Productivity Commission's final report into Disability Care and Support was delivered to the Australian Government yesterday (31st July). The Inquiry's website says that it will be released to the public at the determination of the Government. It is thought that the implementation  of the report will provide a National Disability Insurance Scheme, that will be trialled in Victoria.
Media:

• Sydney Morning Herald
• The Age
• Every Australian Counts Campaign

Did you email us between Thursday 28th and Monday 1st (this morning)?

We had a problem receiving email via our @dsansw.org.au email addresses late last week.  If you emailed us between Thursday afternoon and the weekend, we might not have received it, and you will not have been notified by a "bounceback".  

Our email functions are now all back to normal, so if can send your message again, we will attend to your enquiry.

(image courtesy of 7creative.com)

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Fit Plus: Oatley

Recreation Sports and Aquatics Club (RSAC) is running a new 6 week series of fitness and health classes for people with disabilities and their carers:
Fit Plus
BodyHealth Fitness Centre, Oatley

...  starts August 12th

Bookings and further information:  Regina 9580 8855 or RSAC 9790 500
rsaclub@bigpond.com

New York Times Magazine article on research into treatment for Down syndrome

A New York Times Magazine article published on Friday features an interview by Dan Hurley with research scientist Dr Alberto Costa, from Denver, addresses the range of views about research into treatments for Down syndrome.  It highlights some of the directions research is currently taking, and the potential effects of competition for research funding.  Read it in full here.


Source: news website Disability Scoop under the Down syndrome tab

COLOUR MY WORLD: regional NSW art competition

‘Colour My World’ Art Competition is open to people with a disability living in regional NSW and are currently attending a disability service.

Entry is free and all artwork must be the artist's original work. Paintings (in oil, acrylic, watercolour, pastel) and drawings are acceptable. Photographs can be entered.

Selected works (finalists) will be placed on display at

Ray Walsh House Foyer Gallery Tamworth
9th November to the 7th of December 2011

Total prize pool of $2,500 will be available.

Paintings and entry forms must be received by

Friday 14th October 2011

at Challenge Disability Services,Tamworth NSW 

Entry form and competition rules can be downloaded here.

Website of the week: Speech Pathology Australia

Speech Pathology Australia is the professional body for speech and language pathologists in Australia.  Its very user-friendly website includes a number of features accessible to the general public, including:

• a searchable database of speech pathologists allows you to find a speech pathologist in a particular location, in public or private practice, who sees clients with a disability, and in a particular age group.  You can also search by names.
• information on funding sources and rebates is included.
• a book awards scheme with several categories - the 2011 shortlist is now available.

  

Who wants to know about Down syndrome?

Among a wide ranging training program, Learning Links has scheduled this workshop, Who wants to know about Down syndrome? for parents and early childhood professionals,

14th September, 2011 (6.00 - 8.30 pm)
Peakhurst

Presenters:  Frances Schembri and Siobhan Beavis

From the Learning Links training brochure:
This is a practical yet thought provoking workshop that aims to challenge perceptions about Down syndrome.  It brings the benefit of understanding and experience from both a family and professional perspective,Presenters will outline the impact of Down syndrome on children's learning and discuss ways to  to support families of chidlren who have Down syndrome.  Strategies for home and early childhood settings that assist these children to reach their potential in all developmental areas will be explored.

The 8 page brochure/registration form detailng Workshops for Professionals, Parents and Carers, July 2011 - December 2011 can be downloaded here.  Online booking is available.

Enquiries 8568 8200

Reminder, and all dates for NSW-wide person-centred approaches consultations

Did you realise that 1st August is next Monday?  Where has 2011 gone ....  That means that the first of the month-long ADHC consultations on person-centred approaches to supporting people with disabilities in NSW, and funding services, will begin within days.  The full schedule of events for both families and separately for service providers across NSW is now available from the ADHC website, here.

The Lester Effect

Hastings (UK) is famous for 1066, Foyle's War, now for Lester Magoogan.  Lester  is not just skilled with an ink brush - he knows exactly what HE wants to do:

Lester draws with a Japanese brush pen, black ink on white paper. “This is black and white art,” he says. “I don’t like colours. Some person saying, Lester, do colour. No! This is not a way of draw colour, this art is black and white, as I’m doing. Go away, leave me alone, I’ll draw my life.”

... read the Hastings Online Times article on The ever growing world of Lester Magoogan.

Wordless Wednesday

Positive directions for lives of meaning and fulfilment

Hornsby - 5 September 2011

South Hurstville - 7 September 2011

About the Workshop:
Many families have said that they would like their son or daughter with disability to enjoy the same good, ordinary, opportunities as their other children but that they find this hard to achieve.

This new workshop considers why this is so and explores strategies for helping a person with disability to have a good life as part of their community. These strategies are:

• having a positive vision for the future
• working not just for community presence but also community participation and relationships and
• assisting people to develop and sustain positive roles in their community by ‘looking the part’ and ‘acting the part’.

With NSW Government policy changing to enable people with disability and their families to have more control over their lives, now is a great time to be inspired!

Download a detailed flyer and registration details here.July - September dates for other Resourcing Families workshops were posted here.

