Service details

We are specialised children’s doctors who provide high quality specialist care in the assessment of range of developmental conditions such as delayed development, cerebral palsy, autism, dyspraxia, Down’s syndrome and various other syndromes and conditions.

We work as part of a wider child development team which includes occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and have close links with pre-school educational advisers. We also work closely with heath visitors, school nurses, community children’s nurses, audiology, social care, nurseries and schools, hospital paediatricians, and children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health services.

We provide statutory health assessments of looked after children and input for children with complex health care needs. We also take leadership responsibility for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), safeguarding and looked after children.

On this page, you will find more information about the care the team provides, what you should expect from the service, how to access our services and links to other services which can support you and your child. Our team of specialists are here to support you. Please use the links on this page to find out more about support for you and your child and access our services.

We are based at one of theree children's centres:

Peace Children’s Centre, Peace Children’s Centre, Peace Prospect, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 3EW (satnav – WD17 3EZ).
Parking available.

Marlowes Health and Wellbeing Centre, 39-41 The Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 1LD
Parking: There are several public car parks that are available close to the centre, including High Street, Water Gardens (HP1 1EF), Gadebrige Lane and Queensway car parks.

St Albans Health and Wellbeing Centre, St Albans Civic Centre, St Peter’s Street, St Albans, AL1 3LD.
Parking: Use postcode AL1 3JE to find Charter Close for Civic Centre car park.

Address: Peace Children’s Centre, Watford WD17 3EW, Watford, WD17 3EW

Who is eligible for the service

We accept children and young people who are registered with a Hertfordshire GP, between 0-16 years, extending for young people with a severe learning disability until 19 years when at a special school.

Before your appointment

Before your appointment we will send you an SMS asking you to complete a pre-assessment questionnaire. By completing this in advance of your appointment you will be helping the clinicians capture your needs more effectively.

Nurse-led pre-assessment phone appointment

We are in the process of trialling a nurse-led pre-assessment phone appointment, which takes place ahead of your child’s initial assessment with the paediatrician. This involves a 30 minute phone call, with you, to check that available support is in place, review your family’s needs and details and answers questions you may have.

If you are invited to take part in this pilot you will receive a letter via post / SMS, followed by an SMS asking you to book an appropriate appointment.

What will happen at your appointment

Initial appointment

The structure of the initial appointment depends on why we have been asked to see your child.

Most of our referrals are for neurodevelopmental disorders or complex health needs. For these conditions, at the initial appointment we meet in a clinic with your child and parents/ carers.

This initial assessment can take between 60 to 90 minutes. We will talk with you about your concerns, ask about your child's medical and social history and your family history, conduct a physical examination and where appropriate a developmental assessment. Depending on the likely diagnosis, further specific assessments and in some cases a more formal questionnaire may be used.

Where appropriate, especially if your child has complex health needs or disability, a joint assessment with other members of the child development centre team will take place. This is to provide you with a range of expertise and opinions without unnecessary duplication of your time.

Some children request further tests, including blood tests, x-rays and brain scans. We may also refer to other therapists and professionals for further diagnosis or treatment. We may arrange for a more detailed developmental check to be done.

Diagnosis or follow-up appointments

At the end of the initial appointment, we will summarise our findings and if possible, give a diagnosis. Sometimes, we need to see you and the child again and/or arrange for further observations or tests. Sometimes, even with all this information, it is not possible to give a definitive diagnosis. The neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, developmental coordination disorder, ADHD and learning difficulties all have a range of severity or spectrum and often overlap each other.

Discharging or transferring patients

We will discharge your child when there is no further role for the community paediatrician. Some children may have needs that are best met by other NHS services or school and we will refer on and/or signpost you to the appropriate support where appropriate This includes school age children with learning difficulties or autism without continuing medical problems. If we have prescribed medication for your child, we will offer regular reviews.

We will discharge or arrange a transfer to another service for your child when they reach the age of 16 years.

We will discharge your child if you do not attend, or you cancel without good reason with less than 24 hours; notice for two appointments in a row unless there are ongoing safeguarding concerns. If your child is on medication that we are monitoring, we will contact you about this. Once your child is discharged, you will need a new referral to receive further input from the service.

Change of circumstances

If your child’s needs have changed and you no longer require an assessment appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer the appointment to another family. You can email us on hct.cypspecialistservices@nhs.net

Autism assessments

Autism assessments are delivered by a multi-disciplinary team comprised of community paediatricians, psychologists, speech and language therapists, other specialist clinicians and assistant psychologists.

For more information on the Autism service, including making a referral, what you can do while you wait, and post-diagnosis support and resources, please see the Autism Diagnosis service page.

ADHD Assessment

At present ADHD assessments are being provided by CAMHS services via Step2 early intervention child and young people mental health service.

