Overview
Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm
The Autism and Learning Disability Keyworking Service supports children and young people aged 0-25 who are diagnosed with autism and/or a learning disability who are at risk of entering a mental health inpatient setting or needing enhanced community support to prevent crisis.
Our keyworkers work closely with families, working creatively to break down barriers to receiving support across education, health, and social care with the aim to promote their health and wellbeing and ensure they reach their full potential.
Our promise to you:
- You'll feel informed, listened to, and involved at every stage.
- We'll help you reduce stress and uncertainty by coordinating care and support across different services.
- We'll support your child's safe transition between home, community, and hospital settings if necessary.
What we do:
Work intensively and flexibly with the family to understand their identified needs earlier on in their journey so tailored interventions across health, education and social care can be in place at the right time to prevent escalation and crisis.
Identify gaps in service, breaking down any barriers to interventions and escalating any blocks to getting the right support in place to the ICB.
Advocate on behalf of the child/young person and parents/ carers where they lack confidence so they feel heard, validated, understood and involved in the plans being made about them.
Improve communication across the professional network so everyone understands the barriers effecting progress and are able to work toward the same goals to prevent ongoing disintegration.
Support with transitions and ensure appropriate adjustments are being implemented across all environments to meet a YP's identified needs including, hospitals, education, SB provisions, home.
Ensure hospital admissions are as short as possible and discharge plans are being made as soon as a YP is admitted to prevent delay in discharge using the 12 point discharge plan.
Times and availability
Age Range: 0 - 25 year olds
Contact
Referral
Referrals to the Keyworking Service must come through the Dynamic Support Register (DSR) and these referrals must be made by a professional working with the family.
Please see downloads at the right on how to refer to the DSR.
The DSR ensures that children and young people requiring enhanced community support are appropriately identified for Keyworking. Information on the DSR is also attached under downloads.
Criteria for referral:
- A confirmed diagnosis of Autism and/or a Learning Disability
Residing in Nottinghamshire - Are at risk of hospitalization or are being considered for admission.
- Pose a serious and/or significant risk of harm to themselves or others.
- Have a community placement, tenancy, residential special school, or care and support placement at risk of irretrievable breakdown, posing a significant risk to the safety and well-being of the person and/or others.
- Are presenting to the police due to behaviour or crisis.
- Are frequently presenting to urgent and emergency care services.
- Have had a mental health hospital admission within the last year.
- Have been supported by a mental health crisis team in the last year.
- Have one or more factors that significantly increase the risk of hospital admission.
Referral Steps:
Ensure the child or young person meets the DSR criteria (attached under downloads).
Submit the referral via the DSR using the referral link. For access requests, please email nnicb-nn.nottsdsr@nhs.net
Once the referral is submitted, you will be invited to attend an initial MDT to discuss the case.
Once Keyworking support is identified as appropriate, you can then refer to our service using the link below.
For any questions or further support prior to submitting a referral, please email us at keyworking.service@nottinghamcity.gov.uk. We are happy to assist with any queries and guide you through the process.
Note: A referral is not needed for participation in our peer support sessions or half-term activities-these are open to children and young people who have a diagnosis of autism and/or learning disability (under the age of 25).