Community Access Service

The role of the Community Access Team

To facilitate children and young people with a disability to enable them to access opportunities for social, leisure and personal development either with their peers or individually in the local community as it is recognised that some children will prefer more solitary community based activities. The team aims to engage in a time limited manner to develop and maintain links with local community organisations who can offer ongoing support for young people with a disability e.g. youth workers, volunteers, groups. The team also aims to promote and develop new services within the community. This includes the provision of Summer schemes and the Supported Transition Entry Programme (STEP)

Request for a Service

Referrals are accepted from social workers based in the three Children’s Disability Teams within the SHSCT. Prior to a referral being made there should be a discussion between the social worker and community access staff to initially screen the referral with consideration given to the availability of other social outlets for the young person.

Age Range

12 – 17 years

Appropriate Referrals

Young people referred to the team should be capable of and willing to actively engage safely within the programme, service or activity provided by community services. Priority should be given to those children who are socially isolated and are not receiving other services with a social inclusion element, in addition to those on the child protection register or subject to a court order or proceedings. Where it is deemed that a high level of risk exists these referrals are not appropriate as the child should be able to engage safely within the activity.

Action following acceptance of referral

On receipt of a new referral an acknowledgement letter will be sent within 10 days to the parent or carer to inform them that they have been placed on a waiting list and the community access officer will be contacting them as soon as possible to arrange an initial home visit.

An assessment will be undertaken to identify the young person’s wants, their interests and hobbies in an attempt to match them to a service that will best meet their needs.

The team will provide advice and support to community organisations in addition to introducing, facilitating and monitoring the young person at the community option.

Monitoring and review will continue until the young person has settled and can attend on their own or access services organised and monitored by their carers.

Regular reviews will take place to ensure the young person’s needs are being met with community access which may include case closure as the service is designed to be time limited and to promote empowerment, independence and inclusion. This will not affect the young person’s continued attendance/engagement with the community activity.

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Young people from the Children with Disabilities Team and their families were invited to join an Inclusive Climbing Wall event at Gilford Community Centre. The event provided a fun and engaging opportunity for our service users to interact with their parents, siblings, and friends. This experience not only enhanced their social skills but also increased their self-confidence.

Climbing wall activity - Gilford Community Centre
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Feedback from families:

“They gained confidence and strength using the climbing wall. We all enjoyed it as a family”