Winter 2012! News from the Office 2 Annual Meeting 12 News from Family workers 3-8 News from Positive Parent Action 13

Transcription

1 Winter 2012! News from the Office 2 Annual Meeting 12 News from Family workers 3-8 News from Positive Parent Action 13 Cygnet Training 9 Helpline Service / SEN National Advice Service 13 Termly Workshops 10 News Information Day 11 Events Wandsworth Contact a Family, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA Tel: wandsworth.office@cafamily.org.uk Charity number: Core funded by the London Borough of Wandsworth Printed by Seagull Print, Garratt Lane

2 News from the Wandsworth Office What a summer we have had surely we have all been swept up by Olympic and Paralympic fever. Hope you have all had a great time in this wonderful City of ours. We have had a fantastic turn out for all our events and activities from drumming workshops, junk rock and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe to Legoland and of course our annual seaside trip to Brighton. We also got into the sporting mood with our own Olympic sporting day at Dulwich college where a great time was had by all the participants. Staff news is that after 5 years with us, Jill has gone on maternity leave we wish her all the very best and Mohammed will be covering her post in Tooting. We are also welcoming a new member of staff to the team to cover two days a week as Jan goes to a part time role. Our annual meeting is upon us and compiling the report for that has really made us see how many families we have been in touch with and how positive the feedback has been from them. Please do come along on Wednesday 26 th September for the free lunch and to meet with other parents. We have Carol Payne from the children with disabilities and special educational needs team as well as an expert from our Helpline to fill us all in on the latest news about benefits and how changes may affect us all. We have been busy planning our workshops for the coming year see inside and book to come along. We will be holding some of them at a new venue the Enhanced Children s Centre at West Hill see inside for more details about that. We will be running other annual workshops here at the Early Years Centre as well as an evening course (known as Cygnet) for parents of children who have been diagnosed with autism but are too old for them to attend the EarlyBird programme - so we hope that you will find something that will suit your needs. If you don t, then please call and let us know we are always open to suggestions from you, the parents. We would like to thank all our funders but especially the Roche School who kindly donated a huge 3,300 to us, which we will use to enhance our events and activities budget-what a fantastic sum to receive! If you have any fundraising ideas for us, do get in touch we are always on the lookout for help to boost our funding. Best wishes to all enjoy the newsletter! Rosie, Jill, Ati, Suzanne, Jan,Yinka, Mohammed and Elizabeth The views expressed in this newsletter may not necessarily be those of Contact a Family. 2

3 Battersea Early Years Team News from Suzanne Tel: ext 112 / suzanne.bailey@cafamily.org.uk Monthly Parents / Carers group IMPORTANT INFORMATION! The Monthly Parents / Carers Group will no longer be running at Katherine Low Settlement. Please see our page on the termly workshops on Toilet Training, Understanding your child s behaviour and Feeding which we will now be offering at Westhill Enhanced Children s Centre instead. Please be advised that as places are limited it is essential that you book in advance. Please also see our information on the annual sessions we will be running on other topics, including Choosing the Right school for your child and Getting the Statement Right, on Monday 1 st October from 10am until 2.30pm at Chesterton Centre for Children and Families. Drop-in advice sessions The drop-in advice sessions will continue as of Wednesday 3 rd October. My drop-in sessions are a great opportunity for you to meet with other parents/carers in the local area and to share experiences and tips with them. It will also be a chance to meet with me for advice and support on issues relating to your child and to find out about all the other groups and activities running in the children s centres across Battersea. They will also be an opportunity for you to meet with other parents/carers and for your children to play alongside others, in a very informal setting. When: Every Wednesday afternoon (Term-time only) from Wednesday 3 rd October. Where: Chesterton Centre for Children and Families, Dagnall Street, SW11 5DT. Time: 1.30pm 3.30pm 3

