Child Development Team - Heywood, Middleton, Rochdale (HMR) Community

The Child Development Team is based at Callaghan House, Heywood. We diagnose and plan the care management for children with neuro-developmental concerns, neuro-disabilities or complex health needs and children with social communication difficulties. 

Our team consists of Paediatricians, Specialist Community Doctor, Advanced Children's Nurse Practitioner, Neuro-disability Specialist Nurse, Specialist Epilepsy Nurse, Health Care Support Workers, Administration and Medical Secretaries. 

Much of the work is multi-disciplinary and multi-agency, and there are numerous interdependencies with other services in health, social care and education. 

  • Medical advice for children with special educational needs. The medical perspective for Educational Health Care Plans.  

  • The designated medical officer (DMO) for children with special educational needs (and disabilities) (SEND) is based within the service. The DMO offers a link with the local authority and will advise or assist with any medical assessments for SEN whilst acting as a resource for information regarding children with special education needs. 

  • statutory health assessments for those about to be adopted and fostered. Also adult health forms for prospective parents who want to adopt 

  • Diagnostic pathways for children with social communication difficulties. 

  • Weekly multidisciplinary team assessments to discuss complex referrals.  

  • Community Paediatrician Special school clinics.  

  • Neuro-developmental clinics both Paediatrician led and Nurse led clinics 

  • Palliative care/end of life care for children and young people.

Once accepted to the service your child will be placed on a waiting list and an appointment will be arranged at a later date.  You will attend at the noted venue for an appointment to discuss your concerns regarding your child. A full detailed developmental history will be taken plus a clinical examination. A management plan will be discussed with you and actioned as required. If you are attending with a young baby the red book will be helpful.

Children can be referred to the team by a GP, Health Visitor, school/nursery member of staff, Senco leads. For children referred for social communication difficulties we would need a detailed referral to include the level of language, development and socialisation skills.

The child development team work closely with other children’s teams as part of an integrated children's service including Speech and Language therapists, Children’s Community Nursing Team, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Childrens Dietetics, health visitors and school nursing teams.  

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