| 27/07/2010 Happy Birthday to Us! |
In January next year Link-Upp will officially be 10 years old. We hope to hold an extravagant event that encompasses the AGM, the 2nd Annual Parenting Awards and a bit of a celebration!
All this, of course, needs organising, and we are on the look out for parents, who are passionate about supporting carers and their children, to come forward to volunteer to help out with running Link-Upp. No experience is necessary, nor do you have to be involved with a Parent Support Group. We just need your enthusiasm and fresh ideas!
|
| 27/07/2010 Picnic in the park-2010 |
This year Link-Upp are working with Contact-a-Family to make the event bigger and better than ever before!
Date: Tuesday 24th August 2010
Time: 11.00am onwards
Venue: Cannon Hill Park.
There will be games for everyone, information for parents, African drumming, bikes, balloons, face-painting and magic! A discount rate for the Nature Centre has also been arranged if wanted.
To book your place at this year’s event please call Contact a Family on 0121 415 4624 and leave your details with Jan or Liz.
On the day you will need to book in at the M.A.C. first to get your sticker that will allow your family to take part in all the events.
|
| 27/07/2010 The Equality Act 2010 |
The Equality Act 2010 will replace the Disability Discrimination Act with the majority of the provisions coming into force on 1 October 2010. This Act brings disability, sex, race and other grounds of discrimination into one streamlined piece of legislation. It is designed to strengthen the law, giving individuals greater protection from unfair discrimination and make it easier for employers and companies to understand their responsibilities.
The Equality Act is a significant piece of legislation which will bring in some major changes to disability discrimination law including: new protection for parents and carers; a change in duties for schools regarding ‘reasonable adjustments’; and a change in the way public bodies are required to promote disability equality.
You can read the full act by visiting:
http://195.99.1.70/acts/acts2010/pdf/ukpga_20100015_en.pdf
|
| 27/07/2010 Yardley ASD Parent support group news |
NICK STOYLES is cycling from Birmingham to Milton Keynes and back again, raising money for the children of Yardley Autistic Spectrum Disorder Parent Support Group, to enable the group to take the autistic children and their families on a day out suitable for their needs and abilities.
Nick will be cycling on the Sat 4th September 2010 from The Watering Hole (now McDonalds) in Birmingham to Milton Keynes down the canal towpath and back again on Sun 5th September 2010.
We are looking for people to sponsor Nick, please donate as much as possible for this cause. To do this all you have to do is go to www.yardleyasd.com and click on the donate button, you can then donate through PayPal, it’s very simple!
Please give generously and tell others to support us as well, every penny will count.
Thanking you all in advance.
|
| 27/07/2010 Balsall Heath C.A.T.S. |
CATS (Children Action Team Support) in Balsall Heath held their “Official Launch” on Thursday 23rd July, that’s despite being an active force in the local community for a few years!
Saeeda Bi, and her sister Nazreen, have been running the organisation for years, but now have an office to base the project in.
The event was truly inspirational, with many parents declaring how CATS had helped both them, and their children, take part in activities that many children and families take for granted. CATS runs playschemes, family trips, sports activities, parents workshops and training. For any parent looking to set up a scheme to provide support in their area, you could do no better than try to emulate CATS!
For more information:
e-mail: info@bhcats.org.uk or call: 0121 440 1007
|
| 27/07/2010 Carers Assessments—What are your rights? |
The following guidance has been received by Link-Upp and we are happy to publish it as we are aware that many parents do not realise that their needs as a Carer must be raised during their child’s assessment. They cannot have a separate “Carers assessment” until their child becomes an adult. Also, please remember to ask for copies of any assessment paperwork, you have the right!
Recent government guidance on short breaks for disabled children and their families has clarified how local councils should meet their responsibilities under the section 6 of the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000. Under this Act, parents of a disabled child have a right to an assessment of their needs as carers if the council is satisfied that the child and family may be eligible for services provided under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
The guidance says that carers’ assessments should not be carried out in isolation, and advises that the needs of parents should be recorded under the dimension of “family functioning” within the framework for the assessment of children in need and their families.
The guidance gives a good practice example of the sorts of information which should be sought and considered during the assessment, which includes asking about the carer’s physical and mental well-being, sources of support available to them, their access to work, education, training and leisure, what emergency provision they have, and how they see their future as a carer over the longer term.
At the end of the assessment, the information gathered should be analysed and incorporated into the “child in need” plan, and there should be an agreed process for review.
|
| 27/07/2010 Parent Views Count: - Future meeting Dates |
Parent Views Count is working across Birmingham to enable parents/carers to share their views about Service development. By joining with us you can help us make a difference. We represent parents with children of all abilities and all ages across Birmingham. We are currently expanding our engagement to parents with children under 5 years. We have regular Parent Forum meetings at which we collect your views and give out information relevant to parents’ needs. The next Parent Forum meeting will be Wednesday 13th October 10.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. at Carrs Lane Church Centre. We will be hosting a Market Place for parents to come along and meet with service providers from across Birmingham. This will be followed by the Parent Views Count AGM on Thursday 11th November 10.00 a.m. – 12 noon.
If you would like more information about Parent Views Count or would like to become involved please log on to www.parentviewscount.org or call us on: 0779 5121281
If you are a service provider for Disabled children and would like to have a table at the event in September, please contact Jasvinder Hayre on the number above.
|
| 27/07/2010 New Support Group in Small Heath |
Small Heath: Parents all together
This new support group is being set up by Najma Sajid who is a Mum of a daughter with a disability. The group is for parents living in and around Small Heath, who wish to meet other parents of children with Special Needs. They hope to meet monthly and provide information, fun activities, social events and emotional support.
If you wish to be part of this new group please get in touch with Najma on:
Phone: 07917 332 551 e-mail: parents-all-together@live.co.uk
|
| 24/02/2010 Annual Members meal. |
This event is for Link-Upp members, their partners (if you wish!) and members of Link-Upp affiliated groups.
Date: Tuesday 16th March 2010
Time: 12 noon OR 7.30pm
Venue: The Big Wok, Wrottesley Street Birmingham, B5 4RT (Near the Arcadian Centre)
Cost: £1 per person at lunchtime, £2 per person in the evening.
If you do not have a reply slip for this event please contact us before attending.
|
| 24/02/2010 Link-Upp AGM. Feb 26th 2010 |
This years AGM will take place on Friday 26th February at the Mal Maison Hotel. Mal Maison is situated in the “Mailbox” and is easily accessible from the City Centre.
Link-Upp Family members, members of Link-Upp affiliated groups and Associate Members are all welcome to attend.
We start at 10 a.m. with hot drinks and pastries.
The business part of the meeting will start at 10.30 a.m.
There will be a buffet lunch at 12 noon.
In the afternoon we will be holding the “Link-Upp Parenting Awards”
|
| 16/01/2010 Aladdin Panto: The show is ON! |
Tonights Panto is ON. The snow has gone and we look forward to seeing all ticket holders at around 5.15pm.
Thanks
|
| 05/03/2009 Parent Views Count: - Future meeting Dates |
Parents Open Meetings
We usually hold open meetings for parents roughly every 6 weeks, at the Carrs Lane Church Centre opposite Moor Street Station, to give updates on progress and to provide an opportunity for parents to give feedback. 2008 was a busy year and we are now involved in consultations on a wide range of topics of interest to parents.
Dates of next Carrs Lane meetings:
Following feedback from parents, as well as our usual morning slot, we have also been trying out a new EVENING meeting for those parents who cannot attend meetings during the day.
Please note the change of date: there will be NO meetings in April
Next meetings will be held on
Evening meeting: Wednesday 13th May 2009, 7pm-9pm
Morning meeting: Thursday 14th May 2009, 10am-12.30pm
Evening meeting: Wednesday 1st July 2009, 7pm-9pm
Morning meeting: Thursday 2nd July 2009, 10am-12.30pm
Evening meeting: Wednesday 9th September 2009, 7pm-9pm
Morning meeting: Thursday 10th September 2009, 10am-12.30pm
All meetings are at Carrs Lane Church Centre, Carrs Lane, Birmingham B4 7SX.
|
| 22/01/2009 Cinema Competition |
A number of members have been asking if we are going to have another Family Cinema Outing.
The answer is “Yes”, but not this half term…… but believe us… we tried!
The problem is that as half term lasts only one week, cinema managers are unwilling to make any film showing “exclusive” for Link-Upp as they believe that there are hundreds of members of the general public clamouring to get in. Also, there is only one suitable film in cinemas this half term and as it is in 3D AND a new Disney film we would be charged double the cost that we usually pay.
SO………………………………….. we are proposing another event during the Easter holidays in April. This time we will have exclusive use of the screen, but we will be showing an older film.
We would like this film to be chosen by one of our members….YOU!
We would like you to select a children’s film (released 2007 or before) that your family would like to see on the big screen. It could be fairly recent, such as Finding Nemo, or a real old favourite such as Jungle Book that your children have never seen at the cinema. You choose.
Text your film choice and your name to the Link-Upp mobile: 07767 086 417 by 13/02/09
The first sender of the name of the film we eventually choose will get to attend the event with their family for FREE.
|
| 22/01/2009 We really need YOU!!! |
Most of you may know that Link-Upp activities are run by a committee of Parent/Carers (all of whom are volunteers) supported by professionals from Contact-a-Family and the Carers Support Initiative. We have all been really busy with “other stuff”!
What we could really do with is a few more volunteers
to help spread the workload and to provide us with
some fresh ideas and new impetus to get moving!
It is very likely that within the next 12 months we will be receiving some additional funds specifically to put on events for Parent/Carers of disabled young people (aged 16-25) . These events will be aimed at supporting the parents through their child’s transition from children’s to adult services. It would be great to have a few such parents on our steering group to ensure that we are covering the things that really matter.
But at the same time we will still be running the same mix of Family networking events and Carer Support/Personal Development courses that we have been running for the past 7 years, so any Link-Upp member would be more than welcome on our steering group. You can do as much or as little as you wish, just tell us if you feel we are asking too much and someone else will give it a try. We’re all friendly and fully understand the practicalities of a household where there are children with additional needs… we have one too! Sometimes you just have to say ”No!”
But we really really really hope that some of you will say “YES!” and come and give us a hand!
Our next meeting is at the Link-Upp office in Prospect Hall on Tuesday 3rd February at 10am. If you are thinking of coming please call Anne for a chat on the Link-Upp mobile (07767 086 417) before the day.
|
| 22/01/2009 Birmingham North Autistic Support Group |
Birmingham North Autistic Support Group are holding an event called How can we Support Families and Children on the Autism Spectrum at Sutton Coldfield Library Room 1. The speakers will be Dr. Glenys Jones and Professor Rita Jordan OBE who are experts in the field of autism. The date is Tuesday 24th March from 9.30am until 1.15pm. This will be a free event for parents but please ring Lin Lloyd on 0121 357 4928 to secure a place as numbers are restricted.
|
| 22/01/2009 £60 bonus for Carers |
Carers UK has welcomed the announcement, on 24th November, by the Chancellor Alistair Darling MP that all carers who are entitled to Carer’s Allowance will receive an additional payment of £60. This is on top of the usual £10 Christmas Bonus which they will have received. The increase will be paid automatically in the New Year to all those who qualify and will not affect any other benefits that you may be getting.
Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:
“We welcome the announcement in the Pre-Budget Report that carers will receive an additional £60 payment in the New Year. This will go some way towards meeting the additional costs that carers face with high food and fuel bills this winter.
The total cost of this payment is around £55 million and over 900,000 carers across the UK will benefit. It shows that the Chancellor recognises that carers are a group in need of extra help, along with pensioners and those with disabilities.
However, it will not stop Carers UK campaigning for radical and lasting changes to carers’ benefits. There needs to be an urgent and radical review of carers’ benefits, in particular Carer’s Allowance which is just £50.55 per week. This extra payment doesn’t solve the many problems with Carer’s Allowance, but it will help carers struggling to make ends meet during the current economic crisis.”
|
| 22/01/2009 Contact a Family Podcast |
A new podcast from Contact a Family has been produced to help explain the meaning of Special Educational Needs (SEN) and other related terms like SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator). The podcast also has more information about what to do if you are concerned your child has SEN, what schools and the local authority can do to help, how to request a 'statutory assessment' and the 'statementing' process.
To listen to the podcast visit Web: http://www.cafamily.org.uk/SEN_England.mp3 .
|
| 22/01/2009 NAIDEX 2009: |
NAIDEX 2009:
Tuesday 28th—Thursday 30th April
NAIDEX is the UK's largest event for homecare, disability and rehabilitation. It is your best opportunity to touch, test and compare all the latest new products and services available.
Whether you are a healthcare professional or a member of the public NAIDEX 2009 will be bursting with content to meet your needs.
With over 350 companies lined up at the UK's number one product showcase -You'll be spoilt for choice!
NAIDEX is packed with exhibitors, products, features, and seminars. Tips on planning your visit are available on the website www.naidex.co.uk where you can also pre-register. This will save you time as you will then not have to queue when you arrive!
Best of all entry to NAIDEX is FREE!
Parents & Carers who have previously been to NAIDEX have reported back that it is valuable “eye-opener” to all the equipment and teaching ideas that are available. It can also inform you when meeting with Health, Education and Social Services personnel.
KideQuip is an area of Naidex dedicated to children's equipment and services, aimed at parents of children with disabilities and paediatric healthcare professionals.
A wide range of products and equipment are on show from children's wheelchairs, buggies, walkers, communication aids, clothes, hoists & lifting equipment, soft play and sensory products, as well as information and advice from children's charities.
A free seminar programme is located at the heart of KideQuip which contains topical seminar content and hands-on product demonstrations.
|
| 22/01/2009 Parent Views Count - An update |
Parent Views Count is a monthly forum for Parents and Carers of children with disabilities or any additional need. These can be children with a Statement of SEN, children on “School Action” or “School Action Plus” or they may be children with a need as yet unrecognised by the authorities, but which concerns the Parent.
To get more information on a regular basis, to ask questions about anything we are doing, to give your views, or to talk about becoming a Parent Rep, please
Email: ParentViewsCount@aol.com
Phone: Sue on 01676-533-565
Visit: www.bgfl.org/ParentViewsCount
Come and meet us at Carrs Lane Church Centre. The next meetings will be:
Tuesday 10th March (Evening) 7pm-9pm or Wednesday 11th March (Morning) 10am-12.30pm
Wednesday 22nd April (Evening) 7pm-9pm or Thursday 23rd April (Morning) 10am-12.30pm
NOTE: Each evening & morning “pair” of meetings will cover the same topic, you don’t need to attend both.
|
| 16/10/2008 Stress Management Workshop |
Wednesday 12th November 2008
Venue: “TheHub” Hazelwell. Kings Heath
Time: 10.00am – 2.00pm (lunch included)
Main Speaker: Penny Wiseman
All the places are now taken on this course. There is a waiting list of places. If you have not already sent in your form, it is VERY unlikely that you will get a place. Sorry.
|
| 23/01/2008 Proposed Link-Upp Activity Plan January/February 2008 |
Wednesday January 30th: “Stronger” a Women & Theatre performance at Carrs Lane Church Centre. From 10am. Lunch included. Seats MUST be pre-booked.
Monday February 25th: Annual Members Meal at “The Big Wok”. 12 noon OR 7.30pm. Cost: £1 per person. Please return an application form, available on the "Newsletter" page.
Thursday February 28th: Transition Workshop. 10am—2.30pm at “The Hub” Kings Heath. Places must be pre-booked for this workshop. application form available to download on the "Newsletter" page.
For more information about any of these events please contact us.
|
| 23/01/2008 Event Report: Dads Karting Event |
11th November 07
The Sunday dawned fairly bright and sunny, a relief to all who had been worried about a wet and slippery track.
Despite the closeness of the “WHEELS” site to the St Andrews home of Birmingham City on the day of a match against local rivals Aston Villa, nearly all of the participants arrived in good time for the pre-race safety briefing and a chance for a coffee and chat.
All the Dads were issued with souvenir baseball caps and kitted out in overalls and helmets. Anxious partners and offspring watched from the railings as the men were paired up in teams and qualifying began.
After the starting order for the race had been established it was straight on with the main event, an endurance Karting race of an hour. Teams of two would each drive 2 stints of approximately quarter of an hour each, meaning that we were all to witness 3 rather hectic “pit stops” whilst the drivers changed over!
