PACC Spring News 2010
PACC SPRING UPDATE 2010
Face 2 Face Befriending Scheme: Learning your child has a disability can come as a massive shock, or it may simply confirm something you’ve suspected for a long time. Either way, the news often leaves parents feeling shattered, lonely and needing support
What Face 2 Face offers:
• time to talk and be listened to
• understanding from someone who has been through a similar experience
• reassurance that what you are feeling is OK
• a positive view about the future of your child.
As you may have seen PACC has advertised for a trainer / support worker for this scheme. Our hope is that we can complete our first round of training for befrienders before the summer holidays so we can officially launch the scheme in September. The first training course will be able to accommodate approximately 12 people and will require a weekly commitment of one day per week for 6 to 9 weeks weeks. PACC will pay expenses for all potential befrienders attending the course, including travel and parking costs. PACC will also consider paying childcare cost if required. The training is most likely to be held during school hours but we will make the final decision on this after looking at the needs of all those who are interested in becoming befrienders.
Link to Face 2 Face Trainer Advert
We would like to hear from any parent / carer of a child with a disability or additional need who would be interested in this training and becoming a befriender. If you would like to know more please visit the Face 2 Face network website at
http://www.face2facenetwork.org.uk/about/f2face.htm
or ring Sarah Thomas to have a chat about the scheme. Alternatively you might be interested in applying for the training post and details of the vacancy are attached above .
Short Break Opportunities:
Attached are two flyers for new groups for young people with disabilities or additional needs at the Maurice Chandler Sports Centre near Market Drayton.
Link to Disabled Football Flyer
Link to Disabled Multi-Sports Flyer
Also attached is an update from Harry Cade (service Development Officer) with information about designing a Shropshire Short Breaks Logo and the Participation fund. The participation fund offers support to develop inclusion opportunities for young people with disabilities or additional needs and is available until the end of March 2011. Groups or individuals can apply.
New Siblings Group:
Harry has also secured funding to establish a new siblings group in the Oswestry area. The group is for 8 – 12 year olds who have a brother or sister with a disability and will meet on a monthly basis. If you are interested a referral form is attached or you can contact Harry on 01743 282370.
Link to Siblings Referral Form
Short Break Consultation:
Following Aiming High for Disabled Children and the additional funding it has brought for Short Break Services a new duty will come into force from April 2011 that will require ‘Local Authorities to provide Short Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children and Young people’. The guidance, that will be available to Local Authorities on how to implement this new regulation, is presently available for consultation at
This link will enable you to download the guidance PACC would be interested in your comment on the wording of this document. PACC took part in a national consultation meeting earlier in March and attached is a copy of the notes from this event detailing some of the comments from the parent representatives who attended.
The closing date for the consultation is 26th April 2010 but if you would like to contribute to the PACC response please respond by 21st April 2010. This is a really important consultation for parents and carers of children with disabilities or additional needs. The ring fenced funding that is presently available for the provision of Short Breaks will not continue after April 2011 and although the level of funding potentially will remain (depending on the outcome of the general election) it is this legislation that is intended to secure the future availability of quality short breaks services.
Local Transition Consultation:
Just a quick reminder that in our last note we made you aware of a consultation on a locally produced Transition document. If you have any comments on this document or would like to be involved in discussion about this subject please get in touch as soon as possible.
National Parent Forum Network:
At the recent national parent participation conference hosted by Together for Disabled Children, Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children Schools and Families announced funding for a pilot Nation Parent Form Network. The National Network will consist of 9 regional parent representatives who will support information sharing between the 152 local parent forums and present issues and comments to decision makers at a national level. This pilot will run from April 2010 to the end of March 2011. Sarah Thomas, the PACC secretary, has been invited to be the regional rep for the West Midlands, so Shropshire will be well represented at a national level and well informed about developments. All local forums are also being asked to provide the names of up to 3 parents or carers who would be interested in participation in regional meetings as part of the work of the national network. We have two committee members who are interested in attending these meeting but would like a third person to share the workload. Meeting are likely to be based in Birmingham and all travel expenses will be paid by PACC. You will not need to attend every meeting and they are not likely to be held more frequently than on a monthly basis. If you are interested in getting involved please get in touch.
GOOD NEWS!:
PACC has just had approval to apply for Phase 3 of the national Parent Participation funding which is part of the Aiming High programme. This follows the successful submission of our Phase 2 end of year returns details all that we have achieved over the last 12months. This included a very successful county wide family events programme and the increase in our membership from 56 families to 152 families. Our application for the Phase 3 funding will build on the work we have done to establish the structure and organisation of PACC that will continue to enhance the flow of information to our members and the collection of data that will inform service provision. In addition to this we are planning a focus on the provision of training for parents and carers on parent participation and for professionals on understanding the parent / carer’s perspective.
Thank you for your support over the last 12months and we look forward to working with you over the coming year to continue to enhance the services our families receive.
With Best Wishes from
The PACC Committee
