Kidz to Adultz Magazine March 2020

kidz

to

ADULTZ

MAGAZINE

ISSUE 6 / MARCH 2020

IN THIS ISSUE...

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SALT GRANT APPLICATIONS MADE EASY

Win! Win an Accessible Family Holiday to

Lapland!

SWIMMING – THE HALLIWICK CONCEPT WIMPY KID TO PILOT SPECIALISED SEATING

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Welcome!

WELCOME TO OUR LATEST ISSUE

A

s I write my welcome to our first edition of 2020, I am delighted to let you know we are expanding the team here at Kidz to Adultz HQ. Our new recruits have some fabulous ideas for the development of the Kidz to Adultz exhibitions and the magazine.

We plan to bring you some excellent content this year and will kick off this issue with a fabulous competition, some may consider as a holiday of a lifetime - a trip to Swedish Lapland for four people including flights. We hear from Harvey who shares with us his inspirational journey about how one pivotal moment at school totally transformed his life. We also hear from Martina Tierney, an Occupational Therapist who regularly presents at the Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions. Read on to find out her advice on the effectiveness of specialised seating for your children! This is just the tip of the iceberg, we have so much more to share with you.

The team will be delighted to hear from you, we value your feedback and any suggestions you may have for future editions of the Kidz to Adultz magazine.

CONTENTS...

Rail travel – discounts for parents and carers...............6 Unintentional gaslighting and sensory perceptions. 10 Health benefits of salt...... 12 Creating better opportunities..................... 14 Grant applications made easy .................................... 16 Supported internships..... 20 From wimpy kid to pilot .. 22 Specialised seating........... 24 Swimming – the Halliwick concept .............................. 28 Managing bladder and bowel issues...................... 30

Carmel Hourigan Editor & Manager Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions Disabled Living #kidztoadultz

FANCY BEING IN THE NEXT ISSUE?

If you would like to talk to us about promoting your company or organisation in the next issue of Kidz to Adultz magazine, call us on 0161 214 5959 or email us at magazine@disabledliving.co.uk Disabled Living, Burrows House, 10 Priestley Road, Wardley Industrial Estate, Worsley, Manchester, M28 2LY

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don’t know

US YET?

THIS IS WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO….

DISABLED LIVING

A charity which provides impartial information and advice about products, equipment (assistive technology) and services for disabled children, adults, older people, carers and the professionals who support them. We have a range of services which you can access via our helpline, through the website or at our Kidz to Adultz exhibitions. www.disabledliving.co.uk

EQUIPZ

The team comprises occupational therapists, trusted assessors, moving and handling specialists, physiotherapists, nurses and continence specialists.

We respond to enquiries via our helpline and website. Some people opt to visit the Disabled Living Centre based in Manchester for a free equipment assessment.

Helpline: 0161 607 8200

BLADDER & BOWEL UK

The team provide information and advice for children, young people and adults with Bladder & Bowel problems. We provide a confidential helpline managed by a team of specialist nurses and knowledgeable information staff.

In addition, the website offers a wide range of downloadable free resources.

Helpline: 0161 607 8219 www.bbuk.org.uk

KIDZ TO ADULTZ EXHIBITIONS

We organise the largest FREE UK exhibitions totally dedicated to disabled children, young adults, their families, carers and the professionals who support them, with over 100 exhibitors at each event. We currently deliver deliver 5 events nationally in Coventry, Farnborough, Newport, Edinburgh and Manchester. www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk

TRAINING

We run a comprehensive training programme for professionals and carers.

Most of our courses are accredited by Open Awards and others provide CPD opportunities. Our training courses can be ‘tailor made’ to suit your organisations requirements and can be delivered throughout the UK. www.disabledliving.co.uk/training

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Celebrating 40 years

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Call us today on

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THE DISABLED PERSON’S RAIL CARD –

discounts FOR PARENTS AND CARERS

WHILE RAIL TRAVEL FOR MANY DISABLED PEOPLE IS PROBLEMATIC, THE ACCESS FACTORS FACING ADULTS WITH A DISABLED CHILD RISE SIGNIFICANTLY 6

S

tephen Brookes MBE, Rail Sector Champion for the Minister for Disabled People provides us with some very useful information.

I was asked my views recently on the prominence and promotion of the fact that 5 to 15-year olds who are eligible can have an application made for a Disabled Persons Railcard.

My response has to be that it is absolutely clear that the benefit to parents and carers of disabled children would be to have travel costs substantially reduced.

One local charity in Blackpool which gives free holidays to severely disabled or terminally ill children and their families, were unaware of the existence of the card and they will now be promoting it in their information pack sent to prospective visiting families. The Chair of Trustees said it will make a very big difference to some families who come to their venue.

The Disabled Persons Rail Card webpage does not, in my view, clearly promote the eligibility and availability of the card, and its importance is somewhat buried in the FAQ’s.

In fact, one group who work as a consultative body for the Department of Transport said in an email to me that they were ‘pretty astonished that the info on YDPRC was not just buried but hidden!’

To view the eligibility criteria go to the link at the end of this article and select – I’m a child and I have a disability. Am I eligible for a disabled person’s railcard? The answer is (as I stated in my opening) yes – 5 to 15 year olds who are eligible can apply for the Disabled Persons Railcard.

While the Railcard doesn’t offer discounts on child’s fares (which are already discounted) it will allow one person travelling with the card holder to get 1/3rd off most rail fares. Mind you, many disabled 5 year olds won’t be too good at applying so the availability needs to be part of a wider promotion of this information.

I know it is being reviewed by various groups in the rail industry, and certainly I will be pressing for

clarity of the criteria involved in its use.

But this is just one of many aspects of rail travel which are daunting for adults or carers on disabled journeys who are either brave, or well informed enough to tackle the mysteries and barriers of travelling by train.

We hear regularly in the mainstream and social media, of problems faced by wheelchair users, deaf and hard of hearing, sight impaired or blind people and the many who have hidden disabilities, but these are flagged up by adults who cannot access spaces or seats and say they get inappropriate support or assistance.

However, for parents and carers of disabled children, the matter frequently becomes even more complex as instances of disabled children using rail is not apparently a widespread acknowledged or even recognised fact. My local major station only recorded four instances of specific assistance needs for disabled children and parents brought to their attention in the last three months, compared to the many disabled adults who use the station.

That then brings the next question as to why there seems to

be a smaller number of disabled accompanied children using rail. Is it because of fear of confrontation and hostility with other passengers, or a perception that staff won’t care as much?

Well, the latter is not the case as the wider aspects of training and inclusion of staff covers all matters of access and support and pre-booked travel assistance does make a real difference to rail journeys.

As I pointed out, most children get fare reductions but the main gain here is that the person accompanying them will benefit from the current 30% discount.

So I hope that this information, that the Disabled Person’s Railcard is applicable for use by disabled children and their parent or carer, which came as a bit of a surprise to me, will be picked up by, and heavily promoted by disability related groups and organisations who actively support the needs and activities of disabled children.

