Physiotherapy and OT

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists  are employed by Pennine Care Foundation Trust (Trafford division). We are based at 2^nd Floor Waterside Sale as part of  the Trafford Health and Social Care All Age integrated service.

We work as part of a specialist group of services to support Children and Young People with Complex and Additional Needs [ CAN ]

 We work at Delamere on a sessional basis. Access to physiotherapy relates to pupils clinical needs and reflects care of the child’s physical needs both at home and in school.

Our role is to assist parents to help look after their child’s needs through provision of:

• a physio programme that will identify specific activities to develop physical development and independent mobility / passive stretches for postural maintenance / and functional independence.
• access to equipment that may include night time postural care, orthotics,use of standing frames .
• access to blocks of hydrotherapy according to pupil clinical need.
• Access to blocks of mobility activities according to pupil clinical need e.g. to work on range of motion, strength, coordination, and mobility.
• Clinical assessment of need; postural assessments.
• Advice and support for parents
• physiotherapy treatments may be carried out withpupils individually or in small groups

Children may be identified to our service at a very young age as part of TEDS [Trafford Early Development Service]. Children may also be referred to physiotherapy via a doctor’s referral. Children will have access to a named physiotherapist during their time at Delamere.

Teaching and therapy staff at Delamere School use a wide range of methods to support the needs of children with physical needs. 

Relevant training is offered to staff to support pupils needs eg: to demonstrate appropriate stretches/ movements  prior to learning activities and re the use of positional equipment e.g. a child may use a standing frame whilst accessing an art based learning activity.Teaching staff and teaching assistants support individual physiotherapy programmes.

Pupils will be allocated positional equipment e.g. a standing frame or a walking frame that reflects individual clinical need.  School staff support the physio team ensuring regular access to the equipment that fits into the timetabled learning for the child.

There is ongoing liaison between staff. Our specialist knowledge is shared and observations are discussed with class teachers and parents.  Individual learning goals are planned together for each child reflecting each staffs  professional knowledge.

Occupational Therapy

We are employed by Pennine Care Foundation Trust (Trafford division). We are based at 2^nd Floor Waterside Sale as part of the Trafford Health and Social Care All Age Integrated Service.

We work as part of a specialist group of services to support Children and Young People with Complex and Additional Needs.[ CAN ]

We work at Delamere School on a sessional basis.

Access to OT services relates to pupils clinical needs and to assist parents re the child’s well being both in the home and at school. We often meet children after periods of illness to support rehabilitation and help access to learning.

Our provision includes

• Offering advice regarding health and safety in the home
• Advice for small adaptaions for toileting, eating, dressing.
• Advice and provision of equipment e.g. specialist seating – indoor functional learning needs; assessed on clinical need.
• Advice for larger scale home adaptations for pupils with physical / complex medical needs.

In addition to the above we offer support, advice and run groups to help augment the school curriculum to develop

• fine motor co-ordination, linking to activities for academic learning.
• visual motor and visual perceptual skills
• activities of daily living

All of which are based on clinical need/ eferral.

Teaching staff and teaching assistants are supported by individual programmes and advice to support learning skills following a referral being made for advice/support.

There is ongoing liaison between staff. Our specialist knowledge is shared and observations are discussed with class teachers and parents.   Individual learning goals are planned together for each child reflecting each staff’s professional knowledge.