Spectators were able to keep track of all the race statistics, such as fastest lap and (more importantly) who was winning, on the computer screen in the tea room.
By 3.30pm it was all over, the top three teams were rewarded with medals, and a chance to spray a bottle of bubbly stuff over everyone from the podium!
This event was generously funded with an "Awards 4 All" grant from the National Lottery.
|
| 23/01/2008 Every Disabled Child Matters..... STILL! |
The “Every Disabled Child Matters” campaign have re-launched their Local Authority Charter. The Charter is a series of specific commitments EDCM is asking Local Authorities to make to improve services for disabled children and their families. These commitments are specific but realistic
This charter makes Disabled Children a local priority, but BIRMINGHAM has NOT yet signed up to the charter.
Visit www.edcm.org.uk to learn how you can lobby Birmingham City Council to sign the charter. You fill in a simple form and you are then given a standard e-mail message that will be forwarded to Councillor Les Lawrence. There is space to personalise this message to emphasise the specific problems that you have with the Council’s services. Every extra message puts more pressure on the Council to make our children count.
|
| 12/12/2007 Volunteer befrienders still needed. |
We are still looking for volunteers to train to become Face2Face befrienders. Some people I have spoken to have said that they are not sure that they would feel confident in a befriending role, so here are some points that will (I hope) reassure anyone who is interested:
The befriender training is very thorough. We expect to hold 10 sessions from 10am—2pm to complete the training. It is likely that these will start in early Spring ‘08 and take place on Fridays.
At the end of the training there is an informal assessment and if you, the co-ordinator or the trainer have any doubts then you would not have to do any “befriending”.
You can drop out of the scheme at any point if you feel that it is “not for you” or if you have family issues to address.
Please remember that what we are trying to do with Face2Face is make the process of coming to terms with the fact that you have a child with a disability or special need a better experience for others. I have heard many “horror stories” of how the news of a diagnosis was broken to a parent, (my own experience was not too great either) and it will, I’m sure, be very rewarding to change the negative impact of that time for another parent just like you.
We would particularly encourage bi-lingual parents as we aim to have at least 50% of our befrienders able to speak another language.
Please contact me via any of the Link-Upp numbers and I will post out further information. Please note that you will have to supply 2 names of people who can give you a short reference.
Many Thanks, Anne Barnes
|
| 12/12/2007 Raise funds for Link-Upp |
www.yellowmoon.org.uk
Why not visit the Yellow Moon site where you will find loads of ideas for “crafty” children and adults alike. Plus they also sell some great toys and educational items. There’s loads of ideas for Christmas, and if you order now you may have time to hand-make all your cards!
Up until the end of December there is a free gift if you spend over £45 and free postage and packing if you spend over £50. But best of all…………...…… up to 25% of what you spend comes back to Link-Upp to support us in the form of “Cash back”.
All you need to do is quote Link-Upp and our source code of: SLI11260 when you order.
|
| 12/12/2007 Campaigning case studies needed |
As you may already know, Contact a Family produces a series of guides specifically for parent support groups. The guides cover a variety of issues ranging from starting a group to charity registration, and can be downloaded free of charge from the Contact a Family website at http://www.cafamily.org.uk/GAP.html .
They are currently updating their guide on local campaigning and would love to include some real-life examples to illustrate how parents of disabled children have successfully campaigned for change in their area.
If you have a story you would like to share, please email jemma.black@cafamily.org.uk with the following details:
1. Where you are based and your group's name (if you are a group)
2. What your campaign wanted to achieve
3. Your campaign activities
4. How long you campaigned for
5. The outcome of your campaign
Contact a Family appreciate how busy you are so the content does not have to be very long and detailed (bullet points are fine) - they will write the case study based on the information you send and check that you are happy with it before it goes into the guide. Thank you for your help.
|
| 03/10/2007 Could you be a Face 2 Face Befriender? |
Link-Upp, in association with Contact a Family and Scope, are currently in the process of setting up a Face 2 Face service in Birmingham.
Face 2 Face is an expanding network of local schemes, providing emotional support to parents whose children have been recognised as having a special need or disability. Local schemes recruit and train volunteer parents, who themselves have disabled children, to act as “befrienders”. Befrienders are able to share and empathise with new parents because of their own emotional experiences.
If you are a parent of a child with any disability or special need, or their primary carer and are interested in becoming a volunteer befriender to support other families, please contact Link-Upp as soon as possible and we will send you an information pack and application form. We would particularly encourage bi-lingual parents as we aim to have at least 50% of our befrienders able to speak another language. We are amalgamating previous proposals for a “Language Bank” into this scheme.
As a volunteer befriender you will receive all the training and support you need to be comfortable in your role. Your child must be under 18 years old and you must be a minimum of two years on from the realisation of your own child’s disability. If at any time you no longer feel able to continue then you can easily pull out of the training. You can find out more about the service at:
www.face2facenetwork.org.uk.
|
| 03/10/2007 Parent Views Count : Mainstream |
Calling all parents of children with special needs
in mainstream schools
We are holding a one-off focus group to discuss the views of parents whose children have special needs and are in mainstream schools. Some parents of children in mainstream schools feel that their voice is not heard as loudly as those with children in special schools. We would like to make sure that ALL parents' views count, and are giving this extra opportunity to discuss the particular experiences of children in mainstream schools. We would like to know:
- What's working well
- What's not working
- What are the gaps in your area of Birmingham
If you can spare a couple of hours to give us your views, we will give you a £10 voucher, and lunch as a thank you.