For more information visit: https:// www.disabledpersons-railcard. co.uk/help/faqs/eligibility/

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n!

Wi

WIN AN ACCESSIBLE

FAMILY HOLIDAY TO

T

he Friendly Moose, in the heart of beautiful Swedish Lapland, is making it possible for people with disabilities to experience the Northern Lights, husky sled rides, moose and reindeer encounters, winter scenery and nature and many other amazing experiences!

Lovely adapted accommodation, transfers and transport are provided, along with excellent guiding and assistance. The small-group awayfrom-the-crowds feel and the easily adapted schedule make this the perfect holiday choice, whatever your additional needs may be.

We are delighted to be teaming up with the nice people at www. disabledholidays.com, the UK’s largest accessible travel agent who specialise in accessible accommodation and holidays for travellers with disabilities and limited mobility, to give you the chance to Win a 3 Night Break for 4 people at The Friendly Moose.

THE PRIZE INCLUDES: • Northern Lights spotting opportunities and guided winter walks • Snowmobile and pulka experience • Snow Fun, sledging and snowtubing

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Lapland!

• Time to rest and relax and take in the beautiful winter scenery and fresh air or enjoy a hot chocolate in front of the wood burner • 3 nights self-catering accessible accommodation in a fully equipped and accessible 2-bedroom apartment • £300 towards flight costs • Airport Transfers and Transport throughout your stay • Friendly and welcoming hosts and guides PLUS...

• Opportunities to purchase additional experiences such as husky sled rides, moose farm visit, traditional craft workshop, reindeer experience etc.

• Your stay can also be extended if wished For further information on the Friendly Moose accommodation, facilities, activities and local area, please visit www.thefriendlymooselapland.com To enter this fabulous competition and win a magical trip to Lapland visit www.disabledholidays.com and complete the competition entry form.

www.disabledholidays.com offers a wide range of accommodation, including properties with wheelchair access and wet room showers, and are also able to offer a variety of mobility equipment for hire, where this is not included as standard, to help make taking an accessible holiday possible.

Their team of accessible travel experts are all highly trained and come with a wealth of experience both in the travel and care industries which means all your holiday needs are well taken care of.

Holiday types include: Lapland, Ski, Cruise holidays including UK departures, Overseas including Europe and long haul, UK breaks ranging from cottage & lodge to 5star hotel and pet friendly properties.

Terms & Conditions: Holiday dates will be confirmed once flight schedules have been published, but the break is to be taken between 10th January and 31st March 2021. Limited to 1 entry per person over the age of 18. Winners advised to take out their own travel insurance. Entries to be received by midday on 30th June 2020 and the lucky winners will be notified by email shortly after. Total Prize Value approx. £2,000.

The prize is non-transferable.

“I have always found Smirthwaite to be caring. They care about the needs of my clients, they listen to what I need and they care about providing the child with the very best solution” Claire, Occupational Therapist South West

At Smirthwaite, we help support the lives of children with special needs with a range of beautifully designed furniture and equipment.

To find out more visit smirthwaite.co.uk or call us on 01626 835552

Supporting children and their families for life

Our People, Your Team

Why Choose Lanyon Bowdler for Medical Negligence Claims?

Our specialist team will provide you with a comprehensive and personal service • We understand all the practical and emotional difficulties involved in suffering a medical injury • We have a national reputation for achieving successful outcomes for clients with difficult and complex cases including birth injury and cerebral palsy claims • Locally based with offices in North Wales, Herefordshire & throughout Shropshire

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My family and I felt supported and cared Mrs C B, Hereford for during a very distressing time Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors are accredited by the following organisations...

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Unintentional

Gaslighting

AND SENSORY PERCEPTIONS

BY JOELY WILLIAMS WHAT IS NORMAL? GROWING UP AS AN AUTISTIC AND CHRONICALLY ILL WOMAN, I AM STILL HAUNTED BY MY ATTEMPTS AT ANSWERING THIS QUESTION. I’M STILL TRYING TO LEARN WHICH PARTS OF MY AUTISTIC EXPERIENCE ARE SHARED WITH OTHERS, AND WHICH OF MY PERCEPTIONS, HAD ME UNINTENTIONALLY GASLIGHTED, BULLIED OR TOLD OFF

I

t took years for me to finally understand that, to most other people, sensory issues were ‘not real’. I remember one time at school, my class had to make a list of problems we had. I got a big shock; I realised then, that other people don’t experience sensory pain, like I do. My list was triple the size of my classmates, as I had listed all my problematic sensory experiences.

No one wrote about the excruciating sound of the blinds flapping in the breeze. The mindbending scratch of pens, the

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stomach-churning creak of chairs.

The nauseating tremble of words on paper, the migraine infusing scent of disinfectant, sweat or perfumes, the hot, bright, lights blinding their eyes.

The labels in their clothes burning their skin.

Nobody.

No one else felt these things were a reality, let alone a problem.

They thought I was joking, simply attention seeking; they labelled me the class clown because they thought I couldn’t possibly be serious, about the ‘ridiculous’ and ‘not real’ sensory

problems I had claimed to face.

It blew my mind that other people’s skin did not burn. How could we perceive the world so differently? It fascinated me. People don’t understand these sensory differences though. They told me off, saying I’m rude, inconsiderate, careless, selfish, and otherwise making me feel awful for my lived experiences that they believed to be non-existent.

Friends told me it can’t be possible to hear electricity, or for these sensory problems to be real,

let alone a problem. Additionally, teachers forced me to make eye contact - not understanding that I deliberately don’t make eye contact to help me focus and understand what is being said and to prevent sensory overloads.

That’s the true horror of unintentional gaslighting – which, by its definition, is to ‘manipulate someone using unintentional psychological means, into doubting their own lived reality, lived experiences, sanity or self.’

The horror, is that unintentional gaslighting is something that all autistic people have experienced at some point in their lives, often from family, friends and professionals, who genuinely have no idea they are potentially emotionally abusing and would never dream of harming-yet they accidently are.

I was unintentionally gaslighted by people believing they were helping me - I wasn’t allowed to helpfully stim to control the negative sensory input, with safe sensory output to prevent future overloads / shutdowns or meltdowns – because they didn’t understand how helpful stimming is.

The term ‘stimming’ is short for self-stimulatory behaviour.

Stimming usually refers to specific and repetitive behaviours that may include hand-flapping, rocking, spinning, hair curling, nail biting or repetition of words and phrases.

Stimming helps to control negative sensory and information input with a safe, repetitive sensory output that drowns out the offending and unhelpful sensory inputs. Stimming can improve focus, keep meltdowns and shutdowns at bay and can also ease physical pain and internal anxiety as well as expressing frustration or joy.

I was not allowed to communicate in the helpful way I best knew how, or have sensory rest or time out, because my exhaustion and shutdowns of capabilities were deemed as ‘fake’ or ‘not real’. I was forced to shake hands and hug people as if my lack of consent to touch or be touched, meant nothing – because I was gaslighted into

believing I had to ‘try harder / not be rude and inconsiderate because they believed that those sensory issues are not real.

