The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-09412, in the name of Siobhan McMahon, on recognising the work of the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments and Bobath Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the work of the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments (SCCMI) in Cumbernauld for its provision of education and therapy services for children, young people and their families affected by cerebral palsy and other related conditions; understands that the SCCMI has assisted a wide range of disabled people from birth to 19 years of age and who reside in all parts of Scotland, since being established in 1991; further recognises the charity, Bobath Scotland, and the support that it provides for individuals and their families in a relaxed, non-clinical and fun environment; understands that children and young people affected by cerebral palsy and other related conditions may be affected by disorders of movement, disturbances of sensation, perception, communication and cognition; praises the work of both the SCCMI and Bobath Scotland in addressing the educational needs and the development of psychomotor, communicative and individual living skills in children affected by cerebral palsy and other related conditions through the provision of physical, speech and language, and Bobath Scotland therapies; acknowledges that primary teachers, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and other staff work in close partnership to integrate educational and physical activities to address each child’s needs and to maximise independence, and hopes that what it considers the excellent work of both the SCCMI and Bobath Scotland continues to support those with, or affected by, motor impairments.
17:43
I thank all the members who signed my motion and everyone who has stayed behind to support the debate or take part in it. I know that many more members would have liked to have taken part in the debate but were prevented from doing so by other commitments this evening.
One such member is my colleague Patricia Ferguson, who cannot be here because she is attending a conference in Wales. She sent her best wishes for the debate and to Bobath Scotland. Patricia Ferguson is no stranger to Bobath. She is the constituency member who represents the charity and she has led a number of members’ business debates that recognise the invaluable contribution that Bobath makes to young people throughout Scotland and their families.
Today’s debate is about recognising the great work of not just Bobath Scotland but the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments, particularly in relation to education and therapy services for children and young people throughout Scotland.
Last November, I took part in the HemiHelp professionals conference at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. As some members will know, I am one of the patrons of HemiHelp, which is a charity that aims to use specialist knowledge and supportive networks of families and professionals to create awareness and understanding in order to empower children and young people who are affected by hemiplegia across the United Kingdom to reach their full potential. I was asked to speak at the conference about my own experience as someone who grew up with hemiplegia and about what that means to me. As I spoke about my journey, I was not aware that there were representatives of both Bobath Scotland and the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments in the audience. However, following my speech, they contacted me to tell me that, somewhat worryingly, some of the things that I had spoken about happening 20 years ago are still happening. They requested that I visit each of their centres to find out more, which I was delighted to do.
The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments was established in 1991 and is one of Scotland’s grant-aided special schools. It is based in Cumbernauld, in the Central Scotland region that I have great pleasure in representing. The centre helps mainly children and young people who have cerebral palsy and related conditions. When the centre was opened 23 years ago, the aim was to provide education for children with motor impairments based on the principles of conductive education and other progressive education methods. In doing that, the centre allows children and young people to achieve their potential, which, in turn, allows them to develop their independence and gain key life skills. All the staff who work at the centre have a background in either health or education, which allows for a holistic approach that involves teachers, physiotherapists and other staff working in close partnership. That leads to greater integration of educational and physical activities, resulting in each child’s needs being met as they require them to be met.
Bobath Scotland is a Scottish charity that, I am sure, all members are aware of already as a result of the fantastic work that the organisation does not only in Glasgow, where it is based, but throughout Scotland. The Scottish wing of the charity has been devoted to improving quality of life for children and adults with cerebral palsy since 1996. Bobath also provides a holistic approach to therapy, recognising that each person with cerebral palsy is an individual and will, therefore, have different needs and abilities. The therapy that is offered by Bobath Scotland is a transdisciplinary approach involving occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. Bobath Scotland believes that, by taking that approach, it can give people with cerebral palsy the skills that they require to explore the world, communicate their needs and participate as much as possible in all aspects of their lives.
