Info from Welsh government
Sennedd Debate to include Home Ed - Tuesday 14th November
https://assemblyinbrief.wordpress.com/2016/11/09/childrens-commissioners-annual-report-2015-16/
An opportunity to connect with the First Minister for Wales.
Thursday 17th November. You must prebook your ticket here.
Deadline approaching for people to claim for their care People who believe their care should have been funded by the NHS, are being encouraged by the Welsh Government to register their intent to make a claim. http://gov.wales/newsroom/
Some of the events our group members will be attending this month:-
An opportunity to connect with the First Minister for Wales.
Thursday 17th November. You must prebook your ticket here.
“Protecting children, enforcing their rights” Free public lecture by Lord Kerr
17th Nov @ Swansea Uni, Richard Price Lecture Theatre, 6.30pm
All Wales Carers Assembly 2016
Old Debating Chamber, National Assembly for Wales, Ty Hywel
To mark this year’s Carers Rights Day
Old Debating Chamber, National Assembly for Wales, Ty Hywel
To mark this year’s Carers Rights Day
Friday 18 November 2016
Schools Exclusion Training with Snap Cymru 22/23rd November Swansea
Lots more events and training around Wales for members are listed as always in our facebook group . If you are a parent/carer of a young person educated outside school in Wales do join us!
Schools Exclusion Training with Snap Cymru 22/23rd November Swansea
Lots more events and training around Wales for members are listed as always in our facebook group . If you are a parent/carer of a young person educated outside school in Wales do join us!
Other News from around WalesThe Into Film Festival is running this month. An opportunity to see a wide variety of free cinema screenings all over Wales. Don't forget to take a look at the free learning resources to accompany the films available on the Into Film website. To book click here.
Contact A Family Cymru
Nominate your unsung heroes in the first ever Contact a Family Awards
We want your nominations for our first ever Contact a Family Awards to help us shout about and celebrate the countless things UK families do when caring for a disabled child. You can help shine a well-deserved spotlight on families with disabled children by nominating friends, family members or yourself in one or more of the six Contact a Family Award categories by 31 October.
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. Are these new rights making life better for you?
When the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 came into force on 6 April 2016, it brought with it important new rights for carers in Wales. Are these new rights making life better for you? Carers UK want carers across Wales to help them Track the Act so they can see what’s making a difference to your life, and what more needs to be done. Follow the link to the short survey and tell us about your experiences:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.
Family events in Wales are moving on up (and out)
Contact a Family Cymru has a great history of providing social events for families in Wales with the aim to bringing families together to share experiences and the wealth of knowledge that they hold. We have been able to build successful partnerships with many of the cinemas in Wales and their independent umbrella organisation, Film Hub Cymru. We are now going to be working with Film Hub Cymru and some of the cinemas in Wales to advise and help them run a programme of disability family friendly film shows during 2016 and 2017. Watch out for further details.
In August this year we invited families to share their views on events and the majority were really interested in attending outdoor events – going on walks and rides, joining in nature activities and taking part in camp-craft games. We have listened to this interest and recently ran some successful pilot outdoor events. We have also applied to BBC Children in Need for funding to run a programme of these outdoor events from 2017 onwards. So keep your fingers crossed for that and get those wellies at the ready! For regular updates, like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/
We want your nominations for our first ever Contact a Family Awards to help us shout about and celebrate the countless things UK families do when caring for a disabled child. You can help shine a well-deserved spotlight on families with disabled children by nominating friends, family members or yourself in one or more of the six Contact a Family Award categories by 31 October.
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. Are these new rights making life better for you?
When the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 came into force on 6 April 2016, it brought with it important new rights for carers in Wales. Are these new rights making life better for you? Carers UK want carers across Wales to help them Track the Act so they can see what’s making a difference to your life, and what more needs to be done. Follow the link to the short survey and tell us about your experiences:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.
Family events in Wales are moving on up (and out)
Contact a Family Cymru has a great history of providing social events for families in Wales with the aim to bringing families together to share experiences and the wealth of knowledge that they hold. We have been able to build successful partnerships with many of the cinemas in Wales and their independent umbrella organisation, Film Hub Cymru. We are now going to be working with Film Hub Cymru and some of the cinemas in Wales to advise and help them run a programme of disability family friendly film shows during 2016 and 2017. Watch out for further details.
