Children S Continuing Care Overview and Referral Guidance

Children’s Continuing Care Overview and Referral Guidance

Continuing Care is provided for children or young people who have needs arising from disability, accident or illness that cannot be met by existing universal or specialist services alone. Continuing Care does not cover children or young people with care needs that may be met appropriately through existing universal or specialist health services.

The continuing care process is a multistage process (see diagram) which CCGs, local authorities and their partners undertake in order to deliver a continuing care pathway for children and young people with continuing care needs.

If you have a child/young person who you think may be eligible for continuing care, complete the following referral form and email to the Children’s Continuing Care (CCC) team. Once the referral has been accepted the Children’s Continuing Care Clinical Coordinator will arrange for a full assessment to take place. This usually involves meeting with the family and child/young person and all members of the child/young person’s multidisciplinary team providing information/reports. This will usually be undertaken by the lead professional in the child/young person’s care and coordinated by the Children’s Continuing Care Clinical Coordinator.

If you are unsure whether a child may be eligible or would like further information contact the Children’s Continuing Care Clinical Coordinator on the details below.

Once the assessment is completed the Children’s Continuing Care Clinical Coordinator will make a recommendation as to whether the child/young person has continuing care needs that cannot be met by existing universal or specialist services, and will therefore require a continuing care package involving bespoke commissioning and funding arrangements. The Children’s Continuing Care Clinical Coordinator and Commissioners(Joint Commissioning Team Manager – Disabilities, Senior Commissioning Officer CAMHS/SEND, SEN Manager - Community and Complex Cases Commissioner) will then decide on recommendations and costing of the options available.

These recommendations are then taken to a multiagency panel meeting who will decide whether the child/young person has a continuing care need and make a decision on the recommendations and costed options put forward. Following the panel the decision will be communicated to the child/young person & family face to face by the lead professional with confirmation in writing and the referrer and GP by writing. The CCG, local authority and partners will then undertaking planning and implementing the process required to put the package of care in place.

The care package will be reviewed after three months and then at least every year, or sooner, to make sure it is meeting the child/young person’s evolving needs. Reviews will also confirm whether or not the child/young person still has continuing care needs. If the child/young person’s health needs reduce then the package of care will be reviewed and may be withdrawn/decreased.

Children’s Continuing Care Clinical Coordinator
CCG Wolverhampton Science Park
Glacier Drive
WV10 9RU
M: 07557549209
T: 01902 441785 / (Source: South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust Community Services Division & Dept. Health, 2010, National Framework for Children & Young People’s Continuing Care)