Bridgewater Warrington Children’s Services update
Read our update on our children’s services for parents and carers of Warrington.
What the Children’s Physiotherapy does
Our aim is to provide a high quality children’s physiotherapy service as part of a multidisciplinary team to meet the needs of children and young people aged 0-16 (up to 19 if already in the service).
We work in conjunction with Universal services such as Health Visitors, GP’s, School Nursing etc. as appropriate.
We can support the child and their family with the physical needs and development of children and young people presenting with musculoskeletal, neurological, developmental and orthopedic conditions who may also have complex long term medical, social and learning needs.
The focus is on maximizing a child or young person’s physical ability within their everyday activities at home, in education and in their community. We are not a curative service and our aim is to support and develop self-management and independence.
The service will:
- Maximise Gross Motor potential by providing specialist physiotherapy assessment, treatment and advice to children who present with underlying pathology
- Provide assessment and support to parents of children who present with normal variants of the development of walking
- Provide assessment, treatment and advice for children presenting with general delay with/without pathology, where it impacts on their gross motor development
- Provide Pre and post-surgery management and rehabilitation for children and young people
- Provide assessment and advice on respiratory conditions.
Positive impact of the service
Physiotherapists have extensive knowledge and experience in recognising and managing a range of medical conditions and presentations.
When a child or young person has physical limitations which impact on their ability to participate in everyday activities, this can lead to reduced self-confidence, poor attainment within education and negative behaviour due to frustration and low self-esteem.
Through expert assessment, diagnosis, management and the enablement of the child and others around him, physiotherapist’s work to overcome the negative impact of these difficulties.
Where we work
Staff are based at The Child Development Centre in Warrington where we also offer a clinic based service.
Services are provided in the community ensuring that children / young people (and parents) are treated closer to home. where appropriate.
This could be from a range of locations including community clinics, mainstream and special schools, other venues in the community and in the patient’s home as appropriate.to meeting the child’s and family’s needs.
The majority of buildings we use are fully accessible e.g. they have wheelchair access – however if you have concerns about accessibility, please contact us to let us know about them before your appointment so that we can accommodate any of your needs.
Who do we see?
The Team provides a service to children and families who live in Warrington and /or have a Warrington GP and have all other on-going input from Local Authority Warrington Services (Social and Educational).
Children’s Physiotherapy aims to provide early intervention for children who present with problems of movement, acquired or congenital deformity and who need help to reach their full potential.
Early intervention with problems occurring with children reduces the future likelihood of major intervention being necessary. The quality of life achieved later is greatly affected if the child does not maximise their potential at the earliest possible time.
Where needed we will advise and provide support for equipment where relevant and clinically appropriate.
How to use the service
The service accepts referral from the following health professionals for all children registered with a Warrington GP or who reside in Warrington and have all other on-going input from Local Authority Warrington Services (Social and Educational): GP’s, Health Visitors /School Health Advisors , Special Needs Nurses, Consultants
On receiving a referral the referrer is informed if it is accepted and a letter with a leaflet about the service is sent to parent/carer. The parent/carer is contacted to arrange convenient appointment date and time.
The service has a waiting list and all children are seen for an initial assessment within 18 weeks of referral. Advice and information for you to support your child is given at the first appointment
The service has a waiting list for follow up appointments following the first appointment depending on the needs of the child.. Further activities will be demonstrated for you to implement, if needed.
There is no cost for the Physiotherapy service.
What families can expect from Physiotherapy:
- Expert assessment including in depth analysis of physical ability and skills.
- Collation of information about the child or young person skills to inform diagnosis.
- Specialist assessment of equipment for mobility and posture.
- Regular liaison with medical professionals, including consultants and other professionals.
- To be fully involved in the development of a management plan for their child.
- That the plan will contain clear measurable goals and expected outcomes.
- That the goals will link to daily strategies for families and others to implement on a daily basis.
- Families can expect programs that they and relevant others, such as nurseries and schools, are to implement on a daily basis.
- Families can expect that they and important others, such as teaching staff, develop their own skills in using the appropriate strategies to support their child on a daily basis.
- Families can expect coaching sessions which may include a defined number of coaching sessions with the child individually or in a group or a training package for parents and teaching staff only.
- Those who work with the child have written information which is always copied to the family.
- That physiotherapy staff will contribute to Education, Health and Care plans and reviews for children and young people with additional needs
- Families can expect signposting to other agencies and services where appropriate and when families consent to this beneficial support
- That physiotherapist’s will advise and provide support for equipment where relevant and clinically appropriate.
- That where relevant, goals and management plans are provided jointly in order to work in a holistic and meaningful way with families.
Moving on – transitions and discharge
A young person’s needs are continually reviewed and reassessed.
