Children’s Community Physiotherapy

The Children’s Physiotherapy service supports the physical development of babies, children and young people up the end of year 11 (or end of year 14 if attending Heatons school). We provide assessment and treatment in partnership with families and other professionals for a wide range of conditions including developmental delay, neurological and neuromuscular disorders.

About our service

We aim to promote independence and participation through physiotherapy intervention and advice to empower families to manage their physical needs in the community

Our Children’s Physiotherapy service offers assessment, individualised treatment plans and ongoing support for babies, children and young people with a range of physical needs. 

We work in collaboration with families and other professionals (e.g. occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, specialist nurses, educational staff, medical staff, social care, health visiting)

Interventions may include:

• Postural Care
• Promoting gross motor skills and function
• Muscle stretching and strengthening exercise programmes
• Advice and strategies for home and school
• Specialist equipment recommendations
• Serial casting for neurodevelopmental conditions
• Hydrotherapy
• Neonatal physiotherapy
• Cystic Fibrosis Shared care with Royal Manchester Children`s Hospital

The service is currently undergoing a review using the balanced system framework® approach.

‘The Balanced System®’ approach involves everyone working together to support children’s physical skills. This means we will work closely with families and other partners (e.g. health visitors, early years setting and school staff).

What is the Balanced System®

The Balanced System® can help children who need support at 3 different levels – universal, targeted, and specialist. The Physiotherapy service will be involved in developing help at all 3 levels. This work is still in progress for physiotherapy, there is more information about the balanced system on the Stockport Local Offer:

Therapy services for children – Stockport Council

Children may be supported by universal services such as health visitors, Start Well teams, GPs, school nurses or school staff. These professionals use guidance on physical signs that may suggest a child needs extra help, allowing for early identification and support.

Early assessment and treatment are key for children with, or at risk of, developmental or neurological issues. Acting early helps maximise a child’s potential and supports their physical and neurological development — including important milestones like rolling, crawling and walking.

If specialist support is needed, a referral can be made via the process below “How to use the service”

All referrals are triaged. Families may receive advice or signposting, and if accepted, the service will carry out an initial assessment to recommend next steps and create an action plan.

Expertise

EXPERTISE

Our physiotherapists have specialist knowledge in both typical and atypical child development and are experienced in treating a whole range of medical and complex conditions and disabilities.

 All our physiotherapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).  We aim to provide a high quality, effective service, underpinned by evidence based practice, in the most appropriate setting for the child.

We follow guidance published by the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP) and National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Useful resources

For more information on supporting your child’s physical development or more general support available in the local area please visit:

Start Well Stockport – Stockport Council 

Families – Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Leaflets on the followingare available on the APCP Website: Information for parents and Carers 

• Awake Time Ideas
• Babywalkers
• Bone Health
• Bottom Shuffling
• Chest Care for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
• Choosing Footwear for Children
• Choosing the Right Schoolbag
• Down Syndrome
• Flat Feet
• Head Turning Prefrerence and Plagiocephaly
• Hypermobility
• Intoeing Gait
• Lying to Sitting
• Osgood Schlatters
• Perthes Disease
• Positional Talipes
• Postural Care
• Selective Dorzal Rhizotomy (SDR)-
• Severs
• Spina Bifida
• Standing Frames
• Transition (Carer)
• Transition (Young Person)
• Tummy Time

How to use the service

If you are concerned about your child, speak to your health visitor or GP and they will advise whether a referral to physiotherapy could be useful.

We accept referrals (for children under 16 years with a Stockport GP) from:

• Parents/ Carers
• Health Visitors
• GPs
• Social Workers
• Teachers
• Anyone who feels the child would benefit from a specialist physiotherapy assessment

Referrals from professionals:

If you are a Stockport foundation trust health professional using the EMIS patient system: Please use the referral form on the system and Task the:

‘0-16yrsOTPhysioSaltCDU’ exorg task box

If you do not use the EMIS system, please email [email protected] to request the current referral form

Referrals from parents and/or carers

• You can refer your child over the phone.  We will ask for further details before the referral is processed

Referrals will be accepted if the child meets the referral criteria for the service

• Registered with a Stockport GP
• Not completed year 11 (or year 14 if they attend Heaton’s School)

Has any of the following problems, and specialist level support is required:

• Neurological impairment, e.g., Cerebral palsy
• Significant delay in gross motor skills (sitting, crawling, walking)
• Unusual gait
• Asymmetries in movement or obvious weakness or stiffness of limbs
• Any regression or loss of motor skills
• Difficulties with balance / co-ordination
• A diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis
• Neonatal concerns

Before referring, please make sure:

Targeted interventions have been followed by early years providers/schools prior to referral.

Pre-school referrals have accompanying information such as Ages and Stages information.

School-age children referred by the school have accompanying information such as assessments by other agencies, interventions already tried/  their plan to review evidence access plans and Educational Psychology reports if appropriate

Exclusion Criteria

• Children without a Stockport GP
• Children with Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions e.g. torticollis, talipes, rehab post fractures and sprains, joint pain. These children should be referred to the main Outpatient Physiotherapy department at Stepping Hill Hospital. Please contact the team via [email protected]
• Children who do not meet inclusion criteria

Please remember to check the letter for the clinic location as this may be different to the postal address.