HIT Squad - Short Breaks

Service details

Who are we?

The Health Integration Team (known as HIT squad) is a team of health professionals who work within the Short Breaks team. We aim to improve access to leisure activities for children and young people with additional needs in Hackney.

Our team is made up of different professionals:

  • Georgia - Assistant Psychologist
  • Hamza - Physiotherapist
  • Amy R - Occupational Therapist
  • Amy C - Speech and Language Therapist

How can we help?

We work with all activities - mainstream, targeted and specialist - in Hackney. We use our specialist therapeutic knowledge to:

  • Offer training to any leisure provider in Hackney to improve access for all children and young people with additional needs.
  • Support leisure providers in Hackney to set up new groups or adapt existing groups to support inclusive play.
  • Provide specific support to any child or young person known to the Hackney Short Breaks team. We aim to work together to make sure that the leisure activity meets the child or young person’s individual physical, behavioural, sensory or communication needs. Particularly if they are having difficulty accessing the leisure activity of their choice

Why is our work on inclusion important?

Play and leisure are essential to children’s physical and emotional well-being, growth, learning, and development. This is why the right to play and leisure for all children is included in Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

However, children with disabilities are less likely to access, engage in, and in doing so benefit from leisure activities than their non-disabled peers.

The Equality Act 2010 says public sector organisations MUST ensure that their services are accessible to disabled people as well as everybody else. To do this they can make changes or reasonable adjustments. This could include making changes to buildings by providing lifts, wide doors, ramps, and tactile signage.

It may also mean making changes to their policies, procedures, and staff training to make sure that services work equally well for people with learning disabilities or autistic people.


When to ask for our support?

Get in touch with us if you, your child or young person needs our help with:

  • Making sure that the facility or activity your child or young person has chosen can meet their needs
  • Supporting the child/young person within the activity setting including; joining them for their first visit, monitoring how they settle in; helping solve any problems if they arise.
  • Training staff working at the service so that they feel confident in meeting the child or young person’s needs
  • Help to source funding for specialist equipment (if appropriate) to make activity more inclusive

All support from our service can be offered by appointment from Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.

SEND Local Offer

Local Offer Age Bands
Early Years and Pregnancy 0-4
Primary 4 -10
Secondary 11-14
Preparing for Adulthood 14-18
SEN Provision Type
  • Targeted

Who to contact

Telephone
020 7014 7174 (Hackney Ark) 020 7014 7174 (Hackney Ark) 0208 356 6796 (Hackney Service Centre) 0208 356 6796 (Hackney Service Centre)
E-mail
huh-tr.hitsquad@nhs.net
Website
http://www.shortbreakshackney.com/.../hit-squad
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Where to go

Address
Short Breaks - Hit Squad
Hackney Ark
Down Park Road
Hackney
London
Postcode

E8 2FP

View E8 2FP on a map
Venue Notes

Buses: 30, 56, 67, 76, 149, 243, 276

Train: Dalston Kingsland, Hackney Downs

Parking: limited parking for patients

Time / Date Details

Time of day
  • Morning
  • Afternoon
Session Information
Available on Wednesdays and Fridays 9am - 5pm
Assements and observations may be at other times but are by appointment

Other details

Referral required?

Yes

Referral Details

We can work with all activities and leisure providers within Hackney.

We accept referrals from parents, professionals and Short Breaks, play or leisure providers. 

When professionals or providers refer to us they should make sure the parent or carer is aware of the referral

Children and young people must be registered with Short Breaks before they are referred for HIT Squad support.

We have a short referral form for parents, professionals, and providers which you can find in the downloads section of this page.

If you have any questions or difficulties completing the referral form, please call us on 02070147025.

We can help parents with the referral form over the phone if they this is needed.

What to do if you have a complaint

Complaints can be made to a clinician or manager in the service or alternatively through the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

Phone 020 8510 7315

Email huh-tr.pals.service@nhs.net

Or write to us at: PALS, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Homerton Row, E9 6SR

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Disclaimer

Read our disclaimer - important information about Hackney SEND Local Offer and FIS

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