e sprin/ smmer 20 · 2017-08-30 · contact a family lambeth, we are 336, 336 brixton rd, london...
TRANSCRIPT
Contact a Family Lambeth, We Are 336, 336 Brixton Rd, London SW9 7AATel: 020 7326 5270. Email [email protected]
Registered charity number 284912. Head office 209-211 City Rd, London EC1V
Issue 18Spring/Summer 2014
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Contents
Contact a Family Lambeth Newsletter
Since our last newsletter we have had a very busy time. Activities included:
• Ongoing one to one support to families of disabled children living in Lambeth and weekly drop-ins at the Mary Sheridan Centre for Child Health.
• A workshop on transition into adulthood with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors. 19 parent carers took part.
• Our monthly coffee morning where 28 parent carers came to hear about the proposed SEND reforms. LB Lambeth’s SEN team came to give information and take questions. Very valuable feedback was given by parents and carers.
• A five week zumba class with Carla Lima. This was well received and we are hoping to hold more sessions. This will depend on funding and numbers of parent carers who are interested.
We would like to thank all our partners for their ongoing support with our activities and services. A special mention to Stockwell Children’s Centre for helping us with a venue for our transition workshop and coffee mornings and to the Mary Sheridan Centre for Child Health for providing an ongoing venue for our weekly drop-in. We would also like to extend a very big thank you to Sabina Laher and Susan Laffey for all their help with our mail outs and registration for consultation events.
Due to a reduction in our funding, Contact a Family Lambeth regrets to say that we are losing our administrator’s post. As a team we are very sad to say goodbye to Jessica Cahill, a staff member who has been with us since November 2012. Jess has made great contributions towards our service in Lambeth including coordinating our events, producing our newsletter as well as invaluable administrative support to the service over the past year and half.
Marie Griffin, Manager
Telephone: 020 7326 5270 / Mobile 07415 64 3902
Email Address: [email protected]
Zumba class with teacher Carla Lima. The sessions were a great success but to run more we need your support! If you are interested in a course of five zumba
sessions in May-July, please contact Marie: [email protected] or 020 7326
5270.
Consultation
Children & Families Act
Family Work
News
Groups & Information
Trips
Hello to all Contact a Family Lambeth’s members and friends
Contact a Family Lambeth 0207 326 5270
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Consultations
Date - tick one only: Thurs 8th May Thurs 15th May
If you cannot attend either date because the events take place during the day, please tick whichever of the following options best suits your needs:
I can attend an evening event I can attend a Saturday morning event
Your name:
Your mobile number:
Your email address:
Any access issues:
Booking form for consultations on SEN reform 8th and 15th May
YOU MUST BOOK TO ATTEND - PLEASE CHOOSE ONE EVENT ONLY
"..............................................................................................................
London Borough of Lambeth’s SEN EventParent Carers Information Events on SEND Reform
The Children and Families Act will become law this autumn, and the changes to provision for special educational needs are likely to affect all children with disabilities
and special needs. Lambeth Council in conjunction with Contact a Family will be running information events on how the changes will work in Lambeth and what the effects will be. For more information about the Act, please see our article on the opposite page.
The events will take place at WeAre336, 336 Brixton Road, London, SW9 7AA on Thursday 8th May and Thursday 15th May from 10:30 - 13:00 with lunch following.
Both events are identical so please attend one only.
If you would like to attend, please fill in the form below and return it to us by post to the following address: Contact a Family Lambeth, WeAre336, 336 Brixton Road, SW9
7AA by Tuesday 29th April 2014. Booking is essential.
These events are funded by London Borough of Lambeth.
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Children & Families Act
On the 13th March, the Children and Families Act became law, and will come into force in September 2014. The Act is the culmination of over two years’ work with the views of parent carers at its heart. From September this new law will introduce a number of changes to how children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) are supported, including a move from statements to education, health and care plans. However, until then the current SEN law continues, including the SEN code of practice.
What are the key changes?
In the future, your local council will have to draw up an education, health and care (EHC) plan instead of a statement of SEN, publish a ‘local offer’ of services and offer a personal budget. Now the big test will be how the new system will be translated on the ground, in schools, colleges and across local agencies and whether it will make a difference to families with disabled children and young people.
Next steps
Regulations and the code of practice are yet to be agreed by parliament, this is expected to happen by June 2014.
From September 2014, transitional arrangements will be put in place by each local authority. It is expected that the transfer to the new system will be completed by 2017.
Will the Act improve the current system?
Yes we hope so, but there are concerns that opportunities to strengthen and improve the current system have been missed. Thirty one ‘pathfinder’ local authorities, are testing with families how the new arrangements, such as a 0-25 years assessment process and plan, local offer and personal budgets might work. Learning from these pathfinders will help local areas understand how to implement the new law.