4 News from Yinka Roehampton Tel: / yinka.aina@cafamily.org.uk Yinka is available from 9.00am to 4.30pm Mondays to Fridays. New Weekly Explore and Play Session Yinka will be co-facilitating a group for parents and children under five, including siblings, at the West Hill Enhanced Children s Centre. This fun session will give children the chance to play alongside others and offer parents the chance to meet together and chat with each other and professionals - including Play and Development staff who will also be on hand to offer advice and support. When: Every Monday. Where: West Hill Enhanced Children s Centre, 4 Broomhill Road, London SW18 5ST Time: 9.30am 11.00am Drop in Sessions Term time only This is a Family Drop-in session for the Putney and Roehampton locality. Yinka will be available with other professionals to give advice on benefit, grants and any other concerns you may have or refer you on to other professionals for support. We will also be inviting other professionals to attend the drop-in sessions to talk about Managing your own feelings and emotions around diagnosis, Helping your child/children learn through play etc. What and When: Advice on benefits and grants: Wednesday 19 th September Managing your feelings and emotions around diagnosis: Wednesday 17th October: Play and Explore with your child/ren. Wednesday 07 th November: Feeding issues / dieting: Wednesday 21 st November. Advice on benefits and grants: Wednesday 05 th December: Where: Alton Activity Centre. Ellisfield Drive, Roehampton, London, SW15 4DR. Time: 10.00am pm. No appointment needed, just drop-in! Drop-in Session guest speaker: Rosie Noble Managing your feelings and emotions around diagnosis Rosie Noble (Manager Contact a Family Wandsworth) will attend one of our Drop-ins to run a session with parents on Managing your Feelings and Emotions around your child s diagnosis. She will be leading a discussion on this topic and exploring feelings around having a child with special needs, those of close family members and that of the general public. When: Wednesday 17 th October Where: Alton Activity Centre. Ellisfield Drive, Roehampton, London, SW15 4DR. Time: 10.00am pm. No appointment needed, just drop in! Toilet Training workshop We are happy to inform our families that our much requested Toilet training workshop for children with special needs is back. Rosie Noble and Suzanne Bailey will give advice and tips on how to toilet train your child/children with special needs. Where: West Hill Enhanced Children s Centre, 4 Broomhill Road, London, SW18 5ST. When: 02 nd October Time: 10.00am 12.30pm. Please call Yinka on to book a place on this workshop. (Limited spaces available and crèche is available). 4

5 News from Mohammed: Tooting locality (under 5 s) We have had a few changes in Tooting. From September, Mohammed Ismail will be working full-time from Monday to Friday. Mohammed will be specialising in supporting families with children aged 0-5 in the Tooting locality. He will be based at Smallwood Children s Centre on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and at the Early Years Centre on Thursday and Friday. He can be contacted on his work mobile or the main office number Mohammed will be starting a New Drop-in session for Somali parents/carers and children with additional needs. Upcoming sessions all held at: Where: Early Years Centre, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA Time: 10.00am pm What: Open discussions and information about Holiday Playcentres When: Friday 14 th September 2012 What: Information about healthy eating and activities for all family members When: Friday 12 th October 2012 What: Information about Dental hygiene When: Friday 9 th November 2012 What: Information about ESOL Classes When: Friday 14 th December 2012 For more information and to book please call Mohammed on or Mohammed.Ismail@cafamily.org.uk. 5

