The Department of Community Child Health originated as a screening service in schools, in response to deprivation and poor child health. Doctors became known as School Doctors, working closely with School Nurses. This service has now evolved into Community Paediatricians providing a secondary, specialised service to children with a range of additional support needs, developmental disorders and disabilities:
The service has a statutory responsibility to all children (up to 19 years) through the Education and Children’s Acts.
It provides assessment, diagnosis and follow-up of children with additional support
needs including:
Learning difficulties
Physical difficulties
Visual impairment
Hearing impairment
Emotional / Behavioural difficulties
Looked after Children
Children at risk
Disadvantaged children
Chronic ill health
It refers to, and liaises with any other agencies involved –
Health: eg. Hospital specialists, GP’s, Health Visitors, Therapists, Dental services, Child Psychology, Child Psychiatry, Community Learning Disability Nurses
Education eg. Teaching staff, Educational Psychologists Social Services eg. Social Workers, Respite Care Staff
Voluntary Services eg.Society/Support Workers
Appointments are arranged at various centres eg. The Birnie Child Development Centre, or localised bases such as Culloden or via school clinics.
Referrals are accepted from health professionals and educational psychologists. In certain situations referrals from others including social workers, police and head teachers will be accepted. The Department is Consultant led. Each Community Paediatrician has responsibility for a defined geographical area and each school has a named doctor and nurse. In addition, staff see children in a number of specialist clinics including neuro disability, follow up of low birth weight infants, enuresis and autism.