A Neurodiversity and Emotional Wellbeing Service has been launched in Cumbria.
Cumberland Council, in partnership with local NHS services, has announced the launch of the service, which will be piloted for 12 months in the Cumberland and Eden areas.
It has been developed with the support of SENDAC, the statutory parent/carer forum for Cumbria.
The service will focus on early intervention and prevention, offering support at soon as needs of young people who are neurodivergent or needs emotional support are noticed. It will provide support, advice and guidance to families with children who have needs related to neurodivergence or emotional wellbeing.
This includes children up to 19, or young people up to aged 25 who have a diagnosed special educational need or disability.
The service team is made up of two social prescribers, five support workers, a health & wellbeing coach, three emotional resilience nurses, a clinical psychologist, and an assistant psychologist who can provide clinical support and guidance when needed.
The service has:
- A neurodiversity and emotional wellbeing section on the Cumberland Family Hubs website which has information, advice, and strategies to support families. This includes on areas such as supporting children with managing emotions, communication, and daily life including eating and sleeping.
- A single point of contact for parents, carers, young people, and professionals to contact the service to receive further advice and support.
- A new strength and needs assessment that can be completed with families to understand each child or young person and plan the right support.
What does neurodivergent mean?
Neurodivergent is used to describe people whose brains work in different ways.
This can affect things like communication, learning, attention, movement, or how someone processes sounds, lights, and other senses. It can include people who are autistic or have ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s, or similar conditions. However, a person does not have to have any of these specific diagnoses to be considered neurodivergent.
Neurodivergence is a general word for these differences. People who do not have these differences are often called neurotypical.
What is emotional wellbeing?
Emotional wellbeing is used to describe a person’s overall emotional health and how this influences their daily life, such as completing everyday tasks, managing relationships, and handling their emotions.
For children, positive emotional wellbeing often means enjoying school and hobbies, forming friendships, and managing age-appropriate tasks such as brushing their teeth or eating meals.
However, positive emotional wellbeing can look very different for every child – what feels positive for one child may look very different for another.
The team can also be contacted via email at [email protected].
*For children and young people living in the Eden area, signposting to follow-up support in the Westmorland and Furness Area will be provided, to ensure access to most appropriate local services.
