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This website is only one part of the Local Offer. We also have a directory which you can visit at 1space.eastsussex.gov.uk/localoffer

Physical Difficulties and Mobility

Two children playing frisbee on some grass, with a dog running between them. Buildings and mountains are in the background. One child is in a wheelchair.

Overview

Motor co-ordination is the ability to control your body’s movement.

Gross motor skills need whole body movement and use the large muscles. Gross motor skills are skills such as:

Fine motor skills need controlled movement of the fingers and hands. Skills such as doing up buttons, threading, drawing and writing are fine motor skills.

If your child is having difficulties, you can get advice and support in the first instance from your child’s:

Health Visitor

The Health Visiting Team provide all families with five developmental reviews. This starts from pregnancy to when your child is 2 ½ years old, as well as extra support when needed. This is called the Healthy Child Programme. The health visiting team includes health visitors, staff nurses and community nursery nurses. Find out more by visiting this site's Health Visiting section.

General Practitioner (GP)

Your child's GP might refer them to a paediatrician. Paediatricians diagnose and treat health conditions that affect babies, children and young people. You can find out more by visiting the NHS website:

Teacher or Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)

Schools can offer activities and programmes which support the development of gross motor skills.

It may be that they have tried these programmes for a sustained period of time without improvement. If this is the case, they might wish to make a referral to Children’s Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service (CITES). This will enable them to get further advice.

East Sussex School Health and CITES

The Children's Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service (CITES) is a specialist service. They provide occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and physiotherapy to children and young people aged 0-16 years and 16-19 years if in full-time education.

This includes providing training and guidance to education settings to support children with:

CITES loan specialist equipment. This can be to families, schools and other settings that support children with additional needs:

Adaptions

They also provide a multidisciplinary pathway. This involves Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Integrated Therapy Assistants.

Their service aims to support the safety and independence of children in their own home. This is when alterations or adaptations are assessed as being necessary to meet essential needs.

The children’s adaptation occupational therapists (OTs) are part of East Sussex Children's Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service (ESCITES). The team work close with the other professionals who may be involved in your child’s care. This includes:

They provide help for:

Find out more by visiting the NHS East Sussex Children website:

Equipment and orthotics

The Children’s Integrated Equipment Service (CIES) provide equipment for children and young people. They must be under the age of 18 (or 19 if still in full time education) who meet the criteria for a service from CITES. The types of equipment they provide includes:

Find out more by visiting the NHS East Sussex Children website:

Other topics covered by this service include:

Find out more by visiting the NHS East Sussex Children website.

Millbrook Healthcare Group

The Millbrook Healthcare Group provide healthcare services for:

They deliver these services on behalf of the NHS and Local Authorities.

You can find out more by visiting the Millbrook Healthcare Group website.

Rehabilitation Engineering Service (RES)

The Department of Rehabilitation Engineering at Chailey Clinical Services comprises:

The RES offers a range of services for children and young people with complex neurological and physical disabilities. They provide engineering solutions. This includes helping children and young people who need Assistive Technology. Where necessary, they provide innovative bespoke solutions where alternatives are not available.

The team includes:

Find out more on the NHS website:

Housing Adaptions

If you have a disability or a health condition, you may find it difficult to use or get around your home. You may also struggle with everyday tasks. We may be able to provide equipment to help you. Daily living equipment includes:

We may also be able to make adaptations to your home. Adaptions are changes to your home that make it safer for you. Simple home adaptations include grab rails and stair rails.

Please note, to get equipment from us, you will need to have an assessment to find out if you are eligible.

The main East Sussex County Council website has more information, including how to apply for assessment:

They also have a separate web page on support to stay at home. This includes help to use or move around your home:

Accessibility in School

All schools make reasonable adjustments to ensure that children with physical and mobility difficulties are not discriminated against in their settings. They take an inclusive and accessible approach. This is in line with the SEND Code Of Practice and the Equality Act 2010.

They are also required to create an accessibility plan. These plans outline their current accessibility and how they intend to improve access for all pupils, moving forward. Schools write these plans and they review them every three years.

Schools should post these plans on their websites. They are often on a page alongside other policies and SEND information.

We also send out a survey yearly, asking for schools' up-to-date accessibility information. This includes whether their setting has:

We then apply the selected answers to our directory, on 1Space, where they can be used as filters. You can then use as many filters as you need, to find the most suitable school setting for you. 

Accessibility Around East Sussex

AccessAble is a website that provides accessibility information for venues across the UK. This includes East Sussex. Venues include:

AccessAble helps to find wheelchair friendly venues. It also highlights disabled access and what facilities are available:

Visit Eastbourne have also created an Eastbourne Access Guide and Eastbourne Accessible Toilet Guide on their website:

Changing Places toilets

People may be limited in their own mobility. They may need equipment to help them or may need support from one or two carers. This can be to either get on the toilet and / or to have their continence pad changed. Changing Places toilets are larger facilities to support disabled people who need assistance. They usually include a changing bench and a hoist.

There are Changing Places toilets installed across the UK. This includes toilets in:

Visit the Changing Places Toilets website to find nearby Changing Places toilets.

Disability Payments

Disability payments for children and young adults with a disability include:

DLA and PIP are benefits paid to cover the extra costs of a person’s disability or health needs. They are both split into two components:

The government's website has more information on the DLA and PIP:

If you need help with DLA / PIP claims, there are a few options. Citizens Advice and Hastings Advice and Representation Centre (HARC) can both help support you. Please note, due to capacity HARC may not always be able to take on new referrals. In this case, we recommend you contact your local Citizens Advice.

You can visit their websites to find out more:

Additional Help and Support

Amaze SENDIASS

Amaze SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service) are a local charity. They offer free, independent, and impartial advice for all matters relating to SEND. Contact Amaze SENDIASS by:

Visit the Amaze SENDIASS web page.

East Sussex Local Offer directory of services

You can visit our SEND-specific online directory, hosted on East Sussex 1Space. The directory lists many different services both throughout the county and online. Services cover many topics, including:

Visit the East Sussex Local Offer directory.

NHS - Health A to Z

The East Sussex Local Offer aims to provide as much information as possible. There may be some conditions that aren't covered in thorough detail. The NHS website has pages that list all conditions. These pages provide information and advice on how to get extra support:

Visit the NHS Health A to Z web page.

Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms

We explain some of the terms used on this website on our page, Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms.

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