Progress Transition Guide January 2016

January 2016

Living harmoniously Tips for living with others

The Big Interview

Channel 4’s Andy Stevenson

Home education SCAN

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Supporting a positive transition for 12 to 25 year olds with additional needs www.progressmagazine.co.uk DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP TODAY

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HOW WE HELP Our support workers are fully trained and experienced in promoting independence and supporting our service users follow their personal centred plans. This includes medication, meal preparation, personal care, life skills, etc.

HOW ELSE WE HELP We speak with nurses, doctors and social services on behalf of our service users, to ensure they get the care needed.

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BIG

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Interview

BIG

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Interview

IN THIS ISSUE

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Sex AND relationships R U READY ?

Welcome to Progress

Gill asks ‘are you really ready for a sexual relationship?’

24

The

6 Progress News

Interview

What’s been happening since the last issue?

Have a go

Andy Stevenson, Commissioning Executive at Channel 4.

- unusual sports to try Different ways to get active.

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www.natspec.org.uk

Natspec

42

Working holidays Take a break and learn new skills with one of these holidays.

The Association of National Specialist Colleges

12 DAN TAKES PART IN TV DREAM SCHEME

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Follow Dan’s route to working in TV and onto the Rio Paralympics.

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– navigating transition Tips for navigating transition.

Hints and tips for living with others.

– what you need to know

Who can help?

The important facts if you’re considering home schooling.

Alternative forms of information, advice and support.

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Planning for a positive future

Living together in harmony

Home education

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49

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READER SURVEY

Let us know what you think of the magazine.

JARGON

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BUSTER 51 Details of terms used in this issue of Progress.

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Welcome from the Editor Welcome to Progress. This is the first magazine of 2016 and we have a jam-packed issue for you. I’m delighted to say that we have a really inspirational interview with Andy Stevenson.

Andy is Commissioning Executive for Channel 4 Sport. He has achieved his dream of working in television and shares his experiences with us on page 24.

The Transition Event returns to the National Motorcycle Museum on Thursday 26th May. This will be our 10th year and we’d love for you to join us.

Contributors & Advisers

As well as hearing about Andy’s career path, we have a case study from Dan Goulding on page 16. Dan has been selected to take part in Channel 4’s Rio Production Scheme and will be heading to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in the summer to cover the Paralympic Games.

As we’re in a Paralympic year, we wanted to motivate you to get out and get active with a selection of unusual sports. The article, starting on page 12, explores sports you may not have considered, such as Goalball and Yachting. It also has details of some organisations that can help you get into sport.

For those of you still navigating the transition from children’s to adult services, the article starting on page 46 sets out top tips for the process. Transition can be a daunting time but with good

preparation there’s no reason why you can’t achieve the future you want.

On page 49 you will find our reader survey. I really want to hear what you think about Progress, what you like about it and what you want from the magazine.

If you could fill it out and send it back you could be in with a chance of winning a free ticket to The Transition Event.

The Transition Event returns to the National Motorcycle Museum on Thursday 26th May. This will be our 10th year and we’d love for you to join us to hear more about getting the best possible future. For more information visit our website www.progressmagazine.co.uk/ events I hope you enjoy all these articles and more. See you next time.

Emma Morriss Editor

T: 01223 207770 E: editor@progressmagazine.co.uk Twitter: @progress_mag

• Laura Boswell – Industry Talent Specialist, Channel 4 Television Corporation

• Mitchell Powell – Maxwell Gillott Solicitors

• Micah Hampson – Chrysalis Holidays

• Andy Stevenson – Commissioning Executive, Channel 4 Sport

• Gillian Leno – Queen Alexandria College

• Samantha Tatlow – Think Bigger

• Guy Page – Regard

Care Choices Limited has taken every care to ensure that the information contained in this publication is accurate. The company cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions or if a service varies from the facilities listed either in an advertisement or the indices. Care Choices Limited does not endorse or support any particular institution included in this publication. © 2016 Care Choices Limited. Care Choices Limited reserves all rights in the title Progress and its design. Care Choices™ is a trademark of Care Choices Limited. ISBN 978-1-910362-76-1 Printed in England. The information and opinions contained in this magazine and on our website are for general information purposes only. The information and materials do not constitute legal or other professional advice. They are not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice, and should not be relied on or treated as a substitute for specific advice relevant to particular circumstances. Care Choices Limited and its Contributors do not accept any responsibility for any loss which may arise from this information and opinions.

Ref. No: 4001/SC22/0116. Reproduction of any part of this publication in any form without the written permission of Care Choices Limited is prohibited. Published by: Care Choices Limited, Valley Court, Lower Road, Croydon, Nr Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 0HF • Telephone: 01223 207770 • Fax: 01223 207108 • E-mail: progress@carechoices.co.uk • Web: www.progressmagazine.co.uk­­­­­ SALES: Sue Speaight

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PROGRESS NEWS

Special Olympian and three-time gold medallist, Kiera Byland has launched an exciting new project at Bridge College in Manchester.

Special Olympian launches new project in Manchester Special Olympian and three-time gold medallist, Kiera Byland has launched an exciting new project at Bridge College in Manchester. The launch of The Kiera Project took place at the specialist further education college in Openshaw, run by local charity, The Together Trust, and showcased the new venture from social enterprise, Performance For All North West.

Inspired by the special Olympian’s own story, members of Performance For All North West have collated their combined experiences and skills to deliver a practical and inspiring course of educational www.vectorgraphit.com sessions to schools and similar organisations. According to Kiera, ‘the project came around because I wanted to help and inspire young disabled people to not give up on their dream. It might take a little longer than other people but you can achieve it.’

For more information on The Kiera Project, visit www.performanceforallnw.org.uk

MPs should help disabled jobseekers The Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson, has called on every MP to hold a disability employment fair in their constituency. In an effort to help one million more disabled people into work and halve the disability employment gap, Justin Tomlinson urged members of Parliament to take a more active role in matching disabled jobseekers with employers in their area.

Having hosted his own jobs fair, or ‘Reverse Jobs Fair’, Justin hoped to inspire other MPs with his hands-on approach to tapping into the wealth of talent in their local disabled community.

Part of the Government’s Disability Confident initiative, the event saw employers such as BMW and Jury’s Inn, as opposed to jobseekers, gather to discuss their specific recruitment needs. By approaching it this way, the goal of the ‘Reverse Jobs Fair’, was to meet the demands of employers and create long lasting opportunities for disabled people within the community.

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Justin hoped to inspire other MPs with his hands-on approach to tapping into the wealth of talent in their local disabled community.

The BIG Interview - page 24

Hear about Andy Stevenson’s career at Channel 4.

Working Holidays - page 42 Holidays with a twist.

also including:

Sport can help you find a job • Gig Buddies

Random Dance and Sense Celebrated choreographer, Wayne McGregor CBE and his company are collaborating with national deafblind charity, Sense in an aim to explore the possibilities of dance as a means of expression for people with sensory impairments.

During a week-long workshop that took place at TouchBase in Barnet, company dancers, deafblind people and their care staff created a framework that allowed participants to explore their creative and physical potential.

Kara Jarrold, Head of Arts and Wellbeing at Sense said, ‘We are thrilled to be working with Wayne McGregor and Random Dance to make dance accessible to people with sensory impairments. Projects like these provide an invaluable chance for the people we support to show who they really are and what they’re capable of, regardless of disability.’

“PROJECTS LIKE THESE PROVIDE AN INVALUABLE CHANCE FOR THE PEOPLE WE SUPPORT TO SHOW WHO THEY REALLY ARE AND WHAT THEY’RE CAPABLE OF, REGARDLESS OF DISABILITY.”

The project is part of Sense’s Arts and Wellbeing programme, which supports deafblind people at all stages of their involvement in the arts and cultural sector.

You can watch a video of the workshop at https://youtu.be/gwvmX14uRmE

Ofsted and CQC looking at SEND local area inspection Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have consulted on their proposals for inspecting how local areas are meeting their responsibilities for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The consultation sought views on a number of proposals for the new inspection arrangements, including how children and young people with SEND and their parents can be involved and what information should be considered in the inspection process. The consultation has now closed but the response should be made public later in the year. You can view the consultation online at www.gov.uk/ government/consultations/local-area-send-consultation

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have consulted on their proposals for inspecting how local areas are meeting their responsibilities for children and young people with SEND. sue.atprogress

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PROGRESS NEWS

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The Disability Discrimination Act is 20

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November 2015 marked 20 years since the Disability Discrimination Act became law in Britain. The Act was the first piece of anti-discrimination legistration for disabled people to be passed. It saw thousands of people come together to take to the streets, lobby parliament and protest against discrimination.

To mark the anniversary, national charity, Scope hosted a series of blogs and videos telling the stories of those individuals who campaigned for equality.

The anniversary may have passed, but there is always more work to do so if you want to read some inspiring stories about making a change, visit http://blog.scope.org.uk/2015/11/02/20-years-since-the-disabilitydiscrimination-act-dda20/

Paralympian provides care home coaching With the Paralympic Games taking place this year, disabled residents at a care home synonymous with para-athletics have received coaching from one of Britain’s most successful Paralympians. The sports coaching was provided by Nigel Murray, winner of Gold medals at both the London and Beijing Paralympic Games, to residents from Leonard Cheshire Disability’s Greenhill House in Somerset. Nigel, who competed in the precision sport boccia (a sport that Progress covered in the September 2015 issue), provided one-to-one training with the residents at Bath University’s boccia court. You can read more about the lead up to the Paralympics on pages 12 to 16.

Parents urged to teach their children internet manners Internet Matters recently launched a new campaign to support National AntiBullying Week which aimed to equip parents with tips and advice on how to teach their children ‘internet manners’ and bring them up to be good digital citizens.

The campaign urged parents to explain to their children the consequences of what they post and how they behave online.

Carolyn Bunting, General Manager at Internet Matters said, ‘With children spending more time than ever online, they need to learn to think critically about the content they are posting and sharing, and the impact it may have on others.’

For more information, visit www.internetmatters.org

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With children spending more time than ever online, they need to learn to think critically about the content they are posting and sharing, and the impact it may have on others. www.progressmagazine.co.uk

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Calvert Trust Exmoor wins Gold 2nd

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Calvert Trust Exmoor has won Gold in the ‘Access and Inclusivity’ category at the Visit Devon Awards. Calvert Trust Exmoor runs the only five-star activity centre in the country and caters for people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities of all ages and levels of ability, together with their families, friends and carers. Activities on offer include sailing, horse riding, wheelchair abseiling, accessible cycling and archery. Over 4,000 guests had a residential break with Calvert Trust Exmoor last year.

The centre has won multiple awards in recent years, including several Golds in the Devon and South West Tourism awards, and Gold in the ‘Access for All’ category at the 2014 Visit England Awards. As the winner of this award, Calvert Trust Exmoor will now go on to represent Devon in the ‘Access and Inclusivity’ category at the South West Awards in February 2016. For more information on Calvert Trust Exmoor, see the working holidays feature starting on page 42.

Sport can help you find a job A study by Goalball UK shows that those involved in playing the sport can improve their chances of being in employment or full-time education by 47%, according to new research. In a survey of people who were regularly involved in the sport, the figures showed that, of those aged 16 to 25, 84% are in full-time education or employment compared to 57.2% of visually-impaired people of the same age. It is the combination of continued education after the age of 16 and the skills and confidence developed through Goalball that appears to be key.