I was gaslighted and taught that I was wrong for doing or feeling these things and worse of all, that the reasons I desperately needed to do (or not do) these things, were not real, or were easily overcome. Unintentional gaslighting brainwashed me into believing society’s worse misconceptions of

The neurotypical mask I was forced to hide behind, due to unintentional gaslighting, is unforgiving and drained my capabilities with endless shutdowns me and my autism – I believed that I was wrong, simply for being myself.

That’s the problem; autism is a beautiful disability that has many hidden depths and quirks and is so misunderstood - and unintentional gaslighting is rooted from these misunderstandings of autism.

It all became things that people would gaslight me for, because they could not understand a lived reality so different to their own – so it couldn’t be real / that bad (and they say our ‘Theory of Mind’ is poor!).

Unintentional gaslighting, diminishes your sense of self and you end up hiding behind a mask, pretending to be what they believe you should be – never allowed to be yourself.

The neurotypical mask I was forced to hide behind, due to unintentional gaslighting, is unforgiving and drained my capabilities with endless shutdowns. Shutdowns mean that I would suddenly be in agonising pain and unable to walk, talk or make

basic connections, like establish (mentally) if I could feel rain on my skin. Shutdowns would last for hours, days or weeks, depending on me being able to rest in sensory friendly surroundings, be able to stim, and be myself to recuperate my lost abilities.

Imagine then, being gaslighted and not allowed to recover because people believe the shutdown can’t be physically possible?

The mask of ‘normalcy’ I hid behind, was painful and emotionally depressing, and it took many years before I was able to take the mask off again, and feel truly accepting of myself, as an autistic woman.

I finally realised that it’s not me who should change, but my unjustified society, my inaccessible environment and people misconceptions of me. I was never in the wrong- societies misunderstanding of me, was wrong.

My AspergerWorld and my sensory pain is as real, as anyone else’s lived reality, and just because sensory perception is so diverse, does not mean it isn’t real. After years of gaslighting trying to make me change myself, I now see my autism disability as a fascinating and complicated gift. Thanks to my autism I am honest, trustworthy, loyal, justice seeking and passionate and I wouldn’t change my Autism for the world. I love my AspergerWorld, after all.

MORE ABOUT JOELY Joely Williams is a passionate Autism Activist, Motivational Speaker, and Author of “AspergerWorld: My Fairy Jam Jar” book. Her book is endorsed

by Professor Simon BarenCohen, a world leader in Autism research and Lorraine Petersen OBE, an educational consultant and trustee of Ambitious about Autism.

For more information, visit www.aspergerworld.co.uk

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Health benefits YOU WON’T NEED TO TAKE WITH A

PINCH OF SALT

SALT THERAPY IS A FORM OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE WHICH CAN OFFER SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF CONDITIONS

S

alt Therapy, often referred to as Halotherapy, is an effective drug free and natural alternative remedy for a variety of conditions proving to be especially powerful for respiratory and skin conditions. This relatively unknown therapy is available throughout the UK from numerous practitioners.

Zoe Ness, Managing Director, from the Halo Salt Centre in the West Midlands explains a little more about the people who may benefit. “We have received extremely positive feedback from our clients who have experienced major improvements to their conditions, such as Asthma, COPD, Hay Fever, Eczema, Sinusitis, Coughs or Cystic Fibrosis.”

Salt therapy involves fine negatively charged salt being pumped into a room, which is anti-bacterial to fight infection and anti-inflammatory to open the airways. Therapy sessions primarily take place in relaxing, soothing surroundings. At Zoe’s centre, lights are dimmed, relaxing music is played, and sessions last for an hour. Clients regularly report their breathing is easier, they sleep better and symptoms eased. Zoe and her team have been treating people since 2016 and pride themselves on helping customers to feel better, look better and ultimately get better.

For more information www.halosalt.co.uk

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My 4-year-old daughter has been attending salt therapy on and off for nearly 3 years. Calla has many medical conditions, and these have caused her to have numerous chest infections/pneumonia resulting in her being dependent on oxygen 24hrs a day.

We found out about the Salt Centre and decided to try it. After about 6 sessions we noticed it began to help Calla’s breathing and chest infections reduced. We did, however, miss one winter of not coming to the Centre and this resulted in Calla being extremely poorly with her chest and her lungs were not very good.

Since that episode of illness, we now attend Halo Salt Centre twice a week and I am happy to say that Calla has been off her oxygen since March 2019 and has full lung capacity. We have also not had a chest infection or been to hospital for 9 months!

Salt therapy is amazing, it has given Calla her life back. She can now crawl around without getting short of breath.

Calla’s mum

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BUCKING THE TREND

and creating

BETTER OPPORTUNITIES

ACCORDING TO ST VINCENT’S SCHOOL FOR SENSORY IMPAIRMENT IN LIVERPOOL, OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED (VI) YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEIR STRENGTHS INTO ADULTHOOD AND EMPLOYMENT ARE NOT ENCOURAGING. THE SCHOOL BELIEVES THAT, WITH UNEMPLOYMENT FOR VI NOT FALLING MUCH BELOW 85% OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS, SOMETHING IS CLEARLY NOT WORKING

H

owever, a curriculum at the school that is described as ‘creative and enriched’ is aiming to challenge this statistic by investing in the strengths of VI young people; celebrating those strengths and highlighting their employability.

Dr John A Patterson, Principal of St Vincent’s explained more about the work of the school and how creativity is implemented. “Wednesdays at St. Vincent’s are used to develop individual teaching and learning opportunities in support of the National Curriculum while simultaneously providing wider opportunities, experiences and alternative qualifications such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award.”

“This means” Dr Patterson added, “encouraging and nurturing those strengths and skills demonstrated by pupils in key creative areas such as music, art, dance and movement, drama, sports, ICT and environmental projects and attaching those strengths into leadership

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It’s showtime!

SAVE THE DATES FOR OUR FUTURE EVENTS...

MIDDLE Wednesday 4th March 2020 Ricoh Arena, Coventry NEW DAY, NEW DATE!

SOUTH

Thursday 7th May 2020 Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, Farnborough

You can find out more about St Vincent’s at www.stvin.com

WALES & WEST

Thursday 2nd July 2020

The International Conference Centre (ICC), Newport NEW VENUE! �WE’RE MOVING!�

SCOTLAND Thursday 10th September 2020 Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

NORTH Thursday 12th November 2020 EventCity, Manchester

kidz ADULTZ

to

roles where St Vincent’s pupils lead their sighted peers as the trainers of the trainers.”

According to Dr Patterson, this has been successful.

Examples include St Vincent’s pupils teaching others their ceramic making skills and presenting their work at the Palace of Westminster, teaching others how to make comics and sharing those skills with university teacher training students, teaching sports specialists ‘boccia’ and ‘goalball’ or indeed ‘free running’.

