Meet the children’s services staff

Meet Laura, a Clinical Nurse Specialist. Laura oversees the care of children and young people undergoing cancer treatment. This role involves coordinating efforts with the community nursing team and our partner organisations such as Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and University College Hospital (UCH). She assesses patients in our inpatient ward, day care, and outpatient settings, ensuring they receive chemotherapy and supportive care as close to their homes as possible.

Our Paediatric Haemoglobinopathy Team provide specialist care for children and young people with a haemoglobinopathy, including sickle cell disease, thalassaemia and other are inherited conditions of the red blood cell. They provide expert advice and education to colleagues, patients & families whilst coordinating care and monitoring medication for young people.

Our ELSEC team provide Speech and Language Therapy for children out in the community within schools in Barnet. ELSEC stands for Early Language Support for Every Child and it’s a programme that supports schools and empowers staff members to better support their students with speech, language and communication needs. The programme includes Speech and Language Therapy Assistants who are overseen by Speech and Language Therapists, to provide interventions and train staff in building skills to improve and develop language and communication in children.

“As a Speech and Language Therapy assistant, you will gain valuable experience and see the impact your work has on both staff and, ultimately, the children. There is a strong focus on learning and development, with opportunities for training and career growth, which will help boost your confidence in the role.”

Meet the Neurodevelopmental Team and Keyworker Service, a team of Speech and Language Therapists specialising in neurodevelopmental assessments (Autism/ADHD) for children aged 5-18 years. The team carry out specialist assessments and support with adapting resources to aid differential diagnoses and to suit a person’s individual language skills. They also input into the Autism and Learning Disability keyworker service, supporting young people at risk of admission to inpatient services.

“Problem solving is an essential part of this role, for example, helping schools to consider how they can make adaptations to support a young person based on their individual needs. We also help other CAMHS clinicians to consider the young person’s communication in relation to accessing other therapies.”

Meet Sara, a Paediatric Physiotherapist in the Islington Additional Needs Disability Service (IANDS). Sara has been working with Children with Musculoskeletal (MSK) problems and complex Special Needs for over 20 years. She works collaboratively with Multi-Disciplinary Team colleagues: Dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Children’s Community Nursing and Community, Acute and Tertiary Paediatric Services to co-ordinate the care and needs of Children with Severe and Complex Special Needs.

“We have recently been praised for our Services by the Department for Education as running one of the best Family Hub Services in the country.”

“There are a wide variety of different Physiotherapy opportunities and roles within Whittington Health both in the Acute Setting at Whittington Hospital and across the Community in Haringey and Islington.  There are opportunities to work with adults or children.”

Kirsty is a Senior Occupational Therapist (OT) and works in the Neurodevelopmental Team in CAMHS. Kirsty carries out Occupational Therapy assessments with young people aged 5-18, focusing on the child or young persons engagement and independence with daily activities and hobbies. Following assessment, she works with a multidisciplinary team of colleagues to consider whether a young person has a Neurodevelopmental condition and co-facilitates a range of post diagnostic sessions for parents/carers and young people.

“Islington is a great place to work, offering exciting opportunities to work as an Occupational Therapist with families from a diverse range of backgrounds. I have been very lucky to work alongside many inspiring OT’s and have been encouraged to continue to develop my scope of practice and commitment to holistic, client-centred care.”

The Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) Team in Islington is a multi-agency, multidisciplinary group dedicated to supporting children, young people, and their families. They work remotely and in the community in close partnership with several specialist services, including but not limited to, Barnardo’s, Targeted Youth Counselling Service, and the Brandon Centre.  As part of Islington's Central Point of Access (CPA), we collaborate closely with the Children’s Social Care Team to ensure comprehensive support.

Families, young people, and professionals can easily access SEMH services through a single Request for Service form. This unified approach means that instead of navigating multiple referral systems, you only need to provide your circumstances, concerns, and history once. Our team will handle the rest, ensuring you are connected to the right service quickly and efficiently.

“As the first point of contact in a client's journey with our service, you hold a unique position that comes with both responsibility and excitement. If you thrive on investigative work and are passionate about ensuring that families and referrers receive the right service from the outset, then the SEMH and Integrated Front Door roles will be a perfect fit for you.”