Bulletin 10

November 2023

Dear parent carers and members of our community,  

With the first half-term of the school year in place, we hope that you are able to enjoy the break and looking forward to the run up to the festive season. 

For families whose children access the Holiday Activities & Food (HAF) programmes, remember to look out for the HAF Christmas holiday dates. Link

Our Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Friends support group (FASDF) is meeting for the second time on 17 November at West Bridgford Young People Centre and Children's Therapy Service link will be joining us again to discuss sensory processing. Non FASD families are welcome, booking is essential.

Nottingham City Parent Carer Forum steering group has asked for your views on specific workshops that you would find helpful.  Please use the link  to select your top 3 suggestions or email admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk. 

Nottinghamshire Parent Carer Forum are also asking for views on the use of part time timetables in schools. Please see below.

Rainbow is recruiting a Parent Carer Forum Coordinator - please see "Work/Volunteering" below.

Please see below for our November sessions. 

We look forward to seeing you soon. 

Best wishes from the Rainbow Team 

REY - supported play session for under 6's

Date: Saturday 11 November

Time: 10:00 - 11:30

Location: The Nottingham Nursery School - Entrance via Gatling Street, NG7 3EZ

Stay and play session with arts and crafts, soft play, games and outdoor play. 

A representative from Hummingbirds will be available for parents to speak to regarding SEND matters. Booking is essential - admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Leaflet

FIP1 - supported play session for 5 to 12 year olds

Date: Saturday 11 November

Time: 12:30 - 14:30

Location: Space Inclusive, 2A Cross Street, Arnold, NG5 7BL

Stay and play session with arts and crafts, soft play,  games and sensory room.    

Booking essential - admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Parent 2 Parent

Date: Tuesday 14 November

Time:  9:30 - 11:30

Location: Meeting Room 2, Arnold Library, Front Street, NG5 7EE

Tea and coffee provided and booking is essential as places are limited admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Leaflet

FIP2 - supported play session for 5 to 12 year olds

Date: Saturday 25 November

Time: 10:00 - 12:00

Location: Space Inclusive, 2A Cross Street, Arnold,  NG5 7BL

Stay and play session with arts and crafts, games and sensory room.

Booking essential - admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Befriending Social Group

Date: Saturday 25 November

Time: 12:30 - 14:30

Location: 2A Cross Street, Arnold, NG5 7BL

Board and Wii games, crafts and chill out at our base and planning ahead for 2024.

Booking essential - admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Further Support

Autism parent support group

Date: Monday 6 November

Time: 19:00 - 21:00

Location: Poppy and Pint, Pierrepont Road, West Bridgford, NG2 5DX

Booking essential - admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Leaflet

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder support group

Date: Friday 17 November

Time: 12:00 - 14:00

Venue: West Bridgford Young People Centre, Bridgford Road, NG2 6AT

This month we have a presentation on Sensory Processing Disorder from Children's Sensory Therapy Ltd.

Booking essential - admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Leaflet

Nottingham City Whole Life Disability Service Surgery

Date:  Wednesday 15 November

Time: 14:00

Sarah Boulton from the Whole Life Disability team is available for 1:1 meetings via Microsoft Teams.

For further information please email admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

Please Support Us

Donate with PayPal

If anyone is shopping online, please consider us for Easy Fundraising. It is a simple way to help support us, each time you shop online we receive a donation.  You can register now

Once registered you can find us here.

Circus Hub - SEN community workshops

Free circus arts workshops in Sneinton for disabled and neuro-diverse young people aged 7yrs plus.

Leaflet

A warm safe space free of charge

People with  learning difficulties and their parents/carers are invited to socialise on 1st and 3rd Friday of every month.  Leaflet

Mental health and emotional wellbeing support

The group will work together to promote healthy minds and wellbeing through therapeutic intervention and social inclusion for 16 to 24 year old men. Link

If you identify as being gender diverse or non-binary and are aged 13-19, this group welcomes both you and your allies. Link

Activities at Monty Hind

All Inclusive Junior Youth Club

Tuesday Day Service

Badminton

Chop It Like It's Hot   

Thursday Cooking   

Free and confidential talking therapies

For more information

Self-refer

SEND Local Offer

• Nottingham City Council Local Offer
• Nottinghamshire County Council Local Offer

Online speech, language and communications resource

Leaflet       Website

Steps to help manage household finances

You can visit the Ask Lion website to access a useful one-stop-shop that pulls together steps everyone can take to help manage their finances. Link

Talk Money Week 6-10 November

Checking your benefits online workshops &

Using the government gateway online workshop

Notts Autism Alliance Information & Advice Service

Notts Autism Alliance is a group where autistic people and professionals come together. Lealflet

Offering a free information and guidance service. Leaflet

Preparing for Adulthood

A family Information event.

Invitation

New carers support services

Carers Hub Service

Young carers 

Leaflet

Housing Guide

Information on rights and choices that will help plan for what kind of housing is right for you

Special Needs Jungle

• Recent Articles
• Supported Internships opening doors to employment for young people with SEND
• The Council for Disabled Children’s new Director on their work to implement the Government’s SEND Change Programme
• For children with SEND and their parents, a compassionate teacher is key
• The award-winning sports podcast created by autistic learners that’s giving them hope and skills for the future

Latest news Link

• Resources to help disabled children schoolchildren access free school meal vouchers
• MPs recommend mental health absence code and expansion of free school meals to reduce parent fines and tackle school absence
• Child trust Fund for children born between 2002 and 2011 and how to access it.

Latest news Link

What are short breaks?

Short breaks are a way of getting a break from your caring responsibilities.

Local authorities must provide parents of disabled children with information about what kind of short breaks are available in the area. This is sometimes called a short breaks (services) statement and can be found on the local authority’s "local offer" website.

Short breaks are an opportunity to recharge batteries, spend time with others or pursue a particular interest. They can also allow your child to have a change of scene, try different experiences, have fun and make friends.

• Care at home – includes sitting or care attendant schemes, which provide someone to sit with or ‘mind’ your child.
• Day care away from home – includes nurseries, playgroups, out of school and weekend clubs and, during school holidays, access to playschemes.
• Overnight short breaks – includes an overnight sitting or nursing service if your child needs it.
• Residential breaks – includes residential homes, special units in hospitals and hospices.
• Family link schemes – where your child stays with another family occasionally or on a regular basis.

Remember: taking a break from caring for your child is not an admission of failure or a way of saying you don’t care.

For further information please see Contact's factsheets

Nottingham City Parent Carer Forum

The Steering Group is a group of parents and carers who have children or young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in Nottingham City.

The next Steering Group meeting:

Date: Tuesday 12 December

Time: 11:00 - 13:30

Location: Loxley House, Station Street NG2 3NG 

If you would like to join us or find out more, please contact us at admin@rainbowpcf.org.uk

For parents and carers who live within Nottinghamshire please visit Nottinghamshire Parent Carer Forum (Notts PCF) Link

Notts Parent Carer Forum needs your views

NPCF is carrying out a review of the use of part-time timetables. Link

Parent Carer Forum Coordinator (PT)

If you are interested  in being part of a small team that makes a big difference please contact support@rainbowpcf.org.uk for an application pack. 

Job description link Closing date is Monday 13 November 2023 at 17:00.

NCVS Job Board

Latest vacancies Link

Disclaimer: Rainbow Parents Carers Forum assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this bulletin.