Guidance for Teachers/ SENCo’s on use of the form “Education Report; Information from Education to Support Referral to Bradford Child Development Service Paediatrician”
Although referrals can only be made to the Bradford Child Development Service by health professionals, we realise that teachers and school staff may be the first professionals to detect concerns about a child’s development or learning.
If you have concerns about a child’s development &/or learning, please complete the form “Education Report; information from Education to support referral to Child Development Service Paediatrician”, which can be downloaded from Bradford Schools Online–
Please then discuss the completed form with your school nurse, who can decide whether a referral to the Child Development Service is appropriate (see guidance below.) Alternatively, you may receive requests for this completed form from GPs, School Nurses or Speech and Language Therapists to accompany their referral to the Child Development Service.
Assessments and observations from teachers are essential in helping Paediatricians make accurate assessments. In fact, if a child is referred to the Bradford Child Development Service with “learning difficulties”, it is now a requirement that an educational report is attached with the referral. Without this report, the referral will be rejected. This is because;
- it helps us decide if we are the right service to help the child e.g. assessments for dyslexia are not done by the Child Development Service, they should be arranged by school.
- it helps us allocate the child to the right type of clinic.
- it helps us identify those children with learning difficulties. We respect that a teacher who has taught a child over several weeks or months will have a much more rounded picture of the child’s learning ability than we can gather in a one-off clinic appointment.
Thank you in advance for completing these forms. It will enable us to correctly identify the children that can benefit from the Child Development Service and how we can help.
Dr Hannah Webb on behalf of
Bradford Child Development Service Paediatricians
July 2013
NB. Please note this guidance currently only applies to Bradford Child Development Service, not Airedale Child Development Centre.
For your information – Guidelines for appropriate referralsto the Child Development Service
INCLUSION CRITERIA -Appropriate referrals / EXCLUSION CRITERIA – Referral not appropriate
Signposting to appropriate alternative service
Developmental Delay or Regression
Significant Learning Difficulties
Social communication and interaction problems
(Autism Assessments)
Speech and language problems (S< referrals only)
Coordination and balance problems
Mobility and gait problems
Significant Visual Impairment. All children registered partially sighted or blind.
Hearing Impairment (Audiology, ENT or Paediatrician referrals only)
Chronic neurodevelopmental problems; e.g metabolic disease, ex-premature infant, child transferred from another area etc.
Known or suspected syndrome affecting development/ learning e.g. Downs Syndrome
Abnormal head size (severe or with developmental concerns)
Congenital brain abnormalities possibly affecting development / ADHD / Specialist CAMHS
Autism Assessments for age 12 years and over / Specialist CAMHS
Behavioural difficulties in an otherwise normally developing child / Health visitor or school nurse (who can refer to CAMHS if appropriate)
Dyslexia / SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) at school
Speech and Language problems without assessment by Speech and Language therapist (S<) / Speech and Language Therapy
Long-term enuresis / School nurse initially. May need GP assessment &/or Paediatric Continence service referral
Constipation and soiling / GP &/or referral to General Paediatrics or Specialist Paediatric Continence Nurses
Weight loss/ growth failure/ obesity / GP &/or General Paediatrics
Medical problems such as Abdominal pain, headaches, etc / GP &/or General Paediatrics
Suspected Epileptic Seizures with no underlying developmental concerns / General Paediatrics