East and West Suffolk Neurodevelopmental Pathway
The East and West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Groups, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT), Suffolk County Council (SCC), and West Suffolk Foundation Trust Integrated Community Paediatric Service, have made improvements to the East and West Suffolk Neurodevelopmental Pathway based on feedback from children, young people, parents and carers.
Some people may refer to this pathway as the Neuro-Developmental Disorders NDD pathway.
Note: This pathway service is a pilot so the support it offers is being monitored to see how well it meets the needs of children and young people in Suffolk with neurological disorders and their families.
Please be aware, like many services, we are currently experiencing high demand for our service. A member of our team will be in touch with you as soon as possible. We are unable to put a timeframe on this currently, but can assure you we are working through referrals as quickly as we can.
To help prevent delays in processing referrals, please make sure your referral includes all the required information - see FAQ guidance below.
What is Neurodevelopmental?
Neuro (nerves) developmental (how the nerve pathways carrying messages to and from the brain are created) involve the brain’s influence on how your body functions. Everyone’s brain works in different ways but Neurodevelopmental challenges and or/difficulties, such as Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), mean that the way you see, hear or feel the world is different to others.
Some experiences may include social, communication, concentration and memory difficulties.
Why have improvements been made?
It is hoped that the improvements will create more positive experiences with children, young people and families who have concerns about Autism, ADHD and/or behaviours that challenge.
One of the key improvements of the pathway is that it is a ‘needs led’ approach with access to support with or without a diagnosis.
*Neuro-developmental Pathway Service Review:
Suffolk & North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), who commission this service would like feedback from families, young people and lead professionals and key workers (teachers, SENCOs, GPs, social workers) who have been in contact with the pathway or have helped refer a family to the Neurodevelopmental Pathway in the last 6 months. ICB would like to review the pathway to see if any improvements are needed.
To give your feedback please complete the relevant survey below:
Short survey for professionals and key workers - Survey closes on Friday 17th March.
Short survey for families, including young people - Survey closes Friday 7th April.
Please see FAQs below about accessing support from the new improved Neuro-development pathway.
If you live in Lowestoft and Waveney, please see the last drop down box for support in your area.
What is the Neurodevelopmental Pathway referral criteria?
For local and voluntary support, information, advice and guidance:
- Support is available for a variety of ages up to 25
- Registered with a Suffolk GP
For clinical support and guidance:
- School aged children and those below the age of 18 (This is children attending a reception class in a school, this can be full or part time or for home-schooling, the academic year that the child turns 5).
- Registered with a Suffolk GP
Neurodevelopmental referrals requiring clinical support, for young people aged 18 and over in East and West Suffolk should continue be sent to the Emotional Wellbeing Hub
For Waveney neurodevelopmental support services please go to our drop-down box titled 'Neurodevelopmental support for families in Lowestoft and Waveney'.
For further details please see our Neurodevelopmental Pathway referral flowchart
What Neurodevelopmental support should my child access if they are preschool age?
Children that are preschool (nursery, day care or childminder):
For early developmental support:
- Speak with a Health Visitor or Early years setting. For further information and how to speak to a Health Visitor please visit the Suffolk County Council website's: Health Visiting and Children's Centre service.
- Health visitors or Early Years Practitioners can refer to East and West Suffolk Integrated Community Paediatric Service (West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust) as per the existing pathway. These assessments would include consideration for potential Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
For local and voluntary support, information, advice and guidance:
- The voluntary services providing emotional support, information, advice & guidance as part of the East and West Suffolk Neurodevelopmental pathway, can be accessed by a child or young person of any age. If your child is preschool age, these services can also be accessed via your Early Years Practitioner or Health Visitor.
Who will receive my Neurodevelopmental referral?
The Children’s Charity Barnardo’s have recently became a partner of the Neurodevelopmental Pathway and will be receiving referrals for this service and will help co-ordinate and guide parents and carers to support.
Completed Neurodevelopmental Pathway referral forms will be reviewed and discussed by a group of experienced clinicians from Suffolk County Council, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, and West Suffolk Foundation Trust Integrated Community Paediatric services.
Together they will discuss, and carefully consider the information presented in order to determine what support may be required.
I am a parent/carer, how do I make a referral to the Neurodevelopmental Pathway?
If you require support for your child and would like to make a referral to the Neurodevelopmental Pathway, you first need to contact a professional (key worker) that knows your child well.
The professional (key worker) could be a:
- School or education staff e.g SENCo, School nurse or alternatively one person from below (who knows your child well)
- A professional from a voluntary service you are receiving help from
- Early Help Worker (family support practitioner)
- A Social Worker
- A Mental Health Worker
- Any Clinician or Allied Health Professional
Your family and this one Professional (key worker) must complete the form (please email NDDAdmin@barnardos.org.uk to request form) together.
Please note that all referrals should be sent to Barnado's in the first instance, and must be complete. Incomplete referrals will be returned.
A complete referral includes:-
- All 3 parts of the form completed with detailed information in each box.
- A comprehensive school observation sheet showing the impact the child’s difficulties are having on their education and day-to-day life.
- Your signature as parent/carer, giving Barnardo’s consent to work with your family.
- Please also include any reports/assessments relating to your concerns that may help with the assessment.
I am a professional/key worker, how do I access the Neurodevelopmental Pathway referral form
You will be able to access a copy of the referral form by contacting Barnardo’s via this email NDDAdmin@barnardos.org.uk.
Please note all referrals must be sent to Barnado's in the first instance. Incomplete referrals will be returned.
A complete referral includes:-
- All 3 parts of the form completed with detailed information in each box.
- A comprehensive school observation sheet showing the impact the child’s difficulties are having on their education and day-to-day life.
- A parental signature, giving Barnardo’s consent to work with the family.
- Please also include any reports/assessments relating to your concerns that may help with the assessment
What support is available to my family once my referral has been submitted?
Barnardos will aim to contact you within 10 working days of receipt of your Neurodevelopmental Pathway referral.
Some of the support, advice or guidance outcomes you may receive from your referral form could be:
- Advice and support from Barnardos including signposting to local services.
- Further assessment/intervention for possible Neurodevelopmental presentation by a group of Clinicians (initially age up to 18)
- Support through Voluntary Services which are part of the Neurodevelopmental Pathway partnership who support children and young people up to the age of 25, with or without a diagnosis.
These Voluntary Services include:
- Families Together
- Access Community Trust BEANs service (BEANs stand for Belong, Enrich, Adapt, Neurodiversity Service)
- Green light Trust
- The Befriending Scheme
- Suffolk Family Carers
- Family Action West Suffolk, and
- Noise Solution.
Please contact Barnados by emailing NDDAdmin@barnardos.org.uk if you need further information about these Voluntary Services.
Neurodevelopmental support for families in Lowestoft and Waveney
Families who are based in Lowestoft and Waveney can contact
Just One Norfolk or call 0300 300 0123
The Just One Norfolk website is the ‘go to’ health website for Norfolk and Waveney families and includes a range of information and support for families to access including:
- Behaviour
- Norfolk Positive Behaviour Strategies
- Sleep Difficulties
- Parent’s Emotional Health
- Developmental Concerns
- Toileting
- Learning
- Children and Young People’s Emotional Health
Although a clinical assessment is helpful for some families there are lots of things that you can do to help and support your child outside of getting a clinical assessment for autism. A child does not need to have a neurodevelopmental diagnosis to get Special Educational Needs support. It is important to remember that having a name for your child’s condition does not change how your child behaves.
Please go to the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Norfolk support page for further information.
Also see the Norfolk County Council Local Offer website for advice for parents seeking assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions.