SAVE THE DATE - Thanksgiving Charity Ball

SAVE THE DATE - Thanksgiving Charity Ball on behalf of St.Gabriel’s School & Centre and the Irish Chamber Orchestra is due to take place on Saturday 13^th November 2010.

More information to follow.

For further information please contact: Kate Sheahan, Fundraiser St.Gabriel’s, 061-302733/ 086-0495280

Fundraising Night at the Dogs, Limerick Greyhound Stadium

Fundraising Night at the Dogs, Limerick Greyhound Stadium

An exciting fundraising event in aid of St.Gabriel’s School & Centre is planned in the newly opened Limerick Greyhound Stadium.  The new greyhound stadium will offer the best in greyhound racing and hospitality. 190 seater restaurant, fast food outlets, bars and excellent viewing facilities it promises to be an excellent venue. Join in the fun and organise a night out with your family, friends or work colleagues, indoing so you’ll help to raise much needed funds for St.Gabriel’s School & Centre.

Improving the lives of children with disabilities

For further information please contact: Kate Sheahan, Fundraiser St.Gabriel’s, 061-302733/ 086-0495280

St.Gabriel’s annual Golf Classic

St.Gabriel’s annual Golf Classic will take place on Thursday 16^th & Friday 17^th September in Limerick Golf Club.

The competition is Fourball Betterball, Stableford, 2 scores to count. The entry fee is €400.00 per team (includes meal) Today, up to 400 children benefit from the family-centred services delivered free of charge by St.Gabriel’s centre on an outpatient basis and 42 children attend St.Gabriel’s special needs school.

Improving the lives of children with disabilities

For further information please contact: Kate Sheahan, Fundraiser St.Gabriel’s, 061-302733/ 086-0495280.

Roxboro Community Gardaí Charity Cycle from Limerick to Kilkee

Roxboro Community Gardaí Charity Cycle from Limerick to Kilkee

A Charity cycle will take place on Saturday 14^th August from Limerick to Kilkee in aid of St.Gabriel’s School & Centre. The cycle is been organised by members of the Roxboro Community Gardaí and they kindly nominated St.Gabriel’s as this year’s charity. All funds raised on the day will go towards helping to meet running costs of €150,000.00 approx on St.Gabriel’s hydrotherapy pool” For further information contact; Sgt Mike Nash, Roxboro Garda Station, Tel: 061 214340

Volunteers are badly needed on the day so if you would like Volunteer please contact Kate Sheahan, St.Gabriel’s Fundraiser. Tel: 061-302733/ 086-0495280.

Improving the lives of children with disabilities

Hydrotherapy is extremely important to children with disabilities as the warm temperature of the water allows muscles to relax and eases the pain and stiffness many children with disabilities experience.  As a result it makes it much easier for them to move about in the pool when they are receiving their treatment. Hydrotherapy can benefit a whole range of conditions and the pool is available to the public for Open Sessions.

Pig n’ Porter Tag Rugby Festival

St.Gabriel’s is the charity partner with this year Pig n’ Porter Tag Rugby Festival from 16 -18 July

Treehouse Early Intervention Team

Providing specialist services to children aged 0-6 years

Medical

The medical and therapy services of St.Gabriels Centre are at the core of the organisation. It focuses on the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of those with physical disabilities many of whom have long term physical disabilities in the mild, moderate or severe category.

JPMcManus Invitational Golf Pro Am

St.Gabriel’s is delighted to announce that it will have a team representing the charity in the Pro Am on 5 & 6 July in Adare.

Charity Cycle from Kilmallock to Cashel on Saturday 26 June

A very successful Charity Cycle was held in aid of St.Gabriel’s. The cycle commenced in Kilmallock and the cyclists went to Cashel.

School Classroom

School Reception

New Sections to Our Site

We are currently having some more sections added to our website to provide more information on the school. They will be finished and launched shortly.

Transport

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School Activities

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Staff

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Gallery

Education Programmes

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Contact

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News and Events

About

St. Gabriel’s School is located in Dooradoyle in Limerick.

We are a school for children with physical/multiple disabilities and are one of only five similar schools in the country.

The age range of the children who attend our school is 4 – 18 yrs, primary and post-primary levels.

The pupil/teacher ratio is 6:1, with support from our SNAs.

The children have access to all relevant therapies during school hours, including O.T., physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, hydrotherapy and nursing support.

