School-Link newsletter June/July 2011 online now

The June/July 2011 edition of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead’s School-Link newsletter on mental health and intellectual disability in children and adolescents is now available to download from the School-Link website. 

Highlights include:

· Identifying factors that impede training and service development for mental health of children and adolescents with intellectual disability by Associate Professor David Dossetor

· Discovering the possibilities with visual strategies: A Training Day with Linda Hodgdon by Anders Hansson

· Running Group Stepping Stones Triple P within a school - How Successful is it? by Michelle Jewell

· The medicine cabinet : fluoxetine and autism by Judith Longworth

· AAC apps-speaking APPropriately by Jane Farrall

· Upcoming training, reviews, reading list, resources and more!

After school — what then?

Family Advocacy Workshops: regional NSW

This workshop is about preparing and planning towards life after school for students with disability and ongoing support needs. It is suitable for families of students with disability who are approaching the end of high school

• Mudgee
• Dubbo
• Cobar
• Broken Hill 

Week of August 29 - September 2nd

Phone:02 9869 0866 or 1800 620 588 (NSW non metro callers). Email: workshops@family-advocacy.com  

Resourcing Families: information sessions

Resourcing Families is an initiative of Family Advocacy that provides information and ideas about building informal supports, establishing networks and developing, implementing, directing and sustaining individualised, self managed supports.
About the information session

Resourcing Families will be running information sessions across NSW to discuss how people with developmental disability and their families can have more control over their lives and opportunities to pursue their dreams.

Information sessions will be taking place in:

Warren 27th of July
Dubbo 27th and 28th of July
Mudgee 29th of July
Queanbeyan 1st of September

Ph: 02 9869 7753 or 1800 774 764 (NSW non metro callers) Email: info@resourcingfamilies.org.au

Response to news article on inclusive education

Two letters-to-the-editor were published in Monday's Sydney Morning Herald,  in response to the weekend article about including children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms, under the heading Question left questions on special needs children (scroll quite a way down the page), and two replies today, under the heading The question is can teachers speak out?

Bronwyn Thompson

Sadly, Down Syndrome NSW member Bronwyn Thompson passed away on Sunday night after a sudden illness. Bronwyn was loving grandmother to young Flynn Edwards (4), and mother to DSNSW vice-president Hannah Edwards.

In the short time in which she has been involved with Down Syndrome NSW, Bronwyn has made a big impact.

With her husband Geoff, their Team MOG entry in the TUFF TRUCK challenge (2009 – 2011) has raised close to $20,000 in just 3 years and gained great local publicity for Down Syndrome NSW on the north coast.

As well as being a dedicated fundraiser, Bronwyn has worked hard in her gentle and unassuming way to improve understanding and acceptance of people with Down syndrome in her community – and her grandson Flynn has been a wonderful ambassador.

Bronwyn and Geoff generously hosted the UP!Club on their property near Taree last year, and many UP!Clubbers will have fond memories of Bronwyn’s warm hospitality.

Bronwyn will be a sadly missed member of the Down Syndrome NSW family. Bronwyn’s funeral will be held this Friday in Taree.

Special Olympics World Games 2011, Greece: closing ceremony

What a wonderful event - the 2011 Special Olympics World Games came to a spectacular close in Athens this morning (Sydney time) after a final 'super Sunday' of competition - 129 photos are already up on the Special Olympics Australia Flickr Photostream which has kept us so well supplied with fabulous images throughout the Games.

Here is Nick Lorenz at the closing ceremony with some mates, in a news wrap of the Games: Athletes celebrate as Special Olympics draw to close

Congratulations to all at Special Olympics Australia and all 130 Australian team members on their participation and the many medals they won - we can see that you have had the time of your lives.

All the news, results, video highlights from every day of the event, and anything else you might want to know about Australia's experience of the Games is available through the Special Olympics Australia World Games website.

We know the Australian athletes aren't even home yet, but where are the next Special Olympics World Games?

Los Angeles, USA in 2015

Person Centred Active Support – One Day Workshops: Wagga Wagga and Bathurst

The Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability (ASID) will be presenting a one day interactive workshop on Person Centred Active Support and how it can be incorporated into the everyday support of people with disabilities and the benefits that are being achieved by people with disabilities.

Active Support is a way of organising how support is provided to people with disability in community based accommodation and similar services and provides the tools to implement true person centred planning in meaningful everyday activities.

WAGGA WAGGA
27th July 2011
9.30am to 4.00pm
Charles Sturt University, Gulballanna Room C

BATHURST
25th July 2011
9.30am to 4.00pm
Charles Sturt University, James Hardie Dining Hall

Cost: $55.00 (inclusive GST)
To reserve your place, please email to request a registration form to: Tiana Sartor, by 18th July 2011, debtors@kurrajongwaratah.org.au

Source: IDEAS NSW E-News, Issue 21, June 2011

Buddy Walk - Australia 2011: dates, early bird registration and T shirt orders

It's time to start organising for Buddy Walk - Australia again.  Let's hope for some better weather for the Sydney, Canberra and Wagga Wagga events this year!

