Sensory related services in Sheffield

Sleep resources

The Sleep Charity has a phone line service that provides advice and support around difficulties sleeping. They offer a free helpline that is part of their extensive services, open 7pm to 9pm, between Sunday and Thursday.

Sheffield Children’s paediatric sleep disorders nursing team email: scn-tr.sleepnurses@nhs.net

Eating

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is the rejection of certain foods often due to a sensitivity in taste, texture, smell, appearance or temperature.

South Yorkshire eating disorders association (SYEDA)

Sheffield Eating disorders assessment and treatment team (SEDATT)

Sheffield Children’s hospital speech and language therapy feeding and swallowing team

Education, health and care plan (EHCP) support

Sheffield Support Grid is a locally developed guidance document for school staff and other professionals. It is intended to help schools allocate support to learners with additional needs in a fair, consistent and transparent way.

Sheffield SEN and Disability Information Advice and support (SSENDIAS) provides impartial, confidential information, advice and support to parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. It covers a range of topics including SEN, disability specific information, education, SEN statutory processes, available services, disability related benefits, grants and funding.
Telephone: 0114 273 6009
Email: ssendias@sheffield.gov.uk

Toileting

The community continence team support children under 16, holding clinics at Centenary House and the Northern General Hospital. GPs, health visitors, and school nurses can make referrals to these clinics.

The child’s bowel and bladder charity (ERIC) is a free helpline that supports families around children with toileting difficulties. Lots of useful resources can be found on their website or their helpline on 0808 801 0343.

Support for parents

Family Intervention Service (FIS) work locally with children, young people and families to provide a range of services which help improve well-being, school attendance, learning behaviour and health care. Their workers usually work with families at their home or in school or at the local Family Centre.
Telephone: 0114 203 7485
Email: EarlyHelpAssessment@sheffield.gov.uk

Sheffield Parenting Hub run a range of groups for parents and carers that offer practical advice and support with parenting. They deliver programmes that are evidence-based and tried and tested. This means that the content is written by professional psychologists who have years of research into what works to manage behaviours and difficulties that we can all face as parents.
Telephone: 0114 2057243
Email: sheffieldparenting@sheffield.gov.uk

The Sheffield Parent Carer Forum is a local parent-led charity. They bring together parents and carers of children and young people (up to 25 years of age) with disabilities or special educational needs from across Sheffield. Their aim is to support each other, share information and influence policy and practice.
Telephone: 0300 321 4721

The health visiting team are part of the Sheffield Children’s 0 to 19 service that visit children and their families at home and at school 0 to 19 years of age.

Sheffield family hubs run lots of different activities and courses including baby and toddler sensory groups.

Mental health

NHS resource on anxiety in children and what to look out for.

Kooth is a free online counselling service that provides an online chat service for young people, available Monday to Friday between 12pm and 10pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 6pm to 10pm.

The Goldigger Trust is a Sheffield based charity that works with young people aged 11 to 18 years old and can support young people in areas such as self-esteem, managing emotions, healthy relationships and wellbeing.

The Sheffield Mental Health Guide is an information website aimed at anyone who is struggling in Sheffield, whether they have been diagnosed by a clinician or are just having a bad day. Available 24/7, it is a comprehensive guide to mental health services, support and activities in our city.

Speech and language

If you have concerns about your child’s communication, you can self-refer to the speech and language therapy team.

Small talk is a support group for parents and carers of pre-school children with speech, language and communication needs.

Puberty and sexuality

NHS Leeds have created a PDF resource on puberty and sexuality for young people with a learning disability. It is geared towards a teaching environment as a group, but it can be used as a useful tool for important conversations with your child.

The Youtube channel ‘Tween & Teens’ by Sam.K is an excellent resource on starting puberty for young people, their parents and carers.