Manual Handling People Paediatric: Children With Disabilities Course (No Hoists)

This course introduces the problems, techniques and strategies for moving and handling children needing assistance with moving or who use a wheelchair.

Spinal anatomy and biomechanics will be linked to the problems of back care and posture.

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 will be discussed and their relevance to the assessment of children needing assistance when moving or being moved.

A short time will be devoted to demonstration and practice of current accepted good practice in moving children in a variety of care settings and situations, including unexpected situations such as falling. Seated transfers, eg, wheelchair/chair/toilet will be practiced and use of wheelchairs discussed.

If there is insufficient time for any mechanical aids they will be demonstrated (eg, hoists). However a selection of small handling aids will be available for the group to use, including those suitable for use in cars/minibuses.

It must be emphasised that no assessment of competence can take place after such a short course. It serves as an introductory session and ongoing monitoring and supervision in the workplace by management is an essential requirement under Health & Safety law.

Trainees will have learnt sufficient spinal anatomy and biomechanics to realise the importance of back care and posture as well as the dangers of poor techniques.

They will have been given an explanation of the laws affecting moving and handling issues (including recent legislation) and of the legal implications of client handling.

The subject of load assessment principles will have been introduced to trainees with reference to handling babies and children with disabilities.

Course participants will have seen and practised current acceptable manual techniques and had the opportunity to try out small handling aids.

Equipment and positioning aids, particularly for children with special needs, will be discussed and could be demonstrated (by previous arrangement) if on site.

Course is endorsed by the College of Occupational Therapists

Trainees will have learnt sufficient spinal anatomy and biomechanics to realise the importance of back care and posture as well as the dangers of poor techniques

They will have been given an explanation of the laws affecting moving and handling issues (including recent legislation) and of the legal implications of client handling

The subject of load assessment principles will have been introduced to trainees with reference to handling babies and children with disabilities

Course participants will have seen and practised current acceptable manual techniques and had the opportunity to try out small handling aids

Hoisting and the problems of handling children with complex needs will be discussed and practised on each other and a doll

Equipment and positioning aids, particularly for children with special needs, will be discussed and could be demonstrated (by previous arrangement) if on site

Course is endorsed by the College of Occupational Therapists.