Northpoint is expanding its digital referral service from Calderdale to Leeds to help children reach mental health and neurodevelopmental support faster.
The Yorkshire charity is rolling out the service’s next phase in partnership with health technology company Aire Innovate and with support from local NHS commissioners.
Northpoint will share its experience of the project as charity partner at AireFest 2026 in Leeds on 9 July.
The work builds on Northpoint Navigator, a redesigned digital referral pathway already used by Calderdale’s Open Minds service.
The system simplifies the way children, young people and families are referred for neurodevelopmental and mental health support.
It uses clinical triage, an initial review of someone’s needs, to direct each referral to the right service or partner as early as possible.
A new service user portal will give families a secure place to submit information, upload documents and track the progress of their referral.
It builds on earlier digital changes that Northpoint said have already made the referral process quicker and more consistent.
Smart forms and workflows will direct each young person to the most appropriate support at an earlier stage.
The partners said this could reduce delays, avoid unnecessary assessments and help people receive support based on their needs.
Improved data collection and links between systems are also intended to reduce duplicated work and manual administration.
Northpoint said this could give clinicians more time to focus on care while strengthening the information teams use to plan services and respond to demand.
The Navigator has supported 9,465 referrals to date.
Northpoint said it has also significantly reduced the time children and young people wait to be connected with appropriate support and informed about their next steps.
The expansion comes as demand for neurodevelopmental assessments significantly exceeds available capacity.
The Children’s Commissioner for England estimated in 2024 that around 400,000 children were waiting for a first appointment.
NHS England figures cited by the Health and Social Care Committee indicated that up to 316,000 children were waiting for an ADHD assessment and nearly 138,000 for an autism assessment in 2025.
Waiting times vary widely between areas, with many children waiting more than a year and some facing delays of several years.
Northpoint said the work also reflects a wider shift in which voluntary sector organisations are taking a leading role in the digital transformation of health and care.
It said charities and technology partners can work together to design tools that improve the experience of families and the professionals referring them.
The initial rollout is taking place in Calderdale and will be followed by an expansion into Leeds this autumn.
Amanda Coates, director of digital and innovation at Northpoint, said: “This next phase of development is about helping more people experience good mental health support. Demand for services continues to grow, so it’s vital that we move faster to connect children and young people with the right support at the right time. Childhood is short, and delays can have a lasting impact, so timely access really matters. By improving how we capture information and connect families to support, we’re strengthening early intervention and prevention, in line with THRIVE principles. Ultimately, this is about recognising that we need to think differently about how we support mental health in the future.”
A parent whose child was referred through the Navigator said: “Extremely knowledgeable Choice Navigator, who spent the time to go through everything I was unsure of and made me feel extremely comfortable and confident in my decision for my child. I also felt like the Choice Navigator cared about the best options for my child and myself and showed complete empathy throughout our discussion. They also went the extra mile to give me additional advice for myself and my child.”
Neal Jackson, partnership and alliance director at Aire Innovate, said: “Northpoint understands the needs of children and families in Calderdale through years of local service delivery, data analytics and service user voice. Our role was to build the technology around that knowledge rather than the other way around. The Navigator is a great example of what happens when a charity and a technology partner co-design a tool together, with the people who use it firmly at the centre. We’re delighted to have Northpoint as our charity partner at AireFest, and to give their work the platform it deserves.”
AireFest 2026 will take place in Leeds on 9 July, with Northpoint appearing as charity partner.
The event will bring together people working across health, technology and the voluntary sector to share ideas on improving health and care.
Northpoint will showcase the Navigator alongside its wider work supporting people.
Attendees will also be able to support the charity through donation points and QR codes around the venue.
The Northpoint Navigator project began in September 2023, with its digital early support pathway for neurodevelopmental needs launching in Calderdale in 2024.
The service is now being expanded with the new portal and enhanced referral system ahead of the Leeds rollout.
Calderdale Open Minds is delivered by a partnership involving Invictus, Noah’s Ark, Healthy Minds, South West Yorkshire Partnership Trust and Northpoint.
The organisations are commissioned to provide signposting, advice and mental health interventions for children and young people aged five to 19, extending to age 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities, and their families.
