Children's Learning Disability Service (CLDS) feedback opportunity.

September 22, 2025

The Children's Learning Disability Service (CLDS) is due to be recommissioned in 2027.

We recently wrote to our membership to let you know about an opportunity to give your feedback on the Children's Learning Disability Service, (CLDS). 


When a new contract is developed, it’s important that the voices of children, young people, and families are heard so that services meet their needs.

The Learning Disability and Autism Health Inequalities (LD/A HE) team are keen to hear your feedback and experiences, and details about how you can give your views can be found in our letter.


Read our letter in full below;



Dear Members,

Our colleagues from the Learning Disability and Autism Health Inequalities (LD/A HE) Team would like to hear your views about the Children's Learning Disability Service, (CLDS).


The CLDS is an offer for children and young people aged 5-18 living in Southend, Essex and Thurrock with a moderate to severe learning disability and behaviours which challenge. The service is provided by Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT) and is a specialist community-based behavioural assessment and treatment service.

The CLDS is due to be recommissioned in 2027; this means the current contract will come to an end, and LD/A HE Team Commissioners will need to organise a new contract to be provided. To help them deliver the right service for children, young people and families who really need it, they are asking for your feedback.

The team would like to hear from you:

  • If you have used the service,
  • If you have not used the service but have tried to or would like to or
  • If you have not used the service but meet their criteria


To give your feedback, please click HERE


The survey will be live from 19th September until 3rd October. After this date the results will be analysed and will be used to help inform options for the new contract which will be considered in the design of the new service specification (the document describing what we want the service to do, and how we want the provider of that service to do it). This part of the process will start in 2026.

If you have any questions, or if you would like any further information about the survey’s or recommissioning process, please contact the team directly:
Becca King, CYP Commissioner – Rebecca.king2@essex.gov.uk
Claire Bate, DSR Coordinator – Claire.bate@essex.gov.uk

Best wishes,

SSIF

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