While your child is waiting for an appointment or diagnosis, support is available through charities, health services and family support groups. Having no specific diagnosis should not stop you or your child from receiving support, so please consider the below:
Keep in touch with your health services
Keep your GP updated as they are still responsible for your care and contact them if you need help or your child is unwell. In an emergency you can go to your local Accident and Emergency Department.
Talk to someone
Mental health problems can affect the way your child/young person thinks, feels and behaves. If your child has problems with their mental health, they might feel sad, worried, confused, anxious, angry, frightened, hopeless or isolated. Support is available from:
Southend, Essex and Thurrock Children's and Adolescent's Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) (Previously known as EWMHs) https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/set-camhs
Keep a journal or diary
Recording things like feelings, thoughts, moods, worries, events and behaviours can help and this is something that you can take to your child’s appointment to show the mental health professional.
It’s also a good idea to think about what you want to ask at your appointment and make a note of the things that are most important to you.
Local Offer
The Local Offer, provides information, advice and guidance on local services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) age 0 - 25 and their families.
SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS)
SENDIASS offer free, confidential and impartial information, advice and support service on issues related to Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). This includes information and processes related to health and social care.
Parent Carer Forums
Parent carer forums are groups run by parents and carers of disabled children from a local area in England. Their aim is to make sure that services in their area meet the needs of disabled children and their families.
The following resources may also be helpful:
Supporting your neurodiverse child - This pack is available to download, or you can request a hard copy