Children’s Equipment and Adaptations Service

What is the Children’s Equipment and Adaptations Service (CEAS)?

The Children’s Equipment and Adaptations Service (CEAS) provides assessments and recommendations by a Specialist Occupational Therapist (OT) to home environments to ensure children and young people with disabilities, neurodevelopmental differences and learning difficulties under the age of 18 years of age can:

• Get in and out of their home and gardens.
• Be as independent as possible at home, for example with bathing, toileting, accessing their bedroom.
• Be cared for safely where others assist with personal care e.g. moving and handling advice/  hoist training  for parents and non paid carers.
• Be as safe as possible within the home with the least restrictions possible.

CEAS is part of the Children’s Therapy Service which sits within Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.   CEAS is funded and functions within the legislative framework of Stockport Social Services.  CEAS works closely with Stockport Homes, Education and Social Care and links into many other agencies in the voluntary and public sector. 

Who can refer to the CEAS?

Parents, carers ,social workers, GP’s, health professionals, teachers or anyone else who feels  that a child 0-18, who is resident in Stockport may benefit from an assessment.

How can I make a referral?

Email CTSAdmin @stockport.nhs.uk for the most updated referral form or contact us on 0161 204 4182

If we are able to accept your referral you will be sent a waiting list letter with an approximate waiting time. We are a small team and will get out to see you in your own home as soon as possible.

If you are not sure that we are the right team to help; please give us a call to discuss the request first.

Once we can offer you an appointment we will usually contact you by phone.

What you can expect during the home visit

We will ask you (and your child where possible) about the challenges faced in meeting their needs in the home. We like to be able to meet your child to help with the assessment.

Sometimes it may also be appropriate to see them at school.

We will assess the home situation, for example looking at different rooms and discussing where risks are present for the child, or how they could be more independent if equipment or adaptations were in place. 

We also advise families about other services which might be helpful if appropriate.

The things we might recommend may include referrals to other services,  ordering and provision of equipment, ordering  simple adaptations and/or  discussing what more major adaptations might be helpful and help in processing these.

Sometimes we also suggest that rehousing might be the best way forward to meet the childs needs. This is especially important to consider if the family live in Stockport Homes or other Housing Association properties.

We can also advise you on other simple equipment you could purchase to help or support with charity applications as appropriate.

What to expect after the home visit

Recommendation of equipment and/ or minor adaptations as appropriate.

If major changes are needed to a property, we may need to bring a surveyor to advise on potential adaptations and present this to a panel made up of managers from both Housing and Social Services to apply for funding.

Decisions are based on:

• The need to provide a safe and accessible home for the child
• Legislation including the Disabled Facilities Grant, Building Control, Fire regulations and structural properties of your home
• The least invasive option to meet your child’s needs.
• Is it reasonable and practical and necessary and appropriate

What happens then?

We will let you know if we need to visit again once equipment is in place or adaptations are complete. If we have informed you that we need to follow up, please let us know when the equipment has been delivered or building work is underway / complete.  

We will keep in contact with you to support you with your rehousing application.