Occupational therapy and physiotherapy at Paces school

Who are the therapy team at Paces?

We are a small team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and a therapy assistant from Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT), who see children and young people in the community. We have been commissioned by Paces to provide a therapy service in school. Some of our team also work in the Sheffield Children’s community therapy team based at Ryegate Children’s Centre.

What does the therapy team do?

We help children and young people to:

• protect your body shape and posture to make sure you are comfortable
• work with you towards functional goals set
• promote your independence
• support you to participate fully in your school day so you can access education, join in with their peers and feel well

Depending on your needs, this may include:

• providing and adjusting postural management equipment such as standing frames, supportive seating, toileting equipment and so on
• therapy programmes to work on specific goals for an agreed period of time
• rehabilitation after an operation
• regular assessments of your body shape and posture, including the cerebral palsy integrated pathway (CPIPS)
• orthotics and wheelchair clinic

What happens during the school holidays?

During school holidays we may:

• visit you at home if you have specialist equipment.
• visit you at home before or after surgery.
• provide therapy programmes for you to do with your child if there are functional goals specific to home life

If you would like your child’s school equipment such as standers to be transported home over the school holidays, please contact us to arrange this at least 3 weeks before the end of term. We cannot provide this service for the half-term holidays.

What happens if my child has a split placement with another school?

We work together with the therapists from your child’s other school. We may ask you to meet with us all together to talk about your child’s therapy goals, and we may see your child together in school and home to do assessments.

The therapy team from the school your child spends the most time will be responsible for postural assessments and support with home equipment. This may change depending on staff availability.

If your child needs to be seen in orthotics or wheelchair clinic, this will be at the school they are in on the day of the clinic.

What do children and families need to do to help it go well?

We need you to try your absolute best and give each of the therapies a go before we think about trying new strategies. We strive to give you and your family the best experience and care, and the best way we can do that is with your enthusiastic involvement each step of the way.

What I can expect from you?

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is committed to providing safe, kind and outstanding care to all children, young people and families that use our services. To do this, we aim to work in partnership with our families and carers led by our values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence. For more information, read our Quality Promise.