Resources for Individuals and Families

Brain injury Resources for Individuals and Families

Brain Injury Group Podcast

Growing Minds brings together a collection of podcast episodes exploring the many sides of childhood brain injury. Through real stories, expert interviews, and meaningful conversations, each series dives into the experiences, insights, and research that shape understanding and support for children, young people, and families affected by brain injury.

Featuring perspectives from industry experts alongside the lived experiences of survivors and carers, Growing Minds provides a space for learning, reflection, and connection – helping to deepen understanding and improve support for those affected.

About brain Injury

A brain injury can be devastating for both the individual and for their family and friends; lives can be changed in an instant.

The initial shock and immediate medical treatment following a brain injury will usually lead to a period of adjustment and rehabilitation. And it can be a lengthy process because it’s almost impossible to predict how far or how fast people will recover from their injury.

Types of Brain Injury

The brain is the control centre for everything you think, feel and do, so it’s no surprise that damage to it can alter your physical and mental abilities, behaviour and personality. Even apparently subtle problems can have a massive impact.

The scale and volume of issues that people are suddenly faced with can be overwhelming. Getting the right diagnosis, managing symptoms and accessing rehabilitation, finding support in the community, managing the emotional impact, dealing with financial and legal matters.

Child Brain Injury

Every year 70,000 children are admitted to hospital with a head injury, whether traumatic (as a result of an accident or fall) or acquired (possibly due to an infection or tumour).

The human brain takes around 20 years to develop fully, so one of the biggest challenges of dealing with children who have suffered a brain injury is being able to predict the impact of that injury on their development; if part of the brain is injured during the crucial early stages of development, a child may never be able to pick up some of the skills that would normally be expected.

Traumatic brain injury

If you, or a family member, has suffered a brain injury during service in the army, royal navy or RAF, our professional experts are here to support with your next steps – whether you need support and guidance pre, during or post medical discharge.

The scale and volume of issues that you are suddenly faced with can be overwhelming. Getting the right rehabilitation, finding support in the community, managing the emotional impact, dealing with financial and legal matters.

Education of Child Effects

When a child sustains a brain injury it can take time for cognitive issues to become evident – in many instances they may not manifest until sometime after the injury was sustained.

Starting, or returning, to school following a brain injury is a major milestone to be celebrated, whilst also bringing with it a whole new range of considerations for both parents, the local education authority and the school.

Rehab Following Brain Injury

Many people who suffer a brain injury will require the services of a wide range of health and social care professionals over a long period and their needs will change over time once they emerge from an acute trauma facility.

How and when support is delivered will depend on the nature of the injury and the services available through local NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups and social services teams as well as charities and voluntary organisations.

Useful Brain Injury Glossaries

Every profession has its jargon, and unless you’re on the inside, the terminology you’re faced with when dealing with the impact of a complex injury can be overwhelming.

These glossaries are intended primarily for people who are being introduced to terms and acronyms that they’ve probably not had to think about before.