FAQ

Are you the British Institute for Brain Injured Children?
We started out as the British Institute for Brain Injured Children but as we adapted our therapies and widened the range of conditions we work with we are now bibic as it is more suiting to the families we see.

What conditions can bibic help with?
bibic are able to help children with a wide range of conditions, including Cerebral Palsy, Dyslexia, Down’s syndrome, Autism, ADHD and various syndrome’s and genetic conditions. You do not need a diagnosis as we aim to treat your child’s difficulties rather than their condition. To discuss your individual needs please call our National Assessment Centre or complete an enquiry form on our website.

What difference will the bibic programme make to my child’s life?
The degree of impact varies for each child.  bibic help your child to reach their full potential whatever that may be.  Life for your child can be less stressful and happier and their behaviour can improve. 

How does the bibic programme work?
The bibic programme, which is based on the ‘theory of neuroplasticity’ consists of a series of techniques and strategies to help strengthen your child’s existing skills. Through daily practice your child will be encouraged to exercise their body and mind and learn how to cope more effectively with the daily demands placed upon them.  As parents you will learn how to communicate and interact with your child more effectively, so that the whole family benefits.

How is the individual programme designed?
Following an initial information gathering interview with you that lasts about 45 minutes to an hour an appointment will be booked for your child to be assessed either at home or at our National Assessment Centre by a bibic therapist.  Following the assessment the therapist works as part of a team to design a daily structured programme which is specifically developed  for your child.  This programme is fully explained and demonstrated to parents and carers to ensure you learn how to carry out the exercises properly and in the correct order; this is to ensure you have full understanding of how to continue to help you child develop.

How long will the programme take?
The bibic programme is designed to be manageable within daily family life and therefore the length of each programme varies to suit each individual family.  On average a programme lasts 30 minutes per day, however this does not have to be achieved in one session it can be broken down throughout the day.

What impact will the bibic programme have on my family?
How the bibic programme will impact on your family life varies depending on your child’s needs, condition and the family dynamics.  bibic aims to help you understand your child and how life is for them, but overall the impact on the family is positive; for example we will suggest strategies to improve communication, reduce negative behaviours, promote independence and encourage the family to work together successfully.  Your whole family can enjoy watching your child’s achievements.  We encourage siblings to attend assessments as this will give them a sense of involvement in their brother or sister’s life. 

Can other family members attend my child’s assessment?
We are a family driven organisation and encourage immediate and extended families as well as other people involved in a child’s development to attend together.  It is important to point out, however, that as parents you need to be responsible for any siblings that may attend.  Whenever possible we try to involve the siblings and other family members in the learning and delivery of parts of the programme.

Can you help me talk to my child’s school?
We aim to help you understand your child’s strengths and areas of difficulty better so you feel more able to communicate effectively with their school.  We are happy to talk with teachers, support workers and SENCO’s if permission is received and in certain circumstances our assessment can be carried out in the school, although this may incur some additional cost.  Alternatively following the assessment the techniques and strategies we teach you can be shared between the school and home environments.

How much will it cost to help my child?
The average annual cost to bibic per child is £2,950 (£590 for each assessment day) and as bibic does not receive any statutory funding from the government we rely totally on the generosity of individuals, companies and organisations.  We do ask families to make a contribution towards the cost of £189 per day, but each case is assessed on an individual basis and we endeavour to support every family that needs our help.  

Does my child have to be a certain age before we can visit bibic?
At bibic we work with children and young people from the ages of 6 months to 18 years of age.

Do you help children no matter where they live?
We assess children and young people from across the UK, either at our National Assessment Centre or through one of our Outreach Services which are in several areas.  We also have families from all over the world including Holland, Poland and India.  So wherever you live please call a member of our Family Services Team to discuss your options.

Do you provide respite care?
Currently we do not have the facilities to provide respite.

Do you provide refreshments during our visit to bibic?
We provide tea, coffee, water and kitchen facilities which include a microwave.  We do ask that you bring your own packed lunch as shops are not within walking distance.  We can also provide you with directions to local supermarkets and public houses.

We need somewhere to stay overnight, can you help?
Somerset is a well known tourist destination and there are a multitude of facilities in the close proximity to us.  We can provide families who have booked an assessment with the names of local bed and breakfast, self catering accommodation and hotels.  We do advise that you contact these facilities directly to identify if they suit your specific needs.

Do you provide funding / grants to children?
We do not provide direct funding or grants to individual families, but we are able to provide details of other organisations that might be able to help.  We are also more than happy to help with the application process, by providing letter and application templates.

What qualifications do bibic therapists have?
Our therapists come from a range of backgrounds, including education, health, occupational therapy as well as vast experience of working with children and adults with learning difficulties.  All of the therapist also receive further in depth training in all areas of development including sensory processing, communication, social development, gross and fine motor skills as well as behaviour.

Outreach Service

What areas do your outreach services cover?
At present we have 4 outreach services currently being funded by the Big Lottery Fund.  These services cover Devon, Cornwall, Bristol, Gloucester and the West Midlands.  For specific details on whether your child is eligible to be assessed in one of these areas please contact either the National Assessment Centre or the relevant Outreach worker.

What is the cost of an outreach assessment?
Currently the 4 outreach services are funded by the National Lottery and so the funding structure differs from the National Assessment Centre.  Please do contact a member of the Family Services Team or the relevant outreach worker to discuss this further.

How often will I see the Outreach Therapist?
Following your initial assessment you child will be reassessed 4 – 6 months later, depending on the type of assessment undertaken.  In between this time you continue to get support from the therapist, who can be contacted by telephone or via e-mail at anytime during office hours.  Your therapist will also contact you periodically after your initial assessment to discuss your child’s progress and the therapy programme.  It is possible for your therapist to also undertake family follow-up visits in between your initial assessment and reassessment appointments; however this is a decision made by the therapist in regard to each individual child and their needs.

What is the length of the current waiting list for the Outreach service?
The waiting list for each outreach service varies, but is usually between 3 – 6 months from point of referral to appointment.

Do you work with other professionals already involved with my child?
All of the bibic therapists are more than happy to work alongside any other professional currently involved with your child.  We are also able to undertake joint assessments or other professionals may attend our assessments if you feel this may be of benefit.

If you have any questions which aren't answered here, please email

 


 

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