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Our next Virtual Drop In for parent carers is on Wednesday 26th May, 10am-12 noon. As usual, we’ll be sending out a list of who’s taking part a few days before. Look out for it in your inbox!
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Instructions on how to use a COVID-19 rapid home testing kit in alternative languages can be found at the top right of this gov.uk webpage. Easy Read and large print formats are also available further down.
People with a visual impairment can take a COVID-19 test from the comfort of their own home with the help of Be My Eyes. The visual support covers how to order and take the test, as well as packaging and sending the sample. Find out more here.
Vaccinations
If you're aged 40 or over, or if you turn 40 before 1st July 2021, you can now book your COVID-19 vaccine. More information here.
Contact has written a letter to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) asking for clinically extremely vulnerable children to be to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccines when they are available. Their vaccination survey shows that almost 70% of parents want their disabled children under 16 to have a vaccine when it has been through trials and is licensed for use by children. Contact’s FAQs on the vaccine can be found here.
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Manchester Deaf Centre has worked in collaboration with other deaf organisations to create this video about why it’s important to have the COVID-19 vaccination and how it helps save lives.
The Roadmap
From Monday 17th May, the government will look to continue easing limits on seeing friends and family wherever possible, allowing people to decide on the appropriate level of risk for their circumstances. Road map summary here.
If you or the person you care for are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable and have been shielding, you may be feeling anxious about going outside now lockdown restrictions are lifting. Here is the latest government guidance for those who have been shielding.
In this video, Holly, a partially sighted adult care worker who uses a white cane, tells us what it's like trying to navigate Manchester again after lockdown and how difficult social distancing can be with a visual impairment. Holly is part of an advisory panel helping the city's COVID-19 health equity work.
Self-isolation
Do you need to take time off work for a child who is self-isolating due to a positive COVID-19 test? Find out more about the Test & Trace Support Payment and eligibility here.
Special Schools
At the end of April, Children & Families Minister Vicky Ford published a blog on her visit to special schools and the impact of the pandemic on children and families.
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PARENT CARER SESSION TONIGHT - Wednesday 12th May, 6-7pm
If you can’t make it, register to receive the resources!
This session for parent carers looks at how Kooth helps to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people in Greater Manchester. It includes a Q&A and a live demonstration of Kooth.com, as well as offering tips for supporting mental wellbeing in nature and in the home. Register here. If you’re unable to attend, you can still sign up to receive the follow up email with Kooth resources.
Find out more about Kooth in this video and FAQ, aimed at professionals but helpful to parent carers. This other video can be helpful to start conversations with your child around their mental health and getting Kooth’s support.
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Autism Training & Learning |
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Managing Anger Online Webinar
Tuesday 18th May via Zoom, 7.30-9pm
Sensory Needs Online Webinar
Thursday 20th May via Zoom, 10-11.30am
These webinars from Greater Manchester Autism Consortium are follow ups for parent carers who have watched the seminars on the GMAC website. They take a deeper look at the information and allow for questions. Managing Anger can be booked here and Sensory Needs here. To find out more, please contact abigail.gibson@nas.org.uk or 0161 998 4667.
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Bookings are now being taken for this year’s online conference Autism – A Hands On Approach on Tuesday 9th November. See the flyer for speakers and themes and register here. Tickets are £20 parent carers, £20 autistic people and £50 professional. Any queries, email autism.ahandsonapproach@gmail.com or call 07966 399709.
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In one of our April issues, we shared news about the launch of the Explore Manchester project. With the help of 4CT Limited, Manchester Parent Carer Forum are creating newsletters about local museums and cultural places, along with some fun Manchester-themed puzzles and colouring sheets. If you haven’t registered already, do it by Friday 14th May and you’ll be in with a chance to win one of 15 Explorer Backpacks. See the first edition here!
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Lasting Power of Attorney & Will Advice Session, Friday 11th June, 10am-12 noon. This free advice session with a qualified solicitor is being run through Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation. It’s being held on Microsoft Teams and is open to all, including family and carers. It covers the type of will needed to protect vulnerable loved ones and how to ensure any benefits and local authority support continue in the future. Book by emailing Neil Grace at Neil.Gracne@gmmh.nhs.uk or calling 0161 357 1246.
The Department of Work and Pensions are reintroducing face-to-face assessments for health and disability benefits. People will be invited for their appointments by letter, which will clearly set out what to expect at their appointment. More information here.
Contact’s Guide For Families With Disabled Children. This handbook for families is packed with information, including common concerns about a child’s health and development, information on behaviour, sleep and feeding, as well as education and benefits and other sources of financial help. Parent carers can order their free copy here.
Venue to Virtual with a difference, Monday 28th June to Friday 2nd July 21.
Kidz to Adultz Events, Bladder & Bowel UK and Equipz are joining forces to bring you The Disabled Living Collective! This free week-long virtual event features over 50 of the most prestigious and award-winning companies, demonstrating their equipment, products and highlighting their services. It’s for people of all ages with disabilities and additional needs, relatives, carers and the professionals who support them. Register here.
As restrictions ease, Henshaws are offering ‘Confidence In The Community’. An Enablement Officer can accompany a visually impaired person to get out of the house independently, whether for a familiar short walk or a spell of fresh air in a local park. For more information, please email info@henshaws.org.uk or joshua.deegan@henshaws.org.uk or phone 0300 222 5555.
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Dance Syndrome free Chit Chat & Dance on Zoom. These free 45 minute sessions are the third Wednesday of every month, 4pm. The next one is Wednesday 19th May – book here.
In the last newsletter, we shared information on The Community Media Crew in Wythenshawe, an alternative day service for learning disabled and autistic people over the age of 18. Community Media Crew member Pauline Hendrickson appeared in Season 4 Episode 7 of Netflix’s The Crown as one of the Queen’s ‘hidden’ cousins who lived in an institution. Here’s the director talking about working with learning disabled actors. You can find out more about the Community Media Crew on their website.
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Having Their Say - Young People |
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Manchester Changemakers invites young people aged 13 to 25 to join them. The group is a way for young people with additional needs to have a voice about the things that matter to them and help to make positive changes to services. It’s fun too, with a chance to make friends and learn new skills. To find out more, message the Greater Manchester Youth Network Facebook page or contact Joseph on 07592 845246, joseph.cain@gmyn.co.uk.
A new SEND resource has been co-produced with young people from across the North West. While it’s been designed to support practitioners, its content will interest anyone wanting to learn what young people think and feel about topics like wellness, hate crime and getting involved in projects and services. The resource grew out of Youth Voice sessions last summer, bringing young people together online. You can see the resource here and if you’d like to give any thoughts or feedback, email info@youthfocusnw.org.uk.
As part of Making Participation Work, the Council for Disabled Children spoke to five groups of young people about issues that are important to them. You can see a summary of the conversations in this report. If you have any questions about the wider engagement work, please contact Charlotte at cohalloran@ncb.org.uk.
Moving out of the pandemic presents professionals and practitioners with an opportunity to co-create a new standard with children and young people around their support and future. FLARE, the young people’s advisory group to the Department for Education, have shared what professionals can do to support them moving forward and why their participation in these conversations is central to support improvements. See Real Support for Real Futures here.
'My autism is part of me, but it does not define me'. In this blog, Alisha Adams, a member of FLARE, the Council for Disabled Children’s young disabled advisory group, shares her view on the impact of labels.
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