The Westminster Disabled Children’s Service is provided by three teams who work closely together: the Social Work team, the Short Breaks team and Tresham Centre for Disabled Children and Young People.
We are here to help you and your family. We understand and want to support you.
- Families who would like short breaks will be given a choice about the assessment that they feel meets their needs. All families are entitled to a CIN assessment, if they would prefer this.
- These assessments can both lead to a service being provided but are different in approach.
- Both Services sit together and are part of the Disabled Children’s Service
Social Work Team
The Disabled Children’s Social Work Team provides specialist social work services to disabled children and their families. We work with families to:
- Empower – families and their disabled child
- Protect – children from harm
- Prevent – family breakdown and crises
- Proportionality – providing appropriate support
- Partnership – working together with families in a transparent way
- Support – developing clear processes together with families
They can be contacted through the Disabled Children's Team Duty Social Worker by emailing childrenwithdisabilitiesteam@westminster.gov.uk or calling 0207 641 5100
The Short Breaks Team (a Bi Borough Service)
This team is made up of key workers, occupational therapists a Bi- Borough Direct Payments Officer and a Bi – Borough Inclusion Officer. Services include:
- Short breaks – Care/social activities/play for a disabled child to give parents and siblings a break from caring and giving children/young people new opportunities
- Parenting Interventions/workshops/group work – to empower parents to support their disabled child
- Occupational therapy - If you need an assessment of your child’s ability to manage daily activities at home, and think they may benefit from equipment or adaptations to the home to help them and you do things more easily and safely, contact the social care occupational therapists based with the Disabled Children’s and Short Breaks Teams, to discuss your needs. You can contact Linh Nguyen at lnguyen@westminster.gov.uk (020 7641 1715) or Julia Taylor (020 7641 1716) jtaylor1@westminster.gov.uk to ask for a referral form which can be completed by anyone, with the child and/or parent’s permission.
- A menu of services – for disabled children and their families, available at our in-house disabled children’s centres, at home, or in the community.
You can contact the Short Breaks Team via the Front Door Service by emailing biboroughhealthnotifications@RBKC.gov.uk or calling 07925 894176.