personalised
VISUAL CHECKLIST
SYSTEM ADDS CONFIDENCE
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such as Christmas and birthdays. He would get very anxious and need lots of reassurance about what to expect. She explained: “Before discovering TomTag I used to make my own picture schedules to help him. This was really time consuming and involved many hours printing off pictures, laminating them and then attaching them to Velcro. I use TomTag as an after school routine reminder. I set up a tag to remind him about his after-school clubs, for example, drama club. I attached the tag to his school bag and he soon got into the
omTag, from Orkid ideas, is a unique system for creating personalised visual checklists, timetables and schedules. It’s particularly helpful for children (aged 3 upwards), young people or adults with autism, learning difficulties and special educational needs. Carron Beckwith uses TomTag with her son, Harry, aged 7 who has autism. She bought TomTag as Harry was struggling to understand what was going to happen during his day especially after school and on special occasions
Get Wise to communicating with families Parents as partners – Making a difference together
When you enter a family’s house, it is also their home, their place of comfort and safe space. Whilst keeping this in mind, professionals should understand the potential anxieties and fears families may have around outsiders entering their home and the decisions that may be made. Working with parents/carers and involving them at every stage of a meeting/ assessment will help gain their respect and trust.
Partnership
Companies, professionals and parents are all the experts in their own right. Bringing together everyone’s skills, knowledge and resources creates the best outcome because when parents are partners; everyone, especially the person with the disability, wins.
Perspective
Every family has a story. Every interaction is part of an on going journey littered with complications, emotions and challenges.
Priorities
PHOTO: NICOLA PARRY
Every person has a different set of priorities and expectations. When each party openly communicates their agenda and priorities, progress can be made. Overleaf, we have established some top tips to help when working with families.
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For more information, visit www.orkidideas.com
ADVISORY LEAFLET FOR COMMUNICATION AIDS
BHTA GET WISE
The BHTA have worked with the Don’t Call Me Mum campaign initiative to produce this leaflet. We want to help professionals and companies working with carers and families of adults and children with additional needs, to demonstrate their respect of parents as partners in the assessment process.
habit of checking this for himself - it was also a useful reminder for his teachers.” TomTag reminders and schedules are quick and easy to set up and are very versatile. If there’s a change in routine, then it’s easy to adjust the tag to show a new activity– simply pop on a new sticker and click the buttons in. Carron added: “TomTag has made a real difference to our lives – it’s had a positive effect on Harry’s confidence and helps manage his anxieties around routines and I don’t now have to spend my free time printing and laminating.”
The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) Independent Living section working with their alternative, augmentative comunication members (AAC), have produced a Get Wise information leaflet to help those in need of communication aids know how to access products and services. The term AAC covers a wide range of techniques that support or replace spoken communication. Techniques include gestures, signing, symbols, communication boards and books, as well as powered and computerised devices such as voice output communications aids (VOCAs). The BHTA has worked with Communication Matters, an organisation committed to supporting people of all ages who find communication difficult because they have little or no clear speech. A Get Wise leaflet has been designed to answer any questions relating to accessing services, funding and suitable products. This and other Get Wise leaflet is available to download from www.bhta.com/get-wise-leaflets