 

The School

School Mission Statement:

Our mission at St. Gabriel’s School is to provide our pupils with an education that is challenging and appropriate to their needs in a safe and caring environment.

St.Gabriel’s Hydrotherapy Pool

St.Gabriel’s School

St.Gabriel’s Centre

Psychology

THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

The clinical psychologist can assess a child’s strengths and difficulties and help identify their needs.  The psychologist may assess a child’s emotional well-being, behaviour, social skills, attention and skills of daily living.  Psychological assessment can include interviews, observations, standardised tests and consultation with other professionals working with the child.  Assessment can help in making recommendations for a child and planning interventions and supports for them.  The Psychologist meets with parents to give them feedback about assessment findings and recommendations.

Therapy

The clinical psychologist provides therapeutic interventions directly to children and adolescents. This might also happen on an individual basis or through some group work.  Therapy may focus on issues such as adaptation to special needs, relationships, challenging behaviour, symptoms of anxiety or depression or other difficulties.

Support for Parents and Families

The role of the clinical psychologist also involves working closely with parents and families.  They can help parents with strategies for managing a child’s behaviour, emotional problems, relationships and social interaction, sleeping, eating, toileting, and other difficulties at home or school.  The psychologist can also provide supportive counselling for parents in relation to a child’s special needs and help them develop useful coping strategies.

Consultation

The clinical psychologist consults with other professionals working with a child, such as teachers, other therapists and medical professionals.  They can provide guidance and support around appropriate interventions and plans to meet a child’s needs.

Social Worker

THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER

The social worker can be a support, working with the child and their family in areas of family issues and care, a resource in terms of information and a key person in liaison with service providers. The social worker is a member of the multi-disciplinary team at St.Gabriel’s

Services provided by the Social Worker include:

(i)  An introduction to St.Gabriel’s Treehouse School Age Team

(ii) Counselling and support for the family

(iii) Advocacy for your child and family

The Social Worker will provide practical support and intervention through:

·    Assessment of your family supports, resources, social networks and the needs of your child and family.

·    Participation in developing an individual plan for your child with you, your child and members of the School Age Team and other service providers

·    Provide information and assistance for your child when either changing school or leaving school

·    Support and encourage your child and family to participate in community activities, brownies, scouts, sports, and home work clubs.

·    Provide information on social welfare entitlements, housing, grants, care arrangements, legislation

·    Support with form filling and provide information for entitlements and other services i.e.,  Schools, Community Welfare Officers, Health Service Executive, Limerick City and County Councils, Limerick City Sports Partnership, MABS, Legal Aid, Family Mediation Services etc

·    Facilitate group programmes for parents, e.g. mother’s aerobic sessions, parenting skills and information sharing events

·    Facilitate Children’s Support Groups, e.g., where workshop programmes are delivered to brothers and sisters of the child attending the service

·    Provide Support for Grandparents providing full-time care

·    Access Family Support and Respite Services for Children

·    Recruit, assess and train host carers as part of the Have A Break Scheme

·    Provide a teaching placement for Social Work Students

·    Provide support for Grandparents providing full-time care for the child attending the service

·    Make applications for access for family support and Respite Services for your child

·    Recruit, assess and train host carers as part of the Have A Break Scheme

·    Provide a teaching placement in St.Gabriel’s for Social Work Students

Nursing

THE NURSING DEPARTMENT

The role of the nursing department is to provide a comprehensive and effective service to children and young adults with a disability who attend St.Gabriel’s School. Part of the nursing service is to help or teach your child to carry out daily living activities, making it easier for him or her to perform these activities as independently as possible.

The nursing department works closely with members of the multi-disciplinary healthcare team,  therapists, doctors, GPs, public health nurses, school staff and other clinic staff.  The nursing department offers many useful services to children and young adults with a disability, some of which include:

·    Implementation of personal development programmes

·    Skin integrity and wound care management

·    Administration of medication

·    Continence management, including potty training for children with special needs

·    Accident and emergency cover on school outings and during lunch time

·    Development and delivery of health education and health promotion programmes

·    Administration of enteral feeds (gastrostomy and nasogastric)

·    Occupational healthcare programmes

The department as a whole promotes the health, wellbeing and happiness of children and young adults with disabilities, and shares with them the celebration of their achievements.

Occupational Therapy

THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Occupational Therapists work with children to assist them to develop “skills for the job of living”.

