Our service offers a child and family centred approach to children and young people from 0-18 years of age who are registered with a GP in Hertfordshire and who have a physical disability or condition that impacts on their development and their functional daily activities at home or in school.
Children’s Physiotherapy is a specialist team providing services to children and young people to promote health and preserve and improve the best possible functional level of the child or young person.
Children’s Physiotherapists have an understanding of:
- child development
- childhood diseases and conditions that may impact on physical development and well being
- therapeutic interventions that enable and optimise development and well being
- the need to place the child at the centre of planning
- the impact that having a sick or disabled child has on family life.
The Children’s Physiotherapy Service is staffed by qualified Physiotherapists who are supported by Assistants and Administrative and Clerical workers.
All Physiotherapists are registered with the national regulatory body, Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) which maintains an on line register of all Physiotherapists meeting the required standards. www.hpc-uk.org
For more information on how we work, please see the Children and Young People’s Therapies page.
Children's Physiotherapy Service information poster
Children's Physiotherapy Service Leaflet
Children & Young People's Therapies Service Offer
Training
Online Smart Moves Training for Education Settings for Autumn 2022
Click here for dates and how to book.
Contact the service
Telephone – 01923 470680 option 3, option 2
Email – hct.cyptherapies1@nhs.net
Twitter - twitter.com/Herts_CYPT
Advice Line – 01923 470680 option 3, option 1
This is a dedicated telephone number which parents, carers and professionals can call to speak to a therapist about a new referral or a child’s development. Please leave a message on our Advice Line and a therapist will contact you. Calls are responded to by a therapist on weekdays.
For information on our service delivery during COVID-19, please see our CYP Therapies Service page.
Please remember to also look on the Website pages under Useful Information for further advice and support.
Children’s Physiotherapists provide a range of assessments, treatment, advice and support to children and young people.
They are part of the multidisciplinary team focussing on the needs of the child or young person and their family and they do this by working across a variety of settings with other professionals from Health, Education, Social Care and the Voluntary Sector.
Whilst Physiotherapists are mainly based within community clinics or Child Development Centres there are times when they may visit children and young people in their schools or homes if necessary.
We offer specialised assessments and various treatment approaches according to the identified needs of the child or young person including:
- advice regarding positioning, postural management, splinting and specialist equipment
- advice regarding specialist Children’s Orthotics.
- individual home and/or school Physiotherapy programmes.
- the Bobath approach which is used for children with neurological conditions. (a treatment method for children with Cerebral Palsy)
- advice and support for home and school regarding mobility and access issues
This service supports children and young people with recognised difficulties and/or impairments including those with specific conditions such as:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
- Spina Bifida
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
As well as other difficulties including gait anomalies, developmental delay and motor coordination difficulties.
This page contains information and help; however we also have a dedicated telephone number which parents, carers and professional can call to speak to a therapist about a new referral or child’s development. The advice line number is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please leave a message on our Advice Line (01923 470680 option 3, option 1) and a therapist will contact you. Calls are responded to by a therapist on weekdays.
- children and young people registered with a GP in Hertfordshire
- referrals can be made by any NHS health care professional
Initial Appointment
Initial appointments usually last between 1 - 1½ hours depending on the age of your child. You or another adult with parental responsibility will need to attend this appointment and provide consent for us to treat your child. In most cases the appointment will be with one therapist, although at times you may be asked to give your permission for a student to observe the appointment. If you would rather not have this other person present please tell us. If other professionals are involved in your child’s care they may also be at the appointment and this will be discussed and agreed with you at the start of the appointment.
The assessment process will involve:
- talking to you about your child’s developmental history and listening to any concerns that you have about your child/young person’s functional skills
- assessing what your child or young person can do and what his or her needs are. This may include the use of standardised tests which will help measure your child’s performance against national age norms for each activity
What happens after the first appointment?
Following your child’s assessment the Physiotherapist will discuss their findings with you and talk to you about further intervention if this is required. Advice will be given to you on how to help your child with their development and a summary of the assessment that has been carried out and the treatment that is suggested will be provided. We will also ask your permission for the findings of this assessment and any advice given, to be shared with other professionals involved in your child’s care and development, such as your GP or staff at your child’s school.
If your child or young person requires on-going treatment with us this will be discussed with you and may include one or more of the following:
- advice for use at home and for school
- individual/group treatment sessions
- reports for other health and education services
- assessment and recommendation of specialist equipment
Your child will be discharged from Physiotherapy when it is agreed that their therapy goals have been met and/or they are able to continue to develop their skills with the support of family and education.
Your child will need a medical referral from an NHS Health Care Professional to access this service, for example a Paediatrician, Health Visitor, Children’s Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language therapist or GP. Health professionals using SystmOne will be able to make an electronic referral.
Please note that children over 8 years old with musculoskeletal difficulties are usually seen by the Adult MSK service.
We encourage all referrals to HCT Children's Services to be made via this online referral form.
Guidance on how to complete a referral
Down Syndrome Advice Clinic
The Children’s Therapies service is now piloting a therapy advice clinic for preschool children with Down Syndrome living within the East Hertfordshire area. Parents or carers can book into these clinics to access advice and informal assessment from a physiotherapist, occupational therapist and speech and language therapist. They do not need a referral and do not have to be currently open to the service in order to access it. Booking details can be found HERE.
Families and children and young people with long term conditions who have been seen by the Children’s Physiotherapy service for an episode of care and discharged, can self-refer back for further support via our advice line. For more information, please see our Long Term Conditions leaflet.
If you would like to share your story, please contact the Patient Experience team on 01707 388036 or email pals.hchs@nhs.net.
We would also love to hear about your experience on our service, please complete a survey by clicking here.
