physio as part of statement

[CrystalEclipse]

Has anyone got physio as part of there statement? It so how did you go about getting It?

TIA

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Bump because I'd really like to know about this too.

[sazale]

We got it as part of DD's statement as the school were already delivering it via the developmental physio team which tend to work in schools. My dd won't do her physio at home due to her ASD. The physio advises the TA what to do and then follows up every half term to see how it's working.

The LEA put it in automatically as it was the advice from the physio and it is in part 3.

She's not had it delivered as part of her statement yet as she moved to special school and they have their own physio based there. We will be seeing her next week.

[HairyMaclary]

Yes, we do. We have it specified in his statement, part 3. One block of 5 sessions per term plus an extra hour per term for meetings, equipment reviews etc. That extra hour is important as otherwise meeting time can be taken out of hands on therapy time. Must be carried out by a qualified physio who must give a program to the 1:1 to follow up in school time. Also written in is that 1:1 must attend physio sessions with DS so she knows what's going on and to be trained.

WE have exactly the same for OT so in effect each term we have one block of physio and one block of OT. It works very well but must be specified exactly so no one can wriggle out of it!

DS has always been under the physio and OT team and they were careful to write exactly what they wanted to provide in the reports that went to the LA. The way it works in our area is that by virtue of his needs, cerebral palsy, DS is entitled to both physio and OT core service, which is approximately one block of 5. Therefore one block is funded by Health and two by the LA. This is agreed internally and has nothing to do with us, the physio /OT just have to provide it, but it is how the funding is worked out in the background.

Best to get the physio / OT to write a very specific recommendations in their report. Then the LA will find it hard to justify why they shouldn't provide the recommended support!

[CrystalEclipse]

Thanks for the advice, at the moment I'm really struggling to work out what DS' physio is doing so I want to get the whole thing set in stone, It really helps to know what can be done soi can start asking the right questions.

[bigbluebus]

Definitely get it written in the statement in the way that Hairy has it specified. DD goes to SN school where they have Physios based, but they also cover children in the Community (pre schoolers) and children at MS school.
The physio posts have just been cut and a physio assistant left and was not replaced. Their workload has increased and consequently the number of physio sessions the children are getting has reduced. Physio is going to be delivered by non-qualified staff who have been shown what to do by the Physio - in accordance with the national matrix! Only children who have just had surgery will get regular physio from the physiotherapist. Some of the children in DDs class have very complex health needs as well as LD. DD has brittle bones, so the thought of a non qualified person doing stretches with her fills me with dread.Most of the children will have Physio mentioned in their statements but not specified as there had never been any need to in the past!!!!

[supermum98]

My ds has daily physio, with his TA who is trained by physio. The session lasts for one period ( he is in year 9). I have got written into statement 12 visits (monthly) by NHS physio. We also get 1.5 hours a week from an outreach team from special school and their physio comes monthly too. This is unusual, but it was cheaper than taxi-ing my ds to a resource. I have heard of people getting weekly physio from the nhs. Anything is possible.
You need to get a report from a physio stipulating what he must have. Daily physio with a trained TA is possible if your child is on a reduced curriculum. It has never worked for us doing physio at home during the school week. Homework and tiredness, biggest barriers. The NHS want to offer us the block approach, but I am sceptical as this does not offer good monitoring in my opinion and I will fight against it. That is why you need the physio regularly. Children with CP can tighten up suddenly in the teenage years and need vigilant monitoring and the programme tweeked regularly and as a parent I don't always feel qualified to do their job nor do I feel the TA is.
The important thing is to quantify in statement and not use the word 'regular'. If nhs physio will only stipulate according to resource rather than need, you could always pay for a private physio assessment which will be far more objective.

[HairyMaclary]

Supermum - what is the outreach provision, is that physio? So your DS has 1.5 hours per week plus monthly visits from both the NHS physio and special school phyisio? I'm impressed - well done! Roughly whereabouts in the country are you?

We get 20 -30 mins stretches / exercises done daily by a trained TA, she's very good at it actually - gets better compliance that me. I agree with the regularity of the physio though, I am going to have to fight hard to keep this level of provision now that DS has moved to Juniors. It's not nearly enough but is seen as 'good' provision. Currently we can top up with private physio but unfortunately that is not a long term solution due to cost.