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Autumn 2017

the newsletter for children on the disabled children’s register

We hope you will find

something of interest in

this issue of the newsletter,

if not, please let us know

what you would like to see!

Eleanor Thain and

Lucia Daniels

DCR Information Officers

Contact us on

020 8871 8907 or email

ethain@wandsworth.gov.uk

ldaniels@wandsworth.gov.uk

Bubble fun at Eid Celebrations organised by the Muslim Family Support Group at Tooting Leisure Centre

INSIDE

Thank you to our WANDfriends

Holiday Ideas for 2018

Winter Warmers

What Do Carers Want?

What is a Wiki?

Focus On: The OsteopathicCentre for Children

ADHD Service

My Way

Special Children are chosenfor Special Parents

Ronald Ross and GreenmeadSchools

Employment Rights at Work

Save the Date

Disability Rights

Welcome to the 19th edition of the Disabled Children’sRegister newsletter. You’ll find plenty here, but for thevery latest updates about coming events, be sure to giveus your up-to-date email details, to keep in touchbetween newsletters.

The WAND card celebrated its fifthanniversary this year and we hopeyou were able to participate insome of the summer activities thatwe and our WAND ‘Friends’organised in celebration. In thisissue, we look back on some ofthe fun things members have been enjoying and which we hope to continue into 2018.

Also included in this issue is the report back on our Carer survey which many readersparticipated in earlier this year. Talking of carers, a very big welcome to the new Muslimsupport group for parents of children and young people with SENDs. This has been setup as a pilot by some of our Parent Champion volunteers and has received a very warmwelcome.

As we head into 2018, it would be great to keep up the momentum of recent months,so if you would like to help raise awareness of the WAND card, do get in touch aboutjoining the team of Parent Champion volunteers!

WandCARD

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Wearefive!

Wandsworth businesses have reallypulled out the stops for DCR/WAND thisyear, whether it is offering concessions tochildren and young people or providing aboost for parents and carers.In June, Southside shopping centre hosted a special Carer’sWeek event on our behalf and many of the stores supportedthe day with prizes and treats for carers.

Special thanks to Southside management team for thisevent – for a full list of prizegivers, see page 5.

Over the summer holidays, as well as our loyal long termsupporters, such as Battersea Park Children’s Zoo,Cineworld and Places for People, this summer we welcomedthe support of several other venues to help celebrate theWAND 5th Anniversary.

Thanks go to Flip Out, Go Ape and Putt in the Park for activefun and to Kaspa’s, the dessert specialists, for their ice creamparty with entertainer for 30 WAND members and their families.

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HolidayIdeasfor 2018Now is the time to start researchingfunding and holidays for 2018. Here are a few ideas to get you started:Contact (formerly Contact a Family) produce a downloadableguide to: Holidays Play and Leisure, with lots of ideas for daysout, short breaks and holidays for children and young peoplewith SENDs and their families: www.contact.org.uk orphone: 0808 808 3555

Tourism for All UK is a national charity dedicated to standardsof world class tourism which are welcoming to all. It providesinformation to carers and people with special needs ordisabilities, on where their specific access needs can be metso that they can fully participate in travel and leisure. They alsochampion the cause of accessible tourism with policy makers:

in prompting the visitor industry to cater for all needs, TFA hasalso developed extensive expertise to help the travelbusinesses make changes that are practical and realistic Forfull details go to www.Tourismforall.org.uk or phone: 01539726 111

Revitalise is another charity which provides fun holidays foradults with disabilities. Three times a year they provide YouthWeeks, specially designed for disabled young adults from 18up. These weeks are packed full of fun with day trips, fancydress parties, music, laughter and plenty of time to socialise.Revitalise offer fully accessible facilities with 24hour on-callnursing care. For full details, go to www.revitalise.org.uk orphone: 0303 303 0145

All of the above offer guidance on places to go for funding andsupport to help realise your dream!

A big thank you to all our WAND‘Friends’

Fatima Ali with son Zackariaenjoying some holiday fun

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Winter WarmersIt may be cold outside, but there are plenty of ways tokeep warm! If you already have a WAND card, you willhave received a new member pack with a list of placesthat support the WAND card, either with concessions orother help. Do take a look at our website too, as thereare constant updates there. For example, new for2017/2018 are:

Flip Out Wednesday early morning bounce sessions, piloted at FlipOut’s trampoline park during the summer holidays provedso popular with our members that they are now offeringsessions at half price to WAND card holders after school on Tuesdayafternoons during term time between 4-6 . In the holidays, every Wednesdaymorning between 9-10 will also be half price, with reduced noise and light levels. Up to two siblings can also attend with a WAND card holder and a carer goes free.

