March 2009
Sharing information – learning disability – young people – transition – black and minority ethnic (BME)
Welcome to the electronic Moving On Update.
This Moving On Update is here to provide information to the carers and supporters of young people aged 14 and upwards from Black and Minority Ethnic communities who have a learning disability and are making the change from school to adulthood.
This electronic Update runs alongside our website www.movingonup.info that is designed to be used by this group of young people supported by their carers.
Run by the Association for Real Change, ARC with a grant from the Dept of Childen, Schools & Families.
Previously funded by Diana Memorial Fund / Vodafone UK Foundation
This Moving On Update goes out free to all subscribers. It will be sent out monthly and the project is currently funded until the end of August 2008. Those who subscribe to come from a variety of backgrounds; some are professionals in both the public and private sector; some belong to voluntary organisations and others are people who have a learning disability or care for someone with a learning disability.
Please feel free to forward the Update on to other people who may be interested. If you have something you want to share amongst subscribers you are welcome to email it to us to pam.smith@arcuk.org.uk
*Please Note: All back issues of the Update will shortly be available to download from the Moving On Update Archive
Sections in the Moving On Update:
Item 1
National Transition Support Team
Council for Disabled Children
About the national transition support team (ntst)
The Council for Disabled Children and partners are working as the national transition support team for the Transition Support Programme.
The partner organisations are :
ACT (Association for Children’s Palliative Care)
ARC (Association for Real Change)
The Children’s Society
NCERCC (The National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care)
National Autistic Society
National Children’s Bureau
Scope
Speaking Up
TreeHouse
The national transition support team and the Council for Disabled Children are based at the National Children’s Bureau.
The national transition support team has three main roles:
Drive and shape the programme in local areas through work with regional advisers, and disabled young people and their families;
Engage with and exchange good practice in transition through websites, targeted information sheets and other resources to help build capacity; and
Identify the support needs of local areas and work in partnership with regional advisers, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health to improve transition practice.
An information sheet about the Transition Support Programme and national transition support team is available to download at:
http://www.transitionsupportprogramme.org.uk/about_us.aspx
Toolkits and Resources:
TransMap: From theory into practice
The TransMap project set out to identify areas of effective practice and developments in transition. The project identified a number of underlying principles that, when applied, lead to a high quality service for young people in transition. Implementing these underlying principles across transition practices will mean that young people regularly have a positive experience of transition.
If you would like to order a hard copy of TransMap, email: tsp@ncb.org.uk
Planning and Development Tool
This tool is designed to be used by local areas to help develop transition practice, to work to improve transition support for disabled young people locally.
Both resources can be found at:
http://www.transitionsupportprogramme.org.uk/resources/toolkits.aspx
Item 2
The Children's Society Magazine
The Children's Society Magazine offers a snapshot of their work around the country and gives an insight into how donations and support help the charity to make childhood better for all children.
The Spring 2009 issue includes:
A good childhood? You've heard about the groundbreaking report, now read about it.
Star interview: Sue's story.
New Londoners: Working with young refugee and Roma children to support and empower them in a culture that more often than not leaves them out in the cold.
It is now available to view online at:
http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/whats_happening/supporter_publications/6627 .html
Item 3
The Scope Family Survey 2009 – Can you help?
Scope is investigating the experiences of families with disabled children in the UK. Scope believes that every child has the right to participate in family life. Without ongoing support and services for families, disabled children will not fulfill their potential. Scope recognises the important contribution that disabled children and their families make to British society.
This year Scope’s Disablism Audit Series is focusing on the experiences of families with disabled children.
Take the survey now at: http://www.timetogetequal.org.uk/familysurvey
If you would like to request a hard copy or alternative format of the survey please email: equality.campaign@scope.org.uk
Tel: 020 7619 7370.
Item 4
Family Fund welcomes £340 million for disabled children
The Family Fund has given a warm welcome to the government’s allocation of £340 million to Primary Care Trusts for disabled children’s services from 2008-11, covering short breaks, palliative care, community equipment and wheelchair services.
The new money came in the long-awaited Child Health Strategy published recently.
Derek Walpole, Chief Executive of the Family Fund, said: “In these difficult times, it is fantastic that the government is continuing to put more money into services for disabled children and their families."
“The Family Fund is already undertaking a short breaks pilot scheme with a major local authority and we would be delighted to help Primary Care Trusts develop their short breaks provision."
http://www.familyfund.org.uk/news.asp?section=0001000100140009§ionTitle=News
Item 5
Engaging young people in the production of a film about faith
MENTER, the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Bedford and Momentum Arts received funding from the Government’s Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund in 2007 for an exciting project. The project is designed to develop understanding of the different faiths by engaging young people in the production of a film. The film, entitled “What am I supposed to believe” will be launched on 2nd April 2009 in Bedford.
Elements of the project have developed understanding of shared citizenship and participation in local democracy. The project has been advised by the East of England Faiths Council and Bedford Council of Faiths. It is funded by a Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund grant through the Community Development Foundation who are sponsored by the Communities and Local Government (CLG).
