Glossary A - C

Accessible/Accessibility

Refers to the ease of use or participation by a person with a physical disability and is commonly applied to both physical and social contexts. For example physical as well as social barriers can prevent a person with a disability from equal and dignified access to facilities and educational opportunities.

Advocate

A person who represents and speaks on behalf of the person with a disability and/or a special educational need.

Advocacy

A practice carried out by or on behalf of an individual or group, which tries to redress the imbalance of power in society. Advocacy is a powerful tool that individuals with disabilities can use to participate fully in society.

Self-advocacy is where a person speaks up for his or her rights.

Family Advocacy is where a family member advocates for a person with a disability.

Assistive Technology

This is equipment which supports and enhances the lives of people with physical disabilities, in many cases making fundamental activities such as communication and mobility possible. As with technology in general, assistive technology is changing rapidly and having a significant positive impact on the quality of life for people with disabilities.

Assessment

The evaluation of the developmental status and intervention needs of a child/family.

Assessment Co-ordinator

The person who co-ordinates the assessment process and may also produce the assessment report. Under the Disability Act 2005, the Assessment Co-ordinator is officially known as the Assessment Officer. Under the EPSEN Act 2004, the Assessment Co-ordinator may be:
The Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO)
The Principle of the School

Assessment Officer

The Assessment Officer is employed by the HSE and is the first point of contact for the person with a disability (or the parent of a child with a disability) who makes an application for an Independent Assessment of Need under Section 9 of the Disability Act 2005. The Assessment Officer determines the scope of assessment required for the person concerned and arranges with the appropriate professionals to have it carried out.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a physical condition affecting the part of the brain which controls movement and posture. This is why people with cerebral palsy cannot control their muscles very well, they may move jerkily or hold themselves awkwardly.

Cerebral palsy can be caused by a number of things such as an illness during pregnancy or a lack of oxygen as a result of complications during birth or as a result of a serious accident or illness after birth. The degree of severity ranges widely. Some people are only mildly affected, taking only a little longer than others to sit up and walk etc. People with a moderate degree of cerebral palsy may require a wheelchair or walking aid for mobility. Some people are affected very severely and can do very little for themselves physically.

Therapy and special aids can help someone with cerebral palsy to control the movement of their muscles and maximise their ability to move.

More important than therapy however, is empowering people with cerebral palsy to lead independent lives. This means viewing cerebral palsy not so much as a medical question but rather as a social question.

Cognition

‘Thinking skills’ which underlie a person ability to perceive, attend to and learn from the environment. Cognitive ability, eg problem solving, attention span, memory, is required to learn skills in all areas.

Consultation

A consultation is a one-off assessment of a child requested by a third party (therapist, technician or other) with a specific objective of receiving an opinion or advice, or using external expertise which will benefit the service user. A formal report is completed after the consultation and given to the referrer and or child/parent/guardian as appropriate. Ongoing intervention is not part of the consultation process but further intervention may be arranged where is it a recommended outcome resulting from the consultation. For example, a referral for a consultation with the Postural Management Service in Dublin by Kerry Children’s Services.