These results prove our assertion that Goalball transforms lives.

Mike Reilly, Chief Executive of Goalball UK said, ‘These results prove our assertion that Goalball transforms lives. And the benefits are tangible – for the individuals, their families and communities and for UK plc, given the increased contribution they make through their employment and increased independence.’

If you want to read more about Goalball and other sports, turn to page 12.

The project will also create an accessible website and allow online public access to the collections for the first time.

Leonard Cheshire Disability Project secures Lottery funding National charity, Leonard Cheshire Disability has been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £242,250, which will enable the charity to use its archives to raise awareness about the history of disabled people over the last 70 years. The grant will fund the ‘Rewind – seven decades of stories from Leonard Cheshire Disability’ project. This will help to support important conservation work, digitise archive material and record new oral history interviews with disabled people. The project will also create an accessible website and allow online public access to the collections for the first time. For more information, visit www.leonardcheshire.org

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myVoice bullying animation ‘Kennel Grandslam’ Jules Robertson, Youth Patron at Ambitious about Autism, has produced an animation about his experience of bullying. Jules wrote and narrates the animation in which he talks about how he dealt with the bullying he encountered at school. The animation is available to view on the myVoice YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_25evT6A68 and you can read more about the project at www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/myvoice

Stay up Late has launched the ‘Gig Buddies in a Box’ campaign in the hope of transforming communities by providing them with a toolkit to set up a Gig Buddies project in their local area.

Gig Buddies to pop up all over the place Stay up Late has launched the ‘Gig Buddies in a Box’ campaign in the hope of transforming communities by providing them with a toolkit to set up a Gig Buddies project in their local area. It is looking for organisations who want to work with people with learning disabilities in an inclusive way to be full and active members of their communities, one gig at a time. To read more about the campaign visit www.gigbuddiesinabox.org

“THIS IS ABOUT EQUALITY – NOTHING MORE OR NOTHING LESS. WHEN NON-DISABLED CHILDREN HAVE A SCHOOL BUS, THAT SCHOOL BUS SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO DISABLED CHILDREN.”

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Charity calls for worldwide action to make school a reality for disabled children The Chief Executive of Leonard Cheshire Disability charity, Clare Pelham, recently made a call to an audience convened by the United Nations (UN) that ‘the recent promise made by heads of state to secure full education for disabled children by 2030 will mean nothing without investment in safe transport for those currently unable to travel to school.’

In a bid for worldwide action, Clare went on to say ‘this is about equality – nothing more or nothing less. When non-disabled children have a school bus, that school bus should be accessible to disabled children. Where non-disabled children are able to travel to school easily at no charge, we must make it possible for disabled children to travel to school easily at no charge. That’s what equality means.’

For more information, visit www.leonardcheshire.org

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United Response is an award-winning charity with over 40 years experience supporting people with disabilities and mental health needs.

We’ve been cheering at the sidelines as they’ve celebrated passing exams, first jobs and moving into their own homes. We’ve even donned a hat for the odd wedding or two.

Find out what we could do for you!

We’ve witnessed the heart-stopping moment when someone who’s been voiceless for a decade is finally given the means to communicate and say ‘yes’ - or just as empowering, ‘no’.

Let us help you reach your potential.

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Have a go

- unusual sports to try It may be another few months before the Paralympics but the buzz surrounding it already has inspired Progress to take a look at some more unusual sports to try.

The last year has seen the top personalities in sport pushing campaigns to every corner of society as a way of getting as many people into sport as possible. You may remember the ‘This Girl Can campaign’, which was a nationwide initiative to get women and girls active, regardless of shape, size and ability. According to Sport England, who ran the campaign, only one in six disabled people play sport regularly compared to one in three nondisabled people. You can watch a video of some of the projects which have received funding through Sport England disability programmes on their website at www.sportengland.org/our-work/ disability You may not be competing for medals straight away, but sport is a great way to build your confidence, meet new people, learn new skills and, most importantly, have some fun.

You may remember the ‘This Girl Can campaign’, which was a nationwide initiative to get women and girls active, regardless of shape, size and ability.

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Goalball Originally developed as a rehabilitation programme for visually-impaired World War II veterans, this sport has really taken off in the last few decades. Played between two teams of three players, with a maximum of three substitutions in each team, Goalball is a competitive game open to both male and female visually-impaired competitors.

What makes Goalball unique is that all players wear eyeshades so that they are totally blindfolded.

Played on an indoor court, the object of the game is to score a goal by bowling the ball along the floor so that it crosses the goal line of the opposing team. The defending team has to prevent the ball going into their goal by stopping it, all while remaining in their team area. They must then try to control the ball and attack by bowling the ball back again, trying to score in the other goal.

What makes Goalball unique is that all players wear eyeshades so that they are totally blindfolded. This gives everyone the chance to compete on an even level. The players know how to find their way around the court thanks to tactile markings (string that is taped to the floor) and the internal bells in the ball which help the players find it during play.

Visit www.goalballuk.com for more information.

Yachting The Stelios Entrepreneur Award, something which Progress has covered in previous issues, saw this year’s prize of £50,000 go to a leading disabled yachtsman and his business, WetWheels. Geoff Holt was paralysed in a swimming accident in 1984 and now uses a wheelchair. In 1995, he became Chairman of the national sailing charity, RYA Sailability and, in 2007, became the first paralysed person to sail single-handed around Great Britain.

Motorsport Not necessarily something you would think was accessible at first glance, motorsport is actually proving increasingly popular with people of all abilities. One group that is leading the way in the field is Team BRIT (British Racing Injured Troops) whose aim is to inspire people with disabilities, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and mental health conditions by demonstrating what can be achieved through motorsport. They also want to give those who feel they can step up to a higher level of racing the opportunity to do so, regardless of injuries or ability. They want people to compete on an equal basis against teams of drivers without disabilities.

Their vision for the future is to make racing history and take a team of injured troops to the world famous Le Mans 24-hour endurance race.

If a voyage sounds more up your street then The Rona Sailing Project offers the experience of offshore adventure and a taste of teamwork for young people aged 14-25.

The project is intended to be a very British one; a British racing car, British engineering, British injured troops fuelled by determination and spirit.

Visit www.teambrit.co.uk for more information or find them on Twitter at @TeamBRITracing

Their vision for the future is to make racing history and take a team of injured troops to the world famous Le Mans 24-hour endurance race.

WetWheels operates fully accessible boats to provide boating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Based in Jersey, Wetwheels is a purpose-built catamaran that allows everyone, including those with a physical disability or learning difficulty, to experience the thrill of being at sea whilst being in a safe and comfortable boat.

Run by a number of volunteer skippers and qualified boatmen, each member of staff has undergone disability awareness training to make sure that every passenger’s trip is safe, fun and educational.

On being presented with his award, Geoff Holt said, ‘Over the years I have witnessed thousands of disabled people of all ages enjoy our boats and services. It doesn’t matter if that is on a sail boat or a motor boat, it is being on the water that makes the difference.’

For more information, visit www.wetwheels.je If a voyage sounds more up your street, then The Rona Sailing Project offers the experience of offshore adventure and a taste of teamwork for young people aged 14-25. The yachts sail along the South Coast of England and across to France and the Channel Islands on six-day voyages, stopping at ports along the way. The idea behind the project is all-out adventure; whether it’s steering a large yacht under full sail or preparing a meal for 20 of your crew-mates. It also hopes to create a sense of achievement amongst young people and build self-confidence through leadership and teamwork. There is a fee to pay but you can bring one friend along for the ride.

For more information visit www.ronasailingproject.com

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Where to go for more information

DSActive The Down’s Syndrome Association is a charity which has a website containing lots of information about health, activities and sport. It also runs something called the DSActive programme, which is the only bespoke football and tennis initiative for people with Down’s Syndrome in the UK. Created in 2006, it has grown from one recreational football session to 40 football and tennis teams training on a weekly basis across England and Wales.

Lifetime membership is free for all adults over 18 with Down’s Syndrome. For more information, visit www.downssyndrome.org.uk

Deloitte Parasport There are lots more sports that Progress hasn’t covered, so you may find it useful visiting the Deloitte Parasport website www.parasport.org.uk/find-a-sport The website was created by the British Paralympic Association (BPA), which recognised that more could be done to provide information to disabled people who wanted to take up a sport, either at a recreational or competitive level. The BPA and Deloitte also aim to encourage a more active disability sport community.

Inclusive Fitness Initiative Managed by the English Federation of Disability Sports (EFDS), this initiative has been working for a number of years to make gyms, as well as their supporting facilities, more accessible as a whole. It aims to do this by addressing physical access and policies, fitness equipment, staff training and marketing.

This initiative has been working for a number of years to make gyms, as well as their supporting facilities, more accessible as a whole. It aims to do this by addressing physical access and policies, fitness equipment, staff training and marketing.

In addition to this, the Inclusive Fitness Initiative’s influence over fitness equipment suppliers means that a lot of gyms now have a selection of accessible equipment featuring things like tactile, bright coloured controls and moveable seats for wheelchair access.

A list of these gyms can be found through the EDFS website www.efds.co.uk

Dwarf Sports Association UK Formed in 1993, this registered charity now counts Ellie Simmonds OBE and Matt Whorwood, both British Paralympian swimmers and gold medal winners, as patrons. Every four years the World Dwarf Games is hosted by different countries and the Dwarf Sports Association has had four of its members compete in the 2012 Paralympics in London, which saw the largest number of dwarf athletes ever competing at a Paralympic Games.

To become part of the Dwarf Sports Association, you can complete an application form, which are available to either individuals or families/groups.

Visit www.dsauk.org/member/memship/form for more information.

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SportsAble A unique sports disability charity, SportsAble is dedicated to the promotion of awareness of disability through sport and recreational activity and the integration of disabled and able-bodied people. Within a year of setting up, SportsAble had its athletes entered into the 1976 Paralympic Games and, every year since then, members have had successes at regional, national and Paralympic competitions. Filling a gap which had existed for a long time, SportsAble offers membership for individuals and families.

One of the most important elements of SportsAble is having fun, through playing sport itself, associated fundraising events such as the Annual Wheelchair Push and social activities such as quiz nights and open mic nights.

Visit www.sportsable.co.uk for more information.

Within a year of setting up, SportsAble had its athletes entered into the 1976 Paralympic Games and, every year since then, members have had successes at regional, national and Paralympic competitions.



Interested in all things Paralympic? Turn to page 24 to read about how Channel 4 will be covering the 2016 Paralympic Games with their unique Production Scheme for young disabled people.

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Calvert Trust Exmoor enables people of any age and any disability to experience exciting, challenging, and enjoyable accessible activity holidays with family and friends.

At our five star, fully accessible residential centre on the edge of Exmoor National Park all activities and facilities are specifically designed and equipped to cater for everyone.

Stay with us for a few days, a week, or just for the day; however long you’re here you’ll discover it's what you CAN do that Counts!

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The Dairy

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

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DAN TAKES PART IN TV DREAM SCHEME Dan Goulding is a 21 year old trainee with cerebral palsy taking part in Channel 4’s Rio Production Training Scheme. He has been placed at BBC Sport working as a researcher for the next year. Here, Dan shares his experience of becoming a successful applicant.

‘My friend actually saw the advert for the Channel 4 Rio Production Scheme and told me about it and said it might be of interest to me, and he wasn’t wrong!

