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Rehabilitation

The service

The purpose of the Rehabilitation Service is to provide a multidisciplinary goal-orientated service for children and young people who have sustained a brain injury (either through accident or illness) or who have undergone neurosurgery.

It is also available to help individuals whose underlying medical condition has deteriorated and who require a period of intensive support to regain or improve skills. We aim to provide the highest standard of care and treatment, working towards restoring lost skills, encouraging alternative skills and preventing other problems developing throughout the recovery.

Supporting both the child and the family through these changed circumstances is central. The overall aim of the service is to re-integrate the child back into their family and community. Liaison and, where required, outreach visits by the team are part of the programme.

The team

A highly skilled, dedicated team of professionals supports the children and young people admitted to the Unit. Under the direction of the Unit Manager, assessment and rehabilitation support workers provide the day-to-day care for the children and young people. They have constant contact with the child and are vital in helping with the assessment and rehabilitation through supporting therapy programmes and recording observations.

The programme

The aims and goals of rehabilitation are documented in a development plan, which is discussed and updated weekly by the multidisciplinary team. programmes and goals are reviewed frequently and adjusted accordingly. Regular liaison with the family occurs throughout the rehabilitation period. The local team and funders are invited to attend a final review meeting at the end of the rehabilitation period to receive detailed feedback and discuss recommendations.

Referrals

Referrals are accepted from medical clinicians. The admissions criteria require that the child or young person must:

• be medically stable and able to transfer with 2:1 support
• have an acquired brain injury as the result of accident or illness
• have undergone neurosurgery or loss of skills
• require a period of intensive short-term therapy following deterioration in skills
• require input from at least two members of the team
• be aged 3 to 19

Service pathway

Once a referral has been received, the outreach practitioner and a member of the therapy team will visit the child (either at home or in hospital) to assess their suitability for rehabilitation at Young Epilepsy. If suitable, a report is sent to the funding authority and the child and family are invited for an informal visit.

Once funding has been agreed and an admission date proposed, parents are invited to attend a pre-admission meeting to discuss the details of their child’s stay and meet members of the multidisciplinary team. For those undergoing planned neurosurgery, a pre-surgical visit (either at home or at the Unit) is arranged to complete an assessment and discuss the implications of surgery and details of the rehabilitative programme.

Assessments and planning

On admission to the Unit there is an initial assessment period, during which the aims for rehabilitation will be clarified and the individual programme will start. A designated member of the team co-ordinates the assessment and planning process. The programme duration, funding and initial assessment report is discussed at a meeting which includes parents, local professionals and funding agencies. Discharge planning commences after initial assessment and involves the child, family, advocate and relevant agencies in order to facilitate successful transition. Part of the programme may include supporting the child as they are integrated into full-time education and may involve one or more therapists working with the school and local therapists. Young Epilepsy offers follow-up support with the Outreach Practitioner. This service includes a one year follow-up. The treatment programme aims to improve the following:

• Physical function
• Communication
• Oro-motor and feeding skills
• Activities of daily living
• Cognitive function
• Behaviour
• Vocational skills
• Community access
• Recreation
• Self-esteem and emotional adjustment

Wherever possible, therapeutic aims are achieved through participation in everyday activities such as getting dressed, playing and washing up.

Rehabilitation Service Booklet (1.7MB)