Cumberland Council, in partnership with local NHS services, are pleased to announce the launch of a new Neurodiversity and Emotional Wellbeing Service. The service is being piloted for an initial 12 months in the Cumberland and Eden* areas from November 2025, and has been developed with the support of SENDAC, the statutory parent/ carer forum for Cumbria.
The word ‘neurodivergent’ is used to describe people whose brains work in different ways. This can affect things like communication, learning, attention, movement, or how someone processes sounds, lights, and other senses. It can include people who are autistic or have ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s, or similar conditions. However, a person does not have to have any of these specific diagnoses to be considered neurodivergent.
The term ‘neurodivergence’ is a general word for these differences. People who do not have these differences are often called ‘neurotypical’.
‘Emotional Wellbeing’ is used to describe a person's overall emotional health and how this influences their daily life, such as completing everyday tasks, managing relationships, and handling their emotions. For children, positive emotional wellbeing often means enjoying school and hobbies, forming friendships, and managing age-appropriate tasks such as brushing their teeth or eating meals. However, positive emotional wellbeing can look very different for every child - what feels positive for one child may look very different for another.
The service will focus on early intervention and prevention, offering support at soon as needs are noticed. It will provide support, advice and guidance to families with children who have needs related to neurodivergence or emotional wellbeing.
This includes children from 0-19, or young people up to aged 25 who have a diagnosed special educational need or disability. The Service team is made up of two Social Prescribers, five Support Workers, a Health & Wellbeing Coach, three Emotional Resilience Nurses, a Clinical Psychologist, and an Assistant Psychologist who can provide clinical support and guidance when needed.
The service has:
- A Neurodiversity and Emotional Wellbeing section on the Cumberland Family Hubs website which has information, advice, and strategies to support families. This includes on areas such as managing emotions, communication, and managing daily life including eating and sleeping.
- A single point of contact for parents, carers, young people, and professionals to contact the service to receive further advice and support.
- A new strength and needs assessment that can be completed with families to understand each child or young person and plan the right support.
Councillor Justin McDermott, Executive Member for Public Health and Communities for Cumberland Council, said:
“The launch of this service could not be more timely as we are aware of the national and local rise in demand for support related to children and young people with neurodivergence and emotional wellbeing needs. We are extremely proud of this new service; the team have worked incredibly hard to ensure it is co-designed with families, and will continue to develop the service as more young people and families interact with the team. I am hopeful that this pilot will provide more awareness, support and acceptance for young people and their families in Cumberland and Eden, to allow them to fulfil their full potential and thrive at home and in school.”
Families and professionals can now access the service webpages, hosted on the Cumberland Family Hubs website. This includes an enquiry form that can be completed regarding any child or young person where there are concerns around needs related to neurodivergence or emotional wellbeing. The team can also be contacted via email at [email protected].
The team appreciate the patience and cooperation of families in Cumberland following the launch; the service will continue to develop as the pilot progresses.
*For children and young people living in the Eden area, signposting to follow-up support in the Westmorland and Furness Area will be provided, to ensure access to most appropriate local services