MOVE is a practical mobility programme based around the philosophy that movement is the foundation for learning and uses the combined knowledge of families, carers, education and therapy staff. Regular opportunities are created throughout the child’s normal daily routine for increased practice and progression of skills required to reach aspirational goals and is appropriate for all ages and abilities to increase independent mobility, develop cognitive and communication skills and improve health and social inclusion.

MOVE provides a framework which brings the services around the child, encouraging collaborative working. This integrated approach focuses the whole multi-agency team on the individualised targets for the child and their family.

It is designed to teach anyone who has not yet learnt to sit, stand, walk and transfer by the age they would be expected to, or those that have lost these skills, to increase their independent mobility to the best of their ability.

MATP® (Motor Activity Training Programme)  is a movement-based sports programme that has been devised by the Special Olympics that provides meaningful sport and physical activity for young people with severe/profound, multiple impairments (PMLD) and Complex Support Needs. It is made up if FOUR core sport specific MATP® skill areas:

• Mobility (gross motor skills)
• Dexterity (fine motor skills)
• Kicking (lower body skills)
• Striking (upper body skills)

Activity Ideas:

Mobility: Any activities that involves an individual moving themselves.

• Assisted walk (can be slalom or obstacles too)
• Self-propelling in a wheelchair (can be slalom too)
• Moving across a mat (log roll)

Dexterity: Activities around fine manipulation and throwing.

• Throwing activities
• Grasp and release activities
• Knocking down skittles using a variety of balls/ramps
• Bean bag lift and drop

Kicking: Moving anything with their lower body.

• Pushing a ball/skittles/cones with legs or feet
• Walking through skittles

Striking: Moving anything with the upper body.

• Hitting balls with any racket to a target
• Sliding an item off a table
• Knocking a ball down a ramp with the hand/arm/shoulder/head
• Hitting items suspended at eye-level or shoulder height

It is important to have a variety of activities pitched at different ability levels as with MATP® there is always a wide spectrum of needs and abilities.