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Support Group News Let us know if you have news from your support group that you would like us to post here - just e-mail us with the details. Add+up (Havering) Carlisle & District ADHD Support Group Dorset ADHD Support Group Huntingdon and District ADHD Support Group Milton Keynes AD/HD Family Support Group Newark ADHD Family Support Group Add+up (Havering) Add+up was first established in Havering in 1997. It is a parent-led support and action group, which was initiated by the local Child Development Team. At that time there was no other support group for this area, and we remain the only support group that covers the Havering, Barking, Dagenham and surrounding area. After we had got our committee together we set out our aims for the group. Firstly, to raise public and professional awareness of ADHD. Secondly, to help and support parents and their families by offering advice and information. We achieved the first one by a chance meeting with our then chairperson, Rosemary Kew, and a Chief Executive Officer of the Health Authority who initiated a 'Steering Group' to develop a 'Code of Practice' which would involve Health, Education and Social Services. So began a four-year journey until in January 2001 the Protocol was finally launched. We, as a group, are very proud of this document; it gives guidelines for the identification and management of ADHD. The document gives Cultural, Education, Health and Social Services perspectives, but most important of all a parent's perspective. The protocol is a live document and continues to be monitored and improved. The steering group meet regularly to do this. Our second aim was to unite parents, and we did this by holding regular meetings, with guest speakers on relevant subjects, and organising events for the children with the limited funds we have. We also issue a quarterly Newsletter to all members keeping them up-to-date with forthcoming events. We are now moving into the next phase of Add+up, by putting together funding bids to fund our own drop-in centre. I have been working from home, and our meetings have been held in church halls, but the time has come to move on. By getting our own base we will be able to achieve more; our parents can call in at any time for advice and information, to view our library or just for a chat and a coffee. Being limited to only the meetings, some parents were finding it difficult to get to them, either because of getting babysitters (and we all know what that's like) or because of other siblings at school or playgroups. A drop-in centre is now needed and this is our next move. Our belief We believe that children should not be disadvantaged in any way because of their condition. We at Add+up will continue to work towards this goal for all children with ADHD. Sheila Kelly Secretary at Add+up, telephone 01708 709335 Back to top of page Carlisle & District ADHD Support Group Morton Park Family Centre, Wigton Road, Carlisle Tel: Gina Higgin on 01228 607085 e-mail: Ken McDonald on KJM@kebra.freeserve.co.uk The Carlisle & District ADHD Group was founded in 1998 following pressure from local parents about the lack of services available to families and affected children. We are a small group of parents and carers and our aims are to provide support and information to families and carers of children and young people with ADHD and related conditions. We also aim to provide an information resource for teachers, foster carers, social workers and health professionals in and around the Carlisle and Eden areas. We are supported by Social Services and Family Centre staff and we meet at 10am on the last Friday of every month at St Bedes Church Hall, Wigton Road, Carlisle. We also organise informal lectures from other professionals working in our local area i.e. CAMHs, Benefits Advice, etc. All are welcome to attend and further details can be obtained from Gina (telephone) or Ken (via e-mail). Back to top of page Dorset ADHD Support Group Registered charity 1067658 3 Mountbatten Close Wyke Regis, Weymouth Dorset DT4 9ET Helpline: 01305 768297 e-mail: DorsetADHD@AdminWykeRegis.fsnet.co.uk Since the setting up of the group in a parent's front lounge, the group has gone from strength to strength with the full support of all committee members, parents, carers and members of personnel from our local authority. A registered charity for almost 4 years, we have received two lottery grants from the National Lotteries Board to purchase a computer, printer, photocopies and other office equipment. The group also produces a newsletter 'Fast Forward' which provides information to parents, carers and professionals who are involved in the providing of services to families of children with ADD/ADHD. All committee members have a child who has ADHD, all are volunteers, there are no paid staff employed by the group. There is no membership fee for any person/persons wishing to join, we feel that parents/carers have a struggle to access information/support from some professionals who are involved with the diagnosis/treatment of their child/children. As chairperson and the parent of a now 19-year-old son who has ADHD, I am able to attend any conferences/seminars and training programmes that may be available. This then enables myself to bring this information into the group and make it available to our parents and carers. I have completed the Network 81 Befrienders training on The Law Assessing and Statementing of Children with Special Educational Needs, and studied both the 1989 Children's Act and the 1948 National Assistance Act. This provided me with the information to assist parents and carers on Statementing procedures on SEN, Disciplinary Hearings on exclusion from school and any other difficulties they may experience. My main area is on respite services for families and once again I assist parents/carers with social services involvement. As a Group, we have questioned our local authority on the non-existence of a Children's Disability Register. We are pleased to say that this is now available within Dorset and named the 'Dorset Children's