The meeting will be held on
Monday 15 October from 10.00am—12.30pm followed by lunch at the Campanile Hotel, Chester St, Birmingham
Please book your place as soon as possible by email at ParentViewsCount@aol.com
or telephone 0777 878 3596
|
| 03/10/2007 Carer's Allowance: Good News! |
The government has announced that it will increase the amount carers can earn without losing their entitlement to Carer's Allowance. From 1 October 2007 the earnings limit will increase from £87 a week to £95 a week.
Jill Harrison, Every Disbled Child Matters Board Member, comments: ‘We have called for an increase in the earnings limit for Carers Allowance for some time. We are therefore extremely pleased the government has now responded. This change means that more parents of disabled children who are in part-time work will be entitled to this benefit.’ Visit: www.edcm.org.uk for more details.
|
| 25/06/2007 Parent Views Count |
New Website - www.bgfl.org/ParentViewsCount
There is now a website for Parent Views Count! Feeding back all the information shared at the Parent's Open Meetings held at Carrs Lane Church Centre.
The site has been made possible through the Council's Action for Inclusion initiative but is being administered independently so that they can collect parents' views in a secure environment.
The site is very new, and they're just getting organised. Their aim is that this site will be the perfect place for you to share views and get information about the Strategy for Special Provision and the Integrated Strategy for Disabled Children and Young People in Birmingham. You can also find introductions to your Parent Representatives, who are all working very hard to ensure that Parent Views really do Count.
Feel free to have a browse at www.bgfl.org/ParentViewsCount and as always, comments are welcome.
|
| 25/06/2007 Focus on Special Educational Needs |
Birmingham City Council is reviewing its special educational needs service. Parents are being given an opportunity to get involved in the process by attending one of six public meetings taking place next month, hosted by Councillors sitting on the Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
A flyer detailing these meetings is accompanying this newsletter, if the flyer is missing it can be seen at: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/scrutiny.bcc just click on the link: Overview and Scrutiny Special Educational Needs Consultation Events.
Each event will last 2 hours and will be workshop based. Small group sessions will enable parents to tell members of the Scrutiny Committee first hand what they have found good about the service; identify any problems encountered and most importantly establish how they would like to see the service improved.
Scrutiny Chairman, Councillor Jon Hunt said, “It is important that parents use this opportunity to share their experiences and thoughts with us. We want to hear their views on issues such as transport, quality of education and opportunities for their children. Tell us what’s good and what’s not so good! This feedback will be vital in helping to shape the Council’s future provision of this important service.
“The number of children with special educational needs currently stands at nearly 40,000 for the city, about 7,000 of whom have statements and more than 3,000 attend special schools. There is a huge demand for services and we need to establish whether we have the right processes in place to respond to their needs.
“I would urge parents to come along to one of our meetings or to get involved in this consultation in another way by writing to us or by submitting their views electronically.
“The scrutiny committee is overseeing the development of the city’s strategy for special education, being undertaken by a group led by Cabinet Member, Cllr Les Lawrence. It aims to use the results of the consultation to establish principles to ensure the strategy delivers improvements for children and young people.”
Individuals wishing to attend one of the meetings will need to reserve a place in advance by completing a booking form (enclosed) visiting the website (details above) or by calling 464 8263 or 303 1729.
Views can also be submitted electronically via the website, by completing an online form at or by sending a letter to Iram Choudry, C/O The Scrutiny Office, Room B153, Council House, Victoria Square, B1 1 BB.
|
| 25/06/2007 Aiming High for Disabled Children |
Disabled children's review publishes - £340 million for families
Government delivers after listening to families
The government has now published the report of the disabled children’s review. Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families contains a funding package of £340 million for England for the period from 2008 - 11.
Key elements of the package include:
* A specific grant of £280m to deliver a step change in the provision of short breaks, which will enable an additional 40,000 breaks for severely disabled children to be delivered by 2010-11. Pathfinders will first develop best practice and provision will be rolled out across England by 2010-11. The NHS settlement will also provide additional funding to provide short breaks for children with complex health care needs.
* £35m to pilot accessible childcare. The Government will set up a childcare accessibility project initially in 10 local authorities in England with best practice rolled out over a larger number of Local Authorities. The new funding complements the existing funding through the general Sure Start Grant to assist with providers’ capital costs.
* £19m for a Transition Support Programme, modelled on the Early Support programme but focussed on young disabled people in transition to adulthood. This will also be piloted and then rolled across the country. It is based on the principles of choice and control and will include a young people’s information pack, access to a keyworker and advocacy and support.
* £5m to help more parents get involved in shaping services at a local level, including through parents forums. Organisations will be invited to bid for funding to support effective parent participation projects. Organisations are also reminded of their duty to consult disabled children.
Steve Broach, EDCM Campaign Manager, comments: ‘The campaign is delighted that the government review recognises the issues that families say matter to them. Short breaks, childcare and transition to adulthood are all areas where the quality and quantity of services has to improve. The new money is vital to making this happen, but just as important are reforms like the new national indicator on services for disabled children, and a ‘core offer’ for families to help end the variation in services between areas.’
For more information about this and many other aspects of the “Every Disabled Child Matters” campaign please go to: http://www.edcm.org.uk
|
| 25/06/2007 Young disabled people and public transport |
GOJO is a new campaign by the Disability Rights Commission to help young disabled people make the most of public transport.
The campaign is being launched to highlight recent changes to the Disability Discrimination Act which gave people who are disabled the right to fair treatment on public transport.
As part of the campaign a new website has been launched, packed with useful information including an interactive journey planner, information on local services as well as hints and tips on planning ahead. Young disabled people, their friends and families can feed back their experiences of using public transport on the GOJO website, too.
