Enrolled school physiotherapy service
Physiotherapy is a contracted service to Ko Taku Reo where we refer to an outside Physiotherapists to work with our students. Once a referral is made the Physiotherapist will undertake an assessment with the students and then recommend work to be undertaken. Our contracted Physiotherapists will work in the same manner as a Ko Taku Reo employed specialist and are coordinated through the Integrated Service Leader. Every one of our contracted specialists has a slightly different service pathway, but in general, will follow the service pathway as seen below.
Physiotherapist work in a fun and functional setting that promotes participation at school, home and in the community.
Physiotherapy provides:
- Assessment of a student’s movement, motor skills, and development.
- Assessment and provision of mobility equipment
- Individual therapy programmes
- Rehabilitation prior to and following surgery
- Advice to whanau and caregivers
- Consultation with other agencies and specialists
Values
Our practice is guided by:
- The Values from New Zealand Physiotherapy
- Ko Taku Reo, Deaf Education New Zealand school values
- Respect for all
- Clear purpose
- Genuine relationships
- Leadership and growth
- Fun
- Family
- Never-ending improvement
New Zealand Physiotherapy
- A strong commitment to Deaf bi-lingual and bi-cultural practice
- Valuing Deaf cultural norms
- Provide students with an environment where they can belong, Grow, Choose, Excel
- Access to resources and services students need to be happy and engaged learners
- To have opportunities to be their best and become confident leaders of their own lives
Ko Taku Reo School Values
How to access the service
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If anyone from a learner’s existing team has noticed that they need help to support the students movement, motor skills, and development, then the learner can be referred to the Physiotherapy Service. The learner or Teacher of the Deaf can send the referral to us. This can be done by filling in the integrated services referral form.
Referrals can only be accepted if whānau has given consent for the referral. -
You will receive an email receipt of your referral and a team member may contact you to gather more information, if needed. The referral will be accepted or declined, and this will be communicated to the referrer and their team.
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A team member will contact the learner’s team, including whanau, the learner, teachers and other professionals.
By connecting with whanau, the team member will gain consent and begin the assessment processes.
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Assessment will be carried out using formal (e.g. tests) and/or informal (e.g. observation) methods. Whānau and team members are central to this process.
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Assessment findings will be used to determine the level of support for the learner and their team. The Physiotherapist will then work with the learner’s team, including teaching staff, their whānau and the learner, to co-construct a Support Plan. The Support Plan will have clear learning goals and an agreed time frame. The time frame will include review points for the support being given.
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At review meetings, the team will decide on criteria that will show that the learner’s Support Plan is complete.
When the criteria have been met, or the team has agreed that the Support Plan is complete for a different reason, then the team will organise a Next Steps meeting.
At the Next Steps meeting, progress will be reviewed, and final recommendations will be discussed before the learner’s Support Plan is closed.
The learner may be re-referred to the Ko Taku Reo Physiotherapy service in the future, if anyone from the learner’s team (existing or new) identifies further need.