It is usually best to get referrals for a child or young person from someone who knows them well and can provide detailed information about their strengths and challenges in different situations, such as at home or at school/pre-school.

We recommend that parents/carers reach out to their child’s school or pre-school, or their health visitor (if the child is not yet in education) for assistance in making a referral.

For school-age children who are not in education, other professionals who work closely with the child or the family GP can also provide support in making a referral.

A Request for Support Form is required for most referrals, but please check our Making a Referral page for more detail on the documentation we require.

We encourage that, when filling out a referral, you provide clear and concise detail in each section so that our clinical team can fully understand the needs of the child or young person.

Where appropriate, include examples of:

• The child or young person’s strengths
• The child or young person’s difficulties
• What the child or young person and the family are hoping to achieve from the referral
• What has been tried already, and whether any previous interventions have been successful
• What you believe to be their primary area of need

If you have any queries, or are unclear regarding what information you need to provide, don’t hesitate to contact the Single Point of Access who will be happy to help. 0300 247 0200 (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm) or bswchildrens.enquiries@hcrgcaregroup.com.

After the Single Point of Access receive your referral, we will check to make sure all the required information is included, and whether we are the most appropriate service to meet the needs of the child or young person. We may contact you for further information at this point, if anything needs clarifying.

If it is determined that we aren’t the most appropriate service for the child or young person at this time, then we will signpost you to other service providers, community or online resources that can meet their needs. We are always happy to discuss our decision, or advise and support you over the phone if you have any questions.

If it is determined that we are the most appropriate service for the child or young person, we will inform you of this decision and what support we believe is required. Some services may request more detailed information at this point, prior to an appointment.

If you have a general query you can contact us via the telephone or email address below:

t: 0300 247 0200
e: bswchildrens.enquiries@hcrgcaregroup.com

Please note, the telephone line is operational between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Please do not use this line for emergency medical help, instead please dial 111 or 999 as appropriate.