New home and format for Virtual Library of Conductive Education

At long last I can announce that the Virtual Library of Conductive Education now has a new format -  and a new home, thanks to Ben Foulger.

Ben has spent a lot of his own time in the past few months creating  a searchable database for the Virtual Library  and in the process been very patient with my requests for all sorts of features, changes, yet more changes and further additions - he has managed them all. Wonderful. 

Ben, I salute you!

The  catalogue can now be found on the website of Conduction, the new UK charity for Conductive Education  at http://www.e-conduction.org/virtuallibrary

The contents of the Library currently at http://www.virtualcelibrary.blogspot.com/ will gradually be included along with new items and the same criterium  applies for those, that is availablility on the Internet. Some are free to acess and some require a subscription, password or payment for an individual article. So far items included are written e.g. articles, conference papers, documents, presentations. Films and videos may be added later.

I have added over 100 items to the catalogue so far, but as you can appreciate transferring the material from the blog to the database takes time. I will add any new finds straight into the new format - in fact I have added some already - whilst continuing to 'move' the old items across.

 The blog will remain and not be deleted until this process is completed.

Some people may be unused to searching a catalogue online, so there is a link to a help page containing some basic instructions and guidance.

This catalogue, like all 'live' library catalogues, will never be 'finished' as more new material becomes available and is recorded. I welcome any help you can offer in finding such material.

You will see that there is also a link to a Depository on the same page. It is hoped to put complete documents, unpublished papers, articles etc not available elsewhere into this starting very soon. At present it is empty.

As always, if you have any queries, suggestions for improving the new set-up or suggestions for inclusion, please do let me know.

Conductive Education Classic no.9

Ludwig, S, Leggett, P Harstall, C. (2000) Conductive Education for children with cerebral palsy. Edmonton: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

This is the only review so far to make a major critical proposal to better the quality of how evaluations done in Conductive Education. There were relatively few studies to look at, with five being carried out in Australia, three in the UK, and one in Ireland.

Why was it done?

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Unit of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for medical research was requested by Alberta Children’s Services and Alberta Health & Wellness to assess the evidence of effectiveness of Conductive Education for children with cerebral palsy

A review was requested to help the ministries answer the question, ‘is Conductive Education as a learning approach or therapeutic intervention safe and efficacious for children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy…?…The HTA Unit conducted a systematic search for and critical appraisal of published scientific evidence regarding the impact of Conductive Education on the overall learning and health status of children with cerebral palsy. (p.1)

Outline

The review gives an outline of its parameters followed by a brief description of Conductive Education and its origins and then goes on to look at six primary studies and three studies that examined parental reactions, perceptions and satisfaction.

It sets out their summaries in the form of a table, giving the type of study, (e.g. randomized or non-randomized, controlled, descriptive), setting, (e.g. UK, Australia), the methods, and authors’ conclusions, and then discusses each one in more detail.

This is followed by a summary of the main, conclusions, a discussion of these, and the authors’ conclusions. And, of course, a list of references. Also included are several appendices on methodology, cerebral palsy, CE models in Alberta, primary and parent studies (including outcomes and comments). All set out as tables.

It is noted that there were few reasonable studies to consult at that time (as is still the case) and the evidence on the efficacy of CE is sparse and of poor quality

Their radical suggestion for the betterment of such evaluations was ‘manualisation’, I.e. actual stating in he form of a ‘manual’ what is was that was actually done with the subjects in the intervention being evaluated (a well known measure in clinical psychology). If one does this then it may even be possible that studies might be replicated. If not, then they cannot be. It would also offer readers of reviews to form thie own judgements of how far then work being evaluated in fact merit the name of Conductive Education in the first place (not a lot, probably in many cases.

As far as I know, no later studies have taken up this suggestion.

The full report can be viewed at  http://www.ihe.ca/publications/library/archived/conductive-education-for-children-with-cerebral-palsy/

Judit's Hungarian book about Conductive Education

I have seen today a note on Judit Szathmary's blog about a book on Conductive Education in Hungarian:

Hári Mária, Székely Ily (1963)  Bevezeto A Konduktiv Mozgaspedagogiaba; Pető András eloadasai es gyakorlati bemutatoi alapjan. Gyogypedagogiai Tanarkepzo Foiskola, Budapest: Tankonyvkiado.

Judit has a copy given to her by Ester Cotton, who had had the book signed by Maria Hari , making it a very special item  of CE literature.

