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PUTTING DOWN YOUR ROOTS CHOOSING WHERE TO LIVE

IN THIS ISSUE

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WELCOME TO PROGRESS Contributors and advisers

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GROWING UP, LEAVING HOME AND BECOMING INDEPENDENT CAN OPEN A RAFT OF OPTIONS ABOUT WHERE TO LIVE AND WHO TO LIVE WITH. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHERE TO SET DOWN YOUR ROOTS? WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT? PROGRESS IS HERE TO HELP YOU OPEN NEW DOORS TO YOUR FUTURE.

Putting down your roots 24

Where would you like to live?

Para-sport and the Commonwealth Games 2014 Time to be inspired and get sporty.

NEWS & WHAT’S ON? A round up of the main news since our last issue plus details of forthcoming events.

MOVING FROM

STATEMENTS TO

Beat the bullies.

Keeping safe

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Different types of advocacy are explained.

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a wheelchair 49 Choosing accessible vehicle

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A guide to picking the perfect vehicle for you.

TALKING ABOUT

Polly Sweeney looks at changes to SEN Statements from 1st September 2014.

www.natspec.org.uk

Important advice on keeping safe.

What is Advocacy?

14 Sex AND relationships

EHC PLANS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Natspec

CYBERBULLYING

Volunteering Give your time for others.

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Moving on… what it means for relationships.

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The Association of National Specialist Colleges

21 SOLICITORS - first or last resort

Short breaks Get away, take a break, try something new.

Guidance on what solicitors can do for you.

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A conference and exhibition all about transition.

www.progressmagazine.co.uk

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Welcome from the Editor Autumn is on its way but we, at Progress, are still celebrating the success of the summer; beautiful weather and a landmark for para-sport at the Commonwealth Games. If you didn’t see it, the Commonwealth Games were record-breaking for including para-sport athletes in the main Games. It had the biggest number of para-sports medals in Commonwealth Games history, with 22 medal events contributing to a country’s overall medal standings. Fantastic!

To keep this legacy going we have put together OUR NEW a summary of the Games along with details of different sports you might like to try, something outside the ordinary that you may not have thought of before. See the feature on page 30.

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If you’re thinking of moving out of your family home, living independently or somewhere with care or support, we have put OUR NEW together an interesting piece, starting on page 24, which will help you to choose where to live. Also this month, we look at the benefits of volunteering. It’s a great way to learn new skills, give something back to the community whilst building confidence. If you thought that any support needs you have may stop you from volunteering, think again, as it’s possible to be supported in a role to help you make the most of the opportunity. The volunteering feature starts on page 33.

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We have also included an important feature on changes to Statements of Special Educational Needs. These became Education, Health and Care plans on the 1st September and it’s important you know what this means for you if you have special educational needs. Turn to page 14 to find out more.

• Emma Johnson, Solihull Action through Advocacy

• Polly Sweeney, Irwin Mitchell

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• Maria Chambers, OURScope FREE APP TODAY TDOWNLOAD O D A• Vicki Y Crees, Sirus Automotive T O D AY DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP TODAY

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Finally, I just want to let you know that our annual Transition Event returns to the National Motorcycle Museum on the 4th June 2015. This one-day conference, exhibition and workshops is packed full of useful information for anyone on their journey through transition. To find out more or how to attend see page 54 or visit www.progressmagazine.co.uk.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Progress and we’ll be back again in the New Year.

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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. © 2014 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 978-1-910362-13-6. 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.

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Ref. No: 4001/SC22/0814. 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

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SALES: Sue Speaight NATIONAL SALES MANAGER: Paul Leahy EDITOR: Emma Morriss EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Rebecca Northfield. PRODUCTION: Jamie Harvey, Gemma Cook & Holly Cornell.

Photograph credits: Choosing a wheelchair accessible vehicle - images courtesy of Sirus. What is Advocacy? - image courtesy of Solihull Action Through Advocacy.

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DOWNLOAD OUR FREE APP TODAY www.progressmagazine.co.uk

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SweetTree Learning Disabilities Outreach Service

www.sweettrree.co.uk

Working to support people with learning disabilities to develop the skills needed for a natural person-centred transition towards greater independence

Care farming: cultivating confidence Impacting positively on the lives of young people and adults with learning disabilities is the ambition of a North London care farm.

SweetTree Fields based in Mill Hill aims to improve the wellbeing of individuals who may encounter social or educational exclusion for a wide range of reasons. Through specially designed and managed activities, the care farm is making a positive difference to the lives of people of all ages, abilities and with a variety of care and support needs.

Visitors to the care farm are given the chance to try out and develop a range of skills in horticulture, forestry and animal care. From creating hanging baskets and growing vegetables, to looking after the farm’s horses or making homemade pizzas in the clay oven, all activities are designed to create positive experiences within a safe nurturing environment The care farm is backed by SweetTree Home Care Services and the company’s learning disability team say feedback from visitors and carers has been incredibly positive. Plans are now underway to expand the project to benefit even more people.

“Interacting with animals, plants, greenery and

spending time outdoors with nature can bring many benefits and the experiences on offer at SweetTree Fields can be very powerful on many levels” explains Barry Sweetbaum, managing director of SweetTree. “These positive experiences can help change lives by enabling individuals to re-engage and develop a renewed confidence in life.

He added: “As a quality care provider we are always looking at innovative ways to enhance our services and help each individual we care for to live a stimulating, fulfilling and active life.

Our overall aim is to help people to reach their full potential and we achieve this through person-centred care that supports ongoing learning, skills development and confidence building.”

SweetTree’s specialist care team has been providing quality care for over a decade. For more details about SweetTree Fields or the care and support available at SweetTree, please call 020 7624 9944 or email dela.begum@sweettree.co.uk

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A national survey found that only a third of employment support providers had received any income from PBs in the past 18 months.

Create! winners announced

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New research by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) has confirmed that Personal Budgets (PBs) are not being used enough to help people get or retain paid work. The research, jointly funded by Think Local, Act Personal, Remploy, In Control, Wolverhampton City Council, Northamptonshire County Council and NDTi, found out how much people are using social care PBs to buy support to help them in paid work, and what things encourage and discourage the use of PBs to help people get or retain work.

A national survey found that only a third of employment support providers had received any income from PBs in the past 18 months and the average number of people using PBs in each organisation was just three. The research found four clear reasons that stop or discourage people from using PBs for employment support: low LOA D N demand from individuals or families, professional attitudes towards employment, the Personal Budget process, and availability of good, evidencebased employment support.

The winners of the national art competition, Create!

Art For Autism have been announced. The awards ceremony took place at Beechwood College in Sully, near Cardiff, where Create! started and all of the finalists’ artwork was on display at the event.

Create! Art For Autism is now in its fourth year and received over 1,000 entries from young people aged between 11 and 25 with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC). The standard of artwork meant that there were two ‘highly commended’ and one winner in each category. There was also a winner of the ‘People’s Choice Award’, voted for by the public through the Create! website. This category alone received over 5,000 votes.

The winners of each category were awarded a Kindle Fire HD and their school or organisation received a Create! artbox full of supplies to encourage more students’ creativity and participation in art orientated activities.

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Digital Photography: Michael Willcox; Highly commended: Alfie Armstrong and Michael Hallett, Digital Animation: Danny Williams; Highly commended: Bridget Kay and Ian Bruin, People’s Choice Award: Jonathan Andrews with his poem ‘Creativity’.

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The standard of artwork meant OUR that FREE thereAPP were two ‘highly DOWNLOAD TODAY commended’ and one winner in each category.

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Reader Survey - page 29

Complete our survey and the first 5 responses will recieve a £20 voucher.

Volunteering - page 33 Give back with support, if needed.

also including:

Easy News • Commonwealth Games • Transition support

Lack of accessible housing The recent release of the English Housing Survey data by the Government shows a lack of accessible housing in England. According to the survey, ‘The accessibility of the English housing stock to people with mobility problems has improved but remains low overall. While, in 2012, just 5% of homes had four key features (level access, flush threshold, sufficiently wide doors and circulation space, WC at entrance level) for making a dwelling accessible to those with mobility problems, this was an increase from 3% in 2007. Among homes that were not accessible, around 12% could become so by carrying out minor work and a further 45% could comply if moderate work involving internal structural alterations was carried out. Accessibility could only be achieved in 16% of homes through major (and more problematic) works and it was simply not feasible to make 28% of the current housing stock accessible.’

According to the survey, ‘The accessibility of the English housing stock to people with mobility problems has improved but remains low overall.

Campaigns Director at Leonard Cheshire Disability Jane Harris said, ‘These figures show the huge scale of the “hidden housing crisis” faced by disabled people.

‘Figures also show just how much more it costs to adapt a home to make it accessible than to just build in accessibility at the outset. Millions of homes would need changes, costing thousands of pounds to make them easy to visit, but making a new home fully adaptable costs less than £1100 on average.’

MORE THAN 80% OF THE CARERS SURVEYED SAID THAT THEY PUT THE HEALTH OF THE LOVED ONE THEY CARE FOR BEFORE THEIR OWN WELLBEING

Lack of short breaks A recent survey of carers released by national disability charity, Vitalise, has revealed the strain that a lack of short breaks is having on carers.

More than 80% of the carers surveyed said that they put the health of the loved one they care for before their own wellbeing, 60% saying that a lack of time away from caring leads them to feelings of depression, and a further 60% saying that long periods without a break resulted in getting angry at the person they care for. The survey also found that 39% of carers have not taken a single day off from caring in the past year.

The biggest barrier preventing carers from asking for short breaks was carers’ concerns that nobody else would be able to care for their loved ones (46%), followed by guilt at leaving them (39%) and the worry that they would not be looked after properly (23%).

However, nearly half (46%) of carers surveyed said that regular breaks made them feel more able to cope, and over a third said that they felt happier and healthier. Although, 21% said that afterwards they felt guilty that they had left a loved one to take time off.

Vitalise is calling for carers to be given more information about the range of support and information available to them, including funding for important short breaks.

For more information on short breaks see page 21.

www.progressmagazine.co.uk

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PROGRESS NEWS Boost for Remploy

Transition Event winners Congratulations to Sol Bartlett of Reynalds Cross School in Solihull who won the Kindle Fire HD at Progress’ Transition Event in May. Congratulations also goes to Richard Glenn of Northamptonshire County Council, who won the tabtoob at the Transition Event. The tabtoob, developed by Liz Beattie, is an iPad case which is bouncy and extra safe. Richard said he was very impressed with the device and he was very excited to own his own one.

The Transition Event returns to the National Motorcycle Museum on 4th June 2015.

For more information see page 54. www.progressmagazine.co.uk.

Remploy Employment Services is to become independent of the Government so it can expand its business to help even more disabled people into work. It is estimated that by March 2015, Remploy Employment Services will have supported over 100,000 disabled and disadvantaged people into work since 2010.

