And finally a word from ‘The Experts’ the children themselves…… Returning to school and making it work…… SHIPS project Conference 2015 Bristol – Making things better after ABI. ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Penny Weekes Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist for children, young people and their families following an acquired brain injury HCPC ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Role of OT in school / college Occupational performance – home, school & community Graded return to school Talk to friends Education to the school staff re effects of ABI Assessing & rehearsing skills for learning, social life and personal well being – memory, attentional control, behavioural control, executive function, fatigue etc ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Regular ABI awareness training to Teaching and Support staff throughout the Educational years Increased input at times of Transition, exams, further medical interventions etc and also in response to changes in performance as a result of ongoing development of the injured brain. Attendance at SEND reviews Termly progress reviews ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Promote communication between home and school Act as an advocate for the child’s changing needs Act as a key worker liaising with family members, therapy, medical, educational, careers, youth offending & legal staff Provision of guidelines, coping strategies and compensatory techniques to promote learning, social success and enjoyment at school ' The Experts' ABI Kids

An OT is who you ring ‘when the shit hits the fan’ ! ' The Experts' ABI Kids

The Experts We have all had a brain injury We meet up to learn about our brains and how the injury has effected us – we learn how to make our lives easier We get together and write leaflets that will help others to understand how we feel and what we need to help us do well We write poetry to show others what has happened to us and hope it helps others to look after their own brains ' The Experts' ABI Kids

We talk in schools and at big Conferences to teach Professional people about brain injury We are setting up a road show to travel around schools with our stories We want to help others learn so they can help us in return We learn the right words to use to explain our difficulties so we are confident to ask for what we need ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Something for you to learn today is that it is really hard going back to school after a head injury…. Lessons don’t make sense Everyone is talking in fast forward It’s impossible to keep up You get so tired even just sitting listening Your head hurts There is so much on the board you can’t find the bit you need The teacher seems to shout all the time Your friends stop being your friends and you are left with the ‘scags’ of the class ' The Experts' ABI Kids

you are expected to do two things at once – I can’t even do one you have to write so quick to keep up – then you can’t read it I have hemianopia so crash into people at play time & find reading difficult Work is so stressful I play up so I get sent out – great peace at last ! I am exhausted The canteen is hellish noisy ' The Experts' ABI Kids

My brother teases me that I am in the thicky set My memory is crap My Mum cries when I get my report I dread exams I am afraid in school, I don’t feel safe I hate school, everything is so hard & then they say I must try harder Homework ? You are joking ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Fatigue & overload – Chill out I sound drunk I’m knackered all the time Where is my brain when I need it? Irritable? So would you be…my head is busting I can’t think I’m so tired It’s all going over my head – I can’t make myself concentrate I knew the answer a moment ago I can’t see straight Just leave me alone ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Fatigue management – 6 weeks What is fatigue & how does it effect you – does it matter to you / others? Cognitive, physical, communication skills Behavioural and emotional changes Know your Early warning signs Food Sleep Weekends School day – look at timetable, subjects, homework, transport, lunch plans, after school clubs What do you love doing? How do you rest? ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Fatigue Management – Chill out Principles of Pacing and Prioritising Empower the young person - How shall we tell your teachers / family / friends ? What is our plan? What are you going to do? What am I going to do? Review regularly throughout school years. ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Memory skills training – 6 weeks Identify the need – what types of memory Home, school and community What do you want to achieve? Coming up with coping strategies - rehearse Working out how to put them in place and how to keep them relevant over time Empower the young person to be able to discuss personal needs with Teaching staff. ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Functional skills training Identify & rehearse personal or domestic skills Morning routines Bag packing Transport Lunch time / play time Use of equipment Evening routines Social clubs ' The Experts' ABI Kids

what do we need from a teacher? A teacher who has bothered to learn about ABI Someone who has shown willing to understand and be part of my world just for a few hours of the day A feeling that I am understood when I say ‘ I can’t’ Something positive to work on in my report Please don’t give detentions when we have forgotten our kit – talk to us & try putting ideas in place to help us remember. ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Please don’t label us….. We get – rude, lazy, does not do as told, wastes time, attention seeking, confrontational, tells lies, doesn’t do as agreed, late, disorganised, unsociable, clumsy, childish, unmotivated, dull, acts without thinking, unrealistic, over excited, does embarrassing things, moody, unkind, repetitive, restless, lacking in interest, indecisive, irritating, slow, and the big one is ‘uses his head injury as an excuse’ well hello !! ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Allow extra time for me to understand what you are saying, then more time to let me answer Use the strategies I need to help me remember, concentrate and behave appropriately please don’t put me down a set, I need my friends I want to do well, I have the same dreams as before my injury, please help me get there.. ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Please remember that as my brain carries on with its development, there will be things that become harder and things that become easier for me – what I can do will change many times throughout my whole school life As my frontal lobes develop I will have difficulty in managing my behaviour, I may appear impulsive, rude and choose the wrong behaviour for the situation Please always talk to me about how I am doing / behaving, hopefully together we can work out a plan ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Remember I am still Robert – I am searching for the person I have lost, I am trying to get back to where I was with my friends and my schooling – it is hard work and I need all the help I can get ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Please believe me when I say I forgot Please understand when I’ve lost the plot Please believe me when I’ve had enough Please understand when the going gets tough Please believe me when I can’t keep up with the rest Please understand I am doing my best…. The Experts ' The Experts' ABI Kids

Thankyou for listening today from all ‘The Experts’ who over the years have produced much information to assist others to learn about ABI. ' The Experts' ABI Kids