System struggles to cope with “unprecedented” demand for Sheffield child neurodiversity services

A report written by Sheffield City Council’s strategic director of children’s services Meredith Dixon-Teasdale talks about the need for an overhaul to enable services to cope with the rising demand. That will be discussed by a meeting of the council’s education, children and families policy committee next Tuesday, June 10.

Ms Dixon-Teasdale’s report says: “Neurodevelopment referrals have grown from approximately 1,500 in 2019/20 to 4,600 in the past 12 months – [an] unprecedented level of demand growth – this has led to unacceptably long waits.

“There is a shared view our children, young people and families are waiting for an unacceptably long time and service models that no longer meet need. There is a shared view we need to work together to develop a radically different model of care and support across the city.”

Sign up for our free newsletters now

According to NHS England, neurodivergent conditions include autism, autism spectrum condition (ASC), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), variable attention stimulus trait (VAST), dyspraxia, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and Tourette’s Syndrome.

Ms Dixon-Teasdale says that improvement work has been taking place for three years and a fortnightly meeting of directors of all key organisations has taken place since last summer. As well as council and NHS leaders, this has included Sheffield Parent Carer Forum and Learn Sheffield.

Learn Sheffield is also leading the development of a SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) Manifesto.

Ms Dixon-Teasdale says the committee will get an update of work taking place in September.