Help with ADHD

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, they may often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go. Some people with ADHD do not experience hyperactivity though, and this is sometimes called attention deficit disorder (ADD).

ADHD is not a mental illness or a learning disability, though children and young people with ADHD may also have other conditions or experience mental health problems.

Living with ADHD can be very challenging, for your child as well as for you being their parents and carers. The right diagnosis, treatment and support can make a big difference to your child’s learning, life skills and relationships, as well as making family life easier. There is also lots you can do as a parent/carer to help your child manage the things they find difficult.

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, there are different ways in which you can help to support them such as:

Be understanding
Set simple instructions
Set clear boundaries
Build a healthy routine
Help with organisation
Manage triggers

Children with ADHD are diagnosed and treated by Bolton Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). NHS Bolton CCG, Bolton CAMHS and other partners such as Educational Psychology and Behaviour Support are currently reviewing the ADHD pathway. This page will contain the pathway and further information for parents and carers once agreed.

Articles & Guides

Parents A-Z Guide

A guide to support parents and carers with helping their child with ADHD

ADHD Parenting Tips

Tips for parents when helping their child with their ADHD

Parents survival guide

Ways in which parents/carers can help to support themselves

Getting help for your child

Ways in which parents/carers can get help for their child

Video

ADHD – The questions parents want to ask

An ADHD parents’ support group as BBC Stories a range of questions about ADHD

Let’s talk about ADHD

The National Centre for Mental Health produce an animation about what it means to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Downloads

Bolton Parent and Carers Mental Health Leaflet

Local information about services available to support your own mental health

Bolton Children and Young People’s Mental Health Leaflet

Local information about services available to support your child’s mental health

The ADHD Foundation have produced a guide on how you can understand and support your child with their ADHD.

IThrive Navigator Flyer

Helping you refer into IThrive and find what services are most suitable for your child.

Neurodiversity Support for Parents/Carers

An opportunity for Bolton parents and carers to understand more about neurodiversity including ADHD and autism through workshops and group sessions.

Changes in CYP Autism & ADHD Assessment

The NHS in Greater Manchester are introducing some changes to autism and ADHD services which will affect Bolton, as we are part of Greater Manchester.

The Greater Manchester changes are being introduced gradually, so it is important for Bolton families to know:

Schools and nurseries have been told to continue sending in referrals as they always have. These referrals go to CAMHS for ADHD and Bolton Social Communication and Interaction Pathway (BSCIP) for autism. There should be no pause from schools and nurseries in sending in these referrals.
Schools and nurseries have been told to keep supporting children and families, using outside services where this will help, as they always have done.
If your child has been referred for an assessment previously, this will be looked at, and you will receive information about what will happen next. You might receive an assessment sooner than expected.
In Bolton we work closely together across health and education to make sure that the support given to children is based on their needs, and not based on a formal diagnosis.
Bolton has received money to put in place new types of support for families as they explore ADHD and autism.
Bolton Together has two new people called “neurodevelopmental navigators”. They understand how challenging it can be to figure out what help is available, and they work closely with parents to explain next steps, share information, and connect families with the right services for their child.
Compass Partnership (home of Bolton Parent Carers and Bolton Information and Advisory Service) will be offering a range of free sessions for parents and carers to learn about autism, ADHD and related topics like eating, sleeping and toileting.
Woodbridge SEND Service will be offering more courses for parents and piloting a neuroprofiling tool with selected schools.