Cerebral Palsy Scotland

Finding accessible gifts

by Bernie Hunter

Finding the perfect present to buy anyone can be a struggle but what if you are buying for somebody who has got additional needs? In this blog, I will explain why it is so challenging to find accessible gifts.

Shopping for presents is a big task that requires a lot of thought, but if you are buying for your family member or friend who has cerebral palsy it is totally different. Children love new toys, but some toys are hard to play with if you have cerebral palsy.

Think about a simple toy such as a musical teddy bear that you press a button on the bear to make it sing. But not everyone can press a button as cerebral palsy can affect hand movements, which means that the child has to rely on other people to press it for them and that is no fun.

Buying gifts for adults with cerebral palsy can be hard too, as it needs to be a product that they can manage to use. Slippers are an example of an unsuitable gift, as they just fall off your feet every time you move. Even in your chair they slip all over the place, so I personally prefer slipper boots or cosy socks.

There are not many accessible presents available to buy in shops, so the best option is usually to do some research and see what is out there. I really would like to see shops selling an accessible range of gifts because it is very important that children and adults receive presents that they can easily use.

I would love to hear if you have bought or received any great accessible gifts. Let us know by getting in touch on Cerebral Palsy Scotland’s Facebook page.

New ‘Framework for Action’ aims to improve support for neurological conditions

The Scottish Government has today published its new Framework for Action for Neurological Care and Support in Scotland.

Supported by £4.5 million of funding, the plan aims to ensure people get access to personalised care and support regardless of their particular condition or where in Scotland they live.

The publication of the Framework, which spans the period 2020-2025, follows the public consultation on the ‘draft national action plan on neurological conditions’, which concluded in February 2019.

The plan was developed by the Scottish Government in partnership with the National Advisory Committee for Neurological Conditions (NACNC), third sector organisations, health professionals and the neurological community.

The Framework focuses on adults (16 years and older). It contains five overarching aims and 17 commitments to support improvements that span health and social care. The five aims are to:

  • ensure people and their carers are partners in their care and support;
  • improve the provision of co-ordinated health and social care and support for people with neurological conditions;
  • ensure high standards of effective, person-centred and safe care and support;
  • ensure equitable and timely access to care and support across Scotland; and
  • build a sustainable neurological workforce for the future.

Stephanie Fraser, CEO of Bobath Scotland, who is speaking at the launch of the Framework today in her role as Chair of NACNC, welcomed the report. She said:

“I am delighted that Scotland now has its own Framework for Action for neurological conditions and I hope this will have a positive lasting impact on the neurological community.

“We welcome the collaborative approach to develop this Framework and recognise that the publication’s ambitions will need a continued collective approach with the Scottish Government, NHS, Local Authorities, third sector and people living with neurological conditions.

“As part of my role as Chair of The National Advisory Committee for Neurological Conditions I look forward to providing advice to the Scottish Government around the implementation of the commitments and aims in the Framework to help improve the lives of those in the neurological community.”

The Framework has also been welcomed by the Neurological Alliance of Scotland, the umbrella body of organisations and groups representing people living with or affected by a neurological condition.

Commenting on the Framework, Rebecca Duff, Chair of the Neurological Alliance said:

“We believe that today’s plan is an ambitious and promising first step to transforming the experience of people with neurological conditions in Scotland and the unpaid carers who support them. We want the plan to meet its potential, and look forward to playing our part as a key partner in its implementation.  We will be keen to make sure that the implementation programme receives the investment it needs to deliver renewed collaboration across sectors and make real, lasting changes for those living with neurological conditions in Scotland.”

Access Neurological Care and Support in Scotland – A Framework for Action, 2020-2025

Girl’s birthday bid to raise money for Bobath Scotland

An eight year-old girl from Glasgow is getting ready to celebrate her ninth birthday by raising money for Bobath Scotland because we have supported her young cousin.

Hay Families

Sadie Hay has organised a sponsored walk on her birthday and is asking friends and classmates to donate to Bobath instead of giving her a present.

Her five year-old cousin Noah has cerebral palsy and receives therapy from us.

Sadie’s mum, Sharon said:

“She had been speaking about what she wanted to do for her birthday, and out of the blue said she wanted to do something for charity. And then quite quickly she realised that she wanted to raise money for Bobath Scotland because her cousin Noah goes there for therapy.

“She worked on a presentation herself which she gave to her whole school, explaining what cerebral palsy is and a little bit about her cousin, and inviting everyone to take part in the sponsored walk and donate to her fundraising page.

“Her dad helped her print little business cards with a QR code which takes you directly to the donation page and she also designed a poster for school to advertise details of the walk.

“She still thinks she is not getting any birthday presents, and she is fine with that! I’m really proud of her, and I’m so impressed how she’s been involved in every step. She’s absolutely delighted because a few of her friends have said that they are going to do something for charity for their birthdays now too.”

Sadie has already raised £900 and is hoping to raise more in the run-up to the event, which will take place on 9 November in Victoria Park.

