Wirral Learning Disabilities Children and Young People's Mental Health Services

Wirral LD CYPMHS is available to anyone up to the age of 18 years who has a diagnosis of a severe learning disability, profound and multiple learning disabilities (you might see this abbreviated to PMLD), or a moderate learning disability with additional complexities that impact on day-to-day functioning.

To access LD CYPMHS, please speak to your GP or any other health or educational professional (such as a teacher or school nurse). They will be able to make a referral if they think our service can help.

Alternatively, a self-referral form can be completed on the My Mind website – please visit the Branch website and complete the matching questionnaire. You can access this via the button below.

When LD CYPMHS has received a referral for a child or young person, the referral will be triaged to check it is appropriate for the team, then we will contact the parent/carer to book an initial assessment. This initial assessment will take place at your home or in Pensby Clinic.

Our team consists of:

• Team Manager
• Team Administrator
• Consultant Clinical Psychologist
• Clinical Psychologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
• Clinical Lead
• Learning Disability and Mental Health Nurses
• Assistant Practitioner
• Assistant Psychologist

You will receive a letter in the post before the initial assessment which confirms the date, time and location of the appointment. The letter will also let you know the name and job title of the clinician who will be completing the initial assessment.

This appointment helps us understand your child’s/young person’s needs and decide together whether our service is the right place to support you, typical lasts between 60 and 90 minutes and would usually take place in our Pensby Clinic. Your child/young person does not usually need to attend this appointment.

During the assessment, we will talk about your child’s/young person’s daily life at home, school and in the community.

Topics may include:

• What your child/young person enjoys or finds difficult
• Emotions, behaviour, communication and routines
• Friendships, learning and school experiences
• Sleep, eating, sensory needs and physical health
• Any safety or “risk” concerns
• Your child’s/young person’s strengths

We may also ask about:

• stressful or difficult experiences
• family life
• trauma
• how your child/young person is cared for

We understand that these conversations can be hard.
You can take your time and only share what feels comfortable.

These questions help us understand your child’s/young person’s needs in full so we can offer the right support.

There will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.

Following the initial assessment, if you are offered support from LD CYPMHS , we would consider suitability for parents and carers to attend our Riding the Rapids course. For information about Riding the Rapids, visit the Encompass Psychology website here. 

We are a needs-led mental health team for children and young people with a learning disability. We aim to understand your child’s/young person’s needs and work with you to find helpful strategies.

We:

• focus on emotional wellbeing, behaviour and mental health
• help families learn new skills and approaches
• set goals that are realistic and meaningful
• offer support that is focused and purposeful

We do not provide crisis response, daily support or long-term case management, but we will aim to help you find the right service if you need support outside our role.

We are committed to STOMP (Stopping Over-Medication of People with a learning disability, autism or both) and STAMP (Supporting Treatment and Appropriate Medication in Paediatrics).

Our Pledge

We pledge to work in partnership with children, young people, families, carers, and the wider system to ensure that medication is used safely, appropriately, and only when it is clearly needed. We commit to:

• Prioritising non-pharmacological interventions (e.g. Positive Behaviour Support, environmental adaptations, psychological and systemic approaches) as first-line treatment for behaviours of concern.

• Prescribing medication only when clinically indicated, evidence-based, and in the child or young person’s best interests.

• Ensuring informed, shared decision-making, using accessible communication and involving families and carers at every stage.

• Regularly reviewing all psychotropic medication, with clear treatment goals, outcome measures, and plans for dose reduction or stopping where appropriate.

• Avoiding medication being used as a substitute for care, support, or appropriate placement.

• Monitoring physical health, side effects, and wellbeing, with particular attention to long-term risks.

• Working collaboratively across health, education, and social care to provide holistic, joined-up support.

• Promoting transparency, learning, and continuous improvement in prescribing practice.

We believe every child and young person with a learning disability deserves the right support, at the right time, for the right reasons.

For more information on STOMP and STAMP please visit the NHS website here.

• East Cheshire NHS Trust
• Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
• Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust easy read version
• Countess of Chester Hospital Foundation Trust
• Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust