Yorkshire Information Service

Information Service

Wakefield Council and NHS Wakefield District have funded KIDS to provide an Information Service to meet the needs of all families in Wakefield who care for a disabled child or one with additional needs. The Information Service is part of Wakefield’s early support advice and liaison service WeSail.

What is the Information Service?

The Information Service will provide a first stop for families in Wakefield to offer information, advice and signposting. The service will also support professionals working with families caring for disabled children or children with additional needs within the Wakefield district.

How will it do this?

The Information Service is responsible for the development and maintenance of an information hub of services this is available online at http://www.wakefieldfsd.org.uk/ WeSail also provide information on http://www.wakefieldfis.org.uk/ for families of disabled children in Wakefield. The Information Service publishes a directory of services for children with disabilities in Wakefield called Starting Point. This is available by contacting WeSail.

In addition to the information hub, the service also operates a dedicated advice line. The advice line offers a single point of contact which provides advice and information about services available in the Wakefield district for disabled children and young people, or those with additional needs, aged 0-19.

The Information Service also maintains and manages the Information Network for families of disabled children or children with additional needs, residing in the Wakefield district. Members of the Information Network receive a quarterly newsletter, and other relevant information.

Who can use the Service?

Parents/carers of disabled children or children with additional needs aged 0-19 years old and living in the Wakefield district.

Professionals working with families who care for disabled children or children with additional needs and other relevant voluntary organisations.

How to access the Service

For information and advice, to request a copy of the directory or to sign up to the Information Network please E-mail wesail@kids.org.uk or call the advice line on 01924 379015, between 8:30am and 17:00pm Monday to Friday.

To access the online information directory go to http://www.wakefieldfsd.org.uk/ and for further information http://www.wakefieldfis.org.uk/

Support & Liaison

WeSail also has staff from other agencies (Family Services and Connexions) to offer advice and short term support. This support may be especially useful to young people going through transitions, where a child has just received a diagnosis of autism or for children and young people with sensory impairments. The Connexions worker offers support and advice to families and other professionals who are working with disabled young people and or those with additional needs who are entering or are within the transition process aged up until 25. A community nurse provides a specialist health function for the service and can provide short term support around managing behavior and sleep amongst other things.

How to make a referral?

Referrals can be made by parents and carers of a disabled child or where a child has additional needs. Referrals can also be made by professionals working with families; however the parents consent is always required for referrals.

Referrals can be made over the phone by calling the number below.

Contact details:

Phone: 01924 379015

Fax: 01924 377323

Email: wesail@kids.org.uk

News and Views

Please click the link below to view the latest News and Views Newsletter (issue 7). This newsletter is produced as part of the Wakefield Information Network which is managed by KIDS within the Wakefield Early Support Advice Information and Liaison Service (WeSail). WeSail is funded by Wakefield Council and NHS Wakefield District.

New and Views issue 9