The announcement has meant the start of a process to find a new partner for Remploy Employment Services so they can use private investment to help them expand.

An increasing number of employers are recognising the benefits of employing people with disabilities. Through Government schemes, people who have a disability are moving into jobs or training opportunities at a rate of over 750 placements every week as part of the drive to help more people into work. By allowing Remploy to take on a big investment free from Government control, they will have the freedom to grow the business and help even more people with disabilities into jobs.

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Thousands of firms awarded the UK Government’s ‘Two Ticks’ symbol for ensuring equality for disabled workers have been found to be no better than companies who have not achieved it.

The research, led by Professor Kim Hoque of Warwick Business School, and Nick Bacon of Cass Business School, found that just 15% of organisations awarded the ‘Two Ticks’ symbol followed all five of the commitments, with 18% of those signed up not doing any of them and with most, 38%, only keeping one of the five promises.

Professor Hoque said, ‘We found there was no difference in the support and commitment to disabled workers between companies who had the ‘Two Ticks’ symbol and those who did not have it. We also found no difference OUR FREE APP TODAY between the public and private sector, if anything the opposite was true.

Launched in 1990, the ‘Two Ticks’ symbol has been awarded to 8,387 organisations and is used by 46% of OUR FREE APP TODAY the top 200 FTSE companies.

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www.ineedawheelchair.co.uk Tel: 01795 477280 E: katie.a@rms-kent.co.uk RMS Limited, Thompson House, Unit 10, Styles Close, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3BF The Grillo is a gait trainer designed to help make the child’s self-movement easier. Its original design, with its patented height adjustment system, makes it unique in safety and elegance. It has a wide range of adjustments and supports which suit the different needs and requirements of the user.

• Seven versions • Two models: front drive and Posterior walker in just one frame • Folding frame • Gait Trainer with constant centre of gravity

• Precise and continuous adjustments • Interchangeable components • Two frames that cover five sizes • Ergonomic and independent supports for trunk and pelvis

The Dondolino standing frame was designed to be used in the normal life contexts of the child’s home or school. It can enhance the child’s capacity to adapt to their surroundings and to interact positively with the world around them.

• Chest and pelvic supports – adjustable circumference, height, backwards and forwards • Heel rests adjustable in depth and width • Wooden base – height adjustable

• Table – height, depth and tilt adjustable • Knee pads – adjustable in depth, width, height and rotary movement • Tilt adjustable frame • Lockable wheels

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www.progressmagazine.co.uk

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PROGRESS NEWS ‘Go Camping’ and Children in Need Forty disabled youngsters will get the chance to ‘Go Camping’ across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex thanks to a £30,000 grant from Children in Need. Buddies, which is the children and young people service within learning disabilities and autism support provider Dimensions, has received about £30,000 from Children In Need for its Go Camping weekends.

This money will allow 40 more children to take part in the weekends in Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk.

The Buddies Go Camping weekends enable children aged eight to 18 with disabilities to experience the great outdoors through camping. While there they also take part in many inclusive and exciting activities like pool parties, horse riding, raft building and go karting, as well as developing independence skills. Buddies Go Camping weekends have been running since 2010, and more than 350 children and young people have taken part.

The Buddies Go Camping weekends enable children aged eight to 18 with disabilities to experience the great outdoors through camping. @progress_mag

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Create a person centred support plan based around your interests and goals

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Prepare for the move practically and emotionally

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Take care of your new home and manage your money

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Find suitable accommodation and understand your tenancy

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Claire from Voyage Care looked at lots of flats and houses with them until they found the one that ticked all their boxes! Westmoreland Supported Housing Association then arranged accessible tenancy agreements and the excitement of getting ready to move started.

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We recently helped Andrew and Aaron to move from a large shared house into their own flat. Both young men felt they were ready to be more independent.

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We have experience of supporting young people who have learning disabilities, autism and other needs to move into their first home, either alone or with housemates.

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We know that leaving school or college and deciding what to do next can be a bit daunting. However with the right support in place it can also be an exciting time when you can meet new friends, try out new things and plan for your future.

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Supporting you in your next move

Voyage Care supported them to set up bills, choose who would be supporting them and find out all about activities available in the local area.

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Commonwealth Games A national disability charity has warned that a big effort is needed by society to maintain the Glasgow Commonwealth Games’ legacy. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow achieved new levels of inclusion for the first time, with disabled and non-disabled events running at the same time.

Vitalise recently said that there should be more effort from wider society to be more inclusive to people with disabilities.

A survey conducted by Vitalise found that one year on from the Paralympic Games 2012, 7 out of 10 people with disabilities and carers (69%) thought that society did not have a better understanding of their day-to-day lives as result of the Paralympics, and over half (52%) of respondents believed there had been no real change to their lives as a result.

However, 97% of all disabled and nondisabled people surveyed thought that more needed to be done to maintain the Paralympic legacy, while 86% said it was very important for society to sustain and build on the legacy.

For more information on the Commonwealth Games and how you can get involved in para-sport, see page 30.

Coleg Elidyr is a specialist college of further education for young people aged 18-25 with learning difficulties and disabilities.

The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow achieved new levels of inclusion for the first time, with disabled and non-disabled events running at the same time.

Easy News The first ever news magazine for people with learning disabilities has recently won an award at the highly acclaimed annual Charity Awards.

This major award was given to Easy News, an easy read news magazine launched by United Response, in 2013, to make the news and current affairs more accessible to the 1.5 million adults in the UK who have learning disabilities.

90% of readers said it was easier to understand than other news sources, while 78% felt that politics was now relevant to their lives, compared to 31% a year before. By the sixth edition, 3,272 people had downloaded it – 250% over target.

We provide a safe learning environment set within 180 acres of farmland in the secluded Towy Valley in rural Carmarthenshire.

Founded in 1973, we have many years’ experience of working with young people with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities, behavioural and emotional difficulties and autistic spectrum conditions.

We offer full-time programmes of education for both residential and day placements. Our person-centred programmes develop skills for life and work by taking a practical and holistic approach to learning. Each student follows his or her own unique timetable, choosing from a wide range of options, including land-based opportunities on our working farm, in our gardens and on our estate, as well as learning crafts in workshops and retail in our on-site shop. Students are also able to access a wide range of opportunities for work experience, both on and off site, while living together in the residential settings offers students the chance to learn social and independent living skills in context.

For more information please visit our website www.colegelidyr.ac.uk or call 01550 760400.

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www.progressmagazine.co.uk

PROGRESS NEWS Progress Magazine’s Guide to What’s On Transition support The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the regulator of health and social care services, has found that young people with disabilities are not always getting the right care and support when they transition, despite help being available for the last ten years.

CQC has found that there are problems with the transition process, with some children’s services stopping before adult services have started, that families are confused and upset by the lack of information and support given, and that people’s experiences of this process varies across England.

CQC has found that there are problems with the transition process, with some children’s services stopping before adult services have started.

National Events Learning Disability Today Exhibition 27th November 2014, London www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk The Transition Event 2015 4th June 2015, The National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham www.progressmagazine.co.uk/events.html

Regional Events in association with Netbuddy www.netbuddy.org.uk

Chickenshed 10K Challenge & 3K Family Fun Run 2014 5th October 2014, London www.chickenshed.org.uk Jo Collins & Friends Runs to 8th November 2014, London Tel: 0208 292 9222 Ferndown Wheelchair Basketball Club Runs to 12th December 2014, Dorset Tel: 07726 940575 Swimability Runs to 14th December 2014, North Yorkshire Tel: 01904 552424

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In response, CQC has set four priorities for action:

“Learners make good progress in developing independent living skills and in the extent “

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Henshaws College - a great place to learn Henshaws College provides a personalised education for young people with learning difficulties, sensory impairments and physical disabilities. We will empower you with the skills and independence you need to achieve the future you want.

• A curriculum rich in skills for Life, Learning and Work • Nationally recognised excellence in IT and Assistive Technology • Education, Care and Therapies working together to support learners • Expertise in visual impairment • First class Residential, Sports and Media facilities • Day and residential placements available

Henshaws College - part of your Local Offer For more information call 01423 886451 or email admissions@henshaws.ac.uk

www.henshaws.ac.uk Registered Charity No: 221888

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Personal development for people with disabilities National Star is an outstanding specialist college (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 multi-disciplinary team which focuses on achieving personal goals and transition after college.

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Specialist staff support learners to develop and practice skills which will increase their confidence and future independence.

The college is a vibrant and active environment and supports learners with a wide range of abilities and health needs.

We hold term time visits where you can see the college in action and speak to learners and staff.

Come and see what college life is like at National Star.

• Day and residential courses • Creative and performing arts • IT • Sport and recreation • Work Skills • Multi-disciplinary therapy and health team

National Star College Ullenwood, Cheltenham, Glos, GL53 9QU Tel: 01242 527631 • Email: admissions@natstar.ac.uk Website: www.natstar.ac.uk

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MOVING FROM

STATEMENTS TO

EHC PLANS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Polly Sweeney looks at changes to statements from 1st September 2014

The 1st September 2014 marks the coming into force of Part 3 of the new Children and Families Act 2014 and with it, the introduction of a new SEN system designed to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs or disability.

Under the new Act, statements of special educational needs for children in schools and learning difficulty assessments for young people in further education and training will be replaced with a single combined Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC plan).

An EHC plan will cover children and young people from birth to aged 25 and will include information about health and social care needs as well as special educational needs in one single document.

From 1st September 2014, no new assessments for statements or learning difficulty assessments will be offered by local authorities. All new requests for an assessment will be looked at under the new legislation and those in need of support will receive it through an EHC plan.

Also happening from this date are a new mediation and appeals process, the option of a personal budget for those with an EHC plan, and each local authority’s ‘Local Offer’.

AN EHC PLAN WILL COVER CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE FROM BIRTH TO AGED 25 AND WILL INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE NEEDS AS WELL AS SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN ONE SINGLE DOCUMENT.

WHEN WILL TRANSFER TAKE PLACE? The Department of Education estimated that in January 2013 that 229,390 pupils across all schools in England had statements of SEN. Whilst people may be eager to ensure that children and young people benefit from the new system as soon as possible, this must be balanced with ensuring that new assessments and plans are of good quality and are not rushed through.

The Government has published advice on getting the changes into place, and have set out the following timeframes: • Between 1st September 2014 and April 2018 all children and young people with statements of SEN must transfer to the new system following a ‘transfer review’.

• As young people with learning difficulty assessments are considered to have fewer rights and less protection under existing laws, they are a priority group for transfer to the new system and their EHC plans should be in place by 1st September 2016.

The following groups should be transferred in the 2014 to 2015 academic year: • All young people with an existing learning difficulty assessment who request an EHC needs assessment.

• All children and young people issued with non statutory EHC plans before 1st September 2014 from pathfinder authorities.

