Take Over Day - August 2012 Pg12

8/12/2019 Take Over Day - August 2012 Pg12

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A magazinefor families withdisabled children

Autumn 2012 Issue 2

Having fun

Thinking about the futureHaving your say

Getting support

Whats on

INclusiveCalderdale

improving health, improving lives


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Welcomeagain to Inclusive

Calderdale

Hannah and her fellowParalympians have proven

themselves to be suchpositive role models for

disabled children and youngpeople, showing the worldwhat can be achieved

through determination, hardwork and good support.Hopefully, the epicachievements of Hannah andthe other Paralympians will

inspire future generations ofdisabled children and youngpeople to follow their dreamsin whatever field they choose.

In this terms edition,we catch up with thedevelopments that have beentaking place with the SENDPathfinder and hear about

how Calderdale families have

been helping to shape whatservices and support mightlook like.

We hear from the The Hive,who are giving people withlearning disabilities theopportunity to train and

work in a community shopand to learn skills such aswoodworking.

For those families with smallchildren, we also hear from

Special Stars, a support groupset up for families from ablack and minority ethnicbackground with children whohave complex needs. Families

have been able to cometogether to provide mutualsupport as well as to enjoyshort breaks such as headmassage and glass painting.

With half term on the horizonthe whats on guide should

provide plenty of inspirationfor things to do.

The photographs of

Hannah Cockroft on the

cover (and page 13)

of this issue appear

with kind permission of

Paralympics GB

First things rst, we had to dedicate our front

cover to Paralympian, gold medal winner, Halifax

born Hannah Cockroft who did Calderdale and

the nation so proud at the Paralympic games in

London this summer.


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3InclusiveCalderdale |

Contents

Parent Forum, Specialist Inclusion Service ......................page 4Calderdale Young Reporters ...............................pages 16 & 17Parent Carer Forum ..................................................... pages 31

Ever Needed an Extra Pair of Hands? .............pages 9, 10 & 11Takeover Day 2012 ........................................................page 12

Support and Aspiration in Calderdale .....................pages 6 & 7

Disabled Childrens Strategy ...........................................page 8Counselling....................................................................page 15

Special Stars Support Group ..............................pages 20 & 21Calderdale National Autistic Society ..................pages 24 & 25Insiders Guide courses .......................................pages 26 & 27

Changes for Calderdale Health Service ..............pages 28 & 29Independent Travel Scheme ..........................................page 30

Whats O................................................page 14

Taking Action Group........................................................page 5Golden Girl Returns .......................................................page 13The Hive (Halifax) Ltd ..........................................pages 18 & 19CPC Update ........................................................pages 22 & 23

Having fun

Thinking about the future

Having your say

Getting support

Whats on

t:01422 343090e: [email protected]

w:www.parents-and-carers.org.ukHanson Lane Enterprise Centre, Hanson Lane, Halifax HX1 5PG


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4 | InclusiveCalderdale

Havingyoursay

Parent ForumSpecialist Inclusion Service

Parents of Children and Young People, supported by the Specialist Inclusion Service,

were invited to join a Parent / Carer Forum. The forum has been established to enable

the Service to engage with Parents and Carers on a regular and formal basis. The half

termly meetings, which began in the autumn term 2011, have been set up to enable

parents to have a say in current and future activities.

Whilst the forum had been set up to encourage parents and carers to share their ideas and

thoughts it has also been useful in offering mutual support. Parents and carers have raised theawareness of their rights within their childs education and knowledge of where they can accesshelp. It has also offered information, advice and support on other issues relating to special

educational needs and disability.

The Specialist Inclusion Service support children from0 19 years who have a Hearing Impairment, VisualImpairment, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, PhysicalImpairment and who have AAC needs (Augmentative &

Alternative Communication).

A Parent Forum has been set up so that parents can gettogether to discuss what they want from the SpecialistInclusion Service the voice of the Parents and Children we

support is essential.

Any information that we feel parents need to know is alsoshared at these meetings so its a good way of being kept

up to date with any changes.

Crche facilities are available so you can rest easy knowingthat your child/ren are being cared for by experienced staff.

The Parent Forum is held half termly on Saturday morningsat Calderdale Parent Carers.

So why not come along and meet other parents and see

what its all about for yourself?

If you are interested inattending future meetings

please e-mail:[email protected]

or contact Linda Parrish orRachel Greenway on01422 394136


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Hi Everyone,

TAG has been really busythese last few weeks. Wevebeen making a DVD toshow people how we areliving our best lives so

weve had camera manfilming some of our TAGmeetings and coming

to our houses so we

ThinkingabouttheFuture

could show how we liveindependently with P.As(Personal Assistants) andcapturing the positivesand difficulties we have

come across while livingindependently. Hes alsofilmed us doing our hobbies

and meeting up with friends

Another thing we didwas get a graffiti artist

to come and meet us tohelp us design a logo forTAG. We did this in theskate park in HebdenBridge, this is now our

profile picture on the

facebook page we setup.

Weve done some workwith parents/carers ofdisabled children and

young people to showand inspire them thatwith determination andthe right support from

themselves and servicesthat their child/childrencan achieve whateverthey want to achieveno matter how big orsmall. To find out howyou can get involvedin TAG email Sunny [email protected] or

telephone01422 343090.

Taking ActionGroup (TAG)

UPDATE


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Calderdale is one of twenty

Pathfinders nationally testingproposals outlined in theDepartment for EducationsSupport and AspirationGreen Paper which was

launched in March 2011.The reforms outlined include

introducing an Education,Health and Care plan toreplace SEN statements

and learning disabilityassessments, increasingparental choice and controland introducing personalbudgets. Calderdalespathfinder project is led by

Calderdale Local Authority,NHS Calderdale andCalderdale Parents andCarers.

Recently the pathfinderproject welcomed theMayor and Mayoress ofCalderdale along with over100 professionals, parents

and disabled young peopleto an update conference atEUREKA! The conference

provided an opportunityto share the progress thatCalderdales Pathfinder hasmade since its launch inNovember 2011; particularly

work to develop a personcentred Education, Healthand Care Plan for disabled

children, young people andtheir families.

