In Nottinghamshire parents and carers can access information and advice from the website Notts Help Yourself. A link to the home page of this website is here: 

Are you worried about your child's social skills, emotional wellbeing, mental health or behaviour? 

Please follow this link to see how parents across Nottinghamshire can find advice, information and support. 

The Concerning Behaviours Pathway 

What is the concerning behaviours pathway?

Concerning behaviour can arise for many different reasons which could be social, emotional or medical – or indeed, a combination of any of these. It can even just be part of growing up.

The concerning behaviours pathway is a multi-agency pathway (sometimes described as a way of working), which brings health, social care, education and voluntary sector services together to support children, young people and their families. It's aim is to ensure that the right support is available to you and your child, at the right time and in the right place. 

Who is the pathway for?

The pathway is for all children and young people who are registered with an NHS Nottinghamshire County GP (and their families) who have behaviours that are causing concern to them, to their family, or that have been identified by someone working with them e.g. a Teacher, Nursery Nurse or Health Visitor. The pathway supports children and young people 0-19  and up to their 25th birthday where an Education and Health Care plan (EHC) is in place.

How do I access the pathway?

The pathway with your consent can be initiated by a GP or any professional working with your child. You can also request to either of these that the pathway is initiated. 

What can I expect if my GP recommends this pathway?

Your GP will discuss your concerns with you and give you this information about the pathway. They will check your child's hearing and vision and assess if there are any serious medical issues, which will need a specialist medical assessment. If this is the case, they will make an appropriate referral. 

Whether or not your GP refers your child for a specialist assessment they should with your agreement contact your local school nurse or health visitor who will assist in identifying a 'key worker' to help you and your child develop a support plan. This may include simple strategies at home or school/nursery, or include parenting courses or other sources of support. In some cases your GP may recommend you contact the Early Help Unit.  This is a unit which offers advice, and signposts families to a wide range of support. You can also choose to access this service yourself. 

For many children and young people putting this support in place will meet their needs and they will not need to go beyond this stage of the pathway. However, if moderate concerns continue, your key worker will, with your consenent, gather information about you and your child and from those working with your child. This information will help to clarify the needs of your child and your own needs, and enable a decision to be made about the next steps. It may be that advice or referral to more specialist services is required. You can see details on the different stages of the pathway below. 

The six stages in the pathway are: