Referral help please

I look after a child who is due their 2 year HV check soon. They are quite delayed in their development and I am hoping the HV will act on this. Who would you normally expect a child to be referred to? This child is non-verbal, has limited understanding, limited communication skills, doesn't interact and has what I would consider to be autistic tendencies. I know we are not qualified to diagnose anything and I am happy to be proved wrong, but it does need looking in to.

I've only got experience of children being referred for a single issue, eg. speech and language delay, but not of them being referred for more complex needs. I have looked after such children before but their needs were already identified and support was in place before they came to me. I jsut had to follow on with what was already being done.

I don't have much confidence in the local HVs so want to make sure mum isn't fobbed off and is offered support the child desperately needs. Has anyone got any experience of their own or a minded child being referred? What should we expect to happen. I need help as much as the family do. I can identify issues but I need to be shown how to best support the child. They are happy and enjoy being here but I'm very aware that I could be doing so much more for them.

I have been through something very similar to this, at the 2 year old check child was referred by the HV to the local speech and language team as they deal with communication difficulties too. after the initial assessment they decided to review the child again 9 months later.after the second review they decided to refer them to the Ed psychologist (this took quite a long time to come through) they decided to review child again 12 months later. The parents didn't really think this child had any problems which is a whole other story. I found through the whole process that I wasn't taken very seriously as what did I know I am only a childminder :mad: Child has now left my setting and is in school, there are sensory issues and they are still deciding an official diagnosis.

I hope you have a better experience than me, be prepared to battle as Speech and language as well as the Ed psych team didn't want to communicate with me. Do you have any inclusion support from your LA as we now have an inclusion support officer who will come out to us which wasn't an option when I needed the help.