End evaluation Sichuan community rehab 2008

Background:
2008 is the last year of a five year project of the Sichuan Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) Project for children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), which was a joint venture with Norwegian Mission Alliance (NMA)/Shincon AS and Sichuan Disabled Persons Federation (SDPF). As the project is ending, a final evaluation will summarize important achievements and also provide recommendations to NMA and SDPF for future project work. Especially the evaluation will be valuable for a new project starting in 2009 that largely builds on experiences in this project but seeks to develop a holistic model for habilitation in China.

Purpose/objective:
The overall purpose of the evaluation is to summarize and assess the major achievements of the project and identify important characteristics as well as the lessons learned in order to inform and improve planning for the further development of CBR in Sichuan.

Methodology:
During November 15 to 21, 2008, the evaluation team conducted a review and assessment of the Sichuan CBR Project for CP Children. Methods were oral reports, site visits, document review, group discussion, individual in-depth interview and home visits.

Key findings:
According to the site visits and study made by the evaluation team, the project has been successfully completed with the support of the government and joint Sino-Norwegian effort. The project has been successful and it could be a good CBR model for children with CP in other similar areas in China although it is not perfect.

In the course of implementation of the project, CBR models were explored and established, with different characteristics basis and forms according to the local situation and resources in the different regions. These models were varied and easy to run. They also adjusted CBR implementation plan and evaluation system constantly.

The project has provided good opportunities for CP children and their families to receive physical rehabilitation and improve children’s motor function, social adaptability and self-care ability; parents’ level of awareness regarding disability, normal family life and improved opportunities to participate in the society have also been a result of the project.

Through publicity efforts which were part of the project activities, the attitudes of the people in the general population towards disabled children, can be said to have changed to some degree. The most marked change was seen in the families of children with disabilities, in particular the parents.

Through the implementation of the project, it mobilized the enthusiasm of the parents and other family members of children with CP. It formed a kind of network for fellowship, communication, mutual assistance and participation for the parents of children with CP. This kind of network creates a solid foundation for the family with CP children to participate in CBR later.

Recommendations:
-CBR stations should be in the lowest level of the neighborhoods and carry on the true CBR program for CP children with focus on basic level. Furthermore, the model should be adjusted to the specific local context, since CBR stations can be very different.
- The comprehensive rehabilitation (education, occupational training, and social rehabilitation) aspect of CBR for CP children should be strengthened in most of the stations in the project areas, in order to balance the medical rehabilitation focus. There is in need of a better understanding of CBR among the field workers, especially on parent’s roles and how to actively work to empower this group. The field workers need more training on some areas, such as child psychology.
-Technical experts and guidance centers should provide continue and strengthen its guidance to rehabilitation stations and field workers. The evaluation team believes that if the stations get higher technical support, they can improve their services quickly.
-Parent’s role must be strengthened.
-CDPF and the rehabilitation centers and stations should continue to mobilize and educate people through the publicity of newspapers, TV program, radio program and other activities.
 
Comments from the organisation, if any: