Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty
Health and support A-Z of hospital services Child Development Services (CDS)

Child Development Services (CDS)

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Who we are

We are a community-based service, providing therapy to assist tamariki with additional needs and their whānau achieve their full potential in their daily lives. We work with tamariki in kōhanga, early Childhood Education (ECE) settings, home, community, clinics, and recreation centres. 

The goal of this service is to improve the health and social outcomes of tamariki/children who are not meeting their developmental milestones, helping them achieve their maximum potential.

Tamariki/children might be seen by one person in our team or several, depending on their needs. We work closely with the professionals who refer to us such as Paediatricians, General Practitioners (GPs), Tamariki Ora/Well Child Providers (Pēpi Ora, Whānau Āwhina Plunket), and iwi providers. We have strong ties with kōhanga, Early Childhood Education (ECE) settings, and the Ministry of Education, so we can provide a coordinated service for you and your tamaiti/child.

Raising a tamaiti/child with developmental issues has its own unique challenges. CDS is here to partner with you to help with the challenges and develop your tamaiti abilities. Whenever possible we will work alongside you at your home.

 

Our vision

All tamariki with developmental challenges will be supported to participate positively in the community and whānau life.

To enable this, whānau will experience well-coordinated, evidence-informed services that are easy to access, whānau led and responsive to their aspirations and changing needs.

What brings children/tamariki to (CDS)?

  • Disabilities - we help tamariki with physical sensory, or intellectual disabilities that are likely to continue for a minimum of six months.

  • Developmental delays - we help tamariki who are at risk of or have known developmental delay.

  • Autism - we help tamariki who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or neurodisabilities.

Services we provide

We strive to work in partnership with parents, caregivers, and whānau to support your tamaiti development and allow your tamaiti and whānau to participate in life’s activities. We can do this through using standardised assessments, observation and discussion with whānau. With your permission, we will also talk to other people, such as teachers.

Areas we might support with:

  • Therapy to facilitate:
    • Motor skills and motor function
    • Swallowing and feeding skills
    • Speech, language and communication
    • Interactive play skills and sensory challenges
  • Help to submit applications for equipment and housing modifications
  • Support and education for whānau, hapū, and iwi
  • Liaision with Early Childhood Education (ECE) services


We offer services in a variety of ways, including home visits, clinic appointments, and group sessions such as gym class, swim classes, and parent information sessions.

What we do

Assisting pēpi/babies to maximise their potential in all areas of their development through play and positioning

  • Visiting Neurodevelopmental Therapists (VNT) are either a registered Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist. They focus on infants and toddlers’ performance of everyday self-care, gross motor, fine motor and play activities with an aim to enhance their development and independence.

  • VNT work with tamariki with disabilities/special needs under the age of 2 years.

  • We work with whānau and their goals, to monitor their child’s development and support with ideas to reach their potential.

  • We look at all areas of a tamaiti/child’s development.

  • We can support applications for equipment (within Enable New Zealand guidelines) to support your tamaiti, whilst promoting your tamaiti participation and independence in daily activities.

*In Eastern Bay of Plenty these children will be seen by an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist.

Promoting participation in activities of everyday life by developing tamaiti/child’s skills or by modifying their environment to better suit their needs

  • Occupational Therapists focus on tamariki performance of everyday self-care, fine motor and play activities with an aim to enhance their development and independence. 

  • Occupational Therapists support tamariki/children with disabilities between the ages of 2 to 16 years for therapy, assessment, housing modification, and equipment needs.

  • We can work alongside you and your tamaiti to help develop your tamaiti self-care skills and independence e.g. dressing and toileting.

  • We can support you to develop fine motor, perceptual and play skills that your tamaiti may currently find challenging.

  • We can support applications for equipment and housing modifications (within Enable New Zealand guidelines) to make it easier and safer for you and your whānau to care for your tamaiti, whilst promoting your tamaiti/child’s participation and independence in daily activities. 

Developing physical function by promoting activity and participation in the community

  • Physiotherapists work with whānau to develop physical functioning and preserve health in tamariki/children through activity and participation in the community.

  • Physiotherapists support tamariki with disabilities/special needs from 2 years upwards.

  • We can educate whānau/caregivers on how to encourage more movement from an early age e.g. jumping, running, balancing.

  • Develop specific therapeutic programs to enhance activity levels and function.

  • We work closely with orthotists to prescribe the orthotics and equipment needed (within Enable New Zealand guidelines), such as walking frames and standing frames, to promote activity.

  • Explore recreational programs in the community to introduce whānau to community-based gym programmes to continue to consolidate gross motor skills and maintain function.

Working with whānau to assess and provide interventions to support the nutritional needs of tamariki with enteral feeding needs, restrictive eating, or faltering growth

  • CDS Dietitians work with tamariki with feeding difficulties or growth challenges. 

  • Dietitians in Western Bay of Plenty support tamariki with disabilities/special needs under the age of 5 years. Children aged 6 – 16 are seen through hospital services.

  • Dietitians in Eastern Bay of Plenty support tamariki with disabilities/special needs up to the age of 16.

  • We assess tamaiti nutrition challenges through diet reviews and growth monitoring.

  • We educate whānau/caregivers to establish positive early feeding experiences. 

  • We assess the feeding plan and, where needed, support families to provide nutrition supplement plans for tube feeding and oral feeding.

Providing help with developing tamariki communication skills and assessing and managing feeding and swallowing difficulties

  • Speech-Language Therapists (SLT) work with tamariki with communication and/or feeding difficulties. 

  • SLT support tamariki with disabilities/special needs under the age of 2 years, provided the child also requires another therapy from child development.

  • We assess communication difficulties through play and therapy activities.

