Adam and Debbie Race

I have got three brothers

They are all older than me

I went to the same schools as my brothers

We all played a lot of sport

My favourites were football, cricket, pool

and swimming

I got good at sport especially football and pool

I joined the football team in Stoke-on–Trent

Then I was picked to play for the West

Midlands team at the Special Olympics

I went to Glasgow with the team

and we won gold medals

Everyone was very proud of us

I was asked to join the pub pool team with my

brothers

The first time I beat someone from another pub

everyone was very pleased.

I have won lots of singles and doubles matches

I am sad that the pub does not

have a pool team any more

My brothers worked hard to pass their exams

I did the same and got 6 GCSE’s

My brothers went to University and

I wanted to do the same

I went to High Peak College in Buxton when I left

school. It is part of the University of Derby

Now I live with my brother Jon

and his dog Buster

We share the jobs out at home

He sorts the bills out and I do the cleaning

We both walk the dog He showed me how to use the cooker and

the washing machine

Sometimes he gets cross with me

It’s cool having brothers

I can visit Philip in London and Simon in

Scotland

Sometimes we go to the pub together but

mainly I go when I want to

It was really good being an usher at Philip

and Simon’s weddings

My brothers tease me and I tease them

I had a sister called Jenny who was 13 months older than me She had Down’s Syndrome like Adam We did masses of things together

◦ Played and laughed and fell out◦ Started at the same school on the same day◦ Went to Brownies and Girl Guides

She learnt first aid at guides and helped our grandmother when she had a nasty accident and cut her leg

We both had another sister who was five years older than us.

She and I worked in different countries Jenny was able to visit us in

◦ Zambia◦ Hong Kong◦ Bermuda◦ Canada

Jenny became a godmother to her oldest nephew

Jenny got a job when she left school She worked there for 27 years before

she developed early onset Alzheimer's Disease

She used her retirement lump sum to take herself and her nephews to Disneyworld in Florida – This was a dream she had had for a long time

Adam remembers that Jenny liked to watch Dad’s Army, do jigsaws and play Yahtzee

She also liked watching cricket when her brother-in-law or nephews were playing

Mutuality of love and benefit

Life long and changing

Expanding developmental opportunities

from shared experiences

High expectations and powerful advocacy

Imitation and interpersonal identification

Valued social participation

Start several – you do not know which ones will really work

Look for mutuality and sharing but not exclusivity

Expect and encourage difficulties and change Find ways to support the relationship

especially at times of physical distance Educate the non disabled person in SRV

(whether formally or informally) and empower them to advocate