Visit the GOJO website at Web:
http://www.mygojo.co.uk .
|
| 24/04/2007 SEN: Parent/Carer Consultation Meetings |
The next open meeting for Parents/Carers of children with any Special educational Need will be held on Wednesday 23rd May at Carrs Lane Church Centre (City Centre). The meeting starts at 10am with refreshments available from 9.30am.
This open meeting forms part of the "Consultation with Parents workstream" associated with the City Council's Strategic Working Group that are working towards the development of a policy for Special Provision.
It is important that parents/carers attend at this stage of the consultation process so that their voices and opinions are heard.
There are still opportunities for parents to be involved as representatives to Council Workstreams and Task & Finish groups.
The future of education for our very special children is at stake. Act now.
There are two further Open Meetings scheduled for parents/carers. They are at the same venue on Tuesday 3rd July and Wednesday 12th September. Please note them in your diaries now!
|
| 24/04/2007 Picnic in the Park '07 |
A date for your diary: Link-Upp’s annual “Picnic in the Park” in Cannon Hill Park will be held this year on Wednesday August 1st. We look forward to meeting lots of you at this fun family day out. More details will be posted in June/July.
|
| 24/04/2007 Carer's Week info |
11th—16th June ‘07
Birmingham Carers are putting together a video & an exhibition to show the public what it is like to be a Carer. If you think that you may have something of interest ( Eg: a photo or a story) call 0121 675 8000, drop in to the Carers Centre or e-mail birminghamcarers
@hotmail.co.uk
|
| 24/04/2007 Kidzlikedanny CD |
Back in October 2006 Matt Tyler, local singer/songwriter went on the Danny Kelly BBC Radio WM Show and talked about the Charity CD which was in it's infant stages. Well now its up there on i-tunes with the majors. 16 tracks from some of the best acts on the Birmingham/Midlands music scene.
All the proceeds from the downloads going to the charity www.kidzlikedanny.co.uk
The charity 'Kidz Like Danny' was formed in January 1997. It was started by Lin and Dave Lloyd, parents of Daniel Lloyd. Daniel was born on the 2nd of December 1987 at City Hospital, Birmingham, and is autistic. He has an elder brother Matthew as well as a younger one, Jacob. A total of over £12,500.00 has been raised by the Kidzlikedanny charity so far. Organisations who have benefited from KLD are Baskerville Special School (Birmingham), Gorse Farm Residential Home (Marston Green), Uffculme Special School (Birmingham), Longmoor Special School, The Pines, The Birmingham Centre For Arts and Therapies, and The Northern Support Group. The money is used to purchase specialised equipment or items not covered in the school or organisations normal budget. Sometimes the money is used to fund trips out, for families with autistic children.
For details of how to dowdload the CD go to the Kidzlikedanny website and click on: “For the latest news from Kidzlikedanny”
|
| 24/04/2007 Parent Participation Workshop |
At: The Birmingham and Midland Institute, Margaret Street, Birmingham, B3 3BS
On: 21 June 2007, 10am to 3pm
In response to requests Contact a Family are putting on a workshop day in the Midlands and surrounding areas for parents involved in shaping services for disabled children and those who work with them.
There are parents and participation workers around the country working hard to develop the effective involvement of parents but feeling very isolated and feeling as though they would benefit from networking with others doing similar work.
If this is you then this workshop will provide a chance to meet other people involved in parent participation work, look at what’s working in different parts of the Midlands, identify current issues, common problems and share ideas to solve these. Incorporated into the day will be a chance for you to pose a question about your work to your peers and share solutions to problems and resources.
For more information and to book a place follow the link from http://www.cafamily.org.uk/influence.html or contact Liz Ranger on 020 7608 8784 or liz.ranger@cafamily.org.uk before 26 May 2007.
|
| 10/03/2007 Play Strategy for Birmingham |
“How would you improve play facilities for children and young people in Birmingham?”
That’s the question being asked of Birmingham parents and carers by the council’s Play Service, which is currently putting together a bid for £3.3 million of funds.
The council already provides a range of support for children’s play services in 15 play centres around the city, through funding for play schemes and the development of new safe playgrounds.
To make sure that play provision comes up to the mark in Birmingham, the council’s Play Service is working with other council departments, the health service, Birmingham Children’s Fund, and voluntary and independent sectors to put in place a new play strategy that will mean the council and its partners can gain £3.3 million from the Big Lottery.
The money will be spent on developing free, local, open-access, inclusive play provision with a degree of supervision.
The team needs to know whether you think the council has got its priorities right and what you like to see in your area.
The strategy can be downloaded from http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/ type “Play Strategy” into SEARCH and you will find it.
There are also questionnaires that can be printed off. These questionnaires have also been sent into schools, if your child brings one home, please help them to complete it. Link-Upp can also supply you with a feedback form if you do not have e-mail.
