Islington CAMHS Neurodevelopmental Team (NDT)

All SEMH / CAMHS referrals are processed through our single point of access.

For more information or to make a referral, please visit our SEMH page.

We accept self-referrals and professional referrals; these are made by completing a Request for Service form (click on the ‘Request for Service form’ link to then download the ‘CSCT Request for a Service form’).

Referrals are screened by the Islington Social, Emotional and Mental Health Intake team (which includes CAMHS). We must consider whether the information shared suggests the child or young person may have a neurodevelopmental difference. Referrers can discuss worries about the young person with the SEMH intake team, they may ask for more information or questionnaires to be completed as part of the screening process. The SEMH intake team will help identify what specialist help and support may be needed.

We appreciate the children and families are waiting a long time before they are seen for an assessment so we will also try and provide recommendations of other services, websites, workshops or strategies that can support you whilst you are waiting.

Due to the high demand for services the waiting time for Neurodevelopmental assessments is approximately 3 years. There is currently a waiting list initiative to try to bring down this long wait.

Resources for parents, carers and families:

• NHS: Dealing with child behaviour problems
• NHS: How to deal with challenging behaviour in children 
• HelpGuide.org: ADHD in children
• Healthy Child: Attention problems in children
• Kid Sense: Attention and concentration

Resources for teachers:

• The Tool Box: Attention activities
• The Autism Helper: Attention behaviours

General resources:

• NHS: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Speech and Language Therapy for Kids: Attention milestones
• The Tool Box: Self-monitoring strategies for kids
• Child Mind Institute: Why do kids act out?
• Anna Freud: Common difficulties - Aggression
• Very Well Mind: How psychologists define attention

Resources for parents, carers and families: 

• NHS: How to care for someone with communication difficulties
• BBC: Speech and language difficulties 
• Gov.uk: Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Resources for teachers:

• Oxfordshire County Council: Early Years SEN toolkit - Communication and interaction
• NSPCC: Supporting children who have additional needs and disabilities

General resources:

• Speech and Language UK 
• TES: How communication needs and behaviour are linked
• Austism.org: Understanding and developing communication
• Special Needs Jungle: Free course in Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in children with mental health difficulties
• Chatterbug: How important is an adult’s role in developing a child’s communication
• Islington.gov: Bright Start Support for Under 5s with emerging SEND and disabilities
• Communication Matters
• Twinkl: Visual Communication Cards
• BBC Bitesize: SEND

Resources for parents, carers and families:

• Beyond Autism: Sensory needs parents’ coffee morning with the school’s Occupational Therapist
• The Mighty: How to Satisfy 6 Kinds of Sensory Needs for Kids With Autism
• He’s extraordinary: 32 Activities for Sensory Seekers
• Parenta: ‘Sensory diets’ and how they can help children diagnosed with ADHD
• Understood: Understanding sensory processing challenges in your child

Resources for teachers:

• NAS: Reasonable adjustments for autistic pupils’ sensory differences

General resources

• NHS: Sensory-friendly resource pack
• NAS: Sensory differences
• Autism Speaks: Sensory issues
• NAS: Sensory differences - a guide for all audiences
• The Spectrum: Autism sensory strategies
• Very Well Health: Sensory overload - Symptoms, causes, and treatments
• NHS: Sensory Processing in Young People with a Learning Disability and/or ASD
• Autism Together: Vestibular sense and the autistic spectrum
• Psychology Today: Autism and sensory needs
• Understood: The difference between sensory processing challenges and ADHD
• ADDitude: Never enough? Why ADHD brains crave stimulation
• Very Well Mind: Understanding hypersensitivity in ADHD
• Scouts: Sensory processing differences and disorder (SPD)
• Learning Disability Today: A beginner’s guide to neurodiversity
• Learning Disability Matters: Sensory issues
• Sensory Trust: Using Widgit and symbol languages
• Smart Kids: Sensory processing disorder overview

Resources for children and young people

• Mencap: Changes to special educational needs and disability support (easy read guide)

Resources for parents, carers and families:

• Gov.UK: SEND support - Easy-read guide for parents
• Islington.gov: Education, care and health assessment pathway
• Family Action: SEND information for parents and carers
• Gov.UK: Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Gov.UK: Apply for school transport for a child with special educational needs and disabilities
• Islington.gov: Short breaks service
• Special Needs Jungle: One parent’s seven steps to success for her autistic son’s EHCP
• NAS: Education, health and care plans in England
• Child Autism UK: Help with funding and the EHC Plan
• Scope: Applying for an EHCP
• Scope: Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support

Resources for teachers:

• Gov.UK: SEND code of practice - 0-25 years

General resources:

• Islington.gov: SEND local offer
• Islington.gov: Services in primary and secondary schools 
• Islington.gov: Education information required by the LA to consider an EHC needs assessment request
• Family Action: Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) services
• Action for Children: About Islington Short Breaks
• Action for Children: Short Breaks
• Ambitious about Autism: Education, Health and Care plans
• IPSEA: EHC plans, EHC needs assessments and SEND Tribunal appeals
• NAS: Long awaited SEND Improvement Plan released

