What does this service provide?

Who we are 

We are a team of physiotherapists, physiotherapist assistants and an administrator.  

We are specialists in neurodisability, particularly for children and young people with complex physical disabilities, and work with our other colleagues to provide postural management solutions.  

We work in the Botulinum toxin injection service provided at Chailey Clinical Services and work alongside visiting consultants from children’s hospitals to provide tertiary care in clinics such as in orthopaedics and respiratory care. 

We are skilled in the treatment of children and young people with acquired brain injury and provide intensive treatment packages. We are also able to provide intensive treatment packages of care for other children, such as those who have had surgery. 

What we do 

We work with children and young people with complex neurodisability who have limitations to their movement and independence. We assess, design, modify and provide bespoke treatment programmes and solutions to ensure that each child and young person can participate in all aspects of their lives to maximise their movement potential, comfort, health, well-being, and independence. 

These assessments take place at various clinics at Chailey Clinical Services including: 

We also work directly with children and young people who attend Chailey Heritage Foundation School and Residential Care, and the Chailey Heritage Futures service for young adults transitioning to community services. We provide integrated care with education, social care, and health professionals. We also offer a range of additional physiotherapy services including:  

  • aquatic therapy 
  • rebound therapy 
  • massage 
  • Innowalk 

We work as part of the multi-disciplinary team in the Chailey Rehabilitation and Transition Service (CRTS) to provide intensive packages of treatment for children and young people following acquired brain injury. 

Appointment information 

Appointment types 

We see patients at the relevant clinic at Chailey Clinical Services and at the Chailey Heritage Foundation.  

Who you'll see 

During your assessment, you will meet the following members of our team: 

  • physiotherapist 
  • physiotherapist assistant 

Additional information

Case study 

Alexandra is an eight-year-old girl with cerebral palsy affecting her whole body.  She was a full-time wheelchair user. She started at Chailey Heritage Foundation (CHF) School at the age of 4. She presented with uncoordinated movements affecting her ability to move independently for mobility, to use her hands for functional activities and for activities of daily living. She had a partial dislocation of one of her hips which was at times painful. When she started at school, she was not able to weight bear when held in a standing position and was unhappy to roll or be placed on her front. She had no postural or mobility equipment other than her wheelchair. She was reported to wake frequently at night and needed to be repositioned by her parents on a regular basis. 

What difference have we made? 

Since Alexandra started at Chailey Heritage Foundation, the physiotherapy team have been involved in developing a physical activity and postural management programme for her at school and at home, aiming to maximise her ability to move and to promote her independence, health and well-being. This is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Her programme incorporates therapy activities to develop her control of functional movement, use of a tricycle and walker, sessions in the Innowalk, horse riding with the school hippotherapist, rebound therapy and water-based therapy in the hydrotherapy pool.  We work closely with her classroom staff and teach them to carry out these activities so that Alexandra can access these on a daily basis. Participation, independence, increased access to learning, fitness and fun and are all key goals for her family.  The physiotherapy team work with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) at Chailey Clinical Services to jointly provide access to supportive seating, standing, night-time and mobility equipment. For example, Alexandra has a tricycle which has been adapted by the rehabilitation engineering team to enable her to access this activity for fitness, fun and independence.  The physiotherapy team support Alexandra and the MDT when she has attended orthopaedic clinic at Chailey Clinical Services to address her hip pain, orthotic clinic for her lower limb orthoses, movement clinic when she has had Botulinum toxin injections and equipment clinics for her wheelchair and other postural equipment. 

Outcomes 

  • Alexandra is now able to use a powered wheelchair to move independently around the school and her home 
  • she is able to transfer with guidance into her standing frame at home and enjoys standing to help prepare meals at night with her parents and siblings. 
  • she enjoys being able to move independently in her walker and is able to move around the school site with supervision 
  • she is happy lying on her front and is able to roll to aid with dressing and hygiene 
  • she is able to sit on a stool with minimal support from an adult 
  • she has been provided with night-time positioning equipment and now sleeps all night without the need to be repositioned 
  • she can transfer onto the toilet using a rotatory stander with guidance 

Research, Innovation and Development

The physiotherapy team at Chailey Clinical services is involved in research and innovation projects. We have been successful in obtaining funding to develop research into physical interventions for children with neurodisability working in collaboration with university and other health partners, such as a study on standing frames for children with cerebral palsy.  

We are currently involved in national and international research projects, and we collaborate with leading researchers in childhood disability to ensure that the voices and experiences of the children and families we work with are heard by policy makers.

How can I access this service?

Our services can be accessed in a range of ways, including: 

  • if you are an NHS or private therapist and wish to refer a patient, discuss funding or discuss which clinic may be most appropriate for your patient, please contact our central Chailey referrals team on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They will be able to answer most of your questions or forward your enquiry to the most appropriate person  
  • if you wish to discuss the progress of ongoing work or a clinic, please contact the therapist involved as they will be able to provide you with an update 

Where can I access this service?

Contact details
Telephone: Telephone: 01825 724 703
Where to find us
Address: Physiotherapy Team, Chailey Clinical Services, Beggars Wood Road, North Chailey (Near Lewes), East Sussex, BN8 4JN

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Opening hours

We are open Monday to Friday, from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

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If you need advice about our services, facilities or staff, or would like to make a comment, please contact Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS).

Contact details

You can contact PALS by the following:

Telephone: 01273 242 292

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