Spotlight on famillies with children who have a disability
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Estimates suggest that 6% of people living in Kent are young people under the age of 15 who have a disability. All of these children, and their families, will use many health and social care services in Kent and Healthwatch Kent wanted to hear their experiences. They listened to 19 families and spoke professionals about the challenges they face.
Families talked about the barriers they faced to get support. Common issues were lack of GP appointments, challenges to see a dentist and delays in mental health referrals.
Speech and Language services were praised for the quality of their staff and their eagerness to include families in their patient care.
The families made suggestions for the future including a greater understanding of mental health and sensory disorders amongst dentists and a smoother transition to adult mental health services for young people.