Service overview
Our specialist paediatric dietitians provide assessments, monitoring, and tailored dietary plans for children and young people (from birth to 18 years) who receive enteral nutrition at home or in community settings.
We also support those with complex needs, who may require additional help with their nutrition, attending Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools across Berkshire. This covers Addington, Avenue, Brookfields, Castle, Manor Green, Arbour Vale, and Kennel Lane schools.
The service is designed for those experiencing challenges such as faltering growth, autism-related eating behaviours, or highly selective eating that may impact their nutritional wellbeing.
Support is provided over the phone, via video calls, home visits, at school, or in clinics.
Accessing our service
To use our service, your child or young person must be registered with a GP in Berkshire.
For enteral feeding support, please email mailbox.cypfnd@berkshire.nhs.uk.
For oral feeding support, please complete the online form below.
Once we've received the referral and confirmed your child or young person is eligible for our service, a member of the team will give you a call to arrange the assessment.
If your child is enterally fed, we’ll make contact within 10 working days and aim to complete a full assessment within three weeks. For non-enterally fed children, assessments are usually carried out within 18 weeks of referral.
Preparing for an assessment
The initial assessment will be arranged between the dietitian and the family at a time and place that works best for you. This can either be at home, at a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, virtually, over the phone, or at a local community hospital clinic.
The assessment includes your child or young person, the parent or carer, and the dietitian. Sometimes, other professionals, such as a paediatric consultant, community children’s nurse, or school staff, may also be involved.
The duration of the assessment depends on the complexity of the child but this initial visit usually lasts between 30 minutes to an hour.
We’ll look at your child’s nutritional intake and any factors that might be affecting it, and then work with you to create a dietetic plan.
There’s no need to prepare anything in advance, but having a list of your child’s current medications and the names of any professionals involved in their care can be really helpful.
You’re welcome to have a friend, parent, carer, or other family member with you during the assessment.
Managing your health
ABCDE of weight management
This booklet introduces the ABCDE approach to healthy weight management for children and young people, offering clear strategies and professional guidance tailored to individual needs.
ABCDE Of Weight Management
File size: 11.67MB
Feeding your child blended foods
A guide created by paediatric dietitians working across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Swindon, and Wiltshire to support families who choose to provide blended foods through a gastrostomy feeding tube. It's designed to give practical advice, safety tips, and helpful information.
A Guide To Feeding Your Child Blended Foods
File size: 1.17MB
Fussy eating booklet
This booklet gives simple, practical tips to help children feel more comfortable trying new foods, using gentle exposure and positive routines. It also explains common reasons behind fussy eating and when to seek extra support. [Fussy eating booklet | PDF]
Fussy Eating Booklet
File size: 1.7MB
Information and management for constipation
This guide explains what constipation is, why it happens, and offers practical tips to help you manage your child’s symptoms safely at home.
Managing Constipation In Children
File size: 1.13MB
OxSTaR enteral feeding videos
The Oxford Simulation, Teaching and Research (OxSTaR) team have created a series of 21 videos which cover a range of topics including enteral feeding, routine care of a gastrostomy button, and advice and tips from families.
Contact us and FAQs
Erlegh House
Specialist Paediatric Dietetic Service
Contact number: 0118 904 6777 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays)
Email: mailbox.cypfnd@berkshire.nhs.uk
Location detailsFrequently asked questions
Who can make a referral?
We accept referrals from any relevant healthcare practitioners.
We do not accept weight management referrals. Please see your GP and refer to our weight management resource.
What happens if I haven't been contacted since my referral?
If your child is enterally fed, we’ll make contact within 10 working days and aim to complete a full assessment within three weeks. For non-enterally fed children, assessments are usually carried out within 18 weeks of referral.
If you haven’t heard from us within these timeframes, please get in touch by emailing mailbox.cypfnd@berkshire.nhs.uk.
What if I need urgent support?
We're not a crisis team, so if you have urgent concerns about a mental health problem or you're worried about a young person, please contact your GP.
If it’s an emergency, go to your nearest A&E or call 999.
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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ARFID Awareness UK
Is dedicated to raising awareness and furthering information about Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). The charity provides individuals, parents, carers, and healthcare professionals with up-to-date resources, research, and support.
PINNT
PINNT is a support group for people receiving Home Artificial Nutrition (HAN). It brings together patients, families, healthcare professionals, and industry partners to share experiences and improve care.
National Autistic Society
A UK charity for autistic people and their families, providing specialist services, advocating for better rights, and promoting autism-friendly practices across society.