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More June News...
Carers' Rights at Work
If you are working this guide might be helpful to you. It covers, what carers are entitled to in the workplace, requesting flexible working, working without discrimination, taking time off for an emergency, it also has details on Carers Allowance. To read the guide in full, please click here: Carers' Rights at Work
Funky Friday - 21st June 2019
The next Funky Friday Disco, is being held on Friday 21st June 2019.
SEND Dads Speak Up for Men’s Health Week
Last week was Men’s Mental Health Week and Carers Week, according to Carers UK, 42% of the UK’s carers are men. These caring responsibilities can have a huge impact on men's health but there is often a stigma surrounding men’s mental health which prevents them from seeking the help they may need. Last week, My Family, Our Needs, encouraged SEND Dads to speak up and throughout the week they featured articles written by Dads, please click here to read them in full: SEND Dads Speak Up for Men’s Health Week
PODS have a Dad's Group on Facebook too, if you are a Dad or know one that may benefit from speaking to other Dad's, please let them know.
New Guide to Help Manage Anxiety in Autism
City academics and West Sussex County Council’s Autism and Social Communication Team have produced a guide to help professionals make informed decisions to support the mental health of autistic children.
Around 40% of autistic children, young people and adults are believed to have one or more anxiety disorders, compared to 10-15% of the general population. Less known is the fact that anxiety is not simply a part of autism, it is an independent disorder that can be treated in its own right. To read the guide, please click here: New Guide to Help Manage Anxiety in Autism
Disney Inspired Swim Sessions come to Telford!
Instructor led swimming sessions are taking place at your local pool this summer. Themed to Disney's Toy Story 4, families can swim in style and children can learn life skills whilst having fun with familiar characters.
Book in each Leisure Centre, or online. For more details about the sessions and to book click here: Disney Inspired Swim Sessions
Adult Mental Health First Aid in Donnington
A Mental Health First Aid Course is being held at Donnington Community Hub on 25th and 26th June, with the information session on 18th June (essential you can attend). This course is free for anyone not in employment.
To find out more please call 01952 382888 to enrol or online at: learntelford.ac.uk
Open Court Learning Disability Tennis Festival
Telford Tennis Centre and Tennis Shropshire will be hosting a Learning Disability Tennis Festival on 23rd June. For beginners and experienced players of all ages. Please see the poster below for more information. Call the Tennis Centre on 01952 382835 to book on the event.
Telford Autism Hub - Employment & Training Marketplace Event
Telford Autism Hub have their Employment Marketplace event on Friday 28th June 10am till 12pm in the Liz Yates Room at the Glebe Centre in Wellington. They have lots of amazing organisations going along to their event, National Careers Service, APM, DWP, EEAST, Enable, Job Box, BBO, Proactive Personnel, Juniper Training, Asystors. The autism team will be available at the event to support if required. For more information, visit tehir Facebook page: Telford Autism Hub
Wouldn't Change a Thing on Father's Day!
This Father’s Day, a group of dads thought they could give the mums a run for their money! They wanted to show that children with Down Syndrome are loved and accepted every bit as much by their dads and that, just like the mums, they “Wouldn’t Change a Thing”. Their quest to "one-up" the mums took them on quite the adventure!
The group of fathers managed to enlist the help of Paramount Pictures, who had been supporters of the Wouldn't Change a Thing vision after seeing the "50 mum's" viral video last year. To view the fantastic video in full, please click here: Wouldn't Change a Thing on Father's Day
Weekly Update from Jayne Stevens (Participation Co-ordinator)...
Morning - hope you had a good day for Father's Day yesterday - whatever your circumstances - I saw some great pics over social media :) and for anyone who attended the Pamper Event organised by our Fundraising and Events team - we hope you had lots of fun?
We've had two lots of school Family Groups running this past week - one at Bridge, where we were served with tea/coffee/biscuits from Bridge Students on Monday and then on Friday, our first coffee morning at Southall School - lots of discussion regarding transition and wider sharing experiences regarding social care budgets. All these discussions will be colllated and reported back through official channels.
