Increased
Face 2 Face Support Thanks to the Freemason's Grand Charity
Scope is very grateful
to the Grand Charity of Freemasons for providing substantial
support over two years towards the expansion of our Face 2
Face Network of parent befrienders.
The project will enable
Face 2 Face to develop and enhance an online befriending function
and to support more families during the early period of their
child's disability. Befrienders are trained to counter feelings
of isolation and confusion that many parents of children newly
diagnosed with a disability experience, and all volunteers
are parents of a disabled child themselves.
At present, parts of
the country are covered by local services, but this project
will be targeting areas that aren't covered, as well as groups
that aren't able, or don't wish to access the traditional
befriending model. More than 600 families of disabled children
are expected to benefit from this project.
For more information or details
on how to make a referral visit the Face 2 Face online
befriending pages
Face
2 Face and VICTA
Last
year, Face 2 Face was approached by VICTA
(Visually Impaired Children Taking Action) as
they were looking at how they could provide emotional support
to parents they work with. They had heard about Face 2 Face
and wanted to learn more about the work of Face 2 Face and
the support it's offers.
It
was agreed that they would link into the existing work of
Face 2 Face as this would provide better coverage around the
country for their parents. VICTA will refer families to the
Face 2 Face service to be linked to their nearest
befriending scheme or the online
service if there is no service in their area.
Face
2 Face is grateful to VICTA for providing support to develop
a module to be included in its core befriending training;
to raise awareness of working with families with children
who are blind or have visual impairments. A new training module
has been developed and this will be included in Face 2 Face
befriender training courses that commence later this year.
The training module can also be used to offer training and
awareness raising for existing staff, volunteer and external
organisations.
For
more on this training module contact face2facenetwork@scope.org.uk
'Time2Sleep'
Sleep Awareness Workshops
Do
you work with families who are sleep deprived?
"So
many of the families that I work with are sleep deprived.
This workshop helped me to be able to offer them some practical
support, I'd recommend it to colleagues" Portage Home
Visitor
It is estimated
that 85% of children and young people with support needs also
have sleep difficulties. This can present in a number of different
ways from night waking to issues with settling. Sleep
deprivation can have a huge impact on the child's level of
functioning making it difficult to concentrate in school and
often leading to behavioural problems. Lack of sleep
can lead many parents into crisis resulting in them feeling
exhausted.
The Sleep Awareness
workshop has been developed by Scope's Sleep Solutions, written
by a trained Sleep Practitioner and is endorsed by Sleep Scotland.
The aim is earlier intervention and prevention through raising
awareness of good sleep practice and basic strategies for
parents of children with support needs.
The Sleep
Awareness Workshop is a one day course and covers:
 |
Effects
on the whole family |
|
Why
is your child not sleeping? |
|
Keeping
a sleep diary |
|
The
bedroom environment |
|
A
good bedtime routine |
|
Night
awakenings and useful resources |
Participants are
given the opportunity to share ideas and resources.
The workshop encourages
parents and professionals to discuss sleep difficulties that
arise with a disabled child or child with support needs. A
qualified sleep practitioner will guide the sessions, helping
participants to gain a basic understanding of sleep and good
sleep practice.
The
workshop can be delivered to a maximum of 20 participants
either to parents/carers, professionals or both.
Cost £850
per course
For more
information or to book a workshop contact the Sleep Solutions
National Strategic Development Manager,
email karen.hunt@scope.org.uk
or call 01432 355308
‘Time2Sleep'
Sleep Awareness Workshops Staffordshire
Free
places for parents and professionals – book now!
Sleep
Solutions is delighted to have received funding from Staffordshire
Council's Aiming High for Disabled Children grant programme
to offer free training for parents and professionals throughout
Staffordshire.
The
training sessions are between 9:30 and 2:30 as follows:
|
7
September |
Cannock
Chase Children's Centre, Cannock |
|
|
Blackfriar's
School, Newcastle-under-Lyme |
|
4
October |
St
Peter's Church and Community Centre, Tamworth |
|
14 October |
Charnwood Children's Centre, Lichfield |
|
8 November |
Stafford
Children's Centre, Stafford |
|
15 November |
Uttoxeter
Library, Uttoxeter |
Places
are strictly limited.
To
book your free place contact Vicki Dawson on vicki@face2facenetwork.org.uk
or call 07714 853 763.
