Surrey is working on providing early support for children aged 0-5 years old with disabilities and special needs

How can Surrey Early Support Service help me?

We offer parents and professionals information about local services for young children with disabilities and special needs.

When a child has complex needs or multiple disabilities there may be a large number of people involved in providing services for them.

We can coordinate these services for you to make sure everyone involved is aware of the overall needs of your child and your family.

“Having someone to walk that difficult journey with us has made all the difference.” Parent.

How can I get this support?

You can refer yourself or any professional working with your family can refer you. For more information or to make a referral, contact your local Surrey early support service coordinator.

What happens after a referral?

A Surrey early support service coordinator will allocate your family a level of support based on their needs. The children with the most complex needs will be offered a Family Service Plan. To create the plan, we will bring you, and all the professionals involved with your family, together at a ‘team around the child’ meeting. Your family will be at the centre of this planning process. We can also arrange for you to have a key worker.

What is a key worker?

A key worker is your link to all the other services. You will choose someone who is already working with your family. They can come from any agency, for example health, education, social care.

They can:

• offer information and support
• visit or call regularly, not just when there is a problem
• listen to your views and make sure other professionals are aware of them
• coordinate assessments where possible
• make sure you get a Family Pack so your child’s information is held in one place.
• monitor the working of the Family Service Plan and keep everyone informed of progress and any changes.

The Surrey Early Support Service is overseen by a range of professionals from health, education, social care and the voluntary sector and supported by a parent/carer focus group. It is also supported by the Surrey Alliance.

Contact us

Email:  earlysupport@surreycc.gov.uk

Tel:  0300 200 1004

Web:  www.surreycc.gov.uk/earlysupport

Address:  Surrey Early Support Service, Early Years and Childcare Service, Fairmount House, Bull Hill, Leatherhead, KT22 7AH