A key aspect of this workhas been the values basedapproach that Calderdalehas taken, emphasising the

need for a cultural change inhow disabled children, youngpeople and their familiesare supported. This changeinvolves raising aspirations

and expectations of familiesand professionals. To do thisthere has been a real focuson strengthening families andincreasing their resilience.It was great to be joined

by so many of the families

who have contributed to thePathfinder work and hearabout their experiences

and how their contributionis shaping what supportlooks like both locally andnationally.

Stuart Smith, Director ofChildrens Services andAnne Scarborough, Head

of Family Support spokeabout Calderdales vision forchildren and young people,and how the work of thePathfinder is supportingthis to be achieved. Stuart

emphasised the importanceof personalisation andthe need for services torespond to peoples needsin new and creative ways. Heacknowledged there were

some challenges from bothfamilies and professionals inachieving this and stressedhow we need to worktogether to change attitudes

and cultures. CalderdalesTaking Action Group (TAG)

managed to fit speaking atthe conference around theirother commitments including

Support and

Aspirationin CalderdaleSEND Pathfinder Update conference


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GettingSupport

their voluntary work, jobsand hair appointments! Thegroup of disabled youngpeople explained howperson centred thinking had

helped them live their lives tothe full, including identifying

employment opportunities,living independently andhaving friends. It was brilliant

to hear first hand howpersonalisation has made areal difference to their lives.

Chris Easton from Calderdale

Parents and Carers,

was joined by GemmaTitterington from the Childand Adolescent MentalHealth Service to describe

the excellent work they havedone around strengtheningfamilies and buildingresilience. Gemma spokeabout her experience of co-

delivering the Insiders Guidecourse with a parent of adisabled child and the impactshe has seen it have on thepeople who attended. JanineWigmore finished this section

with a presentation outlininghow changing her thinkingand using person centredtools helped her use supportto better meet her sons

needs and fulfil his dreams.

A presentation from PhilBrayshaw (NHS Calderdale)and Liz Wilson (National

Development Teamfor Inclusion) outlinedCalderdales progress

in developing a singleEducation, Health and Care

Plan. Delegates heard how

the single plan will help to

make sure that the aspirationsof disabled children, youngpeople and their familiesshape the support theyreceive from services. Phil

and Liz also spoke about how

families were helping themto think about what the planwould look like.

Kate Sturdy from theDepartment for Educationprovided an update onthe forthcoming Childrenand Families Bill and how

learning from the differentpathfinder areas, includingCalderdale, is shapingnational policy development.Kate said the Department

for Education were a bigfan of Calderdale and theapproach we had taken. TheDepartment for Education

are asking for peoples viewson the proposed legislation Calderdale Parent and Carerscan provide more informationabout this.

For many, the highlight of theday was a speech by DamePhilippa Russell, a veterandisability rights activist andchair of the governments

Commission for Carers, whodrew on her experience totalk about the real differenceperson centred thinking canhave on peoples lives. DamePhilippa emphasised the need

for families and professionalsfrom all services to work

together to co-producenovel ways of working, and

she reminded parents thatprofessionals could be real

allies in improving support.One of the afternoonworkshops provideddelegates with anopportunity to think about

how person centred toolscan be used to better meetthe needs of disabledchildren and young people.A second workshop looked

at what works well in thecurrent system and wherechanges need to be madein the future. Learning from

the workshops will be takenforward by the Pathfinderteam.

The conference had apositive feel to it and it was

great to see so many peoplesupporting the visionCalderdale has for disabled

children. Thank you toeveryone who contributed

to the day by attending,joining in discussions or bypresenting. We think it isimportant to keep everyoneup-to-date with the Supportand Aspiration Pathfinder

if you would like to followour progress you canrequest a regular update bycontacting Lauren Amblerat Calderdale Parent and

Carers [email protected]).


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The Disabled Childrens

Strategy for Calderdale

is being refreshed and

we would like to hear

your thoughts on the

direction of support for

families for the future.

This is your opportunity toinfluence the priorities fordisabled children and young

people in Calderdale for2012-14. It is our vision inCalderdale that children,

young people and theirfamilies will achieve positiveoutcomes and will receivesupport which is underpinnedby the values of equality,

personalisation, aspiration,partnership, inclusion andparticipation. The strategywill summarise our directionto improve and personalise

support and make a realdifference to the outcomes offamilies, children and youngpeople. We are aware thatthere needs to be significant

commitment, culture change

and action to achieve this.

To drive the changes, we have developed sixpriorities for 2012-14: Developing a local offer which provides information

about the support available to disabled children andyoung people and those with SEN, and their families in

Calderdale. Improving support for families at an early stage and within

their local communities, ensuring that early years settingsincluding child minders, early education and child care,community activities and support for families are accessible

for all children. This will ensure that families can access thesupport they need when they need it.

Developing a single, personalised and multiagency plan forfamilies to co-ordinate support and ensure childrens goalsand aspirations are captured and developing options for

individual budgets.

Improving the transition to adulthood for young people,focusing on employment, independent living, post 16education and choice and control for young adults.

Improving the information we hold about children andyoung people to ensure that families dont repeat their

stories and that appropriate support is in place for allchildren and young people in Calderdale.

Improving learning outcomes for children and youngpeople.

We will hold multiagency delivery group meetings with parent/

carer representatives which will be accountable for ensuringour priorities are delivered.The Disabled Childrens Strategy is a live document andwe will continue to update it in response to feedback fromchildren, young people and their families. To see a copy of

the Strategy see Calderdale Parent and Carers website or call01422 343090. We will be holding a consultation event soon,(contact Janine Wigmore if you would like to be notified ofthe date at [email protected]) to

get your feedback- if you cannot attend please send in yourcomments to [email protected].

