The Brain Injury Group, a national network of dedicated brain injury lawyers and specialist services for people affected by brain injury, is hosting a one-day conference – Cerebral Palsy | a journey for life – on Monday July 6, 2015 at Grange St Paul’s Hotel, London, EC4V 5AJ. The conference is being delivered with mother and baby charity, Baby Lifeline, and aims to support a safe and healthy start to life for all babies to reduce the risk of cerebral palsy (CP) and help people affected by CP to achieve their full potential.
A neurological disorder affecting around 30,000 children in the UK, CP is caused by a non-progressive brain injury which affects body movement, muscle control, coordination and tone, reflex, posture and balance. It can impact fine motor skills, gross motor skills and oral motor functioning, intellectual, vision and hearing impairments are also common. The scale of impairment is vast, due to the type of injury and the timing of the injury to the developing brain: some people live with paralysis requiring full time care while others require little assistance.
The Cerebral Palsy | a journey for life conference will cover a wide variety of topics delivered by a highly respected panel of speakers. A range of plenary sessions will start and end the day and delegates will elect to follow one of two streams of break-out presentations during the day: Birth & babies or Children & adults.
Cerebral Palsy | a journey for life will be chaired by Professor James Drife, Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Leeds and President of Baby Lifeline. Among the key note speakers are Amanda Richardson, Chair of Action Cerebral Palsy which led the 2014 parliamentary inquiry into cerebral palsy and actress, writer and comedian Francesca Martinez who, as someone with CP, takes a refreshingly different view on prejudice and disability. She is also a Patron of Baby Lifeline.
Other speakers include:
- Professor James Walker, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and President of Baby Lifeline Training
- Denise Chaffer, Director of Safety, Learning & People, NHS Litigation Authority
- Judith James, Head Teacher, Northern Counties School, Percy Hedley Foundation
- Dr Vijay Palanivel, Consultant in Paediatric Neurodisability, The Children’s Trust
They will cover a broad range of topics including:
- reducing the risk of cerebral palsy
- enabling potential, human factors and working with families
- MRI imaging in birth injury
- financial, welfare and legal issues
- skills and support for adults
- evidence based interventions
“From our work with a range of legal, healthcare and welfare experts to compensate and support individuals and families affected by CP we are aware of the wealth of knowledge and expertise in this complex field,” says Sally Dunscombe, director of the Brain Injury Group. “Our aim with this conference is to bring together a broad range of experts to help accelerate progress in the prevention and management of cerebral palsy. We also hope to raise funds to support Baby Lifeline’s ongoing training programme.”
Who should attend?
The conference is aimed at a wide range of professionals including:
- members of the clinical team looking after pregnant women and their unborn and new born babies
- health and social care professionals supporting children, young adults and older people with CP and their families
- therapists, case managers and teachers
- legal professionals and financial advisers
- anyone who wants to learn more about CP including students
“The Brain Injury Group has always supported Baby Lifeline and we’re delighted to be joining forces and bringing together an esteemed panel of maternity, other healthcare and cerebral palsy experts to share their knowledge and best practice,” says Judy Ledger, Founder of Baby Lifeline. “We hope the conference will encourage a greater understanding of the condition and further the excellent work already being done to help prevent CP. We also hope to raise awareness of the reality of living with CP and help those affected to lead fulfilled lives and achieve their potential.”
View the Cerebral Palsy | a journey for life programme and booking form here
To register for the conference: visit www.braininjurygroup.co.uk or call 0800 612 9660. The standard cost is £250 + VAT with a reduced rate of £95 + VAT for public sector workers, health and social care professionals and charities. Early bird discounts also apply for places booked before 8 May 2015. Find more details at www.braininjurygroup.co.uk
Media contact: Katherine Selby, Katherine@prworkshop.co.uk; 020 8657 4422
About the Brain Injury Group
The Brain Injury Group is a national network of dedicated brain injury lawyers and specialist services that provides the complete package of support for brain injured people and their families and carers. www.braininjurygroup.co.uk
About Baby Lifeline
Baby Lifeline is a unique national charity supporting the care of pregnant women and newborn babies. It raises funds to purchase much needed maternity equipment and is one of the leading providers of training to the medical and legal professions. www.babylifeline.org.uk
