ForDisabledChildren

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18 Winter2015

This young man learns how to milk acow at Farmer Teds. He was one ofover 300 children and young peoplewho aimed high with a blockbusterprogramme of summer fun.

02 Aiming High

Hello,

Welcome to the Winter 2015 issue ofAiming High for Disabled Children.

A jam packed schedule of summeractivities provided by Aiming High andour partners, means we have an equallyfull Winter issue. I am sure you will alsoenjoy our eye-catching front cover asmuch as I have, in particular thatstandout figure of over 330 children andyoung people accessing a short break inanother record breaking year for Sefton.

I am very proud of the way the servicehas listened to feedback from parents,carers, families and of course, childrenand young people themselves, tointroduce new activities and continue topush the boundaries of what our childrenand young people are capable of.

Standing out this summer has been ourcohort at Aiming High mixing it up withtheir non-disabled peers in sportingactivities; young people with complexneeds enjoying outdoor adventures,specialist science and drama camps,

family fun days, a trip to Chester Zoo andthe Summer Aiming High ball, whichwas a suitably raucous finale to thesummer programme.

Staying with the theme of excitingchildren and young people led projects, itwas great to see families making full useof the new garden area at Jake’s SensoryWorld at Netherton Activity Centre. Jake’sis a fantastic facility for all families but inparticular for children with a wide varietyof additional needs. I heartilyrecommend that those parents whohave yet to visit, do so at the earliestopportunity.

Aiming High is about much more thanshort breaks and this issue reflects thatwith a strong focus on the transitionselement of its offer and the journey intoadulthood for our young people withspecial educational needs anddisabilities (SEND).

We have a new Transitions Co-ordinatorin Kev Leavitt, who many of you knowfrom his work with Aiming High, PositiveFutures and at Crosby LakesideAdventure Centre.

There is a new online transitionsresource on Sefton’s Local Offer website,while Thornton College have some newand exciting courses on their curriculum,with the chance for young people toattain City and Guilds qualifications.

In the Summer issue we introducedLeanne Connor taking up her new role toensure young adults age 19-25yrs enjoy

stimulating leisure activities tailored totheir needs. Leanne has taken no timegetting stuck in, which can be seen in thearticles covering Aiming High’spartnership working with the LeonardCheshire CAN DO project and PeopleFirst Merseyside, using fun activities tocarry out consultation with those youngpeople in order to plan future activities forthem.

Moving on to our younger children,activities at our children’s centres for 0-5year olds were very well attended thissummer, alongside the numerousactivities they could access and enjoyalongside older children and youngpeople.

An article which really caught my eye, asit shined a light on the amazing andoften varied work carried out by theAiming High Family Support team, is thestory of little Jack and the support he hasreceived from Sefton’s Sleep Counsellorswith the help of his parents. Theturnaround in Jack has been remarkableand heart-warming to see.

Our Local Offer website continues toevolve, with increasingly positivefeedback in what has been a longjourney of improvement that we arelooking to continue through ongoingfeedback from families. There will be afurther promotional push of the LocalOffer in the coming weeks when half-term winds down, so watch this space…

Finally, in my role I come across allelements of the community and it is notlost on me how much the programmeswe deliver rely on the support of ourpartners, such as schools, children’scentres, charities, voluntary organisationsand other council departments, such assport and recreation. Equally, I know theenthusiasm of families and childrenmake it so exciting and fulfilling. I want tothank you all for everything you do tomake Aiming High what it is and I hopethis newsletter finds you all refreshedafter a fun half-term.

Kind regards

Jacqui Kerr, Service ManagerEarly Intervention and Prevention

Are you registered yet? By registering your child you will be able to findout about and access a range of useful information and services byreceiving a copy of this newsletter directly by email or post to your home.

You can register online at seftondirectory.com/localoffer

If you do not have access to the internet ring the Aiming High FamilySupport Team on 0151 934 3853 / 3860 and they can help you tocomplete the registration form over the phone or post a copy out to you.

Registering with the DisabledChildren’s Database

03Aiming High

A flame that will not be putout, the relationship betweenAiming High’s young peopleand the local fire brigadecontinued to burn brightlythis summer.

Building on the success of recent visitsto Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service(MFRS) stations by young people, fire

Aiming High keep the fire burning

service staff visited Aiming High sitesacross Sefton.

Excited and invigorated by theexperience, young people andvolunteers from Aiming Highresponded well to theprofessionalism, empathy andapproachable nature of the teamfrom MFRS.

All of the visits were a success, giving

young people a high impactsensory experience close to a fireengine, something new to them.The fun did not end there as thegroup simulated the role of fireservice staff by exploring theengine, trying on equipment,sounding the siren and shootingtargets with the hose.

