Child Development Centre (CDC)
The Child Development Centre (CDC) is an assessment centre for children, usually aged 0-5, who show signs of having problems with aspects of their development.
The service is provided by the Warrington Primary Care Trust, in partnership with Children’s Services.
What we do
The centre provides specialist assessment, diagnosis and advice for the wide range of difficulties that can affect a growing child. For example:
- Delay or abnormality in normal development
- Speech and language difficulties
- Vision and hearing
- Learning difficulties
- Social and communication problems
- Feeding difficulties
- Behaviour linked with developmental delay
Visiting the Centre
Children are usually referred to the centre by their GP, Health Visitor, Speech and Language Therapist or Hospital Paediatrician.
A member of the team will then arrange a home visit to talk about the child and their difficulties and to explain what will happen at the centre.
After an appointment at the centre, a Consultant Paediatrician discusses which further assessments would be appropriate. When these have been completed, the findings will be discussed with the parents and plans for the future management of the child will be arranged. The paediatrician will keep the family doctor and other relevant people informed of the child’s progress. Many of the children will be offered a place a t Sunshine Assessment Nursery or Rainbow Nursery within Sandy Lane Children’s Centre where further assessment and support can place in a play environment.
The Team
There is a wide range of professionals who are there to help, including:
- Consultant paediatricians
- Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists
- Audiologist and Orthoptist
- Dietician
- Speech and language therapists
- Early Years SEN Consultant
- Social worker and specialist health visitor
- Special needs nurses
- Educational psychologist
- Clinical psychologists
- Occupational therapists
- Liaison Health Visitor
Related pages:
- Warrington Educational Support Team
- Special Educational Needs
- Early Years Special Educational Needs
- Childcare for children with additional needs
- CLASP
- Sensory Support Team
- Children's Centres
External websites:
Contact us:
Child Development Centre: 01925 405701 / 405702