Disabled

Childrens Strategy

GettingSup

port


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HavingFun

Ever Needed anExtra Pair of Hands?Every family likes to get outand about together visitingmuseums, activity parks orjust getting out of doors.Spending time together is

perhaps even more importantfor disabled children whosebrothers and sisters maygo to a different school orpursue different out of school

activities.For many such families

though, just the thought ofgoing to a visitor attractionwith the whole family can

be daunting. For instance,how will you explain to the

staff that Jamie has autismand cant cope with waitingin long queues? Is the cafaccessible? And what ifPoppy needs some time out

while youre there? And ontop of all that, there are thecrowds to cope withHow many times have youwished to talk to someone

whos aware of the difficultiesfacing you, who knows yourdestination inside out, can

answer your questionsbefore you visit, and helpyou plan the best way tospend your time? Wouldnt

it be fantastic if that personwere to meet you on theday with a friendly smile,and be on hand throughoutto help sort out all those

little glitches, without youhaving to explain everythingto a stranger all over again?

Relax! your wish has beengranted right here on yourdoorstep! Eureka! the

Trizia Wells,

Helping Hands

Project Lead

at Eureka!

talks about a

unique service

for families

of disabled

children -An Extra Pair

of Hands


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National Childrens Museum,has introduced an Extra Pair

of Hands, a unique termtime service for families ofdisabled children who wantto visit our museum. Eureka!is a great place for families to

have fun you can enjoy thesensory garden and outdoorspace as well as the galleriesindoors, while being able togo in and out of the museum

as often as you like gives yourfamily day all the flexibilityyou need.

Our Extra Pair of Hands

service went live in June afteran extensive pilot involving

families and training fromCalderdale Parents andCarers, and is now proving a

popular service. Completelytailored to each family whobook, its a unique, simpleand practical support forfamilies of disabled children

Heres how it works:

1 Decide when you want to go to Eureka!

2 Ring at least 2 weeks in advance to book yourvisit explain that you would like an Extra Pair

of Hands

3 A member from our Extra Pair of Hands team

will ring you back, listen to your ideas and

concerns, and use their expert knowledge of

the museum to help plan a stress free visit

4 On the day, the Extra Pair of Hands will meet

your family, stay with you and help you all have a

fantastic time together

who want to visit Eureka! on aTuesday, Thursday, Saturdayor Sunday during Calderdale

term times.


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HavingFun

If you have an annual pass for Eureka! you can book two ExtraPair of Hands visits a year. If you dont have an annual passyet, then try the service free! We guarantee you will have somuch fun you will want to buy an annual pass to enjoy yoursecond Extra Pair of Hands visit.

The feedback has been tremendous from both families andour front of house Enablers. We knew that for Eureka! to get

this right, we had to listen to the experts the families - andthats why we came to CPC. We talked to families to find outhow Eureka! can be as welcoming as possible for families

of disabled children and realized that raising awareness andtraining was going to be very important for our Enablers.

The Creating Ripples training provided by CPC has really

boosted their confidence and skills:

Before we trained I had no idea what to do if a young

lad came in and had a meltdown whereas now I feel more

confident in that situation and I would be able to approach itin a constructive manner rather than panicking. It is definitelyconfidence building.

Ive a much deeper understanding of the sorts of thingsthat might be a problem for families and whats gone onbefore they even get out the door.

Weve also organized half day placements with Highburyspecial school, and training in specific disabilities such as

sensory impairments weve begun training in basic signlanguage which has gone down a storm and everyones reallylooking forward to more of that.

All this training and experience has raised our Enablers

confidence and enthusiasm and that was really

appreciated by our Extra Pair of Hands pilot parents:

I felt that nothing would be a problem for him or too

much for him. After 15 mins of meeting our Enabler my sonwas happyI wasnt stressed at all and would definitely do thisagain.

(Mother of 9 year old boy with autism and 3 year old sister)

She was friendly, helpful and genuinely wanted to makethe visit as stress free and fun for everybody. she madesure his sister felt included. Im definitely coming back, it was

absolutely brilliant.

(Mother of 3 year old boy with severe visual impairment andcomplex health needs)

The differencebetween visiting withand without an Enablerwas immensewe wereblown away and came

away buzzing. Thisgave ten times the value

to a normal visit.

(Mother of 12 year old

boy who is a wheelchairuser with global learningdifficulties, and 4 siblingsaged from 4 years to 10years)

Our Enablers are raringto go, so why not give usa ring and reserve your

Extra Pair of Hands now!Extra Pair of Hands is partof the Helping Handsproject which is fundedby the Esmee Fairburn

Foundation. We also

run Saturday clubs andwould like families to beinvolved in consultationfor future projects.

To find out more,please get in touch withTrizia Wells or

Jenny Goodall on01422 330069.


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HavingFun

My name is Jayna Patel; I am

a Calderdale Young Reporterreporting on Takeover Day.

This initiative gives childrenand young people thechance to work alongsideadults in a variety of sectors

and professions includingYouth Workers, Journalistsand Health Workers. This isbeing led by the ChildrensCommissioner, Maggie

Atkinson. Takeover Day 2012will take place on Friday 23rdNovember.

Takeover Day aims to providechildren with leadership skills,experience and inspiration aswell as an understanding of

how various organisations arerun. It is also a chance to gettheir voices heard and getinvolved in the communityin a fun and memorable

way. Adults will benefit too,gaining a fresh perspectiveand insight into what childrenand young people thinkabout the role they do.

Takeover Day 2011 was

a huge success acrossCalderdale with more than30 young people getting

involved. The Young peoplewere given a huge amount

of responsibility as well

Takeover Day

2012Ever wanted to take over a particular job for

a day? Well the Childrens Commissioners

Takeover Day is giving thousands of childrenand young people across England the exciting

opportunity to do just that!

If you want to get involved

in this exciting event thenplease [email protected].

ukor phone Jo on01422

365499/07771978940

If you would like to

know more aboutTakeover Day 2012please visit http://www.childrenscommissioner.

gov.uk/takeover_day formore ideas, information

and guidance on how youcan take full advantage ofTakeover Day 2012.

as having tons of fun. Forinstance, last year students

from Calderdale Schoolstook over the roles of the

Leader of the Council, ChiefExecutive of CalderdaleCouncil, Director of Childrenand Young Peoples Services,

Chief Executive of NHSCalderdale, Chief Executiveof Pennine Housing, YouthWorkers, Head Teachers,Active Lifestyles - Health and

Fitness Co-ordinator and TheMayor.

