CAN Network - May half term
Welcome to your latest edition of CAN Network News.
We've got lots of ideas for inclusive activities for our CAN families for this half term and beyond.
This issue's special feature looks at accessible playgrounds in the borough and beyond; to make sure we can all make the most of the summer weather, together.
As always you'll find our lists of ongoing activities and useful contacts list at the bottom of the newsletter, along with info on the CAN Network our contact details.
We'd love to hear you feedback and ideas for future issues:
- Are there any activities or special interests you would like to see featured?you are finding it hard to access?
- Are there any activities you are finding it hard to access?
 There's a new crew in town...
The Chill and Fun Crew is a brand-new stay and play club starting in Wokingham town centre.
These relaxed sessions will include arts and crafts, construction and sensory play and more.
For children aged 5 to 12 who are neurodivergent or have special educational needs and their parents/caregivers. No diagnosis needed.
The first confirmed session will be Saturday 4 July, 2pm to 4pm at The Rose Room, The Bradbury Centre, Wokingham.
Follow their facebook page to keep up to date with upcoming sessions and news.
 Building for the Future - moving update and play sessions
Later this summer, Building for the Future will be moving from Our House to their new Ability Hub.
This new specialist sensory play and skills development centre for disabled children and young adults, is making steady progress, thanks to an extraordinary wave of support from businesses and community partners.
You can read more about how the Hub is developing here.
In the meantime stay-and-play sessions and groups continue to run at Our House, Toutley Road, Wokingham:
Half term SEND Stay & Play session
Friday 29 May, 10am to 12pm
Ladybirds playgroup for SEND children under 5 and their siblings
12 June, 26 June, 10 July
9.30am to 11.30am
Saturday Club
23 May, 13 June, 27 June, 11 July
11am to 1pm - children with physical disabilities / Down syndrome
3pm to 5pm - children with ASD and associated conditions
All sessions are drop in, no charge.
Find more details on the Building for the Future website
 A new fort and dinosaur fun at The Look Out
The outdoor play area at the Look Out Discovery Centre has a brand-new play fort.
The previous well-loved fort had reached the end of its life and the new, exciting design includes more towers, a climbing wall, slide and tunnel.
The fully inclusive play area includes a wheelchair accessible roundabout, slide, and a cradle swing.
Why not combine a visit to the play area with a trip inside the Look Out Discovery Centre for Dino May Half Term.
A visit includes 3 hours in our science exhibition, their exclusive Dinosaur Discovery & Training Show, dino meet & greet, fossil digging, gemstone discovery, arts & crafts, treasure hunt with prizes and more.
Remember to show your CAN card as proof of disability for a free carer ticket.
Opening hours, access information, tickets for the science centre and more can be found on The Look Out Discovery Centre’s website.
 Let's get outside
Did you know that Elms Field park and play area and Sol Joel Park: inclusive play area have both been designed with specialist input to ensure Plan Inclusive Play Areas (PiPA) accessible play area standards?
Elms Field park and play area has a large space with mainly wooden equipment on a rubber surface. The playground is fully fenced with an accessible swing and music equipment. Shrubs and wild flower areas have been included to attract wildlife.
Sol Joel Park: inclusive play area includes a wheelchair-accessible, designed for children with additional needs. Features include:
- a sensory trail – incorporating musical and tactile equipment
- a range of swings catering for children with restricted mobility
- accessible roundabout, trampoline and double width slide
- play panels
- sand pit
- wheelchair-height butterfly see-saw
You can find more accessible play ideas by visiting our local offer’s indoor and outdoor play section.
You can find out more about other parks and play areas in Wokingham Borough here.
You can find out what accessible play equipment is available at Bracknell Forest playgrounds here.
Travelling further afield?
Disability Charity Scope have a Playground Accessibility Map of the UK. The map has been created using information from the public. You can enter any location into the search bar and find playgrounds rated by accessibility.
 Learning through sensory play
Book ahead now for Together One Step at a Time's Interoception Course this summer.
A five-week course for children aged 5 and above at Lower Earley from 10am to 11am on the following dates:
- 29 July,
- 5, 12, 19, 26 August
Each week has a different body theme helping children to engage with their body through sensory experiments and movement.
Sessions are £6 each, and it is recommended that all 5 are attended.
