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PAEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY
Expert, compassionate support for your child
- Self-referrals available
- Inpatient and outpatient services
- Neurodiversity-affirming care
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PAEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGY AT HCA UK
Why choose us?
We know how worrying it can be when your child is struggling with emotional, social or behavioural issues or whether they're living with a chronic condition, or finding everyday engagement overwhelming, our psychologists at The Portland Hospital are here to help.
Working closely with you and your child, we provide expert, compassionate support that’s tailored to their needs – helping them to feel understood, supported and more confident. If you’re concerned about your child’s wellbeing, get in touch and find out how we can help.
Paediatric psychology looks at how children think, feel and behave.
Our paediatric psychologists at The Portland Hospital work with children and families who are having to adjust to difficult situations such as a chronic physical illness, trauma following an accident or a life-changing diagnosis. They’re trained to understand each family’s situation and to provide them with support and coping strategies for dealing with stressful and uncertain times.
If your child has a chronic illness or physical health problem, they may benefit from support on how to manage and cope with their diagnosis and how it may impact their daily engagement.
Our experts can help your child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing by supporting them through the impact their condition has on their life, whether it’s ongoing treatment or hospital stays. They can help your child cope with the anxiety and emotions they may experience, and provide advice and support to the rest of the family.
At the Portland, we see children from all walks of life and understand that differences can also be strengths. We embrace each child’s unique way of engagement and social participation, and tailor best practice psychology interventions that support your child and the larger family unit. That can involve supporting your child with their emotional, behavioural or social development in hospital, at home, their school environment or their wider community.
Yes, you can. You don’t need to wait for a GP or consultant referral to access our therapy services – parents can contact us directly. Simply get in touch with our admin team at therapies@hcahealthcare.co.uk or call +44 (0) 207 390 6553 (option 2). We’ll send you a short self-referral form to complete and return, and once we receive it, we’ll guide you through the next steps and arrange an appointment.
If you already have a referral letter from your NHS GP, you’re welcome to send this to us instead.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in touch. Our team is here to make the process as simple and supportive as possible, so you can focus on getting your child the care they need.
Fast access to specialists
Appointments booked within 72 hours
Convenience of care
All our paediatric therapy services under one roof
Multidisciplinary team expertise
We focus our wealth of experience on your child
Paediatric psychology at HCA UK
Conditions we treat
Every child is unique, and so are the challenges they face. We support children and young people with a wide range of emotional, behavioural, developmental and neurological conditions.
Whether your child has a formal diagnosis or you're simply concerned about their wellbeing, we're here to help you understand what’s going on and find the right support. With expert assessment and fully personalised, compassionate care, we’ll work with you and your child to build confidence and resilience for the future.
Among the conditions we treat are:
- Adjustment to chronic illness or medical diagnosis
- Anxiety disorders
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD
- Behavioural difficulties
- Childhood stroke
- Depression and low mood
- Developmental delay
- Emotional regulation problems
- Learning difficulties
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Sleep difficulties
- Social communication difficulties
- Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Traumatic and acquired brain injury
Accessing private healthcare
Self-referral
You don't need to wait for a GP or consultant referral to get access to our therapy services, you can contact us directly.
Get in touch with our admin team at therapies@hcahealthcare.co.uk or call us on +44 (0) 207 390 6553 (option 2). We’ll send you a short self-referral form to complete and return. Once we receive it, we’ll guide you through the next steps and arrange an appointment.
Call +44 (0) 207 390 6553
The process
What to expect
We understand how worrying it can be when your child is struggling with their emotions, behaviour or development. That’s why we aim to make every step of their care clear, reassuring and fully focused on them. From the very first appointment, we’re here to support both you and your child throughout your time with us.
If you have any questions you can’t find answered here, don’t worry – just get in touch. Our team will be happy to help.
01
Initial consultation
From the moment you arrive, we’ll do everything we can to help your child feel comfortable and safe. You’ll meet one of our specialist paediatric psychologists, who’ll use conversation, play, or assessment activities, depending on your child’s age, to find out more about them and their situation.
This first session helps us to get an understanding of your child’s emotional wellbeing, thinking, behaviour or development, but it also gives you a chance to ask us any questions you have. We'll explain the next steps clearly, so you and your child know what to expect.