Nationally other youngpeople took on roles in BBCRadio 1 in areas includingNewsbeat, Press and Publicity

and on the Radio 1 showitself. Two girls from London,Caprice and Naomi, even

spent time with the DeputyPrime Minister Nick Clegg

last year as he prepared hisquestions.

With such a positive trackrecord, The ChildrensCommissioner is aiming toget more than 50,000 children

involved this year in what will

be the sixth Takeover Day.


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I am Kathryn Pogue, aCalderdale Young Reporter,

reporting on the return ofHannah Cockcroft, doubleparalympic gold medallist.

On the 14th

September,Hannah Cockcroft returned to

an echo of applause, as shearrived in the Piece Hall fora celebratory home comingevent. Starting at 4:30pm thePiece Hall was full to burstingwith proud locals waiting

eagerly to see their homegrown Golden Girl. HannahCockcroft entered the PieceHall with rapturous applause,

Thinkingabou

ttheFuture

camera flashes and national TVbroadcasts, accompanied byher mother and the Mayor andMayoress of Calderdale.

The event was hosted by

Pete Emmett, a local basedComedian, introducingpeople to the stage such asHannah Cockcrofts PE teacherwho first got her to buy awheelchair, she recounted

the story to the awe struckcrowd as she spoke of theyoung golden girl not wanting

a wheelchair. Other speakersincluded the Game Makers,a group of six young people

GoldenGirlReturns

from the Midnight League

team who talked of theirexperience at the LondonGames.

In between the talks wassome fantastic music byboth the Halifax Young

Singers and The AmazingBavarians. Both of thebands captured theaudiences attention witha mix of comedy and

enthusiasm. The highlight ofthe event was at 6pm whenHannah Cockcroft appearedon stage wearing both of

her medals and Olympicjacket. She said to theExaminer I think this is themost emotional Ive been.The crowd are fantastic; Ivenever seen the Piece Hall so

packed.

The whole of the event wentdown well with a crowd ofover 250, brought togetherto see the home comingof the towns superstar.She is soon to be made

a Free Woman of theBorough. The whole daywas definitely an inspirationto young people acrossCalderdale. As a young

person from CalderdaleI especially felt proud ofHannahs achievementsand feel that this will makemore young people feel that

they too can achieve theirdreams.

Written by Calderdales

Young Reporter -Kathryn

Pogue.


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14 | Carers Voice

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CalderdaleInclusive ToyLibrary

Earlier this year, CalderdaleParents and Carers receivedsome funding from theCouncil to set up an InclusiveToy Library with a range ofsensory and inclusive toysthat families can borrowto see whether or not theyappeal to their children and/or meet their needs.

Toy Library will officially openon Tuesday 6November.Between now and then acatalogue of products will beput online at www.parents-and-carers.org.uk, and thereis also a physical catalogue ofproducts that visitors to theoffices of CPC can look at.

Systems are currently beingestablished, but anyoneborrowing a toy or piece ofequipment will first need tobecome a member of CPC.This doesnt cost anythingand means that you will bethe first to hear about eventsand activities that may beappropriate for you or yourchildren.

Also included in the toylibrary are a range of kitsfocusing on areas such asmobility, sensory activities,communication andproprioception. These will

Lower Valley Childrens Centres

Elland Childrens Centre

Busy Babies Weds 1.00-2.30

Holywell Green Family CentreBusy Babies Tues 1.00-3.00

Messy Monkeys Thurs 1.00-2.30

TALK Group last Saturday of every month 10.00-12.00

Field Lane Childrens Centre

Messy Monkeys Weds 1.00-2.30

Busy Babies Thurs 1.00-2.30

Wellholme Park Childrens CentreBusy Babies Mon 9.30-11.30 (runs from Cliffe Hill School)

Messy Monkeys Weds 10.00-12.00 (runs from Whinney Hill

Community Centre)

We also run School Holiday Activities, please contact

the centre for more details.

All of these groups are free of charge, you can find out more

information or request a newsletter by ringing Field Lane

Childrens Centre on 01484 386621and ask for a CommunityLink Worker.

be available for childcaresettings to borrow to helpthem work more effectivelywith disabled children andyoung people.

If you have any questionsabout the Toy Library or

would like to sign up tobecome a member of CPCin advance of the libraryslaunch in November please

contact Calderdale Parentsand Carers on 01422 343090or email [email protected]. Alternativelydrop into CPCs office onHanson Lane, meet the

staff and have a look at thecatalogue of products.

Whats on

this Autumn


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15Carers Voice |

Most parents of disabledchildren have to adjust toa wide variety of emotionaland psychological challenges

when first confronted withthe reality of their childs

disability. Counselling offersparents a personal space inwhich they can find ways of

adjusting and coping withtheir own problems as well asthe needs of their children.Furthermore, Counselling isa journey of self-discovery

and the relationship between

the counsellor and the parentin this environment is oneof mutual trust and respect.As a counsellor my job is toendeavour to help parents

on their journey by engagingthem to communicate andshare in a fully transparentway, so that by the end theycan feel empowered and able

to live a more fulfilling andsuccessful life.

My role as a professionalcounsellor is to enable you

to make this journey. Thetravelling and transformationis up to you.Everyone has their unique

and individual problems

and I can help by providingan opportunity to examinein depth your experience,

in an objective and non-judgemental environment,with the view to explore future

possibilities.

If you or someone you knowhas a problem with:

Anger management

Difficulties in relationships

The effects of childhoodabuse or neglect

Feeling stressed, Anxiousor Depressed

Feeling unhappy or

isolated Low self-esteem or

confidence

Loss and bereavement ortrauma

Worrying about childrenand the future

Any other relateddifficulties

I am a counsellor offeringcounselling and emotionalsupport. The service iscompletely confidential, freeof charge and you do not

need a GP referral to access

it.