Is there going to be a new SEN code of practice?
A draft code of practice has been published along with regulations, which are the rules that give more detail on how the act should work. There was a public consultation in autumn 2013 and we expect the final Code will be agreed in parliament by June 2014.
Contact a Family has produced two information sheets to correct some of the myths that parents may be hearing about education, health and care (EHC) plans. These can be found online at:
http://www.cafamily.org.uk/media/749691/top_children__families_bill_myths_1.pdf
http://www.cafamily.org.uk/media/750002/top_cf_bill_myths_-_ehc_plans_2.pdf
Background: Children & Families Act
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Caroline Obinyan, Family Worker 0–5 years oldTelephone: 020 7326 5270
Email: [email protected]
Family work 0-5
News from Family Workers
Support Work SessionsCaroline will also be doing drop in support work sessions within the St Stephen Children’s Centre cluster on the following days in the summer term between 9.30am and 12.30pm, so please drop in to see her at the following times if you need advice:
Second Wednesdays of the month at St Stephens Children’s Centre, Meadow Place (Opposite the Tate Library), SW8 1XY.
Third Wednesdays of the month at Henry Fawcett Children’s Centre, Clayton St, Kennington SE11 5BZ.
Fourth Wednesdays of the month at Vauxhall Children’s Centre, Vauxhall Street (Entrance in Wickham Street), London, SE11 5LG
First Thursdays of the month at Ethelred Children’s Centre, 10 Lollard Street SE11 6UP
Last Thursdays of the month at Coin Street Children’s Centre, 108 Stamford Street, South Bank SE1 9NH.
Toilet TrainingCaroline will be running a Toilet Training Workshop for parents/carers of children aged 3-5 with additional needs at Ethelred Children’s Centre at 10am -12.30pm on 19th May.
To book a place please email Caroline on [email protected] or call the office on 020 7326 5270
Mary Sheridan Drop-insDrop-in advice sessions at the Mary Sheridan Centre, 5 Dugard Way SE11 4TH are as follows from 10am-3pm:
Caroline: 25th April, 9th May, 23rd May, 6th June, 20th June.
Meram: 2nd May, 16th May, 30th May, 13th June, 27th June.
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Telephone: 020 7326 5270
Email: [email protected]
Family work 6+
Meram Aydin, Family Worker 6 years plus
Coffee MorningThere will be no coffee morning now until June, as the April one falls during the Easter holidays and the May one clashes with our consultation event listed on page 2.
The June coffee morning will be at 10:00 - 12:30 on 12th June, in the usual place at Stockwell Children’s Centre, Burgoyne Rd, SW9 9TS. Do come along and meet other parents of disabled children for coffee, cake and a chat.
Transition to Adulthood Workshop – 4th March 2014
Anne-Marie Irwin, expert on Disability and Public Law from Solicitors Irwin Mitchell, ran a workshop for parents and carers of disabled children in Lambeth. This workshop covered the adult social care legal framework and mental capacity, transition plans, community care assessments and personal budgets. 19 parents and carers took part. Feedback was very positive.
Some of the quotes included:
‘Found the workshop insightful. Know my rights and my son’s rights as a disabled person’
‘Well done for your support for the families with disabled children’
‘Thank you for all the useful work-shops and the continuous contact with families’.
Transitions workshop, Stockwell Children’s Centre
Coffee Morning
In March our coffee morning had guest speakers from LB Lambeth’s SEN department. 28 parents and carers took part in a very lively discussion about the SEND reforms.
Contact a Family Lambeth 0207 326 5270
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News
Counting the Costs 2014 - please complete our surveyContact a Family nationally is calling on parents and grandparents to take part in our important research about the financial reality for families with disabled children and young people. Counting the Costs 2014 is a repeat of a survey and report we have carried out since 2008. Your collective responses will give a unique snapshot of families’ current financial situation and whether it has improved or worsened over the last six years. Previous Counting the Costs reports have gained a lot of press and parliamentary interest. The findings have also been vital is helping us and our partners to influence governments both locally and nationally across the UK.
The findings will help us to lobby for change particularly as cuts to financial help through the welfare reforms continue to hit families with disabled children. This year’s Counting the Costs is particularly important as we try to influence manifestos ahead of the next election in May 2015.
Please help and get your voice heard by completing the survey, here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CTC2014
It should not take more than 20 minutes. If you would like a paper copy of the survey or help completing the survey please contact us on 020 7608 8742.
The deadline is the end of May 2014.