6 News from Jan McCarthy, Autism Family Support Worker Tel: / Jan.mccarthy@cafamily.org.uk IMPORTANT - Parent Sessions and appointments at Contact a Family at the Early Years Centre: First time applications for Disability Living Allowance: If your child is 5 or over and you are applying for Disability Living Allowance, please ring for an appointment. You will need to bring with you relevant information that we can send with the application i.e. if your child has a Statement of Special Educational needs, the most recent copy. Any documents or reports that confirm your child s condition you do not need a diagnosis to claim DLA but it saves a lot of time if we can send evidence of your child s needs. Re-applications for Disability Living Allowance: If you need help to complete a re-application for your child s Disability Living Allowance we are not offering single appointments but we can help you complete the form in a group session. DLA Group sessions When: Thursday 4 th October, Tuesday 13 th November, Tuesday 4 th December Where: Early Years Centre, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA Time: am Your application will have a date on the top right hand corner that shows when your form needs to be back to the DWP, so you can work out which session would be best for you. You will need to book onto these sessions by calling the office and we will send you out an information booklet that provides a lot of information on completing the form. If you come to the session remember to bring with you relevant information that you can send with the application e.g. the most recent copy of your child s Statement of Special Educational needs and any recent letters/reports that confirm no change or a change in your child s condition or treatment. If you need more information please call Jan McCarthy on or jan.mccarthy@cafamily.org.uk ADHD NEWS: MICHAEL PHELPS Michael Phelps, the American swimmer with a record-breaking 19 Olympic medals to his name, is probably the most famous person in the world with ADHD, the top behavioural disorder in Britain, which is estimated to affect 2-5% of children and young people. For Phelps, a gangly, hyperactive child who was diagnosed with the condition aged nine, the swimming pool was a sanctuary, a place to burn off excess energy. His mother, Debbie, once recalled being told by a teacher: "Your son will never be able to focus on anything." It's interesting that the boy who was unable to concentrate at school would sit for four hours at swimming meets waiting to compete in five minutes of races. Read more in this fascinating article in The Guardian: 6

7 Parent / Carer Sessions at The Early Years Centre: These sessions are for parents/carers only as we do not have any crèche facility. Understanding Children from a Sensory Integration Perspective When: Thursday 11 th October Time: 9.45am 12.30pm Two paediatric occupational therapists will be running this session. The aims of this session are: Participants will gain knowledge/understanding of: Sensory processing and the difficulties that some children have - i.e. heightened sensitivity to touch, sound, sensory seeking children, autistic spectrum disorder and ADHD. Participants will gain skills in: Identifying behaviours which result from poor sensory processing and an idea of the types of activities that can be undertaken to help these children. Identifying specific difficulties experienced by some children and how it affects their ability to learn. Children with an invisible disability aged When: Thursday 18 th October Time: 10.00am 12.00pm I thought we would have a drop in for parents of children with conditions such as ADHD, ASD, OCD, Tourette s and similar invisible conditions that cause our children to behave in a way that other people find so hard to understand. We can share some behaviour techniques, positive support people have found in Wandsworth, especially around leisure, and anything else you want to discuss. Parents of children aged 5-19 When: Tuesday 30 th October Time: 10.00am 12.00pm Come along and share any issues that are causing you concern either about your child s condition, benefits, education anything you like and let s see what we can help each other with. All the sessions are held at the Early Years Centre, 1 Siward Road SW17 OLA Please contact Jan McCarthy on to find out more about the sessions and/or to book a place. 7

8 Outside Conferences and Events It is worth looking around on the website for conferences and events about your child s condition that will provide information to help you support your child. Make sure the sites are valid and trusted you can always call us if you are not sure. Don t be put off if the event is not in Wandsworth. Some events are open to parents who do not live in that area and are affordable. One of the ways you could use your child s DLA is to fund training and events for yourself to learn more about your child s condition. For the events/ conferences and workshops listed below, please contact the organisation directly for more information: Blossom House School, Wimbledon, SW20 8TG Blossom House is running a one day workshop for parents with children who have sensory, behavioural and attention difficulties on Wednesday 10 th October, The day runs from 9.30am 3.00pm and costs 40 for parents of children attending Blossom House school and 60 for others. The contact details and for more information: admin@blossomhouseschool.co.uk / Tel: Burgess AutisticTrust, (Bromley). Burgess House is running a conference on 11 October 2012: Aspects of ASD at The Warren, Hayes, BR2 7AL from 9.30am to 3.30-pm.The speakers are: Wendy Lawson, Dr Gilly Baird, Kathy Morris and William Jack. For more details, please go to the website: and click on news and events. The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service known as ADDISS. Provides information and resources about ADHD. Their website is They have a conference to be held in Central London over three days. Have a look at the pre-conference workshops to be held on 18 th October, Down Syndrome Association UK Runs training sessions and courses for parents. For more information you can contact them on or training@downs-syndrome.org.uk 8

