News - Creating a successful neurodevelopment pathway for Cheshire and Merseyside

Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) has worked with community sector organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside to help shape a new neurodevelopment pathway for children, young people and their families (CYPF) in the region.

With the success of the CYPF Alliance in Cheshire West, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside commissioned CWVA to coordinate an engagement project, with 27 community sector organisations across the region working with almost 500 neurodivergent children, young people and families to find out what a new pathway should look like.

Many members of the CYPF Alliance were involved with this initial engagement, which has led to a new profiling tool being rolled out, starting on the Wirral.

Following the engagement, Steamtistic CIC, members of the CYPF Alliance, and Mind Mastery CIC, based in Knowsley, have both featured in a video to share their views and help introduce the new pathway.

• Find out about the new pathway and watch the video

Koala North West, another member of the CYPF Alliance, was successful in its application to deliver training to both CYPF and professionals on the new profiling tool.

Clare Crerand, Strategic Lead for CYPF at CWVA, said: “This has been an excellent project for CWVA and the CYPF Alliance to support, levering in much-needed funding and opportunities.

“The fact that NHS Cheshire and Merseyside approached CWVA to support this work shows how well-respected the CYPF Alliance is becoming both locally and regionally.

“While the CYPF Alliance is still relatively young, it is maturing all the time, setting a clear, collective vision for the community sector’s approach to CYPF work and acting as a key point of contact for our public sector partners.

“We’re excited to see the CYPF Alliance develop further and we’re looking forward to engaging with more projects like this.”

From January to June 2025, 221 people from 91 organisations have either engaged with, or been supported by, the CWVA team through the CYPF Alliance. This equates to almost 1,200 hours of engagement or support and nearly 450 attendances at CYPF Alliance events, meetings and support sessions.

If your organisation would like to engage with the CYPF Alliance, please email: clare.crerand@cwva.org.uk.