Who works on a CDNT?

All CDNTs include health and social care professionals (HSCPs) who specialise in different areas of child development.

CDNTs typically include the following team members:

  • Children’s Disability Network Manager (CDNM)
  • Administration
  • Occupational Therapists (OTs)
  • Psychologists (Psych)
  • Physiotherapists (PTs)
  • Social Workers (SWs)
  • Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs).

Teams may also have access to:

  • Behaviour Support Specialists
  • Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs)
  • Dietitians
  • Early Years Practitioners/Early Years Nurse Practitioners (EYPs/EYNPs)
  • Family Support Workers (FSWs)
  • Therapy Assistants (TAs).

Each professional brings their own unique expertise to the team. Depending on your child’s needs and goals, the roles and responsibilities of team members often overlap based on their area of expertise. This makes it easier for the child and family to work with the team to meet the goals set out in the IFSP.

See below for a brief explanation of the roles that are typically linked to a CDNT, or which a CDNT might also be able to access. They are listed alphabetically. Please note that not all teams will have this full list of disciplines working within their team.

A Children’s Disability Network Manager (CDNM) leads each team. CDNMs are responsible for developing and delivering a safe and quality children’s disability service. They use the principles that are the foundation of the PDS model of service (see Glossary of Terms) to support:

  • Day-to-day management
  • Leadership and team development
  • Managing resources
  • Ensuring best practice and working to regulatory clinical standards
  • Quality improvements
  • Managing risk
  • Working closely with other services and community supports that families might access.

The administrators on the team will often be your main point of contact with the team, as they manage the CDNT’s email inbox and phone line. They will support your interactions with the wider team.

A Behavioural Specialist will have special skills in breaking down and analysing behaviours. They develop and help put supports in place to help with behaviour. These supports aim to maximise your child’s participation in school, home and in the wider community.

A CNS will be a registered nurse or midwife. They will assess the care needs of a child and develop nursing care pathways. They will also participate in team assessments across various settings (home, clinic, preschool, school, and community).

Children with complex medical needs often encounter feeding and nutritional problems. A dietitian can advise and support the child and family through oral or tube-feeding difficulties where they arise. Families frequently seek advice on such nutritional topics as growth, weight-management, food-aversion, infant feeding, and healthy eating.

An Early Years Practitioner/Early Years Nurse Practitioner will have a background in early childhood development and/or early childhood education. Using a holistic approach, they will support you and your child to reach their developmental potential. They will work with your child at home, in their preschool, in the clinic or in the community.

A Family Support Worker assists and advises families experiencing short- or long-term challenges. They work under the supervision of a Social Worker.

An Occupational Therapist will have special skills in assessing how a health condition or disability can affect a child’s ability to take part in daily activities. They can support your child with gross motor skills and fine motor skills, and with sensory processing and integration. OTs also help with daily living skills and with sourcing equipment to help your child take part and engage in activities (for example, managing posture which they will work on with the Physiotherapist).

A Physiotherapist will have special skills that improve or maintain maximum and functional ability in someone’s body. They will help support all aspects of your child’s physical and motor development. This includes helping your child meet their physical potential to the best of your child’s abilities. They are involved with providing equipment to enhance your child’s physical abilities (for example, a walker or orthotics). They are also involved in managing posture with the OT.

A psychologist has special skills in psychological assessment and psychological formulation (see Glossary of Terms). They further provide support in areas such as emotions, behaviours, learning, and educational placements.

An Speech and Language Therapist has expertise in understanding communication and the different ways people can express themselves. They also have expertise in feeding, eating, drinking and swallowing (FEDS).

A Social Worker has special skills in providing emotional and practical support to you, your child, and your family. They will help you to tap into and maximise the supports available to you within your family and wider community. This could include making sure you access all your rights and entitlements.

A Therapy Assistant works under the supervision and direction of a supervising therapist within the CDNT. Their role includes clinical and administrative duties that support therapists on the team.