• All young people moving into further education or training from school in September 2015 (these must be completed by 31st May 2015).

FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER 2014, NO NEW ASSESSMENTS FOR STATEMENTS OR LEARNING DIFFICULTY ASSESSMENTS WILL BE OFFERED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

Thereafter, children and young people with existing statements and learning difficulty assessments will begin to transfer to the new system at significant points in transition, including entry to primary school from early years settings, transfer from primary to secondary, Year 9, from secondary to further education, and transfer from mainstream to special school.

An EHC needs assessment should consider the child or young person’s health, social care and special educational needs. When doing an EHC needs assessment and making EHC plans, local authorities must consider: • The views, wishes and feelings of the child, young person or parent.

To help parents understand what is happening locally, each local authority must publish a ‘Local Transition Plan’ by 1st September.

• The importance of them being fully involved in decisions.

This must include:

• The importance of them being provided with the necessary information and support to be involved.

• The numbers of children and young people expected to transfer each year during transition.

• The order in which children and young people will be transferred.

• Details of the transfer review process.

• Sources of independent information and advice.

• The need to support the child or young person to achieve the best educational or other outcomes.

Local authorities should not ask for advice or information if this has already been provided and both the local authority and parents or young person are happy that it is sufficient. This is known as the ‘tell us once’ approach.

Where there is a pending Tribunal appeal which was started before 1st September 2014, the local authority cannot start the transfer until the Tribunal has concluded.

Following the EHC needs assessment, the local authority must decide whether an EHC plan is needed and, if so, issue a draft plan for parents or the young person to comment on. The EHC plan must be finalised within 14 weeks of the start of the transfer review (although there are exceptions).

THE TRANSFER REVIEW PROCESS

If the local authority decides not to issue an EHC plan after the transfer review:

When a child or young person is coming up to transfer to the new system, their annual review must be replaced with a ‘Transfer Review’. Parents and schools must be told two weeks before the transfer review starts.

The local authority must maintain the child or young person’s statement until the transfer review has happened. However, from the beginning of the transfer review, any right to appeal a statement stops and parents/young people must use rights under the new system.

Before the transfer review, the local authority must undertake an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC needs assessment).

• they must notify the parents or young person within 10 weeks of the start of the review, • the existing statement must remain in place until the outcome of the Tribunal appeal.

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The Beeches UK Ltd has been in existence for 12 years providing two Specialist Residential Care homes for children with learning disabilities and associated challenging behaviour with bespoke holistic care.

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YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTY ASSESSMENTS Requests for assessment for young people who are receiving additional support as a result of learning difficulty assessments must be dealt with as if they are a new entrant into the system. From 1st September 2014, local authorities should inform young people with learning difficulty assessments of their options and give them information on how to get an EHC needs assessment and plan.

Local authorities have six weeks to respond to a request for an EHC needs assessment and they must make a plan, where necessary, within 20 weeks of the original request.

There is a right of appeal if the local authority decides not to issue an EHC plan. If this happens, the young person should continue to receive what is set out in their learning difficulty assessment.

CHILDREN WITH NONSTATUTORY EHC PLANS ISSUED BEFORE 1ST SEPTEMBER 2014 There are approximately 2,500 children and young people across 31 pathfinder authorities who currently have non-statutory EHC plans that were issued as part of the Government’s pilot scheme.

Local authorities should treat these plans as if they were a legal document under the new system, but not all plans in them will be able to be transferred, some may need additional assessment information and/or restructuring to meet the new Act and SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years.

For children and young people with these plans, all local authorities should contact parents and young people before 1st September 2014 to inform them that: • Transfer will happen by their next annual review.

• Provision within non-statutory EHC plan will continue until transfer.

• Transfer should be quick if information in the non statutory EHC plan is recent and relevant.

If the child also has a statement, they should be transferred in 2014 to 2015 in accordance with the transfer review process above, and they will have same rights as other children with statements until they are transferred.

WHAT IF THE ASSESSMENT IS IN PROGRESS ON 1ST SEPTEMBER 2014?

Any assessment or re-assessment which was requested before 1st September 2014 must be treated as a request for an assessment under the Education Act 1996, unless there is agreement by the parent or young person to treat it as an EHC needs assessment under the new system.

However, local authorities should anticipate the requirements for EHC needs assessment to reduce the burden of transfer reviews.

If the child or young person has been assessed under the Education Act 1996, the statement should comply with those requirements unless the local authority considers the assessment is enough to produce an EHC plan and the parent or young person agrees.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE SIX WEEKS TO RESPOND TO A REQUEST FOR AN EHC NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THEY MUST MAKE A PLAN, WHERE NECESSARY, WITHIN 20 WEEKS OF THE ORIGINAL REQUEST.

Polly Sweeney is an Associate Solicitor at Irwin Mitchell. polly.sweeney@irwinmitchell.com

AND REMEMBER...

The legal force of existing statements and learning difficulty assessments will not be withdrawn until all children and young people have completed the transition to EHC plans. The Government has made it clear that they expect all children and young people who have a statement and who would have continued to have one under the current system will be transferred to an EHC plan – no child or young person should lose their statement and not have it replaced with an EHC plan simply because the system is changing.

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natspec

Natspec

www.natspec.org.uk

The Association of National Specialist Colleges 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: • Skills to live more independently or to manage or direct care support; • Work experience and volunteering that increase employment options; • Getting involved in the community and travelling independently, where possible;

AALPS North (Adolescent to Adult Life Preparation Service), situated in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, is an NAS accredited Transitions Service supporting people aged 16+ with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, learning disabilities and complex needs.

AALPS North benefits from extensive facilities and a highly experienced staff team who focus on developing strategies that help people on the autistic spectrum to achieve their individual dreams and aspirations.

A person centred approach is taken with all the people within the service and individual programmes provide a structured routine. Existing skills, emerging skills and new skills are developed through a range of different teaching methods, often in real life situations and on a 1:1 basis. Outcomesfocused, person-centred development programmes enable people to successfully transition from higher dependency residential services into inclusive community living.

AALPS North

• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Winterton Road, Roxby, North Lincolnshire DN15 0BJ Tel: 01724 733777 E-mail: info@aalpsnorth.co.uk Web: www.optionsgroup.co.uk

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

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

Coleg Elidyr is a specialist college set within 180 acres of farmland in West Wales.

Founded in 1973, we provide further education and training for young people aged 18-25 with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities, behavioural and emotional difficulties and autistic spectrum conditions.

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.

As well as learning crafts in our workshops and retail in our on-site shop, there are land-based opportunities on our working farm, garden and forestry. Our curriculum is inspired by the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner and designed to enable the learner to move from doing to understanding and from experience to knowing. Our aim is to foster the development of the whole human being-body, soul and spirit – in order that each individual will develop the self-confidence to cope with adult responsibility and be able to lead a richer, more independent life.

Beaumont College

Coleg Elidyr

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

Rhandirmwyn, Nr Llandovery, Carmarthenshire SA20 0NL Tel: 01550 760400 E-mail: admissions@colegelidyr.ac.uk Web: www.colegelidyr.ac.uk

Derwen College is one of the largest specialist further education colleges in the country. It has been graded “Outstanding” at its last two consecutive inspections.

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Dorton College for Further Education SE London

At Dorton College, vision impaired students get the education and the independent living skills they need to take control of their future through our unique Learning and Living experience. The students we work with tell us that whilst they want to achieve academically, they also want support in learning the skills they need to live independently.

At Dorton College we offer this unique experience. Studying at a mainstream college whilst living nearby in one of our shared college houses, students have access to a wide range of academic and vocational courses, whilst building a network of friends and gaining vital independence.

“Thanks to Dorton’s support & working hard for my qualifications, I’ve got the job I really wanted.”

- Naomi, Former Dorton College student

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. 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 & practice these skills are embedded in naturally occurring, practical activities using the motivating medium of the horse where possible.

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The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy

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Administration Office: Seal Drive, Seal, Nr Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0AH Tel: 01732 592650 E-mail: dortoncollege@rlsb.org.uk Web: rlsb.org.uk/college

Avon Tyrell, 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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Learners are supported to lead the life they want and to be as independent as they can be.

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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The college’s specialism is personalised learning in real work environments. These could be in the wider community or on campus in our own shops, eateries, gardens, studios, offices, kitchens, workshops, small animal units or car valeting and recycling facilities.

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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.

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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 range of nationally recognised qualifications, vocational training and work experience. The College currently offers OCN qualification in General Administration, Horticulture, Catering and Hospitality, 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

Royal College Manchester at Seashell Trust is an outstanding day and residential college. We have a unique focus and specialism around communication and offer three programmes: multi-sensory support, autism support and an entry level programme. Students make outstanding progress in their communication, independence and work skills. Our excellent curriculum provides an extensive range of learning opportunities, carefully matched to students’ needs and supported by onsite therapy, medical and inclusive sports facilities and community learning activities.

Royal College Manchester at Seashell Trust

Seashell Trust, Stanley Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire SK8 6RQ Tel: 0161 610 0100 E-mail: info@seashelltrust.org.uk • Web: www.seashelltrust.org.uk

Part of The John Townsend Trust

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.

“We educate and care for d/Deaf children and young people or young people with communication difficulties, who may have additional needs, for a positive future within work and their communities” Westgate College is an independent specialist college offering residential and day provision for learners aged from 19 years old. Learners attending the college are d/Deaf or have communication difficulties many have additional learning and physical disabilities, mental health and associated challenging behaviours. Communication modes include speech, BSL, SSE, PECS symbols and objects of reference.

Westgate College,

Treloar College

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

Contracts & MIS Officer, Westgate College, Victoria Road, Margate, Kent CT9 1NB

Tel: 01843 227561 E-mail: admissions@westgate-college.org.uk Web: www.westgate-college.org.uk

Following the success of 2014 ’s event where over 600 people attended and benefited from the day we’re once again bringing you…

Thursday 4th June 2015

at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. (Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0EJ)

In association with

Becoming an adult

- building the best future for young people with additional needs 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 Cheryl Yardley on 01223 207 770 or email info@progressmagazine.co.uk.

www.progressmagazine.co.uk/events.html

Associate sponsor

Sponsor

Supported by

SoLO Life Opportunities

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

Helsey House Holiday Cottages Helsey House Helsey Nr Hogsthorpe, Skegness PE24 5PE Telephone: 01754 872 927 E-mail: info@HelseyCottages.co.uk

Helsey House Cottages are situated within the private grounds

of Helsey House in the hamlet of Helsey near Hogsthorpe on the North East Lincolnshire coast. They are single storey and on one level with no steps. Free wi-fi access.

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.

Each award winning cottage has been converted from original cattle stalls belonging to the dairy farm. They have been furnished to the highest standard whilst maintaining original features and character of the buildings. There is ample parking in the grounds. The owners live on site so are available for help and advice.

