Here you can find information on how to access local health services.
Local resources Merton
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Infant feeding support is offered by all members of the Health Visiting team at the new birth visit and any follow up contacts at home or in the child health clinic. Health Visitors, community nurses and nursery nurses undertake the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Breastfeeding training and can provide mothers and families with information and practical support to help you achieve your feeding goals.
Our services are aligned with the UNICEF credible, worldwide UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative.
We aim to provide sensitive and effective care, enabling mothers to make an informed choice about feeding, get breastfeeding off to a good start and overcome any challenges.
We provide support and information to parents who are formula feeding their babies, this includes helping them to feed safely and responsively.
Pregnancy and the period after childbirth are significant times of change in a person’s life. It is common for women and their partners to experience many different emotions during this time.
Health Visitors will be asking about your mental health at every contact. If you are struggling with your mental health then your health visitor can offer you additional appointments to support you with this. These are called listening visits and they are an opportunity for you to express how you are feeling without judgement.
If you require further support then your health visitor can advise you about additional services and refer you to them. In some cases, your health visitor may also suggest a referral to the specialist perinatal mental health team. If you wish, your health visitor can work together with these other teams to provide you with effective, coordinated care.
Access our New Baby, New Feelings resources for your local area.
To find out about local support for children and families, including impartial information and advice on facilities for children and young people aged up to 19 on the Merton Family Services Directory (FIS). Information is up to 25 years for those with additional needs.
- Childcare
- Support for parents and carers
- Your SEND local offer
- Fostering and adopting
- Keeping children safe
- School admissions
You can find out how to apply for primary and secondary school places in Merton on the Family Information Service website - just go to Childcare and Education.
To apply for a school place go to the eAdmissions website.
A Local Offer gives children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities, and their family’s information about what support services the local authority think will be available in their local area.
Learn about local specialist services in your area at the CLCH website.
Our Occupational therapy service for children and young people works in partnership with you, supporting children and young people to participate in what they need and want to do.
Our children's Speech and Language Therapy teams assess, diagnose, and provide therapy for children and young people with speech, language, communication and/or swallowing problems to help them communicate to the best of their ability.
We work in partnership with parents, nurseries, children’s centres and school staff to embed communication goals in a child’s everyday environment.
Our children’s Physiotherapy teams work with children with neurodevelopmental and orthopaedic motor difficulties from birth until they leave school.
We provide specialist assessment, advice and intervention with a neuro developmental approach to assist children with their physical function with regard to positioning, movement and balance, to enable them to achieve their optimum physical function/potential.
Our children’s dietetics service is a team of registered dieticians who specialise in children’s nutrition. The service provides support for children with food allergy and intolerance, coeliac disease, complex obesity, dysphagia, enteral feeding, gastroenterology, faltering growth and malnutrition, restricted diets, special needs, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Children’s centre are places where families with children under 5 years can go to meet other parents and carers in their community.
Each children’s centre is slightly different but you will often find groups and activities, midwife and health visiting appointments, baby clinics, infant feeding support and parenting courses.
Children’s centres are welcoming places where you can go if you need some extra support. They are experts in helping you find the support you need.
It is important that we all work together to keep children and young people safe from harm.
If you believe a child is at risk of immediate harm please call the Police on 999
If you are worried that a child may be suffering, or may be at risk of harm you can refer to the Merton social care team here.
Whilst we do not endorse specific services, organisations or products, here is a selection of local services and organisations families might find helpful.
- Multi Sensory Rooms available at some of Merton's children's centres: They are open to individuals, small groups and professionals. A booking system applies. An induction will be given to show you how to make the best use of the room and how to use it safely.
- Merton M-Card: This is a card that children and young people in Merton with disabilities or special needs are eligible to register for. It allows easier access to 'Fast Track' long queues or obtaining discounts if provided. Some of the places include: Theme and adventure parks, leisure centres, football clubs, shopping centres, cinema and theatres.
- Merton Social Services Occupational Therapy provide a range of services to people with a physical disability living in the London Borough of Merton. They aim to help people to keep as safe and as independent as possible in their own homes providing equipment and adaptations to homes or disabled facilities grant.
- Merton Autism Parents Service (MAPS) offer 1:1 advice and information for parents of children with ASD. They give support in the areas of: communication, challenging behaviours, sleep, socialisation, anxiety, sensory needs and more
- National Autistic Society (NAS) Merton is a locally run National Autistic Society Parents Group, run by local volunteers. It is a support network for families and children with Autism/Asperger syndrome and includes members who are themselves on the Autistic Spectrum.
- Merton Mencap is an independent, registered charity providing support and services for children, young people and adults with a learning disability and their family carers in the London Borough of Merton.
- Merton Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) promote emotional wellbeing and provide treatment to children and young people with mental health problems. The CAMHS team offers a range of assessments and treatments for children and young people presenting with enduring and moderate to severe mental health disorders which impact significantly on daily functioning. Their webpage includes links to several local and national organisations that you might find helpful.
- Off The Record provide mental health support services to young people aged 11-25 and who live in the London borough of Merton (or have a GP in the Merton borough) young adults can now access emotional support ranging from one-off support through our walk-in counselling sessions and outreach work through to our ongoing support through individual online counselling and face-to-face counselling. If the young adult is under 13 then they will need the consent of your parent/carer. Counselling - Free and confidential counselling to young people aged 11-25 in the Borough of Merton.