“It doesn’t end here however” he explained. “The focus on strengths connects with a flourishing of selfbelief and confidence which is then channelled into entrepreneurial learning and STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths). Here, pupils are encouraged to design new ideas to support their learning which are then included in the international Sightbox.”

The Sightbox is a ‘toolbox’ for the visually impaired enabling access to sports and education. Sightboxes funded by Rotary Clubs internationally have been sent to VI schools in 18 Countries including Pakistan, India, Rwanda, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Indonesia, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Virgin Islands, Peru, Tanzania.

So, what is the impact?

“Apart from the increased confidence and employable skills” Dr Patterson says, “the creative ‘reverse inclusion’ curriculum has facilitated wider opportunities for our pupils such as playing for the British VI Football squad and recognition awards for individuals and groups including from the RNIB, the British Horticultural Society and the ‘I Believe’ Awards ‘Shackleton Crew’.”

EVENTS

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CHARITY GRANT APPLICATIONS

D

made easy

ave King, Head of Programmes at Variety, the children’s charity offers some practical suggestions to consider before applying for any charitable funding Caring for a disabled child is expensive. Scope’s latest research published last year, found that families with a disabled child face, on average, extra costs of £581 per month compared to a family without a disabled child1. For almost a quarter of these families it’s over £1000 a month. It’s the reason why 84% of families raising a disabled child are in debt compared with only 47% of households in general2.

When you need that bit more and don’t have it, instead of going without or falling deeper into debt, turning to a charity for help might be the right solution for you. But where do you start, especially if you’ve never looked to a charity before?

First off we have to deal with the ‘charity’ word. For many, the idea of going to a charity for help makes them wince and it’s not uncommon for those of us working in the sector to hear ‘I never thought I’d have to use a charity’. When you consider 1 in 10 UK households receive ongoing support or care from a charity, it’s really not that uncommon3. Charities are here to help, and you won’t be made to feel like an imposition.

CHECK IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE Charities will only grant funding if it isn’t available through statutory routes, so you’ll usually need to

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exhaust that option first. Every charity has their own criteria about who they help and what they fund so it’s rare to find a one stop shop for holidays, specialist equipment, household goods, computers and more. You may need to apply to different charities for different things; some provide funding only for children with specific conditions, others are restricted by age or geography and most commonly, they will only fund specific things.

Check out online grant giving directories that can help you find the right charity for your needs and

don’t waste your time applying if you aren’t eligible. If you’re not sure, just call up and ask. Don’t worry about being nuisance and being viewed as ‘difficult’; charities would much rather answer your questions rather than waste yours (or their) time later.

BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED AND WHY Charities can’t help unless you can tell them exactly what you need.

‘How long have you got?’ and ‘I don’t know where to start’ might seem like obvious answers but you will need to identify exactly what you want to

CALLING ALL BUDDING ACTORS!

T

he BBC are looking to recruit a young male person with a disability to play the part of Kyle in The Dumping Ground. Could this be you?

THE DUMPING GROUND 9” NEW REGULAR ROLE ‘KYLE’ Looking for a brilliant actor who has a disability (physical or cognitive) aged between 9 – 18 years old to be a New Regular in ‘The Dumping Ground’.

He should have an interest in acting (no previous professional experience needed) and he will be expected to

learn lines and speak confidently.

Character Note: While others may look down upon him for what he’s been through, he won’t be easily led or manipulated and won’t hesitate to barb back if he feels the situation requires it. He’s streetwise and knows his own mind & has a great sense of humour. Tough but fair and kind and loyal to his friends, Kyle makes an impact with all who meet him.

HE CAN BE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE UK BUT MUST BE AVAILABLE TO FILM IN NEWCASTLE FROM 1ST

JUNE – 13TH NOVEMBER 2020 (THERE WILL BE A 3 WEEK BREAK FROM 3RD – 21ST AUGUST 2020).

When applying, please include the following and e-mail sueneedlemanassistant@gmail.com • Your date of birth & where you live • A recent picture & a few lines about yourself • Your parent’s/guardian’s contact details • Tel no & e-mail in case we need to contact you

www.affinitydesign.eu Wheelchair accessible holiday villa in Spain Affinity Design established in 2008, is developing accessible holiday villas for disabled people, in particular those with high dependency needs. We are pleased to introduce the first of what we hope will be an extensive portfolio of similar properties.

This project has been designed and developed by a disabled person conscious of the need for quality holiday accommodation with a high level of equipment provision, including electrical ceiling and mobile hoists and a private swimming pool also with a hoist.

Equally important, the area surrounding the location of this villa is beautifully flat which any wheelchair user will more than welcome!!!

Tel: +44 7914 803 586

Email: info@affinitydesign.eu

Web: affinitydesign.eu

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to write such letters. Depending on their availability it can take a while to get the letter you need so don’t wait until you’ve filled the form out to get it; make contact early on.

FILL OUT EVERYTHING ON THE FORM

apply for. If it’s specialist equipment you need, talk to your child’s OT or GP so you have a clear idea of exactly what will be best for your child.

Some charities let you choose the equipment yourself from the supplier you want, others provide vouchers, and some will supply you with set equipment from their own suppliers.

Make sure you check this before you apply to avoid frustration later.

You’ll need to be clear on your application form as to the impact that the equipment will have.

What’s obvious to you won’t be to the charity’s decision makers as they don’t know your family. Spell out clearly how the equipment will improve your child’s quality of life or care, their independence or mobility, or their physical, social and emotional development. Again, your OT should be able to help with this.

It may sound obvious, but applications are most often delayed because there is information missing from the application form. Most charities will ask you to declare your income and financial status and you may have to provide evidence in the form of benefit letters or bank statements. While it may feel uncomfortable, if it is asked for then you will need to provide it at some point. Charities are bound by the same data protection legislation as other companies so they can’t disclose that information to anyone outside the charity without your permission. You may also need to

and it’s quite common for them to fund something jointly. Keep a copy of each application so you have the information to hand next time you need it to apply somewhere else.

Some larger charities have a fast track scheme and others may be able to lend you equipment until your funding is in place. It’s worth asking about these when you apply.

There are usually several grantgiving charities at each Kidz to Adultz exhibition; look for the funding stars on the floorplan - come along, talk to the charity representatives and pick up an applications form.

Alternatively, check out the exhibitors list on the website and get in touch directly. Make the most of the Kidz to Adultz exhibitions!

And finally, remember that each charity is independent. If your application is turned down by one charity it may not be by another so keep trying. Good luck.

READ AND RE-READ THE GUIDANCE NOTES

Make sure you understand what you need to provide along with your application. Depending on who you are applying to, you might need to provide suppliers quotes for the equipment you want. It’s very common to have to provide a letter of support from a relevant healthcare professional too. This is usually the child’s OT, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist or paediatrician and you’ll probably find that they are used to being asked

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provide details of why statutory services won’t pay for what you are applying for.

