Referral Information

"Keep connected, maintain relationships and dialogue so we can keep moving forward together" 

For tamariki under 5 years of age we accept referrals from whānau - parents and any service provider when there are concerns about a tamaiti’s development. For example:

• General Practitioners (GP)
• Paediatricians and other specialist physicians 
• Early Childhood Centres (e.g. kindergartens, preschools, daycares, playcentres, home-based care)
• Health Professionals (e.g. Plunket, Public Health Nurses)
• Educational Professionals (e.g. Te Mahau (Learning Support), CCS Disability Action, Family start).

It is useful for us to have accompanying information from your tamaiti’s Early Childhood Centre (kindergarten, daycare, preschool, home-based care, play centre) if they attend one.

All referrals go to the Vera Hayward Centre team to be reviewed and discussed before being accepted for any assessments. You may be asked to provide more information, if required.

Please contact us if you have any questions about a referral. We are here to help.

Referral Form Options

• Print and complete the Child Development Service Referral PDF Form, and send the form to us: Ratoka Whakawhanake Tamaiti Child Development Service Vera Hayward Centre, 201 Great King Street, Private Bag 1921, Dunedin, 9054

• Download and type in the referral information in the Child Development Service Referral Form Word Document and email the form to us: ChildDevelopmentServiceDn@southerndhb.govt.nz

Useful information from Early Childhood Centres:

• Any developmental concerns about the child e.g. physical, fine motor, speech and language, feeding
• Social behaviour
• Participation in centre activities
• Play abilities
• Ability to follow instructions
• Learning

Useful information from the GP:

• Medical history
• Information about any visual or hearing impairments, coughs, colds and ear infections, grommets
• Any allergies
• Any concerns about sleep
• Developmental milestones
• Any feeding issues.

Speech-Language Therapy Assessments

• We only provide speech-language therapy assessments as part of developmental (general) assessments. Unfortunately, our service does not offer individual speech-language therapy assessments for tamariki.
  • Te Mahau (Learning Support, Ministry of Education) offer individual assessments for tamariki who fit their criteria.
  • Speech-language Therapists working in private practice provide also offer individual assessments.
• We do accept referrals for tamariki with feeding issues and will see them for individual assessments. 

Please see the Speech-Language Therapy Assessment Referral Pathway document for more information: 

Please contact us if you have any questions about a referral. We are here to help.

Referrals to other services

Referrals may be made to a variety of community organisations and departments within the hospital. We will always discuss this with you first. Referrals may be made for:

• Early Intervention Teachers
• Children with visual or hearing impairments
• Audiology for hearing assessments
• ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat).