Background

The resource has been developed from studies completed with children living in Aotearoa New Zealand who have had traumatic brain injuries, and their whanau/families, teachers, rehabilitation providers, and community support people. In the studies, commonsense ideas or strategies were found that helped the children to be involved in activities. These have been put together into a resource. Writings and research from others in teaching and rehabilitation fields provide further evidence for some of the strategies. The focus of the resource is on working with people’s communities to assist children to participate. It can be applied to activities at home, in rehabilitation settings, at school, and in the wider community. It is designed for children aged 9-12 years. This resource can be used by whanau/family, friends, schools, community members and rehabilitation providers. People can choose the things they feel are useful for them to implement with a particular activity at a particular point in time. There are a number of other approaches available that focus on developing the skills of the child to enhance participation. The strategies in the resource can be used alongside these other approaches.