WAGGA WAGGA: SATURDAY 15th OCTOBER

SYDNEY: SUNDAY 16th OCTOBER

NEWCASTLE: SUNDAY 16th OCTOBER

CANBERRA: SATURDAY 22nd OCTOBER

Note: To take part in the walk, please register. All registered walkers will be sent an Event Kit with map and full details of walk and picnic.

* Early bird special: T-Shirts ONLY $15 until 26th August (Note: orders must be received in the office by close of business on Friday 26th August)

* T-Shirts $22 from 27th August until 23rd September (Please note the 23rd September is the final cut off date for ALL t-shirt orders. NO T-Shirt orders will be taken after the 23rd September).

Click here to download a registration form and apparel order now. Online registration will be available shortly.

Registrations will remain open up until the day of the event.

For all enquiries, contact Priscilla at Down Syndrome NSW on 9841 4404 or  Priscilla@dsansw.org.au

Proloquo2go: free webinars starting in July

The producers of the very popular communication app Proloquo2go are planning two series of free webinars during the northern hemisphere summer (commencing later in July) - one for professionals, and one for families.

Descriptions of the content, the schedules and online registrations are available here.

Should children with special needs be taught in a mainstream class?

Fairfax newspapers this weekend carried a debate on inclusive education, presenting the views of

Senator Sue Boyce, a Lberal senator for Queensland and parent of an adult daughter with Down syndrome.

Bob Buckley, convenor of Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia

Dr Kirsty Young, a senior lecturer in education at the University of Technology, Sydney

Karen Pakula, a Sydney writer and parent

Read it online here

Determination, persistence, positive attitudes, fun, celebration and medals continue at SO World Games

A day of medals and celebration (and dancing!) for our "familiar faces" in Athens (all of these links are to the Special Olympics Australia Flickr Photostream):

Nick Lorenz enjoying his singles match against Germany. Nick Lorenz celebrates with his family after winning Bronze in the Men's Singles at the Tennis. Renee Belleggia and Nick Lorenz win Silver in the Mixed Doubles. Nick Lorenz dances the Macarena with other tennis athletes and volunteers at a dance party on centre court after the days play.

Alex Hayes - Australia have proved a force to be reckoned with at Athen's Glyfada Golf Course. Alex tees off.  Every member of the Australian golf team won a medal and today they received them and celebrated Alex is proudly displaying his silver medal (centre front).

Softball champs. The softball team (including Mel Eustace centre front and Andrew Mujunen draped in flag) took bronze in a tough division and their fun-loving spirit and never-say-die attitude was fantastic.  Mel and teammate Peter heading for the podium.

For a particularly up close look at persistence and determination, have a look at this sequence of four photos of Ederson Idrogo from Peru finishing his walking event. The caption reads in part that in "..a very Special Olympics moment,  the 23 year old ... showed a large crowd in the Stadium today what SO is all about."

Australia's softballers all heart in Athens

Just look at these three (especially the ones on green and gold)!

Two dance events for July

Dance to the Nines Event!
is a night for people over18, with a disability. Get your dancing shoes on and dance to a live band!

Friday 15 July 2011
6-9pm

Doughtery Community Centre,
7 Victor Street, Chatswood

FREE! Light refreshments provided.
Bookings essential: call 9777 7975

* * * * * * * * * *


Everyone Can Dance Social Event!

Sunday the 17th of July
Campbelltown City Bowl

If you would like to attend, please email Tara Grech on tara_grech@hotmail.com  or call (02) 4655 7711.

For more information about Everyone Can Dance, please visit the website: http://everyonecandance.com.au

Better Start: amended Fact Sheet from Carers Australia

Carers Australia (the registering body) has released an amended Fact Sheet on the Better Start for Children with a Disability Initiative.

The amendment addresses an error about the upper age limit for registration in the original document:

The funding must be expended by the child's 7th birthday, BUT REGISTRATION MUST OCCUR BEFORE THE CHILD’S 6TH BIRTHDAY.

Registrations for Better Start open from today with Carers NSW via Freecall 1800 242 636, or visit the Better Start website for more detailed information about the registration process.

Assoc Prof Roger Stancliffe receives AAIDD Research Award

Roger Stancliffe is Associate Professor, Disability Studies, at the University of Sydney’s faculty of Health Sciences. Assoc Prof Stancliffe, and his work, particularly on community living and active support is well known to families of people with Down syndrome in NSW.  We congratulate him on his recent award in recognition of that work:

On June 7th, at the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) 135th Annual Meeting in St Paul Minnesota,  Roger Stancliffe, was honoured as the recipient of the AAIDD Research Award. AAIDD President, Professor Michael Wehmeyer presented the award, with a citation that read:

Research Award.
Presented to Roger J. Stancliffe PhD FAAIDD.
In recognition of your Exceptional Accomplishments.

