Media Release 01 Oct 2007

A new DVD and CD pack is available for teachers so they can better support students who have an acquired brain injury.

The DVDs and DCs – which received a $55,000 grant from the Motor Accidents Authority (MAA) NSW – were produced by the Northern Sydney Carer Support Service in conjunction with Kaleidoscope’s Paediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team at the John Hunter Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.

“Often teachers and counsellors do not understand the changes children go through after sustaining a traumatic brain injury.” Says Barbara Lewis from the Northern Sydney Carers Support Service.

“This resource will help parents to communicate their child’s needs to teachers and will give teachers strategies and tools to better support their students who have an acquired brain injury.

Each year more than 2,000 children aged up to 17 are injured in road accidents in NSW. Brain injury is the most common injury for these children who have a CTP claim regardless of whether they were a passenger, pedestrian or pedal cyclist.

The reality is that for many children with a brain injury, returning to school can be very difficult. Even if the teacher knew the child well before the injury, they may not understand the child’s behavioural changes when they return to the classroom.

The DVD includes interviews with parents of injured children, a section on how brain injury occurs and its consequences, and outlines what paediatric brain injury rehabilitation teams do.

To support the DVD, there is an accompanying CD that has 30 fact sheets covering off different issues. The fact sheets explain in plain English some of the difficulties faced by a child returning to school, and provide teachers with practical ways of supporting the child”

The fact sheets include issues such as:

• difficulties a child faces interpreting the teacher’s language and instructions
• how a child’s speech and voice may be affected
• a child’s ability to copy information from the blackboard
• the impact the injury may have on the child’s attention and concentration
• the child’s ability to complete homework

“It is often taken for granted that once the child is discharged from hospital and is back at school, they’re back to their old self. This unfortunately is not always the case when a child has a brain injury so it is important that they receive the necessary support to help them adjust to their school routine.

This is a fantastic new and innovative resource for teachers and parents to assist a child return to school after a brain injury.”

The DVD and CDs are available from the Northern Sydney Carer Support Service on (02) 8877 5141 or email carersns@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Media contact: Penelope Little 9926 7199 / 0413 025 742

Authorisation Stamp