Straightaway, I knew it was definitely an opportunity of a lifetime and one not to be missed. I filled in the application form instantly but never thought I’d even get an interview, never mind a place on the scheme!

I was in my final year of a journalism degree at Liverpool John Moores University when I applied for the scheme. I’ve always been very keen in pursuing a sports journalism career.

Whilst in my last year of University I chose to complete a sports module and did a week’s work experience at Sky Sports - that’s when I knew I definitely wanted a career in sport.

Since starting the scheme I have learned so many different things from how a global sports broadcaster works on a general day-to-day process, to how sport bulletins are put together for television and what the basic concepts of producing radio programmes are.

I have worked in TV sport news departments, working on sports bulletins across BBC Breakfast, BBC World and BBC News channels. This entailed creating graphics, such as live scorecards, league tables and quote templates, using video editing software to create still and moving sequences and editing interview clips.

I currently work in the World Service radio sport department, helping to produce two weekly programmes: Stumped, an all-cricketing show, and Sportshour, a programme that focuses more on social and cultural issues surrounding sport.

My day-to-day tasks tend to be researching stories and finding interviewees, editing audio

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clips for the programmes and for our websites and social media accounts.

I attend training a couple of days a month at Channel 4 HQ in London with the other trainees and thinkBIGGER!, who manage the scheme and our training for the year.

I have had inspiring talks from industry professionals, such as Channel 4 Commissioning Executive for Sport, Andy Stevenson and BBC broadcaster and producer, Rob Nothman. I have also gained a qualification in ‘safe management on outside broadcasts’, which will definitely come in handy sometime in the future.

I have an array of support from Channel 4, thinkBIGGER! and, of course, the BBC if I ever have a problem that needs sorting out.

Once the scheme ends next year, I hope to continue my career in sports production without a doubt. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first few months in the industry and feel as though I have settled in well and made good progress in terms of learning new skills and doing each task as well as I can.

I am very excited for the next seven months or so, to see what new challenges it brings.’

You can read more about Channel 4’s Rio Production Training Scheme on page 24 in our interview with Commissioning Executive for Channel 4 Sport, Andy Stevenson.

In association with

www.progressmagazine.co.uk/events @progress_mag #ProgressTTE The Transition Event is the one-day forum for young people with additional needs, their parents and professionals to explore the move to adulthood. Incorporating a series of main presentations, workshops, interactive sessions and an exhibition of service providers.

To register your interest in attending, book your place or sponsor this event please contact

Paul Leahy on 01223 206 965 or email paul.leahy@carechoices.co.uk

Organised by

Becoming an adult - building the best future for young people with additional needs

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Home education

– what you need to know Although most parents want their children to attend school, there are also a large number who would prefer to educate them at home, or consider that no school would be able to meet their child’s special educational needs. Mitchell Powell explores the rights to home education.

The option to home educate stems from a long-standing right of parents to decide the nature of their children’s education. This is a statutory right and is contained within section 7 of the Education Act 1996. Although the law says that parents must ensure that their children receive full-time suitable education between the ages of 5 and 16, known as compulsory school age, it does not go on to say that this education must be provided at school.

The legislation says, ‘The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable - a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and b) to any special educational needs he may have either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.’

Therefore, it is important to remember that whilst education is compulsory, a school setting is not.

Why choose home education?

Around 20,000 children are electively home educated in England. Here are some of the reasons why parents choose to home educate: • to provide a more personalised and adaptable learning environment for the child; • because they object to the National Curriculum and ‘teaching to the test’ in schools; • because young children are felt not to be ready for formal academic instruction; • in order for the family to spend more time together; • as an expression of the family’s philosophical or religious convictions; or • in reaction to negative events in school such as bullying.

There are two ways in which your child can be home educated: • by withdrawing them from school and choosing to home educate; or • by asking that Part 4/Section I of their Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) names ‘education otherwise than at school’.

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Withdrawing your child from school If your child attends a mainstream school and you wish to home educate them, then the first step is to deregister them from the school. You are entitled to have your child’s name taken off the school’s register without either the school or your local authority’s permission. To do this, you simply write to the head of the school saying that you would like your child to be removed from the roll, and the head must then immediately remove your child’s name from the register.

If your child attends a mainstream school and you wish to home educate them, then the first step is to deregister them from the school.

However, if your child has a Statement or EHCP naming a special school then you must obtain the local authority’s permission to remove your child’s name from the school’s register. This requirement is in place to protect the interests of vulnerable children and ensure that their special educational needs are met. However, the local authority should usually agree to your request unless they have reason to believe that you are not able to provide suitable education.

By removing your child from school and deciding to home educate, you remove the legal burden from the local authority to provide full time suitable education. This legal duty is then transferred to you. Parents who choose to home educate their children assume full financial responsibility for providing their education. The LA may provide financial assistance, but it is at their discretion and, in practice, is rarely given.

When electing to home educate your child, there is no duty on you to: - follow the National Curriculum; - be a qualified teacher; - observe school hours, days or terms; - provide a suitable peer group; - formally assess progress or set development objectives; - mark work; - have special rooms and equipment; - be registered with the Department for Education, Schools and Families; or - be inspected by OFSTED.

What if my child has a Statement or Education Health and Care Plan?

For children who have a Statement or the new EHCP and are being electively home educated, there is no legal duty on the local authority to provide the therapies or provision within Part 3/Section F of the Statement/Plan. On the other hand, there is no duty on the parent to provide them either.

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For example, if a child is to receive 30 minutes per week of speech and language therapy in a one-to-one setting with a qualified speech and language therapist, this provision would only be enforceable if the child

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attended a school. You are not able to insist that it is provided at home unless you fund it privately.

Parents should be aware that, although it is their right to choose home education, if it appears to the local authority that a child of compulsory school age (5 to 16) is not receiving a suitable full-time education, they may issue a School Attendance Order. This is because local authorities have a duty to investigate those who are being electively home educated in their area, and ensure that all children are receiving suitable education.

Although local authorities have this duty, they cannot insist on home visits so do not feel pressured into accepting these if you feel uncomfortable.

However, parents are advised to co-operate wherever possible and may wish to provide the local authority with reports or other information on the education their child is receiving.

Parents should be aware that, although it is their right to choose home education, if it appears to the local authority that a child of compulsory school age (5 to 16) is not receiving a suitable full time education, they may issue a School Attendance Order.

If the local authority does issue a School Attendance Order this will require your child to attend a named school within a timeframe. If the School Attendance Order is not complied with then the local authority may proceed with child non-attendance action. These proceedings are issued in the Magistrates’ Court and it may result in you getting a criminal record.

What is the School Attendance Order process?

Step 1 - The local authority serves parents with a notice requiring them to produce evidence that they are adequately educating their child. Parents are given 15 days to produce this evidence.

Step 2 - If the parents do not comply with the above, the local authority may issue a School Attendance Order but, before doing so, they must serve a notice stating which school they intend to name and give the parents a chance to name an alternative, if they prefer.

Step 3 - The local authority issues a School Attendance Order stating that the child is to attend a school named within the Order.

Step 4 - Upon receipt of the School Attendance Order, the parents can ask the local authority to revoke it on the grounds that they are educating ‘otherwise’ (home schooling).

Step 5 - If the School Attendance Order is not complied with, the local authority can bring criminal proceedings against parents, but the proceedings will fall away if the parents can show, on a balance of probability, that they are providing adequate education.

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Naming education ‘Otherwise’ in a Statement or Education Health and Care Plan As mentioned, the second way in which your child can be home educated is by asking that their Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) names ‘education otherwise than at school’ which is in Part 4/Section I. If your child has a Statement or EHCP and you feel that no school can meet their needs, you can request that the local authority names ‘education otherwise than at school’ in Part 4/Section I.

Failure to comply with the provision set out in a Statement/ Plan is unlawful and a claim for Judicial Review may be appropriate to compel the local authority to provide the provision.

If this request is agreed by the local authority, this will mean that the duty to educate your child remains with the local authority and the provision within the Statement or EHCP must be provided by them. You should be aware that parents should not be expected to deliver education in this instance.

Instead, the local authority will have to make arrangements to ensure that your child is educated at home and fund this where necessary.

In this instance, the local authority is also under a duty to provide any therapies that are declared within the Statement or EHCP. Failure to comply with the provision set out in a Statement/Plan is unlawful and a claim for Judicial Review may be appropriate to compel the local authority to provide the provision.

Although it may be possible to persuade some local authorities to agree to this type of education, this is rare and most parents have to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. In order to succeed in having ‘education otherwise’ you must demonstrate that no school would be suitable to meet your child’s needs. For obvious reasons, this is a very high threshold and a difficult thing to demonstrate. Also, the Tribunal will want to see specific programmes and therapies in Part 3/Section F of the Statement or Plan, and will not accept a blanket ‘home education’ programme.

Consider your options carefully Deciding whether to electively home educate your child is not easy and a great deal of thought should go into it before making the final decision.

You may want to seek professional advice on the subject or speak to other parents that have electively home educated their children.

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Mitchell Powell is an Associate at Maxwell Gillott Solicitors.

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The The

Interview Interview Now working as Commissioning Executive for Channel 4 Sport, Andy Stevenson was born, according to his own Twitter page, without a full complement of limbs. Progress talked to Andy about the route he took to his dream job, whether he thinks his disability has affected his career and his undying love for Des Lynam.

Have you always wanted to work in television?

To a certain extent, yes. When I was growing up I wanted to be a newspaper sports journalist, and I actually think part of the reason for that, looking back, was that I loved playing sport as a child. However, it got to a point where I began to realise that I wasn’t going to be able to compete at ablebodied level in sports like football or rugby. So, subconsciously, I thought: how can I keep my love of sport going in my career if I’m not going to actually play it? Journalism seemed an obvious route to go down.

When I was growing up I wanted to be a newspaper sports journalist, and I actually think part of the reason for that, looking back, was that I loved playing sport as a child.

What was the first step you took once you had decided that?

One particularly geeky summer, every single day of the school holidays, I drew out my own back-page of a newspaper on a big bit of paper and wrote my own headlines to stories which were in the news. I think I even scribbled a picture next to them. I kept it in a folder – which I’m sure my Mum will have kept somewhere. I also wrote a column for my local newspaper; they had a section called Teen Spirit which I noticed had things like music and film reviews but no sports coverage so I contacted them and asked if I could write a column every week about sports on television. Luckily, they said yes.

A key thing for my career was when I went to Warwick University and started volunteering on the student radio. I thought it was a lot more fun, talking about sport rather than writing about it – I probably thought there wouldn’t be as many deadlines – and that was a turning point for me. I did it for free, and nobody was listening, but it was great being in a studio and actually presenting a programme about local sport every Saturday. After that, I was determined to make it in either radio or TV.

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I went and did a post-graduate journalism course in Cardiff which was the real pathway to my first paid job.

How did you go from there to getting your first paid job in television?

It took a while. After completing my English degree I guess you could say the idea of even more studying didn’t really appeal to me, so I decided to take a year out and try to get some work experience in radio. I did small bits here and there but I ended up working in a call centre for five months to earn enough money and I was beginning to question if I had made the right career choice. I remember receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance and every time I had to go in they would say to me, ‘Are you sure you want to work in radio because we’ve still got nothing for you?’ and I said yes, actually I do. I could tell they were looking at me and thinking, he’s never going to make it.