Directory'. Children with ADHD can be placed on this directory as being a disabled person. We have also raised issues within the local authority on 'Quality Projects' funding as this money is not only for looking after children by the local authority, it also includes children with disabilities. Due to the Group's persistence with our social services directorate, we are now pleased to say that there is a large recruitment campaign taking place to employ 'Shared Carers' for families of children who have ADHD to enable these families to have a break from caring, ranging from a couple of hours each week to overnight stays with carers. We have been involved with the introduction of ADHD awareness to prison staff with our local Young Offenders Institute. Putting together a training package for schools, especially for SENCO's and Learning Support Assistants, we are fortunate enough to have the support of our local education authority to implement such training within our schools. We were selected as charity of the year (1999) by the local ROAB. The money raised enabled the group to fund places at the local Outdoor Education Centre for children with ADHD. The support from the Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre was superb, all of the children having a wonderful time during the long school summer holidays last year. (The parents enjoyed the break also.) The Group has yearly financial support from both Dorset Social Services and Dorset Parent Partnership. These funds cover the cost of meeting venues, insurance, telephone Helpline rental, IT Training and updating the group's library. We are hoping to apply for funding from other organisations to enable the group to hold a conference/seminar here in the South. I am presently putting together guidelines on Special Educational Needs provision for children with ADHD, put together in accordance with section 324 of the Education Act 1996 and the Education (Special Educational Needs) Regulations 1996. The heading being 'Children should be included - not excluded', it will identify the needs of children with ADHD, and how our children require a programme of special educational provision in order to learn successfully within school. Children with ADHD need an individual Education Plan (IEP) which is aimed at making progress in all areas. I would also like to say that I am pleased at being invited down to London with other ADHD Support Group representatives by ADDept. Meeting with members from other areas was good 'Partnership', it clearly demonstrated what each and every group required. My now being on the Steering Group for ADHD and Hidden Disabilities (UK) means that what I have learned in relation to services for families can be shared with others. No matter how large or small all of the organisations involved, the setting up of ADHD and Hidden Disabilities (UK) means that we can all make contributions and work closely with each other. Support Groups/Organisations are there for families/persons with disabilities, not the families/persons with disabilities for our Support Groups/Organisations. I am so proud of all the committee members/volunteers from within our group for the hard work and dedication that they put in to making it successful. Without these persons my role as the chairperson would not exist; they support me by supporting them. Thank you to Glynne Hebbern: Newsletter Editor/Librarian Karen Holmes: Treasurer Mary Walden: Secretary Sue Pering: Fund Raiser/other Volunteers: Peter Lee and Sue Daniel for the support Chairperson: Margaret J Alsop (Mrs) Back to top of page Huntingdon and District ADHD Support Group Both Sarah (Chairperson) and Anita (Secretary) have sons with ADHD. They have spent much time researching and gathering information on ADHD and associated disorders so they can pass on their knowledge to other parents/families in the area. Once diagnosis was made, both Sarah and Anita felt that little support and information was available on a local basis and there was obviously no support group in the area. Sarah and Anita have joined forces together with their respective husbands (Shaun and Brian) to provide a 'listening ear' to carers of children with ADHD. Our support group aims to provide updated information on other organisations, relevant information on ADHD and future events. Depending on future membership of the group we will look into arranging social functions for members and their families. Our motto is "Let's help and support each other", because at some time or another we all need a little help. For further details please contact either Sarah Taylor (01480 354114) or Anita Gomez (01480 456592) or send an SAE to Sarah Taylor 106 Hill Rise, St Ives, Cambs PE27 6SG. Back to top of page Milton Keynes AD/HD Family Support Group Neighbourhood House, 1 Pencarrow Place, Fishermead, Milton Keynes, MK6 2AS Tel: 01908 676 779, Fax: 01908 676 779 website www.mk-adhd.org.uk The MK ADHD Group was founded in March 1996, following an article in the local newspaper in which I had asked how many kids are being labeled "Naughty" when they might be suffering from ADHD. I received such a tremendous response that a support group was needed. It has been hard, but we are now achieving our aims. This group has been set up by parents of children with ADHD/ADD who know the feelings of confusion, isolation, frustration, anger and guilt that other parents also experience. This group provides support, understanding and advice for families of suffers of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and other co-morbid conditions.
Chairperson Back to top of page Newark ADHD Family Support Group The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month at the C.V.S. Buildings, 85 Mill Gate, Newark. We have occasional guest speakers and alternate them with informal coffee mornings. We provide: 1. A comprehensive information pack 2. A telephone help line 3. A small lending library 4. All information exchanged is strictly confidential E-mail: newarkadhd.group@talk21.com Tel: Linda Beckett (Secretary) 01636 679117 Back to top of page |
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