9 Cygnet training for parents of children aged 7-18 with Autistic Spectrum Disorder Have you discovered that your older child is on the autistic spectrum? Cygnet training for parents of children aged 7-18 with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. To increase parents/carers understanding of Autistic Spectrum Conditions. To assist parents in understanding what lies behind their child s behaviour. To guide parents through strategies which they can use to work with their child. To decrease isolation and increase mutual support. Cygnet is a 6 week training programme devised by Barnardos for parents of children with ASD aged Each session is 3 hours long and parents are asked to commit to all six sessions where possible. If you feel you missed out on programmes such as EarlyBird and EarlyBird Plus, then this is the course for you. Jan McCarthy and Rosie Noble have both now been trained to run this programme. When: Monday evenings from Monday 5 th November until Monday 10 th December. Where: Early Years Centre, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA Time: 6.30pm 9.30pm For more details and to book your place, call Jan or Rosie on We regret that we cannot accommodate any children on this course. 9

10 Workshops: Toilet training/understanding Behaviour/Feeding Issues We are running a series of workshops over the next three terms so if you are not able to come this time, we will be repeating them in the spring and summer terms. Toilet training for children with additional needs can present some unique challenges. If you would like some advice and tips on this issue, book to come on one of our workshops. We will cover many aspects and offer some ideas for you to try out with your child. Facilitators will be Suzanne Bailey and Rosie Noble who have just completed a training course with Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence (ERIC). Behaviours in young children with additional needs can present a challenge. If you are having difficulty in understanding or managing some of your child s behaviour then come along and get some tips. NB This course is not available to parents who have already done the EarlyBird training. Facilitators will be Jan McCarthy and Rosie Noble covering EarlyBird, Cygnet and Triple P parenting programmes. Does your child present difficulties around Food and Feeding? At a recent group meeting talking about stress in parents, this issue came out as the top trigger so do come along and hear about what you can do to help your child. Facilitator will be Jenny McLeod, Community Paediatric Dietician. Workshop information: Where: Enhanced Children s Centre, West Hill, 4 Broomhill Road, Wandsworth SW18 4HX Time: 10.00am pm Travel/Transport: Buses: 28, 37, 39, 44, 87, 156, 170, 220, 270, 337 and 485 Toilet training Tuesday 2 nd October Please confirm by Monday 24 th September Toilet training Thursday 4 th October Please confirm by Monday 24 th September Behaviour Tuesday 6 th November Please confirm by Monday 29 th October Feeding Tuesday 4 th December Please confirm by Monday 26 th November Booking is essential for these workshops please either call us on , or Wandsworth.office@cafamily.org.uk We need to know in advance if you need to book your child (up to age 5) into the crèche. Please note spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. 10

11 Information day focusing on support in school for your child with Special Educational Needs Support for your child in school Jan McCarthy and Suzanne Bailey are offering an information day focusing on support in school for your child with Special Educational Needs. The morning session will focus on tips and strategies for finding the right school to meet the needs of your child, while the workshop in the afternoon will focus on helping you to make sure the Statement of Special Educational Needs is appropriate for your child s needs. A sandwich lunch will be provided to all attending and there will be plenty of opportunities throughout the day for you to raise any individual queries you may have regarding your child s support needs in school. Please book your place in advance. If you prefer/are only able to attend one of the two sessions, please do let us know. There are currently no crèche arrangements for this session. If you require crèche support, please contact Suzanne or Jan on (Jan) or (Suzanne) or Jan.Mccarthy@cafamily.org.uk or Suzanne.Bailey@cafamily.org.uk When: Monday 1 st October Where: Chesterton Centre for Children and Families, Dagnall Street, SW11 5DT Time: 10.00am until 2.30pm (with sandwich lunch provided) Massage therapy sessions at Contact a Family We are delighted to offer more massage sessions! The following dates are available: Friday 05 th October 9.45am-1.00pm Wednesday 17 th October 9.45am-1.00pm Friday 09 th November 9.45am-1.00pm Wednesday 28 th November 9.45am-1.00pm Friday 07 th December 9.45am-1.00pm Treatments with Caroline are at the reduced rate of just In addition, we are also inviting you to come and use our lovely massage chair to ease those aches away. The use of the massage chair is free and you can use it for up to 30 minutes, but please do call us so that we can offer you an allocated time for either service. To book your appointment, please call You must pay in advance for all massage sessions booked with Caroline. 11

