1. Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People
RCOT Conference
Belfast

2. History of Children’s Disability Health Services
Teams of health professionals, developed often for a specific group of children e.g. children with an intellectual disability only
In some areas many different service providers each have their own criteria for access
Excellent services for some children and little or none for others

3. Aims of the Progressing Disability Services (PDS)programme
Consistent structure of services throughout the country
Needs based services rather than diagnostic based
Equity of access to services
One clear pathway to services for all children according to their needs

4. Children with disability or developmental delay and their families
Services pathway
Children with disability or developmental delay and their families
Primary Care Services
Children’s
Disability Network Teams
Specialist support as needed by Primary Care and Children’s Disability Network Teams
Child with complex needs
Direct individual assessment and short term intervention
Support and consultation
Transfer between services if and when child’s needs change
Child with non-complex needs

5. How is this being achieved?
National Children’s Programme Oversight Group and 25 Local Implementation Groups
Reconfigure existing staff working in children’s disability services (HSE and voluntary organisations) to form new teams called Children’s Disability Network Teams, which will provide services for all children in a given area regardless of their diagnosis or category of disability

7. Principles and values for teams
Bio-psychosocial model
Equity of access
Accessibility
Family Centred Practice
Interdisciplinary Team Working
Accountability
Inclusion
Early Identification and Referral
Evidence Based Practice and Clinical Governance
Evaluation of Outcomes
Cultural Competence
Staff and valued and respected

8. Why is PDS taking so long?
Bringing many separate organisations together, winning hearts and minds
Agreeing structures, governance
Lack of accommodation for teams
IT system for team operation and admin
Grade and job description of team manager
Lack of investment