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The Ugly Bug Ball
Friday 27th August, 11am-4pm, Platt Fields Market Garden FREE
A bug-tastic event for all Manchester SEND families in celebration of the SEND Summer Community Offer! Join Manchester Urban Diggers, Manchester Bees Forest School and Manchester Parent Champions at Platt Fields Market Garden. Make bug outfits, dance, and celebrate all things buggy. Free snacks throughout the day and the cafe will be open to buy hot drinks and cake. No need to book. Just dress up and party!
Growing Tubs - Order by 2pm tomorrow!
We have some free Groundwork packs that provide everything you need to grow your own family container. But don't delay - to have a pack delivered directly to your door, call 0161 219 2125 by 2pm tomorrow (Wednesday 18th). If you like, you can enter Groundwork’s Container Challenge and share photos of your themed tub, whether it's about fairies, unicorns or space travel!
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Activities For Young People
Places are available on the GMYN Changemakers’ sessions for young people aged 16-25 years with additional needs. Travel time to and from GMYN’s offices in the city centre has been included but arrangements can be made to meet at the venue. Booking essential – contact Joseph Cain on 07592 845246 or joseph.cain@gmyn.co.uk.
City Challenge - Wednesday 18th August, 11.30am-3.30pm Groups will have to find various locations, landmarks and buildings, and complete tasks before their opponents. Lunch provided afterwards at Nandos.
Simply Cycling - Tuesday 24th August, 11.45am-3.30pm Accessible bike session and picnic with Simply Cycling at Wythenshawe Park Athletics Track and setting goals for a bigger bike ride on 2nd of September.
Market Garden - Wednesday 25th August, 12.15pm-3.30pm Learning how to make a campfire and grow food, as well as have an explore of Platt Fields Market Garden. Food provided.
Treetop Trek - Thursday 26th August, 9am-2.30pm Fun on the net facilities at Treetop Trek in Heaton Park. Food provided.
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Water Fun - Tuesday 31st August, 3.30pm-8.30p A water sport session at Debdale Outdoor Centre in Gorton, including kayaking, raft building and sailing, and food. Young people will need to wear clothes and trainers that they don’t mind getting wet and to bring a full set of spare clothes, footwear and a towel.
Simply Cycling - Thursday 2nd September, time to be confirmed Accessible bike session and picnic with Simply Cycling at Wythenshawe Park. The group will be putting their bike riding skills to the test and exploring further locations.
City Challenge - Friday 3rd September, 11.30am – 3.30pm Groups will have to find various locations, landmarks and buildings, and complete tasks before their opponents. Lunch provided at a location of the group’s choice.
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Contact's Listening Ear Service
The summer holidays can be tough. Keeping children entertained and juggling work and other commitments alongside the disruption of normal routines can sometimes get too much. With Contact’s Listening Ear service, you can book a free confidential phone appointment at a time that suits you and get reassurance and practical and emotional support. One of Contact’s family support advisers, Noreen, talks about the service in this podcast.
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Care For A Cuppa
The lifting of restrictions doesn’t mean the end of virtual connection. Carers UK ‘Care for a Cuppa’ catch up sessions are still taking place on Mondays throughout the summer. Find out more here.
Manchester Carers Forum are holding an online support meeting for carers in South Manchester on Wednesday 18th August 1.30-2.30pm. Information on how to book here.
Does your child have regular hospital appointments or stays in hospital? Join Hospital Parent Advisers from Contact London and other parents to share experiences and advice at monthly Zoom coffee and chat. The next one is Tuesday 14th September 11-12am and can be booked through Eventbrite. For more information, contact toni.rushton@contact.org.uk.
Questions About Caring?
Don’t forget, Carers Manchester Contact Point team are there for you on 0161 543 8000, Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm (10am-6pm on Wednesdays). You can also use the online enquiry form and take a look at their FAQs.
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Tips From Mind
This isn't an easy time. Mind, the mental health charity, have shared advice on how to manage your feelings about lockdown easing.
Find more support for your mental and emotional wellbeing in our Coronavirus Advice & Information
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In May, we shared the news that children’s work from the Hearing Impaired Base had made it into the Royal Academy’s Young Artists’ Summer Show 2021. You can see ‘A Caterpillar Sat Upon A Lettuce Leaf’ here and vote for it in the People’s Choice Award.