Where the service continues to be involved then transition points such as school entry or moving from primary to secondary school will be supported to be as seamless as possible by ensuring links are made with other services.
Once the child or young person has reached their ability to become self-sufficient with their physical skills or they have reached their anticipated level of independence, the role of the Physiotherapist is over.
When the child or young person or their parents or other professionals are self-sufficient with respect to knowledge about appropriate strategies the service will discharge the child to the care of these relevant others. This is likely to be at the point where:
- Skills are at an optimum level and the child or young person’s parents and teaching staff are trained to maintain the physical and functional skills acquired and to ensure they are supported in an appropriate learning environment.
- Difficulties no longer have significant impact upon child’s development.
- When assessment and Advice given and no treatment indicated
- Resolution of difficulties with no ongoing needs
The decision to discharge to the support of all others in the child’s life will always be discussed and agreed with the child or young person, their family and other relevant professionals.
How we communicate with service users and how you are involved in decision making/planning
Communication with users is routinely, face to face, in written format e.g. letter and reports or by phone. Email between parent and therapist is also used with parental consent.
Parents/carers and child are involved in setting goals and sign them and will get a review report to inform of child’s progress.
All who work with the child have written information which is always copied to the family as well as the GP and HV/School Nurse.
Physiotherapy staff will contribute to Education, Health and Care plans and review for children and young people with additional needs.
Where required, an interpreter can be made available on request.
Ask Ollie
You may find it helpful to view the local offer site for further information about support and services in the area. ‘Ask Ollie’ is the local offer that supports parents and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and young people with SEND themselves.
The link to Ask Ollie is: https://www.warrington.gov.uk/localoffer/
Ask Ollie is co-produced by Warrington Borough Council with local young people with SEND, parents and carers of children with SEND and SEND practitioners who support these families.
We value what you say
We routinely ask for feedback from you to see how we are doing.
This may be a request for verbal feedback, or we will ask you to complete a ‘Talk to Us’ feedback form.
This information will be treated confidentially, and may be used by the team in order to improve our service.
We operate a Patient Partner Service and we would like to invite families to work with us.
About our staff and services
Young people can expect:
- Specialist assessment.
- Advice and Intervention on the basis of assessment of clinical need.
- An individual management plan developed and agreed with the young person, parents and carers as appropriate.
- Evaluation of outcomes and future plans.
- Pre and post-surgery management and rehabilitation for children
All members of staff receive training in disability awareness and undergo regular supervision and clinical training to maintain their skills and develop new expertise.
Every member of the team has an up to date DBS check.
We deliver a range of services that you can access for you and your child/young person. This includes coaching/support sessions and review clinics.
Working with our partners:
Evidence shows that the best results are achieved when we work with those in daily contact with the child and young person.
This enables those around him / her to promote skills to their full potential in a variety of meaningful environments.
For us this means working with a variety of settings and with a variety of other people including parents and professionals.
We aim to form a partnership with families and professionals to support others to maximize their child’s potential. Parents are a significant member of the team who hold a unique insight into their child and whose contribution we value.
Our role as physiotherapists is to provide support and coaching to the significant people in the child’s life to enable them to develop their child’s skills.
What support do we need from you as parents/carers?
We really value your knowledge about your child and your support in helping your child to progress as far as they are able to
We need you to:
- Attend appointments to watch and discuss how to help your child at home
- Carry out suggested activities and ideas at home and in other situations on a daily basis
- Let us know if you have anything that you would like to talk to us about your child’s mobility/posture/gross Motor skills
Who you can contact for further information
For general enquiries regarding Physiotherapy Therapy, specific enquires about a child, to access our training or to make a referral – contact our team on 01925 867854.
You can also continue to get support from universal services such as your GP, Health Visiting and School Nursing Teams
If you have a compliment, a concern or want to make a comment about this service you can contact Patient Services (Formally PALS).
Contact details
Children’s Physiotherapy
Child Development Centre
Sandy Lane
Orford
Warrington
WA2 9HY
Tel: 01925 867854
Information sharing
In order to offer integrated, high quality services for children, all of our Childrens Services work closely with preschools, nurseries and schools.
We share information about the outcomes of assessments and the strategies recommended in order that preschools, nurseries and schools implement the same strategies on a daily basis.
We also inform preschools, nurseries and schools when a parent does not attend an appointment.
This will greatly help your child, but it you do not wish information to be shared you may withdraw your consent at any time.
Related websites
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
The National Autistic Society – Warrington Branch
Downs Syndrome Association
Cerebral Palsy.org
Warrington Youth Advice Shop Website
Association of Paediatric chartered Physiotherapists Website
Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust Website
Asthma UK Website
Cerebral Palsy / SCOPE Website
Muscular Dystrophy Website
Dyspraxia Association Website