THE WORLD’S YOUR OYSTER

Applying for a grant can be time consuming, there’s no getting around that, but you can apply to as many charities as you like at the same time. They’ll often work together

A few useful websites: www.variety.org.uk www.theboparancharitabletrust.com www.3hfund.org.uk www.familyfund.org.uk www.newlifecharity.co.uk 1 https://www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/extra-costs/ disability-price-tag/ 2 https://www.thinknpc.org/resource-hub/ordinary-lives/ 3 https://www.cafonline.org/docs/default-source/aboutus-publications/charity-street-3-report-web-final. pdf?sfvrsn=5fc48c40_4

Employing your own care and support Employing your own personal assistants gives children and their parents choice and control about how they’re supported. Our free, online toolkit can help you get started.

‘Employing personal assistants’ toolkit This toolkit has step by step advice to help you hire your own personal assistants. It’s available online or you can email marketing@skillsforcare.org.uk for a paper copy.

Individual employer funding There’s also funding to pay for training to help you hire your own personal assistants and to train them. Find out more at www.skillsforcare.org.uk/iefunding.

www.employingpersonalassistants.co.uk

19

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT STEP?

Supported Internships

– IT’S WORTH THINKING ABOUT

ALL YOUNG PEOPLE FACE CHALLENGES FINDING EMPLOYMENT BUT FOR THE 14% OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES FINDING A JOB IS EVEN MORE COMPLICATED. MANY FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES PROGRESSING FROM SCHOOL TO FURTHER LEARNING AND THE WORKPLACE 20

A

report by the Children’s Commissioner in 2018 stated that almost 100,000 children left school without substantive qualifications i.e. level 2 attainment and 45% of these were children with Special Educational Needs.

Attainment gaps between Special Educational Needs and non-SEN pupils by age 19 have risen from 26% in 2015 to 33% in 2018, making SEN students the worst affected.

Dave Timperley, Commissioning Manager, explains what is happening in Salford. A well-established partnership approach supporting young people in Salford with SEN or AN was established in 2012. Salford City Council, Eccles Sixth Form College, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, The University of Salford and Pure Innovations, have since worked collaboratively to provide a wide range of supported placements for young people aged 16-24 with an EHCP. The journey into work allows a young person to follow a linear pathway from further education with full support from college and dedicated employment coaches provided by Pure Innovations, to aid the sometimes-difficult transition into employment.

During this time, the successful partnership has enabled around 56 young people to complete the internship with 38 moving into

The supported internship runs for one academic year and the participants attend 4 days per week. All parents want to see their children thrive and grow in confidence and with welfare benefits unaffected the young people have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking part!

Although Dave is highlighting the work in Salford, he suggests there will be local initiatives throughout the UK and to contact your local council.

Download the report: www.childrens commissioner.gov. uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/

paid work. The pre-employment element of the programme provides an accredited qualification to help young people develop the necessary confidence and skills required for employment. The young people also learn to develop resilience and tools to positively respond to challenges within the modern workplace.

They also learn about the benefits that work can bring; not only in creating monetary independence, but in making new friendships and learning new skills which will carry them forward in their future chosen careers.

It’s not only the interns that benefit from the programme. Employers have reported that their teams are enhanced by taking part in the programme. That’s because interns bring a fresh perspective and are eager to learn new skills. This has a positive effect on their teams.

University of Salford told us that learners have been a breath of fresh air bringing a unique set of skills to the workplace that has really opened their eyes to new possibilities. Similarly, Salford City Council Managers have reported learners have even challenged their way of doing things which has had a positive effect on employees and the organisation.

cco-briefing-children-leavingschool-with-nothing.pdf For further information Dave Timperley can be contacted by email david.timperley@salford.gov.uk

MEET ONE OF OUR INTERNS...

Michael was at college but desperately wanted a job.

As soon as he heard about the Supported Internship he enrolled and started in September 2018. Michael had difficulties reading and writing and a lack of confidence in his own abilities. The opportunity came up for him to have a short work experience placement in his college canteen which gave him a real taste for work.

Michael then completed his first long-term placement in the mail room at the University of Salford which involved him going out on the delivery van, delivering mail and other items around the university campus.

For his second placement Michael was working alongside the caretakers looking after the Maxwell Building at the University. Work tasks included putting up notice boards, classroom set ups/office moves and painting walls. Before the placement started Michael was keen and eager to work but was also concerned about meeting his teammates. He was worried whether he would fit in as Michael was previously quite isolated. A job coach attended the placement with Michael and stayed with him until he felt comfortable. Michael’s confidence soon began to grow!

Working with the estates team has given Michael an idea of the type of paid work he would like to go into when he finishes the Internship.

21

FROM WIMPY KID...

...to pilot!

HARVEY MATTHEWSON, AVIATION ACTIVITY OFFICER AT THE CHARITY AEROBILITY SHARES WITH US HIS AMAZING JOURNEY THAT SAW HIS CONFIDENCE LEVELS REACH NEW HEIGHTS

F

rom an early age I was encapsulated by the magic of flight. I was thrilled by the fact that, in a world which is so connected, Aviation seemed to be a magical world of its own and a world which captivated my imagination. I was fascinated with how this world was interconnected and to me, whose life from an early age seemed abnormal and a little chaotic, the

22

perfect order of this world seemed appealing. But of course, this was a world that I would never reach ‌ or was it.

The 3rd February 2014 started like any other school day, but little did I know that my decisions on that day would change my life forever.

Upon arrival I headed, as usual, to the specialist department who looked after me for a chat with my

peers before the dreaded school bell sounded. However, I never saw my peers that morning. I was instead taken to one side by the head of the unit who informed me of an exciting opportunity which she had received over email inviting her to nominate a student for a trip of a lifetime through The Journey of a Lifetime Trust and she had thought of me! This of course was an exciting

opportunity. At least it would have been for a teenager other than me.

I had a comfort zone and I was very comfortable staying within that zone, and it showed. At this point I was 16 years old and had nothing to show for it. I was painfully shy, still angry about my disability, I couldn’t stay away from home for any amount of time, I had a phobia of flying and needed to have therapy before going on holiday and medication for the flight, and I had real trouble facing the rest of my fears too. I hated the person I was and knew to break this terrible status quo it was essential that I went on this adventure.

Five months later, after a successful interview and training day, I was on an aircraft destined for Africa. My trip would take 30 days and I would be travelling from the heart of Africa to Mozambique and the Indian Ocean, with 28 people who I had only met once before. For the first few days I was in shock but was able to pull myself together in time to make new friends and face some of my biggest fears. I will never forget that month. It made me who I am today.