Find details and more events on the Together One Step at a Time events page
You can find out more about interoception from the NHS Humber sensory processing hub
Find out more about how interoception may be experienced differently with autism from the National Autistic Society
Free family fun days
Wokingham Children’s Fun Day returns to Langborough Recreation Ground with activities for all ages, including:
- JWS Fairgrounds with a selection of small fairground rides
- Millers Ark with their mobile farm, and Berkshire Birds of Prey
- Arts and Crafts from Cowshed
- Soft play from First Days
- Dinton Climbing Wall
Once again Me 2 Club will be there with sensory and quiet tents.
Entry is free, with charges for some activities
23 May from 10am to 4pm.
Spring Back To Wokingham is a free, family-friendly day, organised by Wokingham Borough and Town Councils and Reading Rep Theatre. With free events at the town hall, Peach Place and Elms Field, and familiar characters around town to help give directions.
Musical theatre workshops, arts and crafts, spring hat making, face painting and much more.
30 May from 11am to 3pm.
For details of events, including timings and locations visit the event page.
Activities for half term and beyond
Please use the links below to find out more about facilities, registering, and booking:
Useful contacts
ASSIST (Autism Spectrum Service for Information Support and Training) is a family support service from Wokingham Borough Council, for those in the borough with a child or young person under 18 with an autism diagnosis or waiting for an assessment. Help with information, advice, guidance and signposting.
ASD Family Help - open to all autistic individuals or those with associated conditions. No diagnosis required. Regular parent and carer drop-in sessions. Fun activities for children and teenagers, social groups for adults and outings for the whole family. Practical help and advice.
Autism Berkshire - provide specialist services, training and social and leisure activities throughout Berkshire guided by a team of trustees and staff with personal and professional experience of autism. Providing information and advice through a helpline, events, workshops and newsletters; and running accessible social and leisure activities for children, adults and families.
FIRST - The Family Intervention Resources and Support Team (FIRST) provides information, workshops and courses around sleep and distressed behaviour.
National Deaf Children's Society are sharing tips and advice for school holidays and activities. You can also book a free, friendly appointment for advice and support from Berkshire's local Community Connector, Rania Sammour, here.
Parenting Special Children - set up to help other parents/carers navigate the world of SEND. Empowering families whose children/young people are neurodivergent and/or have special needs and/or disabilities including early life trauma.
Promise Inclusion - a local charity that supports people with learning disabilities and their carers. Weekly, term-time Youth Club for young people aged 13 to 19 with learning disabilities and/or autism. Activity clubs for siblings aged 8-13 years old. Family liaison team offering emotional and practical support to carers; from support in meetings, to advice and information on benefits, form filling, housing, supported living, transition, education, mental capacity, power of attorney, deputyship and more. Monthly carers coffee/lunches, carers respite trips and information events.
SEND Voices Wokingham - an independent parent carer forum. Set up to ensure that families and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and disabilities in the Wokingham Borough, can have a voice and participate fully in the development of services.
Wokingham Carers Partnership - A partnership of three commissioned local charities: Age UK Berkshire, Berkshire Youth and Promise Inclusion. Offering information, advice, and support to people throughout the borough who are caring for a child or adult family member, partner or friend.
Wokingham SENDIASS - free, confidential, impartial information, advice and support relating to all aspects of SEN and disabilities, including health, social care and personal budgets.
What is the CAN Network?
The CAN (Children with Additional Needs) Network provides an information and support service for families and carers of children and young people (aged up to 25) with additional needs and disabilities.
The CAN Network also maintains Wokingham Borough Council’s Children with Disabilities Register and CAN Card.
The Children with Disabilities Register is a voluntary, confidential list of information about children with diagnosed disabilities in Wokingham Borough.
The information shared with us is used anonymously to help plan and improve future services to meet the needs of local disabled children and young people.
Those eligible to join the Children with Disabilities Register can receive a free CAN card.
The CAN card is a photo ID card which can be used as proof of diagnosed disability. It's accepted by many local attractions as proof for concessions or free carer tickets.
Find out more about signing up to the register and receiving a CAN card here.
Get in touch
For support using our online application or for any other enquiries please email.
Disclaimer
By sharing information with you the CAN information network is not providing a recommendation or endorsement of a service/organisation.
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