Mobility: sitting, standing, walking and transferring
As a person develops their mobility skills, they can begin to take a more active role in their own life. MOVE can;
The MOVE Programme is
incorporated into everyday
life making learning fun
Increase ability to perform
everyday tasks
Increase ability to use
communication aids and
interact with family, friends,
therapists and teachers.
"Given appropriate tools and
support, all children, including those who were labelled as
having severe or profound disabilities, were able to express
their views, wishes and feelings"
(E. Stone, Consulting with Disabled Children and Young People, Social Care and Disability (July 2001), Ref 741, p.3)
As children and adults begin to move more independently and learn about their environment
and the world around them, they see things of interest and their curiosity is awakened.
They are more alert and able to participate
Being in an upright position and/or being able to move about,
gives a person with disabilities greater opportunities for learning.
Cognitive development accelerates and they become more
independent
Spatial awareness is improved due to better access to their
environment
Barriers to learning are reduced
Access to the National Curriculum is improved
Many people already on the Programme have proved the theory
that when physical abilities improve, so do communication skills and
learning.
MOVE gives children first and
foremost the chance to be children!
Learning to sit in an upright position, stand or walk independently, with whatever support or equipment is required, has enormous health benefits for a person with disabilities:
Internal organs have
more freedom to function
Breathing, circulation and
digestion is improved
Deformities may be controlled
Those that can weight-bear may find their muscle tone improving
and their limbs growing at a faster rate than before
Severity of dislocations may be reduced. Allowing gravity to play
its part means that limbs are stretched downwards. This can help to
straighten the hips and might therefore benefit people with
dislocations. Anecdotal evidence has shown that in some cases
MOVE has helped to delay or negate the need for surgery
The impact of degenerative and life-limiting illnesses can be
reduced by helping a child to maintain a better quality of health
Social inclusion and family life
"Encouraging and helping disabled children to interact with their non-disabled peers has additional benefits to those purely arising from friendship. In the long term, children who interact positively with disabled children are more likely to help change attitudes within society."
(C. Langerman and E. Worrall, Ordinary Lives: Disabled Children and their Families, A Guide for Donors and Funders, New Philanthropy Capital (2005), pp1-81 (p.21)
While MOVE reaps huge benefits for the
child, it follows that the more independent and healthy the
child is, the less strain there is on the whole family.
MOVE:
Enables individual choice
Improves ability to communicate through eye contact and
movement
Increases quality of life and self-esteem through achievement of
goals
Reduces time spent on routine care (which can average at up to
10 hours a day)
Improves independence meaning that families have more time to
focus on more interesting family activities. For example, if a child
can use the toilet independently in a restaurant, then a family
outing to a restaurant becomes a feasible option.
The more a person with disabilities is able to move around in their
environment, the more independent and socially included that
person and their family will feel.
Care for a disabled person may become less physically demanding
for the family as they no longer have to carry a child or adult up or
down stairs and around the home
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