On my trip I attended a one to one meeting with one of the expedition leaders in which I promised that upon my return I would face my biggest fear and learn to fly a light aircraft. On the 27th of February 2016, two years after making that promise, I did that very thing and had a trial flight with a UK based disabled flying charity called Aerobility. The

charity has 26 years’ experience of providing flying lessons and experience flights for people with a wide range of disabilities. This was a great comfort to me as I didn’t know how I was going to react, the only thing I was sure about was that I was petrified. After some quick checks my instructor ensured that I was still ok to go flying. As we rattled down the runway, a few minutes later, the strangest thing happened … as soon as our wheels left the runway l fell head over heels in love. As our blue and white flying machine climbed away from the ground, I felt all my earthly problems get smaller and dissipate which gave me an incredible sense of freedom. For the first time in my life I was fulfilling my dreams and I felt equal to everybody else in the sky that day.

Since my first flight I have not let my excitement fade. On that date I was determined to gain my Private Pilot’s Licence and join the growing community of disabled Pilots. In order to gain your licence students are required to fly a route of more than 150 nautical miles, landing at two different aerodromes, on their own. It was soon my time to do my route opting for a flight from Blackbushe to Thruxton, Thruxton to Coventry, before then returning to Blackbushe. It was only whilst I was flying over Salisbury at 2500ft, on my own, in my little flying machine that I realised what an incredible journey I have had. I also realised that the biggest benefit hasn’t been

the flying. The biggest benefit has been to my confidence, my ability to now stay away from home without even thinking twice and my ability to now eat in front of anybody at any time. As I raced through blue skies on that day, I realised I owe my life to Aerobility. Without them I would never have the confidence that I enjoy today or know the people I see as my very best friends. I would never have had the opportunity to fly to France or into air shows and I wouldn’t have a reason to get up in the morning. Flying is not my life. Aerobility is and without them I would still be the wimpy kid I knew so well in school. With them I am Harvey and I gained my Private Pilot’s Licence in Summer 2019.

For more information about Aerobility www.aerobility.com

23

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF

specialised seating FOR CHILDREN

BY MARTINA TIERNEY - OT AND CLINICAL DIRECTOR AT SEATING MATTERS

I

n many cases children spend most of their time in a wheelchair to enable their mobility and encourage independence. Often these wheelchairs are designed primarily for mobility and posture with moulded seating. While this type of seating is essential for their current and long term needs, I believe there is also a role for more comfort seating which also provides postural support and pressure management to complement their use of the wheelchair.

This comfort seating should be designed to give the child an alternative to their wheelchair without compromising the therapeutic goals of seating. Often, when children want to get a break from their wheelchair they frequently sit or lie on a sofa or reclining type chair which is not providing appropriate support and negatively affecting their posture. This practice will reduce the effectiveness of their wheelchair by allowing the child to maintain an abnormal posture on the sofa.

It is often hard for an able-bodied person to understand what it feels like to be seated for long periods of time and how a child’s life is affected if they are not seated in the correct chair. This is because an able-bodied person is able to re-

24

adjust their position before getting uncomfortable.

Comfort in seating is my ultimate goal for my clients. If the child is positioned well and comfortable, their functional ability is increased.

They remain longer in their chair and participate more readily in daily activities. Play and activity are a major element in child development.

It stimulates their language and communication skills. Seating children in effective seating solutions will improve their physical, cognitive and sensory abilities by encouraging play.

GOALS OF SEATING • To improve functional ability e.g. feeding, drinking, writing etc.

• To support, improve or maintain physiological function e.g. swallowing, respiration, digestion, elimination • To maintain or improve psychological function e.g. effective communication, socialising, eye contact and self-image One of the main objectives of seating is to stabilise the pelvis and support the trunk. When the pelvis and trunk are supported

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SMART HEALTH MONITORING SMART SMARTHEALTH HEALTH WATCH MONITORING MONITORINGWATCH WATCH MEMORY PROMPT MEMORY MEMORY PROMPT PROMPT SMART SMARTHEALTH HEALTHMONITORING MONITORINGWATCH WATCH MEMORY MEMORYPROMPT PROMPT Create and set Create CreateFeatures and andset set include: GPSFeatures Featuresinclude: include:GPS GPS Create Create and and set set memory prompting memory memory prompting prompting Features Features include: include: GPS GPS location to quickly findlocation alocationtotoquickly quicklyfind finda a memory memory prompting prompting alarms using alarms alarmsusing using location location toperson toquickly quicklyfind finda a missing person missing missing person alarms alarms using photos with text, photos photosusing with withtext, text, missing missingperson person photos photos with withtext, text, photo slide photo photoslide slide Remote heart rate andRemote Remoteheart heartrate rateand and photo photo slide slide Remote Remote heart heartrate rateand and shows,videos or shows,videos shows,videos oror BP monitoring BP BP monitoring monitoring shows,videos shows,videos or or BP BPmonitoring monitoring audio recordings audio audiorecordings recordings audio audiorecordings recordings Daily activity tracking Daily Dailyactivity activitytracking tracking Easy music and Easy Easymusic music and and Daily Daily activity activity tracking tracking with and step with withstep stepcounting, counting, Easy Easymusic music andcounting, with touch video screen videoplayer player operation with withtouch touchscreen screen operation operation with with step step counting, counting, sedentary sedentarymonitoring monitoring video videoplayer playerwith withtouch touchscreen screenoperation operation monitoring sedentary sedentary sedentarymonitoring monitoring ry prompts Create Create with your memory memoryprompts promptswith withyour your Waterproof to IP67 Waterproof WaterprooftotoIP67 IP67 Create memory memory prompts prompts with with your your or use the Create Smartphone easy Smartphone touch screen ororuse use the theeasy easy touch touch screen screen Waterproof WaterprooftotoIP67 IP67 Smartphone Smartphone ororuse usethe theeasy easytouch touchscreen screen menu’s menu’s Fall detection sensor with Fall Fall SOS detection detection alert sensor sensorwith withSOS SOSalert alert menu’s menu’s Fall Falldetection detectionsensor sensorwith withSOS SOSalert alert e displaysChoice and Choice screen ofoftime time colour displays displaysand andscreen screencolour colour Choice Choiceofoftime timedisplays displaysand andscreen screencolour colour

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this allows the child to freely use their hands. Stability is essential for function and in encouraging development and play.

WHAT IS ‘GOOD SITTING’?

By approximately 8-10 months old, a typically developing infant demonstrates good sitting posture; • Weight is taken evenly through both hips (ischial tuberosity) • The spine is in midline • The head is balanced and aligned above the hips • The hands are free to interact with their environment When a child has developed this posture, they are able to reach for toys which are outside their midline and retrieve the toy to midline without falling over.

However, children with neurological impairment, altered muscle tone or orthopaedic conditions may have reduced ability to hold an upright position against gravity without assistance. This affects their functional ability and can lead to a deterioration in their posture if not dealt within the seating assessment.

There is much to consider when assessing

26

the child for a suitable comfort chair.

Some of the features which are essential on a complex seat are; • Seat depth adjustability • Back angle recline • Tilt in space • Adjustable footrest • Adjustable width and height • Pressure management Tilt in space is a significant feature which can be used to improve children’s posture, head control and redistribute pressure. This can also

Stability is essential for function and in encouraging development and play

be converted to include forward tilt for self-transferring situations.