As I mentioned, the conditions that both the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments and Bobath Scotland deal with are something that I know a lot about. Having been born with hemiplegia, I know of the difficulties that people face when trying to access vital services such as occupational therapy and physiotherapy. I started attending the out-patient department at Monklands hospital in Airdrie when I was three weeks old. My frequent visits there ended in my early 20s, when I was transferred to hospitals in Glasgow. Monklands hospital was a place that I would come to know very well, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The friendly and dedicated staff that I dealt with throughout my time at the hospital made a massive contribution to the person I am today. Put simply, it is because of them that I have the ability to walk.
Given that I was in the health system from such a young age, it is somewhat surprising that I was not allocated a physiotherapist until I was around seven. My mum carried out some exercises on me that she had been given by the consultant at that time, but I do not think that it is appropriate to give that responsibility to a parent. The reason for that is simple—the guilt factor. Despite knowing that if she had not carried out those painful exercises on me I would not be able to do most of the things that I do today, my mum still feels immeasurable guilt at being the person who carried them out on me. Why that burden should be placed on parents when we have trained and capable medical staff available to us I really do not know.
That is, ultimately, where my frustration lies. It is not good enough that, in the 21st century, we have not achieved a more joined-up approach to healthcare. It angers me that hospital is treated differently from a GP, who is treated differently from an OT, a physio or a social worker. We need a far more joined-up approach that will help not only the patients but all the partners that I have mentioned. Given that there are already centres, such as the two that I have mentioned, doing such work, we should use their expertise as the model and roll it out to every part of our country.
One of the most important principles of both the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments and Bobath Scotland is their family-centred approach. Too often, siblings of children with disabilities do not receive the attention and focus that they deserve. I did not realise until a couple of years ago the impact that my disability has had on my younger brother and sister. They were not asked how they felt when they had to spend another endless night at the accident and emergency unit with me or when our holidays were shifted around to fit in with yet another operation for me. Indeed, they were not asked how they felt when other children said insulting things to me in the playground, yet, of course, they were affected.
That is why the work that is done with siblings at the centres is vital. It helps to maintain a close family bond, not because of the disability but in spite of it. The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments employs a dedicated family support co-ordinator, which I think is a fantastic idea. To be clear, the support co-ordinator is for the family—not the parents or the child with the disability but all the family. The co-ordinator assists families in a variety of ways, which include providing information, helping them to secure appropriate services for their children and ensuring that all the family members’ views and feelings are listened to when important decisions are made.
As members may know, the core services of the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments are funded by the Scottish Government. However, some vital services, such as those for children under the age of two, the siblings group or the operation and maintenance of the hydrotherapy pool—at a cost of over £30,000 a year—are exclusively funded through donations. It costs about £650,000 to keep the Bobath Scotland centre open each year. I understand that 75 per cent of that comes from voluntary sources, although some national health service boards make contributions to the cost of therapy.
I have had the great pleasure of visiting both centres and I have seen for myself the incredible difference that the individuals at those centres can make in a young person’s life. I therefore urge the Scottish Government to do all that it can to continue to fund both centres and others like them so that other young people can benefit from those vital services.
17:51
I thank Siobhan McMahon for bringing the debate to the chamber and for her passionate and moving speech. It is clear to many members that Bobath Scotland provides a vital service for those who use it.
To emphasise the importance of its role, I want to tell a story about six-year-old Lachlan Morris, who I have had the pleasure of knowing since he was just a baby. Lachlan lives with his parents, Susan and Paul, and his three-year-old brother, Donald. Lachlan’s dad, Paul, was a colleague of mine when I was a councillor. We worked closely together and I consider him to be a good friend. I remember well when Lachlan was born and I remember Paul telling me that Lachlan had a condition. It turned out that Lachlan has quadriplegic choreoathetoid cerebral palsy, which means that all four limbs are involved. In Lachlan’s case, he is unable to speak clearly, sit, eat, walk or dress himself, so he can do very little without support.
However, Lachlan is also very bright and charming and, boy, can I vouch for that. He attends the mainstream Park primary school in Alloa and is supported at school by an excellent team of professionals. He regularly tops his class for spelling and numeracy. He uses a Tobii eye gaze computer system to communicate and is becoming adept at asking important questions and being cheeky, or so his father says. Paul shared some photos with me taken from Lachlan’s computer. One was a birthday list, which included a ladybird seat pet. Do not ask me what that is, but Lachlan likes ladybirds because of Gaston from “Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom”—again, do not ask me, but I suspect that it is a children’s programme. Of course, then he asked, “How much is it?”
Other photos were from the Scottish cup final, with the question, “How many fans are going?” Lachlan was one of the many Dundee United fans at the final. He had a great day but was disappointed by the result although, to be honest, I suspect that that is more his Arab-mad dad speaking than Lachlan. Lachlan loves football and loves going to Tannadice with his daddy and uncles. He also loves swimming and is a very sociable young man.
Lachlan has attended Bobath Scotland in Glasgow for annual blocks of therapy since he was three years old. The blocks can be taken in different ways and are tailored to suit the needs of the child. Lachlan has three one-hour sessions over the course of six weeks once a year. As has been said, the key to the Bobath centre in Scotland is that it specifically works with the aim of supporting local therapists. Bobath works intensively with children and invites the child’s local physiotherapist, speech therapist and occupational therapist to discuss, observe and participate in sessions. Particular activities and exercises are developed that can be taken back to the community and worked on. Bobath also invites key workers, such as nursery workers and teachers, to come in for a session to observe and practise things such as how to hold or support the child most effectively and how to build exercises into routines. Those skills and techniques are then used in Lachlan’s care.
The regular therapy has had a marked impact on Lachlan’s physical development, co-ordination and self-confidence. It has also had a positive effect on his mum and dad, who have learned a great deal about how best to handle Lachlan and to work with him to improve his body strength and co-ordination over time. Simple things such as how to sit and hold children such as Lachlan who cannot sit up on their own or control strong movements are important skills that Bobath can teach. Now that Lachlan is at school, the Bobath therapy also includes opportunities for support staff to learn more about the way in which the therapy can help Lachlan in his school context.
Of course, that specialised and vital service costs money, and it would not be where it is without the generosity of the people who donate regularly to the service or fundraise on its behalf, among whom are Paul and Donald—Lachlan’s wee brother—who have raised £9,000 in the past three years by taking part in the annual bike for Bobath fundraiser, with Donald riding pillion, of course.
Bobath now has plans to extend its reach to assist adults with motor problems. That is a sensible and worthwhile pursuit, particularly as the youngest patients, who Bobath Scotland worked with in the mid-1990s, will now be reaching adulthood.
I know that Paul and Susan consider themselves fortunate that their national health service board area fully funds all of Lachlan’s treatment but, apparently, not all NHS boards take that approach.
I hope that, through Lachlan’s story, I have made the chamber aware of how crucial Bobath Scotland is to users and their families throughout the country. I am sure that members will do all that they can to support it, and I ask the minister whether there is anything that he can do to encourage NHS boards to consider funding the Bobath needs of people in their area.
17:55
I congratulate Siobhan McMahon on bringing the debate to the chamber. I hope that I can do justice to the subject in my brief contribution.
Many members are familiar with Bobath, as we have had a number of debates in the chamber on it. However, most members will be aware of the facility even if they are not aware that they are aware of it, because the Bobath centre can be seen, near Springburn, as one drives through Glasgow on the M8. Stephanie Fraser and the team there have done an outstanding job in providing an outstanding facility—for many, a respite facility—for families in Glasgow and across Scotland.
Many members of the public became aware of the issue through the story of David and Samantha Cameron’s young son, Ivan, who, sadly, died. Through that story, families who do not have the experience at first hand or even second hand of children with cerebral palsy became aware of the completely overwhelming involvement of the parents, the family, the friends, the carers and the support network, the tremendous love and dedication that are shown by all those people, and—as James Dornan said—the response of the children who are affected and the love that they give in return.