Go Ape Go Ape hosted two free morning sessions for children andyoung adults in Battersea Park over this summer. If youlove high zip wires, wobbly bridges and navigating a tree-top course, this is the place for you! While it was hard tocoax many youngsters down at the end of the sessions,a few others were too nervous to go up. But with the helpof patient staff, most overcame their fears to give it a go,boosting their confidence. There will be more free placesat Go Ape during the winter and spring holidays.

For details of these and other activities over thecoming months, check the website for furtherinformation and times.

Don’t miss out!Please let us have your up todate email address and yourpermission to use it so we canlet you know about activities,events and more throughoutthe year.

You can emailethain@wandsworth.gov.ukand just write ‘Please send meDCR, WAND and WAND+emails.’

We’ll do the rest!

You can also visit our ‘Update’ pageon the Local Offer website where weput all our activities and events -https://goo.gl/GsUCmY

Why not follow @wandbc onTwitter! It’s the council’s officialTwitter account, so as well as DCR,WAND and WAND+ information youcan find out about how to report flytipping, who has been prosecutedfor using someone else’s BlueBadge, how to get tickets forfireworks displays and when toleave out your Christmas tree for recycling.

Siân Lyle tests out Go Ape

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What do Carers want

Key 2017 findingsThe following findings were based onreplies from 122 Wandsworthparents/carers, 95% identifyingthemselves as parents. The majority(67%) of the children and young peoplethey cared for were in the age bracket 5-17.

52% said they knew about the LocalOffer, 42% said they did not. 72% like toget information via email but othercommunication methods were alsoimportant, including papercommunications, website, face to faceand telephone calls.

Looking ahead, the following were the topfour areas likely to be of most help toparent carers: Leisure information (76%),Help with problems at school (54%), Helpto cope with my caring role (49%) andThings to aid my health and wellbeing(49%).

We then asked whether or notparent/carers feel they receive enoughsupport to balance their added caringresponsibilities with work/education andto have a life outside of their caring role.Just over one in five, 21%, said YES tothis question. More than half, 55%, saidNO. Asked what would make adifference in the future, there was astrong emphasis on improvingemployment prospects or help to enablepeople to return to work:

Finally, we asked an open question aboutwhat else Wandsworth Council or otherscould do to better support parents orother carers of children or young peoplewith SENDs. The following pie chartshows the key areas where people wouldlike more help:

When it comes to the Local Offer, its important that we findout our members’s views from time to time. Our 2015satisfaction survey showed that users greatly welcomedthe WAND card, launched in 2013. Key suggestions forfurther improvement were: more parking concessions,more sports activities and more support for carers.Since the 2015 survey we have expanded our existing parking concessions athospitals and the Town Hall to include parking outside a WAND cardholder’s schoolfor pick-ups and drop-offs and free parking in Battersea Park car park on days whenwe hold pre-arranged events there. We have also worked with Enable to expand thedisability sports offer and with other providers, such as Aspire. Most recently, wehave been able to negotiate discounts with Flip Out for regular weekly sessions andalso some free places at Go Ape during the holidays.

In addition, Places for People Leisure Centres now offer carers a discounted rate onweekdays between 10am-4pm for swimming and other Leisure Centre activities. Fulldetails of all of the above can be found on Local Offer website, under “WAND card”www.wandsworth.gov.uk/local offer

Our latest survey, launched in the spring of 2017, focused on parent/carer needs andwhat else would help you. Here is a summary of the findings and if you would like tosee the more detailed report, please go to the website: https://goo.gl/U5cRES orcontact us for a copy.

Future useful information(multiple selection)

Responses Percentage

Leisure activities for my child/young person 93 76%

Problems with schools/college 66 54%

Help me to cope with my caring role 60 49%

Aid my health and wellbeing 60 49%

Accessing benefits and housing 44 36%

Help at work or getting back into work 44 36%

Personal development/future career path 40 33%

Support with relationship issues 27 22%

Advise about money management/debt 24 20%

Other 1 1%

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Next steps in supporting carersThe survey highlights a need for more support for parent carers, not least in making surethey have practical information about sources of support to help them in their role.

