Planning Ahead…

Planning Ahead…

22nd June 2018 Dear All Our news this time includes everything from the summer holidays, autumn workshops, adulthood or wills & trusts…

Corrections: In our news of 8th June, we included an incorrect e-mail address for Jonathan Rourke of the Independent Support Partnership (ISP). The correct e-mail address is: j.rourke@richmondaid.org.uk We also included a mistyped Eventbrite link for our 27th September event with Steve Broach.

This is corrected in item 2 below.

Table of Contents 1. Summertime and the Local Offer…

2. Steve Broach and the Post-16 maze 3. SFV reaching into schools 4. Fastminds & Neurodiversity Arts Festival 5. Thinking Ahead – free downloads 6. Adult Respite Services from Kingston Council – survey 7. Wills & Trusts - from Special Needs Jungle 8. Twitter bits and pieces 9. The SEND Local Offer and AfCInfo 10. Have you tried a Pop-up Sensory Room?

11. Community Fund round two (Richmond)

1 Summertime and the Local Offer…

The summer holidays are the next long break (?) for families. If you have an event, activity or you know an excellent provider, please encourage them to upload their events to the Local Offer.

For providers “Organisation and services can register on our [Local Offer] website to add information in two ways: 1 Adding information about an organisation or service to appear in the "Local Offer Directory Search".

2 Creating events or activities to go in the "What's On" calendar.

The intention is for all content owners to be proactive in reviewing and updating their information. The Local Offer is for the community and will only remain relevant if we all work together to keep it up to date. It is very simple and quick to register and will enable you and AfC to update or add information very efficiently.” https://www.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/local-offer/information-and-advice/find-out-more-aboutthe-local-offer/applying-to-be-part-of-the-local-offer

For Families The Local Offer should be, as much as possible, a single repository of information; the current event’s pages: https://www.afcinfo.org.uk/local_offer/events

2 Steve Broach and the Post-16 maze You are warmly invited to come and listen to Steve Broach, a leading barrister and expert on health, education and social care for SEND. Steve is an articulate and entertaining presenter who will guide us through the maze that surrounds post 16 provision; he will cover the practical application of the law.

Thursday 27 September 2018 10am – 3pm Clarendon Hall York House Richmond Road TW1 3AA There will be a Q&A session and topics will include: • Respite/Short breaks • Mental capacity • Education choices • Support to work • Parental responsibility • Social care • Community health • EHCPs The event is free to residents of Kingston & Richmond. Booking is essential: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-rights-of-16-to-25-year-olds-with-send-tickets46882380462?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

3 SFV reaching into schools For this summer and autumn terms, SEND Family Voices (SFV) are working with schools and the SENCo’s to offer informal information/workshop style events. We’ve begun to put together a timetable based upon the schools that accepted our initial offer.

The dates are still to be finalised and will focus on the subjects the schools request. If your school is one of those we’re visiting, we hope to see you there!

4 Fastminds & Neurodiversity Arts Festival Fastminds is the Kingston ADHD support network. This is an adult group that meet on: Thursday's 10:30am to 12:30pm and every 4th Monday of the month 7:30pm to 9:30pm

at the Kingston Quaker Centre

Shout out for volunteers, artists and performers Fastminds are putting on a Neurodiversity Arts Festival on: 14th and 15th of September Kingsgate Church above The King's Tun Wetherpoons.

“What are we looking for in an artist / performer? Every artist / performer taking part will identify as neurodiverse in some way. Some examples of neurodiverse identities could be mental health challenges, autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, brain damage, dementia, multiple disabilities, physical disabilities that also affect the mind in some way (such as people living with M.E. will experience brain fog) and some may relate to neurodiversity through their LGBTQ identity. If it is a collective e.g. a band, at least one member of the group will identify as neurodiverse. It is about your identity, not about if anyone else considers your as neurodiverse or otherwise.

Will anyone be required to disclose personal information about their own neurodiversity? No. This is not going to be required but we are providing a safe and accepting environment for the artists and attendees to share about their neurodiversity if they wish. Artists taking part do not need to disclose any information of their neurodiversity, however, by taking part in this event they do accept the ‘label’ of neurodiversity to be applied to them in this context.”

For more information, please follow this link: http://www.adhdkingston.org.uk/events.html

5 Thinking Ahead – free downloads These are excellent, and free to download ...

Thinking Ahead: a planning guide for families A guide to support families in talking about, and planning for, the future.

Thinking Ahead: a planning guide for families (rewriteable version) A guide to support families in talking about, and planning for, the future. You can download and save this version on your computer, write your ideas in the tables and templates and save for future reference and updating.