The role of teams in the fire serviceis a very important and seriousone, and no visit from MFRS wouldbe complete without learningabout fire safety. Staff at the FireService were impressed by theyoung people’s thirst forknowledge and willingness to askquestions

Young people and volunteers fromAiming High gave brilliant

feedback, with Aiming High andMFRS looking to work together againfor future holiday programmes.

To find out more about Aiming Highprogrammes, contact the team on0151 288 6811, by email:aiminghigh@sefton.gov.uk or leave amessage via Facebook/seftonaiminghigh

For young people in the transitionfrom their teens to adulthood, thefuture can be equal parts excitingand daunting; no less so for thoseyoung people with specialeducational needs and disabilities(SEND) as they enter adult education,training and the world of work.

Sefton’s Aiming High servicerecognises the real difficulty youngpeople who are SEND have in findingwork opportunities. With this in mind,Aiming High’s Transitions Co-

Looking to the future with supported internships

ordinators have been working withlocal colleges to plan pilot projectsfor supported internships.

A supported internship involveslearning employability skills andwork placements. The colleges linkwith local employers to place thestudent in a real work environment,with the aim of gaining paidemployment at the end of thescheme.

Aiming High Transitions Co-ordinatorSonya Wall recently received

information from the ‘Preparing ForAdulthood’ day in Oldham, whichfocussed on improving employmentoutcomes for young people withSEND. She will provide informationand ideas from other localauthorities where models foremployment have been successfuland feed this information into thepilot project.

To find out more about this excitingnew pilot, contact Sonya on 0151 934 3887 or by email:Sonya.Wall@sefton.gov.uk

04 Aiming High

This year, the summer programme wasbased at Rowan Park, Newfield School,Christ the King and Bishop David Sheppard.

Aiming High has expressed a huge thank-you to headteachers, their deputies and caretakers for their supportfor the service, enabling exciting and engaging shortbreaks activities to be delivered to children and theirfamilies.

Each school was attentive to the needs of children andyoung people, providing easy access to outdoor, gardenand park areas where Aiming High staff could help themexplore and discover new things. Facilities inside theschools were excellent, with plenty of space in cleansurroundings to entertain children on wetter days.

Schools play vital role inSummer short breaks

Feedback from families and carers reflected the highstandard of facilities and support provided by localschools:

“Bishop David Sheppard was a lovely site for my son’sfirst year and was close enough for us to walk to as wedo not drive.”

“The venues this year for my daughter’s onsite days,camps and family days were fantastic. Rowan AdventurePark was perfect for all of the family to have fun in.”

The Aiming High team is looking to work closely withschools for future sessions. Each year we are dependentupon schools availability but we do try our best to securevenues that are easily accessible for families.

Young people with complexneeds make short work ofdemanding obstacle course.

Taking on a woodland assault courseand orienteering park at Crosby HallEducation Trust (CHET), the

Epic adventure for Sefton teenagers

enthusiasm of the young peopleensured a daunting task proved noobstacle at all, as they enjoyed usingzip wires, scramble nets, tunnels andclimbing frames.

Aiming High has organised trips to

CHET in the past, but thissummer’s visit was the firstfor young people withcomplex needs andunderstandably parentshad reservations about itand how suitable it wouldbe for their children.

Rebecca Switonski, AimingHigh lead for the trip, waspleased to see the fears ofparents allayed whileyoung people revelled inthe adventure,commenting:

“Having worked with thisgroup for many years, Iknew that they would

overcome the tough challenges andhave a lot of fun along the way. Itwas great to see them covered inmud and smiling from ear to ear!They have all been pioneers in theirown way and it is a memory I willcertainly cherish, as will the youngpeople and their families.”

1-2-3…Go!!

This summer, Aiming High took its owntroop of cheeky monkeys on a day outto remember as local familiesenjoyed a trip to Chester Zoo.

From exploring the zoo’s own South EastAsian Islands, to seeing old favouritessuch as lions, tigers and penguins fromtheir first visit in 2014, families grabbedthe opportunity to revisit their oldfavourite, Chester Zoo.

On a lovely sunny day, families travelledby coach with staff from Aiming High.Feedback from the trip was extremelypositive, with families excited to make afuture return trip and appreciating thesupport of staff:

“We loved our family being together, andboth my children could enjoy it.”

“We enjoyed not having to drive there andworrying about getting lost.”

“We had a good journey there and back.”

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a lovely summer, Ihad a great time.