In August this year we invited families to share their views on events and the majority were really interested in attending outdoor events – going on walks and rides, joining in nature activities and taking part in camp-craft games. We have listened to this interest and recently ran some successful pilot outdoor events. We have also applied to BBC Children in Need for funding to run a programme of these outdoor events from 2017 onwards. So keep your fingers crossed for that and get those wellies at the ready! For regular updates, like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/
National Autistic Society As part of our free autism education resources project, we asked autism professionals for tips on supporting young people as they move to a new school or start school for the first time.If you're not signed up to receive MyWorld already, which provides free fortnightly resources for education professionals, you can do so here.
And
Moving Forward: A flexible pathway to employment The Moving Forward project team give an insight into how their project supports young autistic people into employment, further education or volunteering opportunities.
The diagnosis of a child’s vision impairment can turn a family’s world upside down. Dealing with the emotions and many questions posed by what the future may hold can be a difficult time.
Check out Starting Point which signpost families to resources and professionals that can help with the first steps in accepting their child’s diagnosis.
Afasic Cymru parent support group in Swansea up and running! We are hoping to hold a group every two months at the Swansea Carers Centre in Mansel St, Swansea, families are welcome from any area. I’ve attached a poster about the next group on Thursday 3rd November, 10am – 12pm and would be very grateful if you could share it with anyone who might be interested. The November group is to be a normal coffee morning drop in session but the one that is organised for Thursday 1st December is going to be a workshop for parents/carers run by Richard formerly from Contact a Family, topic to be decided.
Swansea Carers Centre Self-Advocacy for Carers 50+ Swansea Carers Centre will be delivering self-advocacy training in the next couple of months to help carers in Swansea to get their voices heard. They will be running during October and November and will be an opportunity for carers to learn about communicating effectively, making a complaint, influencing and negotiating, carers rights, learning about emotions, being assertive and stress control.
- Intro to Mindfulness [Wed, 19 October / Wed, 23 November]
- Community Policing & You [Mon.24 October]
- Road to Resilience [Thu, 27 October]
- Be Assertive! Be Confident! 4 Weeks [Starts Thu, 3 November]
- Help Me to Be Heard! Dealing with Professionals 4 Weeks [Starts Mon, 7 November]
- Safeguarding [Tue, 8 November]
- Stand & Deliver (with Confidence) [Thu, 29 November]Priority will be given to carers who are aged 50 and over, but we will open it to other carers if spaces are still available on a course. So if you are interested in our Self-advocacy training programme, just ring us on 01792 653344 or email:marta@swanseacarerscentre.org.
daniel@swanseacarerscentre.
- Intro to Mindfulness [Wed, 19 October / Wed, 23 November]
- Community Policing & You [Mon.24 October]
- Road to Resilience [Thu, 27 October]
- Be Assertive! Be Confident! 4 Weeks [Starts Thu, 3 November]
- Help Me to Be Heard! Dealing with Professionals 4 Weeks [Starts Mon, 7 November]
- Safeguarding [Tue, 8 November]
- Stand & Deliver (with Confidence) [Thu, 29 November]Priority will be given to carers who are aged 50 and over, but we will open it to other carers if spaces are still available on a course. So if you are interested in our Self-advocacy training programme, just ring us on 01792 653344 or email:marta@swanseacarerscentre.org.
daniel@swanseacarerscentre.
And also from Swansea Carers centre
Swansea Young Adult Carers Project. Most young carers look after parents or care for siblings and do extra jobs around the house such as cooking, cleaning and help move around the home. Young carers also give the person who they are caring for emotional and physical support.
Young carers often don’t know they are carers as they start support from an early age. Others can become a carer overnight. Many young carers are happy with their caring role, other feel like they need extra support. How can we help? Swansea Young Adult Carers Project will provide one to one support with a young person. On the third Thursday of every month we hold a drop in youth club between 6:00 -8:30pm at EYST St Helens Road Swansea. Click here for details http://www.
Foundation Phase - updated information for Flexi-schoolersThe statutory curriculum for all 3 to 7 year olds in Wales, in both maintained and non-maintained settings.It encourages children to be creative, imaginative and makes learning more enjoyable and more effective. Children will be given opportunities to explore the world around them and understand how things work by taking part in practical activities relevant to their developmental stage. They will be challenged through practical activities and develop their thinking with open-ended questions. Children will be encouraged to explore concepts and share ideas for solving problems. The Foundation Phase has 7 areas of learning which are delivered through practical activities and active learning experiences both indoors and outdoors. The areas of learning are:
· personal and social development, well-being and cultural diversity
· language, literacy and communication skills
· mathematical development
· Welsh language development
· knowledge and understanding of the world
· physical development
· creative development.
