Specialist support team (SST)
The specialist support team (SST) provides bespoke, individual support packages for disabled children and young people up to age eighteen. This is designed around the needs of each child and family, delivered by trained and experienced support workers at home or in the community. The team is registered, regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Three teams make up the specialist support team:
- Targeted support team (TST)
- Home support team (HST)
- Community support team (CST)
Targeted support team
The targeted support team is a specialist team of practitioners who support children and young people up to the age of eighteen where disability is the primary concern, and where there is a need for specialist support, risk of family breakdown, or child protection and safeguarding concerns. Referrals usually come as an outcome of a social work assessment.
Support is given to families whose needs cannot be met by universal services. Work is short term and uses a strengths-based, solution-focused approach, starting with what is working well and building on this using families’ and young people’s best hopes to guide the work.
Home support team
The home support team provide support with personal care and family functioning by delivering short-term interventions:
- Assessment for personal and intimate care (PIC) at home – the care may be delivered by the team or an external provider
- Provide PIC support for young people in their own home in a bespoke manner
- Occupational therapy observations and building confidence in using equipment
- Support to build positive daily routines, promoting independence and self-esteem
- Ongoing family support such as parenting sessions in The Hives (bases) and drop-ins
- Provide a sensory approach and activities for the young people experiencing PIC where required
Community support team
The community support team is a specialist group of workers who offer support over a range of opportunities, utilising young people’s assessed and allocated short break hours:
- Weekend and/or school holiday support in The Hives (bases) or in the local community
- Tailored support for young people who require a greater supervision and staff ratio
- Specialist support provided in the home in a bespoke manner to the young person
- Group sessions offering encouragement and support of maintaining positive relationships with peers
- Promoting independence and self esteem, through community engagement and activities
- Support for transition into a link club or mainstream service when appropriate
- Advice and guidance for parents, via arranged drop-in sessions led by senior support workers
- Crisis support packages when families need extra support to prevent family breakdown
How to get support
The specialist support teams work on the ‘here and now’ according to need. Referrals to the service can be made by calling the duty contact number (0115 804 1262) or emailing SpecialistSupportServices-duty@nottscc.gov.uk. Parents and carers can also self-refer in this way.
Referrals can also be made directly by council professionals currently supporting the child, young person and family via MOSAIC. Children, young people and their families may also be referred to the team by the Early Help Unit.
Linked services
Many of our services work closely together to support children with disabilities and complex needs:
- Children’s Disability Service (CDS)
- Overnight short breaks – please note that a separate social work assessment will need to be completed for overnight short breaks
- Statutory SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), previously known as ‘ICDS’. You can read our one minute guid on the SEND local offer on our website.
- Occupational therapy (OT)
- Education, Health and Care Planning (EHCP) teams
- Short breaks assessment and review team (SBAR)