I was less aware of the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments or of the fact that Siobhan McMahon had a direct connection with it. In preparation for the debate, I went to its website and saw that it was founded a little bit earlier than Bobath Scotland and provides a similar service to children over a wide area. It benefits from Scottish Government grant aid, which it complements through voluntary giving.
I am not a soft touch but, as I read the whole website, I eventually came to a button that said, “DONATE NOW”, so I pressed it. Therefore, as a result of today’s debate, I ended up making a donation to the centre. The word of thanks that I got back said:
“Fundraising is a very important part of our income with all funds raised going directly to helping the children and families we support. Fundraising supports in particular the Early Intervention Service, the siblings group and the hydrotherapy pool.”
I think that Siobhan McMahon mentioned that hydrotherapy pool. It continued:
“Donations also allow us to purchase equipment to further assist in the children’s development and to maintain our play areas, sense garden and learning garden.”
I thought that I had done something a bit more worth while than writing a speech. I suspect that Stephanie Fraser will be on the phone tomorrow expecting a parallel donation to Bobath Scotland, and I pledge here in the chamber that I will also make that donation.
I congratulate Siobhan McMahon on her motion. The organisations do fantastic work. A generation or so ago, families were left to fend for themselves. We have moved beyond that, and it is incumbent on us all to see what we can do. Many of us are fortunate enough not to need the organisations’ services but, for those who do, our donations make all the difference.
17:59
I also congratulate Siobhan McMahon on obtaining the debate, which is another members’ business debate on an important topic. As Jackson Carlaw said, our society has made progress. The two organisations that we are discussing are within a generation of being founded, which demonstrates how things have improved. The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments was founded in 1991 and Bobath Scotland was founded a little later, in 1996.
The different ways in which the organisations are funded are interesting. As Jackson Carlaw said, voluntary contributions are important, but so are those of Government and local authorities, and it is important that they are co-ordinated. That is the issue that I will address in my speech, rather than some of the points that other members have already covered clearly.
I was one of a group who founded my local hospice, and when I was engaged as the fundraiser for it, we wrestled with the business of fundholding. In the mid-1980s, having got the hospice going and achieved reasonable funding, we were faced with really serious problems at a time of high inflation, as was the whole hospice movement. Action that we took at that point persuaded the then Government, represented by Michael Forsyth—this is one of the things that he did rather well—to agree to support the hospices through match funding. That saved the hospices in Scotland. It did not happen in England, where the hospices went through a much more difficult time.
I suggest to members that we should consider how we fund some voluntary organisations. We should acknowledge that they raise money through cycling, as Mr Dornan mentioned, running marathons and all sorts of other things, and we could encourage them through UK tax relief, which already encourages them through grant aid—it is excellent that that is the case. We could also offer to match what the public gives—in the way that the Government is currently offering to encourage Glasgow School of Art—involving us as a society in a much greater way.
I also suggest that, when the Government funds a voluntary organisation directly, not only should it do so on a three-year basis, which is the basic principle that is supposed to obtain, but it should extend that to include what I have called the stop-the-clock system.
Often, the decisions are made in Government at the very last minute, and many voluntary organisations have to give out redundancy notices that are then withdrawn because the funding is found. The stop-the-clock system would mean that the funding clock would stop four months after the decision to withdraw funding, so the funding would continue for at least four months, meaning that redundancy notices would not be handed out.
There are a huge number of advances in this area. The University of Stirling, which I have been involved with since it was set up in the 1960s, set out to have good disabled access, which is not available in some of the older universities but which is very important. Many students with cerebral palsy and in wheelchairs attend the University of Stirling because of that good access.
Good access is important, as is knowing about it. In that respect, I commend Euan’s guide, a website established by a young man with motor neurone disease that allows us to see reviews of access for disabled people. Such activity should be encouraged.
There are still problems with care and repair, but I do not have time to go into that now.
