Physical Difficulties Support Service - PDSS / Busy Bodies

Staffordshire County Council’s (Physical Disability Support Service) has been decommissioned. This essential role is still, however, very much required and valued by early year’s settings, schools, colleges and the young people and their families. 

I worked in the PDSS role from Horton Lodge Community Special School for eleven years and so have experience in all settings. I am passionate about the service I had been providing, and it is for this reason I decided to set up independently.

The aim of the service is to provide support to mainstream settings to enable inclusion of pupils with physical difficulties. As part of this service we have a programme called Busy Bodies. The aim of the programme is to assist children with gross and fine motor skills. It is over a period of seven weeks and shows measured impact.  (The programme can be funded through the Sports Premium criteria.)

Support can be offered in a number of specialist areas that include the following:

• Busy Bodies to support primary age children with their gross and fine motor skills 
• Transition between mainstream settings
• Advice on specialist resources equipment and facilities
• Support, guidance and participation upon the SEND assessment
• Access to the environment and the curriculum
• Mobility/ physical access
• Liaise with other agencies, and professionals
• Touch typing and handwriting assessments and programmes
• Assessments for gross and fine motor skills
• Strategies for physical management and personal care
• Care plan advice and guidance
• Risk assessment support and guidance
• Moving and handling advice and training
• To attend meetings, with other agencies
• Independence, personal self-help and life skills.

• Staff training, basic signing, dyspraxia, hypermobility and handwriting.