Childcare, tegan's story, buzz and more pdf

Childcare, Tegan’s story, Buzz and more…

2nd June 2015

Dear All Lots of news articles this time and useful sources, plus Tegan’s animation. Please feel free to circulate this to your own groups and networks.

Short Breaks & Aiming High – first meetings 3rd June Recent changes to these services have prompted a steady stream of queries to RSFV. Would you like to find out more about the short break services available in Kingston and Richmond?

Caroline Baxter, Head of Integrated Services for Disabled Children, Jodi Williams/David Arrow, Inclusion Development Officers and Caroline Jager, Aiming High & Short Breaks manager have arranged some dates to meet with parents to talk about the changes in short break services. The dates are: Kingston - Moor Lane Centre Wed 3rd June: 12.30pm-2pm and the same evening from 6.30pm-8pm Richmond Wed 10th June: 6.30-8pm in The Terrace Room, York House Wed 17th June: 12.30pm-2pm in the Training Room, Croft Centre

Local Offer launch event Hot of the press is the announcement of an informal, family friendly launch for the Local Offer (there will be quite formal presentations mid-way through!). Date for your diary below and more details to follow…

Monday 13th July from 4pm until 7pm @ The Langdon Down Centre, Teddington http://langdondowncentre.org.uk

Childcare & SEND The Family and Childcare Trust is pleased to launch a set of free online resources – they include a number of Family Stories (case studies) within the site: “We have developed information and guidance to help families who have children with special educational needs and disabilities access the childcare that meets their needs, including a parents’ guide and a section about how to complain and appeal decisions.

Good quality childcare is beneficial for all children. It can play a hugely important role in your child's development, allowing them to become independent, to mix with other children and to learn new things. But choosing the right childcare can be a difficult decision for every parent, particularly if your child has a special educational need or disability (SEND).

There are laws to protect children from discrimination and improve support and access to services, play opportunities, education and information. There are details about these laws throughout our guide, below, to help you know what your rights are as a parent.” http://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/childcare-children-special-educational-needs-anddisabilities?dm_t=0,0,0,0,0

Special Needs Jungle collaboration with patientINFORM “You know when you're looking online for information such as medical articles or research and you come up against one paywall after another? And it's always the information that would be really useful to help you better understand a condition your family is affected by or empower you to discuss the condition with the medical professionals concerned - BUT you can't get your hands on it without splashing the cash which, as parents advocates, we can barely afford.

Well, from now on, we will be able to help you access some of the information you need.”

You can read the full SNJ article here: http://www.specialneedsjungle.com/introducing-the-snj-collaboration-with-patientinform/ PatientINFORM: Publishers and patient organizations working to empower patients and their families by providing access to and interpretation of the latest and most important clinical research in medicine.

Tegan’s story “Being the only disabled pupil in a mainstream school can be a lonely experience, especially when classmates are too shy to chat or ask questions. Fourteen-year-old Tegan VincentCooke from Bristol has cerebral palsy and was in this situation but found a new and engaging way to help others understand her.

Following a presentation to her class, everything changed. "Straight away people asked more and did more," says Tegan's mum Sylvia Vincent. "She was treated totally different."

And from there Tegan decided to put her story into an animated form to help other people understand her condition.“ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFNDSFWBYTM And how it was made... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32785290

Share & Create… more on Learning Disability Awareness Week “Orleans House Gallery would like to invite you to Learning Disability Awareness Week: Share and Create Day Join the Education Team from Orleans House Gallery to learn about and discuss the creative outlets available for children, young people and adults with Special Education Needs in and around the borough of Richmond upon Thames. The day will include a morning workshop for families, a series of talks and discussions led by SEN professionals and a chance to take part in ‘On Your Marks…’ a special open event hosted by Transitions artists (our regular art group for young people and adults with additional needs). Lunch and refreshments will also be included.

Please RSVP to Josie.dick@richmond.gov.uk. We look forward to seeing you there.” www.educationorleanshousegallery.tumblr.com The blog for all the activities in Richmond is here: https://learningdisabilityawarenessweek2015.wordpress.com/

The Buzz The Buzz is the young people’s zone on the National Deaf Children’s Society website, and they have made some videos for young people on the SEND Reforms. A mix of subtitles and drawings… http://youngpeople.ndcsbuzz.org.uk/infoadvice/ref:I53FDDB0D05381/

Disability Rights UK “I Can Make It is our latest campaign, funded by Comic Relief. This three year campaign aims to lower the gap in employment between disabled people and non-disabled people.This will be done using existing spending by businesses and local government to make new jobs.

We’re looking for twelve young people with disabilities aged 18-25 and living in one of the following cities in England to volunteer on average one day per week throughout the duration of the project” http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/i-can-make-it

What are your experiences of Children’s & Adolescents Mental Heatlh Services (CAMHS)?

Would you like your experiences to inform the future CAMHS strategy and help to shape CAMHS services locally? A reminder of this very important survey which closes on 19 th June: The parent’s survey: http://goo.gl/forms/8e8lBe0HLR

Attachments… (these can be sent on request) 

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Following some very helpful, and thorough feedback, we have updated these two Quick Start Guides: Transfer to an EHCP and New EHCP. These are still awaiting a final revision, however we thought it wise to send you the dated (1st June) and amended versions asap. You can find these on our website, under Useful Documents.

The National Children’s Bureau summary briefing on the content of the Queen’s Speech that is relevant to children and young people. There is a particular focus on the Bills being introducing in the 2015-2015 parliamentary session.

An introductory letter from KIDS; who will be providing the ‘SEND Impartial & Information Advice Service’ for families in Kingston & Richmond.

Achieving for Children’s updated senior management organisation chart Achieving for Children’s short break statement (dated April 2014) which includes some information on the eligibility criteria (annex A)

As ever, if you have any queries at all, please ask and I'll do my best to find an answer.

With best wishes, Romany RSFV phone: 07469 746 145 www.richmondsendfamilyvoice.org