I went and did a post-graduate journalism course in Cardiff which was the real pathway to my first paid job. When the course finished I got a job at BBC Radio Berkshire and stayed there for five years reading sports bulletins and producing programmes.

My dream job came in the form of Researcher for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. I knew it was a job I absolutely had to get. Without a doubt, my childhood hero was Des Lynam and I felt like all my experiences of watching and idolising him were leading up to this point. I put a lot of effort into the application and did a lot of preparation for the interview when I was given one. Thankfully, I got the job.

Have you faced any barriers getting to where you are today? If so, how did you overcome them?

I think, because I am a very visibly disabled person, I feel as though I have to make quite an impression on people right from the start, possibly more so than an able-bodied person. Everyone gets nervous going for a job interview but I felt that not only did I have to impress them in the traditional sense, I also had to make sure they go away thinking that I am capable and confident. On top of all my skills, I suppose I have to persuade them that extra degree that I could physically do the job.

Do you feel like that’s something that comes from you or from other people’s perceptions?

That’s an interesting question, because I must confess that I don’t think I have experienced a negative reaction from people. People all through my career have been very positive and supportive so maybe it does come from me.

@ p r o g r e s s _ m a g

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BIG

?

THE

Interview

But, because I have a very visible disability if I do my job well, I’m a very memorable person. I don’t mean that in a big-headed way, what I mean is that I’ll be at functions or out at a shoot and I’ll meet somebody who’ll remember my name or ask how I am. I may not remember their name and they may not remember specifically who I am but they know that they have seen me before and that can be a real positive because I stand out. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Creativity-wise, you get a better end product if you’re working with people from different backgrounds who have faced different struggles in life.

That’s what I’ve been telling the successful applicants of Channel 4’s Rio Production Trainees Scheme – use your disability to your advantage by doing your job well and being remembered.

What does a typical day in your job look like?

At the moment, my job is about helping to make decisions; who will be presenting the coverage for the Paralympics, what the programme schedule will look like and where will our studio be in Rio. There’s a lot of meetings because a lot of people want to be involved, whether as presenters or commentators. When I’m not working on the Paralympics, I work on our other sport coverage, in particular horseracing. My role at Channel 4 is more about decisions, opinions and ideas whereas my previous roles were about making the content itself.

My golden piece of advice is do every single job that you are asked to do to the best of your ability.

What are your top tips for readers wanting a career in television?

Work experience and contacts are vital. If you go down the university route, do a general subject like English or History to show that you’re good with words or facts. Always be on the look-out for work experience even if you don’t get paid. I started as a Saturday boy working for free. Things snowball.

My golden piece of advice is do every single job that you are asked to do to the best of your ability. Some jobs you’re asked to do may be boring but somebody somewhere will notice. You never know who is watching.

When you are putting in your best performance, it could be your lucky day and somebody high up notices.

Do you think there is an element of luck involved?

I think you make your own luck. If you show the right attitude and put in the work, you’ll get there. Support is more important than luck - the support of your family and your colleagues. I didn’t really have any disabled role-models in this industry – I’m not a fan of positive quotas but I hope there’s always an environment where a disabled person can go into an interview and feel confident about getting the role just based on their skills.

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?

Practical aspects of getting into work I applied for Access to Work funding from the Government to support me because there are certain roles, particularly in TV, where equipment or adapted equipment was vital to me doing my job properly.

When I joined BBC Sport, a very supportive colleague encouraged me to find a way of getting out on my own to film something with a camera. With help and support we designed and made a harness which I could wear to hold the camera for me. We tried it at the London Marathon and I stumbled into someone and it did affect my confidence. I then thought I had to accept that I was never going to be a cameraman.

With help and support we designed and made a harness which I could wear to hold the camera for me.

It wasn’t my ambition anyway, though I wanted to try it out, but I think if I was joining the industry now there may be more pressure for somebody in my role to be able to ‘do everything’, for example, planning, filming, recording sound, asking questions and editing. People in that position are either going to need technology or a support worker to assist them. With me, I have to go on business trips which means I need a support worker to assist me with aspects of daily life.

Support is there, but there always needs to be more within the industry to help people do the job they want to do or are good at. I’d hate to think that there are disabled people out there desperate to work in TV or film but are being over-looked for the wrong reasons. Practical issues should never get in the way of talent.

What is the Rio Production Training Scheme?

Now closed to applications, the Rio Production Training Scheme saw 24 trainees with disabilities employed for 12 months at production companies in a variety of roles. In addition to structured, on-the-job training within their placed company the trainees received specialist production training facilitated by Channel 4. In early 2016 trainees will be matched to suitable roles and hired

by Sunset+Vine as part of the production team for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

The Channel 4 Rio Disabled Talent Fast-Track will headhunt six disabled producers currently working in the industry, with a passion for sport, and further develop their production skills to enable them to fulfil key roles within Sunset+Vine’s Rio 2016 production team.

Andy is currently working with the Channel 4 Sport team who are commissioning lots of Paralympic programming over the next 9 months, including live coverage of the Paralympic Games in Rio between 7th-18th September 2016. During the games, Andy will return to his roots and be a reporter for BBC Radio 5 Live.

As well as working on all things Paralympics, he also works on the Channel 4 coverage of horseracing. You can find out more about Andy and ask him any questions you have on his personal twitter page @AndyStevenson81

sue.atprogress

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natspec

Natspec

Natspec, the Association of National Specialist Colleges, is the membership organisation for specialist colleges that provide education for students with more complex learning difficulties or disabilities. Colleges offer personalised programmes and individual support to help young people prepare for adult life, including:

Landmarks Specialist College 12 1 Beaumont College

Henshaws College 8

• Skills to live more independently or to manage or direct care support.

Communication Specialist College – Doncaster 3 4 Derwen College

• Work experience and volunteering that increase employment options.

Hesley Group – Fullerton House College / Wilsic Hall College 9 2 Cambian Pengwern College

• Getting involved in the community and travelling independently, where possible.

RNIB College Loughborough 17

14 Parkanaur College

• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Homefield College 11

We have a directory of colleges which can also be viewed online at www.natspec.org.uk

Queen Alexandra College (QAC) 16

* Map is for illustrative purposes only.

Sense College 18

15 Portland College

Hereward College 10

13 National Star College 7 FOXES ACADEMY

5 FAIRFIELD FARM COLLEGE 6 The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy

Need help choosing the right specialist college for you? visit www.natspec.org.uk

Treloar College 19

Find out more and book a place at an open day: call 0800 138 1184 or email education@cambiangroup.com

Beaumont College offers day and residential programmes to young people aged between 18 and 25 with a broad range of physical and /or learning disabilities.

Our aim is to enable students to take responsibility for their lives in whichever form this takes and to realise their dreams in the safest way possible.

Beaumont College

Slyne Road, Lancaster LA2 6AP Tel: 01524 541400 • E-mail: admissions@beaumontcollege.org Web: www.beaumontcollege.ac.uk

1

Our individualised learning environment offers a unique approach to learners who are deaf/hearing impaired and have specific communication and language needs.

Our individualised learning environment offers a unique approach to learners who are deaf/hearing impaired and have specific communication and language needs. We cater for all abilities and learning style, offering pathways to suit every ambition. Pathways include: Life, Work and Living and encompass a choice of day or residential provision.

We cater for all abilities and learning styles, offering pathways to suit every ambition.

Pathways include: Life, Work and Living and encompass a choice of day or residential provision.

To arrange a visit please contact us on: 01302 386 700 Email: marketing@ddt-deaf.org.uk or go to our website: www.deaf-trust.co.uk

To arrange a visit please contact us on: 01302 386 700

Communication Specialist College Doncaster

Email: or go to our website: Leger Way,marketing@ddt-deaf.org.uk Doncaster DN2 6AY Tel: 01302 386 700 E-mail: admissions@ddt-deaf.org.uk Web: www.deaf-college.co.uk

www.deaf-trust.co.uk

Communication Specialist College Doncaster

Leger Way, Doncaster DN2 6AY Tel: 01302 386 700 E-mail: admissions@ddt-deaf.org.uk • Web: www.deaf-college.co.uk

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Cambian Pengwern College - specialist further education.

For young people with learning disabilities including PMLD, autism and complex needs · 16-25 years - day and up to 52 week residential placements · Person-centred study programmes, designed with the future in mind · Accredited learning, vocational qualifications, social enterprise, volunteering and work experience · Multi-disciplinary approach with on-site therapy · Life skills development and enrichment activities · Transitions planning and support

Cambian Pengwern College

Sarn Lane, Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, LL18 5UH Website: www.cambiangroup.com Telephone: 0800 138 1184

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Derwen College is one of the largest specialist further education colleges in the country. It has been graded “Outstanding” by Ofsted at its last two consecutive inspections. The college provides supported living and day provision to over 230 students and trainees with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities, including autistic spectrum conditions. The college’s specialism is personalised learning in real work environments. These could be in the wider community with local or national employers or on campus in our own shops, eateries, gardens, studios, offices, kitchens, workshops, small animal units or recycling facilities. Learners are supported to lead the life they want and to be as independent as they can be.

Derwen College

Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 3JA Tel: 01691 661234 E-mail: enquiries@derwen.ac.uk • Web: www.derwen.ac.uk

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Fairfield Farm College is a specialist college offering residential and day programmes for post-16 students with learning disabilities. The Vocational and Independence Training programmes include; horse studies, farming, engineering, horticulture, art, maths, English, ICT, independence skills, as well as work-based learning; retail, hospitality, customer care and office skills, in a real-work setting. We offer Supported Internships and a post-college Independent Living Programme.

Our 26-acre farm site includes well-resourced teaching and vocational learning areas, student common room, conference room, café and a farm shop. We also offer weekend breaks and respite.

The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is situated over 3 sites in the New Forest and runs a residential 3 year course for students between the ages of 16 and 25 who have a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

Fairfield Farm College

The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy

43 High Street, Dilton Marsh Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 4DL Tel: 01373 866066 • E-mail: admissions@ffc.ac.uk Web: www.ffc.ac.uk

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The course has been developed to encompass a range of essential life, basic & social skills, riding, vaulting & horse care. Each student has an individual programme which is personalised according to their needs, aspirations and expectations. Opportunities to learn & practise these skills are embedded in naturally occurring, practical activities using the motivating medium of the horse where possible.

Avon Tyrrell, Bransgore, Christchurch BH23 8EE Tel: 01425 673 297 • Fax: 01425 674 320 E-mail: admissions@fcrt.ac.uk • Web: www.fortunecentre.org

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Foxes Academy is an Outstanding Specialist College (Ofsted 2013). We offer a unique learning experience, as training is delivered in our real hotel. Learners gain qualifications in Hospitality and Catering. Independent life skills are part of the programme and are taught in residential houses which are part of the local community and reflect real life.

Our vision is to inspire our young people to go into the world with skills, confidence and the passion to succeed.

Please contact our admission team on: 01643 708529

Foxes Academy

Selbourne Place, Minehead, Somerset TA24 5TY Tel: 01643 708529 • E-mail: admissions@foxesacademy.ac.uk Web: www.foxesacademy.ac.uk

“He is growing up, becoming much more confident and independent when he comes home.” - Parent

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Wilsic Hall College and Fullerton House College are specialist residential services offering flexible education, care and enablement for young adults aged 18 to 25. All the young people using our colleges have complex needs including behaviour that may challenge and a learning disability, often in association with autism.