In the 40-year history of the AAIDD Research Award, Assoc Prof Stancliffe is the first person from the southern hemisphere to be so recognised. Past recipients of this prestigious award include Sir Michael Rutter (UK), Jack Tizard (UK), Donald Baer (USA), David Braddock (USA), Ann and Alan Clark (UK), Lionel Penrose (UK) and Robert Edgerton (USA).

Source:  Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability

Memory Keeper's Daughter on GEM TV today 12.00

Short notice, but it might be useful to someone ... the movie "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" will be screened on GEM today (!) at 12.00 midday.

When too much sport is never enough ...

Lots more photos from the Special Olympics World Games posted overnight - and many more medals won.  They'll need a shipping container to bring them all home! Congratulations to Chris Bunton and Tracie Sammut who have each picked up several medals in gymnastics.  Visit the SO Australia Flickr Photostream to catch up ... and especially have a look at this fun photo of the Bunton family as they cheered on the women's gymnastics team - great hairdo John!  Mel Eustace (softball team member) was snapped with her coach, who happens to be her Mum, Fran.

It's not all about the medals - there are fabulous photos of the athletes and their supporters showing all aspects of the Games. Just go and look at them all!

Special Olympics World Games: some familiar faces in Greece ...

Special Olympics Australia is providing excellent media coverage via Facebook, Flickr, its news media hub and websites.  Here are some photos we've spotted (and there will be others that we have missed - there is so much to see!):

Congratulations to Joshua Gray who has won a swag of medals in gymnastics, being congratulated by his grandfather!

Chris Bunton preparing to compete in gymnastics - good luck Chris!

The women's gymnastics team is ready to compete (Ashley Kuhle is at right in the back row, Tracie Sammut is second from right in the front row, Rhianna Sinclair is on the right, front row) - good luck girls!

Nick Lorenz dancing with volunteers on centre court - good luck Nick! And a slightly more sedate one of the tennis team (that you in the shades, Nick?).

We're pretty sure that is Alex Hayes, second from left, this photo from the Daily Telegraph's media hub for the Special Olympics World Games.  The golf competition is in full swing now.  Good luck Alex and all of your team mates.

Check out other NSW athletes with Down syndrome who are competing in gymnastics, softball and tennis by following the links to athletes pages here, daily competition schedules and results here.

Before the Games there was touristing to be done ... Andrew Mujunen and Mel Eustace (front row) toured the old Medieval Town on Rhodes with their softball team mates, and cooled off with a swim.

Special Olympics Australia Flickr Photostream (page 1 is the latest photos).

Website of the week: Shifting Perspectives (website and app)

Website of the week is a new series of posts highlighting one website each week, that we use and/or recommend to those interested in various aspects of the lives of people with Down syndrome.  If you have a website you would like to recommend, please contact us at info@dsansw.org.au and we'll take a look. 

Shifting Perspectives is a body of photographic work from a group of professional UK photographers (most of whom are parents of people with Down syndrome), produced over six years (so far), aimed at shifting the world's perspectives on people with Down syndrome.  The photographs of people with Down syndrome of all ages have appeared in calendars, a collection of posters, and annual exhibitions in London and throughout the UK.  All of the works are now collected online, with information about the photographers and a video overview of the processes and aims.

The latest Shifting Prespectives initiative is a free app for iPhone, iPod Touch and/or iPad, produced by Kelvin Jones of Bright Machine) making it all available wherever you want to see it. You can download the app via iTunes - it takes a little while because it is substantial, and is well worth taking the time.

Key Word Sign: Basic Workshop (formerly Makaton)

A few places are still available at this workshop:

Saturday 9th July, 2011
9am – 3:30pm

Lifestart Nepean, 8-10 Carinya Ave,  St. Marys

Key Word Sign Presenter: Meagan Rudd

Fee: $100 for professionals;  $50 for parents

This full day Basic workshop covers the use of Key Word Sign and natural gesture to assist individuals who have difficulties with receptive and/or expressive communication.

Come along and learn how to use Key Word Sign, natural gesture and other strategies to communicate with your clients or child.

This workshop will enables participants to:

• explain the difference between Key Word Sign, Auslan and Signed English
• competently produce at least 80 signs
• select vocabulary for individual clients
• have an understanding of sign production techniques
• know where to find resources and follow up support in the use of key word sign and natural gesture
• be eligible to receive a Basic Key Word Sign Workshop certificate from Key Word Sign NSW

Morning tea and handouts will be provided, please bring your own lunch or it can be purchased at the nearby shopping centre.

For further information and to register, contact Meagan Rudd:  P 0410 691 381 E meagan.signon@gmail.com

RSVP: 6th July, 2011