The weekly sessions are ina private room at Spring

Hall Medical Centre, SpringHall Lane, Halifax, everyMonday Wednesday andFriday between 9:30am

and 12:30pm. If you wishto make an appointmentplease ring: 07534010414

I practice within the ethicalframework of the British

Association for Counsellorsand Psychotherapists(BACP) using an integrative

approach, which includes

Gestalt and NLPtechniques, CBT,Transactional Analysisand Person Centredmodels of therapy.

Ramona Cleasby, BSc(Hons) Psychology

Diploma in TherapeuticCounselling

Neuro- LinguisticProgramming

PractitionerCertificate in Health andSocial Care

Certificate in CounsellingSkills

CounsellingGettingSup

port

Calderdale Parents and Carers counsellor,

Ramona Cleasby, introduces the new free service.


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Calderdale

YoungReportersHi my name is Katy Wenham Rogers; I am a Calderdale YoungReporter.

As Young Reporters we report on local issues, events, news

and celebrations. We meet once a month, usually in librariesand youth centres across the Calderdale district.

We created this group so young people could have their sayin the media and tell you about local issues, events, news and

celebrations. Our opinions and views help people find aboutthings they can get involved with such as education, places

that are specifically for young people.

Me...... I love being a Young Reporter. Its exciting, going to ameeting and never knowing what news I am going to reporton next; who am I interviewing? Its GREAT going to events,interviewing local celebrities, reporting on anything andeverything! Thats what I love.....

Some of you will be reading this and just wanting to knowwhen the next meeting is! Some of you will be reading thisand thinking I dont like writing, its not for me but I would liketo be involved - you may be interested in photography. If you

just said YES then being a Young Reporter might be for you!We have a camera crew; they come with us and take picturesof the events for our reports.

Our reports get into newspapers, magazines, online blogs and

on the Youth Hub Website. People all over Calderdale readthem and if youre reading this you must be one of them!

If youre interested in becoming a Young Reporter then emailJo at [email protected]


17/37


Havingyoursay

I am a young reporter calledCharlotte Oxby and, as aYoung Inspector, I knowthe ins and outs of what

the Young Inspectors do:And, I know what yourethinking - who thoughtthat young people inCalderdale could actually do

something constructive andnot destructive? Nonsense,right?WRONG! Young Inspectorsare a group of young people

from different areas ofCalderdale; ages ranging

from 13-19 years old. Wecome together about twice

a month (lots more meetingsin school holidays) and either

go to an allocated serviceand inspect it, or sit andtalk about the findings sofar about inspections wehave carried out. We also,

together, discuss future plans.In small groups, we visitdifferent services whichCalderdale Council providefor young people and say

whether we like them or notand give the service somepointers which can be used toimprove the overall quality.

At each inspection, we aregiven a form to fill out, which

YoungInspector

Reporting

asks what we loved aboutthe service, for instance,if we think the service isaccessible for those who usewheelchairs and if we think

the staff are welcoming. Wealso write down three ideas

which the service could useto improve and we also givethe service a star rating out

of 10.Some of the services whichthe Young Inspectors havevisited so far include theEastfield Jubilee Centre,

the Halifax Library, Scope,

Highbury Holiday club andmany more.In short, the YoungInspectors team are justa group of lovely young

people who want to makea difference and improvethe quality of services whichCalderdale Council provide

for young people, and, witha project leader like JoannaHeyes, I can assure youthat more great work canbe expected from us in thenear future. Contact Jo for

more details on how youcan get involved at [email protected]

Charlotte Oxby,

Young Reporter


18/37


Born of a desire to providetraining and activities thatwere both progressiveand innovative, The Hiveopened its doors in July

2010. Charity status wasgained in January 2011. Weare overseen by a board of

seven trustees with manyyears experience in the areaof learning difficulties.

Initially the negative

economic climate madeprogress difficult but thanksto self belief and the supportof many others who shareour vision, we now seem tohave turned a corner and

things are beginning to

buzz. Inclusion on the AdultHealth and Social Care list ofapproved service providers

The Hive(Halifax) LtdBased at the Hanson Lane Enterprise Centre, The Hiveis a registered charity offering employment and training

services to adults with learning disabilities.


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Thinkingabou

ttheFuture

has also made a considerabledifference.

We have a Community Shop

which is run by our clients.They are involved at everylevel from purchasing goods

to selling them to our lovelycustomers. The shop alsoprovides work placement

opportunities to service usersfrom kindred organisations.Taking advantage of theirIT skills, our clients also sellitems via ebay thus gaining a

further insight into the world

of commerce.

Our manager, Paul Jackson,is driven by a burning desire

to see The Hive flourish as anall inclusive service where ourclients are encouraged, andassisted, to make their owninformed choices. Senior

Supervisor, Jane Hardy,echoes Pauls sentimentsand feels The Hive thriveson originality and provides avibrant, modernised service.

I feel privileged to be part of

this new and exciting team.Together, along with our teamof volunteers, they provide

the perfect learning vehiclefor our clients to progress toa more independent future.

Woodwork and art, craft anddesign feature amongst themany activities available toour clients.

Why not pop along for a

cuppa and a chat to see ourservice for yourself? We areopen Monday to Friday, were

growing and were reallybuzzin.

Contact details: -Telephone:01422 323822Email :-thehivehalifax@btconnect.

comWebsite: -

www.thehivehalifax.org.uk


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Special Stars

Support GroupSpecial Stars was set up after a consultation exercise whenCalderdale Local Authority were developing a short breaksprogramme for families in 2009. Rizwana Rehman and

Shahida Hussain from the Specialist Inclusion Service talked

directly with the parents of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME)

children with complex needs and found that families felt

isolated and in need of community support. The families

believed their language and culture was a barrier to ndingout more information and having a say in what they

wanted.

As a result a community /therapy family support groupwas set up and the familiescalled it Special Stars. Theaim of the group it to bring

BME families with childrenwho have complex needs

together on a fortnightlybasis for mutual support,therapy and information

gathering.