Very early one Friday morning, weset off to visit friends in Somerset. Therain was pouring down all the timewe were travelling along themotorways, but luckily the weathercheered up once we arrived. Ourfriends have two dogs called Brianand Dennis who barked like mad atfirst, but once they had settled downthey were softies. I took them both fora walk around some fields, whichmade us all very tired!

After a couple of days, we travelledto Oxford to stay with my sister for aweek. On the journey across we sawStonehenge in the distance.

05Aiming High

Diane's News

Family Trip to Chester Zoo

Diane Jones, Columnist,Aiming High

The Aiming High team caught in anatural action shot at Chester Zoo!

While at Oxford we visited theUniversity Parks, the AshmoleanMuseum and the Bodleian Library aswell as some good restaurants andpubs. We went on day trips toAbingdon and Blenheim.

The highlights of my holidays weredrinking cocktails and going to aswing dancing session with mysister.

Soon after we got back I went toPicnic in the Park at Crosby LakesideAdventure Centre where we playedrounders and I met up with all myfriends.

Bye for now,

Diane

Chester Zoo selfie!!

06 Aiming High

Young adults from Sefton recently made time for teato see what they ‘can do’ as they planned activitiesfor the future.

Taking place in August at theLiving Well Centre in Southport, theEvening Tea session was acollaboration of Aiming High andthe Leonard Cheshire CAN DOproject. Lots of young adults withspecialeducational needsand disabilities(SEND) were invitedto talk aboutactivities theywould like to takepart in and shareideas about newprojects.

Time for tea and makingplans for young adults

with the group to make CAN DOtrees representing things they likedoing and things they would liketo try in future.

The outcome of the consultationhas led to a weekly session,which began Wednesday 7October, 5:30— 8:30pm, where theyoung adults will participate in atwelve week project, leading to aCity and Guilds qualification if theycomplete it.

For more information, contactLeanne Connor, InclusionPractitioner at Aiming High on0151 288 6820 or by email:leanne.connor@sefton.gov.uk

You can also find out more aboutAiming High on Facebook/seftonaiminghigh

You can find out about the rangeof support for young adults whohave SEND by clicking 'Planningyour future' atseftondirectory.com/localoffer

Vickie Yavuz from CAN DO led theconsultation with help from JoSeddon and volunteers from theLiving Well Centre. The sessionwas delivered using arts andcrafts and fun games, working

Young adults sharetheir masterplan atthe Living WellCentre

07Aiming High

Family Fun Days took placethroughout the summerholidays at Christ the Kingand Rowan Park schoolsutilising Rowan AdventurePark.

Jam packed with fun for the wholefamily, the team at Aiming High wassupported by an energetic castbringing thrills and spills galore.

There was circus entertainment withCircus Frank at Kearns FamilyEntertainment and Clive fromCompany of Fools teaching circusskills, such as mastering unicyclesand tricks with diablos.

As if the fun of the circus were notenough, there was also a mobile zooand animal emporium, with lots ofdifferent animals and reptiles for thechildren and young people to hold.

Arts, Crafts and face paintingallowed children to delve into newworlds as they were transformed intosuperheroes, princesses and leadersof the animal kingdom with the helpof Fun 4 Kidz and Cases for Facesand their brilliant face painting skills.

Summer Fun for Families

Giggle Totz and Little Tiddles createda soft play area for our youngerchildren to enjoy and the Play Councilentertained many with theirwonderful crafts and den building.

Children also enjoyed donkey ridesat the Family Fun Day thanks to HollyFold Donkey Hire.

Seftons Childrens Centres supportedchildren under 6 and their families to

enjoy activities and see what is onoffer for children with a disability.One mum commented:

“The Family Fun day allowed myson to see his grandma for thefirst time in approx. 2 years, dueto her being terminally ill. Thiswas a safe setting for them tomeet up.”

There was nogetting awayfor this slipperycustomer.

Take a walk down Charlie’s Way to enjoy a warmbrew and a chat with other parents,grandparents, relatives and carers.

These informal sessions take place every Monday,1 — 2.30pm at Southport Community Centre(formerly All Souls Church Hall), Norwood Road,Southport, PR8 6HQ.

Charlie’s Way is a friendly group for parents andcarers of children and young people withadditional needs and disabilities.

For more information, contact Emma at Charlie’sWay on 07546 327 229.

Take a walk downCharlie’s Way

08 Aiming High

Held at at St John and StJames Church andCommunity Centre, staff andvolunteers at the centrecooked up a storm as youngadults aged 18-25yrsenjoyed a mouth-wateringbarbecue whilst giving theirideas for future opportunities.

The day was organised and by theLeonard Cheshire CAN DO projectwith support from Aiming High's

Smokinghot ideasat summerbarbecue

Leanne Connor, who arranged foryoung adults to attend. Theconsultation was led by Vickie Yavuzat CAN DO and included stimulatingactivities such as arts, crafts, fungames and the creation of a CAN DOtree to demonstrate things they likedoing and things they would like todo. As well as making sure the

group were fed,Reverend ClaireDawson andvolunteers from thecentre alsosupported CAN DOand Aiming High inthe consultation.

There will now be aweekly sessionfrom Tuesday 6October onwards, 6— 8:30pm, wherethe group willparticipate in a 12

week project, which if completed willlead to a City and Guildsqualification.

If you interested in getting involved inthe group please contact LeanneConnor on 0151 288 6820 or by email:Leanne.Connor@sefton.gov.uk Youcan also find out more on Facebook/seftonaiminghigh

Volunteers fuel young people fromAiming High for the day ahead.

The Sefton Parent Carer Forum (SPCF) is will be hostingtheir next information day at the SING Plus Centre inSeaforth, 12 November, 10am- 2pm.

This session is an opportunity to find out about Sefton’sLocal Offer website for children and young people withSEND (age 0-25yrs) and their families, hear about carers’rights and take part in a Resilience workshop. There willbe a crèche available but places must be booked inadvance.

There will be support and advice on hand from charitiesand agencies, including: Autism Initiatives; Cerebra; TheIsabella Trust; Caudwell Children; Twinkle House; DaisyUK; Shine Therapies; PDA Society; Carers Centre; ADHDFoundation; Contact A Family, Scope Face 2 Face andSefton Council’s Aiming High teams.

Lunch will be provided. Please book your free place bycontacting SPCF on 07724 680 050 / 07934 274 449 orby email: seftonparentcarerforum@gmail.com

You can find the SING Plus Centre at: 53 CambridgeRoad, Seaforth, L21 1EX.

Information Day withSefton Parent CarerForum

The Cerebra Innovation Centre is inviting parents, carersand families to work with them to create new products ornew adaptions to existing products that will enhanceeveryday life for children with additional needs.

The Innovation Centre brings together a team ofdesigners to produce unique equipment for disabledchildren. They can help parents find suitable products orbuild completely new products which may not already beavailable.

The team at the Innovation Centre already has animpressive portfolio of products under their belt. Some oftheir more popular items include the Goto seat and theiPad case Some more of their products can be viewedunder Help and Information on the Cerebra website:cerebra.org.uk

The Innovation Centre are always eager to hear fromparents with their ideas for new products. If you have anidea for a product that you can’t find anywhere else orneed a product adapted to meet your child’s needs, youcan contact the team at on 01792 483 688 or by email:cic@cerebra.org.uk

Parents and carerscreate new productswith Cerebra

Aiming High carried out anexperiment this summer,trying a science camp toengage budding scientists

This was developed followingfeedback and suggestions fromparents and young people last year.

Budding scientists took the opportunityto indulge their passion as AimingHigh extended the summerprogramme to include days dedicatedto science.

Turning Formby’s Redgate Youth Clubinto a laboratory for three days, youngpeople were joined by Dr Clare

Successful experiments for Aiming High Scientists

Hampson from the Catalyst ScienceMuseum in Widnes.

There was electricity in the air as DrHampson introduced young people,to experiments with fabrics, soapsuds, homemade circuits and plastics.Creativity became the buzz word ofthe class as young people got gooeywith exploding volcanoes, lava lampsand gloop!

On the final and fourth day of theAiming High experiment, 21 of AimingHigh’s finest young scientists visited DrHampson at the Catalyst Museum.The visit took an unexpected turn, witha ‘Murder at the Manor’ that had to be

solved by the young people fromSefton. The group put on their whitecoats and goggles to carry outchemical tests, use microscopes andchromatography, examined burglaralarm circuits, matched fingerprints,footprints and DNA patterns in order tosolve a murder most foul.

Young people who took part had agreat time:

“Everything about today has beenreally good!”

“My best bit about today was thewhole day.”

“I have had fun doing all theexperiments.”

Parents also valued the outcomes ofthe Aiming High experiment:

“My son took part in the Science Campand really enjoyed it.”

“I think the camps are a great idea!!Enjoyed by both boys.”

“He really, really enjoyed ScienceCamp - he wished it could go on allyear.”

Following this success, there havebeen science camps during Octoberhalf-term and there will be more in2016.

09Aiming High

The flame is ignited in thisbudding scientist.

Children paying close attention asAiming High carries out its latest testin lab.