With this in mind, we have already organised several events for carers this year –starting with the Can-do Carers information morning at York Gardens Library and aprogramme of activities around Carers Week in June, ranging from drop-ininformation sessions, to pampering sessions in Southside and via WandsworthCarers Centre. We were also able to try something a bit different with a ‘Relax andDraw’ day, including lunch, courtesy of the National Gallery. As can be seen,everyone enjoyed unleashing their creative side in a complete break from the usualroutine!

More recently we have run a workshopon Employment Rights for carers,outlining how to make effective requestswhen it comes to flexible working or timeoff to care for sick children. We also hada guest speaker from the Family Fund totalk about applying for grants for childrenwith SENDs.

We have also fed back our findings tothe Wandsworth Carers Board and to our colleagues at Work Match, with the hopethat more may be done to help parents wanting to find employment with flexible,family friendly hours.

Future useful information(mulitple selection)

Responses Percentage

Full-time, part-time, flexible working opportuntities 49 40%

Employers advertised as family friendly 41 34%

Childcare availability to help me work/study longer 29 24%

More confidence to return to work 27 22%

Help with reviewing my skills or change of direction 28 23%

Advice on housing and benefits for part timers 23 19%

Other 11 9%

Carers at National Gallery

Support 28%

How to better support parents/carers

WAND 1%

Other 1%

Employment 1%

Education 4%

Funding 5%

Short Breaks 9%

Housing 5%

Thumbs up to SouthsideShopping Centre for hostingour Carers Week event heldon 14th June. Thanks also toall the businesses who helpedmake it such a fun day:

Body Shop

Chelsea Football Club

Chelsea Football Club

Cineworld

Chimichanga Restaurant

Debenhams

Decathlon

Entertainer

Frankie and Benny’sWandsworth

Holland & Barrett

Kiko Milano + Goody bag

Muffin Break

Nandos

Paddock School Cafe

Planet Organic

Rosso Pomodoro

Rush Hairdressers

Snappy Snaps

Tiger Retail

Serene Spa

Smart Look Beauty

Wagamama

Waitrose

We hope to plan a similarday for 2018 and welcomeyour ideas for events orsponsors

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What is a Wiki?Wikis are simple, secure and accessible personalwebsites developed by Rix MediaA wiki is a personal website designed for children and young people with SENDs. A wikiis a place where children and young people can make their voices heard about theirdaily lives and aspirations. They can develop it themselves- or with help from others - and add their own words, pictures, voices, videos, web links, documents andideas. A wiki can grow and change along with the child as they change from child toyoung person, from school to college to work.

A wiki is a personalised place to share videos, paperwork and photos with invitedprofessionals, family or interested people. For a young child this could be a way tointroduce themselves to a new nursery staff member, new occupational therapist, or anew teacher. A wiki could be used for a child to take part in their annual review, or anyother meeting. They could be present and use the wiki to speak for them, or recordtheir views to be shared at the meeting if they can’t or don’t want to attend. For ayoung person some or all of their wiki could be shared with a new personal assistanton a residential course or a manager at a possible work experience placement.

A wiki is a secure website where invited professionals, schools and parents can addcontent. This can be written, spoken, drawn, photographed, video, web links ordocuments.

Training and SupportEach wiki is issued with an e-learning training package and access to the Rix websitewith training videos. Visit the Local Offer website - https://goo.gl/aJy3WB to try outthe Quick Wiki training course.

When young people move on, leaving school, college or the borough, they can taketheir wiki with them or have all the information downloaded and given to them.

What is happening now?Wandsworth’s specialist schools/basesand services agreed three years ago todevelop wikis. The Local Authority has atwo year contract with Rix to roll out thewiki programme, ending January 2018

We currently have 409 wikis active acrossschools, youth groups, early years, theAurora Centre. These include:

• Paddock

• Linden Lodge

• Bradstow (almost all the pupils have wikis)

• Siward Road Nursery

• Smallwood School Language Unit

• Greenmead

• The Aurora Centre

• Baked Bean Education

• Little Hillbrook

• Victoria Drive Pru

• Wandsworth Youth (George Shearing)

If your child attends one of these settings,you can ask their Wiki Portal Manager fora wiki. If not, you can sign up for a freeWandsworth wiki, with a training wiki, foryour child or young person on theWandsworth Wiki Portal -www.goo.gl/4Ck2ZQ

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Focus on: The Osteopathic Centre for Children The Osteopathic Centre for Children (OCC) is a UK charity, based in the heart of Wandsworth.Providing services for babies, children and teenagers and for new or expectant mothers, its aimis to offer paediatric osteopathy – a gentle, effective and environmentally-friendly treatment – toparents and carers concerned for their child’s health.

What happens next?Wikis are available to children and youngpeople with SEND who live or go to aschool in Wandsworth and theirparents/carers. If enough schoolscontinue to be interested we willnegotiate with Rix to continue the LocalAuthority programme or schools can signup themselves with Rix.

We are developing information wikis touse with young people. Public Wikis areappearing on the Local Offer website, thisis the Time to Prepare Wiki, find it here:https://goo.gl/mrXykZ

The Osteopathic Centre for Children isnot part of the NHS, and as a charity, isentirely reliant on donations to keep theclinic open.  Although families areasked to make a payment towards thecost of treatments, a number ofappointments each day are reserved forthose in financial difficulties.

Paediatric osteopaths use very gentlemovements to release and balanceareas of physical tension, making thisan attractive alternative treatment forchildren with SENDs. The non-invasivetechniques can help soothe and relaxbabies and they also treat olderchildren up to 18 years old with issuesranging from digestion and circulatoryproblems to minor sports injuries,aches and pains, and the inability to

relax due to a variety of pressures likesexam stress. They support families withchildren with disabilities and learningdifficulties, and always treat holisticallyto help restore, maintain and supporthealth and well-being.

DCR parent, Sandra Fenton describeshow she came across the service:

“My daughter Becky was experiencingaches and pain in her back andsometimes her leg.  I have taken Beckyto the GP Surgery on couple ofoccasions. I was told to give Beckyparacetamol to ease the pain and ifBecky is still complaining for aches, Icould take her back to the GP.

Anyway, on our way to WandsworthPark one day my husband spotted the

Osteopathic Centre sign which wasadvertising outside.  We then wheninside to gather some information andwere given an appointment. Beckyattended about 6 appointments. Afterthe first appointment we were greatlyrelieved. Our daughter is nowcompletely pain free. We were told ifBecky ever experienced anything likethis again we should take her back.

A big thank you to the OsteopathicCentre and their team!”

The Osteopathic Centre for Children isbased close to the river by WandsworthPark at 22 Point Pleasant, WandsworthSW18 1GG. To book an appointment,call: 020 8875 5290 or visit theirwebsite: www.occ.uk.com

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The ADHD Service answerssome of your questions

The ADHD Service (part of the PaediatricNeurodevelopment/Neurodisability and EpilepsyService at St George’sHospital) have put togethersome information forparents and carers aboutADHD (attention deficit andhyperactivity disorder) andADD (attention deficitdisorder). This covers:

• What are ADHD and ADD?

• Getting help

• Why has my child been referred?

• What is the Pathway through the ADHD Service?

• Interventions they offer, includingparenting support groups

• Information about medication

• A parent’s story

• Useful sources of information

A referral is made by your GP, your child’s school or another professional

Pathway through the ADHD Service

The referral is triaged (reviewed) by a doctor anddiscussed with the ADHD teamFirst few

weeksfollowingreferral

Week 6-10

for nurseled clinic

Week 18-34

(approx.) for

consultantled clinic

You and your child’s school will be asked to completeand return a number of questionnaires. These are an

essential part of the assessment process and could slowdown the process if not returned promptly.

Not ADHD?You may be

referred on toother services

such as school,parent support

or the EarlyYears Centre

Medicationprescribed

if appropriate

Transition or discharge back to GP or on to adult ADHD services

Shared carewith GP

Following the referral being discussed, you will be bookedinto the Early Intervention Clinic whereby one of the

ADHD nurse specialists will telephone you. During this 30minute phone call, they will ask you some questions about

your child’s attention difficulties. From this conversation,one or a number of initial interventions will be suggestedand depending on the outcome your child will either bebooked into an appointment with a nurse or consultant

Nurse Led AssessmentClinic (1 hour)

A history is taken to findout more about yourchild and your family

information and advice isgiven about what ADHD

is, behaviourmanagement strategies

and parent support.

