Olivia’s MOVE Story: improving wellbeing

Olivia is a pupil at Ivy House School in Derby, a MOVE Centre of Excellence, and has been on the MOVE Programme since September 2017. Here, her mum Nicola explains the difference that MOVE has made to Olivia’s life:

“When Olivia first started on the MOVE Programme she crawled everywhere, and would only very occasionally pull herself up to stand. I always thought she was happy as she was, but it’s not until now that she has lots more independence that she seems so much happier.

Today, Olivia can walk unaided for short spurts, and walks quite comfortably holding someone’s hand. When Olivia started at Ivy House, she couldn’t sit on a normal chair unaided, and now she can sit on it and get on and off by herself!

Olivia is becoming so much more confident with other people, and gives good eye contact now which previously she did not do often. I remember when she started school, I had a meeting with Lisa, the school physiotherapist, and I told her I would love Olivia to be able to walk on a beach with me – something I wasn’t sure she would ever do, but she can do it now!

The MOVE Programme has improved our home life. Olivia can crawl upstairs now, which is amazing, as she is quite heavy and my back suffered for carrying her so much before. The MOVE Programme has given us the opportunity to see our wonderful daughter blossom, not only physically but emotionally too. Olivia is an all round happier little girl. We are very proud of her and how far she has come over such a short period of time.”

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