The colleges’ mission is to support young adults with their transition into adult life by focusing on their specific needs, capabilities and aspirations.

Hesley Group Independent Specialist Colleges

Doncaster, South Yorkshire Tel: 0800 055 6789 • E-mail: referralenquiries@hesleygroup.co.uk Web: www.hesleygroup.co.uk

Henshaws Specialist College is a national further education college in Harrogate for young people aged 16-25 with a wide range of disabilities and additional support needs. We offer every student an individually tailored curriculum focused on personal and social development, independence and employability. Our specialist staff support day and residential students to achieve their personal goals and aspirations for the future. Disability support services including therapies and assistive technologies, subject to funding, can be included as part of a wider package to maximise the progress each individual can achieve.

9

Henshaws Specialist College

Bogs Lane, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 4ED Tel: 01423 886451 E-mail: admissions@henshaws.ac.uk • Web: www.henshaws.ac.uk

8

Hereward is a Further Education college for young people with disabilities and additional needs.

We provide specialist facilities for both day and residential learners as well as respite care breaks for 16 to 25 year olds.

Our focus is on preparing learners for the next stage of their lives, to be more independent and make more of their own decisions about work, education, health and living.

Hereward College

Bramston Crescent, Tile Hill, Coventry CV4 9SW Tel: 024 7642 6173 • Email: admissions@hereward.ac.uk Web: www.hereward.ac.uk

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‘Achievement through experience’ Homefield College is a relatively small Independent Specialist College (and a charity) that provides provision for individuals with a range of learning differences. The majority of students are on the autistic spectrum.

The college is located within the village of Sileby, between Leicester and Loughborough. Accessing community facilities are key aspects of the students’ learning at Homefield.

Homefield College

42 St Mary’s Road, Sileby, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 7TL Tel: 01509 815696 • E-mail: enquiries@homefieldcollege.ac.uk Web: www.homefieldcollege.ac.uk

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National Star is an outstanding specialist college (CQC 2015, Ofsted 2012). We provide personalised learning and transition services for people with complex physical, learning, sensory, communication and acquired disabilities. We also have a specialist curriculum for learners with ASD. All learners have an Individualised Programme delivered by their own specialist multidisciplinary team which focuses on achieving personal goals and transition after college. Specialist staff support learners to develop and practice skills which will increase their confidence and future independence.

National Star College

Ullenwood, Cheltenham, Glos, GL53 9QU Tel: 01242 534928 • Email: admissions@natstar.ac.uk Website: www.natstar.ac.uk

13

Landmarks Specialist College offers bespoke programmes of education to young adults from 16+, with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Our curriculum is based on a young adult’s needs, aspirations and interests.

We offer a unique, practical curriculum, with embedded specialist therapy support experienced in working with students with a variety of needs.

Our programmes are tailored to provide opportunities to achieve the best possible outcomes for learning and transition into adult life.

Landmarks Specialist College

Littlemoor House, Littlemoor, Eckington, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S21 4EF Email: gailbird@landmarks.ac.uk • Website: www.landmarks.ac.uk Telephone: 01246 433788

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Parkanaur College is a residential college committed to promoting equally the vocational education and personal development of people with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities. The College aims, within a residential setting, to provide the opportunity for people with disabilities to bridge the gap and facilitate the transition between school or the sheltered home environment, to employment and independent living accommodation.

Students are offered a range of courses aimed at providing access to a variety of nationally recognised qualifications, vocational training and work experience. The College currently offers OCN qualification in General Administration, Horticulture, Catering and Hospitality and Assembled and Upholstered Furniture Production.

Parkanaur College

57 Parkanaur Road, Dungannon, Co Tyrone BT70 3AA Tel: 028 8776 1272 • E-mail: parkanaurcollege@btopenworld.com Web: www.parkanaurcollege.org.uk

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Portland College is a charitable independent specialist college offering residential and day programmes to disabled learners aged 16+. We specialise in autism, physical and learning disabilities, Prada-Willi and acquired brain injuries. We provide person-centred education, identifying the potential of each learner to grow in confidence, using an extended curriculum focussing on employability and independent living skills. Our fantastic woodland campus, with its farm, coffee shop, garden centre, horticulture area, enterprise units and bed & breakfast, offers many in-house opportunities for personal development.

Queen Alexandra College (QAC) is a national college for people with disabilities situated in Birmingham. We welcome students from all over the country – as well as many who are local to us.

Portland College

Queen Alexandra College

Nottingham Road, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 4TJ Tel: 01623 499186 • E-mail: admissions@portland.ac.uk Web: www.portland.ac.uk

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At QAC we offer a wide range of programmes and your course will be tailored to suit your individual needs. Staff will help you to become more independent and confident during your time with us and will also prepare you for life after college.

Court Oak Road, Harborne, Birmingham B17 9TG Tel: 0121 428 5050 • E-mail: info@qac.ac.uk Web: www.qac.ac.uk

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RNIB College Loughborough supports young adults with a wide range of disabilities.

We support students to build their skills, confidence and maximise independence to lead a fulfilling adult life.

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Tel: 01509 611077 Web: www.rnibcollege.ac.uk

Sense Specialist College is an Independent Specialist College, operating in the East Midlands and East of England across 9 sites. It is part of the national “Sense” parent organisation, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, for deafblind people.

The College has its own deafblind specialist curriculum which identifies 4 phases of development across 5 domains; Communication, Conceptual & Sensory, Movement, Mobility & Orientation, Personal & Social Development and World of Work. Individual pathways are followed depending on the individual’s desired destination.

SENSE

50 Forder Way, Cygnet Park, Hampton PE7 8FD Tel: 01733 425053 • E-mail: jo.loubser@sense.org.uk Web: www.sense.org.uk

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ADVERTISE YOUR NATSPEC COLLEGE

Treloar College offers education and care to students with complex physical disabilities from 16 to 25 years of age. Education ranges from interactive and sensory classes, creative and enterprise courses to vocational studies.

Our unique partnership with Alton College enables students to access a full range of A Level and BTEC courses at a mainstream provision. We combine health, care and education to enable students to realise their full potential and long term goals whilst getting the most out of life.

Treloar College

Holybourne, Alton, Hampshire GU34 4GL Tel: 01420 547425 E-mail: admissions@treloar.org.uk • Web: www.treloar.org.uk

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RIGHT HERE For more information please contact Sue Speaight on 01223 206 962 or E-mail sue.speaight@carechoices.co.uk

Need help choosing the right specialist college for you? visit www.natspec.org.uk

The Mount Camphill Community is an independent specialist residential college for students aged 16 - 24 with a range of learning and social difficulties.

The aim of the College is to develop new capabilities in each student through a practical path of learning and work that activates students’ own motivation and supports their evolving potential and independence.

Camphill Communities are based on mutual care, respect and the spiritual integrity of every individual.

• Set in 20-acre grounds of a former Victorian monastery.

Royal School Manchester Day and residential school for children with complex learning and communication disabilities.

Royal College Manchester Day and residential FE college for students with severe or profound learning disabilities.

Short Breaks A range of packages available for children and young people ages 3-25.

• Well equipped craft workshops including a weavery, a forge, a woodwork shop, a bakery, a pottery, a training kitchen and gymnasium.

• Home to 65 people, including senior & volunteer co-workers, children & 35 students with special needs.

NEXT The Mount Camphill Community MOOPEN RNING Faircrouch Lane, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6PT Fri 01892 782 025 • office@mountcamphill.org

www.mountcamphill.org

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da March y 4th 2016

www.seashelltrust.org.uk t: 0161 610 0100 e: info@seashelltrust.org.uk

@ p r o g r e s s _ m a g

Sharing your living space with other people can be tricky. Whether you live with your family, your friends or people you are just starting to get to know, keeping the peace can sometimes be easier said than done. But as your home is often the place you can really be yourself and unwind from the stresses of daily life, it’s important that you feel as comfortable living with others as possible.

Progress offers some advice about how to keep your home a happy and harmonious one.

Living together in harmony Setting out the tasks One of the most important things to remember when you live with other people is taking everybody’s interests, skills and personalities into account. Everybody likes, and is good at, different things so find out about these things from the start. It’s a great way to get to know each other too.

If you’ve just moved in with your friends, or even people you don’t know, it may feel like sitting down and talking about who does what chores can take the fun out of it. But, as different people usually like to do different things, it can actually be a great way of getting things to run smoothly from the start.

If one person likes cleaning more than cooking then, if they’re happy, they can take on those roles. That way you can all make sure everyone has their own jobs and they are responsible for them. Or, if everybody likes doing different things, you can draw up a rota where you all share the household chores on different days.

Remember to come back to these jobs and the rota every month or so. Just because someone liked doing the cooking when you all moved in together doesn’t mean that they’ll still like being the house’s cook in a few months’ time.

If you’ve just moved in with your friends, or even people you don’t know, it may feel like sitting down and talking about who does what chores can take the fun out of it.

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If everybody would prefer to do their own thing then that’s ok too. Cooking, cleaning and washing up after themselves, for example. Being open about how you like to live in your own home means that if somebody chooses to eat on their own one night, nobody will be

offended. But remember, you may still need to share tasks such as cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming areas that you all share. Otherwise it may fall to just one person to do regularly and that can cause arguments if people feel they’re doing most of the work.

When you spend a lot of time together, no matter how long you’ve been friends, little things can start to annoy people, sometimes without the person realising.

Living with people you know You may have the opportunity to choose who you want to live with. You may already have a circle of friends and you all feel you want to live together.

This may make sharing your space feel easier from the start because they are your friends and you know them well. But it is important to remember that even when you live with your friends, you need to set out who does what. Also remember that it is still normal to fall out with each other or get on each other’s nerves.

When you spend a lot of time together, no matter how long you’ve been friends, little things can start to annoy people, sometime without the person realising. This is why it’s still important to respect each other’s space and have your own space to go to.

It is worth setting aside time every month to have an informal meeting about how you’re all getting on, things that need to be done around the house, and worries, annoyances or concerns you may have. It’s a great way to share thoughts, work through jobs or rotas and make sure everyone is happy with how you share your space.

If you have something particularly difficult to raise at the meeting, such as if you have a concern or something that is annoying you, think about having a support worker there too – just in case you feel worried about upsetting someone’s feelings.

It is worth setting aside time every month to have an informal meeting about how you’re all getting on.

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Living with people you don’t know People don’t always choose to live with friends and you may not know the people you are living with when you move in. As such, it may take longer for you to feel comfortable around them and for everybody to find their natural place in the home.

As with anyone you live with, there will be compromises about what you can do in your home and when, compared to when you are living on your own.

There are things you need to be considerate about – such as taking a

long bath if the bathroom has the only toilet in the house.

When living with people you don’t know, it may be even more important to establish ground-rules (which don’t have to be as serious as they sound) and work out the best way to share your space. You can always ask a support worker to help you with this if you don’t know where to start or how to approach the subject with the other people living there.

Tammara and Katy live in harmony Music-loving best friends Tammara and Katy are enjoying living together in independent living.

The pair recently moved to a service, run by Regard. They had been living together in a residential college in Yeovil.

‘We thought it might a take a few weeks to settle in and get used to the challenge of looking after ourselves, however we have completely surprised ourselves. We have both settled in straight away and are enjoying the communal atmosphere here.

‘We’re really lively, and have made friends with everyone here. It’s a really sociable group.’

Katy said, ‘I am going to college where I am studying music, living skills, performing arts and communication.’

