24-hour postural care
A joined-up approach across the person’s full day and night.
Specialist clinical service
Postural Care for Children and Adults
Person-centred assessment for children and adults whose posture, seating and equipment needs affect comfort, development, care, independence and participation across daily life.
Postural care throughout everyday life
Children and adults use posture and equipment support across home, education or work, travel, activity, rest and personal care. Assessment considers these settings alongside comfort, abilities, communication, preferences, independence and opportunities to participate.
The service supports people with complex or changing physical needs where specialist clinical reasoning about sitting, lying, standing, movement, wheelchair seating or associated equipment would strengthen the wider plan of care.
Listening to the individual and the people around them
The individual, family members and carers hold essential knowledge about what works, what is difficult and what matters. Assessment begins by understanding their priorities and the practical realities of routines, space, transport, education, work and care.
Communication is adapted to the individual. Consent, assent, privacy, sensory needs, fatigue and tolerance are considered throughout, with assessment paced in a way that is respectful and clinically useful.
What assessment may consider
The clinician may review development or clinical history, posture and body shape, movement, muscle tone, comfort, skin and pressure risk information, sleep, transfers, personal care, mobility and existing equipment. Growth, ageing, health changes and the likely lifespan of equipment are considered without trying to predict every future change.
- Wheelchair seating and mobility
- Sitting, lying and standing support
- Comfort, access, activity and participation
- Home, education, work and community environments
- Manual handling and care-team requirements
- Equipment adjustment, trials and review planning
Working with the wider team
Postural care is often multidisciplinary. With appropriate agreement, we can liaise with NHS and independent therapists, wheelchair services, education or workplace teams, case managers, carers, commissioners and equipment suppliers. Our role is to contribute specialist posture, seating and equipment expertise while respecting the responsibilities of existing clinical teams.
Where equipment trials are needed, shared goals and clear feedback help compare options meaningfully. Recommendations should be clinically justified, practical for those using them and understood by the people who will support the individual day to day.
Change, transition and review
Review may be important during growth, ageing, transition between services or settings, changes in health or function, and after new equipment is introduced. The timing and scope of review are individual rather than automatic.
This page describes a specialist assessment service. It does not provide individual medical or therapy advice and should not replace guidance from the person’s treating clinicians or urgent healthcare services.
Related support
Related assessments and support
Enquire
Discuss an assessment or referral
Tell us about the person’s circumstances and the support being considered. Our team can help clarify an appropriate next step.