Child Disability Payment decision making guide
Does the individual's ability to walk vary or fluctuate?
It is important to note that some children's and young people's ability to walk can vary depending on how their condition affects them at any given time.
There is no precise cut-off point at which an individual is or is not virtually unable to walk. Case managers should therefore take a broad approach to considering the individual's ability to walk in making a determination. This could include considering:
- how frequently the individual's condition fluctuates
- whether the fluctuation is predictable
- whether the individual's condition goes into remission
- the severity of the condition over a period of time
The individual's condition or disability does not need to affect their ability to walk every day. Instead, the case manager should consider if the individual's condition means they are either:
- unable to walk
- virtually unable to walk
- throughout the period of time covered by the backwards and forwards test
Christie is 6 and has severe and extensive eczema. The backs of her knees are particularly severely affected. She often has dressings on her legs due to broken skin. Sometimes Christie has skin infections behind her knees requiring either antibiotic cream or oral antibiotics. At these times, it is painful for Christie to walk because it further aggravates her damaged skin. She is only able to walk a short distance before it starts to get uncomfortable.
Christie's supporting information indicates that her mobility is impacted by her eczema for around seven to ten days, up to four times a year. This means at the most, she experiences this impact for 40 days a year.
The case manager determines that Christie is not virtually unable to walk and is not entitled to the higher rate of the mobility component.
Sheema is eleven years old and has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This is a connective tissue disorder causing loose joints which can dislocate easily. Sheema experiences some discomfort and inflammation in her knees and ankles after exertion. She is generally able to walk for around 20 minutes at a similar pace to children of her age. After this time, before she starts to experience discomfort. This alone does not qualify Sheema for the higher rate mobility component of CDP.
Sheema generally experiences a significant injury such as either a broken bone or dislocation to her legs at least once per year.
This means she is usually unable to walk at all for a period of between two weeks and to two months. She required surgery to repair ankle injuries on two occasions, at age 6 and 9 respectively.
Sheema's mobility is likely impacted for about one month a year considering both the frequency of her injuries combined the time it takes her to recover.
As the period of time where her mobility is impacted is limited, the case manager determines that Sheema is not entitled to the higher rate of the mobility component.