Mother with child and insulin pen

Paediatric diabetes psychological services

Embedded as part of the paediatric diabetes team, we work with children/ young people and their families to support adjustment to diabetes.

What we do

The psychology service works with the psychological issues associated with diabetes. We meet with children and their families and carers and aim to improve quality of life, support coping and acknowledge the stress that diabetes can bring.

In addition to talking therapy we also offer psychological consultation and training to members of the health team.

  • You may see someone in our team
  • To help deal with treatments and procedures
  • To help explore your wellbeing and identity when living with a chronic health condition
  • To adjust to a diagnosis or coping with bad news
  • For help with handling emotions and anxiety
  • For support after a trauma related to a medical condition or injury
  • To help make referrals to other specialist mental health services
  • To help with dealing with ‘burn-out’ from diabetes care
  • To bring a psychological perspective on some of the common challenges that diabetes brings around eating, food, weight and shape concerns

Treatment

The psychology service offers individual and family-based treatments to the child / young person, aged 0-18. As diabetes can impact on the whole family, we also find it helpful to offer support to parents or carers and will include the parent /carers in our assessment process.


The treatments are individually tailored to the needs of the child/ young person and depend upon the identified problem. The psychology service takes a strengths-based perspective, assuming that the clients have resources and skills that can be drawn upon at difficult times.


The aim is to offer support in a targeted way with the understanding that the child/ young person will be engaged with the paediatric team until they are 18 and therefore may benefit from gaining support at numerous points throughout their journey to adulthood.

How can I access the service?

If you would like to speak to the paediatric diabetes psychologist, please ask one of the other people in the diabetes team, who will be able to put you in touch with the psychologists

How to contact us

Please contact the  Paediatric Diabetes Psychology Team by telephone on 0300 300 1645 or by email at nem-tr.ClinicalHealthPsychology@nhs.net

Opening hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9am - 5pm.

This is not a crisis service.

Paediatric Diabetes Psychology Service
Children’s Outpatients
Queen’s Hospital
Rom Valley Way
Romford
RM7 0AG

Where the service is based

Opening hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9am - 5pm.

Paediatric Diabetes Psychology Service
Children’s Outpatients
Queen’s Hospital
Rom Valley Way
Romford
RM7 0AG

 

Useful links and information

Please see below for some of the generic resources and websites that our CYP’s find helpful:
1. Digibete - https://www.digibete.org/
2. Diabetes UK - https://www.diabetes.org.uk/
3. BreakthroughT1D - https://breakthrought1d.org.uk/
4. Childline - https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone/
5. Young Minds - https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
6. In the Mix - https://www.themix.org.uk/
7. Raising Children - https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/talking-
diabetes.html
For more targeted/specific resources you can find them at:
1. Anxiety – https://www.kooth.com/
2. Low Mood – https://www.samaritans.org/ or text 116 123
3. Bullying - https://www.kidscape.org.uk/
4. Disordered Eating - https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
5. ASD and Intellectual Disabilities: https://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/
6. School Pressure - https://www.wellatschool.org/
7. Parental Support - https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/talking-
diabetes.html

Transitioning to school for pupils with Type 1 Diabetes:
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/animation-to-help-school-transition-for-pupils-
with-type-1-diabetes
Living Psychologically Well with Type 1 Diabetes.docx [docx] 15KB

Risk and crisis contact numbers

PLEASE NOTE: This is not an emergency or crisis service. If you are a patient and require immediate support, please call your local mental health services as follows:

Out of hours

0300 300 1570 (option 4)

Crisis support

If you’re in a mental health crisis, call 111 and press option 2  to speak to a mental health professional. Lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

If you already use NELFT services, you should continue to contact your service during working hours from 9 am to 5 pm.

If you want to contact a mental health professional outside of these hours or if you have not used our services before, contact 111 and press option 2 for mental health.

Samaritans: call 116123

Please contact 999 and attend your local A&E dept with any imminent risk.