The Complex Care Team is an integral element of the Community Nursing Team and provides respite to children aged 0-18 years who meet the criteria for Children’s Continuing Care in the home setting.  

The service is available to children who are resident in the Cambridge City, South  & East Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon areas.  Referrals are accepted from a range of health and social care professionals.

The benefits of the service can include:

• to empower children and their families to live as full a life as possible enabling them to cope both physically and emotionally 
• maximising treatment and inclusion of children with complex health needs both in the social and educational settings 
• helping children with chronic conditions and their families become experts in the management of their care
• supporting families to provide a quality death for their child in the place of their choice 
• minimising and averting crises and maintaining the child’s emotional and social wellbeing 
• through respite enabling other members of the family to take part in activities that may not be suitable for the child with medical needs 
• avoiding hospital admission wherever possible and facilitating early hospital discharge.

This is a nurse-led service that aims to provide safe, professional healthcare guidance to schools for pupils aged 4 – 19 with special needs including those with profound disabilities and complex health needs. 

The service provides: 

• telephone advice to families 
• training and advice to school staff 
• pre-school home visits to those children with complex health needs 
• liaison with specialist services and primary care teams (i.e. those based in GP practices) 

The service is provided at the following schools: 

• Spring Common School, Huntingdon 
• Samuel Pepys School, St Neots 
• Granta School, Cambridge 
• Castle School, Cambridge 
• Highfield School, Ely (outreach only) 
• Meadowgate School, Wisbech
• Heltwate and Pheonix Schools, Peterborough
• Littleport and East Cambs Academy
• Universal service to the area special schools in Cambridgeshire (exc. Heltwate and Phoenix).

Referrals are received from individual schools, all children within the school will have access to their school nurse, GPs, Children’s Community Nursing Team, Children’s Learning Disability Team.

The role of the play specialist team is widely varied and supports all the other teams in the service but can be summarised by the following acronyms: 

Participation in play introduces normality in a strange environment 
Lessons the impact of pain and anxiety 
Allows the child to work through feelings and fears 
Yields results - recovery is faster 

Across play work and childcare training the functions and benefits of play for children and young people are supported by the acronym SUGAR 

Support: cope with stress and trauma caused by illness and hospital experience. 
Understanding: regarding complex information and ideas 
Growth and development: observed and assessed through playful activities 
Assessment: children's development, coping ability, level of cognitive ability 
Reassure: stability of play environment.

The team works in partnership with families and other professionals with the aim of achieving an holistic approach to the care provided. Consent to share information with key professionals within and outside the team is needed.

What we offer:

• emotional/psychological support
• post diagnostic counselling
• counselling following acute and chronic conditions
• cognitive behavioural therapy and
• pre and post-bereavement support

The impact of caring for a sick child is well documented, but when this becomes prolonged because of complex and chronic medical conditions, the effect on the families, especially parents/caregivers can be overwhelming. Some parents/caregivers report experiencing:

• anxiety
• low mood/depression
• low self esteem
• panic
• post traumatic stress disorder, including nightmares, flashbacks of specific procedures/treatments and events relating to the paediatric care

Who is eligible and how can you access the service?

Our service is open to all children up to the age of 18 and their parents/caregivers who are registered with a Cambridgeshire GP.

Referrals for emotional/psychological support can only be made to the Family Support Practitioner via a member of the Children’s Community Specialist Nursing Service who is involved with you or your child. If eligible, you will be offered 6 sessions.