Social Care support

Camden are committed to the support of disabled children and young people and their families. This page lets disabled children, young people and their families know about the process for assessment and social care support in Camden, including guidance about pathways for assessment and potential levels of support.

The accepted definition of disability in Camden is from the Equalities Act 2010, which is a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.

Our principles

Camden aims to make sure disabled children and young people in the borough receive the most suitable social care services and support according to the level of their needs.

We will:

  • Work in partnership with children, young people and their parents and carers to maximise the child or young person’s potential so that they can make the most of their opportunities in the context of their disability.
  • Ensure that all children and young people are able to take an active part in deciding on services and support to the extent that they are able and we will assess their capacity to make decisions as required by law.
  • Enable young people to experience as much personal freedom as is possible given the nature and extent of their disabilities and this will only be restricted as is necessary to safeguard the child or young person’s welfare.

Should you require an assessment, the assessment process begins with Camden’s Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) Team following a referral from a partner agency, self-referral or a request for an Education, Health and Care assessment. This will help to identify access to services and support.

Access to services

Disabled children’s needs can, in most circumstances, be met at level 1 through universal services such as health, community activities (local parks, leisure centres, community groups) and education, and this would help them overcome any difficulties they face because of their disability and allow them to lead as normal a life as possible. You do not need an assessment to access universal services.

Children with mild disabilities whose needs are at level 2 and their families can get support from Camden’s Early Help service. For more information, contact the  Children and Families Contact Team on 020 7974 3317.

Children with more complex disabilities at level 3 will meet the threshold for more specialist support from the Children and Young People Disability’s Service. For more information, contact the Children and Young People’s Disability Service on 020 7974 3597 or [email protected].

Assessment routes and process

The initial contact with Children’s Services is the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) Team, following:

  • a referral from a partner agency like school, health centre, GP, Police or,
  • families can self-refer or,
  • a request for an Education, Health and Care assessment.

MASH team makes an initial decision as to which service will complete an assessment to decide what provision of services is appropriate. The assessment would consider the child needs and will include an assessment of the needs of the parent carer for support, advice or information. MASH service contact details are: phone 020 7974 3317 email [email protected].

The purpose of an assessment is to understand a disabled child or young person’s social and care needs and how much support is needed to meet these needs, to maintain friendships and participate in local groups or leisure activities in the community that they are interested in. It is also to understand the impact on the parent, carer and family of caring for the disabled child or young person and the degree of support the parent, carer and family requires.

All disabled children and young people need some degree of support for their social and care needs and to achieve the above outcomes. For many, their parent carer, family, friends, schools and local groups provide this support. This could be information, advice or practical support.

At times it may be assessed as necessary for a certain level of support to be provided through social care services delivered or commissioned by the local authority. The key to supporting the disabled child, young person and their parent carer and family is having a clear understanding of their social and care needs, their aspirations and the outcomes they want to achieve and the support they require.

All assessments are holistic, which means they will capture the voice of the child, young person, parent, carer, family and any services involved with them. The assessment reflects all their views.

Which teams can complete an assessment?

If social workers do have any concerns about the standard of care the disabled child or young person receives or believe that they may be at risk of harm, neglect or abuse, the Children in Need Service or the Children and Young People’s Disability Service may take action under our safeguarding and child protection procedures.

Range of support

Our children’s services have a range of different ways to meet the needs of children, young people and families.

Opportunities and support for disabled children and families are mostly provided by universal services. All other support will be based on an individual assessment of the child’s needs and their parent carer and families and can include a range of targeted short breaks like stay and play, home learning support for under 5s, sensory activities, play provision and holiday support, or a range of specialist short breaks service like  personal care, respite, holiday activities, Saturday and after school clubs.

The Family Hubs can provide advice and support and offer a central point of contact for parent carer and families and disabled children and young people at any stage, offer guidance, information and assessment options, can make referrals to more specialist services within Children Services. Children will be allocated a worker from the most appropriate team, based on their needs.

The offer of services in Adults Social care includes Autism Hub, community services for disabled young people that are accessible to all, or more specialist services. 

Children in care

Some children who have very complex needs may need to have their education, health and social care needs in specialist settings, either in the community or in registered care settings like foster care, residential schools registered as children’s homes. Details of different types of specialist provision available in Camden can be found on the Education page.

Most children in residential placements will be placed for 38 weeks during term time and will return home for the holidays. If the child lives away from home at a residential placement for 52 weeks of the year and does not return home they will need to become looked after by Camden. This means they will have a care plan that sets out how Camden will ensure that they are well cared for whilst living at their placement.

Sometimes children may be looked after because there are concerns about the standard of care they receive at home. Please see the information in the safeguarding and child protection section for full details.