02
During treatment
Your child’s treatment will be carefully tailored to their individual needs. This can range from talking therapy to play-based sessions, cognitive strategies to behaviour support.
Therapy is designed to help your child express themselves, build resilience, and find ways to cope with what they’re going through. We’ll also offer advice and support for you as parents or carers, so you feel able to help your child outside of these sessions.
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After treatment
We’ll regularly review your child’s progress and adjust their care plan as needed. Of course, we’ll keep you fully informed and supported at every stage. If you’d like, we can also offer practical guidance on how to continue building your child’s confidence and wellbeing at home, school and in everyday life.
Where appropriate, we’ll also work closely with schools, GPs, and other specialists from across HCA Healthcare UK to make sure your child’s treatment is part of a joined-up, holistic network of care.
Our location
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
Take a tour of The Portland Hospital
Take a whistle-stop tour of The Portland Hospital with Abigail and Hannah as they embark on a treasure hunt that sees them visit the different departments to see exactly what we offer.
Paediatric psychology FAQs
We offer a wide range of paediatric services. Our paediatric psychologists will begin by talking to both you and your child to understand how best we can help. Following that initial step, we’ll create a personalised treatment plan based on your child’s age, circumstances and condition – no matter how complex – and monitor their progress every step of the way.
Whether we see your child for one appointment or for a longer course of treatment, we’ll do everything we can to give them the care and support they need. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for here, please don’t worry. Get in touch and one of our team will be happy to help.
Our psychologists will work with you and your child to create an individualised treatment plan based on your child's condition, developmental stage and goals. An initial assessment will be carried out, and this could be a standardised test, interview or questionnaire. The psychology team may liaise with your child's larger multidisciplinary team such as their physiotherapist, occupational therapist, dietician or speech and language therapist to ensure that all their treatment is aligned to your child's therapy goals.
Our psychology team is here to help. We can support your child by conducting a range of assessments that can help to inform a diagnosis for ADHD and autism that may be made by your neurodevelopmental specialist or paediatrician.
Along with occupational therapy and speech and language therapy, psychology can support with an ADOS assessment that is used to support an autism diagnosis.
Yes, The Portland Hospital is a private hospital in London that’s dedicated to treating women and children. Our paediatric services at The Portland Hospital include:
Yes, you can get here by underground, bus or taxi and ride services. Please see further details below.
The nearest underground stations are:
Several bus routes stop close to the hospital. The most convenient routes include: 18, 27, 30, 88, 205, 453 and C2.
These stop near Great Portland Street, Harley Street and Portland Place, all of which are within a short walking distance of the hospital.
By taxi or ride services
Taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber or Bolt can drop you off directly outside The Portland Hospital main entrance at 205-209 Great Portland Street, W1W 5AH.
The nearest underground stations are:
- Great Portland Street Station (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines) - approx. 5 minutes’ walk
- Regent’s Park Station (Bakerloo Line) – approx. 6 minutes’ walk
- Oxford Circus Station (Central, Victoria and Bakerloo lines) - around 10 minutes' walk
Several bus routes stop close to the hospital. The most convenient routes include: 18, 27, 30, 88, 205, 453 and C2.
These stop near Great Portland Street, Harley Street and Portland Place, all of which are within a short walking distance of the hospital.
By taxi or ride services
Taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber or Bolt can drop you off directly outside The Portland Hospital main entrance at 205-209 Great Portland Street, W1W 5AH.
- Pick-up and drop-off options: Visitors can pick up and drop off patients at the main entrance. No parking is allowed as the driveway is for emergency vehicle access.
- Local parking: There’s no on-site parking and street parking isn’t permitted on single yellow lines between Monday and Saturday, from 8.30am to 6.30pm. However, national and private car parks are available nearby. Please contact the admissions team if you need help to find a local car park near to the hospital.
- Disabled parking: Westminster Council operates a small number of disabled parking bays near the hospital, available to Blue Badge holders for up to four hours. The nearest one is on the corner of Bolsover Street, next to Tesco Express.
At The Portland Hospital, we have open visiting. However, we recommend that visitors leave by 10pm. If your child is staying overnight, this gives both parents and child the chance to settle for the night.
Should you wish to stay overnight with your child, you can. We can provide you with a bed for one parent.
“Following our positive experience at The Portland, I have recommended it countless times and couldn’t be happier with the results...”
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This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.