Standardising the training and expertise of health and social care professionals delivering care to children with cerebral palsy in Ireland.

Health and social care professionals in community disability services and primary care provide interventions for children with cerebral palsy in Ireland.  Their experience of providing support to children with physical disabilities varies, and there is no standard framework for practice or specialist training.  This project seeks to understand the perspectives of these clinicians on their own confidence and competence in this area and their opinion of service provision through an online survey.  A scoping review will investigate whether there are international standards described in the literature in relation to therapist skillset and training in cerebral palsy.  This is anticipated to inform an international Delphi study to establish agreement about what constitutes expertise in this area, which in turn will inform specialist training in Ireland and elsewhere.  This is important in planning the delivery of physical disability services through networks of trained clinicians working to a standard level of expertise in all regions.

Research Team & Collaborators

Ciara Dinneny, Dr. Michelle Spirtos and Prof. Denise McDonald.