AVAILABLE FACILITIES: • We can arrange for groceries to be available on arrival • We have a wheelchair and a shower wheelchair available for guests’ use. A toilet seat riser and bed risers are also available.

• An Oxford midi 150 mobile hoist is available for guests’ use.

• Both cottages have laminated flooring for ease of mobility and are on one level.

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!

The Cow Shed

• A laundry room with a washer, sink with hot and cold water, tumble dryer and an iron and ironing board are all available.

• Pets are welcome. We have our own free range chickens with fresh eggs for you to purchase.

The Dairy

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Short breaks

Short breaks can make a huge difference to young people and those who support them. You can build your confidence and independence, whilst having fun safely. What are short breaks? How can you access them? What are the benefits? Progress gives you the ins and outs of short breaks.

Short breaks are there for you and your family, and you have every right to have one. They help you to have a change of scenery, maybe try something new or meet new people. According to the Short Breaks Network, ‘Short breaks enable disabled children and young people to do many of the activities non-disabled children take for granted. They help them have fun, try new activities, gain independence and make friends. Short breaks are one of the services most commonly requested by parents of disabled children.’

Your council’s website may have information on websites that can help. Local authorities, charities and private organisations can provide different types of short breaks for young people with special educational needs. These can range from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks. While breaks can include youth clubs, leisure sessions, and holiday fun clubs, some may also offer overnight residential home or holiday breaks with families or groups of friends. Some examples of short breaks are: • Play schemes, • Aromatherapy sessions, • Swimming lessons, • Short ‘holidays’, • Circus skills, • Sporting activities, • Day trips.

You will need to check with your local authority’s social care department though, as not everyone will be eligible for a short break provided by their local authority.

Benefits of a break There are many benefits to having a short break. For example, if you are moving from school into adult services, short breaks can help you to adapt more easily to new places, build your confidence with adults and meet new friends outside of school. These breaks also give you the chance to be more independent from your parents and have fun safely. A great step on the road to independence.

In a recent survey by Vitalise, 80% of caregivers (family or carers) put their loved ones health before their own wellbeing, and four out of 10 carers have not taken a single day off in the past year. Short breaks can be hugely beneficial to your parents and carers, as a break can help them to recharge their batteries while you have fun, are safe and are cared for. For families to benefit and feel involved in the experience, and for you to be supported safely, it is essential that staff are fully trained and any organisations who may be helping you with any personal care needs are registered with the Care Quality Commission.

According to the Short Breaks Network, ‘Short breaks enable disabled children and young people to do many of the activities non-disabled children take for granted.’

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Calvert Trust The Calvert Trust is an organisation dedicated to disabled people, their family and friends. You can enjoy days out and fun-filled holidays full of excitement that are specifically designed for your needs. Calvert Trust welcomes everyone, no matter your age or ability. They have three centres in Northumberland, The Lake District and Exmoor. www.calvert-trust.org.uk

Helsey House Cottages

The Together Trust provides youth and holiday club services, as well as a range of supported short breaks and holidays for young people across the North West with diverse needs, including learning difficulties.

You will be supported by highly experienced, committed and specialist staff who are there for you at all times. Visit www.togethertrust.org.uk to find out more.

Jollydays Supported Holidays Jollydays provides unforgettable and enjoyable supported holidays any time of the year.

The holidays range from day trips to the beach, music festivals to even swimming with dolphins in Florida.

Jollydays offer its experiences within a safe and supported environment. www.jollydaysholidays.co.uk

Phab

Hoe Grange Holidays is a fantastic rural retreat for all the family. This eco-friendly, selfcatering accommodation has something to appeal to all ages.

The log cabins on offer have two or three spacious bedrooms, with open plan living spaces and whirlpool baths. Situated in the Peak District, you can have up to 18 guests, and short winter breaks are available. www. hoegrangeholidays.co.uk

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Phab is a charity dedicated to helping people of all abilities to enjoy life together. One of the ways they do this is by offering holidays and activities that are fun for all the family, whilst improving your selfconfidence and independence.

They also fund special residential breaks, whichTare inclusive O D Apeople Y experiences for young to enjoy outdoor activities at fully accessible activity centres. http://phab.org.uk

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Helsey House Cottages are situated within the private grounds of Helsey House on the picturesque North Lincolnshire coast. They are single storey with no steps, and are furnished and modified to the highest standard, whilst maintaining the original features. The cottages also cater for children and adults on the autistic spectrum, and the owners live on-site so are available for help and advice. If you like the sound of relaxation and beauty, visit www. helseycottages.co.uk to find out more.

The Bendrigg Trust is a residential activity centre that specialises in high quality activity holidays that are catered for your needs. Situated in Cumbria, the Trust’s activities include archery, canoeing, climbing and orienteering. If you’re in the mood for adventure and fun, visit www.bendrigg.org.uk to find out more.

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Makin’ Tracks offers inspirational tours for wheelchair users who have a taste for travel. Their holidays are all across Europe, and they are dedicated to making your holiday as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Accessibility issues are carefully researched and tackled prior to every holiday. http://makintracks.eu

The Together Trust

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If you’d like to arrange and try something exciting, here are some ideas.

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Our support is different for each person as we design it around their individual needs and wishes.

We will work with you, your family and other people important in your life, to make sure we get this right for you.

We can support you to live in your own home, with other people or when you are out and about. We can support you for a few hours a week to 24 hours each day.

We will help you build your skills to become more confident and independent so that you can make choices about everything that affects your life and puts you in control.

0800 0884 377 United Response is an award winning charity and has been supporting young people and adults with a wide range of needs and disabilities for 40 years.

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PUTTING DOWN YOUR

Growing up, leaving home and becoming independent can open a raft of options about where to live and who to live with. How do you choose where to set down your roots? What should you think about? Progress is here to help you open new doors to your future.

CHOOSING WHERE TO

GROWING UP, LEAVING HOME AND BECOMING INDEPENDENT WHERE TO LIVE AND WHO TO LIVE WITH. HOW DO YO YOUR ROOTS? WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT? PROGR DOORS TO YOUR FUTU

Putting down your roots

Choosing where to live

Deciding to leave the family home is a big step in life. There are many options to choose from depending on what you want, your needs, support requirements and what’s available where you want to live. Options can include residential care, supported living, renting privately, or through a housing association or buying your own property. First of all you need to think about what kind of accommodation is best for you, where you’d like to live and who with.

If you have social care needs that are supported through your local authority, speak with your social worker or case manager. They can help to assess your needs and help you consider the best level of support for you and the housing best suited to meet your support needs.

They can also look at any financial support you may need and may be able to help you ensure you are claiming the correct benefits. Contact your local authority as soon as you can.

The local authority will also have a housing department who may be able to advise you on social housing in the area. By registering with them they can keep you informed of properties available and support you to find somewhere suitable to live.

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Deciding to leave the family home is a big step in life.

“There are many options to choose from depending on

T CAN OPEN A RAFT OF OPTIONS ABOUT OU CHOOSE WHERE TO SET DOWN RESS IS HERE TO HELP YOU OPEN NEW URE.

what you want, your needs, support requirements and what's available where you want to live.

Where to live When choosing where to live, think about whether you want to be close to friends and family or college, work or other activities you enjoy.

Sometimes it is best to have your family close by – or at least within driving distance – for support. Also, if there is an emergency.

However, moving to a new area can be a great opportunity, as you can have brand new experiences, make new friends and grow as a person. Although moving away may make you feel nervous, some people find it helps them to feel independent faster.

If you have support needs and there isn’t anywhere nearby for you to live, the organisation supporting you will help you to fit into your new

“

”

community. They should let you know about local activities, clubs, education and work opportunities.

Part of their support is to help you lead the life you want to lead and they’ll support you to do that.

They’ll also support you to build on your skills and confidence to become more independent.

If you have health needs, make sure you know where the doctor’s surgery is and if that means moving to a new doctor, make sure you are able to register with them before you move.

If you don’t drive, consider the public transport – where are the buses, trains, trams? Can you get where you want to go easily? If you work or go to college, make sure you check how your journey may change. Also see how long it takes

for you to get back to your parents, family or friends – if you move a long way away will this mean people won’t be able to visit you as often? Speak to your family and friends about this.

Make sure the area you choose to live in meets your needs. Does the area suit your lifestyle? If you like going into town, is there a town nearby to go to? If you like a quiet location, would a village be better or would that mean the transport isn’t as good so you can’t get to where you want to go? Does the area, the people and surroundings make you feel like it could be called home? Would you feel safe there?

Where you live can affect how happy you will be living there, so you must be sure.

If you have social care needs that are supported through your local authority speak with your social worker or case manager.

”

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LODGE GROUP CARE

the company that cares We have a proven track record in providing specialised residential care for adults or children with a learning disability, challenging behaviour and Autism.

We are able to provide support and care packages that meet the needs of individuals requiring ‘residential care’, ‘respite care’, ‘supported living accommodation’ or ‘outreach support’ .

We have a clear understanding of the importance of a smooth transition between children and adult services or transition from residential into supported accommodation.

To enable focus on the individual, we have developed clear policy and procedures to ensure that they receive a service that best suits them and meets their personal choices and needs.

Lodge Group Care endeavour to provide high standards of care and are proud of the achievements and good outcomes for those placed within our care services and have a long experience of meeting the standards set and required by both CQC and Ofsted.

The ethos of our company is built around person centred planning and our mission is to ensure that support and care packages provided are based on individuality and service user input.

199 South St, Romford, Essex, RM1 1QA • Telephone: 01708 548250

www.lodgegroup.com

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Supported housing, also known as supported “living , gives you the opportunity to live on your own, with your own tenancy and front door. ”

T CAN OPEN A RAFT OF OPTIONS ABOUT OU CHOOSE WHERE TO SET DOWN RESS IS HERE TO HELP YOU OPEN NEW URE.

Who do you want to live with ?

Some people decide they would prefer not to live on their own. You can get shared accommodation with your friends, or advertise for and choose housemates. However, living in shared accommodation can sometimes be a challenge, especially when it comes to cleaning, cooking and sharing costs. But it can also be really fun to live with people who become friends.

Other types of housing where you live with others is residential care, where all of your care needs

are supported, or residential college, where you live on campus, study, receive regulated support, development and life experiences.

If you receive formal support for your care needs, the company providing it must be registered with the Care Quality Commission – www.cqc.org.uk. The CQC’s website has details of providers of care and support in any area with information on how well they support people. This also includes any formal care needs support you would receive if you live in your own home. In these cases your care needs may be supported by a homecare agency.

Supported housing, also known

as supported living, gives you the opportunity to live on your own, with your own tenancy and front door. You sometimes live in a larger building made up of individual flats, sometimes in a shared house. You are independent but if you have support needs these can be provided for you by a provider of your choice, or by a personal assistant if you choose to employ one. Your local authority may recommend supported living to you and some residential care providers also offer supported living and help people become more independent and move from residential care.

you receive formal support for your “ If care needs the company providing it must be registered with the Care Quality Commission.

