PACC - PARENT AND CARERS COUNCIL SHROPSHIRE

One Strong Voice - for parents/carers of children with disabilities and special needs including:

• physical disabilities:
• medical conditions:
• psychological conditions:
• learning difficulties.

• Would you like to give your views about services for children with disabilities and special needs?
• Would you like to know more about developments that affect your family?
• Would you like to have a voice in influencing these developments?

YES? - then become a member of the Shropshire Parent and Carers Council and join other parents and carers in getting our voices heard.

Contact: Julie Davenport - 01743 461711

SPECTRUM SUPPORT GROUP

If you are the parent/carer of a child with:

• Asperger's Syndrome.
• ADHD.
• Challenging Behaviour.

or a similar condition and would like to meet other parents/carers to share ideas, worries and concerns in a friendly and welcoming setting, please come along.

The group meets at the Lord Hill Hotel, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury from 8.00 pm on the first Thursday of every month.

For more information, contact: Alison Hart - 01939 220567, or speak to your Parent Partnership Officer.

ALLSORTS SUPPORT GROUP

This group is for parents/carers of children with special needs.  It meets at the Rockspring Centre, Ludlow on the second Wednesday of the month at 12.30 pm.

For more information, contact: Sandra Jones - 07813043841

BRIDGNORTH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS SUPPORT GROUP

Meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 8.00 pm at The Bandon Arms, Bridgnorth.

The aim of the group is to support parents/carers of children and young adults with any type of Special Need in mainstream and special education. 

If you fancy a chat in an informal atmosphere contact: Joanne Kertland - 01746 764235, mobile: 07791 761470, Timmy Pugh - 01746 789656, mobile: 07921 976491 or Tessa Walker - 01746 762272.

SUPPORT GROUP IN MARKET DRAYTON

There has been some interest in setting up a support group for parents in Market Drayton whose children have special educational needs or other difficulties at school.

The meetings would be informal, offering an opportunity for parents to share their experiences with each other.

If your are interested contact: Sue Gerrard - 01630 652206, or e-mail sue@eidesis.demon.co.uk

TELFORD ADHD/ASD SUPPORT GROUP

Julie Collins and Lesley Diss, Parent Partnership Officers, have launched a group for parents/carers and adult family members of children and young people with ADHD, ASD, Aspergers Syndrome or Challenging Behaviours in the Telford and Wrekin area.  Meetings take place on the second Thursday of each month 10.00 am - 12.00 noon at the Hadley Learning Centre, The Childrens Centre, Hadley, Telford, unless otherwise stated.  We would welcome any ideas/suggestions on what parents feel a group should offer.

Forthcoming meetings for 2008 are:

• 11 December

If you would like more information, please telephone Julie: 01952 825930, Lesley: 01952 617758 or contact our referral line: 01952 457176 9.30 am - 4.00 pm Monday - Thursday.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

SHROPSHIRE AUTISTIC SUPPORTERS

If you suspect that your child may be Autistic, or has recently been diagnosed as such, and you feel in need of local support from someone who understands, then contact:

Linda Crane - 01743 356298, website - www.shropshireautisticssupporters.co.uk

Registered Charity No 1072404.

BUTTERFLIES

Butterflies is a Parent and Child group for children up to the age of 5 with special needs.  You are welcome to come along for a coffee, chat or moan and let your children play in a safe environment.

Butterflies meets on Mondays (except bank holidays) 10.00 am - 12.00 noon at The Swan Centre, Grange Avenue, Stirchley, Telford.

For more information contact: Melanie - 07779 623 271, Kathryn - 07900 672 800, Danny - 01952 596677, website - www.butterflies_r-us.org.uk, or e-mail caseykate21@aol.com

Registered Charity No 1114666.

CHAT SUPPORT GROUP

CHAT is a small group in Telford that would love to hear from carers, parents and professionals of adults/children with Downs Syndrome.  We are working towards making the lives of people with Downs Syndrome in Telford easier through research and inclusion.  Without you, this cannot be achieved.  All views and thoughts are welcome.

For more information contact Alison on 01952 200434.

SHROPSHIRE & WREKIN ME SUPPORT

For those affected by MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS (ME) CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS) or POST-VIRAL FATIGURE SYNDROME (PVFS).

Group membership for an ME/CFS sufferer and his/her immediate family/carer is £5 per year (2007/8).

Contact secretary - Keith Williams, 5 Brackley Drive, Darwinswood, Shrewsbury. SY3 8BX - e-mail kdw@talktalk.net or phone contact Pat Hirst 01746 763947.

Further information and an application form may be found on www.shropshiremegroup.org.uk

Registered Charity No 1072171

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR FOUNDATION

Making a difference to the lives of people with severe learning disabilities

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation exists to demonstrate that individuals with severe learning disabilities who are described as having challenging behaviour can enjoy normal life opportunities when their behaviour is properly understood and appropriately managed, and to support parents/carers through education and information to enable this to happen.