Details of the launch night of the film which included presentations by Member of Parliament for Bedford, Patrick Hall and local boxer Matt Skelton will be appearing on the MENTER website shortly.
http://www.menter.org.uk/html/projects.html#faithfilm
Developments in strategies & policy
Meetings, Conferences & Events
Item 1
Making the Move: Transition from children’s to adult services for young people with learning disabilities
Wednesday 20 May 2009
ORT House Conference Centre, London
The transition between children and adult services for people with learning disabilities and their families can be daunting, traumatic and unsatisfactory. Familiar structures and support networks are replaced by new and less familiar processes with different thresholds of support. Without effective planning and involvement of all parties the period of transition can leave some isolated, disconnected from their life goals and their existing support systems.
However, with a little thought, effective communication and committed work this picture can change. This conference looks at what works for transition, how it works and how good practice can be shared effectively. Drawing from examples from across sectors and around the country the presenter and workshop leaders will illustrate what has been achieved and how challenges and obstacles have been overcome.
To book your place:
Online at: http://www.pavpub.com/pavpub/conferences/showfull.asp?Conference=821
Tel: 0844 880 5061
OLM-Pavilion, Richmond House, Richmond Road, Brighton BN2 3RL
Tel: 01273 666706
Item 2
New Course for Trainers: ‘The Inclusion Assistant’
Thursday 26th March 2009, 10am – 4pm
336 Brixton Road, London SW9 7AA
Future dates: 11th June, 20th October 2009
Led by Micheline Mason and Christine Burke for the Alliance for Inclusive Education
Are you responsible for training or supporting Teacher Assistants who work with young people with high level support needs in mainstream schools and colleges?
This one-day course will enable you to deliver a new TRAINING PACK, ‘The Inclusion Assistant’, devised and developed by Micheline Mason and Christine Burke. The pack’s aim is to develop competence in supporting the inclusion of young people who require one-to-one help in school.
The course is of interest to:
SENCOs and Senior Managers within mainstream schools
LA Training Officers
Inclusion Officers
Tutors and Lecturers in FE and HE
Trainers within relevant Trade Unions
Special Schools which deploy staff to support individual pupils in mainstream classes
Cost: £250 per person including a FREE copy of the Training Pack, 140 pages covering nine training modules. Institutions that send more than one person only pay £200 per extra person but this does not include a pack. Lunch included. 15% discount to ALLFIE members.
Contact ALLFIE on 020 7737 6030
Email: info@allfie.org.uk to book a place
Item 3
Moving On 14+
Moving On – Information on the Transition into Further Education or Employment
Date: 28th March 2009
Location: Kingston Centre, Stafford
Target audience:
Young people who have Down's syndrome or a Dual Diagnosis of Down's syndrome and Autism who reside in Staffordshire County. Parents and carers of young people who have Down's syndrome or Dual Diagnosis in Staffordshire County. Young people with Down's syndrome and parents/carers outside Staffordshire County and professionals who work with young people who have Down's syndrome.
Conference details:
This conference is fully funded by the Skillshare project, which is an initiative from Staffordshire County Council's Parent Partnership Service; it provides a wide range of assistance to families of children with special educational needs across the county. This project has been made possible due to a successful bid to the Big Lottery Fund. This conference will present information to help parents, carers and young people choose which path they wish to follow after leaving school and also to present information as to what organisations are available to support them in the decision making of this life changing step into adulthood.
Conference speakers:
Peter Traves, Corporate Director, Children and Lifelong Learning, Staffordshire County Council, Carolyn Knight, Connexions, Sally Conway and Jan Millward, Sunfield Specialist School and Lucia Winters from the Transition Information Network.
Cost:
Free to parents, carers and young people with Down's syndrome and Dual Diagnosis in Staffordshire County. Professionals £95.00, parents/carers from outside the county £35.00. Young people with Down's syndrome £10.00.
http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/conferences/conference-list-2008-2009/453-mov ing- on.html
Item 3
Transition Pathways – Person Centred Transition Planning
Led by: Chris Sholl & Fran Dancyger
Date: 31st March 2009
Venue: Sunfield PDC, Woodman Lane, Clent, near Stourbridge, West Midlands DY9 9PB
Chris Sholl and Fran Dancyger (Transition Pathway Partnership) have many years experience in both the statutory and voluntary sectors. They worked alongside young people with a range of disabilities, families and a range of professionals to develop the Transition Pathway guidance and tools to support person-centred transition planning. These tools are being used extensively across the country to support person-centred transition planning.
Introduction to the principles of person-centred transition planning, and the opportunity to practice using the Transition Pathway tools.
THIS COURSE WILL BENEFIT YOU BY:
Introducing you to a range of flexible tools to support person-centred transition planning.
AT THE END OF THIS COURSE THOSE PARTICIPATING WILL HAVE:
An awareness of the Transition Pathway tools and processes to support person-centred transition planning.
Cost per delegate: £97.50
This course meets some of the underpinning knowledge required to meet:
NVQ III Health & Social Care HSC 382, 383
NVQ II & III Supporting Teaching & Learning in Schools STLS 38, 49
For more information go to:
http://www.sunfield.org.uk/courses.htm