”

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Can my home meet my needs?

If you have mobility needs think about how suitable the property is, though it can be possible to make adaptations. Think about any work that might need to be done to it before you can live in it. The Disabled Living Foundation has a useful tool that can help www.dlf. org.uk/content/asksara. Home improvement agencies can help you with advice on adapting your home. You may even be entitled to a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local authority. If you think your home will need work, speak to the council first as they may not be able to help you if you’ve already started having work done.

If you have support needs, ask your local authority to carry out a health and social care assessment to make sure that any housing with care, be that supported living or residential care, is best suited to your needs.

Assistive technology can also help you to be independent while staying safe. Assistive technology includes video intercoms for the front door, sensors, recorded voice prompts and reminder alarms.

Look on the internet to see what the latest products are, and what you think will be best for you. Also, see if there is an independent living centre in your area, they may be able to advise you.

After the essential things, have a think about what you would like from your home. Do you want a

garden? A bath or a shower? What about the bedroom? Do you have a wheelchair which may need wide doors or ramp access?

Also think about whether you would like to live somewhere that already has furniture, or whether you will be bringing any from your parents or want to buy new furniture.

Leaving home can be both an exciting and daunting experience.

It is important to work with people to understand and explore different housing options that will best suit your individual needs, whether that is your own property, a shared house in the community or living in a small block of flats with others.

Don’t be afraid to take the first step to finding the right housing for you.

With thanks to Maria Chambers, Executive Principal at Scope, www.scope.org.uk; Amie Dobinson, Development Co-ordinator at United Response, www.unitedresponse.org.uk; and Rebekah Anderson, Sales and Marketing Director at Voyage Care, www.voyagecare.com

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ubu is a specialist Health and Social Care support provider. We offer help and support to people with learning or physical disabilities, as well as people who may have social and/or behavioural difficulties which make it hard for them to find their place in everyday life.

Complete this quick reader survey and return to us ASAP.

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IF YOU ARE A YOUNG PERSON

IF YOU ARE A PARENT/CARER/PROFESSIONAL

How old are you? . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .

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(please delete as appropriate)

How old is the young person you support? ......................

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Yes

Please give details of your diagnosis: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Please give details of their diagnosis: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

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Progress summarises the successes of this summer’s Commonwealth Games and offers you ideas of different para-sports that you may like to try.

This summer Glasgow, in Scotland, hosted the Commonwealth Games. The Games are held every four years for athletes from Commonwealth nations. These are countries that are, or have been, ruled by Britain. There are 53 countries or states that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

This year there was the record number of medal events for para-sports in the history of the Commonwealth Games, giving more para-sport athletes a chance to take part. There were 22 medals in total across five sports: swimming, powerlifting, athletics, track cycling and lawn bowls.

Para-sport events were part of the main Games and everyone’s medals were included in the final medal tables for the first time in the Games’ history. This made parasport equal to the other sports in the Games. What a result!

This year was also the first time cycling was included as a para-sport at the Games which increased the number of categories. All of these changes just goes to show how parasport has grown, which is great. It should also make sport easier to access for everyone.

Give it a go

Archery

If all of these fantastic things for para-sport mean you’d like to give something a go, there are many different sports you could try. We’ve included here some of the lesser thought of sports and organisations and clubs that can support you.

Archery is a sport where you use a bow to fire arrows at a target.

Archery has been used in history as a form of combat, but is now recognised as an Olympic sport.

Archery can be a skill, practice or sport. If you want to start archery, you must attend a club, as a bow and arrow is a dangerous weapon.

Visit www.archerygb.org/support/ operations/Disabled_committee for more information on disabled archery, or visit the British Blind Sport Archery website www.bbsarchery.org.uk if you are partially-sighted or blind.

Remember: getting active is great for your body and mind, and you never know, you may just be one of the athletes representing your country at the next Games.

There were 22 medals in total across five sports: swimming, powerlifting, athletics, track cycling and lawn bowls.

Clay pigeon shooting

Clay pigeon shooting is the practice of shooting a gun at targets, known as clay pigeons. They are shot from a special machine and whizz through the air, and you have to shoot the target down. You need lots of practise, but it is lots of fun. The Disabled Shooters Group (DSG) are always in need of new members; they are there to promote the enjoyment of clay pigeon shooting, helping you improve in confidence along the way. Clay pigeon shooting varies in discipline and the DSG organises regular events for people with a disability and carers. www.disabledsg.co.uk

Complet e our read er survey on page 29

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Fishing

Sailing

Fishing is the process of catching fish in lots of different ways. For example, most people would see fishing as catching fish with a rod and line. You can use a rod and reel with bait or an artificial fly (which is mostly used in lake or river). Fishing is a great way to relax and be close with nature. The British Disabled Angling Association helps disabled people access fishing. They have improved access and adapted equipment for disabled people.

If you’re interested, visit www.bdaa.co.uk to find out more.

Sailing commonly involves travelling by water in a boat with sails. You can change direction and speed by managing the wind on the sails, and you must be very knowledgeable and skilled to sail alone. With practise, it is possible. If you love the water and want to feel the wind in your hair, the Mariners of Bewl Sailing Association aim to provide integrated sailing for disabled people and the able-bodied. www.mariners-of-bewl.org.uk

Golf

Scuba diving is where you dive and use apparatus to breathe underwater. You can explore the depths of the ocean and the wildlife of the sea. The Scuba Trust help people with disabilities to embrace the excitement and enjoyment of diving underwater. They have monthly induction sessions and have, so far, trained over 400 people to scuba dive. www.scubatrust.org.uk

Golf can be seen as one of the most relaxing, yet most skilled of sports. It is played on a golf course. A small, hard ball is hit with a club into a series of holes in the ground. In order to win, you have to use the fewest number of strokes to complete a course. If this sounds interesting to you, you should check out the Handigolf Foundation. www.handigolf.net

Scuba Diving

Skiing Skiing involves travelling over snow on skis, although you can go ‘dry skiing’ on artificial slopes when there isn’t any snow. If you have always wanted to try skiing, but didn’t think you could because of your disability, contact the British Ski Club for the Disabled. They specialise in basic adaptive skiing, and their methods are just as fun, thrilling and fast! www.bscd.org.uk

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GENERAL SPORT SUPPORT Mencap Sport

Special Olympics GB Wheelpower

Mencap has dedicated some of its website to sport activities for the disabled. Working with many governing bodies of sport, Mencap Sport creates opportunities for people with a learning disability. It has lots of information on events and competitions, where to play sport, and details of its own ‘Inclusive Sport Project’. www.mencap.org.uk/what-we-do/ our-services/leisure/mencap-sport

Special Olympics GB is the biggest provider of Olympic-type sports training and competitions for children and adults with learning disabilities.

Its training is top quality, and they already have over 150 accredited clubs, so you can find a place near you. Throughout the year, Special Olympics GB athletes can participate in competitions locally and regionally, and every four years, athletes get the opportunity to compete in the National Games, the European and World Summer and Winter Games. www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk

Special Olympics GB is the biggest provider of Olympic-type sports training and competitions for children and adults with learning disabilities.

Wheelpower is the national organisation for wheelchair sport in the United Kingdom, and they set out to improve the lives of people with disabilities. It supports many sports, including rugby and sledge hockey. They want you to get involved and play a sport. www.wheelpower.org.uk

Successes at the Games Aled Davies, Team Wales captain, finished second in the men’s ParaSport discus F42/44 competition.

His silver medal meant that Wales surpassed their medal tally from four years ago. It took the tally to 20 for Team Wales, with nine silver medals.

Libby Clegg won the Scottish team’s first athletics gold for the country in Glasgow, setting a season’s best of 12.20 seconds in the Women’s 100m T11/12. The visually impaired 24 year old was aided by Mikael Huggins, her guide, and the gold meant that Scotland tally was now 33, their best ever.

English swimmer Oliver Hynd got the gold with a time of 2.22.86 in the Men’s 200m individual medley SM8. The 19 year old made his official debut on the swimming scene at the IPC European Championships where he won the 200m individual medley, and set a new European Record.

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THERE ARE LOTS OF OPTIONS FOR YOU TO TRY, AND IF YOU’RE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO FOR A PAID JOB, VOLUNTEERING CAN HELP YOU GET AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU DO AND DON’T LIKE, ALL WHILST HELPING OTHERS.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to get work experience, build your confidence and skills whilst giving something back to the community. If you think you might need additional support, this could be arranged too. Progress explains more.

When you are a volunteer, it means that you give your time to something that would benefit others, such as a community project or organisation, for free. Although you wouldn’t get paid, it’s a great experience and looks fantastic on your CV which may help you to get paid employment in the future.

There are lots of options for you to try, and if you’re not sure what to do for a paid job, volunteering can help you get an idea of what you do and don’t like, all whilst helping others.

What could I do?

You could volunteer for a helpline, in an office, a community library or for a charity. You could volunteer in a charity’s shop, help with office tasks, sort through products, help with cleaning, supporting other people or going on errands. There are as many volunteering roles as there are paid jobs. It’s up to you what you want to try out, find what’s available near you and what suits you best.

What will I get out of volunteering?

Volunteering has so many benefits and most will be unique to you. However, you might find volunteering will help you to become more confident, make friends, learn new things, get out of the house, find out more about who you are as a person, your likes and dislikes, and become a part of a community. There are also lots of health benefits to volunteering and keeping the mind and body active is often why people choose to volunteer.

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Most volunteering services will tell you what they think volunteers will get from working with them, these could be: • New skills and knowledge; • Developing existing skills and knowledge; • Improving chances of paid work; • Building up your CV or job applications; • Exploring interests and hobbies; • Building confidence and self-esteem; • Meeting new people and making friends; • Having a rewarding and wholesome experience.

According to Volunteering England, being a volunteer should not affect your benefits, and organisations that you volunteer for should reimburse you for any outof-pocket expenses, like travel costs, so you don’t have to worry about money while you are giving your free time.

Could I get paid work from volunteering?

Volunteering can be a way into paid employment.

However, just because you volunteer for a company it doesn’t mean you will be at the front of the line when it comes to getting a paid role with them.

However, it does give you an insight into the company that other people applying to work there may not have. The company will also know more about you, your skills and values than can be told on a CV and that may play a big part in any application you make.

Can I get support to volunteer?

There is such a thing as supported volunteering. This is where a volunteer is matched with someone who could benefit from some extra support to be able to volunteer.

The supporting volunteer is sometimes called a supporter, buddy or mentor. A supporter could be an experienced volunteer, a member of staff who is able to offer extra support, or another new volunteer who wants to do the same thing as you. In some cases, the supporter is someone who has been supported in the past and is now confident enough to support others. It could even be your carer or personal assistant if the company agrees.