In order to develop, promote and enhance your child’s skills the Occupational Therapist will assess a range of activities of daily living for example, self care (including dressing, feeding and toileting), productivity (play and education) and leisure (games and activities for enjoyment).

These are assessed by identifying foundation skills affecting their performance which include:

• Sensory – How your child processes and organises sensory     information from their body and environment e.g. reactions to touch, sound     and movement.
• Motor – Your child’s muscle strength, posture, finger grasp,     in-hand manipulation, visual motor coordination, gross motor co-ordination     and balance.
• Cognitive – Your child’s ability to attend on a task,     problem-solve, organise themselves and plan within their environment,     transfer learned skills to new situations.
• Environmental: adaptations, accessibility to your child’s     environment.

Here in St.Gabriel’s Occupational Therapy intervention is carried out using a variety of approaches and is dependent on your child’s identified needs, for example:

• Group intervention, individual intervention or joint intervention     with other members of the multidisciplinary team to develop functional     skills as mentioned above, (sensory integration, neuro developmental     treatment, etc.)
• Education- information provision to parents and other relevant     professionals involved in your child’s care.
• Home – school and pre-school visits to liaise with other relevant     professionals involved in your child’s care
• Home and school     programmes may be provided to complement treatment sessions. 
• Specialist equipment recommendations may be provided for physical     needs or sensory needs e.g. seating, toileting etc.  Liaison with Specialist seating     clinic occurs as necessary.

• Advice on Assistive Technology     for education. Liasion with Specialist assistive technology services as     necessary.
• Advice on environmental adaptations in the home & educating     placements e.g. wheelchair accessibility with a building

Orthotics

ORTHOTICS DEPARTMENT

     

Orthotics is a specialist medical discipline in which external orthoses or brace/supports are designed and fitted to provide one or more of the following:

• Correction or prevention of physical deformity
• Stabilisation of a joint or joints
• Reduction of pain
• Improvement in mobility or performance
• Reduction in the risk of injury

Orthotics can be used to help a variety of conditions which affect the lower limbs including; neurological, vascular, diabetic complications, arthritis (RA, OA), sports injuries and generalised lower limb pain.

We specialise in the use of:

• Insoles
• Biomechanical foot orthoses,
• Orthopaedic & diabetic footwear
• Ankle foot orthoses (AFO’s)
• Knee orthoses    
• Variety of other orthoses to assist in the treatment     of adults and children who present with pain/discomfort or difficulty when     walking

Children’s and adult’s outpatient clinics are held on a weekly basis in St Gabriel’s Centre where medical cardholders can be referred into the service following a standard GP referral letter.  Nonmedical cardholders can self refer by phoning the Orthotics Department directly.

Hydrotherapy

WHAT IS HYDROTHERAPY?

Hydrotherapy is the use of water at an increased temperature for the maintenance of health, the treatment of disability, the relief of pain and the promotion of physical wellbeing.

St. Gabriel’s hydrotherapy pool is heated and maintained at 32˚ Celsius, which is approximately 6˚ higher than a regular pool. The surrounding poolside air temperature is maintained at 29˚ Celsius. The higher water temperature helps to lessen muscle stiffness, ease muscle spasm and reduce pain, which allows for a wider range of motion and more effective rehabilitation following injuries and surgery.

Hydrotherapy can also improve balance, motor skills, co-ordination, posture and gait. For wheelchair users, the warm water allows freedom of movement that they would otherwise find unachievable.

Water provides an ideal environment for creating enjoyable social experiences for children. Providing a setting in which children with disabilities can move more freely allows them to exercise more control over the extent, duration and content of a therapy session. This means, for example, that they can move away, disengage or reach out for objects as they please. Furthermore, water play is a multi-faceted learning activity that can diffuse the severity of a complex activity for a disabled child or adult.

Ease of Access

Ease of access for wheelchair users or people with impaired mobility both inside and outside the building was a major consideration in the design of the building.  The hydrotherapy pool is equipped with a poolside hoist, which, when attached to either a special chair or bed, can be lowered into the water. Both male and female dressing rooms have ceiling hoists, shower chairs, shower beds and plinths.

