Health services for special educational and disability needs

Types of healths services

There are a range of different health services available for children and young people.

Some health services accept self-referrals, but others will need a referral from a professional, such as a health visitor or GP, according to their level of need.

Speech and language therapy (SALT)

Speech and language therapy aims to support children's:

• fluency
• speech
• language
• communication skills
• feeding difficulties

SALT works with parents, carers and key professionals to provide timely assessment, therapy and advice.

Find out more about speech and language therapy – Croydon's Local Offer.

Chatterbox groups

Chatterbox Groups are groups for Croydon families with children aged 4 years old and under who have concerns about their child’s talking or inter-action. They are run by the Chatterbox team which includes Speech and Language Therapists and Assistants and Children’s Centres staff across the borough.

The groups are designed to promote, encourage and support speech, language and communication development in pre-school aged children.

Find your nearest Chatterbox group – Croydon's Local Offer

Community paediatricians (Children's medical services)

Children's medical services offer a range of services for children and young people are offered at community clinics, schools and at the Crystal children's development centre.

Children and young people with severe and complex needs or a disability who attend a special school may be seen at the school for their medical assessments if required.

Find out if your child is eligible and how to access the community paediatricians – Croydon's Local Offer

Children's Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy provides assessments and interventions to assist children to carry out activities of everyday life, including self-care, play, leisure activities and access to school and nursery.

Find out if your child is eligible and how to access occupational therapy – Croydon's Local Offer

Children’s Physiotherapy Service

The service provides both acute and community physiotherapy as best meets the needs of individual children and young people. 

Children and young people need to be referred to the service by another Health Care Professional.

Find out if your child is eligible and how to access physiotherapy therapy – Croydon's Local Offer

Croydon Sensory Support Service (CSSS)

This service is available for children and young people diagnosed hearing and/or visual impairment, their families from 0 to 25 years.

Find out if your child is eligible and how to access CSSS – Croydon's Local Offer

Nursing

There are a range of nursing services available in Croydon – such as:

• Children's hospital at home team
• Family nurse partnership programme
• Health visiting service
• School nursing
• Special school nursing

Find out more about each of these service – Croydon's Local Offer

Puberty and sexual health

The NHS Choices website provides information in its Sex and young people section for various aspects of young people's sexuality. It also has information on boy's bodies and girl's bodies, including puberty.

Sex and young people – NHS Choices

You can find details of other organisations:

• Local Offer directory
• Health, wellbeing and leisure section – Croydon's Local Offer