Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IN THE EXTENSIVE report by HSE director John Cregan into the goings-on at the CRC, he repeatedly stresses how so many people depend upon the services at the clinic.
While the financial practices at the Central Remedial Clinic were – to put it mildly – badly handled, thousands of people rely upon the Clontarf clinic to provide help and support in their daily lives.
In the report, Cregan included the story of one woman as an example of the kind of help that people received.
The 27-year-old woman is identified as Mary, but the report notes that her name was changed to protect her privacy.
Mary was first referred to the CRC when she was 8 months old after it was found that she had signs of cerebral palsy. She had been born prematurely at the Rotunda Hospital and Dublin and had needed ventilation after birth, and had been monitored by doctors for some time afterwards.
From the age of nine months, she began a physiotherapy programme at the CRC.
Soon afterwards, Mary’s family met with a paediatrician at the CRC who said that while she had made some developments, she had significant development delay.
When she was around 15 months old, the consultant diagnosed cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia – a type of cerebral palsy which affects the entire body. A social work team began to work with her family to support them.
As a toddler, Mary began to attend the speech and language therapy department at the CRC, as well as physio, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy on a regular basis. The team also visited her family at home when necessary.
The report notes that because the family had no transport, the CRC brought Mary and her family to the clinic for all appointments.
At the age of 3, Mary started in the CRC’s pre-school and settled in well. She got intensive therapy during the day, while her mother, who was living in very difficult social circumstances, got extensive support from the social work department.
At the age of 4, Mary began attending the CRC’s primary school. She was provided with supports throughout her primary school years, included a wheelchair and a speech augmentation system because she had significantly reduced speech intelligibility.
When she was 8, she had the first of a number of orthopaedic interventions to prevent hip dislocation, which is a major risk for children with severe cerebral palsy. The surgery required intensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.
In her early teens, Mary’s family situation deteriorated and the social work department organised for the CRC home support worker to visit her home to provide a break for her mother and some social support for Mary. The department also provided intensive counselling for Mary’s mother and regular respite breaks for Mary.
When she was 15, Mary began to express her increasing unhappiness with her situation and her feelings of social isolation. She was seen regularly by a psychologist at the CRC to help her to cope with this.
She was also taught to use a computer in a school setting to help increase her level of independence.
As she came close to finishing up school, a plan was put in place for her life after secondary school to make sure that she would be as independent as possible.
Mary joined the CRC’s two-year transition programme when she left school, which helps with the individual needs of school leavers who have a significant disability. After finishing, she began a rehabilitative training programme to further develop her independence and other skills.
Now, at the age of 27, Mary attends CRC’s day programmes. She chooses which activities she wants to be involved in and, the report notes, is actively involved in developing her own plan about the things that are important to her.
The case study is interesting because it highlights the day-to-day work of the CRC in a way which has not been at the centre of all of the attention the clinic has received over the last six months.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
No-one questioned the therapy and services at CRC. It’s the greed of the board and management which has damaged its reputation.
I have myself being going to the crc since I was a child despite what has going on over the last few months overall they do alot to help people with disabilities
The staff and what they do for the kids and adults in their care is second to none. I hope those who in management who decided to profit from the CRC are never forgiven for the damage their greed has done to the CRC.
But whose fault is that? I’m sure the general public are very sympathetic to the patients and genuine hard-working staff there, but the people who should have been looking after the place were too busy lining their pockets. Am I supposed to feel guilty for not donating to them any more? The whole thing is unfair not-least for those who rely on the service, but if the top brass felt one iota of morality this story would never need be written.
but that’s exactly what this article is, a ploy to make you feel guilty, its not the publics fault and it certainly not the needy’s fault. I find this articles aperance in light of todays report on the friends and supports charity in bad taste. ffs setting up another charity to extract tax payers money that should be going too those in need and using it to line ones own pockets. I feel for the content of the article but not the timing and way it is trying to make one feel.
The ‘charity’ sector is spending big on spin at the moment, aren’t they?
At 27 she appears to me to have been institutionalised by the C.R.C., “Now, at the age of 27, Mary attends CRC’s day programmes. She chooses which activities she wants to be involved in”. The vast majority of 27 years olds have attended College/University at her age. So, why are the CRC not encouraging patients to progress into third level Education? It’s the 21st Contrary and Tertiary Education has almost become a right of passage for most but, the C.R.C. appears to think it’s a big deal to highlight that her greatest achievement is to finish second level Education and do a Rehabilitation programme. ALL OF THIS ONLY TO END UP IN CRC DAY PROGRAMMES. It’s simply pathetic.
Wow. I have never read anything so ignorant. You are of course correct when you say that college has become a rite of passage for many people now.
For those who can get out of bed unaided it is a rite of passage. For those who can make their way to the bathroom and wash themselves without any help it is a rite of passage. For those who can actually swallow solid food without difficult it is a rite of passage. For those who can communicate, write notes, use laptops etc college us a rite of passage. Then there are others like Mary who by no fault of here own has this crippling condition.
I suggest you go and visit the CRC or any local service that helps people like Mary. Once you leave I guarantee you will pray to whatever god you believe in that you will never find yourself in a position where you have to return.
For Mary to complete secondary education despite her circumstances is a remarkable achievement and nowhere close to “pathetic.” Far more remarkable than anything you or I could ever hope to achieve.
I have the same condition as Mary and I attended CRC for treatment like Mary but was educated through the mainstream system In the 70′s and I now have a Masters in Social Science but if I’d have gone by the advice of the CRC I’d be in an electric wheelchair in a workshop in Clontarf.
It’s not Mary’s fault it’s the CRC
Is the author Cristine Bohan getting paid by CRC managment for these articles?
Please don’t try guilt or patronise the public by showing stories of good work (and vital work) CRC frontline staff do. We know. That is why people donated to them..
The Executives used this money to line their pockets. THEY should be ones feeling guilty..
Total transparency is required for the public to have confidence in any charitable organisation. CRC do wonderful work as do other organisations so let’s hope people regain their confidence to donate again. The public should know what percentage is taken out of any charitable donation so they can be assured the money is used wisely.
have your say