WHAT IS THE EARLY OBSERVATIONS PROJECT?

The early observations project is a chance for parents to voice their experiences of the early referral and diagnosis process to create change. Currently 40-50% of children with Cerebral Palsy are not picked up at birth as being 'high risk' for Cerebral Palsy. These children rely on their family and their health care providers to recognise their earliest symptoms. However, some of these parents are left feeling unheard when raising their concerns about their child's development. As a result, the child's referral to a specialist is delayed. This project aims to change this. 

This website is a chance for me to talk about my PhD as it is happening. I'm aiming to post regular updates about the Early Observations Project and about my life as a PhD student. I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions so please get in touch!

Currently we are carrying out a parent survey. We want to hear about the early referral and diagnosis process you experienced and about the earliest concerns you developed about your child. We hope that by understanding your experiences we can develop a tool which helps support new families going through the same process.