Tammara said, ‘I am going to go to attend a learning centre with two other people who live here. I’m going to study computer communication, song and dance, drama, Zumba fitness, exploring letters, pottery and decorative art.

With thanks to Regard.

‘We enjoy being together watching our DVDs and dancing to our favourite songs as well as doing our cooking.

Share your likes and dislikes Make sure you all share details of how you like to live your life. If you like to get up early in the morning, let people know. But also consider that others may like to lie-in and stay up later in the evening. These things will mean you need to think about who may be up, or not, when you’re going about your day.

If you like to have quiet time in your own room, tell people when you start living with them. Especially as someone may

sue.atprogress

come knocking on your door looking for you when you’re trying to relax. Similarly, if there’s a TV programme that you just have to watch, and you share a TV in the lounge, let people know so they’re aware that you want to watch the TV at that time.

If you feel anxious about certain things then it’s also important to share this too. If everybody understands each other’s likes, dislikes and needs then it will be easier to keep your home an enjoyable place to live.

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Top tips Some advice from a Mum with a busy house in which all three of her children have very different needs.

‘The key thing I have learnt over the years is the importance of SPACE. Everyone needs their own personal space where they can be themselves, express themselves and have some quiet time to reflect or calm down if they need to. In our house, I find that following these guidelines usually (but not always!) keeps our house harmonious.

• Have communal areas where everybody needs to follow the same rules in order to get along with everybody there.

• Make sure that everybody who shares the communal space is aware of each other’s needs. This will help them to support each other and be aware of what other people need.

If everybody follows the same rules in the communal space, then it means that your own room stays your own private space.’

Having your own interests Whomever you live with and however well you get on with them, sometimes it’s good to take a break. Going to work or college and getting out and about socially can give you all time apart – though you may want to socialise together too.

By being part of a social club or group or getting involved in a sport or other activity, you can have some time away from the people you live with and make some other friends too. There are lots of ways you can have an active life within your community to help you lead the life you want to live.

Remember that living together is not always easy. There are likely to be times when you fall out or get annoyed with people.

Everyone has bad days, including you and your housemates, and sometimes the mood in your house may not be the best.

Having friends and activities outside your home will help you to take a break and come back home feeling fresh. If you do have any worries, concerns or annoyances, it’s a good idea to speak to the person about them.

Keep the conversation friendly and open, share your concerns and let them speak. They may not realise the way you feel.

Living in harmony can be tricky. Planning, openness and talking can help to set out rules and deal with any concerns. But most of all, remember to have fun.

Everyone has bad days, including you and your housemates, and sometimes the mood in your house may not be the best.

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Come and join us!

Choose RNIB College Loughborough for your Further Education.

Join us and develop practical skills in our College enterprises, including our Bell Bar cafeteria, College shop, Arts Centre and eBay business.

Call us today on 01509 611077 or visit www.rnibcollege.ac.uk to find out more.

© 2015 RNIB Charity Registered charity number 1156629 (England and Wales), SC044876 (Scotland) and 1173 (Isle of Man)

We are a national charity that supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind or have sensory impairments.

Sense Specialist College is an Independent Specialist College, operating in the East Midlands and East of England across 9 sites. It is part of the national “Sense” parent organisation, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, for deafblind people. The College has its own specialist curriculum assessment framework for working with deafblind learners and those with sensory impairments. This identifies 4 phases of development across 5 domains; Communication, Conceptual & Sensory, Movement, Mobility & Orientation, Personal & Social Development and World of Work. Personalised programmes of study are followed depending on the individual’s desired destination.

Children’s Specialist Services • Community Resource Centres • Short Breaks and Holidays Usher Service • Accommodation Choices For more information please contact:

celebrating 60 years

Sense Specialist College 50 Forder Way, Cygnet Park, Hampton PE7 8FD Telephone: 01733 425053 • Email: jo.loubser@sense.org.uk • Web: www.sense.org.uk

@ p r o g r e s s _ m a g

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you be yourself We’re here to help you do just that.

Nurturing Independence halow supports young people aged 16-35 with a learning disability in Surrey

ubu provide high-quality support to people with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour and complex needs.

We put you at the centre of everything we do by listening and acting to help you achieve what you want for yourself. ubu believe that everyone can do great things.

We work to ensure that you have the right opportunities to enjoy a full, independent and active lifestyle.

We provide as much or as little specialised support as you need. ubu can help you to manage your behaviours, improve life skills, gain qualifications and build relationships.

halow • • Building Futures • A Reason To Get Up

For more information on ubu support and our innovative, person-led model of care, please visit our website:

www.ubu.me.uk

• Parent2Parent • Buddy Service • Supported Living

Please visit

www.halowproject.org.uk

01483 447960

info@halowproject.co.uk Charity no.1116773

JASMINE HOUSE

4A Geales Crescent Alton Hampshire GU34 2ND A specialist service for Adults with Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Epilepsy and Complex Needs We specialise in supporting adults with: • A moderate to severe or profound learning disability with or without physical disabilities • Sensory impairments • Epilepsy “A CQC rated GOOD service • Rett Syndrome with OUTSTANDING CARE“ • Autism - December 2015 -

For more information or to arrange a visit please contact: Elaine Baigrie - Operations Manager Mob: 07920 106781 Email: elaine@downingcare.co.uk Website: www.downingcare.co.uk

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Who can help?

Alternative forms of information, advice and support

Everybody needs help from time to time and there are lots of ways you can receive it.

But, as with most things, sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know. How can you look for the right information, advice and services for you if you don’t know that they exist?

Here, Progress looks at some organisations and types of support that may be less wellknown to you. They may, or may not, be exactly right for you and your situation but the more services you know about, the more likely you are to be able to find the right one for you.

Community Learning Disability Teams Community Learning Disability Teams (CLDTs) provide specialist health services directly to people with learning disabilities.

The teams see people in the community at various places, including day centres, at home, college or health centres. Some people using the service may only need to be seen by one part of the team. Others may have more complex needs and require support from different people within the team. The team will usually consist of the following professionals and may draw upon the expertise of others if needed: • Community Nurses.

• Creative Therapists.

• Dieticians.

• Occupational Therapists.

• Physiotherapists.

• Speech and Language Therapists.

CLDTs are for people aged 18 and over who have a learning disability, but they may also work with people from the age of 17 to help the transition to other services run smoothly. CLDTs can support you to access mainstream health services and they can also offer more specialist assessment and intervention relating to mental health, epilepsy, autism and complex health needs.

Anyone can make a referral to their local CLDT for assessment.

If you are over 18 and have a learning disability, you can refer yourself to these services. A parent, carer, doctor or teacher can also make the referral on your behalf.

To find your local CLDT ask your doctor, social worker or any other professional who may support you. Alternatively, search the internet for CLDTs in your area.

ANYONE CAN MAKE A REFERRAL TO THEIR LOCAL CLDT FOR ASSESSMENT. IF YOU ARE OVER 18 AND HAVE A LEARNING DISABILITY, YOU CAN REFER YOURSELF TO THESE SERVICES.

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Community Mental Health Teams Your local CMHT should be your first point of contact if you have a mental health condition.

CMHTs are community-based assessment and treatment services for people aged 18 to 65. Different mental health professionals usually work within a CMHT. They can include: • Psychiatrists, • Psychologists, • Community Psychiatric Nurses, • Social Workers, • Occupational Therapists.

To access the CMHT you will need to be referred by your GP or primary care service. Once you have been referred, you may see just one of the professionals who make up the team, or you may see all of them. Someone in the CMHT will assess you to see whether the team can help you and, if so, what kind of treatment and support might help you.

Brokerage Brokers support people with lots of different disabilities and health conditions and long-term illnesses. They can be the key to finding out about many different types of services. Typically, a broker will use their experience and connections to help you find the best support solutions you need to achieve the highest level of independence and live your life the way you want to live it. Your decisions and choices should always be at the centre of any conversation or meeting you have with a broker and they should always encourage you to express your opinions and put you in charge of your decision.

A broker will be neutral, which means they won’t share their personal opinions of what you should or shouldn’t do for the best. They will, however, help you to resolve issues if you experience any problems with services.

If you receive a personal budget or direct payment form the council, a broker can help you to fund and buy the right services for you. They can also set up their own companies and operate as businesses and some will work with the councils via a Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) or User Led Organisation (ULO).

Read on for more about DPOs.

Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) Operating across England and Wales, DPOs can provide information and advice about: • Welfare benefits; • Community care; • Equipment; • Independent living; • Mobility and transport; and • Disability hate crime reporting.

They can cover a wide range of subjects and offer a lot of different advice and information.

Depending on where you live and the organisation near you, they will vary in size and the number of people who make up the organisation. However, they do all usually have the following main characteristics: •

A majority of disabled people will be in charge of the running of the organisation and a lot of disabled people will be involved in leading or influencing the business.

•

They have usually developed out of the UK disability rights movement and their key aim is to remove barriers for all disabled people in society, not just one group.

• A strong local presence, including ties with disabled residents of the village or town, public bodies, local businesses and those who support the rights of disabled people in society.

CMHTS ARE COMMUNITY-BASED ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT SERVICES FOR PEOPLE AGED 18 TO 65.

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Recently, the term Disabled Persons User-Led Organisation (DPULO) has been used by the Office for Disability Issues and others, so you may find it called DPO in your area.

You can find your local DPO/ ULO via the Scope website, just

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YOUR DECISIONS AND CHOICES SHOULD ALWAYS BE AT THE CENTRE OF ANY CONVERSATION OR MEETING YOU HAVE WITH A BROKER AND THEY SHOULD ALWAYS ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS AND PUT YOU IN CHARGE OF YOUR DECISION.

National Children’s Bureau (Young NCB)

spell the term out in the search box. You can also find it via the Gov.uk website here www.gov. uk/government/publications/ disabled-peoples-user-ledorganisations-list-and-contacts

Befriending and mentoring services These services match you with a trained volunteer who is able to provide both emotional and practical support on a one-toone basis. Intended for people with a disability and parents of disabled children, these services aim to build your confidence and help you feel listened to and understood. They also help you to build strong social networks and circles of support so that when this short-term service comes to an end, you still feel supported in the community. You can find out more about these services on the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation here www.mandbf. org/ Also available is Face to Face Befriending which is intended for connecting parents who have disabled children with each other.

They can then support each other through shared experiences.

These schemes operate across the UK and any parent of a disabled child can use the service, even if your child hasn’t received a diagnosis.

Visit www.scope.org.uk/ support/services/befriending/ about-face-2-face for more information.

Action for Kids Action for Kids is a charity which aims to support disabled children and young adults to live the life they want. They do this by working with students aged 14 to 19 who have special educational needs to ensure they gain the most from their school experience and ensure that their voices are heard. For students who are no longer in full time education, Action for Kids teaches practical skills for managing money, living independently, learning how to cook and understanding how to access the right help.

It also has full-time job coaches who organise training, placements and, at the end of it, paid work.

Its national mobility equipment project also provides any kind of equipment not available on the NHS for children and young adults up to the age of 26.

Visit www.actionforkids.org for more information about how you may access this support.

Young NCB is a group of young people who speak out about the things that are important to them. Membership is open to all children and young people up to the age of 18, who live in England or Northern Ireland. Being a member provides opportunities to get involved and take action on issues that are important to young people. As well as helping to change things for the better, you will also learn new skills as a member, such as public speaking, writing, campaigning and working with the media. It is also a great opportunity to make friends.

