The Children with Disabilities Team (CWD) works with partners and agencies to provide support for children and young people with disabilities.
Disabilities for any child or young person are varied in their range and severity, and many children and young people can still access or be supported to access universal services.
Children may be assessed and supported through our Early Help team, Social Care teams and/or the Children with Disabilities Team.
A child with a disability is defined as having a severe learning and/or multiple/complex/profound learning disabilities and/or life threatening/life limiting/terminal condition.
What is a profound and severe disability?
A child or young person with a profound and multiple Learning Disability (PMLD) may have severe difficulties seeing, hearing, speaking and moving, which significantly affects their ability to communicate and be independent. They may have complex health and social care needs due to these or other conditions.
Children and young people with PMLD need a carer or carers to help them with most areas of everyday life such as eating, washing and personal care, for their whole lives.
Are you eligible?
The Children with Disabilities Team will work with children and young people (aged 0-18) who have impaired abilities in one or more of the following areas and cannot be supported through universal or Early Help Services:
- Profound/Severe learning disability
- Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with associated profound/severe learning difficulties/behavioural difficulties
- Complex health and medical care needs (that may meet the threshold for a Continuing Health Care Assessment)
- Life threatening, limiting or terminal illness.
What happens next?
If a child is assessed and it’s decided that they require intervention/support in line with Wigan thresholds at level 4 (external link), they will be allocated a social worker or a family support worker from either Early Help and Prevention, Childrens duty teams or if eligible with a social worker in the Children with Disabilities Team. The allocated worker will then assess the needs of both the child and family to identify a plan of support.
We provide a through care service for those children and young people with disabilities regarding:
- A child in need
- Children in need of protection
- Children who are subject to care proceedings
- Children who may require permanent placements away from their birth families
- Children who are looked after by agreement with their families.
How to request for an assessment of need
To access an assessment of need you will need to request a social care assessment by calling the Children’s First Partnership team on 01942 828300.
The team will then assess your level of need and refer you to the appropriate team or other appropriate service to ensure the right support is in place, at the right time and by the right person.