1st June 2026 • My Family Our Needs
Conductive Education provider, NICE, shares some success stories on how children using their services and approach to therapy has improved their lives.
To read more about conductive education and NICE, read our blog here.
Frances’s Story
Like many three-and-a-half year-olds, Frances is fun, sassy, smart and strong-willed. But unlike most toddlers, at just 13 months old, Frances was diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy affecting her left side.
When we first received Frances’s diagnosis, it felt like a bomb had been dropped on our lives. The fear, confusion and uncertainty were overwhelming. Like many parents in our position, we turned to the internet in search of answers and support. That’s when we found NICE, and from the very beginning, they welcomed us with open arms.
Frances began attending NICE almost immediately after her diagnosis, and nearly three years later, we simply can’t imagine doing these years without them. She attends Milestone classes bi-weekly during term time, and we’ve been able to fit this alongside the other nursery setting she attends. The learnings and strategies we gain from NICE have been invaluable, not only for us as a family but also for the staff at her nursery. I’ve been able to pass along practical knowledge and techniques that help support Frances’s development across all areas of her life.
Each session at NICE is thoughtfully designed to focus on Frances’s unique strengths and challenges. In the midst of busy family life and work commitments, these sessions give us the precious opportunity to focus solely on Frances’s development. The conductors push her and us to be the best we can be, always with compassion and care.
The centre itself is a bright, welcoming space where Frances feels completely at ease. From the moment we walk through the doors, she is relaxed and confident, moving comfortably through every corridor. The environment is designed with children in mind, and sometimes it feels like it was designed just for Frances.
Frances uses a wide range of specialist equipment during her sessions, including tricycles, climbing bars, sensory trays, adapted tables and interactive wall displays. These tools are seamlessly integrated into a carefully planned timetable of education and therapy, helping her build strength, coordination and confidence in a fun and engaging way.
Over the past three years, conductors Erika, Lucy and Megan have come to know Frances deeply. They understand her temperament, her quirks, her strengths and her challenges. Their ability to connect with her on a personal level has made all the difference. They celebrate every achievement, no matter how small, and continue to encourage her to reach for more.
Frances is thriving. Her confidence is growing, her movements are improving and her spark shines brighter with every visit. NICE has given us the tools, the knowledge and the belief that Frances can achieve so much.
We are endlessly grateful for the role NICE plays in our lives. It’s not just a place we go, it’s part of our family’s structure and routine. It’s the strong foundation that helps us tackle and embrace the challenges we’ve been given and those still to come.
Nouri’s Story
Nouri is a bubbly, joyful, cheeky 3-year-old. She loves to laugh and go outside. She loves to play with her favourite toys and enjoys lots of cuddles, songs and swimming. She is truly a joy to be around.
Nouri was given the diagnosis of Periventricular Leukomalacia a day before she turned 1 year old. This condition means she had damage to the white matter in her brain which can affect balance and co-ordination (and can have secondary side effects) however the severity unfortunately couldn’t, and to some degree still can’t be predicted as each child develops/presents differently. PVL can lead to Cerebral Palsy and Nouri was also given the diagnosis of emerging Cerebral Palsy and Global Development Delay.
Nouri is also currently non-verbal and it appears she also has some cognitive delay too. Nouri was delayed in rolling over, sitting up (she was still very unsteady in sitting and always falling backwards even at 13 months old), crawling and now she is currently working on her walking skills.
Whilst she can now attempt to take steps independently, she still struggles with her balance, proprioception skills, co-ordination and manoeuvring around any objects/unable ground causing her to fall. She currently isn’t able to stand back up when she falls from the ground without pulling herself up with an object/item/wall.
She is unable to walk up the stairs independently or jump and as her cognitive delay affects her too, she sometimes gets distracted, causing additional falls etc.
After Nouri got her diagnosis, I was looking for any and everything that could support her development as the general consensus was that early intervention is key.
Upon researching online, I came across Conductive Education in general and Nouri started attending NICE at around 19 months old. Since Nouri has been coming to NICE, she has made massive improvements. She could not do any of the wheelbarrow walking when she first started and had no arm strength to hold herself up, but now she can do it easily when she puts her mind to it. Nouri could not go up the stairs and would need a lot of support, and now she can attempt to push herself up the stairs and has the strength in her legs and co-ordination to move her arms alongside. She can crawl upstairs easily and squat easily to pick things up.
