Service overview
Our Community Children’s Nurses (CCNs) visit children and young people outside hospital and provide expert nursing care, support, and advice. We work in homes, schools, and other places in your local area.
We help with:
- complex medical and nursing needs
- physical and learning disabilities
- life-limiting, long-term, or life-threatening conditions
- acute or short-term conditions (West Berkshire only)
- end-of-life care
The support we provide includes:
- home and school visits to assess and manage nursing needs
- training for parents and carers to confidently care for your child at home
- help to reduce hospital visits, allowing your child to stay in familiar environments
- joined-up care through close working with other professionals involved in your child’s health and wellbeing
Accessing our service
We support children and young people from birth up to 18 years old.
They must also be registered with a GP in Berkshire.
Referrals can only be made by healthcare professionals.
Response times
- Urgent referrals are reviewed within two working days.
- End-of-life care referrals are prioritised and responded to on the same working day.
- Routine referrals are picked up within five working days.
CCN East
(Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, and Bracknell Forest)
If you are in East Berkshire, your child must have a nursing need and either a diagnosed learning disability or a long-term complex medical condition.
CCN West
(Reading, Wokingham, and West Berkshire)
If you are in Berkshire West, we will support your child if they have either acute or long-term nursing needs.
Preparing for an assessment
Your assessment will usually be at home and last about an hour. We will work with you to choose a time and place that works best for you.
If your child is still in hospital and has been referred for support when they leave, your nurse may meet you on the ward.
We will check things like weight, heart rate, and temperature. We will also chat with you and your child about their health, home, and school environment.
Before we come, it is helpful for us if you can write down:
- medicines your child takes
- names of other professionals involved in their care
- any questions you want to ask
Managing your health
Your e-Health Passport
Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.
Learn moreContact us and FAQs
Community Children’s Nursing Service (West)
Contact number: 0118 378 3932
Email: ChildrensCommunityNursingWest@berkshire.nhs.uk Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm (bank holidays 9am to 5pm)
Community Children’s Nursing Service (East)
Contact number: 0300 365 0123 Option 4
Email: ccneast@berkshire.nhs.uk Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my child needs to use a medical device?
If your child requires the use of any medical devices, the Community Children’s Nursing Service will provide you with information and advice as soon as the device is received.
We can also help you with:
Is there any information for friends, family and carers?
If you’re a family member, carer, or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support.
Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.
We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:
- Telephone interpreting
- Video remote interpreting (VRI)
- Face‑to‑face interpreting
- Written translation
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?
Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to get information in a format that meets their needs.
The Accessible Information Standard (AIS) is a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers. This means making sure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand our information and communicate with us easily.
We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Large print
- Braille
- Audio
- Easy read
- Text message
- Face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present
If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.
Are service dogs allowed at my appointment?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.
These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.
To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.
Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.
What does it mean to treat our team with respect?
Respect is important.
We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.
Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.
We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.
This may include contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
How do I find my NHS number?
The easiest way to find your NHS number is using the official NHS online service which can be accessed below.
You may also want to read our guidance page for more information about other ways to find your NHS number or what to do if you cannot find yours.
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