Learning disability nurses

We are a specialist team who work to improve complex and challenging behaviours of children and young people when universal services (e.g.  health visitors, school nurses or GPS) cannot meet their needs.

For more information, please visit the Wiltshire Children's Community Services (opens new window) website.

For all young people with learning disabilities to have the best possible quality of life.

• To minimise the impact of an individual learning disability on a child/ young person's quality of life and health
• To reduce the frequency and impact of complex and challenging behaviours on an individual's quality of life
• For children/young people with learning disabilities to access short breaks
• For children/young people with learning disabilities to transition to adult services as easily as possible and have the greatest possible chance of achieving the future life they would like, including living independently, building relationships and accessing employment opportunities

We accept referrals from other health services, social services or educational professionals.

All children referred to the service who have a diagnosis of a learning disability, are aged between 0 and 18 and who are registered with a GP in Wiltshire are eligible to access our service.

We work across the whole of Wiltshire. We almost always support children and young people in their own homes, Monday - Friday between 9am  and 5pm.

To contact us, call 01722 425 095.

We will work with a child/ young person until their needs are met, which usually takes 6-8 sessions. We will always refer on to universal services who can continue to support a young person once their needs have improved.

Families can re-refer once they are known to our team, if they feel they need further support.

We work hard to understand the needs of a young person and the challenges their families face and usually, we can improve a young person's situation in 6-8 sessions.  If this work happens to cross their 18th birthday, we will refer them on the adult community team for people with learning disabilities. This is done on an individual, needs basis and the process is clearly explained to families by our nurses.

Families moving into Wiltshire can contact us directly and we will ask them to talk to a health professional already involved in their young person's care to refer them to our team. Families moving out of Wiltshire are referred directly to the appropriate service by our team.