Service overview
We provide specialist medical care for children in East Berkshire with a wide range of long-term complex developmental conditions.
Our service is for children from infancy to around 16 years in mainstream schools, and for young people up to 19 who attend one of the three East Berkshire local authority special schools.
We provide medical assessments, diagnosis, treatment, and advice. We run specialist community medical clinics focused on child-centred care for conditions affecting development and causing disability.
We also carry out statutory medical assessments for child protection, children in care, and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children up to the age of 18.
Accessing our service
Referrals to our service must come from professionals who work with the child, such as GPs, health visitors, or school nurses. Parents and carers are not able to refer directly.
We accept referrals for children with:
- Suspected autism (ages 2.5–5).
- Delays in two or more developmental areas (communication and social communication count as one).
- Developmental regression (loss of skills).
- Suspected/diagnosed motor or movement disorders (e.g. Cerebral Palsy).
- Congenital conditions associated with developmental impairment (e.g. Down syndrome, Fragile X, Neuro-metabolic conditions).
- Significant learning disability with suspected medical cause.
- Investigations for the cause of hearing impairment.
- Conditions with long term neuro-disability spina bifida, muscular dystrophy or brain injury.
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia).
If a referral is needed for a safeguarding assessment, it must go through the central safeguarding hub at Wexham Park Hospital. Social workers should contact the safeguarding team on 0300 615 3879, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
If your referral is accepted, we’ll offer you an appointment within 18 weeks. Appointment details are usually sent out around three weeks before the date.
There may be some concerns better supported by other services. These include autism in children over five, speech or learning difficulties, toileting issues, school-based needs, and general medical concerns like seizures, asthma, or feeding problems.
Preparing for an assessment
Your first appointment will last about an hour. You and your child will meet with a paediatrician.
It’s helpful to have a list of any medicines your child is taking, bring their red book (personal child health record), and note down any questions you'd like to ask. This helps us understand your child’s needs and make the most of our time together.
You can bring a family member or friend with you if you’d like. If you need an interpreter, just let us know in advance and we’ll arrange one for you.
What to expect from an autism assessment
Assessments can take different forms, the aim is to collect information and observations from different settings and different professionals who may be working with your child. If a number of professionals are already supporting a joint assessment with a speech and language therapist may not be required.
This information is about a joint assessment by a community paediatrician and a speech and language therapist.
Up to two adults are welcome to accompany the child but to avoid distraction, siblings should not attend. Occasionally junior colleagues will be present for training purposes.
The length of the assessment varies. The approximate time of the play-based assessment is typically 30-40 minutes with time then for feedback after a short break. During the break the Paediatrician and speech and language therapist will discuss their observations in a separate room. Meanwhile you and your child can play freely. You could bring a drink and snack for your child for this time.
After an autism diagnosis is made
You will be given resources that you can access locally and online. A report will be sent to you following the assessment. This can take up to four weeks. You can use your copy as evidence of the diagnosis, strengths and difficulties of your child. Unless there are additional medical needs, your child will not require a follow up with a community paediatrician.
If a diagnosis of autism is made you will receive a telephone call from our specialist children’s practitioner approximately six weeks after the autism diagnosis has been given. The call gives you a chance to express your feelings around the diagnosis and to be offered support and advice. You will be signposted to resources, including parent support groups and workshops.
Managing your health
Autism
Explore the support available for children, young people, and families who are waiting for an autism assessment, including advice, resources, and local services.
Behavioural concerns
Discover our practical advice for parents, carers, and professionals dealing with difficult topics such as anger, bullying, substance use, and eating disorders.
Blood tests
East Berkshire patients must book their blood test appointments through the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust system.
Eating, allergies and healthy lifestyle
These resources offer practical advice for parents and carers navigating everyday challenges from allergies and asthma to fussy eating and healthy habits.
Sleep
Sleep plays a vital role in a child’s physical, emotional, and cognitive growth. These insights explain how good sleep habits can positively impact your child’s wellbeing.
Toilet and bedwetting
Whether you're just starting the toilet training journey or looking for advice on how to handle bedwetting, these resources offer practical tips, reassurance, and expert advice tailored to families.
Getting your child’s medication
In most cases, your child’s medication will be arranged through your GP. Occasionally, your paediatrician may recommend that you contact the Community Paediatrics Service to obtain a prescribed medication. If this happens, please allow at least five working days' notice for the team to process the request.
Contact us and FAQs
Fir Tree House
Community Paediatrics
Contact number: 0300 365 0123 Option 3
Email: Community.Paediatrics@berkshire.nhs.uk Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays)
Post Address: SL1 2BJ
Location detailsManor Green School
Community Paediatrics
Post Address: SL6 3EQ
Arbour Vale School
Community Paediatrics
Post Address: SL2 3AE
Kennel Lane School
Community Paediatrics
Post Address: RG42 2EX
Frequently asked questions
Do you assess for ADHD?
No, we don’t offer assessments for ADHD. If you're looking for this service, there are other teams within Berkshire Healthcare that can help.
Do you assess for learning difficulties?
We do not assess for:
- Dyslexia or other specific learning differences
- Other academic or educational difficulties
Speak to the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). We cannot arrange educational psychology assessments for any school.
If there are significant needs, for example moderate learning disability, we can offer a medical review to look for health or medical factors affecting learning. Further support must come from the school and local educational services.
What if I'm concerned about autism?
We understand that thinking your child might be autistic can bring a lot of questions. Since January 2025, we have had to change our criteria for autism assessment. We cannot automatically accept referral for every child with possible autism traits. We focus on children with higher levels of need and where a diagnosis is likely to be needed to plan support.
If you’re concerned about autism in a child under age two. Start with contacting the Speech and Language Therapy Service and your Health Visitor for extra support. If your child shows delays across several areas of development, a referral to Community Paediatrics may be appropriate.
You don’t need a diagnosis to access support, you can find the advice and tools to support your child right away.
What about behavioural concerns?
Concerns about behaviour and emotions don’t usually need a medical referral. This includes children with an autism diagnosis.
Instead, speak to your health visitor or talk to the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).
Please note, support around parenting and behaviour for children without a disability comes through your ’local offer’. We don’t have any additional family support available via our medical clinics.
Do you offer Nurse Practitioner support?
Following contact with the service, support from the Specialist Children’s Practitioner may be offered. They work with families whose children have complex neuro-disability and/or neurodiversity needs.
One of the main areas of support the Specialist Children’s Practitioner can provide is for children awaiting an autism assessment.
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 to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.
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 receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.
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 to 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.
Treating 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 includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
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