A Belief in the Child’s Ability to Learn

The Buddy Bear Trust Conductive Education School is Northern Ireland’s only Conductive Education school for children with Cerebral Palsy and motor disorders. Their underlying philosophy is a belief in the child’s ability to learn. Every activity within a child’s day is regarded as an opportunity for learning and for the child to make progress towards achieving a greater degree of independence through a set of realistic achievable goals.

A holistic and integrated system of learning

This programme for developmental learning is based on the principle that the person who has a motor disorder does not have a medical condition requiring treatment, but rather a problem of learning requiring education.

Conductive Education was pioneered by the celebrated Hungarian Professor Andras Peto in 1945 to create a holistic and integrated system of learning that addresses the specific physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs of the child simultaneously.

Adopting an educational approach to physical disability

The Buddy Bear Trust Conductive Education School teaches children from 3 months to 19 years how to move, crawl, walk, hold and communicate along with following the Northern Ireland curriculum. It offers a structured learning environment where the child becomes an active participant in their own learning and thus adapts and adjusts to their natural and social environment.

The Conductors/Teachers also educate parents and show them how to integrate the Conductive Programme into their daily routine at home.

Inspiring achievement and success

Happy and motivated children

Buddy Bear Trust Conductors/Teachers, much like their musical counterparts, oversee a virtuous circle where expectations, activity, success and praise create an environment in which children are happy and motivated to learn. The Conductor balances the roles of physiotherapist, occupational therapist, teacher and nurse to take the child through the whole range of processes connected with development

Buddy Bear Trust was established in 1993

**1 child in every 500 in NI has Cerebral Palsy**

55 children are diagnosed annually with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common forms of physical disability

Promoting Success

Conductors/Teachers at Buddy Bear Trust view each and every child as a whole person and demonstrate a fundamental belief in the child’s capacity to learn and grow. By focussing on what the child CAN do they provide an education of breadth and balance that promotes opportunities and success.

Other partners who are making a difference

Identifying the right network of dedicated and ambitious partners has enabled us to deliver on our charitable purposes and activities. Here are just some of the life-changing projects that our grant partners have been involved in.

South Belfast Foodbank

Responsible for providing over 270,000 meals to people in crisis and for the distribution of over 200 tonnes of food.

Brain Injury Matters

A local charity dedicated to supporting, promoting and empowering all those affected by Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) injury to rebuild their lives and reach their full potential in family and community life.

Rural Support

Rural Support was established in response to the emotional trauma experienced by the farming and rural community in the aftermath of the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in the early 2000’s.