This year the therapies andactivities are funded throughthe Short Breaks offer. The

group has had sessions on

head massage, glass paintingetc, as well as a number ofopportunities to go on coachtrips as a family to places like

Flamingo Land and GulliversWorld.

The Special Stars grouplike to offer the families a

chance to recharge theirbatteries by having fun withfamily members as well asmutual support for otherswithin the community. The

group currently has about35 families and new mumscome on a regular basis.The ladies feel comfortablewithin the group and use it

to find out more informationaround benefits and otheropportunities.


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GettingSupport

At present it is very much forwomen but we would like toextend a welcome to fathersto join in too!

If you wish to learn moreabout this group please ring

01422 394136 or [email protected]

The DfE are proposingto change the fundingmechanism for studentswith additional needs from

April 2013. It is proposedthat a significant amount of

additional funding will godirectly to schools as a blockof money to meet individual

needs above that routinelyallocated to each student.The DfE has identified thecriteria for this process. As aresult of this process Schools

will be expected to provideindividual support up to anadditional 6,000 over andabove the existing financefor each student. If a studentrequires a higher level of

support than these combinedamounts then the LocalAuthority will commissionadditional provision viathe Statement of SEN.

The Statement of SEN willremain a legal document and

schools will be responsiblefor delivering personalisedprovision for students.

We would like to consult withparents and young people for

you to give us your opinionsand to support Calderdale to

plan for the future. We haveorganised a meeting for youto tell us what works at themoment with the supportyour child receives in school

and what we could do better.There will be two consultationsessions, run by CalderdaleParent and Carers inconjunction with staff from the

Specialist Inclusion Serviceand schools involved. Thesewill be held at Heath Training& Development Centre, FreeSchool Lane, Halifax, HX1 2PT

on the 8th November 2012from 1.00pm to 2.30pm and

6.00pm to 7.30pm. Atthis event there will be an

SEN Fundinginformation session, timefor you to ask questionsand time for you toshare experiences and

contribute to the futureplanning of Resourced

Provisions.

We will also run sessions

with children and youngpeople in schools to givethem the opportunity toinfluence the plans for thefuture. If you would like to

discuss this further pleasecontact Linda Parrish on01422 394136.

For catering purpose

please can you confirmyour attendance at thisevent by e-mailing [email protected] by calling 01422 343090


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Sunny will be dropping intothe Child Development Unitto talk with families and keepthem informed about services

and support available and tooffer help and advice where

she can.

Janine Wigmores role

differs to Sunnys in that sheis primarily responsible forfacilitating the Parent Forumwhere Parent Representativeswork in partnership with

services to improve outcomesfor families. The Forum isopen to all parents and carersand the next meeting will beat CPC offices on Thursday

the 22nd of November from12:30-2.30pm.

Janine is also on handto help families find the

right support whether its

through the range of servicesCPC provide or from localservices.

Unfortunately, our VolunteerAdmin Support Worker,

Tamina Akbar left us to goon to paid employment andwe would like to thank herfor all the hard work she has

done throughout her timewith us and wish her every

success in the future. AmandaRorrison has joined CPC onwork placement as part ofher Health and Social Caredegree course and everyone

at CPC would like to extenda warm welcome to Amanda.We are also happy to

welcome Lauren Pearcey asour Administrative Assistant

three days a week.

For several months nowMartin Reynolds a parent,CPC member and Trustee has

been volunteering for us asFinance Officer providing us

with invaluable support.

Over the summer, bowlingand soft play activities

provided families with theopportunity to get together

and have a bit of fun. Theseproved to be particularlypopular as the summerweather proved to be such awash out!

Our programme of

information sessions havecontinued over the last fewmonths with the two most

popular being, dealing withsex and relationship issuesand benefits and finances.

Darren Parkinson and Claire

McGuiness from the Disabled

Childrens Team gave lots ofideas, solutions, resources,and tips to enable parentsto best support their young

person in a very positive waythrough the minefield that issex and relationships.

Katie Bullock from Irwin

Mitchell solicitors facilitated

the information session onbenefits and finances andreceived great feedback fromthe parents who attended.

One parent said that as aresult of attending the sessionhe felt, more confidence indealing with issues aroundbenefits. Another mum said

it, (was) a very useful courseand very clear to understand.

CPC UpdateCPC continues to expand with new

additions to the CPC team of staff andvolunteers. Sunny Freakley and Janine

Wigmore have joined as Parental

Engagement Ofcers and are getting

out and about into the community

meeting families with children who

have additional needs, to listen to howthey can be best supported.


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If you want to become a member of CPC and be kept

up-to-date with all the events taking place, then contactLauren at:[email protected] ortelephone 01422 343090 for a membership pack.

Thinkingabou

ttheFuture

Some dates for your diary!

Informationsessions:

held at CPC offices, HansonLane enterprise Centre,

Hanson Lane, HX1 5PG19thNovember, 10-12

at the above address

Understanding Person

Centred Approaches- with

Janine Wigmore from CPC

Come and find out abouthow using a person centred

approach can help families toachieve the best outcomesfor their children.

15thJanuary 2013, 10-12at the above address

Changes in Funding in

Education for Children with

Special Educational Needs-

Impact and Implications

with Linda Canning,

Special Educational Needs

Manager.

Come along and askquestions about proposedchanges to educationfor children with special

educational needs.

To book on to any of theinformation sessions, please

contact Lauren Ambler on01422 343090 or [email protected]

CPC AGM and

Toy Library OpeningThursday 15th November,

11am -1pm at CPC ofces.

Join staff, volunteers and

Trustees at CPC offices forcoffee and cakes at theopening of our toy library andour AGM.

There is still time to

complete our 2011survey into life forparents and carers inCalderdale so to have

your say please goto the online surveyat, https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cpc_survey2012 ortelephone Lauren on

01422 343090 for apaper copy.


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Calderdale

NationalAutistic Society

That small group grew intothe UKs leading autism

charity, and over those50 years it has helpedto transform societysunderstanding of and

attitudes towards autism,which we now know affectsaround 1 in 100 people.

