Tag Archives: news/events

Mencap are offering the EPAtS family support programme in the Derry area

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Take part in a parent support programme with Mencap in the Derry/Londonderry area and receive up to £60 worth of vouchers while helping with university research!

Early Positive Approaches to Support (E-PAtS) is an 8-week family support programme for parents/caregivers who have a child aged 18 months – 5 years with additional developmental needs.

E–PAtS has been designed by families and practitioners and provides support for parents’ wellbeing and their child’s development including support with sleep, communication and positive approaches to supporting behaviours that challenge.

Mencap is offering the E-PAtS programme in Derry City as part of a research trial, being led by University of Kent.

If you decide to take part in the trial, you will be randomly picked to either attend an E-PAtS group in February 2024, or in 12 months’ time.

To find out more please come along to one of our short information sessions

 All sessions are open to parents and practitioners. 

There will be a short presentation with time for questions and a cuppa

DATE – Wednesday 6th December

LOCATION – Mencap Office, 17-19 Bishop Street, Derry, BT48 6PR

INFO SESSION TIMES

10.15am – 10.45am

11.15am – 11.45am

7.15pm – 7.45pm

8.15pm – 8.45pm

Pick a time that suits you!

For more information or any queries please contact your local Mencap Family Support Co-ordinator,

Lisa McGrath

email: lisa.mcgrath@mencap.org.uk

phone, text or whatsapp: 07542392957

Issue 115 – Southern Area FYI – 23 November 2023

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Welcome to Issue 115 of our fortnightly newsletter, ‘FYI’ (For Your Information)

Download Issue 115

(Note: Newsletter will download directly to your device.  Look out for the pop-up box and click on open file when it appears)

As the festive season is nearly upon us, we are very keen to receive notification on services and support available for children, young people and families in the Southern Area.  As you will see on the next slide, Action for Children are collating such information to support young carers across the Christmas period. If your service covers the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council Area, please read through the slide and send any relevant information to Action for Children ASAP.

 You will also see on page 4 a new updated CYPSP Cost of Living Resource, which gives a lot of support across Northern Ireland, with a section for our own geographic area too.

The final ‘FYI’ issue of 2023 will go out on Thursday 7th December, so please send all relevant information for inclusion in good time.

Locality Development Team (Southern Trust Area)

Tips for a healthier holiday season

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The focus this month is on health and wellbeing over the festive season and food safety for Christmas leftovers.

     

December often involves socialising and enjoying festive food and drink! Watch this short video from our Public Health Dietitians for top tips on how to enjoy this season without harming your health. Link to watch: https://youtu.be/u_8Upqynyq4?si=EZQekFLF1Q_okFZM

It’s important to know how to store and reheat any Christmas leftovers to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Find out more in this short video: https://youtu.be/30tuxSdy4gM?si=txG5gMNUGwYscMZg

Ards, North Down & Down Fortnightly News- Issue 79

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Welcome to the 79th edition of the fortnightly newsletter for Locality Planning Groups in Ards, North Down & Down.

Download Issue 79

(Note: Newsletter will download directly to your device.  Look out for the pop-up box and click on open file when it appears)

Welcome to this new look newsletter for Children and Young People’s services and families across the Down and Ards & North Down Locality Planning Groups. If you wish to advertise any upcoming programmes or activities or good news stories, please see the guidance on the back page.

In this edition you will find useful information on funding opportunities, fostering, training and up- coming events. 

 

New ‘Accessibility Guides’ to improve access to Council venues

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New ‘Accessibility Guides’ to improve access to Council venues – Fermanagh & Omagh District Council (fermanaghomagh.com)

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has launched a range of new ‘Accessibility Guides’ for a number of its venues for people with a disability and their families.

Funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA), the ‘Accessibility Guides’ include Visual Guides and Social Stories to help people to research and plan their visit to some of the Council’s most popular leisure and recreation facilities.

The Visual Guides will help people with disabilities and their families find out about the support available at each venue and make them aware of what they can expect to see, hear and smell when they visit.

The Social Stories, which have been developed in consultation with parents and Positive Futures, supported by Children in Northern Ireland’s Parent Participation Service, illustrates the various steps needed to take part in an event or activity at the venue, such as going for a swim at a leisure centre or attending a workshop at an arts and culture venue. The Social Stories also have space available for people to add additional symbols and words to help them during their visit, as well as a tick box to check off each step when completed.  

‘Accessibility Guides’ are now available for the Council’s four leisure centres: Fermanagh Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen; Omagh Leisure Complex; Bawnacre Centre, Irvinestown and Castle Park Leisure Centre, Lisnaskea; as well as the Strule Arts Centre, Omagh; The Ardhowen, Enniskillen; Enniskillen Castle Museums and the Marble Arch Caves, Florencecourt.

Launching the eight new ‘Accessibility Guides’, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Thomas O’Reilly, said:

“Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is committed to making the district as accessible as possible for people with disabilities. To help achieve this, we must ensure visiting Council venues is as easy and as supportive as possible. These Accessibility Guides will help people with disabilities and their families to visit our venues and participate in a whole range of activities helping to promote access and inclusion and supporting overall physical and mental wellbeing.

We are grateful to the Public Health Agency for providing funding to support the development of the Accessibility Guides.”

Fiona Teague, Head of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement (West) at the PHA said: 

“The launch of the new Accessibility Guides is a welcome resource that demonstrate how removing barriers, promoting inclusive practice and making services, programmes and the physical environment more accessible we can not only ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in civic life but also help reduce health inequalities and achieve better health and wellbeing outcomes. It’s great to see the guides being distributed to various local venues within the district area and they will be invaluable in promoting improvements in accessibility and inclusion for those with disabilities.”

The ‘Accessibility Guides’ will be reviewed regularly and members of the public are encouraged to provide feedback on the guides and the level of access provided at Council venues. ‘Accessibility Guides’ for other venues operated by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will be developed in the future.

To view the ‘Accessibility Guides’ for any of the eight Council venues, please visit the ‘Venue Accessibility’ webpage on the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council website at or email disability@fermanaghomagh.com.