Hart & Rushmoor Branch

This card registers your child on Hampshire's disability register, but also enables you to easily access "free carer" concessions.

To obtain one for your child, call 0845 603 5620. You will have to talk to a social worker or support worker who will ask you questions about your child. If your child has a social worker, receives middle or high rate DLA or attends a special school the process is simple and your yellow card will be produced quickly. If you don’t meet those criteria, you can still get a yellow card but you will need to give them permission to contact your GP or any professional who knows your child and their issues. A form will be sent to you, and to the professional and once you have returned them, you should eventually get your card through the post.

Currently there isn't a list of places that will accept a yellow card, so when you have used yours please let Nikki know so that she can add the details to the list she's compiling!

Parent Voice have extended the criteria for their buddy scheme for children/young people aged 7 years and over. If you have a child who attends a special school, receiving higher rate DLA or would do so if you were to claim it, then you are entitled to 10 hours of “buddying” (though this may be extended to 20 hours!)

The deadline to apply is 14th March 2011, so be quick!!

Buddies will be a paid worker supplied by a local organisation and paid for by Parent Voice and up to 100 miles of travel costs will also be paid for. The Hours must be used up by 31st May 2011.

You will need to complete a form and send it to Parent Voice, they will then send you an info pack with details of approved providers. It is then up to you to discuss your child’s needs with your chosen provider and they will invoice Parent Voice for the hours.

You will be responsible for funding the activities your child and the buddy attend and any miles over the allotted 100. The organisations will be providing a buddy for your child, not a carer - so make sure you clarify this with them beforehand.

 For more information, contact Parent Voice in Basingstoke on 01256 472767.

Parent Voice has relaunched their website! www.parentvoice.info is now more user friendly, has a search function, calendar of events and a member’s area with message boards where you can communicate with other Parent Voice families. Even if you were registered on the old site, you will need to re-register on this new one. On the plus side, you can now tell the site to remember you password (one of Nikki’s biggest problems with the old site!) and post messages about topics that are important to you or questions you need answering about special needs/disability issues. Take a look and see what you think.

Hart District Council will provide anyone living within the Hart district who is classified as disabled, under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, free use of Hart District Council’s leisure facilities. This includes general swimming during the public swimming periods, casual gym sessions, gym induction and racquet sports, during open hours.

To qualify you will need to provide:

• Middle or higher rate of the Disability Living Allowance

• Severe disablement allowance.

• Attendance allowance or

• A personal letter from a GP.

Should it be needed, the applicant will be allowed a training partner/carer who will also be granted free access when accompanying them.

Membership is renewable every 6 months.

For more info go to www.hart.gov.uk/disableda5-3.pdf or ask for details at any Hart District leisure centre.

The staff from the NAS Surrey Autism Resource Centre are planning to start running various groups soon at the Games Shop in Aldershot.

It is hoped that there will be two social skills groups on a Saturday; one for ages 5 - 9yrs and then a second for those aged 9 - 15yrs.

The cost will be £5 per child, per session.

Also a youth club for ages 13yrs and upwards, on a week day evening (the day is still to be decided.)

And in the future, they hope to run a Lego therapy workshop.

If you are interested in any of the above, please contact  kate.nixon@nas.org.uk

Support for Parents of Children aged 0 to 5 – contact your local Children’s Centre Children’s Centre’s provide families a welcoming and approachable gateway to all the support services and activities they need to give their children the best start in life.

To find out where your local children’s centre is you can phone the Hampshire Children’s Information Service on 0845 603 5620 or go to www.hants.gov.uk/childrens-centres  

Triple P Group (for parents of primary school aged children) &

Triple P Teen Group (for parents of children from 11 – 16 years)

These are open to any parent through self referral and by referral form other agencies. These 8 session parenting groups support parents to make lasting changes in their parenting skills, and impact on their child’s behaviour. This is a flexible programme and some of the sessions are held in groups (session 1 – 4 and session 8), the remaining sessions are one to one (in person or by telephone) with the facilitator so that parents have a real opportunity to gain support from other parents and to tailor the strategies to their own particular family life. Parents have a reference book/workbook provided which is theirs to keep after the course and DVD materials are used throughout.

Parents or referrers who wish to find out more about a specific course running should contact the named Triple P programme facilitator direct. Places are generally offered on a first come first served basis. It is expected that parents or referrers will make contact with the facilitator BEFORE the programme starts. There is no charge for the parenting programme, although there may be a charge for crèche facilities if they are offered.

Please do not assume – that because a course is listed here that the course is running on the given dates at the given times or that there is an automatic place for an interested parent. Sometimes preference will be given to parents whose child attends a school in the cluster – you must contact the facilitator / organisation direct and have a conversation.

Rushmoor:

5th May to June 9th

Understanding Behaviour 0 to 5 yr olds

The Grange Nursery and Infant School

Ring Owls Children's Centre 01252 519920

Wed 5th May 2010 from 6.30 to 8.30 pm

Triple P Group

Southwood Infants

tracy.clement@guillemont-jun.hants.sch.uk

07545415192

clair.lester@farnboroughgrange.hants.sch.uk

07545735670

17th June 2010 – 5th Aug 2010

Triple P Group – under 8’s

At the Owls Children Centre

Contact Denise Carter - 01252 519920

Summer Term TBC

Special Children Special Parents

At Farnborough Grange

Maria Bolland and Liz Jones on 01252 541 879

Hart:

Thurs 29th April for 5 weeks from 8pm to 9.45 pm

Time Out for Dads

At the Church on the Heath Elvetham next to Morrisons

Contact Ken Shorey & Rob Fisher

Telephone: 01252 843803

Email: ken.shorey@cff.org.uk

This course is not accredited

10th May for 7 weeks from 6pm to 8.30pm

Strengthening Families aimed at 10 to 14 year olds and their parents / carers At the Elizabeth Hall Raven Road Hook RG27 9HH

For more information contact:

Jen partner 0784 1492513 or

Jess Smith 0754 0238113

Pilot Program – slightly restricted access – have a conversation with Jen / Jess

Thurs 10th June for 6 weeks from 7.45pm to 9.30 pm

Time Out for Teenagers for parents who have a child 9 to 16

At the Church on the Heath Elvetham next to Morrisons

Contact Ken Shorey & Kathryn Howes

Telephone: 01252 843803

Email: ken.shorey@cff.org.uk

This course is not accredited

Summer Term 2010

TBC Triple P Teen Yateley

At Westfield School 

Sandie Jackson Locality Team Phone: 01252 814717

Sandie.jackson@hants.gov.uk  

We have a member, who has only recently discovered our branch, running the London Marathon on 25th April in aid of the National Autistic Society.

Jennie's eldest son has Asperger’s Syndrome and she has started a blog about her training and life raising a child on the autistic spectrum in an attempt to educate family and friends about what life was really like for them.

To find out more, go to http://jennie2010.blogspot.com - please comment on there as she needs all the encouragement she can get to spur her on!

If you would like to sponsor Jennie, it can be easily done online at http://www.justgiving.com/jennie-donnelly

Come along to the West End Centre to listen, learn and discover more about autism. Hampshire Autisitc Society are spreading the word, so come along if you can.

On Tuesday 2nd March 10am -11.30 at the West End Centre, Aldershot.

To book your places, please phone 01252 330040 or e-mail westendcentre@hants.gov.uk

The NAS have produced a handy guide to Christmas for parents and carers of children with autism - although every child and family are different, the guide provides ideas of things that might just help - from advice about how to handle guests, to giving out presents.

Click here to go to the NAS Christmas page where you can also watch a video clip of how one family deals with the festivities.