Disabled Children's Team (DCT)

The Disabled Children’s Team (DCT) is part of Children’s Social Care in Shropshire. We support children and young people aged 0-18 who have severe and complex disabilities and need help under the law.

We focus on the child first, not just their disability. We offer advice, information, and support, and can carry out specialist social work assessments if needed.

We understand that every family is different. The type and amount of support needed will vary depending on the child’s disability, age, and family situation. We also recognise that needs can change over time.

We work closely with families, as well as health, education, and other professionals, to help improve outcomes and opportunities for each child.

Our team includes social workers, family support workers and other staff with specialist knowledge of disabilities. We are based in Shrewsbury and support families across Shropshire (not including Telford and Wrekin).

We aim to:

  • Keep children and young people safe
  • Provide the right support when it’s needed
  • Promote choice, inclusion, and equal opportunities
  • Support families and meet care needs
  • Offer short breaks that help children have fun, learn skills, and build independence so that they can prepare for adulthood.

Who do we help?

Most children in Shropshire get support through services in their local community. This should be the same for children with disabilities. Disabled children have the same rights as all children and should have the support and opportunities they need to live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives.

The Children Act 1989 says Children’s Services must provide or arrange support for children who need it and help families care for their children where possible.

The Disabled Children’s Team (DCT) supports children and young people who meet certain criteria. This includes:

  • Severe learning disabilities
  • Severe physical disabilities
  • Profound and multiple disabilities
  • Severe sensory impairments
  • Complex or serious health conditions, including life-limiting illnesses.

We may also support children with less severe disabilities if:

  • A parent carer has a disability or long-term illness
  • The impact on the family is very high
  • A sibling also has additional needs

If your child meets the criteria, a social worker will complete an assessment to understand their needs. If they do not meet the criteria, you will be directed to other suitable services.

Your child may have an Education, health and care plan (EHCP), but this does not automatically mean your child can access DCT support. Equally, a child does not need an EHCP to be referred to the team.

What do we do?

The Disabled Children’s Team (DCT) supports children and young people up to age 18 whose main need is their disability, and where this has a major impact on family life that cannot be met by everyday services alone.

We follow the same legal duties as all children’s social care teams. This includes supporting children through:

  • Children in need
  • Child protection
  • Children looked after processes

Referrals come through Compass which is the first point of contact for Children’s Social Care Shropshire Council Early Help Portal. A social worker will carry out an assessment to understand your child’s needs and decide what support is required.

We aim to help children stay with their families and in their local communities. Support may include advice, services, or short breaks if appropriate. As part of the assessment, under Section 97 of the Children and Families Act 2014 parent carers can also request a parent carer needs assessment.

Support we may offer includes:

Not all families need the same level of support. This depends on the child’s needs and the family’s situation.

We understand that needs can change, so support is regularly reviewed and updated.

We help children and young people build on their strengths, become more independent, and prepare for adulthood. From age 16, we work with adult services to ensure a smooth transition at 18.

We work closely with families, as well as health, education, and other professionals, to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.

How to access a social care service for your child with SEND

To access social care support, your child must first be referred to Children’s Social Care. This can be done by a professional working with your child (with your consent) or by you as their parent carer. You can do this by contacting Shropshire Council’s First Point of Contact on 0345 678 9021.

Once the referral is received by Compass (the first point of contact), a social worker will review your child’s needs and decide which team is best placed to help. This could include:

Your child’s needs may be discussed at a Compass SEND discussion meeting. This is attended by a senior social worker from DCT, a senior social worker from the Early Help and Assessment Team (EHAST), a health practitioner, an Early Help professional, and a member of the EHCP Team. These practitioners will decide together which service will best meet your child and family’s needs. With your permission, Compass may also gather information from health, education, and other services to better understand your child’s needs.

Following the meeting, you will be notified of the outcome and advised on the next steps. This may include:

  • A social work assessment (Child in Need under Section 17 of The Children Act 1989, by virtue of disability and/or The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970)
  • An Early Help assessment for the whole family
  • Signposting to appropriate support

The assessment process

If your child is offered support from the Disabled Children’s Team (DCT), a social worker will contact you to meet with you and will ask your permission to speak to other professionals involved in your child’s life (such as their GP, school, or health worker).

The assessment usually takes up to 45 days, but it may take longer depending on your child’s needs. Sometimes it can be completed more quickly.

After the assessment, you may be offered a support plan. This could include a Short Breaks Plan based on your child’s needs. In some cases, your child may be better supported by other services (such as Early Help or targeted support for the whole family) or you may not need social care support. If so, you will be directed to other services.

If your child is assessed as needing short breaks (including overnight support), your social worker will discuss this with you and apply for funding (called a Direct payment). A panel will review this and decide if funding can be provided. You will be told the outcome once a decision has been made.

If your child has a Short Breaks Plan:

  • It will be reviewed every 6 months (or sooner if needs change)
  • A Short Break Reviewing Officer will manage the plan
  • You may also be offered extra support through Early Help if needed

If your child has a Child in Need plan:

  • You will have ongoing support from a social worker
  • The plan will be reviewed every 3 months
  • You and your child will be involved in these reviews

Disability Register

The Children Act 1989 requires all local authorities to keep a register of children with disabilities to assist with planning and monitoring services.

We're required to maintain the above, which holds information about children with disabilities, and gives service commissioners the access they need to information to plan and deliver effective services.

Inclusion on the register is voluntary, and parent carers can supply information to the register by following our all-in registration process, which we use to determine whether children with disabilities are eligible to access our all-in short breaks. Nearly all the information on our register comes from that process. 

All information is removed from the register once a young person turns 18.

'Looked-after' children

Children and young people in care are children who have become the responsibility of the local authority. This can happen by voluntary arrangement with parent carers or through a legal process such as a court order.

It can be for a variety of reasons, such as the impact of complex disability upon the family despite a high level of support, parents struggling to manage the needs of their child for various reasons, or intervention by children’s services or the police due to safeguarding concerns.

Children who are looked-after can live in a variety of arrangements, for example at home with their parents under supervision, with other family members who are connected carers, in a foster placement or in a residential home. Children with SEND who are looked-after usually receive specialist help from the Shropshire Virtual School.

Related information

This page has been co-produced with Shropshire Parent Carer Council.