Directory

Access tools

Set Text size

A

|

A

|

A

Set Contrast

A

|

A

|

A

Text only
Translation
Listen

News

NEW GUIDE HELPS PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

A new ground breaking Parent-to-Parent guide offering practical help and information on special needs has been developed in Poole.

Designed for professionals working with families whose children have special needs, each pack includes clear information on areas ranging from hearing impairment to sickle cell disorder.

Each area of special needs includes two information sheets - one written by a professional, giving user friendly information and one by a parent, offering a personal account and advice for other parents.

Alexis Walmsley from Basingstoke, whose son Simon aged 13 has a hearing impairment, contributed to the guide. She said: "One of the hardest things for me to accept, as a mother of a profoundly deaf child, is that I've never heard my son's voice and I've never heard him say 'Mummy'. The most wonderful thing of all would be to hear him say 'I love you Mummy' or even to have him yell at me! As a family, we all regularly have unbelievably vivid dreams where Simon speaks - so clearly and realistically that it hurts to wake and discover the truth."

Produced in partnership by Positive Parenting Publications, a registered
charity based in Gosport, the Borough of Poole and The Shaftesbury Society, the packs also deals with issues that affect all families, such as bereavement and teenage depression. Designed to be photocopied easily, each pack also contains sections written by young adults with special needs, giving their perspective as well as lists of helpful organisations.

Most of the professional sheets were written by staff from the Borough of Poole’s Pupil & Parent Support Service.

Glenys Fox, Principal Educational Psychologist, Borough of Poole, said: "Each of these packs provides clear information which will give vital help, not only to those working with the parents of children with special needs but also directly to the families involved. By asking parents for their experience, lessons learnt the hard way can be passed on to others in the same situation. There is a great deal of information and advice for parents - and this is one way of making sure it gets to those who need it."

Eileen Jones, Executive Director, Positive Parenting, said: "The Parent-to-Parent guide on special needs supports professionals in their vital early relationship with parents by providing empathetic clear information at a vulnerable time."

John Honeybourne, Director of Education for The Shaftesbury Society, said: "Shaftesbury is delighted to have been able to work with the Borough of Poole on the production of this material to help parents. This partnership shows the strength of joint working arrangements between the voluntary sector and local authorities."

Anyone who would like more information or advice on the help available for parents caring for children with special needs should contact The Shaftesbury Society on 020 8239 5555. Parents in Poole who would like more information can contact the Childrens’ Information Service on tel: (01202) 261999. For copies of the pack contact, Eileen Jones or Vivienne Catlin, Positive Parenting on tel: 023 92 528787.

Editor’s Notes:
Attached are examples of the information sheets available on hearing impairment and asthma.

The launch will be followed by a training session for professionals on what
it is like to be a parent of a special needs child and how the new resource
can help them in their work.

The Shaftesbury Society is a national charity which provides a range of care and education services for people with disabilities, including special schools and colleges, as well as people on low incomes and the homeless.

Glenys Fox, Principal Educational Psychologist, tel: (01202) 262253