London EyeOn 10th April we visited the London Eye with ten families. We had a great time!
Please see pages 10-12 for details of our forthcoming trip to London Zoo Special Children’s Day - but you’ll need to get your form in by May 8th!
Family events are open to our members. To become a member you must be a parent or carer of a disabled child living in Lambeth and must register with our family workers. To do this please email [email protected] or phone 020 7326 5270.
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News
Goodbye from JessI’m sad to report that due to funding cuts I’ll be leaving the Lambeth office from the beginning of May. It’s been a great pleasure to work with my wonderful colleagues here, to meet so many lovely and dedicated parents, and to have the opportunity to do my bit to support the work of Contact a Family and help give local families the information they need. These are difficult times for disabled people and their carers: welfare reform, cuts to services, and the Children and Families Act all create particular challenges for families with disabled children. There are opportunities as well as dangers, and the work of organisations such as ours is needed more than ever, at both local and national level, on the ground working to improve the situation of individuals, getting to grips with proposed changes in order to provide the best possible information and advice, and putting pressure on decision makers to take the diverse needs and views of families with disabled children into consideration.
To help make sense of the changes to come, as well as coming to our advertised events in Lambeth, I would urge everyone to make use of the national Contact a Family helpline, website and Facebook page. The website is packed full of useful and up to date information, the Facebook page contains lots of interesting discussions about issues relevant to families with disabled children, and the helpline advisers always have up to date and helpful advice. I wish everyone all the best for the future!
Contact a Family website: http://www.cafamily.org.uk/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/contactafamily
Helpline: 0808 808 3555
Feedback!Do you have feedback on our services? Send comments, compliments, complaints and suggestions to
Marie Griffin (Manager) by email, [email protected]
or by post to:
Marie Griffin, Contact a Family Lambeth, We Are 336, 336 Brixton Rd, London SW9 7AA
Contact a Family Lambeth 0207 326 5270
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Benefits update/support groups
Benefits and Budget UpdateBudget 2014 - Derek Sinclair from our helpline summarises some of the main benefit
changes announced in the recent budget
In a surprise Budget announcement, the amount that you can earn before your Carer’s Allowance stops is to increase to £102 per week from 20th May 2014.
The budget also confirmed that once Universal Credit is introduced, working claimants will be able to get help with up to 85% of childcare costs rather than the 70% of costs currently met under the tax credits system.
Alongside this the government has also confirmed plans for a separate system of ‘tax free childcare’ for families who do not qualify for tax credits or the new Universal Credit. From autumn 2015, parents will receive help towards 20% of their registered childcare costs from the government, subject to a limit of £2000 per child per year. This new scheme applies to childcare costs for children under 12, or under 17 if disabled. To be eligible all parents in the household must normally be working and have earnings of at least £50pw - however it will also be open to couples where one parent works and the other gets Carer’s Allowance.
The government also confirmed that disability and carers’ benefits will be included in the new cap on overall spending on welfare that is to be introduced next year. Under this cap any future government will need to take action if the overall budget on benefits exceeds £119.5 billion.
For more details on these planned changes get in touch with Contact a Family’s free helpline on 0808 808 3555 (weekdays 9.30am-5pm).
Women only cycling course!Would you like to improve your cycling confidence? Meet Mondays at 10.30am: 31 March, 28 April, 26 May, 30 June at Herne Hill Velodrome. Hire a cycle from Wheels for Wellbeing for £3. The ride will explore Dulwich Park and Brockwell Park via quiet streets around Herne Hill. Led by Abs, qualified cycling instructor and member of the Breeze women’s cycling network. To book, contact 07588 502615 / [email protected]
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Coffee, cake and living with autism - CORRECTIONThe National Autistic Society’s Lambeth branch invites you to their coffee morning for parents and carers, every second Tuesday of the month, from 10am to 11.30am, at Thornton Chapel Room, Holy Trinity Church, Clapham Common, SW4 0QZ. Children are welcome at all sessions (with parental supervision), however we are not able to offer a crèche.
Please email [email protected] if you’d like to come or want any further information.
Please note that Dr Tomasz Swierzewski will be speaking at the June event, not May as stated in the last newsletter. Dates are: 13th May coffee morning, speaker tbc; 10th June coffee morning with guest speaker Dr Tomasz Swierzewski, Community Paediatrician,at Mary Sheridan Centre for Child Health.
Local support groups
Streatham Wednesday GroupThe Special Needs Group also known as Streatham Wednesday Group (SWG) are young people (ages 13 - 30) with special needs who get together once a week to take part in a tailored programme of interests and activities. The programme is designed to develop confidence and teach social and life skills.
