This year’s campaign, #UniqueANDUnited, puts the voices and experiences of people living with cerebral palsy at the centre of the conversation.
The message is simple: every person with cerebral palsy is unique. Their experiences, priorities and ideas about what needs to change will be different. By bringing those individual voices together, the campaign aims to turn those ideas into a collective call for a more inclusive world.
50 Million Voices, 50 Million Reasons for Change
Cerebral palsy is the most common lifelong physical disability and affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide. The impact extends much further, with more than 350 million parents, family members, caregivers estimated to be directly affected.
But behind those figures are 50 million individual experiences.
For some people, cerebral palsy may have a relatively small impact on their everyday life. Others may require lifelong support with mobility, communication, personal care or other aspects of daily living. People may also face barriers that have little to do with their physical abilities, including inaccessible environments, limited opportunities, social exclusion or assumptions about what they can achieve.
The #UniqueANDUnited campaign is asking people to identify one change they want to see for people with cerebral palsy, share it and tag a local leader, business or community organisation that could help make that change happen.
The message is one of celebration rather than sympathy – recognising people’s abilities, ambitions, experiences and contributions while challenging outdated assumptions about disability.
For one person, change might mean an accessible workplace and equal opportunities to progress in their career. For others, it could mean more accessible public spaces, better representation, greater understanding in schools or workplaces, or simply ensuring that people with cerebral palsy are listened to when decisions are made about their own lives.
When Might Clinical Negligence Be Relevant?
Cerebral palsy can have a number of causes, but often the exact cause is not clear. However, there are circumstances where medical care provided during pregnancy, labour, birth or shortly after birth may have caused or contributed to a child’s brain injury.
NHS Resolution’s work examining cerebral palsy claims has identified recurring issues across antenatal, intrapartum and neonatal care, including concerns relating fetal heart rate monitoring, breech births, staff competency and training and patient autonomy. It is important to note that this research relates to a specific group of claims and does not mean that these issues are present in every case of cerebral palsy.
Determining whether clinical negligence occurred is a complex legal and medical question. It requires consideration of the individual circumstances, the care provided and whether any failure in the care caused or materially contributed to the injury.
Seeking Legal Advice
Seeking legal advice does not necessarily mean that a claim will follow. An initial discussion can help a family understand what happened, whether there are grounds for further investigation and what options may be available.
Where clinical negligence has caused or contributed to a child’s brain injury, a successful claim may also provide financial support for their current and future needs. This can be particularly important where someone requires ongoing care, specialist equipment, therapies, adaptations to their home or other support throughout their life.
At Harding Evans, we understand that every family’s experience is different. Our specialist Clinical Negligence team takes the time to listen, understand your circumstances and find out what matters most to you.
If you have questions about the care your child received, we can talk through your concerns and offer clear, sensitive advice about your options, helping you decide what feels right for you and your family.
You can also find out more about how we can help on our dedicated cerebral palsy claims page.