Disability plan to free new workforce

The Productivity Commission's report into the care of people with disabilities is due to be released later this week. We will hear much more on a National Disability Insurance Scheme over the next few days and weeks, as the report is analysed and responded to.  Today's Australian newspaper reports a statement from the Assistant Treasurer, Bill Shorten on the potential economic benefits.  Sue Dunlevy writes:

Australia could afford a $7 billion national disability insurance scheme if it were phased in over five to six years and it could free up a part-time workforce of 500,000 carers, says Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten.   

A week before the Productivity Commission hands down its final report on the issue, Mr Shorten said the government had an appetite for the reform and gave his personal commitment to the scheme he said would be a test of "Labor values".

Delivering early intervention and proper disability services to people as a right could free up the nation's half a million full-time carers to work part-time, unlocking a massive new workforce as
a skills shortage gripped the nation.

In its draft report in March, the Productivity Commission called for a national disability insurance scheme to fund high-quality long-term care and support for people with a disability. It also called for a national injury insurance scheme to be established to provide lifelong care and support for those who suffered a catastrophic injury such as loss of limb or spinal cord damage.

Arts opportunities in August

Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre is offering an arts program for individuals living with mild to moderate intellectual and physical disabilities, commencing on the 1st August, on the first Monday of each month. Details here.

Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre Leisure Options - term 3 begins 1st August. Classes in drama, music, dance, art. Details here.

Sydney Symphony Open Rehearsal, 2nd August, Olympic park. Details here.

Source: Accessible Arts NSW

Transition support for students with additional or complex needs and their families

This NSW Legistlative Council inquiry has been set up to inquire into and report on programs and services for children with additional and/or complex needs and their families during transitions between stages of education (the Inquiry's home page)

Individual students' and families' experiences are always useful to such inquiries - please consider telling the Inquiry about yours, what worked, what did not work, what could have been improved, how your student managed transitions in education, the impacts of transition periods on your family. Have your say about how the process of moving from preschool to school, between primary and high school, and/or out of high school has been managed.

Written submissions are open until 12th August.  All details of the terms of reference, how to make a submission, hearings and reporting are available from here.

Website of the week: Taz Paintings

A website to brighten the gloomy southern hemisphere winter weather:

Taz Fawley is a landscape and seascape painter living in Bristol, UK.  She has had several exhibitions,  and takes commissions.  Her gallery includes some Australian subjects, including the Twelve Apostles (a limestone formation off the Victorian coast), and lighthouses. 

Walking the Walk….Eating the Choices

A new blog post, Walking the walk .... eating the choices from the very reliable Joan Medlen from Phronesis- Practical Wisdom demonstrates how she implements her sound healthy eating and nutritional advice in her own kitchen.

Wordless Wednesday

School Leavers Expo:

North Sydney
A Free Event - for students, parents/carers and  school staff to talk to service providers about post school pathways and options for students with a disability.

Find out about
• Transition to Work
• Community Participation
• Centrelink

Wednesday 24th August 2011
2:00pm – 5:30pm

Dougherty Community Centre
7 Victor St, Chatswood

For Further Information a go to:  http://ndco.cds.org.au/index.php/expos
Or contact:
Sue Werner on 9413 3400 or swerner@seds.org.au
Eileen Lyons 9416 1087 or eileen.lyons@det.nsw.edu.au
Belinda Crane 9416 1087 or belinda.crane@det.nsw.edu.au
Timothy Hart 8878 0514 or t.hart@sydney.edu.au


Post School Transition Planning Forums

Date: Wednesday 10th August

For Parents/Carers and School Staff

More information will be available from July at http://ndco.cds.org.au/

Parents of children with disabilities: Ombudsman's final report from 2010 consultation

Between late May and August 2010, NSW Ombudsman staff consulted with over 300 parents and carers of children with disabilities across NSW. The focus of their discussions with families was their recent experience in seeking and obtaining specialist disability and mainstream services and supports.

In September 2010, the Ombudsman made a submission to the Legislative Council Inquiry into services provided or funded by ADHC, which outlined the main themes from the consultations, and indicated that he would produce a public report from that work following the detailed analysis of the information provided by families.

Click here to download the final report from the NSW Ombudsman's website

It highlights the key issues raised by parents and carers of children with disabilities in the consultations, acknowledges recent developments, and indicates the areas that the Ombudsman's office is pursuing with government agencies. A copy of the report has been provided to the relevant agencies and Ministers, and is being promoted widely to non-government agencies and families through community networks.

If you have any questions about the report, please contact Christine Flynn, Senior Investigation and Review Officer, on 9265 0410 or email cflynn@ombo.nsw.gov.au.

Mock my pants, not my sister: Dr Brian Skotko

The entirely fabulous Dr Brian Skotko (Boston Children's Hospital paediatrician and co-author of  Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters)  has responded brilliantly to a silly article recently published in the US edition of GQ magazine that made a thoughtless reference to Down syndrome when denigrating Bostonians' style credentials, stirring up much comment unfavourable to GQ.

Go ahead, GQ, and mock my blue whale-emblemed Nantucket-red pants. Laugh if you want at the loud argyles that I prefer to wear with my black suit. I don’t even care if you dismiss the sexy pink polka-dotted tie that I like to wear with my blue-checkered shirt in clinic. But, whatever you do, do not mess with my sister.

My sister, Kristin, has Down syndrome, and let me explain what “Style Down Syndrome” really is ... read on here (Children's Hospital Boston blog) or here (Brian Skotko's personal blog)

The online version of the GQ article has been removed because of the unfavourable response of readers.

And how about those pants?