Mums, dads and carers - Contact your GP or health visitor first if you have concerns about your child and they will decide if referral into our services is appropriate.

On this page you will find information about our specialist community paediatric service, including the services offered and what you can expect at appointments.

What we do

Our specialist community paediatric service aims to promote the health and welfare of children and young people (0-16 years, and up to 19 years in some circumstances) living in the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot areas.

It is a specialist child health assessment and diagnostic service staffed by specialist child health doctors, in conjunction with therapy and nursing staff.

We work in partnership with families, allied health professionals, education, social services and voluntary organisations. 

Community paediatricians (children’s doctors) may be able to help with concerns about: 

• Development  

• Communication 

• Children with disabilities 

• Bedwetting 

• Complex health needs 

For children living in the Neath Port Talbot area we have clinics at Neath Port Talbot Children’s Centre and at Ysgol Maes-y coed special school (for children and young people attending this school). 

For children living in the Swansea area we have clinics at Hafan Y Mor Children’s Centre and at Ysgol Crug Glas and Penybryn special schools (for children and young people attending these schools). 

Go to this page for more information about the health visiting service.

Services we offer 

• Neurodevelopmental assessment clinics 

• Multidisciplinary team clinics 

• Paediatric nocturnal enuresis (bed wetting) service 

• Social communication assessment clinics 

• Developmental coordination difficulties assessment clinic 

• Monitoring of children with lifelong neuro-disabling conditions 

• Clinics in special schools for children with complex needs  

• Medical assessment for hearing loss  

 

We also provide statutory services in conjunction with other health, social care and educational professionals, including: 

• Looked after children (LAC) clinics 

• Additional learning needs (ALN) / statement medical clinics 

• Child protection (safeguarding) clinics. These are centralised in Swansea. 

• Adoption medical clinics. These are centralised to Swansea. 

 

Post-diagnostic support services have also been developed together by the teams in Hafan Y Mor and Neath Port Talbot Children’s Centres: 

1. Next Steps Programme – a six week course run by the multi-agency team for parents of newly-diagnosed children under five years with ASD (autism spectrum disorder)

2. Stepping Forward – a six week course for parents of newly-diagnosed children with learning disabilities run by MD team. 

 

What can you expect? 

You will see one of a range of paediatric community doctors depending on your child’s needs. It may be helpful to write down any questions you have to remind you. 

The assessment will be based on your child’s needs and the clinic you are attending. We may examine your child and discuss their medical history. 

After the assessment, we will prepare a report of our findings for the referrer and will usually share this with you, your child’s GP and any other relevant parties. We will discuss with you any suitable investigations we feel may be appropriate.  

We will discuss the possible outcomes with you and your child at the appointment and our agreed recommendations will be included in the report. A follow-up appointment may be planned. 

 

Appointments 

If you no longer require an appointment or are unable to attend the appointment offered, please contact us as soon as possible to rearrange or cancel. Our appointment times vary and may be between 30 to 90mins. This is valuable time. We wish to reallocate to somebody else if you are unable to attend. Failure to attend appointment with no prior notice will lead to automatic discharge from the service. You would then need to go back to your GP / health visitor to put in a new referral. 

 

Looking after your information, consent and confidentiality 

We abide by strict codes of conduct in relation to consent and confidentiality. In line with the GDPR, you will be provided with a privacy notice by the person who made the original referral for the service, or with the appointment letter, regarding our information sharing policy. Please read this information carefully. Consent for information sharing is presumed unless stated otherwise by yourself when attending the appointment. 

Please note: We have a legal duty to share information where there are concerns about safeguarding a child’s welfare. 

 

About the clinics 

Neurodevelopmental assessment clinics are used to assess and investigate pre-school age children with concerns of neurodevelopmental disorders (ND). These are usually doctor-only clinics, but may involve therapists depending on a child’s specific needs.  

Multidisciplinary team (MDT) assessment clinics are for holistic assessment of children with developmental difficulties. These involve a doctor with a multi-disciplinary team of therapists (occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists) and other professionals (specialist health visitors, dietician, community nurse, social worker), dependent on a child’s specific needs. 

Nocturnal enuresis clinics assess, investigate and treat children with bedwetting difficulties. 

Social communication assessment clinics are doctor-only clinics in conjunction with speech and language therapists and are used to assess children with social communication difficulties/ Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Developmental coordination difficulties clinics are run in conjunction with the occupational therapists and physiotherapists and assess children with coordination difficulties, following referral via the school pathway. 

In medical clinics we assess children for underlying medical problems. 

In additional learning needs (ALN) clinics we assess the medical needs of children as part of the process of Statutory Assessment of Educational Needs, at the request of the Local Education Authority. 

In looked after children clinics we provide initial assessment for pre-school children placed in care. 

In child protection clinics we assess for physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect at the request of social service. 

Adoption clinics are held to medically assess children and meet and advise prospective adopters. 

 

Other Related Services (not primarily accessed through community paediatrics) and how to access them

 

Growth: You should see your GP in the first instance who may decide referral to a general paediatrician is appropriate. 

Hearing: Your GP or health visitor can refer directly to the specialist audiology service. This service is not available within community paediatrics. 

Enuresis (day and night time wetting) in pre-school age children: Your health visitor may be able to provide toilet training advice. This service is not available within community paediatrics for this age group. 

Learning difficulties, social communication difficulties and concerns about possible ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and DCD (developmental coordination disorder) in school age children:  Should be assessed initially by the additional learning needs co-ordinator, with educational psychologist input as necessary. Referrals should be made in line with the established multi-agency pathways for ASD, ADHD and DCD. 

Mental health problems: You should see your GP in the first instance who may decide referral to the mental health team is appropriate. This service is not available within community paediatrics. 

Emotional and behavioural problems: You should see your GP/health visitor in the first instance, who can offer simple strategies and sign post you to local groups including parenting support. This service is not available within community paediatrics. 

Obesity: You should see your GP/health visitor in the first instance, who can offer simple strategies and sign post you to local groups. This service is not available within community paediatrics.