As the Government announces a £555m fund for children’s social care reform, focusing on putting families first and providing early help, AAT is stepping up to help councils deliver in practice.

AAT’s offer centres around disabled children, supporting them and their families to remain safe in their existing home. It improves outcomes for the children and their families, and reduces spending- even as the child grows into adulthood.

For a child with mobility issues, the usual scenario is that their carers carry them up and down stairs. As they grow, or their condition(s) worsen, that scenario puts the child and their carers at risk, of falling down the stairs, and injury to one or all involved. Managing that risk usually involves a significant home adaptation, funded via the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). That takes time- assuming a suitable adaptation can be implemented.

Provision of AAT’s Sella mobility stairclimbing wheelchair is a 'quick fix'. Most local authorities already have the Class 1 Medical Device so it can be prescribed to the child quickly and carers trained via AAT’s pioneering re-issue programme. There is no capital funding required.

If one is not available in equipment stores, AAT can deliver within 10 working days of order.

Sella makes stairway navigation safe for child and carer(s). The child is secure and comfortable whilst being moved around the home. Their carer operates and has complete control of the transfer process, making stair navigation safer for them too.

Being a portable unit, Sella carries the child from the stairway on to destination. There is no need to expose the child to the risk of a transfer at the top of the stairs as would be inherent with a more expensive installed stairlift.

Paired with AAT’s unique Universal Seat System, the stairclimber evolves with the child over time. The seat system incorporates adjustable lateral, hip and head supports.

'Providing a stairclimber where appropriate identifies the risk earlier and prevents a problem from needlessly escalating- key elements of the Independent Review of Childrens Social Care,” says Peter Wingrave, AAT Director.

'Such investment in family help also improves the child’s outcome and can reduce spending later on- we have numerous instances where our Sella has been provided as the short-term solution to manage risk, but the family has insisted on keeping it, even when a more long-term (and often more expensive) option is available!'

Detail of how the Sella stairclimbing wheelchair works, and AAT’s re-issue package, can be found at www.aatgb.com/s-max-sella/.