Adjustability is an integral feature to accommodate growing kids, allowing them to adapt and

retain the same chair. Adjustable back angle recline in seating allows for accommodating children with limited hip flexion and when used in combination with tilt in space it can prevent sliding from the chair.

Optional lateral supports and supportive pillows can help to maintain or improve midline posture and facilitate function and engagement in activities of daily living such as eating and communicating and playing. The correct use of these features and accessories can also reduce common problems such as falling to the side when seated.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a clinical seating assessment. The needs of the child should be identified and help inform their decision on the type of chair they require to meet their needs both now and in the future.

Seating Matters offer a complimentary, no obligation Seating Assessment.

For more information email contact@seatingmatters.com or call 020 3982 2900

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THE HALLIWICK CONCEPT:

TEACHING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO SWIM FOR OVER 50 YEARS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE BENEFITED FROM WATER ACTIVITIES USING THE HALLIWICK CONCEPT

H

alliwick was developed by James McMillan, known as Mac, with his wife Phyl. Their aim was teaching swimming to children with disabilities, who attended the Halliwick School in London. From simple beginnings the Halliwick method has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Mac and the instructors in the first Halliwick club, ‘Halliwick Penguins’, in North London were swimming teachers. Halliwick was developed by, and for, nonmedical people. The Halliwick concept has developed and progressed over the years but continues to be based on Mac and Phyl’s original ideas described here.

Mainstream swimming teaching has developed in the wake of the Halliwick concept so that Halliwick sessions may not seem dissimilar from mainstream swimming lessons. However, the following outline of both the philosophy of the Halliwick concept and the Ten Point Programme give a flavour of what the Halliwick concept is about.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE HALLIWICK CONCEPT

Positive thinking Participants in Halliwick sessions are called ‘swimmers’, the focus is on their ability in the water and their disabilities are often considered inconsequential.

28

Water Happiness The emphasis is on water happiness and enjoyable pool sessions with an aim towards maximum benefit for participants. Instructors are in the water, with a one to one relationship with swimmers, supporting swimmers according to need and encouraging confidence and independence.

Enjoyment is enhanced through games, for both younger and older swimmers alike. It has been said, ‘we don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing’. New skills learned are incorporated into games and often the most reluctant swimmers enjoy the games the most.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Games are not always structured; simple game-like activities serve as a good introduction, particularly adult swimmers. Sometimes playfulness has to be learned.

As swimmers progress, the games may offer a greater challenge thus increasing motivation. Enjoyment tends to be greater where there are others to share with, thus a group of five or six swimmers is ideal.

Beryl Kelsey qualified as a nurse in both psychiatry and learning disability. As a nurse she became interested in teaching swimming to people with disabilities and developed a swimming programme for the residents of three hospitals.

She qualified as an ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) teacher and later as a Halliwick Instructor and Lecturer. She has run a Halliwick club for twenty years and lectures on Halliwick courses in the UK and abroad. She is active in The Halliwick Association of Swimming Therapy and has served on the Executive Committee of the International Halliwick Association.

Teach in a Logical Order Each activity in the Ten-Point Programme is carefully considered and introduced only when the previous skills are mastered. ‘Make haste slowly’ is the maxim. Each stage in learning a skill is the platform to the next stage.

If any stage is not thoroughly learned and assimilated, swimmers’ subsequent learning may be compromised.

No Floatation Aids Halliwick teaches that floatation aids inhibit learning of vital water safety skills such as breathing control and submerging activities. They lead to poor body positions, a false sense of security and reliance on the aid. On the other hand, without floatation aids swimmers can learn to control unwanted rotation and can potentially experience independent and free movement in the water.

THE TEN POINT PROGRAMME Point 1 Mental Adjustment Point 2 Disengagement Point 3 Transversal Rotational control (forwards / backwards) Point 4 Sagittal Rotational control (side to side) Point 5 Longitudinal Rotational control (axis from head to foot) Point 6 Combined Rotational control Point 7 Upthrust Point 8 Balance in Stillness Point 9 Turbulent Gliding Point 10 Simple progression and a basic swimming movement

®

HALLIWICK FOUNDATION COURSE

For more information about The Ten Point Programme visit the website at the end of this article.

Mental adjustment and disengagement are thus crucial to the following eight points in the programme.

Swimmers are introduced to a new point and make a little progress before the next point is introduced. Further progress is made, and the next point is introduced. The end result is ‘water free’ swimmers ready to create their own propulsive movements.

Tuesday 18th – Friday 21st August 2020 Hymers College, Hymers Avenue, Hull Cost £450 For further details contact the organiser catherinerobinson1@hotmail.co.uk

For further information about the Halliwick concept visit www.halliwick.org.uk

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For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

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halliwick.org.uk

29

MANAGING BLADDER

and Bowel Issues

IN NURSERIES, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

PROBLEMS WITH BLADDER AND BOWEL CONTROL ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMON MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCE

T

hey are thought to affect over 900,000 people aged between 5 and 19 years of age, although this is likely to be an underestimate.

Due to embarrassment, stigma and the mistaken belief that they children will grow out of the problems, many families do not ask for help.

There have been lots of press reports in the last few years about increasing numbers of children starting school in nappies.

Sometimes it is thought that families are not trying to toilet train their children. However, this is rarely the case. Most families do all that they can to support their child’s development but may not have any knowledge or experience

30

with toilet training. They may have been advised to wait until their child is ready, without being given any information about what this means.

There is some evidence that toilet training later than used to happen in previous generations, may be causing an increase in the number of children who have difficulties with continence (being able to stay clean and dry). Some children may have an underlying problem that makes toilet training more difficult such as constipation, sensory differences or a physical or learning disability.

For primary aged children problems with bladder or bowel control may arise as the result of an underlying condition.

Bedwetting, needing the toilet at short notice (appearing to leave it to the last minute), needing to go more frequently than is typical, or constipation may all impact on school. As bladder and bowel conditions are not talked about very often, there is a lack of understanding that these affect children of all ages. Therefore, teachers may understandably think that the child who is fidgeting because they need the toilet is just not concentrating or has behaviour problems. They may also think that the child who is asking to go to the toilet frequently is trying to escape from classroom routines or difficult work.

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31

For older children and teenagers, management of bladder and/ or bowel difficulties in school and college may be especially challenging. There is an expectation that they will use the toilet at break times only, with some schools and colleges even locking toilets at other times. Many young people report feeling isolated. They worry that telling others about their problem may result in bullying, or that teachers will not understand that they have a medical condition.

The need to hide the problem and the difficulty of getting to the toilet as and when they need can affect mental health as well as learning.

Over the last few years, the national charities Bladder & Bowel UK and ERIC, the children’s bladder and bowel charity, have had numerous calls to their helplines from worried parents, carers and school staff.

We have also had conversations with school nurses and children’s

continence nurses who all told us that there was a lack of understanding of the causes of the problems and a lack of awareness of the role schools can and should play in supporting those affected by these conditions. The schools are very keen to help but need support.

