Targeted health services

Specialist nurses providing assessment, treatment, support and advice for children and young people with bladder and/or bowel difficulties. You don’t need a referral from a healthcare professional, you can contact this service directly (self-refer).

The Community Children’s Nursing Service support children with a wide range of complex health conditions, who require expert and specific nursing and support.

Information about equipment and home adaptations, wheelchairs and alternative and augmented communication aids (AACA).

Children and Family Health Devon provides a range of support to children and young people who have moderate, profound and severe levels of learning disabilities. You don’t need a referral from a healthcare professional, parent carers can request help directly.

Children and Family Health Devon provides information and support for children and young people (0–18) who have a diagnosis of moderate to profound learning disability across Devon.

Support for people aged 18+ with a learning disability when they see their GP, use primary care services, or when they have to go to hospital. You can contact this service directly (self-refer), you don’t need a referral from a healthcare professional.

The Mental Health Support Team in Schools (MHST) works with a number of schools across Devon. If a child or young person attends (or is on roll at), a school with an MHST Worker, you can contact this service directly (self-refer) – you don’t need a referral from a healthcare professional.

Children and Family Health Devon (CHFD)’s neurodiversity pathway helps children and young people in Devon access support for conditions such as autism, ADHD, tics and Tourette’s syndrome. Parents and carers can request support directly – a referral is not necessary.

Occupational therapy can help children and young people with physical, sensory, developmental, cognitive and social needs that affect their daily life. A new telephone advice line is now available to young people, parents, education or social care staff, or other professionals.

Support for children with sensory needs, including from the ROVIC (Re/Habilitation Officer for Visually Impaired Children) service. Some services will require a referral, others don’t. Our step-by-step guides provide more information.

There’s lots of resources and support available for children and young people from birth to 18 with a range of speech and language difficulties.

Children and young people with SEND may need to go to a specialist community dental service if they can’t attend a general dental practice. A referral will be needed, this could be from your regular dentist, or another healthcare professional, for example a Learning Disability Nurse.