Support while you wait for an assessment
Help available from health services while you wait for an assessment.
When a referral is made to a health service, there will be a wait before the service decides whether to make an assessment. There will be another wait before the assessment can take place.
You may be sent additional information to complete and return to make sure that you are accessing the correct service.
Help is available to support you and your family while you wait. Below is a list of services that can support you categorised by the type of assessment you are waiting for.
Waiting for a Neurodevelopmental Pathway (NDP) assessment
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- Assessment and contact information for Mid Sussex, Crawley, Horsham and Chichester areas
- Assessment and contact information for Worthing Child Development Centre
- Information and resources from the Neurodevelopmental service for children and young people at the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Information from Local Offer at Getting help and information about autism and ADHD
- Animations explaining the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) autism pathway for young people aged 11 to 18. These were part of a project led by Sussex charity, Reaching Families
- Wellbeing support, including specific support for neurodiversity and mental health. This is from e-wellbeing, a digital wellbeing service and participation group for young people, run by YMCA DownsLink Group
- NHS-commissioned support for parents to navigate the Neurodevelopmental Pathway from Sussex charity, Reaching Families
- Resources for autistic teenagers from the National Autistic Society
- ADHD resources for children and young people and their carers - Transformation Partners in Health and Care
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- Information about referral, assessment and support while waiting from Neurodevelopmental services (adult): Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Information from Local Offer at Getting help and information about autism and ADHDGetting help and information about autism and ADHD
- Information about support for autistic adults over 18 from the Aldingbourne Trust’s LIMA Service. (Low Intensity Management for Autism)
Waiting for a speech and language therapy (SALT) assessment
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Information about assessments from Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
- Early years and pre-school complex needs: ages 0 to 5
- Mainstream school service: ages 5 to 16
- Special and complex needs in schools, special support centres and units: ages 0 to 19
- Children's eating, drinking and swallowing service
- Stammering service
Information and support from Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust for those waiting for a SALT assessment
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Information and support from Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust for those waiting for a SALT assessment
Waiting for a physiotherapy assessment
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- General information about physiotherapy for children from the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
- Physiotherapy information and resources from University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
- Information about your new orthosis from the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
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- General information about musculoskeletal services, including physiotherapy from Sussex MSK Health. This service is for those aged 16 years and above.
Other assessments
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Occupational therapists support children and young people to take part in daily activities.
Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust has created a series of videos and other resources for parent carers. These explain sensory needs. They offer information and advice to support children and young people at home and at school.
- Sensory videos - Introduction to occupational therapy sensory videos
- Children’s occupational therapy sensory strategies and resources
- Children’s occupational therapy resource for primary schools
(May also be of interest to parent carers) - General information and support about the children’s occupational therapy service
- West Sussex County Council information about housing reports, assessments for changes in the home environment and equipment provision
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- Community neurological rehabilitation for adults from the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
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- Children and young people's community nursing services from the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
NHS and council support for all families and young people
- If you would like to request West Sussex Early Help services, you can contact the Integrated Front Door:
- Phone: 01403 229900
- Email: WSChildrenservices@westsussex.gov.uk
- Information about SEND support in education
- Your child may be eligible to access the West Sussex Short Breaks service Community activities and Short Breaks
- Support information for families from The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
Other organisations providing advice, training and support include:
- West Sussex Parent Carer Forum
- Reaching Families - a parent carer-led charity
- Autism Support Crawley - a voluntary carer-led charity supporting fellow unpaid carers, caring for someone with an Autistic mind, with or without a diagnosis across all of Sussex, Brighton and Hove, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire borders
- West Sussex Mind - a mental health charity
- National Autistic Society
- Aspens Family Support Service support for families caring for someone with autism, a learning disability or complex needs
- Coastal Mind
- Carers Support West Sussex - a charity supporting unpaid carers
- Recovery College offers educational courses for adults that focus on mental health and recovery
- Benefits and financial support if you’re disabled or have a health condition (GOV.UK)
I-Rock is run by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and offers advice and mental health support for young people aged 14 to 25 who live in Sussex:
Visit the Local Offer directory to find other services, groups and activities that may by of interest.