Consultant LedAssessment Clinic (1 hour)

A detailed history is puttogether with informationfrom parents, school and

other professionals. A physical exmination

is conducted, diagnosismade if appropriate,

management plan set up and medication.

Telephone Clinics (15+ minutes) and email contactWe will keep in touch to find out how things are going. You can ask to be booked into an

available phone clinic if you would like to talk to one of our ADHD Nurse specialists.

Follow-up Outpatient Clinics (30 minutes)If you have decided to start medication, you will also be offered an appointment with anurse or doctor two to three months post prescription, then six monthly, then yearly.

Group SessionsPost-Diagnostic Group

– Psycho-education for parents

Behavioural Support Groups for Parents– 1-2-3 Magic Group (3 weeks)

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All you wanted to knowabout transitions, butwere afraid to askAre you a young person, or a parent or carer of ayoung person aged 14, or over, in full time education or training and thinking about transitions in 2018 or beyond?  Come along to our informal Q&A session to find out morefrom members of the Preparing for Adulthood Team abouthow to get the best from it.

10am-12.30, Wednesday 24 January, 2018Wandsworth old Town Hall, Committee room 122

To book a place, please email: Dcr-WAND@wandsworth.gov.uk

Their ADHD Kids Zone has answers to questions you or yourchild might ask including:

• Why am I going to see a nurse or doctor?

• What will the nurse or doctor ask me?

• What does having “ADHD” mean?

• How does medication help?

• Where can I get more information about ADHD?

• This includes pictures and videos to help you and your childunderstand their diagnosis.

The ADHD Service are a specialist Attention DeficitHyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) service within the developmentalpaediatric team. The service supports parents and childrenthrough the assessment, diagnosis and management of ADHD.We take referrals of children under the age of 11 years old who are registered with a GP in the borough of Wandsworth. We provide follow up care for children who are under ourservice, until they are old enough to transition to adult services.

Find out more on the Local Offer website - www.goo.gl/JdtMynor visit their ADHD Service webpage on the St George’s University Hospital website -www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/service/childrens-services-2/childrens-medicine/adhd-service/

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MY WAYDCR parent Kaysha Francis talks aboutstudying to be a social worker alongsidecaring for her sonWhat course are you studying and with what aim in mind?

I am currently studying an undergraduate degree in social workand considering doing a masters after however, I amundecided if this will be down a psychology route or a law routeas it depends on how the rest of this degree goes.

What led you down this route in the first place?

When my son’s difficulties were first flagged up I started tocome into contact with many different professionals. I quicklycame to realise that many of them lack first hand experiencewith autism or other disabilities/learning difficulties. I didn’t feelthere were enough people that offered genuine support orunderstanding. More times than not I felt overwhelmed with somany different people in my life and no privacy as well as norelationship with those that were supposed to be supportingme. I have met some of the strongest parents during myjourney with my son however, the emotions and daily strugglescan make the strongest parent crack and the lack ofempathetic, supportive professionals and sometimes justhaving an ear was my main motivation to get into social work.Like many other parents, I am concerned about the future as somany benefit cuts happening and we do not know what will benext. I cannot rely on the state to provide for my son foreverand therefore I decided to go back and study for peace of mindand to secure my son’s future.

What has been the biggest challenge for you and your son?

The biggest challenge has been lack of sleep and time. My sonhas sleeping difficulties and is up through the night as much as25 times. I am also a single parent so whatever happens boilsdown to me. I have been in situations many times where I havehad assignments due in which require research and I’ve beenup multiple nights in the deadline lead up changing bed sheets,reassuring my son due to anxiety, tears, night terrors andmorning melt downs with him not wanting to attend schoolleaving me feeling extremely tired. I’ve had mornings where I’vehad to go to my son’s school to sort something out or take himbecause he has refused to get in his taxi but I’ve needed toattend group work session so I’ve let the group downand members have been annoyed with me which has had methinking about quitting. Sleep deprivation is the hardest thing tofight against especially when you have an important lecture oran assignment and need your mind to focus. However,knowing once I complete my course I will get a well-paid joband we will have a comfortable life as well as knowing I havecontrol over his future is so reassuring and a huge motivator.The government do not make things easy for single parentstudents and I have had to fight for many things for my son aswell as attend university and that is extremely exhausting too. Ialso work on a fair system where if he has to go to schoolwhich he does not like then its only fair I go to university.