12 Contact a Family Wandsworth Annual Meeting ! CALLING ALL OF OUR PARENTS CARERS, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES! Where: Early Years Centre, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA When: Wednesday 26 th September Time: 11.45am 2.00pm Guest Speakers: Carol Payne - from Wandsworth s Team for children with Disabilities and Special Educational Needs. Philomena Murphy from Contact a Family s national helpline team. Anne Brook from Contact a Family s national directory team. Lunch will be included opportunities to meet our parent steering group members and the Contact a Family Wandsworth team. This is your chance to hear about what we have achieved over the year and to make suggestions for our coming year. April 2011 Wizard of Oz May 2011 Bockett s Farm June 2011 London Duck tour July 2011 Guildford Spectrum August 2011 Brighton Hever castle Chessington World of Adventures September 2011 Railway Children October 2011 Drumming workshop November 2011 Junk orchestra December 2011 Party time January 2012 Panto Dick Whittington February 2012 Drumming workshop March 2012 Shrek the musical: What would you like to do next? Come along and let us know RSVP Please let us know by Monday 24 th September if you will be coming bring along other parents let s have a party Call us on or us on wandsworth.office@cafamily.org.uk 12

13 News from Positive Parent Action - PPA Positive Parent Action (PPA) is Wandsworth s parent forum We are a group of parents and carers of disabled children (aged 0-25 years) aiming to improve provision for all local families, whose children have additional needs. The group was established in 2009, under the previous Government s Aiming High for Disabled Children initiative. We are funded by a Department of Education grant and are supported by a CaF facilitator, whose role is funded by Wandsworth Borough Council. We have 13 forum members and over 120 local families on our contact list. A core group of about 10 parent/carers meets every month at the Early Years Centre. We regularly attend Council planning groups and take part in consultations, so play an important role in the shaping of local services for disabled children. We also attend quarterly meetings with other South London parent forums and the National Network of Parent Carer Forums, giving us knowledge about strategic and national issues. We keep parents informed about local services through our termly consultation events, newsletters and our website. We now also have a Facebook page. If you d like to be on our mailing list, please get in touch. We want to be as representative as possible, so it s important that we get as much feedback from families as we can. We would love to hear your views, so please do let us know your contact details s work best for us, but if you would prefer to be contacted by phone or post, that s fine too. Contact details below: Elizabeth Nasse is the forum s facilitator (Mon, Tues, Thurs, term time) elizabeth.nasse@cafamily.org.uk or positiveparentaction@yahoo.co.uk Web: Phone: Address c/o Contact a Family, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA Contact a Family HELPLINE and The SEN National Advice Service The new SEN National Advice Service is part of our existing integrated Helpline/Online service for families. It is a one stop shop for parents and other family members caring for a child with SEN, on all education issues. The telephone helpline will enable parents and carers to get one-to-one, in-depth and personalised advice from our SEN advisers. The SEN service covers comprehensive advice on a broad range of issues related to special educational needs in any education setting. Online services are available for more general advice and guidance, via helpline@cafamily.org.uk or our website: Facebook and Twitter to enable families to engage with us and with each other. We have a wide range of free parent guides which you can obtain from the helpline. We can also put you in touch with UK-wide and local support groups. Many families like to share experiences with others caring for a disabled child and find the support this can bring invaluable. If your child has a rare disorder and there isn't a group we might be able to link you with another family on a one-to-one basis. For more information please contact: Helpline service Tel: helpline@cafamily.org.uk The helpline is open Monday-Friday, 9.30am-5pm. Or go to our website 13