Why would I need support?

There are many reasons why people ask to have a supporter whilst they volunteer. You might need a little help because of your disability, you might not feel confident or just feel you need someone to help you out while you get used to the role.

You may only need a supporter for a short time, especially if the support is to help you with your confidence or nerves. Supporters can give you as little or as much support as you feel you need. Remember, a good volunteering placement should always play to your strengths, give you all the training you need to do the role and have a clear line of support for you to feel comfortable at all times.

YOU MAY ONLY NEED A SUPPORTER FOR A SHORT TIME, ESPECIALLY IF THE SUPPORT IS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR CONFIDENCE OR NERVES. SUPPORTERS CAN GIVE YOU AS LITTLE OR AS MUCH SUPPORT AS YOU FEEL YOU NEED.

How do I get into volunteering?

If you like the idea of volunteering, you need to think about how and where to volunteer. Firstly, think about why you want to volunteer. Is it for the experience? The community? To give something back? To make new friends? Or to get new skills and build on existing ones?

You need to think about these in order to find what’s best for you.

When you have decided why you want to volunteer, see what is available that you could apply for. It might be that you want to start off only volunteering for a few hours to see how you feel. Speak to the organisation or volunteer centre about how much time you are willing to offer.

Talk to people who are already volunteering in your area to see if they can recommend where to go, or see if there are any training days for companies you’d like to volunteer with. This will let you get a feel for the place and see whether you would be comfortable there.

You can also talk to organisations that you like but who may not already have volunteers. It might be something they’d not thought of.

When you apply to be a volunteer, make sure you tell the person you’re meeting what your skills are, what your background is and what you think you’ll be good at. They can help you find the best volunteering role.

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Volunteering can come with some challenges, but they are easy to solve. If you need support it could be that the organisation you want to volunteer with doesn’t quite understand the support you may need or might not know who could support you. Speaking with them to can help to sort this out.

Volunteering is a wonderful way to get more out of life.

There are thousands of opportunities out there, it’s just a case of finding something that will fit your needs and interests. Do your research, get on the internet or go to a volunteer centre and ask for advice. Whichever route you choose, go out and get involved. It’s easier than you think.

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settles into life

can get a full list of shopping and if something’s not in stock, I’ll choose an alternative.

I’m G, and I’m 21. I’m at college now and really enjoying it. I’m doing all sorts of things I’ve not been able to before. I know that I still need support from staff but I’m also learning to accept this help better, even when I’m not feeling so well, or when I’m struggling with something or a bit frustrated and angry.

In the past I used to find change really difficult and I just could not change my routines without getting upset. Even if I felt ill, I would feel that I had to go to school – not now – I’m much more chilled. If I did get angry I used to slap my friends as well as staff – sometimes very hard; even if they were coming to visit me at home and trying to help me.

Shopping used to be a nightmare. I was a bit stuck on just buying Disney DVDs and if these weren’t in the shop I would get very angry. Now I

“

In the past I used to find change really difficult and I just could not change my routines without getting upset.

”

Social stories and a visual calendar have been really helpful. I’m now speaking much more. In the past I had to rely on PECS symbols. I’m going to work from college and really enjoying the banter.

If I get cross, I’m learning to think and just walk away. Home visits with my family are much easier and much more fun. The future is looking really bright.

With thanks to Hesley Group. www.hesley.org.uk

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TALKING ABOUT

Welcome back to our sex and relationships column. Here Gill Leno answers some of your questions about sex and relationships. Please send them in. Don’t feel embarrassed or too shy – there’s no such thing as a silly question about sex or relationships and if you’re wondering about it, someone else probably is too.

Moving on… what it means for relationships PARENTS

If you’re in a relationship It’s easy to forget how much relationships can be affected by changes – especially if those changes mean that you might not get to see each other quite so much. Have you moved on to different colleges or schools? Most adults after college don’t get to go on to work with their partners, but they still find ways to make their relationships work. Sometimes, not spending all day together can be really positive as it gives you lots of new experiences to share when you do get the chance to spend time together. It’s very important to remember that if you want to carry a relationship on, but you’re not spending as much time together physically, you need to communicate well and show each other that you’re thinking about each other to keep things strong.

Some couples end up moving on to the same college or next step together, and whilst that may seem straightforward, it’s still really important to share feelings and communicate with each other to make sure that you manage the change together. Changes can be exciting but sometimes a little confusing and nerve-racking, so remember to be supportive and stay positive.

i

Do you have any questions about talkin g about sex with your child? I’m here to help anyone.

If you’re single

If you’re single, moving to a new school, college, or place of work is an exciting opportunity to meet new people. It’s not unusual to meet a new partner when you’re starting out at a new college, for example.

However, it’s a good idea to focus on yourself and the main reason you’re there – to enjoy the experience of trying new things, meeting new people, and allow yourself to settle in. Remember to be yourself!

Everyone is unique, interesting and special.

There’s no need to do anything differently to impress anyone, and it will make it easier when meeting new people in the future if you act naturally and try to relax. Try joining some clubs or societies that focus on any special interests that you already have, or new things you’d like to try, so you can meet people with similar likes and dislikes to you – it will make starting conversations easier and you can get Send y our to know editor@ questions to them while prog – nothin ressmagazine .co you do g is off there’s limits a .uk something We’ll c no need to b nd hoose e shy. o together. time an ne or two ea ch d they’l anonym Who knows ous, so l be y ask wh what might atever ou can you like . happen?

If it’s urgent (or private) you can contact me at gleno@qac.ac.uk and I will email you back.

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CYBERBULLYING

The London School of Economics has recently reported that cyberbullying of young people is now more widespread than face-to-face bullying. What is cyberbullying? What can you do if it’s happening to you? Progress sets out what to look for and how to beat the cyberbullies.

What is Cyberbullying?

The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) says bullying is, ‘the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power.’

Cyberbullying is when a person or a group of people uses technology like the internet or mobile phones to worry, threaten or upset someone else.

It can happen at home, rather than at school or on the streets. Cyberbullying is nothing new, but with the rise of technology, more young people are being bullied via their phones, tablets and laptops than face-to-face.

How do I know it’s happening to me?

There are many ways that you can tell if you’re being cyberbullied: • Someone sends nasty, threatening or abusive messages to your email or mobile; • Someone spreads rumours about you online or via text; • Someone writes nasty, upsetting or threatening comments about you on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, or on web pages; • Someone steals your account information to break (or hack) into your email or social networks and send messages, or pretend to be you; •

Someone takes unflattering pictures of you and circulates them through mobile phones or the internet with the intention to embarrass or ridicule you;

•

Someone starts sexting (sexually texting), or spreads sexually suggestive pictures or messages about you.

What can I do?

Although it is upsetting, you’re not alone, there are people who can help.

If you can, tell your parent, carer or someone who supports you. They can help you deal with the situation. If you can’t talk to someone close to you, talk privately. Helplines like Childline have people who you can speak to and they won’t tell anyone else unless you agree. They can offer you advice on how to tackle the bullies. If it gets too much, and you feel you are in danger and need powerful help, talk to your teachers, or if you’re really worried about your immediate safety, the Police.

Learn how to save and keep copies of any texts, emails and messages that you feel are cyberbullying to prove it is happening to you. These records can be used by your school and the Police, as well as the people who provide your internet, and your mobile

phone company, to investigate the cyberbullying if needed.

If you’re worried, never answer calls from phone numbers you don’t know, and never reply to any nasty messages you may receive. You can also block people from being able to contact you on the phone or the internet if they bully you, so find someone who knows how to do this if you don’t. You can also change your mobile number if you wish, but only give it to people you trust completely.

How to protect yourself and your friends Keep your personal information private – never share your age, address, telephone number or photographs with people you don’t trust or know in person.

Digizen has a very good saying, ‘Treat your passwords like you treat your toothbrush’. Don’t let anyone know your passwords and if you’ve told someone your password before, change it. Using different passwords with symbols and numbers will help stop people guessing them. Also, never write down your passwords in a place where they might be found.

Only use private messages (like on Facebook) for people you know in person and trust.

Remember to log out of any web accounts like email or social media, especially if you share a computer.

Think before you send anything about yourself including pictures. Do you want the whole world knowing or seeing it, because once something is online, it’s very difficult to get it off.

Whether it’s by Twitter, Facebook, mobile phone, email etc., think before you send. ABA advises that you always keep your clothes on when using a webcam too.

Remember to learn how to block any bullies – there are many ways to do this on websites, social networking sites and mobile phone networks, and you can also report people. If you see any cyberbullying, support the person being bullied and report it.

Always respect others and be careful

what you say and send. Someone could feel hurt by your words without you knowing it. A joke to you and other people could be extremely hurtful to someone else.

Never forward on nasty or rude messages about someone, you could be helping a bully, and be called a cyberbully yourself. You could even be breaking the law.

Check out the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s webpage http://www. anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/sendprogramme for details on their AntiBullying Week and their effective anti-bullying practices.

Useful Helplines and Websites Bullying UK T: 0808 800 2222 • www.bullying.co.uk Childline T: 0800 1111 • www.childline.org.uk Cybermentors (online peer mentoring) www.beatbullying.org Digizen.org (Internet Social Networking advice and guidance for young people, parents and teachers) www.digizen.org EACH (Freephone Actionline for young people experiencing homophobic, sexist and cyber bullying) T: 0808 100 0143 www.eachaction.org.uk Mencap: www.mencap.org.uk/news/ article/keeping-safe-online National Bullying Helpline T: 0845 225 5787 www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk Samaritans T: 0845 790 9090 www.samaritans.org

With thanks to Achievement for All, www.afa3as.org.uk; Mencap, www.mencap.org. uk; Digizen, www.digizen.org; Anti-Bullying Alliance, www.antibullyingalliance.org.uk; and Council for Disabled Children, http://www. councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk.

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Keeping safe Sarah Goff and Progress look at how to be safe, recognise your safety and who to tell if you don’t are worried about anything.

What keeps me safe? What is risk?

What does being safe actually look and feel like? Why does it matter to be safe? What if I think I’m not safe, who can I go to, talk, sign or communicate with? These are great questions to ask ourselves as young people growing up, our lives, bodies and relationships are changing around us and sometimes we realise new things have started happening to us that don’t feel right. Being safe is as important as eating the right food, learning, having friends, having people we care about who care about us and having fun.

What does being safe actually look and feel like?

It probably means slightly different things to everyone but for some people being safe feels calm, it means not feeling scared, being able to concentrate and get on with things you like; not looking over your shoulder or worrying that a particular person is coming or is on shift or is on the bus. Feeling fed, warm, knowing what’s happening on the whole to you and having a say; knowing you can choose and can say what you think and like. People talk, sign or communicate with you in a way that is right for you, in your language. They understand that it’s ok to be gay, or lesbian or straight, that it’s ok to be you. They treat you like you matter.