Did you ever think about giving up and what helped whenyou ‘lost the will’?

I am generally not a quitter but have had the odd day where I’mexhausted, tired and I crashed 3 times last year as I was

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exhausted and felt like a selfish parent for going to university,not always being Miss energetic and having to miss the schoolruns but then I remember why I am doing this. I am fortunateenough to have amazing friends and family that remind me ofhow far I have come and where I am heading. I was offered theopportunity to become a parent champion for Wandsworthhowever, I had to turn this down as it is important to keep thingsto a minimal as taking too much on can contribute to failing andgiving up. My university mates also remind me how strong Ihave been to juggle it all. Its hard to be organised because asmany parents with autistic kids know, anything can happen atanytime but I am committed to a bright future so quitting isn’tan option. 

What have been the biggest rewards for both of you?

The biggest reward for me is being able to still be me. Its soeasy to get lost when you are in a position where its battle uponbattle. Its not easy to digest that the life you had planned isn’tthe life you are going to lead and having to adapt and feelingexcluded due to your child’s behaviour/needs is something thattakes time. Studying has allowed me to get up even on thedarkest mornings, get dressed and get out knowing my worth.It’s a place away from the home battles and study makes mefeel proud especially when I get a good grade after the lack ofsleep. I have learnt so much about my self-commitment,resilience, inner strength among other things. I am a parent butthat’s not my only purpose and this is not just for my son’sfuture, it’s for me too. The reward for my son will be niceholidays and toys as that’s what he loves and the reward for meis a career doing what I love and my sons happiness.

What would you say to someone else thinking about takingthe plunge?

Everyone is different and not everyone has a support system,confidence and ambition. The journeys we go through aretough and draining, however, I would encourage anyone tohave something for themselves away from being a parent. I’vemet so many parents that are exhausted and just want to gethome to sleep but its surprising when you go and do somethingfor yourself that tired feeling can go and excitement appears.Not everyone is built to study but I would advise anyone to havesomething for yourself that empowers you away from parenting.This has not been easy for me and I have been studying for 3years with 2 more to go and its very tough but I need thatsecurity for both myself and my son.

I would like to say to anyone caring for an adult or child it’s noteasy, but well done for hanging in there and please findsomething for you as you matter as much as them.

Would you like tostart somethingnew in 2018? Why not consider joining our award winning ParentChampion team as a volunteer and help raiseawareness about the DCR WAND card to otherfamilies?

All our current volunteers are parents or carers of a childwith a WAND card, making them the best ambassadorsto tell other families about the benefit of joining.

We are very flexible about where and when youvolunteer: for example, most volunteering is doneduring school term times to fit with family needs.

If you are already a member of the DCR, this is a greatway to make a difference to other families who mightneed help. It is also a good way to get to know localservices better and build your confidence if you wouldlike to return to work or study.

If you would like to be considered for our 2018 intake ofnew volunteers, please get in touch with Lucia Danielsfor an information pack: ldaniels@wandsworth.gov.ukor call (020) 8871 8330

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Special children are chosen forspecial parentsSpecial children are chosen for special parents is themessage of the newly set up Muslim Family SupportGroup for children and young people with SENDs.

This self-help group is the initiative of a small team of Parent Champion volunteers,keen to close the information gap for local families. For starters, the group has heldmonthly coffee mornings at the Al Muzzammil Community Centre, Gatton Roadwhere they have also run a short weekly course on Well-being for parents. The groupis open to all and families had great fun at the two Eid events organised at TootingLeisure Centre, marking the end of ramadan.

Thanks go to Issop Koheeallee, Fatima Ali and the rest of the team for getting thisinitiative off the ground and to the Eid event sponsors: Melina’s Gift Shop, MehmanRestaurant, Imran’s Barber, Istanbul Foodgate and Sunnah Sports,

It is hoped to continue the work of the support group into 2018, so if you would like tovolunteer your help or would like to come along to a session, take a look at the FISwebsite: www.goo.gl/K8QdSy

caption

Parent champions: Dorota Flaszynska, Fatima Ali and Nusrat Mirza help out at the Eid event held at Tooting Leisure Centre

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Ronald Ross and Greenmead schoolsRonald Ross and Greenmead Schools have opened ontheir shared site in Southfields following an extensivetwo-year rebuilding programme.Each school is run and governed entirely separately, with different learning expertise,skills and specialisms, but they have been designed and built to enable all pupils tomake the most of shared learning opportunities.