Free download here… http://www.togethermatters.org.uk/resources-and-information

6 Adult Respite Services from Kingston Council – survey Kingston Council… “would like to know what works well in Respite and what could be improved in order to make sure that the service we are providing meets everyone’s needs.

People have told us that Respite Breaks help support families to carry on living together for longer. If the respite currently provided isn’t working for everyone, we would like to know why.”

Respite (Short breaks) Questionnaire for Family/ Carers https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5JHJUSqhXksPFJP3Jl5kXENJwUTjy7ULrLTQAFFY 6OCbnHA/viewform

Respite (Short breaks) Questionnaire: Easy Read https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVPjtuC7qoixmdw-0jEi2m9ZTBFOIMLGJpA9jcdYXrPgRBA/viewform Deadline: Friday 29th June

7 Wills & Trusts - from Special Needs Jungle Disabled Person’s Trusts: When making a will is not enough

By Tania Tirraoro - June 12, 2018 “Before you have children, we have a reasonable expectation that they will grow up, leave home and live their own lives. But when your child has a disability that means their future independence is doubtful, your caring role is never finished. The inevitable prospect of your death, leaving them lacking care or security can be a huge worry.” https://specialneedsjungle.com/disabled-persons-trusts-when-making-will-not-enough

8 Twitter bits and pieces: Incredible blog from Stephen Unwin, former director of The Rose Theatre, on learning disability, epilepsy & cultural representation http://www.stephenunwin.uk/thoughts-and-provocations/2018/6/20/a-long-letter-to-joeylearning-disabilities-epilepsy-and-cultural-representation Guides for adult siblings of people with a lifelong disability: https://www.sibs.org.uk/support-for-adult-siblings/guides Epilepsy & sleep: a factsheet https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/system/files/attachments/SleepJuly2016_3.pdf How GPs can become more SEND-savvy: https://www.dimensions-uk.org/get-involved/campaigns/make-gps-accessiblemygpandme/im-a-gp IPSEA's response to Parliamentary Inquiry into SEND reforms: https://www.ipsea.org.uk/news/ipsea-responds-to-the-education-committees-send-inquiry Great to see that Kingston have signed this letter to Damian Hinds, Secretary of State for Education, over inadequate SEND funding - curious as to why Richmond hasn't? https://schoolsweek.co.uk/hinds-challenged-over-dangerously-inadequate-sendfunding/amp/?__twitter_impression=true Small charities & the role of commissioning https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/commissioning-must-fixed-says-lloyds-bank-foundationchief/policy-and-politics/article/1485444?platform=hootsuite

9 The SEND Local Offer and AfCInfo From the SEND Local Offer “MCCH Supported Employment Service: This supported employment service is for people with autism, learning disabilities, mental health needs, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. We work with the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames and Wandsworth Council to support people to gain and keep paid employment.” https://www.afcinfo.org.uk/local_offer/organisations/27258-mcch-supported-employmentservice

Achieving for Children are organising two events for Year 5 children with EHCPs and their parents to attend an information event on secondary transfer. https://www.afcinfo.org.uk/local_offer/events/27555-send-year-5-secondary-informationevent?date=2018-07-09

From AfCInfo “Welcome to the Youth section of the AfCinfo site for Kingston and Richmond These pages contain information about the Youth Service, Emotional Health Service and many other topics. You can find out about learning, training, working, and volunteering opportunities.” https://www.afcinfo.org.uk/young_people “Welcome to Community Information on the AfCinfo site for Kingston and Richmond This section of our website contains information for the wider community of parents, carers and community partners including childcare providers, schools, voluntary sector and employers.” https://www.afcinfo.org.uk/community_information

10 Have you tried a Pop-up Sensory Room?

From MeToo&Co; recent recipients of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Friday 29th June - 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm “Have you experienced our sensory room on Tuesday afternoons? From 2.30 to 3.45pm you and your children can come and “chill out” in our pop-up sensory room. Adults and children are welcome to enjoy the soothing yet stimulating atmosphere, with bubble tube, lights and soothing smells. A good way to de-stress!” https://www.metooandco.org.uk/activity/1/pop-up-sensory-room/1169#event-1169

11 Community Fund round two (Richmond) Some of these projects include improving accessibility…

“Nine projects have been successful in their application to Round 2 of Richmond’s Community Fund. A total of £549,799 is available to community projects. You can vote for up to two projects across the borough.”

Voting is open from 5pm, Monday 18 June until Friday 13 July. https://www.richmond.gov.uk/myvillage/village_plans/village_planning_fund/community_fu nd_round_two

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 from all at SEND Family Voices T: 07469 746 145 E: sendfamilyvoices@outlook.com W: www.sendfamilyvoices.org