Strengthening
Families Training
This
training course offers professionals and supporters key training
in the additional skills needed to work empathically with
parents and families who have a disabled child or child with
support needs. The aim is to support parents and families
through what can be emotional times and gain a greater understanding
of how our own attitudes influence our practice and how we
communicate, resulting in a more family-centred approach in
our own and organisational practice.
The day-long course
aims to raise awareness of the emotional journey that parents
and families can experience, by focusing on communication
and the sharing of real-lif experiences - to increase understanding,
enhance training and facilitate change, in order to help strengthen
relationships within these families.
Recent course participants
said:
"It
has allowed me time to reflect and improve on my practice"
"I
will be more aware of the family needs as well as the child's"
The 4 module
course covers areas such as:
|
Issues
and emotions |
|
Adaption
and transition |
|
Active
listening and silences |
|
Supportive
skills in practice |
|
Positive
partnership charter |
|
Useful
resources |
The
Strengthening Families Training course can be delivered in-house
as group training (onsite for any organisations). Alternatively,
Multi-Agency Training Courses are available at selected venues
across the country for individual delegates to attend.
For more information on the
training or to book a place on a course visit the Strengthening
Families pages or email strengtheningfamilies@scope.org.uk
Building Stronger Families DVD and Booklet
Materials
to help build stronger families, with interviews and extracts
from the drama Stronger
The Building Stronger
Families DVD and Booklet looks at communication and the sharing
of real-life experiences. The aim is to raise awareness of
the emotional journey that parents and the families of disabled
children (and children with additional support needs) often
experience in their daily lives.
The DVD aims to raise
awareness and includes the powerful drama
Stronger, written and
produced by the award-winning theatre company ‘Women and Theatre'.
There are also exclusive interviews with parents and families
who share their real-life experiences. Extensive research
shows that these families can experience considerable stress,
resulting in a negative impact on the relationship of the
parents.
The accompanying
Booklet introduces the Strengthening
Families Training Package and has key facts and
a benchmark of guidelines – through which professionals can
review their own practice.
Cost £35
each (plus VAT @ 5%)
For further
information or to order copies of the Building Stronger Families
DVD visit the Strengthening
Families pages or email strengtheningfamilies@scope.org.uk,
telephone 01480 454875
New
Book
Special
needs child: maintaining your relationship – staying connected
through the highs and lows
By Victoria
Dawson and Antonia Chitty
Having a child can
put extra strains on any relationship; having a special needs
child brings additional challenges of its own. It can feel
like the world is against you. This book will help you nurture
your relationship, while facing the challenges and delights
of having a special needs child.
The book explores:
How your relationship will change; How to understand each
other's emotions towards your child; Every day issues with
a special needs child; Methods of communication that may work
for you; Ways of avoiding common problems and working through
the unavoidable ones; Ways of bringing laughter back into
the relationship.
Packed with advice
from parents of special needs children, it gives invaluable
insights into how they have maintained their relationship
whilst recognising the importance of celebrating their child.
Paperback:
208 pages
Publisher:
White Ladder Press Ltd; 1 edition (15 Oct 2009)
Language
English
ISBN-10:
1905410565
ISBN-13:
978-1905410569
Home
access PC / Internet grants for families
Home Access is a government
scheme helping low income families with children living in
England who lack access to a computer and / or internet to
get online at home.
The scheme is aimed
at those that need it most. A low-income family in receipt
of certain benefits could qualify for a grant to buy a computer
and / or a minimum of one years' internet access.
To find out if they
are eligible for a Home Access Grant and to get an application
form parents should contact the Home Access Grant Helpline
on 0333 200 1004.
More information can
be found at www.homeaccess.org.uk
Play
Area for Children with additional needs
Bournstream is a
free adventure playground for disabled children or children
with support needs set on the edge of the Cotswolds.
It is completely enclosed so parents can sit back and relax
while the children let off steam.
For more information please visit www.bournstream.org.uk
or write to
The Bournstream Trust
Bournstream Farm
Wotton-Under-Edge
Glos
GL12 7PA
Face
2 Face Newsletter
Further news can
be found in our free quarterly newsletter, to subscribe email
face2facenetwork@scope.org.uk
and include F2F newsletter in the title.
Download previous
editions of the F2F newsletter on the Newsletters
page.
Should you wish
to submit an item for the newsletter or web site news page
please email your copy to face2facenetwork@scope.org.uk
NOTE
A mention of any
product, treatment, therapy, web link or event does not constitute
an endorsement by Face 2 Face or Scope.
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