Each year, the Young NCB will have different priorities and campaigns that it focuses on.

During 2012 to 2014, it aimed to challenge discrimination in society and throughout 2013 to 15 its focus was whether or not school really prepared a young person for life. The current priority for 2016 is a campaign called ‘Do we know enough about legal highs?’

If you want to know more about Young NCB you can email info@ youngncb.org.uk or visit www. youngncb.org.uk/ to read more information.

Hopefully, these organisations and sources of information will help you to find what is available for you in your area. They may also know of other services, support or organisations so always ask if there are any other organisations they can recommend.

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Learning & Leisure

Our mission: To inspire and nurture independence and engagement through personal development and social support.

At Engage Norfolk we know that a sense of independence and personal value are important for everyone. We also know that achieving this can be a real challenge for individuals with complex needs and learning disabilities. That’s why we specialise in supporting these individuals to develop new skills, socialise and develop friendships, access the local community, and live life their way.

Whether you want to learn new skills to improve your independence or are looking something fun to do, our team is here to support you. Don’t just live life, ENGAGE with it!

Learning

Leisure

Our small group courses range from 6 - 36 weeks, and from just one session a week. You can choose from a selection of courses and build your timetable depending on what interests you and what skills you want to develop. Some choose to do just one short course over 6 weeks, whilst others prefer to take on a number of courses at once. Our flexible approach means you’re in control, and we’ll support you every step of the way.

Visit our website to find out which courses are available.

We can also develop a personalised 1:1 programme of learning tailored to support you in moving towards your goals.

Contact us for more info.

help@engagenorfolk.co.uk

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From fun activities like bowling and theatre trips, to regular social events and clubs, we try to offer a wide variety of different leisure opportunities across the year. Whether you’re looking to make some new friends, try something different, or just get out and about in your local community, we try to make sure there is something for everyone!

Our Leisure team will be on hand throughout the sessions to support the group and 1:1 support can also be arranged where required. Visit our Leisure calendar on the website to find out what’s on and to book your place!

01553 401200

www.engagenorfolk.co.uk

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THIS ISSUE,

R U Ready?

me of your no answers so Le ill G , n m lu e’s no co . In this regular ed or shy – ther n ss m ra lu ar b co s em ip el sh fe on out them in. Don’t wondering ab r sex and relati u d o n ’re u se to yo e k if as ac b d le p e an Welcom concerned, tionships, so ut sex and rela lationships are re r o x se as r questions abo as fa a silly question such thing as o. to is se probably it, someone el

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Last time, we talked about taking control of your contraception choices.

This time, though, we’re thinking more about the wider picture – are you really ready for a sexual relationship? It might sound a bit weird, but have you thought about making a list of your reasons for and against? While it may feel a bit unsexy and unromantic to make a bit of a checklist, it’s actually just the opposite, because it shows you’re really thinking about it – and hopefully, both people in the relationship are thinking about it together.

It’s not just the sex itself you need to think about – although, of course, you need to know about contraception, and have somewhere safe and private to go.

It’s also incredibly important that you talk with your partner about why you’re planning to have sex – what are your reasons? Do you both want to do it for yourselves, or are

co.uk or@pro ur ques g t there – nothing ressmaga ions ’s no is off zine. n l choo se on eed to be imits and e or t shy. W and t wo h e so yo ey’ll be an each tim ’ll u can e onym ask w ous, h a you l tever ike.

you doing it to please the other person? Do either of you feel pressured or like you have to do it? You BOTH have to want to have sex. What about afterwards? Have you discussed whether you’re going to tell anyone about it? First time sex is pretty exciting – you might feel tempted to tell people your private business. Have you made a plan for what you will do if your contraception goes wrong?

It probably sounds like there’s a lot to think about – and there is, but that’s what makes sex so special!

If you and your partner can’t talk about it all, you might not be quite ready yet.

Remember that it’s your choice, and you don’t have to do anything until you’re absolutely sure.

Thanks to Jo Adams for her RU Ready checklist, which inspired this piece.

If it’s urgent (or private) you can contact me at gleno@qac.ac.uk and I will email you back, or I can be contacted via the ‘Ask a Sex and Relationships Expert’ forum at www.scope.org.uk

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Working holidays Holidays can be great for getting away and relaxing but sometimes too much doing nothing can leave you itching for something to do. If this sounds like you, why not give working holidays a try? Or short breaks, where you pick up some new skills on the way?

As the name suggests, working holidays combine a holiday and working.

As they cover a bit of both, you don’t pay as much as you would for a holiday, but you won’t get paid for working either. You usually pay a small amount of money to contribute to the running of the place you are visiting and in return you get suitable accommodation and the chance to do something a little bit different. You might even get an insight into a future career you may be interested in but don’t know how to pursue.

The National Trust The National Trust runs a working holiday programme called Helping Hands, which is designed for ablebodied adults over 18 who have learning difficulties. Accompanied by a carer or family member, the holiday will be assigned at least one activity type which indicates the sort of work that you can expect to be doing whilst you’re there. They include: •

Active – these holidays combine essential conservation work with active pursuits which include surfing, sailing, wild swimming, coasteering, walking and cycling.

• Archaeology – by getting involved in an existing archaeological project, you can dig up a piece of the past and get a better understanding of what each person does on the site. You may have seen the bit in Jurassic Park where they dust off an old dinosaur bone with a brush – here, you get to do it for real!

The National Trust runs a working holiday programme called Helping Hands, which is designed for physically able-bodied adults over 18 who have learning difficulties.

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•

Coast and countryside – on this holiday you can work to help preserve some of Britain’s amazing landscapes, from clearing plants and maintaining ponds to cleaning beaches.

• Construction – one of the most hands-on types of holiday, this is a great one for those who like to see the finished product of their hard work. You could be putting your hands to good use on walls, footpaths and storm drains.

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•

Event – this holiday is a unique chance to help out behind the scenes at a popular event, setting up, running it and clearing away. It could be a village fete, a Christmas fair or a family fun-day.

•

Gardening – here, you can take part in creating a garden masterpiece or just help to keep everything neat and tidy by trimming flowers or planting eye-catching new ones.

•

Historic houses – on this type of working holiday, you get to be one of the rare few to see inside National Trust buildings, some of which may not be open to the public. You could be learning about ancient collections of items or preparing it for closure at the end of season.

•

Rural skills – ever wanted to learn the ancient art of hedgelaying, coppicing woodland or cider making? Here is your chance to pick up some expert advice whilst carrying out important conservation work.

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Special interest – this one is a unique working holiday with a twist. Combining essential work with activities such as digital photography, arts and crafts and medieval stone carving.

•

Surveys – help keep track of endangered plants and animals by carrying out biological surveys at the same time as enjoying the local wildlife.

Working farms and volunteering If a whole week’s schedule of work seems daunting or a little too intense, there are alternatives where you can relax on holiday but also pick up new skills at the same time.

A working farm could be a great solution for offering a nice mix of both.

Magdalen Farm is a working farm which offers care farming programmes run by highly experienced teaching staff skilled in special education needs and mental health conditions. Families can go and spend time together either for the day or longer, with the option to choose from a catered or selfcatered trip.

Activities which you can take part in include making a fire without matches, taking goats for a walk, making a bird box and learning how to groom a horse properly.

The Calvert Trust Exmoor, who recently won the gold award in the ‘Access and Inclusivity’ category at the Visit Devon Awards, offers the opportunity for people to stay with them from a few days to a few months to work as volunteers and learn new skills. These skills can include gardening and maintenance skills, stables management skills, adventure activity skills or even office and admin work. Volunteers have to be over 16 and you won’t get paid but you also won’t have to pay anything towards your accommodation or food. Volunteers are welcome from all over the country and the Trust have even had somebody come over from France recently to learn new skills and help improve her English.

For more information, visit www.calvert-trust.org.uk/ support-exmoor/volunteer

The farm has access ramps, large doorways and pushchair/wheelchair accessible paths so that those visiting can enjoy as much freedom as possible and access every area, including the vegetable gardens and animal paddocks. It also has the first fully accessible ‘changing place’ on a farm in the UK. The spacious room is fully equipped with a mobile hoist, a height adjustable adultsized changing bench, shower and toilet. This means that people can be comfortable during their stay.

For more information, visit www.magdalenfarm.org.uk

If a whole week’s schedule of work seems daunting or a little too intense, there are alternatives where you can relax on holiday but also pick up new skills at the same time.

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Short breaks Yellow Submarine is a charity which runs residential holidays every month within the UK and France, open to anybody over the age of 18 that has a mild to moderate learning disability. If you are based in the Oxfordshire area, transport can usually be arranged for you, however you will have to make your own transport arrangements if you live outside this area. They have a 12-seater bus which is used for the majority of their trips and their residential holidays usually consist of 5 adults with additional needs with 3 or 4 members of trained and experienced staff to accompany them.

Yellow Submarine is a charity which runs residential holidays every month within the UK and France, open to anybody over the age of 18 that has a mild to moderate learning disability.

Staying in houses, holiday makers can choose from a wide range of destinations and the charity makes a point of staying in beautiful accommodation which is as accessible as possible, as opposed to a more sterile environment.

Often the properties will have large kitchens, living and dining rooms which encourage holiday makers to share their space and give mutual support to those that they are on holiday with. Holiday makers are encouraged to plan their own meals and contribute to the shopping, preparation and cooking of the meals to the best of their abilities. The cost of a holiday is £195 which covers everything from accommodation and support whilst staying there to all meals. If you don’t have a personal budget and need some help to cover the cost, Yellow Submarine will help you to apply for short break funding.

Throughout the holiday, there is a focus on learning new skills and working within a safe and controlled environment to look after both yourself and each other. The 2015 holiday programme included

Wherever you want to go and whatever you want to do, a working holiday can be a great way to take a break, learn new skills and have fun. Give it a try.

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a Christmas break to Cardiff and South Wales, visiting the Dr Who museum, a steam train and learning how cider is made in a museum.

The 2016 holiday programme will be out when this issue of Progress is in your hands, and you can find on their website at www.yellowsubmarine.org.uk Chrysalis Holidays is another company which offers holidays to people with additional needs.

If learning about conservation is your thing, you can go on a farm and garden nature holiday, visiting stately homes and Japanese gardens and see how the countryside comes to life during the spring months. You can paint your own pots, plant seeds, learn how to feed the lambs and even ride on the working tractor.

Chrysalis Holidays aims to offer active, not passive holidays, where you can develop your skills and explore your interests by choosing the right type of activities for your holiday. It also provide supported holidays where you can pick the destination, theme and activities.

For more information, visit www.chrysalisholidays.co.uk

If learning about conservation is your thing, you can go on a farm and garden nature holiday, visiting stately homes and Japanese gardens and see how the countryside comes to life during the spring months.

Ben finds his way on the farm Ben, 21, lives at home with his parents and his younger brother Daniel, 17.

‘I like going on holiday with my family every year but sometimes we all want to do different things when we’re there. I really like exploring and learning about the place we’re visiting. My Mum and brother like to be by the swimming pool or at a big splash park. I don’t really like playing in the water so dad and me usually explore the area or go to a local museum so we can learn more about where we are.

‘This year, I wanted to do something a bit different and also try going somewhere on my own for a few days. Me and Mum looked around at lots of different

things. I wanted to stay in this country but apart from that, I didn’t really know what kind of thing I would enjoy doing.

