Ealing paediatric physiotherapy service
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that promotes the health and wellbeing of all. Physiotherapists are responsible for the assessment and physical management of problems due to accident, injury, ageing, disease or disability. Our Paediatric physiotherapists have specialist skills as physiotherapists, along with additional expert knowledge and experience of child development and childhood disabilities.
Our therapists provide evidence and experience based intervention options with clear pathways (Specialist intervention). They work with children, young people and families to actively support self-management of conditions and self manage their own needs (Targeted intervention).
Ealing paediatric physiotherapy is part of the Ealing Service for Children with Additional Needs (ESCAN), which brings together health, social care and educational services for children.
Our team of physiotherapists assess and care for children and young people who have:
- Long term conditions, physical disabilities and developmental problems - for children and young people who are between 0 and 18 years old, or up to the age of 19 for children in special schools
- Musculoskeletal and orthopaedic conditions - for children and young people between 0 and 18 years old (young people should be referred to adult physiotherapy services once they turn 18).
Each child or young person will be fully assessed by one of our Physiotherapists at their first appointment. Together with the family, we’ll plan what to do next depending on your needs.
The team can help children who need physiotherapy support in several ways, such as:
- An exercise or physical/postural management program
- Individual or group session with physiotherapist or physiotherapy assistant
- Specialist equipment such as orthotics, mobility aids and postural management equipment
- A review of your child’s physiotherapy needs and program after an agreed period of time
- Training parents, carers, school staff to carry out exercise or physical/postural management programs, so that they can be performed as part of your child's daily routine, when this is appropriate
- Working with parents/teachers/learning support assistants/nurses and medical staff as appropriate
- Referral to other services that might help your child e.g. wheelchair service, podiatry, other therapy services (i.e. OT/SLT).
To find out more about children's physiotherapy visit the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists website.
We are a predominantly clinic based service, but some services are delivered in children's centres, special and mainstream schools, and patients homes, depending on what your child needs.
We treat children and young people who have an Ealing GP.
We accept referrals from:
- Consultants
- GPs
- Other healthcare professionals
- Paediatricians
- School teachers
- Special educational needs coordinators.
Download our guidelines for physiotherapy referral
Email your referral to: ealingcommunity.referrals@nhs.net
Our team is happy to offer training for local schools and healthcare professionals on request.
Our training for referrers includes:
- How we deliver our service
- Our referral guidelines and criteria
- Universal information that may be relevant to your patients, such as advice on flat feet and in-toeing for GPs.
Our training for schools or nurseries includes:
- Postural management
- Making the principles of physical management a regular part of a child or young person’s day
- Supporting a child or young person's gross motor skill development through universal activities.
We can also offer training on specific conditions or elements of physiotherapy intervention.