St.Gabriel’s Hydrotherapy Pool Open Sessions

Individuals and groups can avail of open sessions in the hydrotherapy pool during the following times:

Monday:        12:00 - 1:00 pm

Tuesday:          5:15 - 6:45 pm

Wednesday:          2:00 - 3:00 pm

For further information on the hydrotherapy pool, please contact:

Dorothy Shine, Pool Manager

St.Gabriel’s Centre

Limerick

Tel:        061 302733

Email:        .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Physiotherapy

THE ROLE OF THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST

St. Gabriel’s physiotherapists are dedicated to working with your child to encourage and increase his/her ability to move and function as normally as possible. They assess and treat children with developmental delay, gross motor delay and physical disabilities. Physiotherapists at St. Gabriel’s treat many conditions, including:

·    Developmental delay

·    Cerebral palsy

·    Spina bifida

·    Hydrocephalus

·    Muscular dystrophy

·    Developmental coordination disorder

·    Gross motor difficulties

·    Congenital amputees

The role of St. Gabriel’s physiotherapists is also to assess and monitor children’s gross motor skills, their posture, their joint movement, the strength of their muscles, their endurance and how they conduct their daily living activities.

Therapy can then take place in several locations - in the physiotherapy department at St.Gabriel’s, at home, at school or at a community sports facility.  Depending on the therapy prescribed, sessions may be one-to-one, group-based or conducted jointly with other team members. St. Gabriel’s is proud to be able to offer a purpose-built hydrotherapy pool on its premises, making it possible to include hydrotherapy as an effective treatment.

When they believe it is necessary, physiotherapists may prescribe specialist equipment, such as standing frames, walkers, chairs or tricycles. If your child has a medical card or a long-term disability card, any recommended equipment may be funded by the HSE.

Physiotherapists may also make referrals for orthotics clinics, seating clinics, gait analysis and assistive technology. These clinics or assessments are always carried out with the physiotherapist’s involvement. St. Gabriel’s physiotherapists work closely with paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons, neurologists and other therapy centres. When it is appropriate, they also play an important role in assessing children for Botox or surgical intervention.

St. Gabriel’s physiotherapists work not only with children, but also with parents, carers and teachers. Physiotherapists train those responsible for the child’s care in positioning and handling techniques. They also tailor specific training programmes to cater for each child’s particular needs. 

Many of the physiotherapists at St. Gabriel’s Centre are trained in the Bobath Concept and Neurodevelopmental Therapy. Several have also completed post graduate training in hydrotherapy.  St. Gabriel’s strongly encourages continuous professional development for all staff members, particularly those working in physiotherapy. Therapists keep up to date with the newest physiotherapy methods by regularly attending national and international courses and events. Some physiotherapists at St.Gabriel’s also lecture regularly on external training courses.

Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy aims to maximise children’s ability to communicate through speech, gesture, and / or supplementary means, such as communication aids, and to enable them to become independent communicators.

Speech and Language Therapist assess and diagnose communication delay and disorders including: speech, language, interaction, voice, fluency and pragmatics (social skills). This includes being involved in the team assessment and diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

As the problems experienced by children with a diagnosis of developmental delay range widely, there is no single universally appropriate form of treatment.

Intervention can focus

• on developing interaction skills –     such as turn-taking, motivation to communicate
• on expressive language
• on receptive language     (understanding) development,
• on speech
• or on helping children to develop     conversation and social skills, such as asking questions and ‘repairing     conversation’ when misunderstandings occur.

Intervention can be given to children directly on a one-to-one basis or in groups, or indirectly by training familiar conversation partners to alter communication environments and provide more opportunities for interaction eg Hanen Programme for Parents or the EarlyBird Programme.

SLT intervention varies in its intensity and the location in which it is given – visits and programmes may be given to preschools, schools and home if appropriate.

The Speech and Language Therapist’s role also includes assessment, diagnosis and provision of intervention in the area of feeding – eating, drinking and swallowing skills.

All therapy is provided in the context of a team – every effort is made to provide therapy in a coherent way that is individual to the child – eg some children would benefit from a period of OT intervention to help develop their joint attention skills required to participate in interaction and thus a period of SLT intervention would follow.

Some interventions recommended following SLT / communication assessment may equally be provided by other members of the team appropriately trained in the area – eg PEC’s (Picture Exchange Communication System) or Floortime.

Early Intervention Specialist

THE EARLY INTERVENTION SPECIALIST

In your child’s early years, play is central to development. Through play, your child interacts and learns best. Play reveals your child’s current abilities and interests, and play is also the point at which different areas of your child’s development all work together.

