ASD: Referrals

Important information, please read: 

From mid-October 2024, we changed the way we accept referrals and gather evidence for children on the ASD pathway. With this new system, referrers will need to evidence that children have received a minimum of 6 months or two school terms of support. For full details please read  NDP ASD Referrals Update.

 

 

What kind of support is required for the referral to be accepted?

The Neurodevelopmental Pathway are improving the way we gather all information, including referrals, from professionals and families with the launch of One Portal.

 

There are currently three stages of intervention in the graduated approach. For further information please visit: www.localofferbirmingham.co.uk:

• firstly, additional support provided by schools themselves, some schools and settings call this SEN Support, others may call it something differen
• secondly, additional support by the school, together with the advice or involvement of external agencies providing a package of support. This stage is known as SEN Support by all schools.
• thirdly, an Education Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) can be carried out through a range of agencies for children and young people with complex needs. This will establish what the provision should be to meet those needs, if an EHCP is needed or if the child/young person’s (CYP) needs can be met at SEN Support level.

 

Depending on a child’s needs, this support may include:

• work with a teaching assistant
• differentiating tasks (i.e. making tasks simpler or tailoring them to a child’s ability)
• offering different ways of recording information (e.g. labelling pictures, diagrams or flow-charts)
• using multi–sensory activities
• breaking down learning into small manageable steps
• helping children to organise their written work by using writing frames
• allowing extra time to complete tasks
• keeping instructions short and clear
• constantly praising and encouraging the child for achievements made

 

Support for pre-school children may include support from the following:

• Early Years Inclusion Support
• Speech and Language Therapy or Occupational Therapy intervention
• Support from Kids' Groups or Family Hubs
• Intervention, advice and follow up from your health visitor regarding particular areas of development
• Support from local Children’s Centre

 

Support for a child/young person’s difficulties may also be provided outside or in addition to the school setting, but in relation to the reason for referral, such as:

• Early Help Support
• Social Care support
• Birmingham Communication and Autism Team
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• SEND Support
• Community Paediatrics
• Early Years Inclusion Service (EYIS)
• Mental health and wellbeing support from services such as – the Screening, Training, Intervention, Consultation and Knowledge (STICK) team, Forward Thinking Birmingham (FTB) or the Living Well Consortium
• Educational Psychology

 

If the child/young person has received some support that is not noted above and you need to clarify whether the intervention is appropriate you can contact the clinical team to discuss on 0121 683 2395.

 

 

Criteria for referral to our service also include:

New referrals can be accepted for children and young people up until the age of 16.

However, if a young person is at a special school, referrals can be accepted up until the age of 19.

 

 

Who can refer? 

• BCHC Health Visitors, School Nurses and Allied Health Professionals
• Hospital Paediatricians and Allied Health Professionals
• GPs
• Social Care Services
• Education – Community Day Nurseries, Schools, Educational Psychologists, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCo’s)
• Forward Thinking Birmingham (CAMHS)
• Voluntary sector – Barnardos, NCH Action for Children and others

 

If you are a professional who wishes to refer a child for ASD assessment, please complete the online referral form.

 

Once a referral has been accepted, parents/carers will be contacted regarding an appointment.

 

 

Consent

It is important to ensure that you have obtained consent from the parent or carer, or by the young person themselves if they have the capacity to consent prior to a referral being made.