Children's physiotherapy

About us

Girl jumping through hoops with physiotherapist The Children’s Physiotherapy Service assess a wide range of conditions and use specialist skills to improve mobility, strength and stamina to encourage children to take part in physical activity.

Who are we?

A Children’s Physiotherapist has expert knowledge of childhood development, movement patterns, and a wide range of clinical conditions, for children aged 0-19.

We work closely with the children and their families to improve their physical abilities, recover from injuries, and manage various health conditions.

Our services include:

Musculoskeletal Children’s Physiotherapy
Neonatal Service
0-19 Community Service
Children’s Ward

We treat a wide range of conditions including, but not limited to:

Developmental delay
Neurological disorders
Injuries
Chronic conditions

What do we do?

If you meet our criteria, you will receive a new patient assessment which will be triaged to one of the teams. Some children may be offered a more targeted or individualised approach – this will be discussed with the Physiotherapist following initial assessment.

You may receive:

Advice only
Advice/demonstration sessions for parents/school staff
Goal-based activity advice programmes
Group or individual treatment sessions

Once the appropriate advice or support has been given, the episode of care will be closed.

Where do we work?

We work in the community across Pinderfields Hospital, Pontefract General Infirmary, patients’ homes, family hubs, schools and nursery settings. Location may vary depending on your child's needs.

Making a referral to the Physiotherapy team

Referrals can be made by parents/carers, a General Practitioner (GP), or a children’s health professional. All referrals are triaged against the service criteria by a Physiotherapist and are not automatically accepted. The referrer will be informed of the outcome in writing.

Please find the referral form below. Please look at the referral criteria before completing. Forms which do not have parental consent, or have insufficient information, will be returned to the referrer.

PT MSK referral form 2024 downloadable (not accessible).pdf [pdf] 215KB

Return completed forms to: Children’s Physiotherapy Team, Children’s Therapy Service, Gate 15 Level B, Pinderfields Hospital, Aberford Road, Wakefield, WF1 4DG

Email: myh-tr.mychildrenstherapy@nhs.net
Telephone: 01924 541411

Where can I find useful information?

Children’s bone, joint and muscle health ( Children’s bone, joint and muscle health | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy ) - information and guides for parents/carers regarding when to seek medical advice.

Down’s Syndrome ( Home - Downs Syndrome Association ) - information, counselling and support for people with Down's syndrome, their families, carers, and professionals.

Family Fund: Family Fund - a charity aiming to support, advise and possibly help with funds for families with severely disabled children.

FND ( What is Functional Neurological Disorder - FND Action ) – A charity who are dedicated solely to supporting individuals diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).

Home start ( Home-Start UK ) - Home-Start is a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through their challenging times. We are there for parents when they need us the most.

Perthes ( Perthes’ Disease - STEPS Charity ) - information and support for parents of children with Perthes disease and related conditions.

Premature babies ( For babies born premature or sick | Bliss ) - Bliss gives support and care to premature babies in the UK. They are devoted to improving the lives of babies born too soon, too small or too sick.

Shine - Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus - UK’s leading charity supporting people affected by spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

Together we are stronger - Muscular Dystrophy UK - the UK charity dedicated to children with Muscular Dystrophy conditions.

Wakefield Council local offer ( Wakefield SEND Local Offer | Wakefield SEND Local Offer ) - The Local Offer provides information and support available for families with children and young people ages 0-25 years with special educational needs and/or disabilities.