Hackney Family Backup

Providing Community Support and Social Inclusion for Disabled Children and Young People

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Issue 20 - July 2009

Summer Newsletter
Picnic in the Park Wednesday 26th August 2009 11am - 3pm in Springfield Park (Corner of Spring Hill, E5 & the river) Hackney Family Backup is having a summer gathering for all our wonderful families, carers, volunteers and children. We hope you can join us for some lunch and fun! There will be food and refreshments, face painting, games & fun activities for children & adults. Please let us know if you will be coming - 020 7275 0088. Play Pathfinder Update Consultation continues on the new build and renovation of play spaces across Hackney. Hackney Downs and Stonebridge Gardens have been selected to be especially inclusive, catering for the play needs of children with different abilities, but all sites will incorporate inclusive elements. Throughout the summer the designers are consulting on specific issues, and the team continue to welcome ideas on how the play spaces can be made more sensitive to the needs of disabled children. If you or your child would like to make your voice heard, please contact Matt Davies at the Learning Trust, 07971 131373 or email matt.davies@learningtrust.co.uk.
New information evenings for carers and volunteers 15 people attended our first information evening, 10 of whom have applied to become carers or volunteers with HFBU. Future information evenings are on 6th August, 2nd September, 1st October, at HFBU. These are for anyone interested in finding out more about becoming a volunteer or carer. Call Elizabeth, Gillian, Sandra or Tess for further information.	Goodbye to Vesna This month we said goodbye to Vesna Glavas, our Toy Library Worker, who came to the end of her 6-month contract. We wish her good luck for the future. In the meantime, we have no Toy Library Worker and no funding to employ one, so please be patient with the reduced service!
Aisha Abubakar We were very sad to hear of the unexpected death of Aisha. Aisha had a severe and life-limiting medical condition which meant that she had very limited movement and needed 24 hour care. Nevertheless, she had a twinkle in her eye and a sense of mischief which touched all those who worked with her. She had very clear ideas of what she liked and didn't like and very effective ways of showing this - if she didn't like your singing she would close her eyes tightly, a method she also used if she was losing a game! She enjoyed having a massage and loved anything pink and sparkly, and being told she was lovely. Our deepest sympathy to Aisha's parents and her brother and sister. We will not forget Aisha, her family's "little princess". Parents! Siblings! Please ask us for information on: Downloaders: an informal group for parents whose children mainly have complex medical needs and multiple disabilities. Siblings Youth Club: for young people aged 13-19 whose siblings receive care at The Ark. Hackney Families Together Pampering Day Parents of disabled children enjoyed a range of activities at the Hackney Families Together pampering day. "Pampers" on offer included mini-manicures, reiki, shoulder and head massage and cranio-sacral therapy. Parents could also join in the tai chi, laughter yoga or African dance workshops and create their own t-shirt and mug designs. Regular Hackney Families Together meetings will start up again with a meeting on Thursday 1st October, 9.30-12 at the Ann Tayler Centre. HFT is a forum of parents which aims to inform and influence policy and practice around disabled children's services in Hackney. Associated with HFT is HIPS, the Hackney Independent Forum for Parents and Carers of disabled children; this grew out of the parent consultation process and is run by parents for parents. Anyone interested in joining the Hackney Families Together mailing list should contact Gillian at HFBU or call 07957 190326 for HIPS. Free Training! Improve your storytelling and story reading skills FREE four-part training by "Transfusion Music" for parents and carers of children aged 3-8 yrs. Simple and effective techniques are taught, using nursery rhymes, picture and story books, so ability to read is not essential. Each weekly session lasts 1.5 hours, and aims to give you tips on: How to create a fun and special atmosphere How to make and use simple puppets and props to animate your storytelling Simple voice and drama techniques Keeping children focused and interested How to use household objects to make simple musical instruments This training begins mid- September, 11.15-12.45 and takes place in Hackney Central. Free childcare & refreshments provided. Spaces are limited, so contact Seanine Joyce on 07957 386455 or email seanine@seaninejoyce.com to book a place.
Disability Backup Update Disability Backup is continuing to grow and develop its disability forum. On 26th June we held a consultation day for disabled people aged 18-64, over 40 disabled people came to have their say. We are meeting again in July to discuss Hackney's new Service First Centre and to help design a sensory exhibit at Hackney Museum. Contact Catherine for more information. Forthcoming Training for Carers, Volunteers & Home Childcarers: You must telephone to book your places ASAP! All training courses held at HFBU Manual Handling: Sat 15th Aug, 9.45-3pm Manual Handling: Thur 20th Aug, 9.45-3pm Food Hygiene: Sunday 6th Sept, 8.45-4.30pm PLEASE make sure you attend courses you book on, PLACES ARE VERY VALUABLE! NB: Parents are welcome to book on our training courses if any places remain available.	The Family Club has a new name... The Family Club has changed its name to the 'Leaps and Bounds Club'. It will continue to support disabled children with 'challenging behaviour' and their families, but now with a focus on transition from primary to secondary school. We are particularly looking for children between 8-11 years old to join our club. We provide a monthly parents & carers group, and play opportunities and activities for children, focusing on meeting the challenges of moving from primary to secondary school, and from childhood to adolescence. The next group is on: Saturday 5th September 2009 from 1.30pm to 4pm. Call Tess or Martina on 020 7275 0088 for further details
Thomley Hall Trip Due to a couple of cancel- lations, there are still a few spaces left on this outing. Thomley Hall is a centre with both indoor and outdoor activities for disabled children. There is plenty for children to do and, judging from photographic evidence from past trips, parents have been known to have a go as well! HFBU is providing wheelchair accessible coaches. It's a long day, pick up at 9.30, back 6pm, and you need to provide your own picnic lunch, A £5 returnable deposit per family will secure your place. Call Martina on 020 7275 0088.

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