Practitioner guidance Guidance and training materials (external link) to help deliver the Foundation Phase are available on Learning Wales.
Flying Start Flying Start is part of our early years programme for families with children under 4 years of age living in disadvantaged areas of Wales. Flying Start is one of our top priorities in our Tackling Poverty Agenda. We are committed to doubling the number of children and their families benefiting from the Flying Start Programme from 18,000 to 36,000 by the end of this Assembly’s term in 2016. In 2014-15, 37,260 children benefited from and were in receipt of Flying Start services in Wales at any time, exceeding the expected numbers. What Flying Start means in practice There are 4 key elements to Flying Start. Free quality, part-time childcare for 2-3 year olds Flying Start provides quality childcare which is offered to parents of all eligible 2-3 year olds for 2 and a half hours a day, 5 days a week for 39 weeks. In addition, there should be at least 15 sessions of provision for the family during the school holidays. This should be linked to foundation phase entry into schools to ensure a seamless transition between the two offers with no gaps in provision. An enhanced Health Visiting service; Access to Parenting Programmes; Speech, Language and Communication; Outreach http://gov.wales/topics/
Scope is a charity that exists to make this country a place where disabled people have the same opportunities as everyone else. http://www.scope.org.uk/ The site has information for parent/carers and resources such as childrens books http://www.scope.org.uk/
Contact a Family policy head supports launch of Premier League disability programme an initiative that aims to inspire disabled people through sport.The three-year programme will see the organisations provide funding to Premier League clubs to create more opportunities for disabled people across England and Wales to get into sport. The initiative was launched at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London at an event hosted by the broadcaster Clare Balding. Our research into play and leisure found that disabled children often face significant barriers to leisure activities, including lack of provision, poor access and negative attitudes. Our report Fair play for disabled children: Bevan Foundation report, 2010 [PDF] calls for a rights-based approach and an increase in funding to improve accessibility for disabled children.If you're like more advice around your child's rights to play and leisure and where to get information about leisure activites, download our guideHolidays, play and leisure [PDF].
Contact a Family Updated Carer’s Allowance factsheet Our Carer's Allowance summary factsheet [PDF] includes all the facts about who is entitled to this benefit and how you claim it. You can also take a look at our podcast mini-series which answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Carers Allowance we hear from callers to our helpline. If you ever wondered who qualifies for Carers Allowance, whether you’d be better off financially by claiming it or how your earnings or savings will affect your claim, then this podcast is for you.
SNAP Cymru provides information, advice and support for parents, children and young people who have, or may have, special educational needs or disabilities.Our advice is impartial, confidential and free and is provided through our helpline and specialist casework service. http://www.snapcymru.org/
CBeebies has lots of help and resources for children with additional needs incuding Dyspraxia, Autism, visual impairment, learning disabilities, hearing impairment. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/
MindEd offers free, completely open access, online education in over 300 topics. Our e-learning is applicable to a wide range of learners across the health, social care, education, criminal justice and community settings.
Our aim is to provide simple, clear guidance on children and young people's mental health, wellbeing and development to any adult working with children, young people and families, to help them support the development of young healthy minds. We have created bite sized chunks of 'e-learning' that help adults to support wellbeing and identify, understand and support children and young people with mental health issues. https://www.minded.org.uk/mod/
A serving police officer has written about what it's like to be autistic and working in the police force. Karl McDonald also talks about the National Police Autism Association, an independent body supporting UK police officers and staff who are living with autism spectrum conditions. As well as offering support, the association promotes better understanding of neurodiversity within the police service. https://inews.co.uk/
CEREBRA The Difficult Box for those of you who attend the recent Swansea Carers event when Luke Clements spoke he mentioned a website under construction which looked at current issues in education health and social care for families of disabled children and young people https://difficultbox.com/
Carers Wales We're here to make life better for carers. Working as part of Carers UK:
- we give expert advice, information and support
- we connect carers so no-one has to care alone
- we campaign together for lasting change
- we innovate to find new ways to reach and support carers. www.carersuk.org/wales/news/
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