PiPS Newsletter August 2013

Parents in Partnership Stockport (PIPS) is a group for parents and carers who have children or young people in Stockport with disabilities or additional needs.

PIPS wants to improve services in PIPS Exclusive Soft Play Sessions are running each week Stockport for our children and young during the school summer holidays, for children with people. additional needs and their siblings.

Let Loose on Mondays 4-6 pm We work with parents and the Stockport http://www.letlooseplay.com Children and Young People's Disability Fun Time Kids on Wednesdays 4-6pm Partnership in order to assess, develop, https://www.facebook.com/FuntimeKidsCheadle improve and maintain services. ÂŁ3.50 to play or ÂŁ5.50 for a meal deal. Both venues are really The more supporters we have, the more flexible with the meal deals (separate pots, slight variations influence we will have. etc.). No age limit, if you think your children will benefit come along. Parents/Carers are responsible for their children whilst at the sessions.

Great news ..............Ian Donegani Service Manager (SEN Operations) and Simon Transport Manager Children and Young Peoples Disability Partnership will be coming to the play session at Let Loose, Pepper Rd, Hazel Grove on the 19th August at 4 pm till 6 pm. So they can talk to all the families who go.

Newsletter August 2013 You can now join PIPS online!

Visit http://www.pipstockport. org/index.php?page=members to complete a membership form. Parents and Carers can join as full members. Professionals can join as associate members.

PIPS are extremely pleased to inform everyone that we had a very positive meeting with CAMHS at Stepping Hill Hospital this afternoon. PIPS and CAMHS are going to be "Working in Partnership" to improve the experience for families in Stockport. There will be some further announcements regarding this in the next few weeks ...........

PIPS are delivering a workshop to the CAMHS team at Stepping Hill Hospital in just over a weeks time to raise awareness of the experience of Parent Carers. If you have any experience of CAMHS good or bad, and want us to share your views anonymously then please email us at info@pipstockport.org

• PIPS Annual Information Day - Thinking Local, Acting Personal.

Wednesday 16 October 2013 9:15am to 4 pm (times provisional) • Free Admission – Accessible Venue • Cheshire Conference & Events Centre, Edgeley Park, Hardcastle Road, Edgeley, Stockport SK3 9DD

• Directions can be found at: www.cc-events.co.uk/contact.asp • A day for parents and carers of children and young people up to 25 in Stockport with disabilities and additional needs as well as professionals • With inspirational national and local speakers all-day market place • The day will: give information about local services for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs and their families give practical advice to families on coping with disabilities and additional needs provide inspirational stories about dealing with disability and additional needs Rethink Stockport Carers Service - Caring and Coping The Impact of Mental Health (A workshop designed to address the issues around the impact on mental health on family and friends).

21st August 2013, 5.30 -8pm (Content of the course starts at 6pm, please arrive between 5.30 and 6pm) The WellBeing Centre, Chestergate, Stockport, SK1 1LZ Stockport.carers@rethink.org 0161 432 3770 – for bookings please contact.

There will be light refreshments provided. This event is free of charge.

If you find that you have booked and you can no longer attend, please let the service know as the place can be offered to someone else.

Rethink Mental Illness’s Caring and Coping course has received positive feedback nationally by carers and health professionals.

Next Coffee Morning - Gavin Owen from Stockport Mind is coming to talk to families at our next Coffee Morning on the 5th September, 1012noon. The Heaton Centre, Thornfield Road, Heaton Moor, Stockport SK4 3LD. Come along and join us for coffee and cake as well!

PIPS would like to know if you would all like another free play afternoon just like we did at Offerton Community Centre last February. We hoping to do one on the 13th August if we have enough interest........

More details to follow

Newsletter August 2013

Signpost hold carers’ drop-in’s in the following areas, Drop in times are 10am—1pm Heald Green Village Hall, Outwood Rd Heald Green on the every 2nd Thursday in the month Disability Stockport , 23 High St, Stockport SK1 1EG on the every last Wednesday in the month

Music Unlimited are running creative music sessions for young people (18+) with special needs in Stockport, Trafford and Tameside from September 2013.

For more information visit http://issuu.com/pipstockport/d ocs/change_the_music_a5_sout h_mancheste

Representatives from Signpost are there to provide emotional support, information on local services and benefits.

For more information ring 442 0442 Useful Contacts. http://www.signpostforcarers.org.uk/ Signpost for Carers Stockport http://www.cald.co.uk/ Carers for Adults with a Learning Disability http://www.stockportcypdisp.org.uk/471305/scaas Stockport Carers for Adults on the Autistic Spectrum. http://www.independentoptions.org.uk/ Independent Options http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/guide/practicalsupport/Pages/Supportservices.aspx NHS Direct Support Services http://www.stockportcypdisp.org.uk/ Stockport Children & Young People's Disability Partnership If you have any useful contacts you would like other to know about next month let us know.

Families are being encouraged to come along to the event which takes place from 11.00am to 4.00pm on Wednesday 7th August.

The theme of National Play Day 2013 is ‘Playful Places’ which aims to raise awareness of children’s right to play. The ‘Playful Places’ theme is calling on everyone to help make sure that the places where children play and hang out are great places to play.

The event will include a bouncy castle, face painting, badge making, cardboard city, straw bales, giant sandcastle, under 5’s area, libraries, sports/games, art/crafts, tin-can alley, clown troupe, hook a duck, prize draw, dance troupes, recycling obstacle course/recycling activities, puppet making and a treasure hunt.

Most activities are free, however there will be a small charge for some events. Activities are mainly child focussed but are open to all ages. For more information about the event, contact the Council’s Play Development team on 0161 474 4471 or visit the Play Day website www.playday.org.uk Newsletter August 2013

NEW TRANSPORT STATEMENT‌‌.

Does you child go to and from school on transport?

The Travel Coordination Service has tried very hard to minimise the changes necessary in relation to travel support arrangements for September 2013. I hope you can see that this is substantiated by the statistics below. That said we do not underestimate the effect any change can have for children and young people. Therefore, if you feel your child would benefit from having a transition pack prepared, then please get in touch with the Travel Coordination Service and they will arrange this for you.

How many new children have come onto transport? 72 How many runs remain the same? 115 How many runs remain with new children added? 40 How many runs have completely gone? 27 runs have gone. Although this does not necessarily mean they have been combined onto other runs- the runs may have needed as the children on it no longer attend that school next year.

How many new runs have been set up? As of 18.07.13.- 10 new runs have been tendered How many children have had to face a change? 23 How many parents have received confirmation of their September runs?

All parents who have applied, been assessed and granted and have been sent letters- as of 18.07.13 How many contractors have been advised of the runs for September ? All contractors have their route details as of 18.07.13. New children are being sent as necessary to contractors.

What training has been arranged and what have contractors been told?

Training took place at Heaton School 18.07.13 (all Heaton contractors were informed.) Training is planned for Valley School and Oak grove School in September. The TCS are in the process of arranging wheelchair training over the summer break. Date yet to be confirmed.

Kind regards Ian Donegani Service Manager (SEN Operations)

Newsletter August 2013