Send your views and ideas via email direct to: rose.jewkes@birmingham.gov.uk or by post to: Rose Jewkes, Birmingham City Council Community and Play Services, Room 24, Ladywood Arts and Leisure Centre, 316 Monument Road, Birmingham B16 8TR
The consultation period ends on Friday 30 March 2007
|
| 10/03/2007 Yellow Moon Catalogue available now. |
We now have supplies of the Spring Yellow Moon catalogue. An essential for all creative types and parents that like to get "crafty" with their children. The items in the catalogue are good quality and at prices comparable to the high street. Up to 25% of what you spend is paid back to Link-Upp, so you can have fun and support the Link-Upp network at the same time. If you want a catalogue call Anne on the Link-Upp mobile number & one will be sent to you.
|
| 25/02/2007 Wills, Trusts & Power of Attorney Workshop |
Date: Saturday 31st March 2007
Time: 10.45am to 2.00pm
Venue: Birmingham Community Children’s Centre, 61 Bacchus Rd, Winson Green, Birmingham, B18 4QY
For more details look in the "Activity Plan" section of this website.
|
| 25/02/2007 Changing Places - join the campaign! |
The Changing Places Consortium has launched a campaign on behalf of the thousands of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their carers, and the many other disabled people who cannot use standard accessible toilets.
They need Changing Places toilets. These are toilets with enough space for disabled people and their carers, and the right equipment, including a height adjustable changing bench and a hoist. Standard accessible toilets do not provide changing benches or hoists. Most are too small to accommodate more than one person. Without Changing Places toilets, the person with disabilities is put at risk, and families are forced to risk their own health and safety by changing their daughter or son on a toilet floor. This is dangerous, unhygienic and undignified.
The Changing Places campaign is calling for Changing Places toilets to be installed in all big public places, including:
• city centres
• shopping centres
• arts venues
• hospitals
• motorway service stations
• leisure complexes
• large railway stations
• airports.
Changing Places toilets should be provided in addition to standard accessible toilets.
Hundreds of people across the UK are campaigning for Changing Places toilets to be installed in their local area.
Visit http://www.changing-places.org to find out more about the campaign.
If there is enough interest in this cause, Link-Upp could run a local campaign, let us know what you think!
|
| 08/01/2007 Members Meal - Big Wok 18th January |
This event is for Link-Upp members, their partners & members of Link-Upp affiliated Groups only.
For more details please look in the "Activity Plan" section.
|
| 08/01/2007 HAPPY NEW YEAR |
On behalf of Link-Upp I would like to wish all our members, whether they are “Family”, “Group” or “Associate”, a very peaceful and healthy New Year.
There have been a few changes in the Management Committee since the AGM. Anne Barnes has stepped down from the role of Chair and is now Treasurer. Last year’s Secretary, Laila Khan, is the new Chair. At the moment the other committee roles have yet to be decided. Please be aware that if you ever feel the urge to get involved with Link-Upp by joining the management team, you don’t have to wait for the AGM. If you feel you have something to offer we can “co-opt” you at any time…. Think about it!
|
| 08/01/2007 Moving On Support Group |
The next meeting of the MOVING ON group will be on Thursday 1st February 2007, from 10.30am—12.30pm at the Birmingham Carers Centre. (Corner of Colmore Row & Waterloo St, by the Council House)
The subject of the meeting is “Looking at transition and beyond” and the speaker will be Claire from the Transition Pathways Team.
|
| 08/01/2007 Whizz Kids |
Whizz-Kidz - Birmingham Children's Mobility Centre is planning a series of product and information days to be held at Prospect Hall, Selly Oak. The next event will be a standing wheelchairs product and awareness day on 2 February 2007. For a full programme of events email: Birmingham@whizz-kidz.org.uk
|
| 29/11/2006 Link-Upp Language Bank |
We will no longer be calling this proposed service the “Language Bank”. It is likely that we will be working with Parmi Dheensa who is developing a national initiative and linking up with the proposed “Include Me Too” service based in Wolverhampton.
We are still looking for more bi-lingual parent/carers to help us develop the service and to volunteer for the project .
If you are interested please call Sarah Lee at Contact a Family on 0121 415 462
|
| 29/11/2006 Every Disabled Child Matters |
Every Disabled Child Matters is a new campaign by Contact a Family, The Council for Disabled Children, Mencap and the Special Education Consortium. .Every Disabled Child Matters is a three-year campaign aimed at getting disabled children higher up the political and media agenda – so that the needs of these families can no longer be ignored.
Every Disabled Child Matters have still got some way to go to reach their target of signing-up 10,000 supporters for the campaign by this Christmas. The campaign went live on 26th September 2006, and so far over 6,000 people have pledged support. To sign up please log on to http://www.edcm.org.uk and register your support, and ask all the parents in your groups and networks and all the professionals you are in contact with or work with to do the same.
For more information about Every Disabled Child Matters, and for all the ways in which you can get involved, please go to http://www.edcm.org.uk or contact Kate Williams on 020 7843 6448.
On the website you can find out how to lobby your MP and local Council about services for disabled children. There is also information about parliamentary reports discussing services and further research.
www.edcm.org.uk
|
| 29/11/2006 Birmingham's draft Strategy for Special Schools. |
Birmingham Children’s Services presented a draft “Vision & Strategy” for Special Provision” to a meeting of Parent Governors & Parent PTA representatives on November 8th.
Those parents attending the meeting had a number of concerns about the authority's proposals for the next few years, not least of which was the move towards insisting on “local” placements. This will, of course, further reduce the rights of the child & their family to have a meaningful choice about which school they wish to attend. It seems that it is likely that there will be less “Specialist Special Schools” (for example for children with an ASD or physical disability) and that they will create more generic schools in each area for children with any disability. To the parents present at the meeting it seemed that the emphasis on “local” placements was being led by the costs of school transport. If you feel that your child has the right to truly specialist provision then make sure your voice is heard.