  • We educate whānau to encourage early communication in infants and toddlers during play. 

  • We assess feeding difficulties and provide support and education to encourage the safest and most appropriate feeding method. Some tamariki who have feeding difficulties may go on to have a Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFS), which is an x-ray of swallowing.

Providing advocacy, linking with community services and resources, and support in meeting the needs of the whānau

  • Social workers work alongside and assess the social, psychological, and emotional needs of whānau to identify their needs and goals.

  • Social workers can help navigate health and disability services and link whānau to practical support available within their community. 

  • We accept referrals for Social Work intervention when the tamaiti is already known to a therapist or is awaiting therapy intervention from our team.

  • If required, we can assist with paperwork and funding applications.

Our Psychology team complete assessments for Austism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disability diagnosis

Working with whānau and the Child Development Service therapists in a support role, helping with therapy programmes, group activities and wherever else we might be needed  

CDS Allied Health Assistants (AHA) work closley with the CDS therapy team, as an extra layer of support for whānau.

We help organise appointments, set up clinics, deliver equipment, and support with housing modification.

We are involved in many of the therapy programmes, including group sessions.

If you are in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and working with Occupational Therapists or Physiotherapists, you will also meet us.

 

Working alongside families of tamariki 0 – 5 years old, who are waiting for a diagnosis, or have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within the last 12 months. 

Incredible Years Autism Spectrum Disorder (IYASD) Parent Programme:

  • Western Bay of Plenty: CDS delivers Incredible Years Autism Spectrum Disorder (IYASD) for parents of tamariki with ASD traits.

  • Eastern Bay of Plenty: Ngati Awa Iwi Social Services delivers Incredible Years Autism Spectrum Disorder (IYASD), for parents of children with ASD traits. CDS can help with the referral to Ngati Awa Iwi Social Services.

  • Information and resources

  • ASD learning opportunities within the region (for whānau/caregivers).

  • Parent to parent referrals for community support, coffee groups, workshops, sibling support and workshops for tamariki and rangatahi/teenagers who have a disabled brother and sister, and community advocacy.

  • Incontinence referral to community bowel and bladder, for tamariki over 4 years of age who require pullup (nappy) support.

  • Explore Autism referrals (0-9 years): Exploring Autism, Teen life (10-15 Years), Targeted Parent support.

    • Inclusions: Child (2-5 years) who has ASD traits with or without language delay.
    • Exclusions in addition to general: Child or young person (6 years+) who has ASD traits (refer to Paediatrician).

  • Information and resources

  • ASD learning oppotunities within the region (for whānau/caregivers).

  • Explore Autism referrals (0-9 years): Exploring Autism, Teen life (10-15 Years), Targeted Parent support.

    • Inclusions: Child (2-5 years) who has ASD traits with or without language delay.
    • Exclusions in addition to general: Child or young person (6 years+) who has ASD traits (refer to Paediatrician).

How to refer

Referrals to the Child Development Service (CDS) can be sent by GPs, Nurses, Tamariki Ora/Well Child services (e.g., Pēpi Ora, Whānau Āwhina Plunket), Early Childhood Education services, schools via special education needs coordinator (SENCO), resource teachers for learning and behaviour (RTLBs), Ministry of Education special education and other educational and health professionals, as well as community/welfare agencies. We also take referrals from whānau and caregivers.

Referrals can be made via BPAC (for clinicians) or

Click here for the Tauranga Referral Form
Click here for the Whakatāne Referral Form

Alternatively, you can visit the Health Point website for further information.

How to contact us

Phone: (07) 571 4768
Email: cds.tauranga@bopdhb.govt.nz
Street address: Child Wellness Centre, Te Waka Aorangi, 16 Hoariri Way, Tauranga South 3110, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty

Phone: (07) 306 3125 extn: 4625
Mobile: 027 284 4399
Email: cds.whakatane@bopdhb.govt.nz
Street address: 106 Commerce Street, Whakatāne

Information & resources

Here is a link to a website filled with tools, videos and resources to help support the development of your pēpi:

Pathways.org | Tools to maximize your child's development

Websites:

Autism


Attention Deficit Disorder

Books:
  • I am Autistic by Chanelle Moriah
  • This is ADHD by Chanelle Moriah
  • The Spectrum Girls Survival Guide: How to Grow up Awesome and Autistic by Siena Castellon
  • The Superhero Heart by Christel Land (For siblings)
  • The Superhero Brain by Christel Land
  • The Little Book of Autism FAQ’s: How to talk with your child about their diagnosis and other conversations by Davida Hartman
  • Awesome Autistic Go-To Guide by Yenn Purkis and Tanya Masterton
  • The Brain Forest by Sandhya Menon
  • The Rainbow Brain by Sandhya Menon
Social Media:
  • @autism_sketches – drawings explaining autism and neurodiversity
  • @embracingbrains – neurodivergent OT
  • @neurodivergent_ally – neurodivergent psychologist

Books:

  • Starving the Anger Gremlin by Kate Collins Donnelly
  • The Red Beast Book by K.I.Al-Ghani
  • Colour Monster by Anna Llenas


Websites:


Resources:

Books:

  • Starving the Anxiety Gremlin by Kate Collins Donnelly (two age ranges)
  • Bibbie the Baboon Anxiety Workbook by Dr Karen Treisman
  • Presley the Pug Relaxation Activity Book by Dr Karen Treisman
  • Overcoming your Child’s Fears and Worries by Cathy Cresswell and Lucy Willetts – Book for parents.
  • The Panico-saurus by K.I.Al-Ghani
  • Invisible String by Patrice Karst: Book on separation anxiety, also read out loud on YouTube.
  • Huge Bag of Worries by Virginia Ironside


Resources:

Websites:


Books

 
Resources