14 NEWS The Enhanced Children s Centre (ECC The Enhanced Children s Centre (ECC) is a newly established provision specifically for families with young children (0-5 years) with special educational needs, complex medical needs and disabilities. The centre is based in the grounds of West Hill Primary School. The setting has a large central play room, with direct access to outdoor play on two levels with lift access, as well as a sensory room and soft play room. In addition to this, there is a separate room available for use by parents, carers and groups for workshops and training. The centre currently offers the following sessions: Explore and Play - Monday ( ) Music and Movement Tuesday ( ) Sensory Play - Friday ( ) Further information can be found on all of these sessions and the centre itself on the Family Information Service website at: Families can approach the centre directly or be referred by other agencies already working with their children. To find out more please contact Pippa on or enhancedchildrenscentre@wandsworth.gov.uk The WAND card Does your child have a disability, special educational or complex health need that significantly affects their ability to get out and about? If so, they may be eligible for the new DCR WAND membership card, which is just being launched. Eligibility: Child or young person must live in Wandsworth and be on the Disabled Children s Register. They must have written evidence of either Child Tax credit including the disabled child element, proof of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at middle or high rate, or written confirmation from a medical or educational professional. The purpose of the WAND card is to enable children and young people with significant additional needs to get out and about to access local services or to help with fast tracking without the need for lengthy explanation. It is hoped that presentation of the card will ease access; however, WAND card holders must still follow safety rules and respect terms and conditions at venues. For more information please contact the Family Information Service on:

15 Housing Benefit and the extra bedrooms test Does your child need their own bedroom because of a disability? Do you get Housing Benefit? A recent Court of Appeal decision has held that the criteria used by local authorities for assessing how many bedrooms are needed when claiming housing benefit is discriminatory as it does not take into account the needs of people with disabilities. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have recently issued new guidance for local authorities in relation to the Court of Appeal decision while they try to appeal against the decision. If the DWP are successful, it means the rules will probably stay as they are now. However, if they fail in their attempt to appeal, it could lead to some families getting more Housing Benefit. You may need to take action now so read on for more information or call our freephone helpline for advice on If you have a private tenancy and get Housing Benefit under the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rules you may be paying more towards the rent because your house has an 'extra' bedroom. For private tenancies, current rules state that two children under 16 of the same sex should share a bedroom and that two children of opposite sex should share while under the age of 10. From April 2013 similar rules will be in place to determine the amount of Housing Benefit for Council and Housing Association tenants. Until now, families have had to pay for having an 'extra' bedroom but the Court of Appeal decision means that some families' Housing Benefit may now include an amount for an extra bedroom for their disabled child (or children). What to do now? If you think you might qualify under the 'extra bedroom' test you will need to ask the local authority to look again at your Housing Benefit award - this is called a 'revision'. In these cases, any extra Housing Benefit can only be paid from 15 th May, the date of the Court of Appeal's judgement. However, some people might be better to ask for a late Appeal if they have had a decision on their Housing Benefit within the last 13 months. This is because there is a possibility that any extra Housing Benefit could be backdated beyond the date of the Court of Appeal judgement. For further advice on asking for a revision or appeal get advice from our helpline on Consultation on Blue Badge Scheme in England The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a consultation on who is eligible for the Blue Badge Scheme when Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is replaced by the Personal Independence Payment (PIP). This is due to happen for people aged between 16 and 64 from April They are seeking views on three different options: option 1 - no legal link between eligibility for a Blue Badge and eligibility to PIP option 2 - establishing a legal link between Blue Badge eligibility and the enhanced mobility component of PIP option 3 - establishing a legal link between Blue Badge eligibility and those who score eight points or more within the 'Moving Around' activity within PIP. This assesses a person's physical ability to get around. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will be replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people aged years from April This consultation covers arrangements in England only and runs until 2 October The implementation of PIP for year 15

