Dear Family Members and Friends,

CerebralPalsyGuidance.com was created to provide detailed information on cerebral palsy, including facts about children with cerebral palsy.

As you may already know, children living with CP are at increased risk when
it comes to bullying. To help spread more awareness about this serious
topic, our team is campaigning throughout the month of October to talk
more about National Bullying Prevention Month and what parents can do to
help prevent their children from being bullied.

You can find out more
at cerebralpalsyguidance.com/cerebral-palsy/living/bullying/

Thanks.

Many children seem to be on a short school day for one reason or other. There is currently no data on this. Please ask your members to fill out this very short survey, it takes less than 2 minutes. The survey is at this link
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/P2JHWB8

We hope to lobby on this issue in 2016.

Dear all

It probably has not escaped your attention that a general election is coming in the next 9 months or so. Inclusion Ireland and partners are hoping to have some disability issues in the manifesto’s of the political parties. Hopefully, some will then make it into the program for government. We have developed a draft manifesto. Please take a few minutes to look at it and let us know if we are on the right track or are missing something very important. Forward this to any of your contacts.

Dear All,

“Learning from 25 years of change in supporting Families and People with Disabilities”

(hosted by the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies)

4th International Disability Summer School

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - How to Use it

18th – 23rd June 2012

Centre for Disability Law & Policy, National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland

School Directors:
Professor Gerard Quinn (NUI Galway, Ireland) & Professor Michael Stein (Harvard Project on Disability)

With opening  address by President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins

SEE ATTACHED FLYER

www.nuigalway.ie/cdlp/summer_school/2012/welcome.html
disabilitysummerscho@nuigalway.ie

Hi! I'm a final year student doing a research project on the effects of the governmental cutbacks on Special Needs Children and SNAs in Irish primary schools.

Could anybody give me any tips/pointers/personal accounts or opinions? Anything would be very much appreciated!

Thank you

Dear Parents/Guardians,

My name is Carol Chamberlain. I'm a 3rd year Bachelor of Arts (BA) student in Childcare Management  in Athlone Institute of Technology, Westmeath.

I'm currently conducting a research study for my presentation on children with disabilities (3 years) and social inclusion in a Childcare setting paying particular attention to  how the facility has been modified to cater for their needs . I was wondering if you would be willing to help me by filling out a questionnaire?

Dear Parents,

I am still looking for parents of children recently turned 3 years of
age or younger with ASD to participate in a study for an MSc in NUI
Galway. The study involves a short questionnaire on the other issues
apart from ASD that your children may suffer from, eg sleeping and
eating problems. It is the first study of its kind in Ireland.

I would be very grateful for your input - it'll only take around 20 minutes to complete, its
anonymous and I plan to publish the research findings  and present them at
conferences. I need to gather all my research by the end of September 2011.

Leitrim County Council has installed a sensory room for children with special needs in its library in Mohill.  This will provide educational and therapeutic supports for these children in a fun environment.

It is envisaged that when it is open the room will be booked in advance by parents and carers of children with special needs who will accompany them and assist them when using the equipment. There will be no charge for the use of the facilities.

The next family event is on Sunday July 10^th from 3pm to 5pm in Kids Kingdom, Carrick-on-Shannon.

There will be lots to do.

The Centre consists of multiple lanes of ten pin bowling, a unique castle-themed multi-level play centre, a well-equipped arcade, sumo wrestling and a separate pool table area.

Food and drinks will also be served on the day.

Organised by Parents Support Network, Sligo; Please see FLYER below.

Monaghan Sports Partnership and Cavan Sports Partnership

"Sports Ability" Summer Camp 2011

For Young people with a disability aged 5-14yrs and their siblings

Camp 1: Cavan Leisure Centre, Cavan, Date: 11th, 12th, 13th July 2011

There are still a few places available for this course.

First Steps in ABA
Group workshop with Dr Ken Kerr, Sligo Park Hotel, SLIGO

Peaceful protest re Cuts to SNAs & Resource hours on Easter Monday 25th April

Continence Information Day

Organised by Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland, Donegal Branch.

Jackson's Hotel, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal, Saturday 16th April 2011

A unique opportunity for individuals, families, carers and professionals to learn and share information regarding continence issues.

 9.30am Registration

10.00am Frances Halligan,

Continence Advisor Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin

Urodymanic Department & Consultant to SBHI

12.30pm Lunch

1.30pm Frances McGinley

Continence Advisor for Community Services Co. Donegal

Cuts to special needs resources deplorable

As a primary school teacher and a parent, I deplore the latest cynical move by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) which has "paused" any resource hours being allocated to any child with special needs.

Resulting from their latest circular, no new child presenting with special needs will be granted resource hours, but must be included in mainstream classes.

The DES has two huge questions to answer, in accounting for this action. How are they cherishing and supporting the child with special needs, by reducing/removing their support system? And how are they cherishing the children without special needs, who will have drastically reduced access to teacher time?

Maire Lineen
Dunboyne, Co Meath

Source: Letters Page, Irish Times, 1st April 2011

Supporting Families with Disabilities

OPEN MEETING

For parents of children with special needs including ADHD, Aspergers,Downs Syndrome etc.

Where: At the Sligo Park Hotel

When: Tue 15th of February at 8.30pm.

Rainchild Network and Developing Ability Partnership are working together on possibility of running a number of special needs courses in Connaught region due to regular enquiries and sponsorship opportunity. We are pleased to announce the first course is the ...

First Steps in ABA
Group workshop with Dr Ken Kerr
The Clarion Hotel, Sligo, Starting Saturday June 26th 2010 for three consecutive Saturdays

Leitrim County Council and the FAI are running a FREE community soccer programme in Carrick on Shannon and Manorhamilton for all special needs children.

Manorhamilton         :  In the sports hall (Bee Park),               Saturdays, 11AM-12.30PM 

Councillor Orla Leyden has proposed that a seven acre field owned by the local council in the Lisnamult area of Roscommon town be used for an all weather sports area to cope with a range of sports as well as giving Special Olympics athletes somewhere to train.
At present many sports groups have to travel to Castelrea or Athlone to use all weather facilities and a proposal to develop the Lisnamult site would be aided by the local Residents' and Tenants' Association, chaired by Anthony Doolan, who are open to working with other groups for the good of their community.