Noah’s mum, Heather Hay, is also delighted that her niece is raising money for Bobath Scotland. The family live in Banff and have previously travelled to Glasgow to get specialist therapy for their son at the Bobath Scotland centre. They are soon to be starting therapy sessions with Bobath therapists in Aberdeenshire, as part of our outreach programme. She said:

“Sadie gave us a ring and said she wanted to do something for charity for her birthday and told us she had chosen Bobath Scotland. She read us the presentation she gave to her school over the phone and it made us feel very proud that she wanted to do this for her cousin. My husband and I both felt a bit emotional when she first told us. It’s really sweet of her, and it’s superb that she has gone out of her way to do this at such a young age.”

 “As a family, we have found the intensive therapy sessions at Bobath Scotland really beneficial – not just for Noah, but it’s also made us more aware of how his body works and how we can support him better. Noah has right-sided hemiplegia, which means he finds using that side of his body quite challenging. The sessions really opened our eyes to how we can encourage him to use his whole body. After the therapy sessions we noticed small improvements in how he was moving that really made us smile and realise that every little helps.”

Commenting on the fundraiser, Stephanie Fraser, CEO of Bobath Scotland said:

“We are so impressed with everything that Sadie is doing and are extremely grateful for her support. Raising vital funds means that we can be here for children like Noah and many others across Scotland living with cerebral palsy who need specialist help. Thank you Sadie and we hope you have a very happy birthday.”

You can donate to Sadie’s fundraising page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/darren-hay4

Cerebral Palsy Scotland Conference Brings CP Community Together

The sixth Cerebral Palsy Scotland Conference and Exhibition brought together a record number of delegates to discuss key issues facing the cerebral palsy community.

Robert Softley Gale and Jack Hunter

Held on 3 October at Hampden Park, the conference is Scotland’s only event focussing on cerebral palsy (CP) and aims to bring together all people with experience of CP – either directly, through family or professionally.

Over 300 people registered to attend the day, which was organised by Bobath Scotland and supported by Digby Brown Solicitors. And over 40 exhibitors had the opportunity to showcase specialist equipment and services to the CP community in Scotland.  

The keynote presentation from Dr Joy Nisbet highlighted her recent report into the lack of available mental health support for people with CP and the continuing work at Bobath Scotland to ensure all the charity’s services are “psychologically informed”.

Kenny Thoms session

Workshops on the day covered topics including access to healthcare for girls and women with CP, discrimination in employment, reflection on walking aids, research into static versus dynamic standing for people with CP, and resources for communication. There were also a number of practical sessions including a boccia taster, a pre-school play session run by Bobath Scotland’s therapists and a dance workshop.

Robert Softley Gale, Artistic Director at Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, and actor Jack Hunter closed the day with an entertaining interactive discussion on representation of disability in the arts.

Commenting on the conference, Stephanie Fraser, Bobath Scotland CEO said:

Exhibition

“At Bobath Scotland we work hard throughout the year to deliver individual intensive therapy, therapist-led groups and other services to support children and adults with cerebral palsy. 

“The Cerebral Palsy Scotland conference is a highlight of the year.  It is an important opportunity for us to host a day of discussion and knowledge sharing that brings together the whole CP community; the event remains the only one of its kind in Scotland to focus exclusively on cerebral palsy.

“The atmosphere throughout the day was really positive.  We are privileged to work with Digby Brown Solicitors in developing this event over the years and we are extremely grateful for their continued support. The conference would simply not have been possible without them.”

Access Presentations from Cerebral Palsy Scotland Conference 2019

Bobath Scotland publish Annual Review 2018/19

Annual Review front cover

Bobath Scotland has published its latest round-up of action and activity for the period 2018/19.

The Annual Review sets out what the charity has achieved between 1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019.

Highlights from the year include:

  • More children and adults accessed our services in 2018/19 than over the previous 12 months.
  • The Cerebral Palsy Scotland Conference in 2018 was attended by more people than ever before.
  • We demonstrated our commitment to supporting the development of specialist knowledge of cerebral palsy in Scotland through funding and delivering training for NHS therapists.
  • We have begun work to embed mental health and psychological support within our core therapy service.
  • Our outreach programme has helped to ensure that people across Scotland can access our services.

The Review also sets out the charity’s key aims for 2019/20 as well as interviews with people who have benefitted from Bobath’s services, Bobath therapists, health professionals and donors.

Commenting on the Annual Review Bobath Scotland CEO, Stephanie Fraser, said:

“We are very proud of Bobath Scotland’s achievements this year and how the charity has responded in a range of ways to meet the needs of people with cerebral palsy.

“Around 83% of our income over 2018/19 came from our own fundraising. We could not exist without the continued support of funders and donors and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to ensuring we can continue to support people with CP and their families.

“We were also incredibly touched to receive three separate legacies over the course of the year, which has enabled us to fully fund the fortnightly Bobath Babies group in 2019/20 in addition to supporting our work throughout Scotland in 2018/19.

“We are determined to build on Bobath Scotland’s work in 2019/20, focussed on our beneficiaries and led by doing what will most benefit and improve the lives of people in Scotland with cerebral palsy.”

Read Bobath Scotland Annual Review 2018/19