I remember this book, as it was held in the National Library of Conductive Education whilst I was there.

If anyone wishes to look at it I suggest they contact the National Institute of Conductive Education in Birmingham or perhaps Judit,  via her blog at

 http://juditszathmary.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html.

Conductive Education books at the World Congress

Several people have asked me if it will be possible to buy books published by Conductive Education Press at the Congress.

We have made Conductive Education Press publications easily accessible from anywhere in the world and deliverable to your door at the click of a mouse. http://www.blurb.com/user/cepress


CEP is a publisher and not a bookseller with premises and a physical stall.

Single copies of the titles will be available to look at during the Congress and a leaflet to take away containing information about all titles. I believe there may be information about a book from the Peto Institute available in the same way, Susie Mallett is working on a pamphlet, and there may be others too.

Usually at conferences books are available to order, rather than purchase there and then. A catalogue or titles may be available to look at and a form provided to complete to obtain copies. Sometimes there are copies available to buy, but not often; for instance, if the congress is being held in the home country of the  publisher it would be possible to take multiple copies to sell - perhaps SAHK will do this with their publications.  No airline luggage restrictions for them!

By the way, feedback from all of you who obtain and read copies would be very welcome.

It looks as though 2010 will see the publication of at least four titles on Conductive Education, quite an achievement!

New book on Conductive Education now available

A new book on Conductive Education has just been published by Conductive Education Press titled

 Internationalising Conductive Education and edited by Andrew Sutton and Gillian Maguire.

As stated on the backcover:

One group of articles in Recent Advances in Conductive Education (RACE), published across the years of the journal’s appearance, stand out as manifesting a common, coherent theme, one that has continuing relevance today. These articles may be collectively characterised as personal accounts of setting up and developing one’s own conductive practice, or service, or even system. Such determined and individual self-help, often in the face of surrounding indifference or even outright opposition, has been the base and backbone of the internationalisation of Conductive Education. In a continuously changing world, it will likely remain so. There is no other accessible written record of this process, no other collection of documents to suggest just what it takes to do this, none to offer reassurance, inspiration – and caution – to those who might wish to plough their own future furrows So, it has seemed a useful exercise to collect together these varied and needed articles into a single volume – this book.

Contributors ( in no particular order ) include Judit Szathmary, Judit Roth, Kari Hapnes, Lisa Gombinsky, Rony Schenker, Naomi Rotem, Lisa Gombinsky,  Wendy Baker, Istvan Szucs, Gemma Davy, Laura Jones, Rachael Skinner, Norman Perrin, Gabor Fellner, Márgara Millán.

Copies are available to purchase at

 http://bit.ly/cep-internationalising-ce

Computer problems

This week I have been experiencing computer problems which have resulted in my having to buy a new machine. Not what I wanted to do at all!  It is the same with  all modern inventions, we use them all the time without thinking, and then feel bereft when they are no longer working. This  then causes amazement that they are so important to us. What shall I do with myself?

Now  I am having to write this blog from my local public library, sitting in a long line with other people, a very strange experience as I am used to sitting at home on my own. But what a wonderful service, free and in a nice warm cosy place.

I hope to have my new machine up and running early next week, and be back on line again with a new posting.

Internet News October 2010

Some items about Conductive Education  found over the past few weeks on the Internet.
http://www.steinbachonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19035&Itemid=232
Money raised for boy to attend Movement Centre in Winnipeg, Canada

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11411824
Anne Wood, creator of Teletubbies, becomes patron of Heel and Toe CE Centre in County Durham, UK

http://www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?ID=29598
Report of program at Colorado Foundation for Conductive Education

http://www.ozarksunbound.com/brilliant-strokes-an-art-auction-for-independence-scheduled-for-friday-oct-8-community-announcement/11604
Art auction held for ConducABILITY, California.

http://www.whatsonni.com/more_info.php?id=5123

http://www.prlog.org/10984093-harrys-hosts-80s-fancy-dress-night-for-buddy-bear-trust.html
Fund raising event for Buddy Bear in Dungannon, Northern Ireland

http://www.sfexaminer.com/rss/?section=%2Flocal%2Fap%2F
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/ap/colo-center-aids-children-with-motor-disabilities-104230213.html
http://www.silobreaker.com/program-aids-children-with-motor-disabilities-5_2263752662572859506
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/default/article/Colo-center-aids-children-with-motor-disabilities-680392.php
Syndicated story about Colorado Foundation for Conductive Education


http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk_set_to_welcome_dame_vera_lynn_1_661805
Suffolk School for Parents becomes part of the Dame Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy

http://www.morpethherald.co.uk/sport/local-sport/golf/does_pro_am_golf_event_appeal_to_you_1_1891124
Report of fundraising for Heel and Toe Centre in UK

