C.E. Jottings

Déjà vu, all over again. The dysfunctional services that confront parents of children with cerebral palsy

Two news items earlier this week: the report in Charity Today “Children’s Disability Charity Launches New Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration Service” and the announcement by Action Cerebral Palsy of the All-Party Parliamentary Group’s report “Early identification, intervention and pathways of care of infants and young children with cerebral palsy: The case for reform and Investment”. Charity Today has this to say: “CPotential is a one-stop-shop of rehabilitation services for children with movement disorders. The charity also offers physiotherapy, conductive... Read more →

A Churchill Travel Fellowship remembered - the Education of Children with Cerebral Palsy

In the summer of 2007, I had the great and unforgettable good fortune to be awarded a Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship: for 3 weeks in Canada and the United states and later in the year to the World Congress of Conductive Education in Göteborg, Sweden. If you have not heard of the Churchill Travel Fellowships, I strongly urge you to check them out. The application process couldn't be easier nor the interviews more friendly and, what's more, the Fellowship will... Read more →

"Treasured city charity Paces opens its new HQ" & "New home at last for treasured city charity"

"Time present and time past / Are perhaps both present in time future / And time future contained in time past." T.S. Eliot. Burnt Norton. (Four Quartets) Last Friday, under the headline "New home at last for treasured city charity", the Sheffield Star reported the opening of Paces' new office and adult services base at Smithy Wood. Amidst the celebrations, the congratulations and the plans for the future, maybe a moment can be spared to remember those who came before?... Read more →

Damning report on Post-16 advice for young people & their families

Are we stuck with hand-me-down institutions? A report published earlier this week sets out 'damning' conclusions about the quality of information and guidance (IAG) available to young people and their families when choosing further education. The report, "How young peoplewith special educational needs and disabilities find out about their post-16 options" published by Natspec, the association for specialist colleges, was based in part on a survey of parents of young children aged 15-25. "The findings were worse than we imagined".... Read more →