The programme was developed through interaction with the young people and the qualified youth worker, assistants and volunteer. Members do cookery classes, arts and crafts and take part in discussions and workshops. They also go for meals, take part in quizzes, play pool and table tennis and other social activities. SWG members also participate in our residential week in which we take the majority of the Youth Centre on an adventure holiday outside of London. Because of the accessibility needs of the young people, the centre provides a door to door pickup and drop off. There is a small charge of approx £1 for sessions, depending on activity.
The sessions are on Wednesday evenings from 19:00 - 21:00 at Streatham Youth and Community Trust, Wellfield Centre, 16 Wellfield Road, London SW16 2BP.
For more information or to book your first session, contact Streatham Youth and Community Trust:
Phone: 020 8769 5884; Email: [email protected]: www.syct.org.uk
Contact a Family Lambeth 0207 326 5270
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Family trips
Health and safety statement for young children travelling by coachFor health and safety reasons all children 0 – 3 years old have to have their own seat on the coach. Families have to provide their own booster / car seat which children will have to remain in for the duration of the journey. Please contact us if you cannot provide this.
London Zoo Special Children’s Day
Special Children’s Day is a unique annual event at ZSL London Zoo welcoming children with special needs and their families and friends. ZSL Special Children’s Day includes the whole of ZSL London Zoo with the largest collection of animals anywhere in the UK. Highlights include friendly zoo characters and the Dixie Swing Band to dance to! Makaton themed signs, songs, rhymes, stories and games; Arts & Craft Zone; Sensory Storytelling Events.
New for 2014 - Meet the Keepers: Meet some of our fantastic keepers and the animals they look after. Wildlife Gardening: plant a seed to take back with you and grow at home, or build a mini-beast hotel to attract wildlife to gardens. Pygmy Hippos @ Into Africa
The ‘Discovery Zone’: Includes hands-on activities and a chill out zone, meet live animals and discover all about the natural world (The Discovery Zone has been developed in collaboration with the National Autistic Society. ZSL staff have attended autism awareness sessions delivered by the NAS, who will be present on the day). Animal Feeds & Displays: our amazing animal feeds & talks will be accompanied by British Sign Language interpreters throughout the weekend.
This event is funded by LB Lambeth’s Short Breaks Services.
Saturday 17th May. Price: adults £6 (over 18 yrs old); child £4 (over 3 yrs old); under 3s free. (The full cost would ordinarily be £12.75 per adult and £8.50 per child over 3.) This year we will be going by coach, which is included in the price.
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London Zoo Booking Information
To come to an event, please read the terms and conditions overleaf, fill in the booking form and return it by 8th May - spaces are very limited! Please post it to Contact a Family, WeAre336, 336 Brixton Rd, London SW9 7AA or leave it at reception. We will contact you if you are successful.Our family events are open to Contact a Family members. To become a member you must be a
parent or carer of a disabled child living in Lambeth and must register with our family workers. To do this please email [email protected] or phone 020 7326 5270.
Your full name
Your mobile number
Your address
Names of adults on trip Any disability & access needs
Names of children on trip Age Any disability & access needs
I have read and understood the terms and conditions on the back of this page and will follow them at all times during Contact a Family events.
Date: ____________________ Signed: ___________________________________________
Booking form
If you and your family are coming on an outing, you must read and agree to these terms and conditions:
1. Parents and carers are responsible for their children and must accompany them at all times.
2. Families should be prepared for events, and bring appropriate clothing, footwear, spare money, bottled water, sun cream etc if appropriate. Families will be notified of any special requirements.
3. Under no circumstances will staff tolerate verbal or physical abuse or discriminatory comments from children, parents and carers or other relatives, towards any participant during family outings or other activities organised by Contact a Family.
4. 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.
5. Parents and carers will be responsible for any damage they or their children cause on an event or activity, either through negligence or deliberate action.
6. 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 carer’s meal at a restaurant.
7. Please note that Contact a Family cannot be held responsible for any items that have been lost or stolen during an event or activity.
8. Under no circumstances will Contact a Family tolerate any acts of criminal conduct of any kind and will report criminal activity if necessary.
9. 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.
10. Under no circumstances should parents and carers behave in a way which could bring the organisation into disrepute.
11. In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to cancel an event at short notice. Families will be advised by staff of any changes to an event, and must follow appropriate instructions.
12. Families attending events must abide by instructions issued by Contact a Family staff and, in addition, adhere to any specific instructions relating to hired transport, such as use of car seats or seatbelts on coaches, consumption of food and drink etc.
13. Please note failure to adhere to the above could result in you and your family being sent home from the event and you incurring the transport costs to do so.
Contact a Family outings - terms & conditions