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2010/10/07/princess-royal-visits-percy-hedley-foundation-72703-27422346/
Princess Royal visits Percy Hedley Foundation, UK, at opening of new centre for adults which offers the 'principles of Conductive Education, a form of physiotherapy'.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Children-s-challenges-like-tackling-Mount-Everest/article-2734525-detail/article.html
Report on challenges faced by children at Rutland House School for Parents, UK offering principles of Conductive Education

http://paces.typepad.com/paces/2010/10/does-conductive-education-have-brand-probelms.html
Blog about 'brand' of Conductive Education posted by Norman Perrin

http://www.edu.com.kw/Subsidiaries/Afaq/More.aspx#
Details of Conductive Education school in Kuwait.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/east/article_5dc0d658-efba-5ccd-a099-4751896a0392.html

http://www.necn.com/10/17/10/Nonprofit-uses-conductive-methods-for-th/landing_health.html?&blockID=3&apID=c53b0c585df4429c99ad54228ab81c33
Story about the GaitWay centre in Arizona

http://www.necn.com/10/17/10/Nonprofit-uses-conductive-methods-for-th/landing_health.html?&blockID=3&apID=c53b0c585df4429c99ad54228ab81c33
Art auction for CE centre in Arkansas

http://www.ingfoundation.com.au/main.php?page=gallery&gallery=Spastic-Centre-10-Years-Conductive-Education
ING centre, Sydney, Australia celebrates 10 years of CE

http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2010/10/22/legacy-rainbow-house-founder-sentenced-for-benefit-fraud-101022-27521816/
Benefit fraud by founder of Rainbow House

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/people/Rainbow-Rover.6595121.jp
Man sails round world and raises money for the Rainbow Centre, Fareham, Hants.

Conductors with Consultancies and Practices

This  post was ready to go up today when I realised that Andrew had already blogged its content after a conversation we had yesterday, Still, better late than never!

I realised that a number of conductors are running their own services for individuals or groups. Some, but not all of these also offer consultancy work. Therefore the list on the right hand side of this blog has been amended to cover all those that I know of who practise Conductive Education on their own, and/or offer consultancy work, with the new title of Conductor Consultancies and Practices, and can be found at :

http://www.gillian-maguire.info/2010/02/conductors-with-consultancies-on.html

If you know of any others or you work in this way please let me know and I will add the information to the list. If you do not have a website ( or I haven't found it!) and I have not heard from another source it is impossible for me to discover your details and include them on the list.

New Conductive Education venture in the UK

Information about  a new service in the UK has just reached me and details can be found at

http://www.ce-services.co.uk/home/

This appears to be a service for children and adults, with sessions for groups or individuals.

Where does the money go?

I have seen an item in the Third Sector magazine reporting the launch of a new website. This website will provide details of charities' expenditure, breaking down how much goes on administration and how much on the actual work. As many CE centres in the UK operate as charities this presents an opportunity to let potential donors  know exactly where their money will go.

http://thirdsector.co.uk/News/MostRead/1034535/Charity-comparison-site-go-live/

Charities will be able to set up a microsite to enable donations to be made direct to them, but the host site will charge an administration fee for this. See the above link for further details.

Update to consultancies

I have just updated the list of Conductor Consultancies. It now include the new one set up by Anne-Christan Wittig in British Columbia and details of her services can be found on her blog by clicking the URL provided on the list .

Even though Judit Szathmary has now closed her centre, I believe she is still operating her consultancy, so she is still included. If this is not the case, I hope someone will let me know.

The list  can be accessed via the link on the right hand side of this page.

Snap! Taking a good photo

I have been sent the link to a website of a photographer offering advice on taking good pictures. We all want to record our children at the various stages in their development and this site, full of fun,  is worth looking at to get good tips for this. Taking pictures in CE sessions is also an art in itself to make sure all is recorded accurately, clearly and usefully. Having plenty to select the best examples of good posture and position in the group to put up on the web  is paramount.  There are some pictures up about CE  at http://www.westcanphoto.com/index.php?key=conductive

Perhaps this could help there too.

