Centre for Disabled Children “First of its Kind”
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October 12, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
A new £6m centre in Newport, Wales, which provides treatment and care for disabled children has been praised by parents.
Serennu Children’s Centre has many facilities and specialists on-site, so patients can have different specialist appointments scheduled in the same place to help cut down on travelling between hospitals and clinics.
A spokesperson from the children’s centre told The Fresh Outlook that the development is the first of its kind in the UK: “it’s unique as it’s not only an integrated centre as it has treatment and care facilities, and a family community facility to provide help for the parents.”
The centre opened in April earlier this year and specialises in providing help for over 1,200 children and young people with disabilities and development difficulties. The centre has paediatric consultants, physiotherapists, audiologists, orthotics, dieticians and a social services team. The facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, sensory gardens, and a flat to teach people how to live on their own.
The centre will soon feature a 3D cinema that will be free to parents and friends of children attending the centre.
The charity Children in Wales welcomes the opening of the centre, but believes people with disabilities should not be segregated from the rest of the community.
Development officer Catherine Lewis said: “I think it would be really good if disabled children and young people are able to access mainstream services because it would help show they are people first and that they’ve got a disability second.
“I very much support what’s happened at Serennu, it’s a flagship centre and it’s a wonderful development, but it would be great to see services mainstreamed across all of Wales.”
A spokesperson from Serrenu Children’s Centre told The Fresh Outlook that the leisure facilities are family and friend orientated: “This centre has been made with the view of what the children want and what the families want. Many children here want a youth club and are not interested in other youth clubs as they are subject to bullying and [are] segregated – they don’t want that. Whereas in other services they say they would like an integrated service that is open to the community; it depends on the choice of the young person or child.”
The children’s centre is now raising funds for a new playground please visit their website for more information www.sparkleappeal.org
By Ben Perks
[Image courtesy of Serennu Children’s Centre]