Working Families provide lots ofinformation about parents’ andcarers’ rights in the workplace ontheir website workingfamilies.org.uk,where you can also register for theirregular email bulletins, including theWaving not Drowning newsletter. Ifyou cannot find the information youare looking for, you can contact JanetMearns at Working Families on

Waving notdrowningwith WorkingFamilies

020 7017 0072 or their legalhelpline on 0300 012 0312.

Also available to download from theWorking Families site is 'Child toAdult: a guide to disability, transitionand family finance', which you canfind in the ‘Research andPublications’ section.

10 Aiming High

Celebrating the hard work ofeveryone involved in makingAiming High’s summer shortbreaks programme a hugesuccess, everyone looked thepart as they shook their thingto the funky rhythms andbasslines of Aiming High’svery own resident DJ Sam.Sam wasn’t the only star turnas the dancefloor lapped upthe talents of local artistOwen Brown, with a specialAiming High singalong.

Glitter ball grooves at the Aiming High Summer Ball

Although a celebration, the Ballcreated a sad moment too as theAiming High team thanked those

young people who have reached theage where they can no longer useAiming High activities. There wasn’t adry eye on the dancefloor as youngpeople were taken through apresentation and a short memorycollage of images from their timewith the service.

To find out more about Aiming Highcall 0151 288 6811 or by email:aiminghigh@sefton.gov.uk You canalso contact the service via Facebook/seftonaiminghigh Alternatively you can visit:seftondirectory.com/localoffer

Sam Tandy and Owen Kewn taketime out in the Aiming High GreenRoom.

A nice relaxing day by the lake took ablustery turn for local young people asthey took time out to enjoy a picnic andhave fun.

Organised by SEND self-advocacy organisationPeople First Merseyside, the picnic was held atCrosby Lakeside Adventure Centre for young peopleage 18-25yrs, who were supported by staff from theAiming High Short Breaks team.

It wasn’t all shooting the very blowy breeze with oneanother over sandwiches and cakes, there was alsoan air of competitiveness as young people enjoyedplaying games such as rounders, boules, connect 4and jenga.

The day was a huge success with positive feedbackfrom young people, who are keen to do it again.

Aiming High is looking at ways it can continue to

work with People First Merseyside in future, in orderto create more age appropriate activities for youngadults.

For more information, contact Leanne Connor,Inclusion Practitioner at Aiming High Short Breaks on0151 288 6811 or by email:aiminghigh@sefton.gov.uk

A very windyday for a picnic!

All smiles by Crosby Lakeside for the summer picnic.

11Aiming High

It was a case of “anythingyou can do, we can do too”for Aiming High’s childrenand young people as theytook part in inclusive summerholiday programmes withthe help of Active Sefton.

Aiming High’s young people took thechance to enjoy football camps atNetherton Activity Centre and multi-sports camps at both Dunes SplashWorld in Southport and LitherlandSports Park. The sessions were verysuccessful , with turnout faroutweighing expectation as thegroup integrated seamlessly withtheir non-disabled peers, makingnew friends and gaining new skills.Three children in the group adaptedso well to the sessions that they havenow been moved on to mainstreamfootball clubs and sessions.

Anything you can do, we can do too Heather Redhead, DevelopmentManager at Active Sefton remarked:

“The young people got so much outof the sessions, their commitmentand willingness to get along witheverybody was a joy to see. It wasalso a valuable exercise for staff andparents to see how easily thedisabled andable bodiedchildren didnot see anydifferences,which istestament tothe fantasticwork takingplace in thesesessions inschools andduring holidayprogrammes.”

Following the success of thesessions, Aiming High expect todeliver further sessions with ActiveSefton, where young people can takepart in sport with those who do nothave special education needs ordisabilities (SEND).

With support from Aiming High and Sefton CarersCentre, Thornton Children’s Centre has developed awide range of specialist, tailored support for youngchildren age 0-5yrs with special educational needsand disabilities (SEND), who can also accessmainstream activities at the centre while socialisingand making new friends.

At Thornton Children’s Centre, families can access:

• Support and advice from Family DevelopmentWorkers.

• Learning and information sessions /workshops for parents and carers.

• Little Owls after-school session for familieseach term-time Wednesday.

• ‘Respite’ play sessions for children under theage of 6 during school holidays.

Specialist support for young children • Sensory room.

• Early Years Parent support group.

• Sensory Diet lending library.

Caroline Roberts from the Carers Support Team atSefton Carer’s Centre is based at Thornton Children’sCentre each Tuesday and Wednesday. She will beoffering advice, support and information for parentsand carers, as well as organising specialist adviceand information sessions for families.

If you or someone you know would like to accessservices offered by Thornton Children’s Centre,contact Claire Cotteral at the centre on 0151 934 4991 or Caroline Roberts at Sefton CarersCentre on 0151 288 6064.