Unfortunately,I cannot find the name of the photographer responsible for this site.

http://www.westcanphoto.com/

Parent of a disabled child speaks out

A article has been published in the Daily Mail today as a response to controversial statements made on a television programme on Sunday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1317786/Caring-disabled-daughter-enriched-lives.html

I would imagine that most parents of disabled children would heartily agree with the author, Ian Birrell.



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Virtual catalogue is making progress

The new arrangements for the virtual catalogue are making good progress and I hope to be able to announce the launch of the new format soon.

 In the meantime the catalogue is still available at http://www.virtualcelibrary.blogspot.com/

Conductive Education books available on the Internet

 I was reminded the other day during a conversation with Andrew Sutton that Foundation for Conductive Education publications had been sent to Google for inclusion in Google Books with permissions to include some content.

I have now checked on this and found not only FCE titles with a large chunk of the text up on the Internet but another one that has some too. These will be included with full references and URLs in the Virtual Conductive Education Library as soon as I can get them up.

The FCE titles are

 Ákos, K. and Ákos, M. (1991) Dina. Birmingham: Foundation for Conductive Education AND Ulm: Alabander Verlag.


Cottam, P. and Sutton, A., ed. (1986) Conductive Education; a system for overcoming motor disorder. London: Croom Helm.
 
Read, J. (1991) Conductive Education 1987-1992; the transitional years. Birmingham: Foundation for Conductive Education.


Sutton, A. (1998) Last year in Jerusalem; four presentations to an international conference. Birmingham: Foundation for Conductive Education.


Read, J. (1991 ) Come wind come weather; a study of the difficulties faced by parents taking their children to the Peto Institute in Budapest. Birmingham: Foundation for Conductive Education.
 
The other book is :
 
Brown, M. and Mikula-Toth, A. (1997) Adult Conductive Education : a practical guide. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes.


If you wish to read the available content of these, go to Google Books and do a search for Conductive Education. The books themselves are all available from the Foundation for Conductive Education at library@conductive-education.org.uk

Checking cookies

Even though I use my computer regularly and connect to the Internet to obtain information and maintain my blogs, I am not very good with any of the technical aspects of the hardware and software. Friends who are a bit more savvy than me often have to help out with advice and help. A piece in my local paper by Dave Pinwell about cookies has proved very useful too, and I would like to pass on the information.

One aspect I have had trouble understanding is the cookies that are small files which get put on  the PC without permission or notification when I visit websites. How this can happen I don't know, all I know is that it does.

These cookies collect details of browsing activity and sometimes contain login, passwords and other details needed to make repeat visits to a site. These are not dangerous unless they get into the wrong hands, and the information gained could be obtained by a hacker whether cookies are held or not. So a good firewall and security protection are vital. Having these will permit proper use of cookies and any unwanted intrusion will be prevented.

You can block all cookies but this may prevent you accessing sites that you want to, so it will be worth checking your privacy levels. It is possible to delete cookies before you close the computer down and I do this regularly. You need to right click on the Internet icon, choose properties and then click on  delete for brwsing history to remove all those cookies you do not want on your computer.

Thanks, Dave.

Charities merging in UK

Today I read a news item reporting the merging of three charities based in London - Radar, Disability Alliance and the National Centre for Independent Living. Theay are considering a merge under the new title Disability Rights Partnership.

http://thirdsector.co.uk/news/Article/1028437/Three-London-disability-charities-consider-merger/

Liz Sayce, chief executive of the Royal Association for Disability Rights, also known as Radar, said the charities had 35 staff and there were no plans to make any of the posts redundant.


She said the proposal to merge the charities was based on increasing the campaigning power of the charities and was nothing to do with financial difficulties.

 Perhaps this will be a way forward in these troubled times for some of the CE centres registered as charities in the UK?