Thanks to the campaigningwork of the NAS, in 2009

the Autism Act was passed the first ever disability-specific law. As a result,the government now hasa strategy to make sure

that adults with autismget the help that theyneed. The NAS is currentlycampaigning to make surethe governments education

reforms benefit children withautism.

Our local branch was formedfour years ago by anothersmall group of parents andcarers.Our regular events include

coffee mornings for families

of recently diagnosedchildren, which are held

in conjunction with theASD team. This is a greatopportunity to meet stafffrom the team of teachers,

outreach workers, speech& language therapists as

well as other parents andcarers, and NAS volunteers.

Our aims are to:

provide support to one another

be a source of information for anyoneaffected by autism

provide opportunities to meet people andfamilies in similar situations,

organise activities and social events

offer training for parents, carers andprofessionals

work together with services to ensure

the needs of people with autism inCalderdale are met.

Its amazing to think that 50 years ago, the National Autistic

Society started as a small group of friends who met around

a kitchen table frustrated at the lack of understanding andhelp available for them and their children.


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GettingSupport

(Please email:[email protected] ortelephone 01422 394114 forfurther details).

Our branch officer, JanineWigmore, will also be

attending coffee morningsat Calderdale Parents and

Carers contact [email protected] for dates, or toget support for all familycarers of children and youngpeople with autism.

We also support the

Calderdale group for adultswith Asperger syndrome,and the peer support

group for partners of thosewith Asperger syndrome.(Please contact Dawn Collinson 01422 393966 or [email protected]

for more information).

Our social events thisyear included summercelebrations for the 50thanniversary of the NAS.We held an adventure activity

day at the Boiler Housein Halifax, and also had asensory play day with a 50thbirthday tea party.

We provide free places onNAS training courses whichcover a range of subjects.The next workshops will be:

Common toileting

difficulties

Tuesday November 27,10-2.30pm at CPC offices.

Teen Life

Wednesday February 6,the conference room,

Hanson Lane EnterpriseCentre, HX1 5PG, 10-2.30pm

Supporting siblings ofchildren with autism

Thursday February 7,the conference room,Hanson Lane EnterpriseCentre, HX1 5PG, 10-2.30pm

Teen Life

Wednesday February 6,

the conference room,Hanson Lane EnterpriseCentre, HX1 5PG, 10-2.30pm

Its free to join us, just getin touch using the detailsbelow, and youll receive ourregular email bulletins and

newsletter with all the latestlocal information.

We always welcomevolunteers. The branch is

run entirely by volunteers, soif youd like to support us inany of our activities, whetherhelping to organise events,campaigning or fundraising,

wed love to hear from you.

Please contact Janine

Wigmore on the branchhelpline:07798 617448or email:[email protected]

NAS website:www.

autism.org.uk


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Parents have said;

I am really learningfrom this course Im usingthe tools to communicatemore positively and Ive

changed my thinking abouthow to get my feelings

out and then turn themaround

I know now what helpto get about things I needhelp with

I am coming out of myshell, Id held stuff back and Iwant to carry on, I dont wantto stop!

Ive got confidence inbeing allowed to do stuff formyself, not just be someonesparent

This course has helpedme through each stage of

what Im going through at themoment, Im feeling positivethat I can get through it

Our course for parentsof teenagers started on24 September and was

oversubscribed, which justshows how quickly goodnews spreads aroundCalderdale! We look forwardto going on this part of the

journey with those takingpart.

Amaze, who foundedthe course have recentlypublished their report onthe pilot of Insiders Guide

which we were involvedin by delivering 3 courses.

Insiders

guideSince our last issue we have run 2successful Insiders Guide courses,

for Complex Health Needs and

Primary Age childrens parents.

Everyone who attended found it to

be a really positive experience and

we look forward to seeing how the

summer has treated them when

we catch up in October.


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places available free at HOTcrche plus will pay for kidsto be at their usual nursery/with childminder and travelif needed. it starts at 10am

and finishes at 12.30pmeach week.

Learning Difficulties isstarting 4 February Monday

mornings 10am to 1pmhere. Again we can helpwith funding for childcareand travel. Contact Karenat karen.bull@parents-and-

carers.org.uk or telephone

01422 343090 to book yourplace.

GettingSupport

The results clearly show:

A key outcome from theseries of Insiders Guide

programme delivery to dateis improved mutual trustbetween parent carers and

service providers, and apositive model of partnership

working.

A manager reported thatthe Insiders Guide hascompletely revolutionised the

way Calderdale professionalswork with families, through

professionals involvementin delivery they have seenfirst-hand what needs to be

done to make the journeyfor families a more positiveexperience.

Managers have witnessedpositive and visible changesfor facilitators and team

members not involvedin Insiders Guide haverecognised the positiveimpact on individual parentsand are keen to encourage

others to take up the course.

Parents who attend thecourse are overwhelminglypositive about the

experience. Before andafter monitoring of parentsthrough their journey with

the Insiders Guide hasdemonstrated its successin strengthening familiesby building carers health,reduced isolation, increased

social connectedness,

reduced depression, anxietyand stress.

Several parents havecontinued on their journeywith lasting changes, throughvolunteering, further learning

and aspirations of careerchanges to reflect their new-found confidence in their skills

as parent carers.

We have had some greatnews in that we have secured

funding from the CommunityFoundation to run 2 additionalInsiders Guide courses, onefor parents of Under 5s andone for parents of children

and young people withLearning Difficulties.

Under 5sis starting Tues

13 November its at JubileeChildrens Centre and we havea limited number of crche


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Theres no need to worry the NHS in Calderdale is stillcommitted to working with

disabled children, youngpeople and their familiesto provide the very best in

healthcare. We know thatgood healthcare is reallyimportant for disabledchildren and young people,especially because they are

more likely to have complex

health needs.

The two biggest changesto health services will be

NHS Calderdale ClinicalCommissioning Group agroup of local GPs and otherhealth professionals - takingon responsibility for planning

and buying health servicesfor local people and localcouncils taking on PublicHealth duties.

