Project Cui (Give) to those who care - Associação Rising Child

The Cui(Dar) a Quem Cuida Project aims at the assistance and occupation of children with disabilities by specialized nurses, but also at the rest of the caregivers.

Pedro has a rare neuromuscular disease. Pedro's mother became pregnant with João and while the parents were in the maternity ward for João's birth, brother Pedro was in the care of Rising Child nurses (as well as other family members and friends). Thus, Pedro's main caregivers went to receive João calmly, while Pedro had all the specialized care that is usually provided by parents. It was a joy to bring these brothers together!

The Rising Child Association intends to provide a differentiated and specialized intervention network that aims to provide care in a home context. Bearing in mind that the beneficiaries are disabled and have special health needs, this assistance will be provided by nurses and specialized assistants.

With the implementation of this Project, the Rising Child Association intends to achieve two general and elementary objectives: to contribute to a more inclusive society and to contribute to improving the quality of life of children with disabilities and their families , providing rest to the caregiver and improving proprioceptive work. of children.

The Cui(Dar) a Quem Cuida Project aims not only at the assistance and occupation of children with disabilities, but also at the caregiver's rest, particularly important given the emotional overload and exhaustion that some families with children with disabilities face.

This type of response, increasingly developed for informal caregivers of sick adults, does not exist for caregivers of children with disabilities, in much of the national territory. Thus, they will be able to use this time for other purposes related to their health and physical, psychological, emotional and/or occupational well-being.

The Project is divided into three particularly important phases, governed by home support for children with disabilities:
- In the first phase , the team will be presented, which includes a circumstance for interaction, adaptation and mutual knowledge, which will favor trust between the child, caregivers and technicians;
- In the second phase , the diagnosis of the surroundings will be carried out, which enables the construction and identification of architectural barriers and the perception of family dynamics;
- The third phase takes the form of creating bonds of trust at home. This is a step considered vital for the well-being, health and comfort of both direct beneficiaries - children with disabilities - and indirect beneficiaries - informal caregivers/their families.

Initially, we will support three pilot families and, in a future phase, the objective is to support 6 families.

O Pedro tem uma doença neuromuscular rara. A mãe do Pedro ficou grávida do João e enquanto os pais estiveram na maternidade para o nascimento do João, o mano Pedro ficou aos cuidados das enfermeiras da Rising Child (bem como de outros familiares e amigos). Assim, os principais cuidadores do Pedro foram tranquilamente receber o João, enquanto o Pedro teve todos os cuidados especializados que são habitualmente prestados pelos pais. Foi uma alegria juntar estes irmãos! 

About the author

The Rising Child Association is an Association declared by the National Institute for Rehabilitation (INR, IP) as a Non-Governmental Organization for People with Disabilities founded in 2018 in the Municipality of Alenquer (more information at https://www.risingchild.pt/). The Mission of the Rising Child Association is to promote help, support and inclusion of children and young people with physical disabilities, as well as their families, minimizing existing gaps and barriers.

Budget and due dates

The Project will start in July 2022. Six nurses are expected to be allocated later, whose work is essential for this initiative, as they provide support for children with disabilities (it could not be carried out by a regular babysitter ) . For its allocation to the Project, it is expected that €5400 (five thousand four hundred euros) will be needed.

Support for 6 families for 12 months, 5 hours per month (one paid nurse - 15 euros/hour - and one volunteer):

6 families x 12 months x 5 hours = 5400 euros

The applied values will be published on the Rising Child website.

All Association accounts are audited by an accounting firm. It is possible to consult the annual accounts reports on the Association's website (https://www.risingchild.pt/).

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