16 olds will affect their eligibility for a disabled person's parking permit, or Blue Badge in England. The Department for Transport is responsible for the law that sets out the eligibility criteria for a Blue Badge in England. The consultation also seeks views on some wider questions including: Do you think the Blue Badge scheme should be available for people with a mental health condition, intellectual or cognitive impairment but who are able to walk? Contact a Family is responding to this consultation. To let us know your views, please contact una.summerson@cafamily.org.uk or ring by 2 October Please note: The government are retaining the legal link between Blue Badge eligibility and DLA for under 16s and people who get DLA and are over 65 from April Arrangements for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland remain the same. For advice about The Blue Badge scheme please ring our helpline on More information about the Blue Badge scheme is in our guide Disabled children's services in England and Wales guide. Over 420 Changing Places toilets ready across the UK There are now over 420 Changing Places toilets in the UK thanks to the Changing Places Consortium's campaign to open up a more accessible world of possibilities to disabled people when out and about. Designed to accommodate children and adults who require support from at least one carer when they visit the lavatory, Changing Places toilets differ to standard disabled ones. Extra features such as enough space in the changing area means a disabled person can visit one of these toilets with up to two carers. Screens or curtains in the cubicle also allow the disabled person, and their carer, some privacy. All of the toilets provide a safe, clean environment and the right equipment including a heightadjustable changing bench and a hoist. Families with disabled children can look up a postcode to see where these specific toilets are located at Advice and guidance on transition for young blind people The RNIB have launched a new designated place on their website for blind and partially sighted young people on all stages of transition from school, college, university and into employment: This may be helpful to both young people and their parents when going through the transition process. The online advice and guidance was co-designed and reviewed by young people across the UK and offers information for those aged on leaving home, technology gadgets, getting emotional support and free time activities. The website also hosts a blog called Mind's Eye where young people have written about their experiences of transition. 16

17 EVENTS! A DAY TRIP TO THE GUILDFORD SPECTRUM! Come and join us at the Guildford Spectrum for a fun filled day of activities! We are planning to ice skate in the morning, have lunch and then head off to the ten pin bowling alley. You ll need to bring your own lunch or use the facilities at the Spectrum. There is a swimming pool which you can use but you must pay for this separately. We will provide transport from the Early Years Centre to and from the venue. Full information will be provided once your booking has been confirmed. When: Wednesday 31 st October,2012 Where: Guildford Spectrum, Guildford, Surrey Time: 10.00am 4.00pm Cost: 9.00 per adult, 8.00 per child Please send the application form by 5pm on Tuesday 25th September. CHRISTMAS PARTY AND JUNK ORCHESTRA! - He s back by popular demand! Come and join us for our fun and festive Christmas party and Saul for the Junk Orchestra extravaganza! Saul will bring his ever expanding orchestra you will explore soundscapes from foot stomping madness to the twilight zone. There will be an instrument to suit everyone! Santa may also be in town so be sure to being a wrapped present for every child you bring on the day! When: Saturday 08 th December, 2012 Where: Early Years Centre, 1 Siward Road SW17 OLA Time: 2.00pm 4.00pm Cost: 2.50 per child (under 10 s only but older siblings are welcome just call us to let us know).please send the application form by 5pm on Tuesday 25 th September. 17

18 PANTO TIME! OH NO IT ISN T! OH YES IT IS! Thanks to Short Breaks funding, don't miss the chance to see the dazzling fairytale of a pantomime guaranteed to melt everyone s hearts. Watch as the beautiful Snow White and her seven little friends attempt to defeat the Wicked Queen. Will Snow White meet her Handsome Prince and save the day? Spectacular sets, sparkling costumes, side splitting comedy and lots and lots of fun for the whole family to enjoy. Book your tickets now for the fairest panto of them all. When: Sunday 06 th January, 2013 Where: New Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG Time: 5.30pm Cost: 6.50 per person Make sure you get your form in by 5pm on Tuesday 25 th September. We had so much fun at the summer events! 18