Internet News no.14, September 2010

Below is a list of this month's news from the Internet - less than usual, I think.

http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/alternative-education-changes-lives-3681983
CE in New Zealand receives spot on TVNZ. [Includes video]

http://www.redditchadvertiser.co.uk/news/8317204.Vietnam_challenge_for_Redditch_business_man/
Redditch businessman to ride round Vietnam to fundraise for Foundation for Conductive Education.

http://www.cincymagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=2CE771F28E0D4281817E2E034A9C57C6&nm=New+Articles&type=Publishing&mod=Publications::Article&mid=61465020993F438B9FCD60C66CC58CDC&tier=4&id=9B91C9EA6E204016BF9213D373570A52
Grandmother helps start summer camp in Cincinnatti to help grandson.


http://www.ehow.co.uk/facts_6823384_conductive-education-training.html
Lisa Pulsifer posts information about 'conductive education training'

http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/the-spastic-centre-toasts-the-success-of-education-program/
Spastic Centre, Australia celebrates 10th anniversary of its CE program.


http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=93885&catid=35
Report of services at the Therapy Place in South Carolina.

http://www.stthomastimesjournal.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2710182
Brief mention with photo of summer camp in St Thomas, South-west Ontario

http://www.conductability.com/conductability_016.htm
Testimonal by a parent to the effects of CE on her child.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/latest-news/4034118/Community-champions-down-to-six-finalists
New Zealand CE centre in with a chance to win 30,000 dollars.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/4053746/Heartbreak-and-smiles-in-helping-children
More about the New Zealand centre with a chance to win money and its founder.

http://www.runshaw.ac.uk/Groups/Adult%20Marketing/ADULT/2010/StudentBulletinMarch2010.pdf
News of support for Rainbow House from Runshaw Adult College (p10).

http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/news/local/news/general/little-battler-fights-disabling-condition/1927175.aspx
Story about Nicholas who goes to Xavier Early Intervention Program two days a week for Conductive Education as well as the Cerebral Palsy League, Mater Brisbane and the Royal Children's Hospital for physiotherapy, feeding clinic, sleeping clinic, speech therapist, hips surveillance, spinal clinic and occupational therapist.

http://cecmd.com/?p=35
Conductive Education centre of Metro Detroit has joined up with flower internet company, receiving a donation for every order of flowers.


http://www.muswellhilljournal24.co.uk/content/haringey/muswellhilljournal/news/story.aspx?brand=MHJOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsmhj&itemid=WeED08%20Sep%202010%2016%3A54%3A20%3A643
Fundraising event for the London Centre for Cerebral Palsy on 12 September

Building your own Conductive Education library

By an amazing coincidence, like Susie Mallett,  I have been looking on the Internet for books relevant to Conductuve Education so that I can build on my very small collection here.  Yesterday I received copies of both titles written by Bärnklau that Susie mentions on her blog.

http://www.susie-mallett.org/2010/09/story-of-search-for-books.html  

These are believed to have been written by András Petö and published in the 1960s. My copies are second-hand,  in a reasonable condition and arrived soon after ordering.

In my search for them I came across various titles on Conductive Education which are available via Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/ or Abe Books  http://www.abebooks.co.uk/ 

 Many early titles are now out of print so the price of these varied enormously according to 'rarity', I assume. For example, a copy of Hári and Ákos' Conductive Education can be bought for as much as £68.00 and Cottam and Sutton's,  Conductive Education; a system for overcoming motor disorder can be as much as £80! There are also a number of each title (and others) at  more reasonable prices.

Have a look.

If you do want to build your own collection buying second-hand can be a economical and sometimes the only way to do it.


Bärnklau . K. O. (1965) Unfug die Krankheiten, Triumph die Seele. Karl Schustek: Hanau/Main.
Bärnklau . K. O.  (n.d.) Gibt unheilbare Krankheiten, Nein. Lindau-Bodensee: Rudolphische Verlagsbuchhandlung.
Häri, M.  and Ákos, K.  (1988)  Conductive Education . London: Routledge.
Cottam, P. and Sutton, A., ed. (1986) Conductive Education ;a system for overcoming motor disorder.
London: Croom Helm.

Pause for thought

This year has not ben a very good one healthwise for my family, friends and myself. Over the past few months I have learnt what it is like to have your life controlled by appointments with doctors, hospitals, nurses, physiotherapists and consultants. Fortunately things are improving now and life will return to what passes for normal  fairly soon - I hope.

Because of this, blogging and finding material for the virtual catalogue  has suffered, but I have been thinking about them and wondering why my appeals for information go largely unanswered. Comments on postings are also rare. I have had some responses, thank you, ( a few privately), but had hoped in particular, that most people would know of at least one document and send me details.  Maintaining these sites is  voluntary and I do get satisfaction from doing so, but it would be great to have more feedbasck especially for the catalogue.

Checking the statistics shows that both sites get visitors averaging out to 50 per week for the catalogue, and 100 for this blog, which I think is quite good considering. All those who do visit, please keep coming and drop me a note occasionally, let me know what you think and make suggestions.