Set up by Decree No. 2018-1297 of 28 December 2018, the Coordination and Referral Platform (Plateforme de Coordination et d’Orientation, PCO) follows the best-practice recommendations of the French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de Santé, HAS). This scheme aims to prevent breaks in care and to intervene early with children showing an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Here’s an overview.
Which children can benefit from the PCO pathway?
PCOs were designed for children with ASD currently being diagnosed. They are specifically aimed at children up to 12 years old showing an unusual developmental gap, noticed by those around them or by the family doctor.
Note that if in doubt, there are tests available online: the NDD test for children aged 0 to 6, or screening booklets suited to the child’s age and to whoever is initiating the process (teachers, family, early-childhood professionals).
Please note, children with ASD who have already obtained recognition from the MDPH (Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées, the French disability agency), or who are already following a placement in SESSAD, IME, ULIS, or PCPE (French specialised support services), cannot benefit from the PCO pathway.
What does a PCO pathway provide?
A PCO is made up of a network of practitioners and specialised centres: doctors, psychomotor therapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists… While the platforms are neither services nor institutions in themselves, they coordinate professionals with each other to make diagnosis easier.
They pay for their interventions, including those outside the standard health insurance agreements, through the French health insurance system (Assurance Maladie), so that there is no cost left for the family. This support is called the “early intervention pathway”, funded by the “early intervention package” (forfait précoce). This package does not accept fee overruns, and if sessions take place with private practitioners, they will also be free of charge up to the maximum amount of the package.
This support lasts 12 months and can be renewed for a second 12-month period, for a maximum total of 2 years.
How can you access a PCO?
As of today, there are 141 platforms spread across France. Referral to one of them is made by the family doctor, the paediatrician, the PMI doctor (French maternal and child health service) or the school doctor, depending on where the child lives.
To do this, they fill in the screening form and the referral form and send them to both the PCO and the family. The PCO’s coordinating doctor validates the request and proposes a pathway suited to the child’s needs.
From then on, the platform takes care of booking the appropriate appointments to start the assessments and interventions as quickly as possible, and as close as possible to the child’s home.
Note that your doctor may not be familiar with this scheme, so it is essential to mention it to them. Furthermore, they cannot refuse to refer you to a PCO if the child’s examination shows warning signs. If they do, don’t hesitate to ask for a second opinion.
