This support will allow us to accelerate new, personalised tools for caregivers supporting people with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) within NHS Speech and Language Therapy services.
Every year in the UK, around 160,000 people are admitted to hospital with a traumatic brain injury. For many, recovery requires intensive support, and research shows that 60–70% of people with acquired brain injuries benefit from Speech and Language Therapy. But the journey doesn’t end when patients leave hospital. Caregivers, often family members, suddenly take on the role of supporting recovery at home. Too often, they are left without the right resources, guidance, or reassurance during this challenging period.
With the NIHR funding, SuperPenguin will focus on two key areas over the next 12 months. First, we will prototype personalised caregiver education, delivered directly through the SuperPenguin platform. Second, we will build and test tools for self-managed assessment and long-term support, enabling caregivers to track progress over time and feel more confident in providing day-to-day support.
This work will be co-designed with caregivers, individuals with lived experience, clinicians, and partners, ensuring the solutions we develop are practical and genuinely meet real needs.
We are proud to collaborate with organisations such as the Stroke Association and Manchester Metropolitan University, whose expertise and insights will guide this work.
We are deeply grateful to NIHR i4i for backing this important project. Their support enables us to push forward innovations that not only strengthen NHS services but also empower families and caregivers, the people who play such a vital role in recovery after brain injury.
As we move forward, we’re keen to connect with NHS Speech and Language Therapy teams, commissioners, researchers, and individuals with lived experience. If you’d like to be part of shaping this work, we’d love to hear from you.