Services
Our Services
At EPIC we believe in taking a ‘whole person’ approach to assessing and supporting children and young people. This takes time and often requires the combined expertise in physical, psychological and mental health to fully explore and make sense of a wide range of difficulties.
We work with children, young people and young adults up to the age of 25 years, sometimes independently and sometimes as part of a family unit. We can adapt our approach according to an individual’s specific needs and circumstances.
We retain the right to decline any request for assessment where we consider it not being in the best interests of a child or young person. Involvement in reports for education or legal processes will be at our discretion.
Initial Assessments
Our assessment of children and young people starts with a consultant or senior clinician initial appointment to take a holistic view of all concerns and difficulties. They will then share their thoughts regarding formulation and/or diagnosis and advise regarding further specialist assessments, therapies and support. They will always discuss with our multidisciplinary team if required to provide the most appropriate individualised care plan.
Initial assessment is arranged with the most appropriate consultant or senior clinician based on information gathered by our administration team at initial enquiry. For young children and those with physical health problems this is usually with our consultant paediatrician who has expertise in physical, developmental, emotional and behavioural difficulties across the age range of infants, children, and young people. For older children, young people and young adults initial assessment will be with our consultant psychiatrists, consultant clinical psychologist or consultant mental health nurses with expertise in mental health problems, social, emotional, behavioural, learning and functional difficulties. Our mental health focus is on the distress caused by difference, adversity, or disruption.
Where necessary our consultants work closely together to assess complex combined physical/mental health presentations.
Special Assessment Pathways
We offer a range of specialist diagnostic assessment pathways that may be advised following initial assessment in order to better understand the difficulties and to be able to recommend appropriate therapies and support. These assessment pathways include:
- Aphantasia
- Attachment disorders
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
- Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
- Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD/Dyspraxia)
- Dysexecutive Functioning
- Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
- Global Developmental Delay (GDD)
- Learning Disability/Difficulties (LD/ID)
- Sensory Processing Difficulties
- Tic disorders including Tourettes
Therapies
Following assessment a collaborative treatment plan will be recommended which may include evidence based/practice based therapeutic interventions.
We have a highly skilled and experienced team who can offer a range of therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Trauma Focused Therapies (including EMDR), CBT-E (Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders), Child Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Systemic (Family) Therapy, Creative Therapies (play, art, drama), NVR (non violent resolution), Theraplay, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and Mindfulness. We have the expertise to adapt our therapeutic approaches to a wide range of presentations including neurodiverse thinking styles. Progress with therapies will always be reviewed by the consultant or senior clinician and care plans adapted accordingly.
Where appropriate, alongside other therapies and support strategies, our consultant doctors or mental health nurse prescribers may recommend medication, this includes for ADHD, sleep, anxiety, mood or other mental health disorders.
Support
EPIC offers a range of parent/carer, individual and group support. We have resource sheets with information and signposting, these are available online, electronically and in our waiting room.
We run regular ADHD parent/carer information workshops and ADHD focus groups, online and in person. Other workshops for parents/carers and young people include understanding ARFID, PDA, and managing anxiety. Dates/times of workshops is kept up to date on our news and events page, posted regularly on our social media platforms, and is available from our reception team.
We have post diagnostic support packages for children, young people and young adults diagnosed with ASD/PDA these include understanding of neurodivergence, adapted parenting approaches and behaviour support. We also provide individual ADHD coaching and ADHD parenting support with our specialist mental health practitioner. We have a sleep counsellor who offers sleep support sessions with sleep hygiene and a sleep diary.
Consultation, Education & Training
EPIC Solutions use our multidisciplinary expertise to provide bespoke consultation, workshops, training packages or supervision to education or childcare settings, primary care or social care services, and voluntary sector organisations.
Our consultants and senior clinicians provide expert speaking and presentations at conferences and public events.
We are always happy to discuss your needs.
Working with other Organisations
EPIC provide services to a number of local councils, in particular their social care and education teams, also to post adoption/children in care services and to NHS organisations. We work collaboratively with a number of schools across the South West, also with voluntary sector, charitable and community organisations.
EPIC involvement in education tribunal, family court or other legal processes is at our discretion and only if we believe it to be in the best interests of the child or young person involved.
We are always happy to discuss your needs.