The early intervention specialist uses play to assess your child and as a way of introducing recommended therapy. He or she is qualified and experienced in early education and special education. The early intervention specialist is uniquely equipped to help and support your child from the earliest stages.

At St. Gabriel’s, the early intervention specialist:

·    Works with you to set developmental goals to suit your child’s play, both at home and in specialised centres

·    Liaises with your child’s preschool and primary school to encourage them to include your child as much as possible to reach their potential

·    Adapts learning methods, toys and environments to help maximise your child’s potential

Children see the whole world through play and this is the medium in which they learn best. The early intervention specialist understands this and uses this knowledge to best benefit your child, both now and for the years ahead.

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Contact Us

If you have any questions or would like to contact us please do not hesitate to do so, either by phone or email. You may use the email for for general enquiries or contact a member of staff directly form the list below:

Maire O' Leary

Chief Executive
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Tel: 061 302733

Kathryn O'Connor

School Principal
Email:stgabrielschool@eircom.net

Kate Sheahan

Fundraising & Marketing
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Tel: 061 302733 Mob: 086 0495280

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Services

St.Gabriel's Centre provides a range of specialised services for children and adults with physical disabilities. Its facilities and services are available to people from the Mid-Western region of Ireland. Our therapists will provide the necessary support and encouragement you will need and show you different techniques of treatment and management. All programmes are family focused, offering parents and siblings an opportunity to learn of their child's needs and how to implement activities for enhancing their child's development. St.Gabriel’s Centre aim is to help your child to achieve his or her full potential. THE TREATMENT TEAM Physiotherapist will assess the physical condition and devise a treatment and home management programme. Occupational Therapist will assess your child's everyday activities and provide treatment and equipment to maximize independence. Speech Therapist will provide assessment and management of feeding and communication problems.

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Our Teams

Treehouse Early Intervention Team provides specialist services to children aged 0-6 years
Treehouse School Age Team provides specialist services to children aged 6-18 years

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Welcome to St. Gabriel’s School & Centre

St.Gabriel’s School & Centre

St. Gabriel’s is a Limerick-based voluntary organisation and registered charity. Located in Dooradoyle, it provides a range of disability services to children and young adults.

St.Gabriel’s Mission Statement

St. Gabriel’s School & Centre is dedicated to providing education and a range of therapy services to children and young adults with physical, intellectual and sensory disabilities and developmental delay. We aim to deliver these services through an interdisciplinary team approach. Our work offers support to ensure that these children and young adults live their lives in an inclusive manner that enables them to reach their potential. The organisation also offers holistic support to the children’s families.

About Us

St.Gabriel’s History

In 1961 Arthur Crabtree, the visionary founder of St.Gabriel’s School & Centre and a group of Limerick business people came together to set up a centre that would help children with disabilities and offer support to their families. The need for the service was so great that within a short space of time St.Gabriel’s Centre had established its first home in a premises in St. Joseph’s Street in Limerick.

Wyn Crabtree, Arthur’s daughter carried on the outstanding work started by her father and her radical thinking and persuasive powers eventually led to the purchase of a new green field site in the city suburbs. In April 1997 a purpose built school and centre was opened by the then Minister Michael Noonan, T.D. This marked a new era in the treatment of children with disabilities. Sadly Wyn passed away in March 2009 at the age of 93 but her memory lives on and that same dedication she displayed throughout her life’s work still remains in St.Gabriel’s amongst the committed staff, supportive parents and a visionary board who work together to improve the lives of children with disabilities in the mid west region.

OVERVIEW & DEVELOPMENTS

1961 Arthur Crabtree established the first Limerick Handicapped Children’s Committee

1978 Official recognition was granted to St.Gabriel’s School by Dept. Of Ed & Science

1997 Moved to a new green field site in Dooradoyle and St.Gabriel’s developed a partnership with the Dept. of Health & Children, Dept. Ed & Science

2003 New extension opened to provide Clinic and new Therapy Services

2003 Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) established in St.Gabriel’s Centre

2005 Established Limerick Early Intervention Services& School Age Team

2008 Established Regional Orthotics Service

2009 Opened new Hydrotherapy Pool

The continuing development and expansion of the St Gabriel’s School and Centre over the years has been made possible in a very large way by fundraising efforts and charitable donations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Currently has an 11 person Executive Board and Chief Executive

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