Making a referral

We need a referral from an NHS professional with details about your child’s needs for us to accept.

We expect that your child’s referrer will have discussed the reasons for referral with you before sending through documentation to us. If you are unsure why your child has been referred, please contact the person who made the referral for clarification.

Advice and guidance is available for West Herts GPs through the eRS.

Download and complete a referral form

For more information on the Autism Service and making a referral go the Autism Diagnosis page.

For more information on the ADHD Service and making a referral go to Step2 Early Invention child and young people mental health service page.

Contact the service

Referral Hub: 01923 470680 Option 2
Initial appointments: Email hct.cypspecialistservices@nhs.net
Follow up appointments: Email wh.compaeds@nhs.net
Autism assessments: If your child is already on our autism waiting list, you can contact the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Administration team by emailing hct.autism@nhs.net.

We now contact most patients by text message or SMS as the default method for communication (letters, questionnaires, and so on). This helps us share information quickly and securely and also reduce paper usage, which has a positive impact on our carbon footprint.

Find out more about more about how we contact you.

Useful information

Hertfordshire’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Local Offer

Hertfordshire's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Local Offer is a one-stop shop for information, support, services and activities available for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, and their families. It is a comprehensive, up to date resource with information relevant to families in Hertfordshire.

There are links to provide reliable information about many of the neurodevelopmental conditions, complex health conditions and disabilities that we see at our child development centres.

If you are looking for support for any of these conditions there are further links to the relevant organisations.

There is information about special educational needs and disabilities in education, and how to get support for your child. This includes Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) who provide impartial and confidential information, advice and support.

There are links to accessing finance and benefits for your child; there are links on ‘things to do’, specially aimed at children and young people with SEND giving them the chance to spend time with others doing fun activities.

For young people and their families there is the preparing for adulthood link.

Websites and resources

ADHD and Autism

ADDISS
National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service. Their website offers information and resources about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorderfor carers, young people and teachers.
www.addiss.co.uk

ADD-vance
Provide specialist information, training and advice on Autism and ADHD as well as coaching, group support and training courses for families
www.add-vance.org

Aspergers4Herts
Website which signposts to services for children, teenagers and adults with autism. Includes a link to Spectrum Girls, a social group for high functioning autistic girls of all ages.
www.aspergers4herts.org

The National Autistic Society
The leading UK charity for people with autism and their families. They provide reliable information and support.
www.autism.org.uk

Hope For Autism in West Herts
A local support group for families who have a child with autism.
www.hopeforautism.org

Space
Support groups with regular professional speakers for families of children with autism and ADHD. Also run workshops and seminars. Social events for the whole family. Has a lending library.
www.spaceherts.org.uk

Sleep Hygiene Guide
Please find below a guide for parents on sleep and how we can help improve it, as well as an interactive PowerPoint puzzle that you can go through with your child to learn more about sleep together.

Support for families and carers including parenting advice

Carers in Herts
Provides information, advice and support to carers in Hertfordshire along with links to support groups and carer’s assessments.
www.carersinherts.org.uk

Family Lives
Family Lives is a national charity providing help and support in all aspects of family life, including parenting courses.
www.familylives.org.uk

Families in Focus
Support Groups and parenting courses for parents caring for children with Autism, ADHD, PDA, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, Learning Difficulties, Additional Needs and or Chronic Illness
www.familiesinfocus.co.uk

KIDS Hubs
The HUBs offer information and support for parents and carers of disabled children and young people aged 0-19 in Hertfordshire, including help finding activities and signposting specialist services. Offers a toy library and access to software to develop social stories.
www.kids.org.uk/hub

Support for Special Educational Needs

IPSEA (Independent Parental Special Educational Advice)
Free and independent legally based advice and support on education provision for children with special educational needs and disability.
www.ipsea.org.uk

SENDIASS
Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Advice and Support Service impartial information, advice and support service funded by Hertfordshire County Council for parents, carers, young people (0-25) and professionals.
www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/support/sendiass.aspx

Support for Mental health problems

MindEd
Free educational resource on children and young people’s mental health for families and professionals
www.minded.org.uk

Young Minds
Information and support for young people and their parents at risk of or living with a mental health problem.Offers a free confidential online and telephone support service for parents/ carers and many links for young people.
www.youngminds.org.uk

Medicines advice

Medicines for Children
Practical and reliable advice about giving medicine to your child.
www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk

Patient experience

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust offers high quality services and aim to be as helpful as possible. We are interested in your views. If you are dissatisfied by our service then we would like to know so we can make improvements.

Please contact the Patient Experience team on 0800 011 6113 (local call 01707 388164) or email hct.patientexperienceteam@nhs.net

We would also love to hear about your experience on our service, please complete our Patient experience survey.