contact -
Gill McDonald - 01892 834577
Debbie Salt - 01959 533292

Newsletter - March 2009

 

Coffee Mornings
HAHA Show
Unit and Designation Review
Halls Green – Easter/Summer Day Out
SLT Drop-in sessions
PAN DISABILITY FOOTBALL
And Finally
 

Coffee Mornings  back to top

Firstly I would like to thank Debbie for hosting the last coffee morning. The speaker was Nick Smyth, from Transport, and he was very interesting.

Nick told us that there is very little legislation regarding transport and that all parents have different expectations from transport. In a vehicle, without an escort, it is the taxi driver’s job to get the children from A to B, and no more, the taxi driver is not employed as a child minding service! The training of escorts is very difficult because of the wide range of duties they may be expected to carry out. Taxi drivers and escorts are not given any information about the children in the taxi special needs so they just learn as they go along. Nick is often not given full details about the children and consequently he, the drivers and the escorts have an almost impossible job. After Nick had explained all that he does and all the constraints it gave us a different insight into the role, operation and success of ‘transport’. It is a pity that we usually only get to talk to Nick and his colleagues when we have severe problems with our children’s transport provision.

There are notes from the talk and if anyone would like a copy then please contact me.

The next coffee morning will be from 10am to 12 midday on Thursday 5th March 2009 at Sarah’s House in Southborough. The phone number for Sarah is 01892 518253. There will be no speaker.

HAHA Show  back to top

Thank you to everyone who has already given me toys for our toy stall at the HAHA Show in September 2009, but we still need more – lots more!

We need toys, books, videos, board games, computer games i.e. anything we can sell on a toy stall. Girls’ toys are particularly welcome! We always have a shortage of girls’ toys because most of our members are parents of boys because it is boys who tend to have speech and language needs

I will collect your ‘old toys’ any time and store them in my spare room until September.

Unit and Designation Review  back to top

A meeting was held recently to discuss the progress of the Unit and Designation Review and in particular provision for ’speech and language’ at KS1 and KS2 in the Tunbridge Wells area.

There was full attendance at the meeting by -

It was a very fruitful meeting. The most important point to emerge is that the Language Unit at Southborough is not closed for new admissions. Marlene explained that no children had been placed at the Language Unit at Southborough for over 2 years because no parent had requested the provision and if parents were to request ‘Southborough’ then if it met the child’s needs on the statement then Southborough would be named on the statement! Why no parent had requested the Language Unit at Southborough is not known, we can only make assumptions! Now that it has officially been confirmed that the Language Unit is not closed to new admissions (although its long term future has yet to be decided) we must ensure that perspective parents are made aware of the current situation and the additional choice they have.

As you know, the clusters in West Kent are in Phase 2 of the Unit and Designation Review. Phase 1 of the Review is currently being implemented in East Kent. This will be assessed in the Autumn of this year (2009) and Phase 2 will proceed based on the success of Phase 1. Nothing has yet been finalised for Phase 2.

Greg asked if it was a possibility that the Language Unit at Southborough could become the Lead Cluster School for ‘speech and language’ and St Matthews High Brooms the Lead Cluster School for autism – Joanna said that this cannot be ruled out.

KCC and Southborough are having ongoing discussions about the future.

September 2010 is still considered an achievable implementation date for Phase 2 of the Unit and Designation Review.

Greg is very interested in the Unit and Designation Review and I urge any parents who are having difficulty getting the language unit at Southborough named on their statement because of the confusion about the current status of the language unit to contact Greg at one of his constituency clinics which are held regularly and advertised in the local paper. If Greg is not your MP then I suggest you contact your own MP, and inform them of the meeting Greg attended and the outcome, so that they can add their weight to your case.

Finally I would like to thank Saeed for contacting Greg, arranging this meeting and thus resolving the confusion about the current status of the Language Unit at Southborough.

Halls Green – Easter/Summer Day Out  back to top

I still only have 4 ‘firm replies’ regarding a trip to Halls Green, so I don’t think it is worth proceeding with this and trying to get funding. Someone has suggested ‘Bowles outdoor activity centre’ to me, I have never been, but I understand they run ‘birthday parties’ but I cannot find details of this on the website. Does anyone have any more information on what Bowles offer? Or there is always bowling at Bowplex. Any feedback gratefully received.

SLT Drop-in sessions  back to top

There will be ‘Drop-in’ sessions for parents of children and young people with a diagnosis of ASD at the Speech and Language Therapy Department at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

The sessions are from 1-3p.m on -

Please phone Liz on 01732 225028 for further information

PAN DISABILITY FOOTBALL  back to top

Shelley sent me the following -

Paddock Wood Football club’s PAN Disability Football is held –

We welcome boys, girls, men and ladies, all ages from 5yrs-18yrs and adults of all disabilities

If you are interested in playing or helping please contact

PWFC are the FA`s Hub for Disability football in Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, and Sevenoaks Area.

And Finally  back to top

Any articles for the newsletter, speakers, coffee morning hostesses and email addresses gratefully received

 

Gill McDonald
01892 834577


Gill-2009@west-kent-afasic.fsnet.co.uk