Come and try registration day 
No more meltdowns: Positive strategies for managing and preventing out-of-control behaviour by Jed Baker (Future Horizons, 2008) is a book to help deal with behaviour problems that don't seem to respond to the usual techniques. Baker, author of the popular Social Skills Picture Books, uses a positive approach to creating plans to prevent negative behaviour. Baker has experience working with people on the autistic spectrum and although this book is not specifically for people with Down syndrome or autism, the visual learner is well suited to the approach he takes.
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A Place to Call Home: talking about devolution records the journeys of some of the residents, families and staff of Greystanes Children’s Home, a large residential facility that devolved into a range of community based services. 
Carol Gray developed the Social Stories formula for use with people with autism. These stories are also of great use with people with Down syndrome to help understand social expectations, learn new skills, and work through difficult situations or concepts. It has been 10 years since Carol Gray published her first Social Story book and the library has just received the anniversary edition of the New Social Story Book.
Associate Professor Keith McVilly from Deakin University presented a seminar on friendships for people with Down syndrome on the weekend. As well as confirming the importance of friendships for every person and the difficulties faced by people with disabilities making and maintaining friendships, Ass. Prof. McVilly spoke about what friends are and strategies to help friendships occur and prosper. Research has found that the best long term friendships come from school and faith-based communities. He recommends using social stories, finding out what the person is interested in, finding others who share those interests and teaching useful social skills. He spoke about setting up circles of friends and support groups. These work best when initiated from home or in primary schools. He spoke about setting up a register of people and interests to match them. Small groups discussed all these ideas and set everyone thinking about other ways to support and foster friendships. Down Syndrome NSW will be looking at ways in the future to develop and support some of these ideas and inform our members of what others are doing. We look forward to hearing about your plans. 
Trail Bikes Adventure Magazine has published Part 1 of a two part article about chief Scrapheap Adventurer, Perry Gilsenan, the scrapheap bikes, and the event he organised to benefit Down Syndrome NSW last month - raising more than $20,000.
There is quite a buzz around the release of another film about people with Down syndrome. 
Alternatively, written submissions may be sent to:
Respite program guidelines (disability) - Operated and funded services under the disability services program
New directions for disability respite services in NSW is a report on consultations about respite services in NSW, conducted during 2009. 
The author of Road Map to Holland has recently been interviewed by Literary Mama about life with her growing family in rural Montana:The last few weeks have been busy with World Down Syndrome Day, adventures, fundraisers and social happenings. For the next few weeks, we'll be busy with information events. Here's a summary of what's coming up. More details and the links you need to register for each are here, or go directly to the flyers linked below:
Well worth a bookmark.
School-Link is a project of the Children's Hospital, Westmead (in Sydney), supporting the mental health of children and adolescents with an intellectual disability by focussing on training and informing the wide range of professionals who might work with them and their families.
Hands Can Talk, the sign language and communication consultancy run by Aileen Ryan has a bright, colourful new website, with information about how sign can be implemented for people with communication difficulties whether their hearing is impaired or not, resources, and workshops all over NSW and interstate.
To mark Autism Awareness Month, iTunes is offering 26 ABA flash card applications, each with 50 - 60 photographs, for free download until the end of April. 
We often mention the Down's Syndrome Association (UK) and Down Syndrome Education International (DownsEd), and the Down Syndrome NSW site (of course) but there are many other excellent websites on Down syndrome. The Riverbend Down Syndrome Parent Support Group website is one of these. It is based in Illinois in the US and collects together a wide range of articles and abstracts of interest. The latest article added was Algebra and Problem Solving in Down Syndrome: a study with 15 teenagers by Elisabetta Monari Martinez (published in European Journal of Special Education 25(1), 13-29, 2010). But the topics of articles range from ones about early intervention, music, sports, inclusion, to medical articles, homeschooling, therapies, links and more. Not all the articles are mainstream, universally accepted research (although most are) so it allows a wide range of views to be di
scussed. 
A forum on strategies for improving the health of people with intellectual disabilities in Western Sydney, presented by NSW Council on Intellectual Disability and Western Sydney Intellectual Disability Support Group Speakers
Contact NSW CID or WSIDSG for registration information.
Invite you to learn about Living our visions (LOV)
Pathways to Leadership Limited links formal and informal networks of people with a disability, their families, and allies across Australia and internationally via training and leadership opportunities.
Presenters Amanda Bell & Stefanie Primm