Aiming High’s young people putthrough their paces by Active Sefton.

12 Aiming High

Sometimes as a parent ofchildren with additionalneeds, it may feel like otherpeople do not understandthe stresses and rewards ofthe family life you have.

It is with this in mind that Sefton CarersCentre is holding support groups forparents and carers at NethertonChildren’s Centre and the Parenting2000 Children’s Centre on MorningtonRoad in Southport. Not only a chanceto hook up with fellow parents over awarm brew, there’s activities andevents to get involved in too.

Special Time for local parents Both sessions take place 9.30-11.30am, with Parenting 2000 onWednesdays and the Nethertonsession on Thursdays.

Both sessions are facilitated by JoanneFazakerley from Sefton Carers Centre,with Helen Morris from Parenting 2000supporting her in Southport.

At Netherton Children’s Centre parentsand carers can come together to shareexperiences, ideas and help eachother in the informal Positive Thoughtsgroup, where staff are also on hand tooffer support; there may be a crèchefor those who need one.

Following October half term, bothNetherton and Parenting 2000 arelooking to continue the popular‘Peacetime’ mindfulness and yogasessions, as well as informationsessions to support parents who haverecently received new EHC plans.

At Netherton there are also proposalsfor courses to explore support forchildren with autism and ADHD(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder).

To book sessions at NethertonChildren’s Centre, contact Yvonne on0151 282 1405 or Jo on 0151 2886060. For Parenting 2000 contactHelen on 01704 380 047 or Jo on0151 288 6060.

Many of you reading this issue of Aiming High forDisabled Children will know Kevin Leavitt from hisshort breaks role and working at Crosby Lakeside.

Kevin has now taken up his new roleas an Aiming High Transitions Co-ordinator alongside Sonya Wall.

Kevin has thanked his colleagues fortheir support and is extending thatgratitude to the many young peopleand their families for their support inthe past and looks forward toworking with them in future, asyoung people navigate those crucialyears in their development from age14-25yrs.

For more information about AimingHigh Transitions support, contactKevin on 0151 934 4354 or by email:Kevin.Leavitt@sefton.gov.uk You can also find out more byvisiting seftondirectory.com/localoffer and click ‘Planning yourfuture’.

Kev’s transition toa new role in Aiming High

New Transitions Co-ordinator at AimingHigh, Kevin Leavitt.

Aiming High’s Transitions Co-ordinators havebeen working with the Local Offer to develop auseful resource for young people with specialeducational needs and disabilities (SEND) age 14-25yrs.

There are useful links to information about furthereducation and opportunities as young peopleenter adulthood. If you notice anything that ismissing or you would like to see there, such asservices that can help them, contact theTransitions Co-ordinators.

You can access the resource by clicking the‘Planning Your Future’ tab in the Local Offerwebsite: seftondirectory.com/localoffer

To find out more, contact Sonya Wall, Transitions Co-ordinator on 0151 934 3887 or by email:Sonya.Wall@sefton.gov.uk or contact Kevin on0151 934 4354 or by email:Kevin.Leavitt@sefton.gov.uk You can also findout more by visitingseftondirectory.com/localoffer and click‘Planning your future’.

A very usefuloffer for localyoung people

13Aiming High

Children became moversand makers, becamedecision makers, as Jake’sSensory Garden addedexciting new features forchildren to enjoy.

The new outdoor sensory equipmentis ideal for children with specialeducational needs and disabilitiesand has been chosen by childrenwho attend Aiming High sessions atNetherton Activity Centre, home ofJake’s, following consultation.

Children were supported by staff inthe Aiming High Team, makingJake’s Sensory Garden a fun,stimulating place to be, enhancingchildren’s experience of outside play.

Child’s play in Jake’s sensory garden

Next up at Jake’s is “It’s a Bugs Life”,with Bug Hotels and woodland walkto fire the imagination of childrenand young people.

Jake’s also offers regular Stay andPlay sessions, held Monday to Fridayfor children under 5 years only andcost £4.50 per child for 90 minutes ofplay time. You need to call NethertonActivity Centre (NAC) to confirm times.

Family sessions are for all the familyage 5 years and above, Monday toFriday from 4- 8pm. On Saturday andSunday they take place from 10 -11.30am and cost £5.50 per child for90 minutes play. No booking required.

Groups can book Jake’s exclusivelyfor their party, at £8.50 per child (min10 children), which includes:

• Exclusive use of both the sensoryroom and soft play room.

• The Party room, for all your partyfood. Free invites available.