Being safe is as important as eating the right food, learning, having friends, having people we care about who care about us and having fun.

What does being safe mean to you?

Have a think about it.

What does being safe actually look and feel like?

Why does it matter to be safe?

What helps you keep safe?

What does risk and harm look like?

When you feel safe you can learn, play, relax, laugh, explore your world and do things that help you grow and feel confident.

As you get more independent there are some things you might be able to do that might help you to keep safe. That doesn’t mean it’s your responsibility to keep yourself safe, but knowing a few things can help.

It’s ok to be unsure and it’s really important to ask for help, talk it over, sign it over and work it out. That’s why we’re starting this conversation in Progress magazine

Risk and harm or abuse mean things that people do that are not good or right for you. They might be things that they need or want that they make you do. They might be things that meet their needs but don’t meet yours:

What keeps you safe?

People you can trust.

People who want the best for you.

People who are kind to you.

• calling you names, • hurting your body,

People who give you choices and let you have a say (about most things).

People who ask and explain when they need to touch you in private places like between your legs to look after you, for example when taking you to the toilet.

• Like taking your money, your things and making you do things you don’t want to do;

What is risk?

•

touching you where you don’t want to be touched and don’t need to be touched. Your body is yours and it’s your choice when you have sex or do sexual things, not anyone else’s,

People who are fair.

• not being there for you when you need them, for example to get to the loo or to help you move about,

People who do what they say they will do.

• they might shout at you or ignore you,

People who make sure you are well-fed, warm and feel ok.

•

People you can talk to about your worries and who understand that if something worries you it’s ok to talk about it and change it.

What keeps me safe?

they might bully you at home, at school, on the bus, out and about or on your phone or online or anywhere in your life,

• they might hit or hurt you, • they might be very rough when caring for you, • they might make you take pictures online, or ask you to do things to your body online like touch yourself, • they might show other people pictures of you that are private, • they might try to make you keep secrets.

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You might have felt safe before but now you don’t.

Set up your safety net

What if you no longer feel safe?

How do I tell someone I feel at risk?

You might have felt safe before but now you don’t. Sometimes the people you thought you could trust start doing something that doesn’t feel ok or sometimes someone you don’t know does something that feels wrong. Think about these topics and how you can be aware of what you feel, what is happening to you and what you need.

Sometimes it can be hard to keep safe because you may depend on people a lot and sometimes things might happen that you don’t understand.

Sometimes it is harder to tell people if you are worried, or rather it might be harder to get them to listen. But there are lots of people out there who do understand and know how important you are and how important it is that you feel ok and can get on with the positives in your life. It is the job of your parents and carers, teachers, supporters or support workers to keep you safe and to help you to learn ways of looking after yourself and being as strong and independent as you can.

Occasionally people who should care for you may hurt you and that is not ok - whether or not they meant to hurt you, it’s not ok and it’s not your fault. Let’s just be really clear about that, it’s not ok and it’s not your fault! Sometimes it’s a big jump between realising this and doing something about it – sometimes it’s easier because you already had thought about where to go or knew you had people who would listen. Everyone has the right to have someone who will listen, and if they don’t listen it’s ok to say it again to make sure, say it louder or sign it bigger.

Sometimes the biggest thing is feeling a bit scared, worried what will happen or whether you will be heard and believed. It’s the job of those around you to hear you and to observe you too so keep your nerve and find a way to get started – don’t worry if you can’t say it all straight away, just get started with telling – lots of people can help you because we care about your safety and you being ok.

Also sometimes you might think it’s a bit embarrassing if it’s about touch or sex but actually often those around you should know about bodies too and not be embarrassed – don’t worry about them, tell, talk, sign and keep going; if they don’t listen find someone else.

What if I think I’m not£20safe, who can I go to, talk, sign or communicate ucher. o v n o z a m A 0 £2 with?

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Who should help you keep safe?

Sometimes, one of the people who should make you feel safe doesn’t, and it’s important to try to make sense of what doesn’t feel right and what to do about it.

You can tell someone you know that you don’t feel safe; like someone at school, home or a friend. If you tell another young person they might be

helpful and support you which will be great but they still might also not know what to do so it’s important to, maybe together, tell someone else.

You can tell a professional like a social worker or the police, you can call, text or email ChildLine. People want to be there to help you manage these things.

Support ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of nineteen. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor about anything - no problem is too big or too small. Call free on 0800 1111, have a 1-2-1 chat online or send an email via the website at www. childline.org.uk. There are also message boards where you can post questions.

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Why does it matter to be safe?

Set up your safety net Being safe is also about knowing who you’d go to if you ever needed to, so think now who’s in your safety net and if there’s

not enough people, let’s make a start on thinking who they could be. You could fill in your own hexagon like the one here.

My Safety Net could be safe to tell, who should help keep me Wider safe family like

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Friends

My mum, dad, carer, People who foster carer

Key-workers at school, Everyone who cares for, or college, home, works with short children should breaks

Wider family like grandparents and aunts and uncles

............................

Friends

............................

............................

Sarah Goff is Development Manager, Safeguarding Disabled Children Services at Ann Craft Trust. Sarah.Goff@nottingham.ac.uk

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What is Advocacy?

What is advocacy? It may be something you’ve not come across before. Perhaps you have heard it mentioned, but don’t really know what it is.

Emma Johnson explains the different types of advocacy.

Advocacy has a clear message and is pretty simple; it’s about helping a person to be heard. It is a way of ensuring that people are not ignored and excluded because of the prejudices they face. Advocacy involves enabling people to make informed choices and securing opportunities to have their voice heard, either by speaking on their behalf or by supporting them to speak for themselves.

Advocacy is strongly guided by the principle that every person should be valued and they should be respected and listened to, be centrally involved in decisions that affect their lives, and have aspirations for their future.

Most people can act as advocates and use advocacy daily without even realising. For example, parents listen to the needs and wishes of their children and friends stand by each other and offer support. This is regarded as ‘informal advocacy’ and is part of everyday life.

Advocacy involves enabling people to make informed choices and securing opportunities to have their voice heard, either by speaking on their behalf or by supporting them to speak for themselves.

Independent advocacy

Citizen advocacy

Self-advocacy

Sometimes more formal methods of advocacy are useful and can be very important for people with learning disabilities. This type of advocacy is often referred to as Independent Advocacy.

Independent Advocacy services have largely been shaped over the past 20 or 30 years in response to increased awareness of people’s rights and a passion to challenge the structure of services. For example, historic health and social care services instilled a culture of dependency and domination over the lives of people in its care, resulting in the wider society seeing people with learning disabilities only as users of services, with attention paid to their inabilities and shortfalls, rather than to their positive attributes, capabilities and individuality.

When people with learning disabilities began to leave long stay hospitals in the 1990s, advocates were asked to help people as they moved into the community.

Back then, advocates were usually volunteers who spent time getting to know a person and were referred to as ‘citizen’ advocates.

Their job was to ensure that the person’s views and wishes were taken into account when they were making their transition to their new homes. This marked a very positive step toward empowerment and inclusion for people with learning disabilities.

Soon it became apparent that advocacy was needed for people everywhere, not just for those moving from hospitals. All over the country small groups of citizen advocates, people with disabilities and health and social care professionals started to work together, delivering projects that could offer advocacy to those who needed it. Many of these founding groups gradually developed into the independent advocacy charities and organisations we have today.

Citizen advocacy remains at the heart of many organisations, though there are other types of advocacy too.

Casework or issue-based advocacy exists to support people on a short term basis, usually to offer support through a particular issue or event happening in their life. This type of advocacy is usually carried out by a skilled paid member of staff who may also have expertise in a certain area such as law, education or financial matters. An advocate’s role is varied but shouldn’t be confused with other roles such as a social worker or care worker. An advocate might express a person’s views and wishes in meetings and during discussions when decisions are being made, support a person to fully explore their options and choices, or access services and information on the person’s behalf. Their interest is only in that of the person they are working with and they will never take over or persuade them by their own personal views and values.

Self-advocacy is when people are able to speak up for themselves and, of course, is the type of advocacy we as advocates aspire to help people achieve. Advocacy organisations provide support to people, helping them achieve self-advocacy through one-to-one encouragement or the facilitation of self-advocacy workshops which focus on building skills and confidence.

An advocate’s role is varied but shouldn’t be confused with other roles such as a social worker or care worker.

Group advocacy People can also join together with others in what is known as ‘group’ advocacy. These groups of people support and encourage each other to speak up collectively about things that are important to them.

Sometimes people who know each other well can also develop ‘peer’ advocacy relationships where a person who is more able or knowledgeable on a subject can speak up on behalf of their friend.

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If you have never accessed advocacy before, then your local authority should be your starting point, as they have a responsibility to provide you with comprehensive information on services in your area.

Advocacy for people with learning disabilities Advocacy continues to become better understood and well known, partly due to its recognition and endorsement in modern legislation and policy documents. The Government strategy for people with learning disabilities, Valuing People 2001 and Valuing People Now 2009 stated that ‘People should be helped to express their views through an independent advocate.’ Advocacy is now also a statutory requirement for some people if they are deemed to lack the capacity to make certain decisions under the Mental Capacity Act 2007.

Today most people with learning disabilities are experiencing a better quality of life and for some, their personal goals and aspirations are becoming a reality. However, there are still many people with learning disabilities who are overlooked and marginalised by society, who consequently experience unequal life opportunities. As such, there continues to be a need for advocacy and every person’s situation is different.

Finding an advocate There are lots of organisations all over the country that provide advocacy and the majority of them will not charge for their service. If you have never accessed advocacy before, then your local authority should be your starting point, as they have a responsibility to provide you with comprehensive information on services in your area. Accessing your local Voluntary Sector Organisation (VSO) may also be useful, or simply having a conversation with other service providers such as GPs, social care services, schools and housing departments could put you in the right direction.

Advocacy can help you to express yourself to achieve what you want from life. If you think you might need support from an advocate, find a local advocacy service and ask if they can advise you.

Emma Johnson is Business Development Officer at Solihull Action through Advocacy. emma@solihulladvocacy.org.uk

Choosing a wheelchair accessible vehicle Vicky Crees brings you a guide to choosing a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

There have been huge advances in the mobility car market, wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) conversions and adaptations have become much more sophisticated. When you are selecting a WAV, there are various options available.

Accessible vehicles - the options Rear-seated accessible vehicles The majority of the WAVs on the market are designed for the wheelchair user to travel in the rear. These are generally the more affordable options and there is a wide range to choose from. The smaller vehicles such as the Citroen Berlingo, Fiat Qubo and Peugeot Partner are very popular and generally the lowest priced.

Medium-sized vehicles such as the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life and Volkswagen Caddy offer excellent quality. If additional seating and space is required there are large vehicles available such as Renault Master and the Peugeot Boxer which offer both a powered lift and ramp options.

