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CARING
FOR A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY OR ADDITIONAL CARE NEEDS
As a parent / carer of a child with additional care needs you could be caring for a child who has:
Parents at times may feel isolated, worried or exhausted by the care that they provide for their child. As a parent of a child with a disability or extra care needs you may at times feel you are forever attending hospital appointments and trying to obtain services for your child. Friends and family may not always understand the difficulties you at times face, or you may not want to off load your concerns to them because they too become worried because of their emotional involvement with your child. Carers of Barking & Dagenham can offer one to one support to parents from a support worker. The support worker can provide a home visit or meet parents at another convenient place to offer emotional support and information about services available in the borough. Support Workers will advocate for parents if they need help to access services in the borough. There are also regular newsletters and a range of information leaflets. Parent Support Groups: one is held It is an ideal time to gain support and share experiences with other parents who know how you feel over a cup of coffee. Occasionally a guest speaker is invited to these groups to talk about a specialist topic of interest for parents. If you would like to attend please telephone us on Tel: 020 8590 6544 The Young Carers Project offers support to brothers, sisters and parents of a child with a disability or extra care needs by offering support groups, outings and other fun activities. For more information please ask for a leaflet or contact the Young Carers worker at the Carers office, telephone number 020 8590 6544 Advice about benefits is available through this organisation; please see the welfare benefits leaflet for more information. The Face to Face scheme offers training to parents who have recently received a diagnosis of disability in their child. If you feel you would like the above support or would like to know more please contact Sharon Cumberbatch, the Face to Face Coordinator, at Carers of Barking & Dagenham on Tel: 020 8590 6544. PARENTS IN PARTNERSHIP SERVICE For information on the Special Educational Needs assessment process,
school action, school action plus, the statement procedure and school
provision then please ask for the Parent in Partnership (PIPS) information
pack. Carers of Barking & Dagenham will able to support you with this. Social Services: May be able to provide an assessment of your child needs. They can provide information on what's available in the borough and in some cases may offer respite and can provide information on Direct Payments. You can contact them if you wish to register your child disabled; this enables the borough to plan for future services. For more information contact the following: Social Services - Children with Disabilities Team Local Education Authority Barking & Dagenham Local Education Authority have produced some booklets for parents: "Child Choices" - around a child's early development. ADDUP: Provide support and information for parents with children who have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ADDUP Parents of Autistic Children Together (PACT): Offers information to parents whose child has a diagnosis on the autistic spectrum. They provide newsletters, offer parent support groups, information days, and social and play activities for parents and their families. For more information please contact: PACT Independent Living Agency: Runs the Direct Payments Scheme on behalf of Barking and Dagenham Council. Under the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996, local authorities can make payments directly to disable people, including children to enable them to employ personal assistants to meet their assistance needs. They can be contacted at: St. Georges Centre Barking & Dagenham Crossroads: Organises a Summer Activity Scheme and Saturday club for children with disabilities. For more information please contact: 13 Althorne Way Downs Syndrome Group (North East Thames Branch of the Downs Syndrome
Association): Offers information and support to parents, information
days, and a regular newsletter. For more information contact Teresa Bauman
on The Portage Service:
A home visiting teaching scheme for developmental
delayed pre-school children. The aim of the service is to work with parents
to help their child reach their full potential. For more information contact: Altogether Better Project - Barking and Dagenham Centre for Independent,
Inclusive, Integrated, Living Consortium: Unit 6, St. Georges Centre SNAP (Special Needs and Parents): A support group for parents and carers of children with any special need or disability. SNAP's aims are to inform, encourage and support parents allowing them to grow in strength and knowledge so that they are better equipped to give the best possible help to their children. They can be contacted during term time at: Keys Hall, Eagle Way,
We have an extensive list of organisations that may be able to help. However, here are some addresses you may find useful. AFASIC British Dyslexia Association British Epilepsy Association Contact A Family Down's Syndrome Association Dyspraxia Association National Autistic Society Parents for Inclusion Other fact sheets you may find useful include: Welfare Benefits, Life Story Book, Special Educational Needs, Young Carers. For more information please contact us on |
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