An often-overlooked element of safeguarding children is their wellbeing- ensuring healthy development and safe environments at home. It involves empowering children to engage with normal family life and routine.

For any child with reduced mobility, there comes a point where their- and family life- is disrupted, because of a fixture present in almost every home: the stairs.

AAT, the UK’s biggest provider of stair navigation solutions to local authorities and the NHS, has developed a potential resolution, that prevents any disruption to the home, can remove the need for a major DFG adaptation/modification or re-housing.

It enables the child and their family to retain normality.

Further, AAT’s proposal is cost-efficient: the core components not only answer the problem of giving them and their family a safe environment at home, they grow with the child to adulthood. When the original recipient no longer needs the S-Max, it can be prescribed to another child with little or no additional capital equipment cost.

Central is AAT’s top-selling S-Max mobility wheelchair stairclimber. The core powerpack unit can be attached to a wheelchair or have an integral seat.

Add AAT’s unique Universal Seat System, which adjusts to individual need, and the child can be safely transported as they develop from infancy into maturity.

The way S-Max works further enhances safety at home: it traverses the stairway and on to destination. It removes the risk of a transfer at the top of the stairs that is inevitable with a stairlift.

Normal family life continues with dignity and privacy.

Elaborates Peter Wingrave, AAT Director: “Two of the four key aspects of safeguarding children are promoting welfare: ensuring children have the best outcomes and are growing up in safe, effective circumstances and early intervention: supporting children and families when problems emerge to prevent issues from escalating.

“Difficulty managing stairs is one of the most common reasons why any family with a disabled member needs intervention and support. Where appropriate, S-Max is a time- and cost-effective means of preserving safety: we can support in PEOP assessment, service, deliver the S-Max and train the family in its safe operation within two working weeks. If one is available in Equipment Stores, it can be effected even faster!

“The child is kept safe. Their- and their family’s- wellbeing, mental health, dignity and privacy- is protected.”

AAT explains its re-issue scheme, and how the S-Max works, on its website. Visit www.aatgb.com/ots/ and www.aatgb.com/s-max/.