A £25 deposit will secure yourbooking. The balance can be paid onthe day of the party.

Please note that Netherton ActivityCentre has excellent changingfacilities that families using Jake’scan access.

For more information, contact JulieMurphy at NAC on 0151 525 5106 orby email: Jakes@sefton.gov.uk Youcan also find Jake’s on Facebook/jakessensoryworld

A local family have re-discovered the value ofrapid eye movement with thehelp of Sleep Counsellors inthe Aiming High FamilySupport Team.

Catherine Blevin and Jane Backlandfrom Aiming High helped young Jack

A Good NightGuaranteed with Sefton'sSleepCounsellors

to conquer his difficulties in going tosleep. He was assessed by the team,then took part in several sessionsthat helped them to devise a plan forstructured bedtime routines, which

were led by Jack's Mum and Dad.They are reaping the rewards as hehas settled into a good sleep pattern.Jack’s Mum said:

“He is happier and generally, thingsare going well. Since the involvementof the (Aiming High Family Support)team everything has just fallen intoplace. We have even managed tohave a date night, our first in twoyears! If anyone else’s children arenot sleeping and it is affecting theirlives like it did ours, call Aiming High,don’t give up, stick to the routine, bepatient but most importantly, worktogether.”

If you think the sleep counsellingservice will benefit you, pleasecontact either Jane or Catherine atthe Aiming High Family Support teamon 0151 934 3845 / 3828 to discussyour needs.

Jack is all smiles after a goodnight's sleep

This young man has Jake's gardenall to himself, but not for long..

14 Aiming High

Disabled children, youngpeople and their families inthe North West are beinginvited to one of the UK’sbiggest events tailored totheir needs.

Kidz to Adultz North is a free eventwhere families gain access to over150 exhibitors, offering advice and

From Kidz to Adultz up Northinformation on funding forequipment, mobility, seating,bathing, accessible vehicles, sensory,transition, education,communication, housing, domiciliarycare, sports, leisure, respite andmore.

The event takes place Thursday, 19November 2015 — 9.30am — 4.30pmat EventCity, Barton Dock Road,

Manchester, M17 8AS (Next to theTrafford Centre).

It is for children and young peopleage 0-25yrs and their families, but isalso open to all carers andprofessionals who support them.

For more information, contact theKidz team on 0161 607 8200 or byemail: info@disabledliving.co.uk

Local families caring forchildren with disabilities,additional needs or a longterm medical condition havebeen invited by Contact aFamily to take part in adedicated session to helpthem manage the conditionsof their children.

The second of two sessions, ‘Helpingparents support brothers and sistersof disabled children’, takes place atThornton Children’s Centre, 10am-12.30pm, 24 November. This is aninformative session exploring the

Families get informed withdedicated sessions

issues and concerns parents shareabout the brothers and sisters oftheir disabled child. The session willexplore the emotional and practicalpressures that brothers and sistersexperience. The session will alsoexplore support available and waysto manage them.

Contact a Family is a national charitythat offers advice, support andinformation to parents who care for achild with any type of disability ormedical condition. They support over340,000 families each year and youdo not need a diagnosis to use theirservices.

To book a place, contact ThorntonChildren’s Centre on 0151 934 4991or to find out more about thesesessions contact Caroline Roberts atSefton Carers Centre on 0151 288 6064 or by email:Caroline.Roberts@sefton.gov.uk

Contact a Family have a FreephoneHelpline, 0800 808 3555, to provideadvice for parents and familymembers caring for disabledchildren. The phone line is open9.30am- 5pm. Alternatively, you canemail Contact a Family onhelpline@cafamily.org.uk or visit:cafamily.org.uk

Thornton College isdedicated to learning foryoung people with specialeducational needs age 16yrsand over.

The college is now under newmanagement and offering anexciting array of new courses andopportunities for prospectivestudents. The new courses will focuson individualised learning and

meeting the abilities and needs ofyoung people so they reach theirpotential.

New courses include:

• City and Guilds for English, Mathsand ICT.

• Duke of Edinburgh’s Award forHorticulture.

• Sport Award for Sport.

• Art Award for Drama and Art.

Each individual learner will havetargets set based on their Education,Health and Care Plans, which willthen formulate Individual LearningPlans, with specific teaching beingtailored towards meeting anddeveloping their targets.

To find out more, contact JamesKirby, Director of Creative Services atThornton College on 0151 934 4813or visit hughbaird.ac.uk and click'Courses'.

New courses at Thornton College

15Aiming High

Children and young peoplewith special educationalneeds and disabilities(SEND) can get free,independent support asthey move to the newEducation, Health and CarePlan (EHCP).