As we merge health and social care, we need to think about some of the allied health professions, such as speech and language therapy and occupational therapy, which Bob Doris and others have been considering in the Health and Sport Committee. They need to be integrated and properly funded to provide the necessary support to individuals who suffer from conditions such as cerebral palsy.
I thank Siobhan McMahon for bringing the debate to the Parliament and providing us with an opportunity to address some of the issues that are important for people with cerebral palsy as well as other disabled people.
18:03
I, too, thank Siobhan McMahon for securing the debate and for speaking passionately from the heart on something that is clearly close to her and her family. We can tell when members are pushing a line and when they are speaking from the heart and mean every word that they say. That is the light in which I listened to Siobhan McMahon’s opening speech.
As an MSP for Glasgow, I know Bobath Scotland pretty well, given that it is located in the north of the city, and I have visited it on a number of occasions. As the motion suggests, I acknowledge the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments and Bobath Scotland for what they do for young people and families living with cerebral palsy and other related conditions. I am less aware of the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments. I intend to give the time I have to Bobath Scotland but no disrespect is intended.
Bobath Scotland came to Glasgow in 1995 after several families in the area joined together in an attempt to bring Bobath therapy, an alternative to conductive education, to Glasgow and closer to home. At its inception, it stood as the only centre in Scotland to offer that unique form of treatment and care to those who suffered from cerebral palsy. It remains the only bespoke centre to this day.
The therapy has been proved to be an effective means of increasing the sensory, communicative and functional skills of those who are living with cerebral palsy. Throughout the charity’s life, it has delivered more than 33,000 therapy sessions, each of which has been tailored to the unique needs of those who benefit from it.
I would like to particularly note the adult programme that Bobath Scotland has recently developed. I understand that it has recently completed a two-year pilot that was funded by the Robertson Trust to determine the feasibility of fully developing and implementing that component of its services for the transition into adult life. I recognise that that is a major stepping stone for the charity. It comes with financial risks and several unknowns, so I commend the charity for its desire to extend its services to the adult community living with cerebral palsy, and I hope that the NHS, local authorities, and other partners can work with it and with families to make the therapy feasible for adults. Indeed, health and social care integration, which Richard Simpson mentioned, as well as the principles of independent living and the recent Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, all knit nicely with the kind of empowerment that we want for those who are living with cerebral palsy and for their families so that they can reach their full potential. Bobath Scotland has a powerful way of making that happen.
I looked at Bobath Scotland’s website before tonight’s debate, and I want to read out a few words about a young boy called Alfie that show how Bobath therapy benefited him:
“Alfie attended the Bobath Scotland Cerebral Palsy Children’s Therapy Centre in March 2009 for a two-week block of intensive therapy. Parents, grandparents, community physiotherapists and educational support staff joined in. Alfie began sitting up unaided for a little while, and demonstrated a determination and strength in his legs his family hadn’t seen before. And, while he has no means of verbal communication as yet, like any other toddler, he makes his parents aware when he needs attention.”
Alfie’s mum, Emma, explained:
“The whole Bobath experience taught us that we’re not alone in this. Staff were so professional, pleasant and un-fazed by it all. Physically and emotionally, for Alfie and all of us, it was a fantastic experience. It really was a turning point for us—of acceptance of Alfie’s cerebral palsy and that, although life will be very different for him, it does not mean it will be bad.”
I have one final word from Alfie’s mum, if you will indulge me Presiding Officer:
“Alfie is doing very well in comparison with many children with cerebral palsy. He is engaged and understands a lot. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had my dark moments and felt pessimistic, sad and guilty, but I do believe in my heart that everything really is going to be fine. His smile says it all!”
I think that everyone who has spoken in the debate is saying that when something works, we need to roll it out and maximise the opportunity for all families in Scotland to access that intensive benefit. Surely we can come together on that, and I am keen to work in partnership with the minister. I congratulate Siobhan McMahon once again on bringing the motion to the chamber.
18:09
Like other members, I congratulate Siobhan McMahon on securing time for this debate and thank her for the personal insight that she has given members about her experience of receiving services and how effective she felt that they were.