We've held our steering group meeting this week, with our team of dedicated parent reps - it's great to still have the momentum and support of this team - working with us and with their community - our thanks continue for all their work. We have some exciting opportunities coming up that we have been asked to be involved in and these will depend on the development of our project going forward - community based work, Loneliness agenda and Early Years!
We've had an update regarding transport and want to remind all families that if you are going through a change (address or school) or your child is in post 16 education please complete your online form by 30th June. There is a new 'travel checklist' which will also be completed that will give greater information and we hope reassurance for families for children travelling in fleet or private taxi arrangements. More information is here from the Local Offer: http://www.telford.gov.uk/…/sch…/10/home_to_school_transport
I hope that you have seen the information regarding CareTech that we have shared via social media channels (facebook and twitter)- sharing here again. Any questions can be directed to jayne@podstelford.org.
"CareTech childrens services have met with us (PODS) and council colleagues (social care and commissioner) today to inform us that they are in discussions regarding the lease of the 'Acorn Way' building post January 2020.
This is now an opportunity to work closely with CareTech on development of their wider service offer in Telford.
We would ask that our members hold any discussions about this matter via the recognised PODS closed 'chatspace' to ensure consistent communication channels are kept open.
Please read the following statement from CareTech who remain committed to their local families:
"CareTech would like to make the Parents and Carers of children who access Acorn Way aware that we are currently in discussion with the property owners in regards to the lease arrangements from 2020 onwards.
Over the next month we will be taking steps to obtain feedback from stakeholders, primarily families, to inform the ‘next steps’ as we consider alternative sites for development to continue to deliver and enhance Short Breaks to Young People and their families in the area.
We will be arranging a series of engagement opportunities for families to get involved from the end of June 2019, details of which will be released soon.
If you have a queries in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact Ceri Allen using the details below:
ceri.allen@caretech-uk.com / 07989 495 330""
I've also attended a Peer Network event on Wednesday regarding mental health and SEND - some really good work going on with a Birmingham Pathfinder Project, working with young people and also their wider family members and an offer of training around supporting Young People resilience, and an important message that stuck with me around everyone is involved in Mental Health and it's not just a remit for 'health teams' and the work they are doing with the Youth Offending Service, a key message about 'doing with' rather than 'to' or 'for'. This is really important work and pathfinders who receive funding share their experiences - I will be making further connections and writing up information from this (from my 10 pages of notes) and get these shared.
On a personal note to end my update, I collected my daughter's prom dress from our dressmakers - and it's such a bittersweet moment because our son never got invited to do the 'big' thing (he probably didn't really want to anyway at the time).... but then at the weekend he produced a scrunched up letter inviting him to his college prom - it's their first ever one - and he's going :) So just a little message from us - our family - never give up hope - and never stop believing :)
Thank you for reading - have a good week - Jayne :) x
Come and join us at our New Look Family Groups throughout 2019!...
Wednesday 19th June 2019: Face 2 Face Family Group To Include Mindfulness Activities from 9.30am-11.30am at Hollinswood Community Centre, 7 Downemead, Telford, TF3 2EW. To book your place, please click here
Friday 28th June 2019: PODS Family Group from 9.30am-11.30am at Dawley Town Hall (opposite Langley School/CAMHS) New Street, Dawley, Telford, TF4 3JR. To book your place, please click here
Sunday 30th June 2019: Face 2 Face Family Group from 9.30am-11.00am at the Wacky Warehouse, Bridge Builder Pub, Wrekin Retail Park, Arleston, Telford, TF1 2DE. To book your place, please click here
Monday 1st July 2019: Face 2 Face Family Group to include Parent Carer Wellbeing from 10.00am-12.00pm at Admaston House, Admaston, Telford, TF5 0BN. To book your place, please click here
Thank you for reading our latest bulletin.
Kerrie Seagrave
Project Administrator on behalf of PODS Parent Carer Forum.
We hope you enjoyed reading our latest e-bulletin - we hope you continue to find it useful. If you have any suggestions to make it better feel free to let me know.