Replacing the Special EducationalNeeds statements and LearningDisability assessments, the EHCPwill enable families to have moresay about the services they receive,focusing on what they want toachieve and the support needed to

FREE support for familiesin move to EHC plans

help them reach their goals.

The Council for Disabled Children isfunding an Independent Supportteam in Merseyside, who willprovide families and young peoplewith free guidance during theassessment process for their ECHPor when they are moving to a newplan.

Providing one-to-one support,Independent Supporters have lotsof skills and vast experience ofworking with children and youngpeople with SEND and their families.They are recruited locally and haveall completed accredited training so

that they have a full understandingof the role and the changes takingplace.

Families can contact IndependentSupporters on 0151 702 5555 or byemail: ISS@pss.org.uk

If you are only at the stage ofwanting a more generalunderstanding, you can downloada very useful IndependentSupporters presentation at theirwebsite independentsupportmerseyside.co.ukYou will be asked to give your details,but this is only used so the team cangage demand in their area.

Aiming High recentlyrecruited two new FamilySupport Workers to its team.

Both Irene Whitworth and EmmaHughes bring a wealth of experiencein supporting vulnerable childrenand their families.

Irene previously worked at ThorntonChildren’s Centre for 5 years, whereshe helped to plan and deliver arange of services for children andfamilies.

New recruits at Aiming High Family Support

Her lead area of work at thechildren’s centre included servicesand support for families with childrenwho had a recognised disability orspecial educational needs. At thecentre she delivered group sessions,respite sessions, signposting, directsupport and oversaw the lovelysensory room and the operation of alibrary supplying equipment andclothing for children with a variety ofsensory needs.

Prior to her role at ThorntonChildren’s Centre, Irene worked atSefton Young Carers Project, SeftonResource Centre, Barnardo’s andAutism Initiatives.

Emma has worked in Sefton for anumber of years and joins Aiming

High Family Support from NethertonChildren's Centre. Many parents,carers and professionals will knowher from Netherton, where she notonly provided vital support forvulnerable children and theirfamilies, but shared her considerableknowledge and expertise whendelivering the Strengthening Familiesand No Excuses programmes.

Irene and Emma are valuable newmembers of the team and arelooking forward to working withfamilies in their new roles.

To find out more about the AimingHigh Family Support Team, contactJane Backland, Family Support TeamLeader on 0151 934 3845 or byemail:Jane.Backland@sefton.gov.uk

Irene Whitworth Emma Hughes

16 Aiming High

After taking part in a series ofperformance art workshops, youngpeople from Aiming High stole thelimelight during a specialperformance in collaboration withstudents at New Centre Stage Drama

Budding Actors takes Centre Stage

Company at the SPACE Centre inBootle.

At the workshops, young peopleenjoyed drama, dance etc. Youngpeople took on the critical roles ofsound and light technician, set

designer and wardrobe dresser.

The workshops and performancewere led by Drama teacher at NewCentre Stage, Vicky Bennett, who said:

"The young people were a joy towork with! They were veryenthusiastic and workedcreatively to put together somegreat work. In the short space oftime I could definitely see agrowth in their level of confidenceduring their workshops."

On the final day of the workshops,the group performed fantasticrenditions of 'Grease' and 'Toy Story'for a capacity audience at the SPACECentre. Following its success, theAiming High Team hope to work withNew Centre Stage on future dramacamps.

Children and young people enjoyedspecialist support in local schools during thesummer holidays.

Funded by the Aiming High Team, specialist holidayprovision at Merefield and Rowan Park Schoolscomplemented the programme of summer sessions onoffer to families of disabled children in Sefton.

Each school ran a two week programme, organised andrun by school staff for 40 pupils. These sessions aredesigned to meet the additional needs of young peoplewith profound, multiple and complex needs who are notable to access other opportunities.

The hard work of staff at the schools was recognised bythe team at Aiming High. Sophie Thomson, Project Leadat Aiming High, said:

“I want to say thanks to the dedicated staff at bothMerefield and Rowan Park who went the extra mile forour children and young people.”

Activities at the sessions included water sports at CrosbyLakeside Adventure Centre, soft play at Jake’s Sensory

Complex needs support inSefton schools

World, swimming, rebound therapy and arts and crafts.

Staff at Merefield School also extended a big “thank you”to Merseyrail in particular, who were very helpful duringtrips to Southport and Liverpool.

If you would like more information on activities providedor funded by Aiming High, contact the team on 0151 288 6811, by email: aiminghigh@sefton.gov.ukonline at seftondirectory.com/localoffer or via Facebook/seftonaiminghigh

All aboard! Families wait to take their next adventure atAinsdale train station