Greenmead headteacher Toni Edmonds-Smith and Abby Brady, headteacher atRonald Ross say they are planning a music project together and a joint opening eventin the new year.

“We’re excited about the potential of this innovative way of shared learning and wecontinue to value the wonderful ideas pupils and staff have for the shared areas,” saidToni. “The children’s enthusiasm for their brand new school building is clear for all tosee. They are brimming with curiosity about how their schools will evolve. Workingtogether in this way will build a secure, safe learning environment in which all students

can experience the joy of learning and inwhich all can experience success.”

The changes are part of a plan toincrease the number of school places forchildren with severe and complex SEN.The plan will also see Paddock Schoolexpanded at the former Greenmead sitefollowing completion of buildingadaptations next spring.

Greenmead and Ronald Ross Headteachers: Toni Edmonds-Smith and Abby Brady

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Employment Rights at work if you are a parent or carer of a young person with SENDsWorking Families, the national charity, have an excellentwebsite where you can find out in detail about all aspectsof employment legislation for working parents. If you areexperiencing problems at work, they also have a helpline,staffed by experts in this field. If you are thinking about areturn to work, especially if you have a child with SENDs,you may also find helpful their web pages of advice, suchas Getting Into Work.Thanks to Working Families, we were recently able to host a ‘Legal Empowerment’information session at Wandsworth Town Hall. The presentation, by Jonathan Hearn,an employment law specialist at law firm DLA Piper, successfully kept our membersglued to their seats for three hours! Full slides from the session can be seen on ourwebsite and if there is interest in a repeat workshop in 2018, Jonathan has offered toreturn for a refresher for those who missed the first session or would like to let evenmore sink in.

Meanwhile, here are some of the things that Jonathan touched on:

1 The right to request flexible working• This might include job sharing, working from home, working part time or flexitime

• Anyone can request flexible working who has 26 weeks’ continuous employmentwith an employer

• You could make a ‘statutory application’ using your employer’s application form(found on their staff intranet, or there is a generic flexible working request formavailable via the Gov.uk website). But bear in mind that you cannot make anotherrequest within 12 months.

• Or you might make an informal request, perhaps to trial a form of flexible workingto see if it works for you and your boss or to help you out during a short spell ofneed, such as settling a child into a new school during the autumn term. Theadvantage of making an informal request is that you can change it as and when itsuits you and your role.

2 The right to time off for family emergencies• This allows for a reasonable amount of time off to deal with an unexpected

problem or emergency, such as: your child or someone close to you gets ill or isinjured; care arrangements suddenly break down; you need to deal with anunexpected incident involving your child at school

• It is generally only for a day or so, until the emergency is over or temporarymeasures put in place

• It is unpaid leave, unless youremployment contract statesotherwise (some large organisationsoffer an element of paid carer leaveas an employee benefit)

3 The right to parental leave• This allows you to apply for up to 18

weeks of unpaid leave for each childunder 18 years. It can be useful, forexample, if you know your child willrequire an operation and period ofrecovery at home.

• You can take parental leave if youhave worked for your employer forone year and have parentalresponsibility for a child. You need togive at least 21 days notice, ideally inwriting and your employer is under aduty to not unreasonably postpone arequested period of leave.

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4 Making a success of your request

Since employment law is a complex and somewhat grey area, you may find it usefulto get the help of a trade union representative, or a sympathetic HR professional. Orresearch your options via the Working Families fact sheets or by talking to someoneon their helpline, before making a request.

In some cases, you may be able to point to discrimination law, for example arounddisability rights at work or sex discrimination, but again, it is worth researching theseavenues thoroughly rather than confronting an employer without a carefully thoughtthrough case.

