Gemma meets with MPs to campaign for teacher ABI education
Dr Gemma Costello, Clinical Lead at the Trust’s Cambridge Centre for Neuropsychological Rehabilitation met with MPs at Westminster yesterday (Wed).
She was joined by Anna Maw, consultant paediatric neurologist, who attended a round table event organised by the UKABIF (United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum) and hosted by prominent Labour MP Chris Bryant to campaign for more to be done to educate teachers about the impact of acquired brain injury (ABI) on children.
Figures show that over 40,000 children and young people experience an ABI every year. Most return to school and need them to play a core role in supporting them. Despite this, many teachers and Special Education Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) know little about ABI, and schools frequently feel unprepared and ill-informed.
The purpose of the meeting was to give children or young people who had an acquired brain injury and their care givers the chance to talk about their experience of school or college. It also gave educational professionals who have supported a child an opportunity to discuss their experiences - what was missing and what made a difference. Clinicians and third sector organisations also attended to give supporting evidence.
Gemma said: “School is crucial to these children and young people as their rehabilitation effectively happens there and a lack of understanding of ABI has a significant impact on outcomes. Those working in education have little, if any, knowledge or understanding of ABI but do have the tools to make a huge difference. Training for teachers and SENCOs would change everything.”