Consequently, Bladder & Bowel UK and ERIC have come together and written a new document to fill the gap. ‘Managing Bladder and Bowel Issues in Nurseries, Schools and Colleges Guidance for School Leaders, Proprietors, Governors, Staff and Practitioners’ was published on 8th October 2019 and is available on the charities websites.

It aims to be a comprehensive guide for education settings to help them to understand the numbers of children affected, the causes of the problems and what they can and should be doing to help. It includes the relevant legislation for the four countries of the UK, a sample intimate care policy, a sample care

plan and a comprehensive index of continence conditions as well as a directory of sources of help.

To download a copy visit:https:// www.bbuk.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2020/01/ManagingContinence-Problems-inSchools-2019.pdf Bladder & Bowel UK also have a confidential helpline for those who have bladder and/or bowel issues, for their families and for the professionals who support them at email bbuk@disabledliving.co.uk or on telephone number 0161 607 8219.

Bladder & Bowel UK have more information about toilet training, day and night time wetting, constipation and other children’s and adults’ bladder and bowel health issues, on their website at www.bbuk.org.uk.

This article was written by Davina Richardson, Children’s Specialist Nurse at Bladder & Bowel UK.

S E U S IS E R U T U F E H T S DON’T MIS E IN Z A G A M Z T L U D A O OF KIDZ T As well as being distributed at each of the Kidz to Adultz shows, you’ll find each new issue online, so you can always keep up to date with what’s new and read all the interesting articles.

Just visit...

www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk 32

33

IS UNDIGNIFIED FLIGHT TRAVEL

a thing of the past?

C

iara Crawford, an award-winning designer explains how her time working as a concept developer from an aircraft company led her to design a product to enable passengers to have a dignified flight experience.

At the moment there is a lack of focus on the accessibility of aircraft or aircraft seats for people with reduced mobility. Most aircraft seat designs are focused on making the seats smaller and closer together, reducing the amount of independence and freedom for passengers with reduced mobility. This inspired the ROW 1 Airport Wheelchair System for aircraft accessibility.

All passengers should have an enjoyable and dignified flight experience, but for some travellers with reduced mobility, this is not the case. I have applied design to help such flyers, resulting in the ROW 1 airport wheelchair system.

The ROW 1 airport wheelchair system can take the passenger from the check-in desk at the airport, to their destination. It allows the passenger to use one seat for the whole journey, cutting down the amount of seat transfers they must do. The seat is parked onto and strapped into the existing aircraft seat to allow for quick and easy boarding and disembarking. The process is quick and simple, eliminating the concerns passengers have of being watched while boarding and being lifted by crew members into their seats.

It has been designed as simple as possible, it contains adjustable handles, armrests, and wheels for easy manoeuvring.

The design also features an automatic steering system that is controlled by the user. This allows for people with

34

reduced mobility to make their way through the airport alone if they would like.

After spending some time working as a concept developer for an aircraft company, and noticing the lack of focus on accessibility in the aircraft industry, I was inspired to design the Row 1 concept, with the aim of bringing independence and accessibility to a minority of passengers, which may otherwise be overlooked.

The design concept plays on the ideas of universal design/ design for all, as I believe that everybody should have the same flight experience.

I have won the title of Emerging Product Designer of the Year 2019 and the Row 1 concept has won a platinum prize award in transportation, aircraft and aerospace in the European Product Design Awards. The Product Design Award, in partnership with the European Parliament, recognizes the efforts of talented designers who aim to improve our daily lives with a practical and beautiful creation, designed to solve a problem and make life easier. The European Product Design Awards are open to designers from all over the world with entries from over 60 countries. I am delighted to have accepted the award at the Brody Studios in Budapest on October 3, 2019.

35

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE – MAKING INQUIRY FINDINGS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

T

he Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has developed the Truth Project to be accessible to individual needs, making reasonable adjustments to ensure that survivors with a disability can play a crucial role in preventing all children from being abused in future.

For example, the Inquiry has established a service for survivors who are Deaf or hard of hearing, providing dedicated sign language videos and the option to attend a private session with Deaf facilitators.

New research from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has found almost half of victims and survivors who have come forward to its Truth Project have an illness or condition that affects their lives.

More than 4,000 survivors have now shared experiences with the Truth Project in England and Wales.

Of these, 3,646 personal accounts have been analysed for research.

Nearly half (47 percent) of survivors described a condition that limits their ability to carry out dayto-day activities, including blindness, problems with hearing, mobility and memory.

Helping to build a fuller picture

36

of the impact of childhood abuse, figures released earlier this month by the Office for National Statistics revealed that 7.5 percent of adults have experienced sexual abuse before the age of 16, and those with a disability were twice as likely to have experienced sexual abuse than those without a disability (13.4 percent and 6.6 percent respectively).

The Truth Project heard that almost all survivors who shared their account were impacted by the abuse, with over a third (38 percent) talking about depression, and almost one in 10 describing a physical injury as a direct consequence of the abuse.

Today, the Inquiry is also publishing a further 80 accounts shared with its Truth Project.

This includes Kayden, who was diagnosed with a physical and learning disability, and then sent to a boarding school where he was abused, and Orla, who can hear but was sexually abused in a Deaf school.

The Inquiry has developed the Truth Project to be accessible to individual needs, making reasonable adjustments to ensure that survivors with a disability can play a crucial role in preventing all children from being abused in future.

For example, the Inquiry has established a service for survivors who are Deaf or hard of hearing, providing dedicated sign language videos and the option to attend a private session with Deaf facilitators.

Chris Tuck, a member of the Inquiry’s Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel, said: “Speaking as a survivor of child sexual abuse, the Truth Project provided a safe and supportive place for me to share my experience and help contribute to change.

I now live with PTSD, and physical pain related to mental distress, something which affects the way I live my life every day. If we are to protect children in the future, it’s important that we hear from everyone who has experienced abuse, to better understand the lasting impacts and help prevent it from ever happening again.”

Survivors of child sexual abuse who would like to share their experiences in writing, over the phone or in person can get in touch with the Inquiry's Truth Project.

For further information visit www.truthproject.org.uk or email share@iicsa.org.uk

37

Transforming the lives of seriously ill & disabled children across the UK

On average it costs three times more to raise a disabled child, than a child without a disability.

Tree of Hope supports families to fundraise for the medical therapy, equipment and treatment that enables a child to thrive.

We enable families to fundraise under a registered charity, giving access to corporate donations, Gift Aid, access to trusts and foundations and giving donor reassurance. Plus fundraising and emotional support on the end of the phone when families need it.

www.treeofhope.org.uk “Tree of Hope has helped my family’s dream become possible’’ Sue, Mother of Ella Ella’s family raised £12,000 for a life changing piece of equipment that Ella uses daily to strengthen her muscles and improve her respiration which enables her to participate more in family life.

Medical conditions we have helped with include..

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