Processes and referrals

An Early Help referral may be appropriate when a child or young person has emerging needs that would benefit from additional support, but do not meet the threshold for statutory social care involvement.

Early Help is designed to provide timely, coordinated support for children, young people and families where concerns are starting to impact on wellbeing, development or engagement with education.

You may wish to consider an Early Help referral where there are:

• concerns about attendance, punctuality or risk of persistent absence
• emerging social, emotional or mental health needs
• behavioural difficulties that are impacting on learning or relationships
• speech, language and communication needs affecting access to the curriculum
• concerns about family circumstances, including parenting capacity
• housing, financial or environmental challenges
• increasing risk of exclusion or disengagement from education

Before making a referral, schools should:

• discuss concerns with parents or carers and gain consent
• consider support already in place through the graduated approach
• gather relevant information about the child’s need

Early Help enquiry form

CSC Inter-agency referral form

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide assessment and support for children and young people experiencing significant mental health difficulties.

Referrals to CAMHS are appropriate where a child or young person is experiencing persistent, severe or complex mental health needs that are having a significant impact on their daily functioning, relationships or ability to access education.

Before making a referral, schools should:

• ensure that appropriate support has been put in place, including early intervention strategies and support through the graduated approach
• evidence this support and its impact over time

CAMHs referral guidance

Occupational Therapy (OT) supports children and young people who have difficulties with everyday tasks, fine or gross motor skills, sensory processing or participation in school activities. OT aims to help children access the curriculum and everyday life safely and independently.

When a referral may be appropriate

A referral to OT may be considered when a child or young person:

• has difficulties with fine motor skills (e.g. handwriting, using cutlery, manipulating small objects)
• has difficulties with gross motor skills (e.g. balance, coordination, moving safely)
• struggles with self-care tasks (e.g. dressing, eating, toileting)
• experiences sensory processing difficulties that impact learning or behaviour
• requires adaptive equipment or strategies to access the curriculum or participate in school life

Steps before making a referral

Before referring to OT, schools should:

• identify and document the child’s difficulties and their impact on learning and daily activities
• implement appropriate support strategies or reasonable adjustments in the classroom
• monitor the effectiveness of interventions and record outcomes
• discuss concerns with parents or carers and gain consent for a referral

NHS Occupational Therapy referrals form

How to refer

To make a referral to the OT team login to the school referrals portal below. 
For general queries and questions email us at schools.otsensoryoutreachteam@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.

Referrals to Paediatricians / Child Development Centre (CDC)

Paediatricians at the Child Development Centre (CDC) provide specialist medical assessment and advice for children and young people with complex developmental, physical or medical needs that affect their learning, behaviour or daily functioning.

When a referral may be appropriate

A referral to a paediatrician may be considered when a child:

• has ongoing developmental concerns
• presents with medical or physical needs affecting school participation
• requires a multi-disciplinary assessment to guide interventions and support
• has complex needs that may benefit from coordinated care with health, education and social services

Steps before making a referral

A local school has created the following documents to support teachers and parents to complete parts of the referral form:

• Paediatric referral pack and guidance form
• Parental contribution to paediatric referral form
• Teacher contribution to paediatric referral form
• Pan Dorset - development and behaviour pathway referral form

Right to Choose

Families have the right to express a preference for which NHS provider their child is referred to, where clinically appropriate. While the CDC at Poole Hospital covers the BCP area, parents and carers may discuss their preferences with the referring health professional. The service will consider these preferences alongside clinical need, capacity and local eligibility criteria, ensuring children receive timely and appropriate assessment and support.

Schools and SENCos can help by providing clear, detailed evidence of the child’s needs and any interventions already in place.

Speech and Language Therapists (SaLT) provide specialist assessment, therapy and advice for children and young people who have difficulties with communication, speech, language or swallowing that affect their learning, social interaction or daily life.

When a referral may be appropriate

A referral to SaLT may be considered when a child:

• struggles to understand or use language effectively
• has speech difficulties that impact intelligibility or social participation
• experiences social communication challenges, including difficulties following instructions or interacting with peers
• has feeding or swallowing difficulties that affect safety, nutrition, or participation in school
• needs strategies or support to access the curriculum due to communication needs

Steps before making a referral

Before referring to SaLT, schools should:

• observe and document the child’s communication difficulties and their impact on learning and daily activities
• implement classroom strategies and support where possible
• record the outcomes of interventions and note ongoing difficulties
• discuss concerns with parents or carers and gain consent for referral
• gather evidence of support already provided to include with the referral

Dorset / BCP Local Process

In BCP and Dorset, SaLT teams often meet with SENCos and inclusion leads to discuss children who may benefit from a referral. These meetings allow schools to:

• share observations and evidence of support already in place
• receive guidance on strategies and interventions before a formal referral
• ensure referrals are appropriate and supported with sufficient evidence

This collaborative approach helps target therapy where it is most needed and reduces inappropriate or duplicate referrals.

Speech and Language Therapists work with schools, families, and other professionals to provide assessment, therapy and practical strategies that help children communicate effectively and participate fully in school and daily life.

Speech and Language referral form

Speech and language consent form