Annual Reports, Summer beckoning (we hope) & a lot of Links 29th June 2016 Dear All There are a lot of links in this bulletin – if it’s all too much, please call or e-mail us!
Ice creams, cakes and our annual meeting Thank you to all those that came to our Annual Meeting last Friday – and enjoyed cakes and ice creams! The Annual Report and Chairs’ report is on our website here: http://www.sendfamilyvoices.org/annual-reports-20152016/ …and the summary annual report is attached. Your comments and questions are welcome!
Our final Open Meeting for this term is tomorrow… Wed. 29th June
10-30am to 12.30
Barnes Sports Club, 261 Lonsdale Road, SW13 9QL
Penny & Lisa & Clive
Reps for: Phyz Multiple Learning Diff. PCNAs
If you can’t come along, and have any questions on the Golden Binder (SEN Support or Education, Health & Care Plans) or Parent Carer Needs Assessments – or any related subject, please ask and we’ll do our best to help and find an answer.
Ring-fencing SEN budgets A petition we might all be interested in… “SEN budgets need to be ring fenced for children's education not LA legal fees. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/132715
At 10,000 signatures... At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition At 100,000 signatures... At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament “
TAG youth club MeToo&Co’s new Youth Club with TAG… “is now well and truly up and running. It takes place every Friday evening, all year round, even in the summer holidays, from 7.30 to 9.30pm and is for young people aged 15 – 25 with any disability or additional needs, and is particularly suitable for those who would have difficulty accessing mainstream youth clubs. They have a different theme and different activities each week. The cost is £5 per session. The club has a sensory room, a computer room, a sports hall, an art room, lounge areas, a kitchen, tuck shop and access to outside space. Each session has a theme which is planned in advance, such as Bake Off, It’s a Knockout, Wet & Wild, Battle of the Bands, Open Air Cinema, The Apprentice, TAG Dancing.”
If you live in the borough of Richmond and your young person is interested in joining the TAG Youth Club this summer, please email info@metooandco.org.uk NB: The TAG Youth Club is also open to young people from all other boroughs, who do not need to book through Me too & Co.
Phyz This new support group for families of children & young people with physical disabilities is going from strength to strength… Next Meeting: Friday 15th July 10:00 – 12:00 at The CrossWay Centre, East Twickenham, Richmond Road, TW1 2PD. Topic: EQUIPMENT Summer Holidays Family Picnic: Tuesday 2nd August 2:00pm – 5:00pm at the Woodland Garden, Bushy Park. (Meet by the Pheasantry Café) Pub social evening: Tuesday September 27th venue tbc (but probably Harts Boatyard, Portsmouth Road, Surbiton, KT6 4ES). No need to let us know you’re coming but we do appreciate it if you can. Contact us on: info@phyz.org.uk
Improving support To all parents & carers… please could you complete the Department of Health’s survey ‘Call for Evidence’ on the Carers Strategy. This can be found here: https://consultations.dh.gov.uk/carers/how-can-we-improvesupport-for-carers Please copy your response to sendfamilyvoices@outlook.com This way, we can also collate the input and submit a collective response from Kingston & Richmond parent/carer communities. Any questions at all, please reply to this e-mail.
What’s new on the Local Offer… For disabled people age 16 to 30, and living in London, who want to get into work in the arts and creative industries… https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/blog_articles/575-inspiring-futures-the-event-a-freecelebratory-afternoon-event-for-young-disabled-londoners-aged-16-to-30 Search #summer in the Local Offer to find out what is going on in the summer holidays https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/site_search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&search_site%5Bterm%5D=%2 3Summer Achieving for Children’s Family Fun afternoon is an event for children and young people with disabilities and their families who live within the Boroughs of Kingston or Richmond and are under 18. The link below includes travel details. There are 50 parking spaces on site, please contact Jodi with any travel queries: Jodi.williams@achievingforchildren.org.uk
https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/events/20416-summer-aiming-high-family-fun-day2016?date=2016-09-04 True Access latest social activities for those with moderate learning difficulties or other health conditions https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/blog_articles/564-red-carpet-event-and-more-for-over-18-s And some holiday tips – via the Local Offer – read to the second half of the article for travel tips. Karen at the Local Offer would love to hear your recommendations (or avoids). Please comment via the Contact Us page on www.afclocaloffer.org.uk http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/travel-tips-for-children-with-send Statement regarding Occupational Therapy in Richmond borough https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/blog_articles/571-occupational-therapy-for-children-inrichmond-statement-from-sen-team Reminder of the policy on SEN Transport https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/pages/home/education/sen-transport Future Hub and the Opps Pack - delivered by Achieving for Children aiming to help 16-19 year olds progress their prospects through education, traineeships, apprenticeships, and jobs. https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/pages/home/preparing-for-adulthood/future-hub
Short Breaks – 8th July application deadline Deadline for applying for summer holiday short breaks funding is 8th July… https://www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/blog_articles/394-aiming-high-short-break-funding-summerfunding-deadline
From (or via) Special Needs Jungle How will #Brexit affect children and young people with Disabilities? http://www.specialneedsjungle.com/brexit-affect-children-young-people-disabilities/ Department for Education – Take part - Preparing for Adulthood http://www.specialneedsjungle.com/take-part-dfe-preparing-adulthood We all know that finding appropriate sanctions for children with disabilities is truly difficult. Here are some ideas from Integrgted Learning Strategies that might be useful. http://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-02-sensory-processing-why-is-disciplining-my-sensory-childso-hard
Things not to say to an autistic person… Over the last ten years, the label ‘autism’ is becoming so much more acceptable than it was – so good to see young people expressing their views on the absurd! You might have to scroll through the BBC three pages – this video is dated 21stJune @ 13.45pm (& there is swearing). This is a jolly video! https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=bbc%20three
Support from classmates… The 20 second video is in the top box on this webpage (preceded by 23 seconds of adverts) - or three photographs in the second box. Heart-warming and recognisable for many primary school age children.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3650114/The-heartwarming-moment-primaryschool-pupils-let-friend-s-syndrome-win-sports-day-race-linking-arms-him.html As ever, if you have any queries at all, please ask and we'll always do our best to find an answer. With best wishes, Romany (for Richmond) and Caroline North (for Kingston) Phone: 07469 746 145 www.sendfamilyvoices.org