visitors CWPCC
Crabtree Drive
Chelmsley Wood
B37 5BU

  • Telephone: 0121 329 0118

Kingshurst Health Visitors
Kingshurst Clinic
Marston Drive
Kingshurst
B37 6BD

  • Telephone: 0121 329 1920

Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCOs)

If your child is in school you may wish to discuss any difficulties with the school’s named SENCO.

Access Criteria

The SENCO would have a discussion with any parent of a child on the school roll around concerns.

Contact

Through your child’s school reception.

Children's Community Learning Disability Nurses

Advice and signposting as appropriate. Strategies and interventions for behaviour, sleep, toileting, fussy eating etc.

  • assessments for overnight short breaks.
  • continuing care assessments.

Access Criteria

Children with a moderate to severe learning disability and additional health needs. The child must be registered with a Solihull GP.

Referral to the service is via your child’s GP.

Contact

Community Learning Disability Nurses - HEFT
3rd Floor
Friars Gate
1011 Stratford Road
Shirley
B90 4BN

  • Telephone: 0121 746 4436

Working hours are Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Autism West Midlands (partner in SOLAR)

Our service is focused on providing support to parent/cares to empower them to understand and better manage their child’s autism.

  • individual advice appointments to parent/carers to advise on specific autism related issues (Diagnosis not required), signposting to local support groups
  • range of training courses for parent/carers from one day autism awareness course to 6 session programmes (Diagnosis not required for all courses)
  • post diagnostic information packs (Diagnosis required)

Our Birmingham helpline is accessible to all across the West Midlands (is not part of the SOLAR contract) and provides advice and information on a range of autism related issues.

(The SOLAR service is currently under review, there may be changes to the activities we offer going forward.)

Access Criteria

SOLAR families - we used to be open access for some elements of the service but are moving towards access to SOLAR families only so access arrangements not yet formalised

Family Information Service directory

The Family Information Service have a wealth of information and advice on choosing childcare (including accessing 2, 3 and 4 year old funding), finding activities for your children and helping you to access any support you may need.

Contact: 

Search the Family Information Service directory.

Solihull SENDIAS

Solihull SENDIAS Service (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support) is available to support children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers.

The vision for the service is that children and young people with SEND, and their parents/carers, will be more aware of their entitlements, the options available and will be able to make informed decisions.

Information, advice and support for children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers will be impartial, free to access, accurate, confidential, comprehensive and easily accessible/understandable.

Access Criteria

Children and young people aged 0-25, who live in, or attend school in Solihull, or are registered with a Solihull CCG GP.

Contact

National Autistic Society

The National Autistic Society is a leading UK charity for autistic people (including those with Asperger syndrome) and their families.

They provide information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for autistic people.

Support available includes a helpline.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing

Solar

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Barnardo’s and Autism West Midlands work together to provide emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people in Solihull. We provide multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of children and young people with mental health or emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Solar is able to provide a range of interventions, such as group work around anxiety management and emotional wellbeing, and session based treatments for mental health difficulties. The service has a Crisis team where there are immediate concerns around the deterioration in mental health and safety of a child or young person, such as active thoughts and plans of suicide.

Solar also offers a specialist eating disorder service (The Eating Disorder Service – TEDS) for children and young people who are experiencing difficulties with their eating that is significantly impacting on their weight, health and well-being.

Access Criteria

 We accept referrals for children and young people up until their 19th birthday, who have a Solihull GP, or children/young people under the age of 19 who are in the care of Solihull Council and live out of the borough, and therefore do not have a Solihull GP. Referrals to Solar should indicate a need around a child or young person’s mental health or emotional well-being that is having an impact on their daily life.

The service accepts self-referrals as well as those made by professionals (e.g. GPs, schools)

Contact

Solar
Bishop Wilson Clinic
Craig Croft
Chelmsley Wood
B37 7TR

  • Telephone: 0121 301 2750

Lines are open Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. This line has access to a trained nurse who will assess whether you need to be seen by the Crisis Team and will advise what to do next.

Out of hours the Crisis team are available (Weekdays 5.00pm to 8.00pm, weekends from 8.00am to 8.00pm and bank holidays) via the Northcroft switchboard on 0121 301 5500 - please ask for the Solar Crisis Team.

Solar Youth Services

Specialist Inclusion Support Services

This SISS team is a specialist teaching service providing a range of support to children and young people .

Schools will need to  purchase these services. Some schools prefer to seek expert advice from other sources.

Contact

SISS work Monday to Friday during term time only.

Based at:

Elmwood Place
37 Burtons Way
Solihull
West Midlands
B36 0UG

  • Telephone: 0121 704 6690

SENCOs

You may wish to discuss with your school SENCO the Mental Health First Aid programme that may be available in your child’s school

Access Criteria

The SENCO would have a discussion with any parent of a child on the school roll around concerns

Contact

Through your child’s school reception

Kooth online counselling and support

Kooth.com is a safe, confidential and non-stigmatized way for young people to receive free counselling, advice and support on-line.  This very popular service is used by large numbers of young people across the country and delivers 1000s of counselling sessions each year.

Staffed by fully trained and qualified counsellors and available until 10.00pm each night, and weekends from 6.00pm to 10.00pm, 365 days per year, it provides a much needed confidential and instant access service for young people aged 11 to 25.

This includes:

  • a chat function for a young person to drop in to speak to a readily available counsellor
  • a messaging function for young people to contact the service
  • a schedule function to provide booked sessions with a named counsellor on a regular basis
  • a range of forums, all of which are pre-moderated, to offer facilitated peer support for children and young people.
  • live discussion groups - run by professionals (with all comments moderated) to enable groups of children and young people to interact with each other in a safe environment
  • an online magazine will full content moderation, creation and editing which includes opportunities for children and young people to submit their stories or write articles, all of which is moderated
  • information, activities and self-care tools and resources on the site for children and young people to download.

Access Criteria

Children and young people aged 11 to 25 (No diagnosis of autism or a mental health condition is needed).

Contact

The service can be accessed by registering at www.kooth.com (The service is anonymous).

Therapy Services for children and young people

Please also visit the Solihull Children’s Community Therapies website. They offer children and young people who live in the Solihull area a wide range of therapy services for those that may be experiencing difficulties with communication, physical movement or general everyday activities, or difficulties that may indicate an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

All Children’s Community Therapies are based at Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre. To get in touch please call 0121 722 8010.