Changes for

CalderdaleHealth ServicesYou may have heard about

big changes in the way

health services will be

planned, commissioned

and provided from next

April and perhaps youreconcerned about what this

means for you and your

family?


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These changes are partof government reformsdesigned to:

Give patients moreinformation and choiceabout their care

Improve health outcomes

to be among the best inthe world

Hand back power topatients and the NHS

professionals who treatthem:

Remove unnecessarybureaucracy and make the

NHS more efficient

NHS Calderdale CCG ischaired by Dr Alan Brook, a

GP based in Brighouse andits Chief Officer is Dr Matt

Walsh. Dr Hazel Carsley,a GP in Calderdale since1988, is the childrens andwomens clinical lead for the

CCG, Hazel has extensiveexperience in family medicineand a genuine interest indisabled children and thosewith special educational

needs.

She said:

We want flexible andresponsive services and bestvalue and outcomes and will

be involving families andservices in this

.

If youre interested inknowing more about theCCG and being involved inits work have a look at itswebsite:

www.calderdale.nhs.uk/

nhscalderdaleccg/get-involved/commissioning-plan

If youre part of a local group,the CCG is happy to comeand talk to you directly aboutits work. You can arrange this

be contacting the Patient andPublic Engagement team on

01422 281473.

The CCG is also staging

a social media campaignaround Changing Healthin Calderdale to showhow much NHS healthcare has changed over the

years and showcase new

patient services that will bedeveloped closer to home.You can follow the CCGat @calderdaleccg or onFacebook.

..and theres moreIn September 2012 thegovernment released somedraft proposals on specialeducational needs and

disability as part of theforthcoming Children andFamilies Bill. These proposalsset out a new duty for jointcommissioning, requiring

the CCG and local councilto work together to providesupport for disabled childrenand young people. This will

further reduce bureaucracyand make it easier for families

GettingSupport

to access the support thatbest meets their childrensneeds.You can comment on these

and other proposals in theBill by contacting Janine

Wigmore at CalderdaleParent and Carers on01422 343090 or email

[email protected]

Phil Brayshaw

Programme Manager for

Disabled Children NHS

Calderdale


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In Calderdale we arecommitted to supporting

young people who havespecial educational needs

or who are particularlyvulnerable and would liketo travel independently, to

gain the skills to use localtransport options. Thissupport is delivered withinschools or colleges by theIndependent Travel Scheme.

Trainers from the schemework with young people tolearn routes, which can beto school, college or workplacements. The skills learnt

are transferrable to allowyoung people to becomemore independent in theirleisure time. The supportwe give to young people isflexible to meet their differing

needs and each step isauthorised by parents/carers.Therefore, the training can

take varying lengths of timedepending on the ability andexperience of the individual.The personal gains for

young people supported viathe scheme are enormous

and include increased self-esteem, self -confidenceand in the longer term,the potential to accesseducation, work and social

opportunities.

Quotes from parents andyoung people:Thank you for doing training

with me, teaching me toget the bus. I really enjoyeddoing it because it makes meconfident.Ann was brilliant with ****

and after a few trips she isnow confident and can catch

the bus on her own to schoolI am happy that she can dothis safely

Independent

Travel SchemeIts much better going on thebus because you can sit andtalk to your friends.I never thought *** would beable to travel independently.It seems to give him a feel

good factor. It will open somany doors for him enabling

him to take an active part inour society.As parents we were

worried about letting himtake part in this scheme,but the travel training teamwere very professional andreassuring. When we sawhim walking home on his first

unaccompanied journey, hisface beaming we knew wehad made the right decision.We would not hesitate inrecommending this service to

any other family in a similarsituation.

Contact InformationFor more information or an

informal chat about how theindependent travel schemeworks within local schools andcolleges please contact:

Ann Exton: 01422 392551 [email protected]

Jason Oldroyd: 01422 358621

or [email protected]

GettingSupport


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Calderdale

Parent CarerForum

Havingyoursay

Have your Say Make a Difference

Calderdale Parents andCarers works with Calderdale

Council to provide parentrepresentation on a numberof key groups looking at howservices for disabled childrenand young people, and their

families are delivered.

Our team of ParentReps raise the views offamilies and the voluntary

organisations that supportthem, with practitioners anddecision makers from acrosshealth, education and socialservices.

By putting families at thecentre of the way in whichservices and support aredeveloped, we can work

together for positive change.

To date, the work of theParent Reps has includedcontributing towards twoimportant developments:

Calderdales PathfinderProject. This is testingout the governmentsproposed reforms for

children with additionalneeds, such as theintroduction of a SingleEducation, Health andCare Plan.

Calderdales Moving Onstrategy for young peopleaged 14-25 with complexneeds, in preparing and

progressing to adulthood.

Our monthly forum meetingsare an opportunity to meetthe team and discuss issues

important to you.

Parents, Carers, andmembers of voluntary

groups supporting familieswith disabled children allwelcome.

The forum will meet at CPCoffices at Hanson Lane

Enterprise Centre from12:30-2:30pm on:

Thursday

11 October

Thursday

22 November

Thursday

19 December

Tuesday

29 January 2013

Wednesday

13 March

For more informationplease contactJanine Wigmore on01422 343090 or emailJanine.wigmore@parents-

and-carers.org.uk


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Free Under-5sSoft Play Session

2 hours free soft play session

including 1/2hour sensory play session.Launch Date Friday 26th October

And then every Second Tuesday every month

Dates:13th November

11th December

8th January12th February

All sessions run from 11am to 1pm

At Active Soft Play Gym, 9b Calderdale Business Park, Club Lane,Ovenden, Halifax, HX2 8DB. Siblings welcome.

For further information please contact Sunny on:01422 343090 or

email [email protected]

DesignedandprintedbyFlashDesignMediaT:01422346106E:[email protected]


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GettingSupport

Take Over Day - August 2012 Pg12

Documents

Transcript of Take Over Day - August 2012 Pg12