2006 March
Survey Results
New ! Kids Art Club!
Holiday Club being planned
BAPG's future status
Cheap UK Holiday?
Free Cinema Tickets
Barnsley Information Exchange
Direct Payments- What are they?
Donna Williams
Looking Up Autism
Survey Results
Many thanks to all of you who returned a survey form earlier this year. The main results were:· A very clear wish for an Art Club, and a Holiday Club.
· Top wishes for future guest speakers subjects:
o Educational Psychologist.
o Autism Centre,
o Speech & Language Therapist;
o Well known speakers
o Communication & Interaction Team
o Welfare Rights
o Emotional Support / dealing with stress
(these were not the only requests, but the ones which stood out as a high percentage).
· Emotional support was mentioned on several forms even though it was not a specific survey question. This suggests a need for more help in this area.
· Parents Meetings - the preferred style is focussed discussion (i.e. with subject, guest speaker, and lots discussion), and also some interest in workshops or training sessions
· Campaigning - only some interest to do more of this. (Though the question was too vague as "campaigning" could have too wide a meaning).
Many thanks also for all the kind comments about the group. It's great for those who help run BAPG to hear how it's helping different families. Back to top
New ! Kids Art Club!
Following the success of the Kids Computer Club over the last year and the feedback from the survey, we going to try running a Kids Art Club.We intend to start with a relatively small number of kids, use the same room as the Computer Club (to save money), see how it works out and then to expand the number of places.
The first session will be at the next Parents Meeting, 15th March. There's likely to be an Easter theme to the activities.
If you're interested in booking a place for your child then please contact James (details below). Back to top
Holiday Club being planned
There are a number of existing holiday clubs in the area but often parents don't feel that they're suitable. This can be because the staff running them don't have enough knowledge of AS, our kids have difficulty interacting with the other kids there, or they're not interested in activities on offer.Following the survey the steering committee are looking into how we could set up a more suitable holiday club for BAPG families.
There's a lot to think of: funding, staff skills, health & safety, suitable activities, location, etc. And again we'd probably start with a small number of places, a high adult/child ratio, and expand as we feel able.
If you might be interested in using this club then it would be really helpful to hear if you have any particular requirements, ideas for activities whilst we're doing the planning now (please contact any of the steering committee).
And if you've helped run one of this clubs before, we'd appreciate any help getting this one going!
Otherwise, watch this space! Back to top
BAPG's future status
BAPG is currently a voluntary group but if our income gets above a threshold level then legally we must register as a charity. We have three main options:· carry on as a voluntary group but make sure that we don't exceed the income limit (but this will be difficult if we expand our activities).
· become a branch of the NAS.
· register as a charity.
The general view at the February Parents' Meeting and at Steering Committee meetings is that if necessary we should become a charity. The main reason given is that BAPG currently has a good feel to it, i.e. a group of local parents who've come together for mutual support. Whilst different families get different things out of BAPG, it very much has the sense that it's ours, and run with a shared purpose. It would be a shame to lose that.
But no decisions have been made - we'll need a special vote so everyone gets a chance to choose.
Do you have a view? If so please come to the next Parents' Meeting to discuss it, or instead if you can't please contact any of the steering committee. Back to top
Cheap UK Holiday?
Apparently the Scout Association runs a number of caravans on sites around the country. We understand that they are available to families with disabled children for a very good rate (maybe even free). For more information, tel. 0845 300 1818, or www.scoutbase.org.uk. (If you try this please let us know how it goes). Back to topFree Cinema Tickets
Did you know? You can get free cinema tickets for a carer to accompany someone in receipt of DLA! And if your child is one of those who wants to see a film a dozen times if they like it at all then this must be for you! Check out www.ceacard.co.uk or tel. 0151 348 8020 Back to topBarnsley Information Exchange
The Barnsley Information Exchange has been set up to give disabled children/young people and their families access to information. It includes a website, www.barnsley-ie.co.uk, with lots of contacts and articles on local services, a regular newsletter, and if you register with them you'll get mailings of relevant local info. To register, tel (01226) 298508 or e-mail: barnsleyie@barnsley.gov.uk. Back to topDirect Payments- What are they?
It is now possible to get money known as "Direct Payments" to pay for the social care services you need, instead if receiving services arranged by Social Services.The Direct Payment is a sum of cash intended to give individuals greater freedom , choice and flexibility when they have need for social care , personal or practical support.
Giving people money instead of the service allows them to choose how they get the assistance they need and to make their own arrangements. (Support for this process is available from an independent organisation).
To be eligible for a Direct Payment you must have been assessed as needing community care services (and as parents or carers of a child with a disability we should qualify), be willing and able to manage the payment (with help if needed) and be able to consent to receiving a Direct Payment.
Examples of services that are being met by a direct payment include: personal care, accessing the community, short break care, night sitting, professional assistance, nursery places, outreach support and home based short breaks.
If you'd like to know more about the Direct Payments scheme you can contact Julie Moore, Direct Payments Officer for Barnsley Social Services on 01226 772396. Or on the web, try www.direct.gov.uk and search for "direct payments".
(With thanks to Barnsley Information Exchange for much of the text in this article).
You may like to know a number of BAPG parents have successfully applied for Direct Payments, and say they're really pleased how it's given them more choice about who is employed to provide the care (and that can include grandparents). Back to top