Children and Young People’s Specialist Community Nursing Team

Providing care for children aged 0-19 with life-limiting conditions, receiving education in special school settings or with severe learning disabilities.

Children and Young People’s Specialist Community Nursing Team

What we do

We are part of the Specialist Children’s Services within Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust and work closely with the therapy teams, consultants and autism assessment team within this service.

We can provide care for children aged 0-19 with life-limiting conditions, receiving education in special school settings or with severe learning disabilities.

We also work with other families whose children have complex health care needs which may resolve.

Our aim is to provide high quality evidence based care and support and believe that all children and young people have a right to achieve their full potential physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually. We are committed to working in partnership with families and other statutory and voluntary organisations in order to achieve this.

Community Learning Disability Nurses

  • Provides holistic assessment of the physical, social and emotional needs of the child
  • Offer post diagnostic advice, support and information to parents/carers on issues specific to Learning Disabilities

This may include:

  • Managing behaviours associated with a condition and/or learning disability
  • Health Education and promotion
  • Continence Promotion
  • Sleep Hygiene
  • Dietary Needs
  • Parent and Carer group workshops
  • Support to access healthcare including de-sensitisation work and programmes of play.
  • Health Action Plans to support transition to Adult Health Care Services

Children’s Community Nursing

  • We provide advice, emotional support and nursing care to children and young people and their families within their community setting
  • We assess and co-ordinate complex care needs in partnership with families/carers and other agencies to meet their needs
  • We provide a programme of play for children and young people/siblings, to help them cope with treatments and/or their condition
  • We will advocate on behalf of the child/young person and their family to ensure needs are met
  • We teach families/carers/support workers the necessary skills to care for the child in various community settings
  • We will act as a resource for families, carers and other professionals

The Specialist Community Nursing Team also:

  • Provides a specialist training programme for a range of community settings, i.e. education, respite, voluntary service
  • Deliver a Personal Health and Sexuality Education (PHSE) programme including drop in clinics for children and young people attending Special Schools in the area in conjunction with teaching colleagues
  • Support access to acute health care

Special School Nurses

  • Assesses health needs. Provide training and support to school staff, parents, and carers to meet individual health needs
  • Provides holistic care for children, their families and carers in both the school and home environment
  • Drop In clinics provide opportunity for young people to discuss concerns about their health
  • Signposting – providing access to health information and services for children, parents and carers
  • Supporting children, parents and carers through transition.
  • Health education and promotion for children, parents and carers

Harrogate and Rural District

Children & Young People’s Specialist Community Nursing Team
Child Development Centre,
Harrogate District Hospital,
Lancaster Park Road,
Harrogate,
HG2 7SX.
01423 557510

Hambleton and Richmondshire

School Nurses Special Schools
C/o Child Development Centre
24 Brompton Road
Northallerton
DL6 1EA
01423 542490

Key staff

Jilly Adams: Department Lead and Community Children’s Nurse Lead

Melanie Waud: Learning Disability Lead

Sheryl Haley: Specialist School Nursing Lead

Contact details

Email: [email protected]

01423 557510 (Harrogate and Rural District)

Referral

Referrals to the Children and Young People’s Specialist Community Nursing Team can be made by parents, guardians and health professionals. Below is a downloadable referral form. Please ensure you read the referral guidance before making a referral.

Click here for the Specialist Children’s Community Nursing Referral Form

Click here for the Children’s Learning Disability Referral Form

Click here to download the referral criteria

Useful links