Wheelchair Passenger Upfront vehicles A small number of companies convert vehicles which enable the wheelchair user to travel upfront next to the driver. An increasingly popular option, this is a much more sociable means of travel.

This is the ideal solution for people who travel alongside their carer or parent and are looking for closer proximity whilst travelling.

Driving from your wheelchair Driving from your wheelchair offers total freedom and independence for wheelchair users. You no longer need the help of family members or carers to get out and about as the driving experience can now be enjoyed from the comfort of your own chair. This type of conversion eliminates the need for strenuous transfer or assistive help. A wide range of driving adaptations can be fitted

to suit your individual requirements. Smaller, compact conversions such as the Volkswagen Caddy are very popular due to the fuel efficiency.

Rear access conversions can also offer much more convenience, as the driver doesn’t even need a disabled parking space.

Internal transfer vehicle solutions This solution is designed for wheelchair users who want to drive yet prefer to transfer, enjoying the comfort of the standard driver’s seat. Once you have entered the vehicle and secured your wheelchair, you transfer into the driver’s seat using a powered six-way swivel seat.

Checklist – your requirements Before you see any vehicles consider: • How many people need to travel in the vehicle?

• What seating layout are you looking for?

• Where would you like the wheelchair user to sit? Front / rear / middle • Will your home accommodate the vehicle (access, driveway, garage)?

• Would rear or side entry be more suitable?

• What additional equipment do you need to carry in the vehicle (wheelchair, scooter, hoists)?

• Do you prefer manual or automatic transmission?

• Consider fuel economy.

Once you have decided on the above, arrange a home demonstration with a reputable company.

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Whilst having a demonstration, ensure you consider the following:

Easy access • Is the ramp at a low angle giving you safe and easy access?

• Is it made from a lightweight material which you can easily lift?

• Does it have an anti-slip coating to give your wheels that extra grip?

There are various options - you can have a fully-automated ramp, rear access, side access. Consider all options to ensure you find the solution which suits your exact needs.

Lower seating position • Does the vehicle have a low floor to ensure the chair user’s eye line is within the window area? This will give a much better view and reduce the likelihood of travel sickness.

• Is the rear suspension modified in order to provide a more comfortable ride?

Space • Does the wheelchair area provide enough space for your chair or scooter?

The conversion company will be able to give you dimensions of the space, or tell them which wheelchair or scooter you have, and they will be able to tell you if this will fit into the vehicle.

Safety • You can choose from a four point manual tie down system, or a fully-automated wheelchair locking system (which is an essential for wheelchair drivers).

•

Check on the warranty offering – find out what is covered and what isn’t, for example, ensure that the company has mobile engineers who can come out to your home, and will bring the vehicle back to their workshop should the need arise;

• Be aware that there are many conversions built on the same chassis. Product quality may vary so ensure you do your research; • Does the company also fit adaptations?

• Are the vehicles available on the Motability Scheme? Even if you don’t intend to use it, all credible vehicles will be listed.

There are so many choices available when choosing a WAV, just make sure you research properly to find the best one for you.

More information Motability Motability is the UK’s leading car scheme which enables disabled people to use their governmentfunded mobility allowance to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair.

Tel: 0300 456 4566 Web: www.motability.co.uk The Forum of Mobility Centres is a charitable network of centres providing driving assessments and useful information.

Web: www.mobility-centres.org.uk Rica is an independent research charity that produces practical printed and online guides for disabled people. Rica has a guide to choosing a car including measurements and over 250 current and recent models.

Web: www.rica.org.uk

When selecting a conversion company • Ensure they offer no pressure, no obligation home demonstrations with experienced mobility advisers; • Select a company with a good reputation, with knowledge and experience within their field;

Vicky Crees is Marketing Manager at Sirus Automotive. www.sirusautomotive.co.uk

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Your solicitor will be someone who will listen to you and work for you so as to ensure you always feel supported.

SOLICITORS - first or last resort Nigel Cullen explains why solicitors can help with many things and why they shouldn’t be a last resort.

ST

Many of us think solicitors are people to be wary of and approached as a last resort. Maybe this is because solicitors are thought to be expensive to consult and you might think they are associated with arguments and sadness about losses in accident claims and divorce proceedings situations.

However, the reality is that solicitors are involved with lots of different things not always to do with going to court. Their help and support can be accessed often without charge or at modest cost. All practising solicitors are bound to follow a Code of Conduct which at its heart is about acting in your best interests. Having a solicitor ‘in your corner’ is about having the best possible champion for your cause – someone who will do their best to fight for your rights and to make your voice heard.

Though not often headline news, solicitors are involved daily in promoting best practice and pushing for justice; often helping to change the Law in ways that can improve human rights and prevent abuse. They are also very much involved in supporting charities and local events often giving their services and time free of charge for fundraising activities. You will often find solicitors climbing mountains, running marathons, baking cakes and doing voluntary work for the benefit of others.

Choosing a solicitor Climbing mountains aside; choosing the right solicitor for you is important. Solicitors specialise in different subjects and you will need to find someone who knows about the areas of law you need so they can guide you through legal issues to find the right solutions for you. You need to feel comfortable with the solicitor you have chosen and not be shy about explaining any special needs you have to help them to communicate with you well.

Many people are recommended a solicitor by someone else, maybe a family member or friend. However, the Law Society will also help. The Law Society will be able to advise you on who will undertake ‘pro bono’ or free of charge work. Importantly, you should be aware that all solicitors are bound by their Code £20 Amazon voucher.to talk to you openly about how they charge and what they charge for. Before you start working with a solicitor, ask them up front if you are eligible for Legal Aid, you may be covered for 29 on page legal assistance under your household, car vey or r u s r e d a e r r ve a u i o Complete ach rece ns es w ill e another insurance policy. ManyThsolicitors e first 5 respo will oucher. provide a first consultation or initial azon vfree Amadvice of charge or, by agreement, for a small fee.

Never be shy about calling to ask what help they may be able to give.

Complete the our reader survey on page 29

The first 5 responses will each receive an

£20

Complet e our read er survey on page 29

£20 Amazon vouch er.

The first 5 r

es po ns es w ill

each receive a

What can solicitors help with?

Fr

ee?

???

A relationship with a solicitor can certainly be lifelong and beyond for a family. Your solicitor will be someone who will listen to you and work for you so as to ensure you always feel supported.

Rather than hang back, fearing the worst about costs, instead perhaps the emphasis should be on finding the right type of supportive solicitor sooner rather than later.

Despite any fears you may have before first meeting them, more likely than not you will find a solicitor who will either be your champion or put you in touch with the right specialist to assist with whatever concern you may have.

When it comes to looking after yourself (or another) then finding the right solicitor should be high up on your agenda - your very first port of call rather than your call of last resort.

The Law Society Helps you to find a solicitor. http://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/

You need to feel comfortable with the solicitor you have chosen and not be shy about explaining any special needs you have to help them to communicate with you well.

Nigel Cullen is Private Client Partner at Freeths nigel.cullen@freeths.co.uk

Safegu

in our corner?

arding

Save time

OR

last

Solicitors are involved every day with ‘safeguarding’ of peoples’ best interests in the roundest sense. They will often have helped with similar situations to your own before and they will use their experience to help you save time and money. They will help you to stop feeling anxious about your situation too.

A quick call should help avoid risks, future problems and even court proceedings. The expression a ‘stitch in time saves nine’ comes to mind in lots of different situations when, for example, trying to manage debt problems, the employment of carers, the care of a loved one or when trying to adapt a property or manage someone else’s money.

Solicitors are able to help with all types of personal, financial and property matters. They can help you with, for example: drafting a will, issues relating to capacity, creating and administering a trust, tax matters, eligibility for funding and they can even provide assistance in ensuring your last wishes regarding medical treatment, and gifting away any property you have, are followed.

Solicitors have a wide variety of contacts and will always point you in the right direction to get the help you need if they are unable to help you directly.

A good number of solicitors are also qualified mediators. These solicitors will be involved in supporting individuals and carers in being heard when it comes to making decisions about medical treatment, care arrangements, special educational needs and ensuring vocational support.

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In association with

The Transition Event 2015 4th June 2015 National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham.

9.30am – 4.15pm

Becoming an adult

– building the best future for young people with additional needs.

In June 2015, The Transition Event returns to the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. The annual, one day conference, workshops and exhibition explores the life options for young people with additional needs as they move into adulthood.

Main stage topics in recent years have focused on all aspects of transition from education to employment, finding somewhere to live, working with local authorities and changes to Special Educational Needs Law. The conference is open to professionals and parents supporting young people through transition and gives them practical guidance to allow them to achieve the best possible transition for those they support. There are opportunities to engage with speakers, ask questions, share experiences to find out more about the process. Presentations are delivered by policy-makers, housing, care and support providers, researchers and professionals, all with first-hand experience of achieving the best for young people in transition.

The exhibition is free to attend and is open to the general public as well as conference delegates, there are also a selection of workshops running throughout the day. Come along to the event and speak to one of the many helpful and supportive organisations offering both local and national products and services to help the transition process. Young people are encouraged to attend too and local schools are invited to bring the young people they support.

Why attend?

96%

of 2014’s delegates said they would attend future events.

92%

of 2014’s delegates felt the event was good or excellent.

To find out more visit www.progressmagazine.co.uk/events.html email: info@progressmagazine.co.uk or call us on 01223 206965 @progress_mag

Associate sponsor

ponsors

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Hesley Group Colleges The safe, structured way to build steps to independence

We’re one of the UK’s leading independent providers of educational, vocational and residential services for children, young people and adults with autism, learning disabilities and complex needs.

Building on nearly 40 years’ experience, with an excellent, cohesive multidisciplinary team of education, care, therapeutic and clinical staff and high quality facilities, Hesley Group’s two independent specialist, 52 week per year colleges have already, in their first year seen young people take huge steps towards greater, sustainable independence, as they make the transition to adulthood.

The colleges, with other Hesley and community-based facilities, offer exciting and challenging, person centred programmes of care and enablement, tailored to the progressive needs of each person. Provision is carefully structured, with a wide range of life-enhancing skills broken down into small, achievable steps through, for example: • Life-skills training at home, at college and in the local community • Work pathways with job-specific training and placements • Travel training to enable safe, independent travel – and all the opportunities that come with this To find out more about the opportunities Hesley independent specialist colleges can provide, for young people age 19 – 25, visit www.hesleygroup.co.uk or call 0800 055 6789

Enquiries freephone 0800 055 6789 www.hesleygroup.co.uk Established in 1975, Hesley Group, through its schools and colleges support 8 to 25 year olds with a highly experienced and expert multidisciplinary educational, care and therapeutic staff resource, in high quality purpose built settings. We’re focused on positive outcomes and progress towards sustainable independence.