I loved how NICE also supports and works on your cognitive development and encourages the children to listen, take turns, wait etc. which Nouri previously never understood or could never wait. Now she can pre-empt what is coming next, wait her turn and partake in joint activities.
The defining moments for me are, seeing Nouri walking up and down the stairs and her wheelbarrow walking. This is coming from a child that struggled to lift her legs up high enough, had issues with strength and co-ordination (she previously didn’t even know how to co-ordinate moving forward to go through the parallel bars) and couldn’t crawl up the stairs. Now, she is pushing herself to go on further by walking up the stairs and is enjoying doing so. I never knew when I would be able to see her take her first steps independently or even attempt to climb stairs so seeing her develop so much is amazing. NICE have provided the resources, skilled conductors, expertise and advice which has helped Nouri get to where she is today.
After Nouri’s diagnosis, I remember feeling like I didn’t want to have hope just in case I felt disappointed not knowing when or even IF she would reach certain milestones. Therefore, it’s so special for Nouri to sit alongside her peers and partake in group activities. NICE have reminded me that she isn’t alone and we are all in this together, trying the best for our children with amazing support systems such as the staff at NICE.
I travel around 40 minutes each fortnight (come rain or shine) to ensure Nouri gets the benefits of the service NICE provides. That is how much it means to my family. It is so worth it when I can see how much she is benefiting from it and growing and developing like any other child. It is amazing to see.
Run and find the nearest one near you, and if there isn’t any, come to NICE! In all honesty, I say this all the time, it’s like a one stop shop for all the developmental needs your child most likely has. You have a community through the parents, you have the educational learning side through the group activities, you have the 1-2-1 support through the set exercises they do, and you have the free play sessions to explore the activities your child has interest in and the toys which also support fine motor skills. What else can you ask for in one place? It honestly is life changing and if it is available, I would say it would be silly not to go and see the difference it can make in your child’s life too.
Robyn’s Story
Robyn is six years old and was born prematurely at Heartlands Hospital. She is a happy, sociable little girl who always tries her hardest in everything she does.
Robyn has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Her condition affects her physical abilities significantly — she uses a wheelchair full-time and is unable to stand or walk independently.
Robyn’s family first heard about NICE through another parent at School in Solihull. After hearing how much it helped her daughter, Robyn’s mum looked NICE up online and arranged an assessment. It wasn’t long before Robyn began attending sessions here.
Since joining NICE, Robyn has made wonderful progress. When she first started, she couldn’t roll over at all, now she can roll fully from her back to her front and back again. She has learned to lie straight and keep her arms down, and her ability to reach for items has improved greatly. Megan encourages Robyn to try things that other places often don’t attempt.
Robyn always gives her absolute best effort, and her determination shines through.
There have been many emotional and defining moments along the way, but one of the most memorable was when Robyn managed to roll over fully for the first time. Each visit to NICE fills the family with positivity and hope. It’s clear that Robyn has a special bond with Megan — she’s eager to please her and works so hard to meet each new challenge.
For Robyn’s family, NICE has been life-changing. They describe it as a place where “anything feels possible.” While other services have sometimes seemed to give up on Robyn, focusing only on limited activities like the standing frame, NICE takes a completely different approach — one that believes in potential and progress. This positive outlook has inspired the whole family, even Robyn’s 14-year-old sister, who now hopes to follow in Megan’s footsteps and work with children like her little sister one day.
Robyn’s mum says she wishes more families knew about Conductive Education and the opportunities available at NICE. “It gives you hope,” she says. “It explores every possible option for your child to achieve their best. It also opens up new avenues of support and equipment that you wouldn’t otherwise know about. Megan always puts Robyn first, and we trust her completely.”
Looking back, Robyn’s family wishes they had discovered NICE earlier in their journey. They hope that by sharing their story, more parents and professionals such as community nurses and early years teams, will learn about Conductive Education and be able to connect other children and families to the life-changing support that NICE provides.
NICE – Centre for Movement Disorders is a specialist charity delivering conductive education therapy for individuals with neurological movement disorders. Supporting children and adults of all ages, NICE works with people living with conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, head injury, Down syndrome, neuro-oncology recovery and other genetic or associated conditions. Through personalised programmes, NICE helps individuals improve mobility, independence, confidence and quality of life within a supportive and inclusive environment.