Supporting Children with Cerebral Palsy

Hull City Council

• Publisher: David Fulton Publishers
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781317285182
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Completely revised and fully updated in light of the 2014 SEND Code of Practice, this edition familiarises readers with the specific learning needs of cerebral palsy. Offering practical tips and tried-and-tested strategies from professional practitioners, this accessible guide provides advice on how to meet the needs of young people with cerebral palsy. This new edition presents all of the information practitioners will need to know to deliver outstanding provision for young people with cerebral palsy and support the inclusion of children and young people with cerebral palsy into mainstream schools.

The far-reaching advice found within this guide includes:

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• Planning for a pupil with cerebral palsy
• Accessing the curriculum, including specific advice on each subject area
• How to make effective use of support staff
• Developing independence skills
• Liaising between home and school
• Making the transition into adulthood

With accessible materials, such as checklists, templates and photocopiable resources, this up-to-date guide will enable teachers and other professionals to feel more confident and effective in the support they can provide.

Section 1
Legislation and guidance

1 Legislation and guidance

The majority of pupils with cerebral palsy are educated in their local school or academy. Their condition is such that they can access the full curriculum when consideration is given to their learning, physical and emotional needs. However, a small number of pupils with significant needs may be educated in a special school environment.

Pupils with a physical disability (and possibly a learning need) are supported by the following legislation.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice, 2014 states that:

All schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services for disabled children, to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage. These duties are anticipatory – they require thought to be given in advance to what disabled children and young people might require and what adjustments might need to be made to prevent that disadvantage. Schools also have wider duties to prevent discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity and to foster good relations.

Definition of disability under the Equality Act, 2010

A person is defined as being disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Disability rights

It is against the law for a school or other education provider to treat disabled pupils/students unfavourably. This includes:

• ‘direct discrimination’, e.g. refusing admission to a pupil because of a disability;

• ‘indirect discrimination’;

• ‘discrimination arising from a disability’, e.g. preventing a pupil from taking part in a school visit because of their disability;

• ‘harassment’, e.g. addressing a student inappropriately because they have not understood an instruction due to their disability;

• ‘victimisation’, suspending a disabled pupil because they have complained about harassment.

Reasonable adjustments

An educational provider has a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that disabled students are not discriminated against. These changes could include:

• changes to physical features: installing ramps to allow access to the building, classrooms;

• providing extra support and aids: specialist teaching and/or equipment, e.g. appropriate seating, ICT equipment.

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice, 2014 states that:

If children and young people with SEN or disabilities are to achieve their ambitions and the best possible educational and other outcomes … local education, health and social care services should work together to ensure they get the right support.

Some pupils may also have a medical need: ‘The individual health care plan should be linked to or become part of the statement or EHC plan’ (Supporting pupils with a medical condition in schools, 2014).

In order to ensure that pupils with cerebral palsy are able to access the curriculum without barriers to learning The Teachers standards, Department of Education 2012 ensures that teachers must fully meet the needs of all pupils through the following standards:

A teacher must:

• Set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions.

• Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils.

• Know when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively.

• Have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs; those of high ability; those with special educational needs; those with English as an additional language; those with disabilities; and be able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them.

• Make accurate and productive use of assessment

– know and understand how to assess the relevant subject and curriculum areas, including statutory assessments.

• Fulfil wider professional responsibilities

– deploy support staff effectively

– communicate effectively with parents with regard to pupil’s achievements and wellbeing.

The quality of teaching for pupils with SEN, and the progress made by pupils, should be a core part of the school’s performance management arrangements and its approach to professional development for all teaching and support staff (Special Needs and Disability Code of Practice, 2014).

For pupils with medical needs, the document Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions, 2014 gives comprehensive statutory guidance and non-statutory advice.

2 Moving and handling in the workplace

Some pupils with cerebral palsy require procedures involving moving and handling, e.g. the use of a hoist and a sling during toileting routines. It is essential that schools meet with legal regulations to ensure the safety of their staff and the pupil.

The main pieces of legislation relating to load management are:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) 1974

• Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHORegs) 1992

Employers’ responsibilities

Employers have a duty to ‘ensure so far as reasonably practicable the health and safety at work of all their employees’ (https://worksmart.org.uk). In order to comply with the act they must provide the following:

– a safe working environment (rooms and equipment);

– information, training, instruction and supervision – ensure staff are aware of instructions provided by manufacturers and suppliers of equipment;

– a written health and safety policy/risk assessment;

– provision and maintenance of safety equipment and safe systems of work;

– systems to look after the health and safety of others, for example, the public and communicate with their health and safety representatives.

Employees’ responsibilities

In order to comply with the act they must do the following:

– take care of their own health and safety and that of other perso...