Physical Difficulties Team

What we do

The Physical Difficulties Team supports children and young people from 0-25 whose primary need is complex physical difficulties. Children and young people will either have an EHCP or are going through the statutory assessment process.

We offer ongoing advice, guidance and support to schools, families, carers and children and young people in order to maximise opportunities for learning, independence and inclusion so that children and young people can achieve their full potential and overcome barriers to learning.

Our team uses a positive approach, focusing on what a child or young person can do. We offer advice and guidance, appropriate for the child or young person’s age and needs (in line with the SEND code of practice) and Devon’s Ordinarily, Available and Inclusive Provision (OAIP).

Watch the video to find out more about the role of our team:

Role of the Physical Difficulties Team

Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP)

Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP) describes the inclusive provision and practice that all Devon schools, early years, and post 16 settings should be able to provide for all children and young people, including those with SEND, from within their own resources. This will support all children and young people to attend, engage and thrive in their educational setting.

It describes approaches, provision and practice that is ‘helpful to all, harmful to none and crucial for some’.

The following link will provide more information about Devon’s Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP) frameworks.

Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision – Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)

Specialist

Team core offer

We provide advice and support for children and young people in mainstream schools and settings. This can include:

• equipment
• exam arrangements
• accessing the curriculum e.g. maths due to spatial and perceptual difficulties
• PE curriculum in conjunction with physiotherapy colleagues
• physical access to buildings and practical lessons in conjunction with occupational therapy colleagues
• positioning in the classroom
• recording supported by ICT or SEND advisory teacher colleagues, if needed.
• timetabling changes because of fatigue
• transition between phases
• health and safety or fire evacuation
• intimate care
• risk assessments
• school trips
• social opportunities
• signposting to other services

Requesting support from Sensory Needs and Physical Difficulties team

All requests for support are made using our online form using the link below.

Requests can be made by:

• an educational setting,
• medical professional e.g. Audiologist, Orthoptists, Paediatrician,
• other professionals working with a child or young person e.g. social worker, speech & language therapist, ROVIC, Occupational Therapists

As a service we use the NatSIP eligibility criteria to guide decision-making on the level of support allocated to children and young people.

Please use the following link to request support:

Consent

All requests for support must have a signed consent form. These need to be signed by a parent or carer if the child or young person is under sixteen. Young people over sixteen will need to sign their own consent form. These forms can be downloaded separately below or completed within the main request for support link above:

Consent form for child under 16

Consent form for young person over 16

Training

We offer training for professionals related to the inclusion and support of children and young people with physical difficulties, including:

• PE
• Disability awareness

 For more information, please contact:

Telephone: 01392 287239

Strategic Lead for Sensory Needs and Physical Difficulties Team Lian.Badcock@devon.gov.uk 

Team Lead for Sensory Needs and Physical Difficulties Team Claire.L.Hayter@devon.gov.uk.