I am sure that all members recognise the importance of the way in which therapy is provided to people of all ages who have a motor impairment. It is essential that we have the right services in place to allow such therapies to be delivered effectively.
Although such motor impairments cannot be cured, it is possible to improve an individual’s quality of life significantly through the appropriate use of therapeutic intervention. A key part of that approach involves considering how strong partnerships can be developed with the individual who requires the therapy and with their families, carers and others who work with them.
A number of members highlighted the important work that is undertaken by the Bobath centre in Glasgow and the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments in Cumbernauld. I have visited the Glasgow centre—although not the centre in Cumbernauld—and I am aware of the extensive work that it undertakes in supporting individuals and their families and helping them to get the support and assistance that they require.
One important area of work that both centres are progressing involves building up their community outreach services by developing further partnerships with colleagues in local authorities, the third sector and the NHS. The objective behind that is to widen the impact that the centres can make on those who may not find the locations in Cumbernauld and Glasgow accessible.
Siobhan McMahon raised an important point about the way in which services can be disjointed at times, particularly for children, and she talked about how we can ensure that there is much more joined-up working taking place between our agencies. The Government has implemented the getting it right for every child agenda and included it in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 to ensure that the whole process is underpinned in legislation.
The intention behind GIRFEC is to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland, including those with a disability, achieve their potential. We will achieve that by ensuring that there is a universal approach to improving outcomes for all children and young people that should be used by all agencies, in local authorities and in the NHS.
Such joined-up working is essential in ensuring that the appropriate assessments and services are provided to meet the needs of children and their families, including for children with a disability. We expect all services to plan for how they will deliver services to children and young people by taking that approach forward.
A couple of areas are particularly important. Richard Simpson referred to access to allied health professionals and the way in which AHP services are delivered. As a former AHP myself, I have an interest in that area and I am aware that the value and benefit that we can gain from our AHP staff is often not maximised.
I introduced the AHP delivery plan to transform the way in which we deliver our AHP services and to design them in a way that allows self-referrals to be made more freely and to ensure that the services are delivered flexibly for children and young people as well as for adults. We are already seeing some progress as a result of that plan and I believe that it will help to improve services yet further.
Several members have mentioned access to services such as the Bobath centre. It is worth recognising that, although Bobath is one form of therapeutic intervention for motor impairments, it is not the only form. Nevertheless, the service provides a valuable and useful skill set.
Recently, through our AHP national lead for children and young people, we facilitated a meeting with the chief executive officer and the therapy lead for Bobath Scotland, and the physiotherapy and occupational therapy leads from around Scotland, to discuss how partnerships can be better established. One clear issue that came from that particular meeting was the need to look at how the Bobath centre can help to support the OTs and physios in different board areas to deliver elements of the programme at a local level.
It is for each individual board to decide how they take that forward, but working with the Bobath centre to support that type of service provision in a local area is an appropriate and useful approach. I would hope that the boards would be receptive to that offer of partnership from the Bobath centre and to the work that the centre in Cumbernauld undertakes.
Richard Simpson and other members mentioned funding. We provide funding to both those organisations. I am sure that members who regularly attend members’ business debates know that there is often a call at these debates for funding for a range of organisations. I acknowledge Richard Simpson’s point about the matched funding that has been provided for Glasgow School of Art. However, I sound a note of caution. There is a danger that smaller organisations that do not have as big a profile could be impacted by such an approach. We use section 16B of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 in order to fund a range of organisations and allow them to undertake valuable work. I am always willing to consider whether there are better ways to support those organisations with the limited funds that we have.
I very much value the work that is undertaken by both organisations. I am more than happy to explore whether there are other ways in which we can work with them to support them in their work. I hope that members are reassured that our work at a national level is aimed at supporting those organisations to reach into communities beyond their own bases in order to ensure that those who could benefit from their services are able to do so.
Meeting closed at 18:16.Previous
Decision Time