Resources for professionals:

• Therapist Neurodiversity Collective: Neurodiversity-affirming therapy - Positions, therapy goals and best practices

Resources for teachers:

• Teach Early Years: Neuro affirming practice - Early Years advice from Kerry Murphy

General resources:

• NAS: How to talk and write about autism
• RDs for Neurodiversity: The Neurodiversity Affirming Model
• Learn, Play, Thrive: Goal Writing for Autistic Students Course
• Positive About Autism
• CBC: I Want To Share 10 Positive Traits That Some People With Autism Have
• SEN Magazine: Positive about autism
• Autism Education Trust: Positives of being autistic - Jessica
• ADDitude: What I Would Never Trade Away
• Very Well Health: 10 Surprising Benefits of Having ADHD
• ADDept: THE ADHD ADVANTAGE - The 10 greatest benefits of ADHD brains
• BBC: The good things about ADHD - ’It’s my superpower’
• BBC: Inside Our Autistic Minds - Demystifying autism and overstimulation
• The Guardian: I’m a woman with ADHD - here are all the reasons why I’m proud of it
• The Guardian: ‘We don’t need to be cured or fixed’ - writers speak out on autism
• NAS: Stories from the spectrum
  

   

Resources for parents, carers and families: 

• Start Sleeping: Autism and sleep - What parents need to know
• NHS: How to help your autistic child with day-to-day life
• Autism Parenting Magazine: Autism sleep medication - Is it safe and beneficial?
• NHS: How does sleep differ in a child with a neurodiversity?

General resources:

• NAS: Sleep and autism 
• NAS: Autism and sleep disturbance
• Autism Speaks: Sleep
• Spectrum: Sleep problems in autism, explained
• Sleep Health Foundation: Autism in children and sleep
• PsychCentral: How can autism affect your sleep?
• Embrace Autism: Autism & sleep problems - Solutions
• Sleep Advisor: Autism and sleeping problems - Patterns and disorders explained
• Sleep Foundation: ADHD and Sleep
• NHS: Living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• ADDitude: ADHD and Sleep Problems - This is why you’re always tired
• Very Well Mind: How embracing the chaos helps my ADHD
• Start Sleeping: Sleep and ADHD / ADD
• Very Well Mind: The relationship between ADHD and insomnia
• Different Brains: Neurodiversity and Sleep: Tips for helping different brains rest
• Neurodivergent insights: Autism, ADHD and Sleep - An expert guide on neurodivergent sleep
• Parenting the Diverse: Sleep

Resources for parents, carers and families:

• NAS: Making friends - Supporting your autistic child
• The Mom Kind: Autism & friendship - Helping your autistic child form positive friendships
• AANE: Friendships - Variations on a theme
• YoungMinds: Supporting your child with ADHD
• Child Mind Institute: Kids who need a little help to make friends
• Sibs: Helping siblings have a positive relationship
• NAS: Family relationships - A guide for siblings of autistic people
• ADDitude: When ADHD Drains and Strains Sibling Relationships
• NAS: Family relationships
• The Healthy Place: The impact of ADHD on siblings

Resources for adults:

• Very Well Health: The importance of social skills therapy for autism
• NAS: Making friends - A guide for autistic adults

General resources:

• autism speaks: Social skills and autism
• The OT Toolbox: Social skills checklist
• Centre for Autism: Social skills 
• The Spectrum: Autism social interaction strategies
• Twinkl: Social skills 
• Ambitious about Autism: 10 reasons people with autism struggle with friendships
• Spectrum: How people with autism forge friendships
• Twinkl: An expert guide to autism and friendship skills
• Autism Society: Social connections
• Incredible Kids: Autism and friendships!
• HealthyPlace: ADHD and Friendships: How to make and keep friends
• raisingchildren: Friendships - Children and pre-teens with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• The Mighty: Object permanence - Why ADHD makes me ‘forget’ my friends

Resources for children and young people:

• NHS: Emotional regulation - What is it?

Resources for parents, carers and families 

• Additude: Take a deep breath - Teaching kids to control emotions
• Mightier: 5 emotional self-regulation skills for kids
• Meraki Lane: Self-regulation at home - 10 calming strategies for kids
• Parenting for Brain: How co-regulation with parents develops into self-regulation in children

Resources for teachers:

• Inclusive Teach: Emotional regulation & SEND - Free printable resources
• TES: 5 strategies to help children self-regulate
• Twinkl: Zones of regulation teaching activity
• NIHR: School-based self-regulation interventions can improve child academic, health and behavioural outcomes
• SEND Supported: Understanding and supporting children with emotional regulation difficulties

Resources for professionals:

• NICABM: Applying the 3 Circles Model of Emotion to help clients heal shame

General resources

• Child Mind Institute: How can we help kids with self-regulation?
• The OT Toolbox: Emotional regulation games
• Growing Hands on Kids: How to teach emotional regulation skills to children
• Smart Kids with LD: DBT may help regulate emotions
• The OT Toolbox: Lion and Lamb self-regulation activity for kids
• NHS: Emotional regulation
• habits for wellbeing: The emotional regulation system

​​