The Child Development Centre (CDC) is situated adjacent to the Children’s outpatient department in Fairfield Hospital, Bury.

The centre offers co-ordinated multidisciplinary diagnostic Assessment within one site for children with disabilities or complex medical needs and/ or special educational needs. The centre offers Assessment of children aged 0 to 16 years.

The advantage of this type of co-ordinated Assessment is to complete the Assessment of the child’s needs in one or two appointments rather than attending multiple appointments in various locations. The co-ordinated assessment takes place at the CDC at Fairfield Hospital.

The Child Development Team in Bury (CDT) consists of members from various health services, including;

• Consultant Community Paediatricians
• Physiotherapists (Physios)
• Occupational Therapists (OTs)
• Speech and Language Therapists (SALTs)
• Orthoptists (Eye)
• Audiology (Hearing)

The team also works closely with Educational Psychologists (EPs) and Portage from the local education authority and also with social workers from Social Care. There is also a close link with Bury’s parent organisation “Bury2gether”. The community based therapists will also be invited to contribute to the Assessment, if a child is already known to them prior to the referral to CDC.

The main areas of CDT’s work include:

• early diagnosis
• early intervention
• participation
• partnership with health, education, Social Care and voluntary services

The multidisciplinary co-ordinated Assessment is led by one of the consultant community paediatricians allocated to each child who will ensure the multidisciplinary Assessment report is explained and handed over to parents /carers.

The consultant will also ensure appropriate investigations and further specialist assessments are undertaken where indicated and will make follow up arrangements as necessary.

The co-ordinated Assessment pathway can be accessed by referral from GP, Health Visitors, School Nurses, Portage workers, Educational Psychologists, Neonatologists or other Consultant Paediatricians. Self-referrals from parents and carers are not accepted.  

The child is initially seen in a clinic at Fairfield Hospital for medical Assessment by one of the Consultant Community Paediatricians who will then refer the child for a further multidisciplinary Assessment in the CDC if necessary.

There are three pathways for assessments and all of these are integrated pathways which includes both hospital and community therapists.

• Pre-school social communication Assessment pathway: for children 0 to 5 years of age (up to 5^th birthday). Children on this pathway must complete Speech and Language Therapy assessments following which discussion takes place in a professional only forum known as EYSCAT (Early Years Social Communication Assessment Team).
• Complex needs pathway (0 to 16 years): for children with conditions such as suspected Cerebral Palsy or any type of physical difficulties including hearing and visual impairments impacting on child’s development, Down’s syndrome or any other syndromic conditions, acquired brain injuries after rehabilitation has been commenced in Children’s Hospital etc.
• Individual Assessment pathway: for children who have already started having therapy  in community centres prior to the  referral to Bury Community Paediatricians,  reports  will  be gathered from all involved professionals and a co-ordinated report prepared identifying the child’s needs.
• Alongside all the above Community Paediatricians may also be able to refer children to the sleep nurse and to specialist OTs for sensory processing disorder if criteria for referrals are met.

Further enquiries:

Child Development Centre, Fairfield General Hospital, Bury BL9 7TD

Telephone number 0161 778 3031

What we cannot offer:

• The Child Development Team can only accept referrals of children who are registered with Bury General Practitioners
• The team is not able to offer behavioural management and support or psychological Assessment and counselling to children and families.
• The Team is not able to offer Assessment for some specific learning difficulties such as Dyslexia.
• Social communication difficulties e.g. Autistic Spectrum Disorder Assessment for children beyond 5 years of age. This Assessment is undertaken by Bury Healthy Young Minds.