Eventually, we found a working farm a couple of hours away from home and booked it.

The website said there were loads of things to do and we rang to check that they would be able to accommodate me in my wheelchair.

‘When I got there, there was a real mix of people who were all different ages. Some people

were also there with their families.

After settling in, I found out all the different types of activities I could do. I was really excited to learn about stable management, how to drive the tractor and mucking out the pigs and looking after them.

‘I had a great time during my holiday and learnt loads of new skills. It was so much fun. I also met some really nice people and it was good to eat dinner together in the evenings and talk about what we had done in the day.

‘I think I’d like to try another working holiday next year. Maybe my family will want to come along this time too.’

FUN FILLED HOLIDAYS FOR ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

A fantastic fun filled destination on the east coast for adults with learning disabilities.

Supported Holidays for Adults & Children with Learning Disabilities

Our holiday packages offer something for all our guests giving you the opportunity to see the sights, heritage and excitement that Lincolnshire and the seaside has to offer.

01754 763 941 or visit www.oceaneer.co.uk Call us now on

If you're wanting a fantastic supported holiday with enthralling activities, enthusiastic well-trained staff and unbeatable value, look no further, because for 25 years we've been providing just that.

www.chrysalisholidays.co.uk Email: admin@chrysalisholidays.co.uk Telephone: 01925 220179

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45

Planning for a positive future – navigating transition Families are often concerned about what will happen when their child leaves full-time education and moves to adult social care services, but if managed properly it can be a positive experience.

Guy Page explains more.

For many young people, planning ahead does not go much beyond plans for the next weekend. However, for young people with disabilities and their families, looking into the future is a worthwhile exercise as so much of what you do at a young age can impact your life later on. One of the more difficult times for parents or carers can be when your child transfers from local authority children’s care to adult services when they reach 18. They may already be receiving support from lots of different agencies, including health, social care and education, and these will all change as they approach adulthood. From a social care perspective, in England and Wales, this is known as ‘transition’ – moving into adulthood.

The transition period can be an uncertain time for your child; they are likely to be changing school or college, they may move away from home and also be leaving the professionals they have known, and been supported by, for many years. It is understandable that some young people may see the move to adult services as a leap into the unknown.

It can also be a tricky time for you as a family. You may find it a struggle adjusting to dealing with new professionals and new ways of working.

All parents know they need to start preparing for their children to leave home, but in reality, it’s natural to have concerns about the future.

This is why it is important to make sure there is time for adequate and sensitive preparation. Preparation will help give your child the knowledge, skills and confidence to move forward into adulthood.

One of the more difficult times for parents or carers can be when your child transfers from local authority children’s care to adult services when they reach 18. They may already be receiving support from lots of different agencies, including health, social care and education, and these will all change as they approach adulthood.

Transition can be a positive experience, but it is essential to start understanding the whole process as early as possible, preferably when your child is 14 to 15 years of age. This gives families time to plan, see what is available and look at options for the future.

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One of the most important things is continuity and getting the transition right first time. If left too late, options can be limited and may not be right for your son or daughter. It could mean that their first move into adulthood doesn’t go as smoothly as it could.

The first steps In particular, the year leading up to the handover to adult services is an important one and is the time to prepare as much as possible. Your child will have an assessment of their needs and a transition plan will be written, with your child and their wishes always being at the centre.

Once your child’s transition plan has been completed, the right future for them can be found, whether this is education, housing, employment, support or a mix of all four. Practical aspects can start to be considered too.

Your child’s transition plan should draw together information from a range of professionals who are all involved in supporting them. By involving as many people in your child’s life as possible, the aim is to clearly define their needs and what they want to achieve in the future.

Your child’s wishes for the future should be integral to the plan.

This is also the time that information about legislation and eligibility criteria for services will be made available to you. You will also learn about the types of adult services that are out there.

Once your child’s transition plan has been completed, the right future for them can be found, whether this is education, housing, employment, support or a mix of all four. Practical aspects can start to be considered too.

The local authority will be responsible for assessing your child’s social care support needs and arranging the support they are eligible for. Your child should be offered the option of taking a personal budget which sets out the costs of any services for which they are eligible. They may also be offered the option to take this personal budget as a direct payment, which is a cash payment to buy the support they need to meet their needs.

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47

Finding a service Once your child’s future is planned out you may want to find the right services to meet their needs. The first step to finding the right service in transition is to ask questions and get as much information as possible.

If your child has been fully involved in the transition plan, you will know their wishes for the future. Speak to your child’s care manager about opportunities in the area, what services the local authority knows of, what the assessment says your child’s specific support needs are and how they can best be met.

If you are looking at specific services such as supported or independent living, it is important to visit them and take a good look around. This will help you and your child get a feeling for the living environment, see who already lives there and how they enjoy their lives.

If you are looking at specific services, such as supported or independent living, it is important to visit them and take a good look around. This will help you and your child get a feeling for the living environment, see who already lives there and how they enjoy their lives.

If they have friends, it may be that they all want to live together, so it may be an option to look for somewhere that they can share. Living with others is as much about personalities as it is support, so your child needs to feel comfortable, supported to live their lives as independently as possible and happy with their neighbours or housemates.

Growing up For any parent, watching their child leave home can be hard. Your child will be living a more independent life and it can be a tough transition for the parents. Transition is a significant part of a young person’s life so everybody involved should to be as prepared as possible.

Young people need to think about what they want from their lives long before they turn 18. By developing these wishes, hopes and aspirations, you have a clear idea of where your child wants to be as they head into adulthood; what they want to do and where they want to live.

Transition can be difficult to navigate and it relies on clear communication between local authorities, schools and colleges as well as with service providers. Dedicated transitions care managers are starting to be introduced in more local authorities and they can be a real help to young people coming through the process. Ask your local authority if they have someone who can navigate the transition process with you and your child as they can really enhance the experience and the opportunities your child may be able to access.

Remember that this time of change does not need to be daunting.

With careful, early planning it can be a very positive, and exciting, introduction to adulthood.

48

With thanks to Guy Page, Regard.

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IF YOU ARE A YOUNG PERSON (Please see reverse if you are a parent, carer or professional) How old are you? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Which county do you live in? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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How do you purchase your services (eg. social care support)?

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What would you like to see more of in Progress? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Real life stories / case studies Different aspects of transition (ie housing, employment, education etc) Which aspects interest you most .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Reader Survey - Professional Complete this quick reader survey and return to us by Friday 22nd April 2016 The first

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responses will each receive one FREE ticket to the Transition Event.

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Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... Email: ...................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address: . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

IF YOU ARE A PARENT/CARER/PROFESSIONAL (Please circle) How old is the person you support? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Which county do you live in? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Do they have a diagnosis?

Yes

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Please give details of the diagnosis: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

How do they purchase their services (eg. social care support)?

Personal budget/direct payment

Local authority arranged

Combination of both

Please give details of their required services: . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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September

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2-3 years

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Subscribe

Other

If other please give details: . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Which sections of Progress do you read the most?

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What would you like to see more of in Progress? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Real life stories / case studies Different aspects of transition (ie housing, employment, education etc) Which aspects interest you most . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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All personal information provided will be treated as strictly confidential and will not be shared with any third party. On supplying your email address above you are opting in to receive promotional marketing material from Care Choices Ltd, the publishers of Progress magazine.

JARGON

BUSTER Access to Work – An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support if you have a disability, health or mental health condition to help you start working, stay in work or move into self-employment.

Brokerage – Brokers support people of various disabilities and health conditions and long-term illnesses. They can help you find the right services to meet your needs and support people with personal budgets.

Cerebral Palsy – A general term for a number of neurological conditions that affect movement and co-ordination.

Community Learning Disability Teams (CLDTs) – These teams are made up of a wide range of health professionals who provide specialist assessment, advice, treatment and support services for adults with a learning disability and their carers.

Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) – These teams are made up of a range of mental health professionals, and support people living in the community who have complex or serious mental health conditions.

Coppicing – An English term for a traditional method of woodland management which takes advantage of the fact that many trees make new growth from the stumps or roots if cut down.

Down’s syndrome – A genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is typically associated with physical growth delays and characteristic facial features.

DPOs – Disabled People’s Organisations are representative organisations or groups of persons with disabilities, who make up a majority of the overall staff, board and volunteers.

Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) – A legal document which sets out a description of a child’s education, health and care needs and what should be done to meet these needs.

Hedge-laying – A country skill of creating and maintaining hedges, practiced in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Home Education – The education of children inside the home, as opposed to in the formal settings of a public or private school. Home education is usually conducted by a parent or tutor.

Judicial Review – A procedure by which a court can review an administrative action by a public body, such as a local authority.

National Curriculum – A document which sets out the programmes of study and attainment targets for all subjects within a primary and secondary school.

OFSTED – This is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. They inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people.

Paralympic Games – A major international multi-sport event involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – A condition of persistent mental and emotional stress which is a result of injury or severe psychological shock.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal – Responsible for handling appeals against local authority decisions regarding special educational needs.

Statement of Special Education Needs – A document which sets out a child’s Special Education Needs and additional help that a child should receive. Statements are being replaced by EHCPs.

www.progressmagazine.co.uk

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Award Winning Care Homes

Care homes for people with learning disabilities/ physical disabilities/neurological conditions

Sussex Healthcare is an award winning group of care homes providing 30 years of healthcare in Sussex. The Group operates 20 homes, predominantly in the West Sussex area, providing over 550 placements, incorporating specialist care provision as well as care for older people.

Care for older people Clemsfold House Forest Lodge Horncastle House Kingsmead Care Centre Longfield Manor Rapkyns Care Home Upper Mead

Horsham Nutley East Grinstead Horsham Billingshurst Horsham Henfield

01403 790312 01825 712514 01342 810219 01403 265335 01403 786832 01403 265096 01273 492870

Beechcroft Care Centre and Hazel Lodge

East Grinstead

01342 300499

Beech Lodge and Oak Lodge

Horsham

01403 791725

Horncastle Care Centre

East Grinstead

01342 813910

Kingsmead Care Centre

Horsham

01403 265335

Kingsmead Lodge

Horsham

01403 211790

Norfolk Lodge

Horsham

01403 218876

Orchard Lodge and Boldings Lodge

Horsham

01403 242278

Rapkyns Care Centre

Horsham

01403 276756

Rapkyns Care Home

Horsham

01403 265096

Redwood House

Horsham

01403 790948

Sycamore Lodge

Horsham

01403 240066

White Lodge

Croydon

02087 632586

Wisteria Lodge and Stable Lodge

Nutley

01825 714080

Woodhurst Lodge

Crawley

01444 401228

STOP PRESS: Brand new purpose built services now available to view for anyone wishing to arrange a visit. The service provision includes specialist care facilities for people with acquired brain Injury, profound learning and physical disabilities, and new residential services for people with Autism.

Great care starts with great people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are you one of them?

Due to expansion, Sussex Healthcare has fantastic opportunities to become part of a leading healthcare company that provides exemplary care to the service users in a positive and friendly environment.

If you are thinking of a career in care please visit our website www.sussexhealthcare.co.uk and submit your CV to recruit@sussexhealthcare.co.uk stating the position you are interested in working in.

To find out more about our homes and the services we offer, contact: Corrine Wallace Director of Operations

01403 217 338

enquiries@sussexhealthcare.co.uk | www.sussexhealthcare.co.uk

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