Making a referral
Step by Step Guide to referrals to the Children’s Therapy Service
Who can refer?
Referrals can be made by GP’s, Consultants, Health Visitors, Parents/Guardians, Schools, and other Health Professionals.
How and when to refer?
Please look at our service guidelines leaflets or detailed information.
For referral forms and guidelines to make a referral to Speech and Language Therapy:
Referrals to Speech and Language Therapy for Children in Early Years (0-5 Years)
Referrals to Speech and Language Therapy for School aged children (5-18 Years)
For referral forms and guidelines to make a referral to Children’s Occupational Therapy and Children’s Physiotherapy:
For Referrals to Occupational Therapy
For Referrals to Physiotherapy
Please complete the referral form and send to the Children’s Therapy Service administrative team in Huddersfield (Princess Royal Health Centre) or Halifax (Broad Street Plaza). Please see main Children’s Therapy page for our contact details.
What happens...
... after I have made a referral?
A qualified therapist will check that the referral is appropriate (our referral guidelines have been followed). Once the referral is accepted, a letter will be sent out to the child’s parents/carers, asking them to telephone to arrange an initial appointment. This must happen within two weeks and is called ‘opting in’.
... after I have ‘opted in’ for my initial appointment?
Once parents/carers have contacted us to arrange an appointment, confirmation will be sent out to them by letter or text. Once this has been sent, the Trust policy is that all patients will be seen within 18 weeks but very often within children’s therapy the wait is much less than this.
... at my first appointment?
The therapist will:
- Gather information about your concerns, and the concerns of the referrer.
- Find out what you would like to happen as a result of this episode of care.
- Gather information about the child’s developmental history.
- Carry out some brief assessment to determine the child’s level of need and the nature of the child’s difficulties.
- Provide advice, information and resources as appropriate.
- Agree the aims and next steps or for this episode of care.
... if I want to change my appointment?
The therapist will:
- Gather information about your concerns, and the concerns of the referrer.
- Find out what you would like to happen as a result of this episode of care.
- Gather information about the child’s developmental history.
- Carry out some brief assessment to determine the child’s level of need and the nature of the child’s difficulties.
- Provide advice, information and resources as appropriate.
- Agree the aims and next steps or for this episode of care.
... if I want to change my appointment?
You should contact the admin team and let them know and we will try to re-arrange your appointment for another time.
... if I do not attend my appointment?
You must let us know if you are unable to attend your appointment, as this could then be offered to another patient. If you do not attend, you will be discharged from the service. If you then want to make a further appointment, you will have to make a new referral to the service.
... next?
Once the child’s level of need has been assessed, the therapist will either
- End the episode of care with advice and information, guidance on when and if to re-access the service.
or
- Discuss the most appropriate therapy plan, which may involve transferring the child’s care to the most appropriate therapist in the team. For example, to the therapist who works in your child’s school.
Please see our children’s therapy service pages for further information about who we work with.
... If I don't attend my child’s first appointment?
Parents/carers must be present at their child’s initial appointment. They must give consent for further advice, support or intervention to take place. Once permission has been given, the therapist can start the child’s ‘episode of care’ and continue to see the child.
... with an ‘episode of care’?
Once parents have given their permission at the first appointment, then the therapist can start the child’s ‘episode of care’. This means that the therapist will determine the most appropriate care plan for the child in order to meet their needs. Some children may come to the service and have only one episode of care. Other children may have several or many episodes of care during their early years and schools years.
Once the child’s episode of care has been completed the therapist will inform parents/carers and the referrer. The therapist will provide clear guidelines for when and if to re-access the service for a further episode of care.