19 EVENTS BOOKING FORM PLEASE DETACH AND POST/FAX OR TO US BY 5PM ON TUESDAY 25 TH SEPTEMBER, PLEASE DO NOT SEND MONEY WITH THIS FORM! Event Date Time Cost No of Adults 9.00 per Guildford Wed 31 st 10.00am - adult Spectrum! Oct pm 8.00 per child Christmas party and Junk Rock! Sat Dec th 2.00pm pm 2.50 per child No of Children Ages of Children Panto Snow White Sun Jan th 5.30pm 6.50 per person Please sign over the page and send the form back us at the address on the back. Please indicate if you require assistance on the day or if your child is a wheelchair user so that we can accommodate your needs in advance. We will let you know by Tuesday 02nd October if you have been allocated places at any of the events. We will also let you know where and when to meet us. If you are unable to make the payment by the deadline please call us on An extension for paying can be arranged but only if you call us before the deadline. If you have not paid us by the deadline or have not called us to let us know when you will pay by then we will automatically offer the tickets / places to another family on the waiting list. Most of our events are oversubscribed so we will allocate places first to families who have not been to any of our events before. We do have a waiting list, so please apply even if you have been to our events before as there is a chance you may be able to go. YOU MUST COMPLETE THE SECTION BELOW. PLEASE FILL IN ALL OF THE BOXES. Adults full name: Children s full name: Home number: Address: address: Mobile number: 19

20 EVENTS GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS: These trips are for Contact a Family members who will be given priority on all trips. If you would like a non-member (i.e. a friend or family member beyond your immediate family) to attend, they will have to pay the full cost and cannot be guaranteed a place. Parents and carers are responsible for their children at all times. Under no circumstances will staff tolerate verbal or physical abuse from children, parents and carers or other relatives during family outings or other activities organised by Contact a Family. The behaviour of children, parents and carers, or other relatives when attending an event or activity should not affect the Health & Safety or wellbeing of others. Parents and carers will be responsible for any damage they or their children cause on an event or activity. Under no circumstances will Contact a Family tolerate the consumption of alcoholic beverages whilst attending any events unless this is specifically agreed in advance as part of the activity e.g. a carers meal at a restaurant. Please note that Contact a Family cannot be held responsible for any items that have been lost or stolen during an event or activity. Under no circumstances will Contact a Family tolerate any acts of criminal conduct of any kind and under no circumstances should parents and carers behave in a way which could bring the organisation into disrepute. Contact a Family staff, and any organised transport, will not wait for families or individuals who are late and have been informed of the arrival and departure times. Please DO NOT send cash with your form. We will notify you if you have a place at any of our events and we will let you know how much you have to pay and by when. If you are unable to make the payment by the deadline please call us on An extension for paying can be arranged but only if you call us before the deadline. If you have not paid us by the deadline or have not called us to let us know when you will pay by then we will automatically offer the tickets / places to another family on the waiting list. Most of our events are oversubscribed so we will allocate places first to families who have not been to any of our events before. We do have a waiting list, so please apply even if you have been to our events before as there is a chance you may be able to go. If you cannot come to any of the events you have paid for please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer your place to another family on the waiting list. If you cancel and we cannot fill your place we will not be able to give you a refund. I agree to the conditions above set out by Contact a Family, and I will be responsible for my children s safety at all times. Signed: (parent/carer) Date: Please detach and return the booking form either by post to Contact a Family 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA, by fax to or scan this form to an and return it to wandsworth.office@cafamily.org.uk Wandsworth Contact a Family, 1 Siward Road, London SW17 0LA Tel: wandsworth.office@cafamily.org.uk. 20