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Transport for Sick Children has volunteer drivers throughout Greater Manchester who take sick children under 16 to hospital and clinic appointments with their carer/parent. Children need to be referred by a health, social care or education professional, with the family being on state benefits or a low-income and not having access to a private vehicle. More information here or contact beverley@transportforsickchildren.org, 0161 443 4122.
The Government has published its long promised National Disability Strategy, outlining its plans to make our country better for the 14 million disabled children and adults in the UK. There are some important commitments in the first year of this plan, particularly around improving public understanding and tackling the disability employment gap. The Government have also recently published the new autism strategy.
Vicky Ford, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families, has written to Directors of Children’s Services to confirm that the extended powers given to the SEND Tribunal to hear appeals and make non-binding recommendations about health and social care aspects of education, health and care (EHC) plans – alongside educational elements - will continue. These extended powers are currently being tested under a National Trial which began in April 2018 and ends on 31 August 2021. An evaluation of the National Trail can be read here.
Kidz to Adultz magazine - Issue 13 is packed with interesting articles, personal stories and advice including the phenomenon of Lego based therapy, oral hygiene and the return of live Kidz to Adultz events.
The new-look directory from Disabled Living is here! From bathroom equipment to wheelchairs, browse trusted suppliers of products and services for independent living.
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Here's the latest North West Regional SEND Network Newsletter - July/August 2021.
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COVID-19 Updates
If you’ve not had your COVID-19 vaccine yet (first or second dose) there are plenty of walk in clinics across Manchester. Find out where they are here.
The Council for Disabled Children COVID-19 Family Support Hub is regularly updated with the latest guidance and advice for families as we move through the pandemic. It includes information around clinically extremely vulnerable children and vaccinations for children and young people.
Anyone who has been identified as a close contact of a positive case of COVID-19 will no longer have to self-isolate if they are fully vaccinated (14 days after their second jab) and not displaying any symptoms. Instead, they will be advised to take a PCR test as soon as possible. More here.
The Government has announced plans to offer COVID ‘booster jabs’ for the most vulnerable from September onwards. The aim is to increase protection from COVID-19 ahead of winter and against new variants. It will take place alongside the annual flu vaccination programme.
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Free Bespoke Energy Advice
Young people aged 16-25 can get free energy advice from Switched On Manchester. This Citizens Advice initiative offers 1-to-1 sessions geared to what the young person wants to learn about. Topics include energy efficiency, keeping your home warm, switching suppliers and how to budget. It can be virtual or in-person, depending on COVID restrictions, and the energy advisers will tailor it to the young person and their communication needs. Parents and carers are welcome to attend. They also offer bespoke sessions for groups. Contact the service on WhatsApp 0747 654 8490 or switchedon@citizensadvicemanchester.org.uk, and also find them on twitter.com/SwitchedOnMCR and www.instagram.com/switchedonmcr.
Transition To Employment Toolkit
Ambitious About Autism have launched a new employment toolkit to support autistic young people into the job market. It has sections for autistic young people, careers professionals and employers, and includes lots of editable forms and templates. It has been developed to tackle the low autism employment rate and aims to prevent autistic young people from falling out of education, employment or training when they leave school. Download for free here.
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Manchester Year of The Child
As part of the city’s COVID recovery planning, 2022 will be the ‘Year of the Child’. It’s a year to celebrate and further support children and young people in Manchester. The Council is asking children and young people what they want to achieve, what is great about growing up in Manchester and what could be better. Share ideas here. Closing date: Thursday 30th September.
Stories From The Pandemic - Surviving through Story is an easy read website for people with learning disabilities and children with special needs. They are collecting COVID-19 stories to make a gallery of memories. You can send them a story, picture or film. See more on the website and Facebook. (Image from 'The Ordinary But Artistic Young Man vs. The Lockdown' by Justin P Lees.)
Greater Manchester Autism Consortium (GMAC) are holding another event on Wednesday 8th September, 6-8pm, about the GM Autism Strategy. If you would like to attend, see this Eventbrite link. They have also developed a short survey about the same issues they cover in the sessions and would love to hear from people with lived experience. The survey is open until mid-September.
In July, a public consultation opened with the publication of ‘Shaping Future Support: The Health and Disability Green Paper’. Views are being sought on how the benefits system can better meet the needs of people who have disabilities and health conditions. Consultation closes: 11th October.
Manchester Local Care Organisation have put together a short survey to find out what’s important to Manchester and Trafford people in the care experience.
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