N-ABLES publish New Resource to Support Children and Young People with ABI Returning to Education

A new booklet and poster ‘ABI Return – Children and Young People with Acquired Brain Injury - guiding their return to education’ is now available for those professionals involved in helping children and young people with an Acquired Brain Injury prepare for, and achieve, a successful return to education and to help progress their recovery.

This much-needed resource was launched by the National Acquired Brain Injury in Learning and Education Syndicate (N-ABLES) at The Children’s Trust National Paediatric Brain Injury virtual conference held today. 

Speaking at the launch, Dr Gemma Costello, Head of Psychosocial Services and Specialist Educational Psychologist at The Children’s Trust said: “The return to education can be so challenging not only for the child or young person with a brain injury, but also for school professionals.  It requires preparation, collaboration and careful coordination involving the child or young person, their parents or carers, the school and a wide range of professionals”. 

Commenting on behalf of N-ABLES, Dr Emily Bennett, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Nottingham Children’s Hospital said: “Most children and young people with Acquired Brain Injury do return to mainstream education.  Their return is a significant part of the recovery process, and a smooth transition is essential.  This can be a difficult process and this resource provides guiding principles to help facilitate the child or young person’s return.  We hope all professionals will find this resource useful”.

Chloë Hayward, Executive Director, United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF) said: “UKABIF is delighted to lead and support the development of this important resource.  Teachers have the skills and tools to support children and young people with an Acquired Brain Injury but may not have had the necessary information or training to understand and recognise its effects on learning.  This resource should help to bridge this gap”.  

The resource is relevant for ages 4-18 years, when the child or young person is in hospital, recovering at home, or in the early stages of returning to education.  It outlines the impact of Acquired Brain Injury on learning, who should be involved in supporting the child or young person’s return to education, guiding principles, and provides a useful checklist, information template and sources of further information and support.

This production of this publication was made possible with the support of the following organisations; The Children’s Trust, The Eden Dora Trust for Children with Encephalitis and Irwin Mitchell LLP.

A copy of the resource is available from www.ukabif.org.uk/ABIReturn