Social care support for children with SEND

Support for everyone

There are services which everyone can use. These are known as 'universal services'.

Your GP, your child's school, or early years setting, such as a nursery or preschool, will be able to direct you to services that can support you.

Other services you may find useful include:

Services if you need more support

If you and your family need more support, the following services could help you.

Early Help

Early Help is for children (0-17) and their families. It aims to give information, advice and guidance to stop family worries turning into bigger issues.

Short Breaks

Short Breaks are for children aged 5-17 with disabilities. They are usually activities which support the child to explore new opportunities, form friendships or become more independent.

Family support service

The family support service can help families to meet a range of complex and persistent needs. Your family will be assigned a family practitioner to help and support you. Family practitioners will complete family support assessments and plans, and work on an existing early help assessment plan where one has already been done. To request this service contact the children's advice and duty service (CADS) by calling 0344 800 8020 and following the options for children's social care.

Children with disabilities (CWD) teams

If the family support service and Early Help cannot meet your family's need, the children with disabilities (CWD) service may be able to help.

The service supports children and young people who have a substantial and permanent disability.

To be referred to this service contact the children's advice and duty service (CADS) on 0344 800 8020 - follow the options for children's social care.

Keeping children safe

Find out more about how to report concerns at Keeping children safe. In an emergency always call 999.

Preparing for adult life

When your child turns 14 it is a good time to begin thinking about transition to adulthood. Find out more about this in the preparing for adult life section.

Some children may transition to adult social care services. Children's social care teams will start to work closely with you and the preparing for adult life (PFAL) team and adult social care teams to prepare for this transition.

How we decide the level of support

When you contact the children's advice and duty service (CADS), they make decisions for the child and their family using the Norfolk Continuum of Needs Guidance. It is for children in a wide range of situations and focuses on what is the best way to support the child.