Jigsaw

JIGSAW (Children with Disabilities Team) is a specialist and statutory multi-agency health and social care service that undertakes assessments and provides services at the complex level of needs. The Team supports disabled children, young people and their families whose main need for service arises from their disability or their intrinsic condition, and where these conditions have a complex impact on the quality of the child’s life or/and the lives of their families. The Service intervenes where their needs cannot be fully met by universal and targeted services alone. Some of those children are also assessed as having complex needs that may require specialist support from JIGSAW (Children with Disabilities Team), in addition to universal and targeted services, because they have disabilities or illnesses that are severe and enduring, including one or more of the following: learning disabilities within the moderate, severe or profound range; and a severe physical (including visual and hearing) health condition or impairment which is life limiting, or significantly affects, or is predicted to affect, everyday life functioning or a child’s access to education (e.g. in a wheelchair, has adapted living, requires total personal care support, requires communication aids) and their ability to achieve outcomes appropriate to their age related potential. These children are likely to be subject to Children’s Continuing Care Arrangements because of the complexity of their health needs or an Advance Care Plan. They may also have Autism, and their behaviour is likely to present a serious risk of harm to self or others. Other disabled children may have additional needs but the impact of their disability on their day to day living arrangements means that they do not require specialist statutory support and their needs can be met appropriately with additional support from universal and targeted services, including mainstream Children’s Services.