All those attending the meeting have been asked to feed back the opinions of other parents at their school. If you want to know what the authority have in mind for Special Needs provision at your child’s school please contact the school and/or parent governors before the end of the month. Even if your child is in their teens and may not be affected by changes, please pass on your opinions & experiences of how you selected your child’s school, difficulties faced & how your child has benefited, especially if your child travels out of your immediate locality for their schooling. Thanks.
|
| 15/09/2006 New Yellow Moon Catalogue available |
If you require the Winter edition of this fundaising catalogue please call either Link-Upp phone.
|
| 15/09/2006 AGM |
The date for the AGM has been set as Tuesday 22nd November. Put it in your diary now!!!
|
| 15/09/2006 Link-Upp Language Bank |
Link-Upp and Contact A Family are looking for Parent Volunteers and workers from Children’s/Disability Organisations in Birmingham to get together to work on establishing this new and exciting initiative.
The first meeting will be on Tuesday 19th September at Prospect Hall, College Walk, Selly Oak, from 11am—2pm.
The aim of the Language bank will be to provide parent volunteers to speak with other parents of disabled children for whom English is a second language.
They will provide help from someone who knows how it feels to have a child with special needs. Volunteers will also have the back up of being able to put that parent in touch with a network of BME workers from support organisations.
Appropriate training and support will be given to all volunteers.
If you are interested please call Sarah Lee at Contact a Family on 415 4624 even if you cannot make the meeting on Tuesday 19th September.
|
| 14/08/2006 Education Statementing Workshop |
Thursday 7th September.
For more details look in the "Activity Plan" section.
|
| 14/08/2006 Annual Picnic in the Park |
Everyone is welcome at this years event to be held on Tuesday 22nd August.
Time: 10.30am – 2.00pm
Venue: Cannon Hill Park & Birmingham Nature Centre.
An Event for Children with Special Needs, and their Families!
Please come and join us from 10.30 am by the Bandstand in Cannon Hill Park.
There will be music, games, face painting, circus skills & plenty of craft activities.
Bring your own Picnic. (If needed hot food is available to buy at the MAC.)
At 1.00pm we will walk to the Nature Centre where there will be free entry for all the Link-Upp families joining us.To book a place for your family please call 0121 415 4445 or 07767 086 417. We will need to know how many adults & children you will be bringing.
|
| 19/06/2006 Raise funds for Link-Upp with "Yellow Moon" |
Do your children enjoy arts & crafts?
Are you into card making? Or Scrap-booking?
Link-Upp is now raising funds using the “fun-packed & educational” Yellow Moon catalogue.
This catalogue is full of good quality & original craft products at very reasonable prices. There is everything from pottery & glass painting to educational toys. There are also some small gift ideas at low prices suitable for the dreaded “Party Bag”!
But what’s best for Link-Upp is that between 5% and 25% of what you spend gets credited to us to spend on future events for you and your family!
If you want a catalogue please call either Link-Upp phone & we’ll send one out to you. Alternatively log onto www.yellowmoon.org.uk & order online where you’ll receive a further discount depending on how much you spend. If ordering on line please put in Link-Upp’s name & code when prompted. Our “Source Code” is SLI11260.
|
| 19/06/2006 Charitable status for Link-Upp (at last!) |
Link-Upp finally received confirmation from The Charities Commission that we are now a Registered Charity. Our number is 1114214, in case you’re interested!
Thanks must go especially to our former Treasurer Peggy Wood & Sara Lee from Contact a Family who completed the majority of the seemingly endless paperwork!
Our tips for any other group considering pursuing Charitable status: photocopy everything, send it recorded delivery and then fax it and e-mail it too…… just in case they lose it!
|
| 19/06/2006 PQASSO level 1 achieved by Link-Upp |
Link-Upp, mainly due to the efforts of our Vice-Chair Sharon Howard, has achieved a level 1 grading in the PQASSO quality assurance system. PQASSO stands for Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations. We hope that you find it reassuring to know that we are run effectively with all the right paperwork in order!
|
| 19/06/2006 Bikes, Trikes & Circus skills: 1st June 06 |
Link-Upp, in association with Contact-a-Family and Whizz Kidz held this fun family event at the Community Hall, the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham.
From 10.30 am—3pm children were able to try out a range of bikes & trikes, including adapted trikes for wheelchair users. It was great to see so many children, of all abilities, whizzing around the arena having fun.
There was also a chance to try out many circus skills, including riding a mini bike, tightrope walking and spinning & juggling a wide variety of objects! Add to all this, face painting, balloon modelling & a great lunch and you can see why 125 adults & 172 children had such a great time!
Many thanks to everyone for coming, but a special thanks to all involved in staging this event.
|
| 11/03/2006 March newsletter now available |
The March newsletter can now be downloaded.
It includes details of:- £50 grants offered by Birmingham Carers, as part of Carers Week 2006
- Naidex 2006, the UK's number one homecare, disability and rehabilitation event
- Our website of the month, www.racketys.com, which offers clothing designed for children with special needs.
|
| 14/12/2004 Link-Upp AGM & Group MOT |
This event was held at Carrs Lane Centre on the 18th of November. The event was well attended with representatives from a number of affiliated groups. Sarah's "Group MOT" was well received and taught us all quite a number of things that we didn't know, but probably should have known! At the AGM a number of changes were made to Link-Upp's constitution, which hopefully means that we are now prepared to apply for registered charity status very soon. Thanks to all that attended and also many thanks to the therapists who made us all feel pampered afterwards!
|
| 10/05/2004 Canal Trip. 16/04/04 |
Nearly 50 members and children enjoyed a 2 hour canal trip and afternoon refreshments on the Euphrates Packet canal boat, boarding at Brindley Place. The children were entertained by storytellers from Birmingham Central Library. Drinks and pastries vanished in a flash and a good time was had by all.
|