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation provides a range of high quality information sheets and DVDs.  They are happy to provide these resources to parent/carers free of charge.  Additionally the Challenging Behaviour Foundation can link families to offer mutual support and offers a parents' e-mail network for sharing ideas or issues of concern.

Contact - Gemma Honeyman - 01634 838739 -  e-mail gemma@thecbf.org.uk - www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk

FAMILIES FIRST

Families First was set up in March 2005 following consultation with parents from Contact a Family and the Parent Partnership Service.  Families First was born out of the frustrations and desires of several parents with disabled children and children with special needs.

The group has several aims:

• to provide fun, educational and stimulating activities for all children with special needs and disabilities, their brothers and sisters, and their parents too:
• to provide leisure activities suitable for children aged 0-19 years in accessible and safe venues with staff who are confident, and have a positive attitude towards disabled children:
• to give families a positive experience by meeting with other families in similar situations, making friends, learning new skills and developing confidence and self esteem within the family:
• to promote positive attitudes towards children with disabilities and their families:
• to enable families to access information about services and support available:
• and to identify families views about existing services, and so influence future service provision.

For more information contact: Lisa Welch - 01952 222354 or Marie Cocking - 01952 641133 or visit www.families1st-telford.co.uk

SCOPE

Scope Response is an information, advice and support service which operates 9.00 am - 7.00 pm weekdays and 10.00 am - 2.00 pm Saturdays.

For information on cerebral palsy, disability issues and all of our services Scope Response is the first point of contact.

Freephone: 0808 800 3333 email: response@scope.org.uk or text from your mobile - text SCOPE plus your message to 80039.  Text messages are free to the sender.

SHROPSHIRE SCOPE

Are you the parent/carer of someone with cerebral palsy, or do you have cerebral palsy?

Would you be able to give up 10 evenings a year to join SCOPE's committee, which makes decisions on awarding welfare grants to individuals?

Shropshire SCOPE is a small Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin group for children and adults who have cerebral palsy.  It is affiliated to SCOPE, the national organisation for people with cerebral palsy, but is a separate autonomous organisation.

SCOPE is looking for people to join their committee.  Their main activity is awarding welfare grants to adults and children with cerebral palsy.

Over the last few years these are just a few examples of welfare grants SCOPE has awarded:

• £5,000 to supplement a Disabiled Facilities Grant for a young boy, one of twins, who has cerebral palsy
• Funding for a young woman with cerebral palsy to go on holiday with a carer
• Funding for a woman with cerebral palsy to purchase a rise and recline chair
• Funding for a standing frame for a young boy with cerebral palsy to have at home
• Funding for a special buggy for a young girl with cerebral palsy
• Funding for a special sleep system for a boy with cerebral palsy

As a committee member you would need to:

• Come to 10 committee meetings per year (usually on the last Thursday evening of the month)
• Join the panel which looks at applications from individuals and makes decisions about awarding grants.
• Help to publicise the grants and respective criteria
• Help to plan for the future

The committee does not take part in any fund-raising activities, so you would not be committing yourself to more than these 10 meetings.

SCOPE welcomes interest from parents/carers and business professionals of people with cerebral palsy and from people who have cerebral palsy.  They would also like to hear from people who have an interest in this area, particularly if you can offer skills in publicity, financial management/audit, or information technology.

If you would like to know more, please contact: Fay 01743 850055, Alan and Sherry 01743 368759 or alan007@talktalk.net or email: ami.price@scope.org.uk

SKiD - Diabetes UK

Shrewsbury kids with insulin dependent diabetes (associated with Diabetes UK)

'Don't feel isolated being diabetic - you are not alone!'

For more information contact: Irene Morkot, The Secretary, SKiD Club, 3 Breidden Way, Shrewsbury, SY3 0LL or telephone 01743 873724/01743 364366

S.T.A.C.S

Asperger Syndrome Carers Support Group

S.T.A.C.S are a group for parents or carers of adults (16+) with Aspergers Syndrome within the Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire area.  They are pleased to announce that they now have purchased 50 books on Aspergers Syndrome for the use of parents or carers.  These books can be found at Stirchley Library in Telford.

For more information, please contact: Louise Griffiths, Carers Contact Centre 01952 262064.

oneVISion is a local pressure group which aims to make changes for children and young people with visual impairment, and their families.  The small friendly group is dedicated to the needs of children and young people but knows that parents and carers also need support.

oneVISion organises events throughout the year which both inform and enterain and, at the same time, raise money to provide additional equipment for children and young people, which may be used either inside the home or at clinics.

For more information contact Tracey Hollyhead on 01952 385269.