Try an informal approach first

Jonathan Hearn emphasised that while these rights exist, by no means all employerswill know the law in detail. This, combined with the fact that the legislation is notpoliced, as is criminal law, means that it will be most likely down to you to be wellinformed and to make a realistic and convincing request. On the other hand, this lackof knowledge can work to your advantage if you make a reasonable and wellinformed case as it will be harder for them to say no.  For example, asking forreasonable adjustments to your working hours due to a child being disabled, butsaying you  “ are happy to discuss an informal arrangement’ may get you further thanmaking a formal request which could be refused.  (Note that at present the lawon ‘reasonable adjustments’ applies only to disabled employees, not to someone theemployee cares for).   An employer concerned about their ‘reputation risk’ mayaccommodate you rather than risk looking bad for their treatment towards a disabledperson, particularly if they are a large employer with a well publicised diversity or equalopportunities policy.

Looking to return to work?

If you are looking for work, then consider either large companies where flexibleworking may already be well established and there are openings for part time orflexible working hours, or consider small, family run businesses who may value a parttimer with the right skills, especially if the owner is sympathetic to your caring role(perhaps from personal experience themselves). To avoid bad feeling, he advisedagainst accepting a full time role and then immediately asking to change your hours.Better to tread carefully and establish your role and how valuable you are, beforestarting negotiations to change hours!

For further help, take a look at the Working Families website or call their helpline:www.workingfamilies.org.uk Tel: 0300 012 0312

You are also welcome to call Lucia Daniels here at Wandsworth DCR for an initialdiscussion about your options or to obtain a copy of our ‘Help Getting into Work Toolkit’

Are you strugglingwith your mentalhealth and findingit difficult to copesometimes? Why not visit Wandsworth’s newRecovery Café, where you’ll find:

• Group activities

• One-to-one support

• Chill out space

• Advice, information and signposting

• Hot meals and drinks for a smallcharge

• Drop in from local mental healthteams.

South West London and St George’sMental Health Trust have opened aRecovery Cafe in Garratt Lane,Tooting. This offers a safe, inclusiveand welcoming space for people whoare struggling to cope with theirmental health during times whenthere is no other help at hand or otherservices maybe closed.

Who is the Café for? People over 18 living in Wandsworthwho are experiencing difficulties withtheir mental health and feel unable tocope.

This includes if people are anxious orworried but don’t have supportnetworks available to them.

The Café is open at the following times:

6pm - 11pm, Monday to Friday

12 noon to 11pm on a Saturday,Sunday and every bank holiday

Tooting Recovery Café 966 Garratt Lane, SW17 0ND

Further details from:www.recoverycafe@hestia.org

WAND+ ZONE

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DisabilityRightsInto Apprenticeships 2017 guideInto Apprenticeships 2017 is a helpful guide producedby Disability Rights. It isfor disabled people,parents and key advisersabout applying forapprenticeships. Itcovers commonquestions such as howto find anapprenticeship, whetherthe training will beaccessible and whatsupport is available inthe workplace. Thereare several inspiringstories written bydisabled apprenticesabout their own experiences and the challenges theyhave faced. The guide also contains a useful resourcessection listing further websites, publications andorganisations which can help.

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/intoapprenticeships

RADAR NKS keyDisability Rights also sell the RADARNKS key (price £4.50) offeringdisabled people independentaccess to locked public toiletsaround the country and in shoppingcentres, bus and train stations andother locations.

You can order the RADAR key ordownload the guide from DisabilityRights or buy a hard copy online from them.

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/radar-key

Save the date!Get Set Go 3! Coming to the Civic Suite,Wandsworth Town Hall on Wednesday28 February 2018 10am to 2pmIf you are 14 to 25 years old, or the parent or carer of a 14- 25year old this is the event for you!

Get set GO 3! Next steps into Adulthood for young people,aged 14-25 with special needs and disabilities (SEND). This freeevent jointly organised by Wandsworth Council and SouthThames College, with funding from Wandsworth AmbitionsCareers Cluster is for young people, 14-25 with SEND, theirparents/carers and other service providers, and professionals.

With more stands, workshops and presentations than lastyear’s excellent event, it will demonstrate the various routesyoung people can take into education, employment or trainingand independence.

Schools will be bringing groups of students aged from 14 to 19.Young people 20+, parents, carers and professionals are allwelcome to join us for this exciting event. More information onthe Local Offer website www.goo.gl/UL7NGn

Designed and produced by the Corporate Communications Unit, Wandsworth Council. CS.851 (10.17)