DISABILITY ACTION NETWORK
Hargeisa, Somaliland
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Short term Training on Cerebral palsy (CP)
Background - Existing situation justifying the short training
Disability Action Network (DAN), founded in 2002, is a nonprofit organization created to support the needs of people with disabilities in Somaliland. This support is in terms of Physical Rehabilitation, Disability prevention and Human Rights Education for social and economic inclusion. DAN’s main partner is Handicap International, France.
DAN’s Current Activities include:
- 5 Orthopedic Workshops, in the capital and in the regions, that produce devices of all types to improve mobility for the physically impaired individuals.
- 4 Physiotherapy Departments to prevent, correct or reduce the severity of the impairments by means of therapeutic exercises, massage, heat and cold therapy as well as electrotherapy
- Parent Get-together Workshops for experience sharing and capacity building through counseling, medical information and managing Activities of Daily Living.
- Training of Medical Staff on Disability prevention and early detection for Referral and intervention
- Human Rights Education and Public Awareness Raising on disability.
The general objective of the Hargeisa Rehabilitation Centre is to improve independent living of People with Disabilities and prevention of disability.
Some of the specific objectives of HRC relate to:
- The reinforcement of the HRC of DAN as a sustainable reference centre,
- The improvement of the quality of services provided to cerebral palsy children by acquiring new skills,
Children with cerebral palsy constitute one of the major child disabling pathologies in HRC and DAN’s physiotherapy team as well as orthopedic technicians requires to enhance their capacity to cope with this rising and challenging need.
Request from DAN/ HRC
DAN’s Annual Action Plan includes a short training for Bobath method for cerebral palsy management and production of adapted Devices for cerebral palsy children in Hargeisa Rehabilitation Centre (HRC).
Background to the training target group
The training target group is 4 physiotherapy assistants and 3 orthopedic technicians who provide care to children with cerebral palsy in HRC and 6 other PTAs and rehab workers in the region units. This team has undergone 2 years initial training provided by HI respectively in physiotherapy and in manufacturing and repairing of orthopedic appliances for children with cerebral palys. They have also participated in different specialist short training during the past 10 years. The head of the orthopedic workshop has finished a one-year course in TATCOT (Tanzania) as an orthopedic technologist.
At present they hand-in-hand provide therapeutic exercises, stimulation and parent training at HRC as well as producing orthopedic appliances that help children with cerebral palsy to reach their potentialities. However, they need an external support to enhance the quality of this work. Bobath method is a choice for them to carry the quality of care for CP to the next level.
General objective of the short trainingTo upgrade the knowledge of the technical staff (Physiotherapy assistants and orthopedica technician assistants) concerning the quality and new skills, in order to improve the services provided by the HRC to the beneficiaries (children with cerebral palsy and their care-givers)
Specific objectives of the short Training
The short training aims to enable the physiotherapy and orthopedic technicians at HRC:
- To improve the mobility aid for children with cerebral palsy (the wheeled mobility (special seats) and other assistive devices.
- To familiarize PTAs with the basic concepts that underpins Bobath Approach to treatment.
- To demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of assessments and treatment using the Bobath approach.
- To discuss the implications of an understanding of child development to treatment of cerebral palsy.
- To identify the features of spasticity, athetosis and ataxia and practice the Bobath approach to treatment of children with these clinical features.
Expected Results
- Upgrading of the quality of devices for CP production in the HRC
- Improvement of the skills of the physiotherapy team and Orthopedic Technicians at HRC concerning the CP management through Bobath Method.
- Give an overview of the current theoretical background to the Bobath approach to the treatment of the child with cerebral palsy including principles of assessment and treatment.
- Provide initial practical and clinical experience in handling, assessment and management of children with cerebral palsy in Bobath method
- Help therapists understand the factors involved in problem solving and communication in all aspects of treatment context, including the child, the parent, the therapist.
Required Profile
- Good knowledge of Cerebral Palsy Management in Bobath method and sources of information concerning CP
- Proficiency in English in order to facilitate the training.
- Good experience and knowledge in the area of facilitation of trainings and adult learning.
- Knowledge of practical device making for children with CP.
- To have Good experience or past experience in working in CP centers.
Timeframe
Expected timeframe of this consultancy is 2 weeks. The consultancy starting date is 02nd October, 2010.
The consultant will be based in Hargeisa, Somaliland (hosted by DAN)
Abbreviations
DAN: Disability Action Network
HRC: Hargeisa Rehabilitation Centre (HRC is one of DAN’s projects)
HI: Handicap International
Application process
All interested parties are invited to submit by email a technical and financial proposal explaining their understanding of the TOR and how they intend to conduct the consultancy, a budget, an updated CV demonstrating how they are qualified to perform the services on or before 10th September, 2010. Please send your details to Handicap International Nairobi at:
