Information for families and carers

The NHS Long Term Plan made a commitment to improving community services for people with a learning disability and/or people who are autistic and preventing avoidable admissions wherever possible.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused disruption to support and services across health, education and social care and we know that for children and young people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic, and their families, are experiencing additional pressures and difficulties as a result.

We are responding to this by asking health, social care and education systems to implement interim changes from January 2021 which will be reviewed in March 2021.

To support children and young people, families and carers are asked to:

Make sure that children and young people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic should be on the dynamic support register

Being included on the register means that local organisations will have a good understanding of their population of children and young people with a learning disability and/or people who are autistic who are at risk of admission or going to other out of area placement.

The register means that children and young people with a learning disability receive a responsive person-centred approach to their care which is developed with them and their families or advocates across all local services including education for children and young people.

To find out whether your child or young person is included on the dynamic support register you can talk to your current support workers – this could be a child and adolescent mental health services keyworker, EHCP contact or a social worker.

Seek support if your child or young person is having a mental health crisis or emergency

It’s important to know that support is available, even if services seem busy at the moment because of coronavirus.

NHS.uk can help you find urgent mental health support for people of all ages.

You can call for:

  • 24-hour advice and support – for you, your child, your parent or someone you care for
  • help to speak to a mental health professional
  • an assessment to help decide on the best course of care.

NHS.uk can help you find someone to talk to at any time of day or night and give you information about finding support to help you cope during a crisis.