Our Voice Making a Difference… Autumn 2014 Issue 17 Our Voice sponsored by the Department of Education via Contact a Family Our Voice, ENAS, Carer2Carer, Enfield and funding from the Department of Parents and Children, members of the Education, we aim to continue to help Welcome Youth Forum and professionals inform you and your family. working together to make it more user Welcome everyone to the Autumn To find out more about the new friendly and easier to understand. Edition of the Our Voice newsletter, parents joining the Our Voice team or which continues the theme of Equally, Our Voice continues to how you can be part of our group go change…our summer seems a develop as a voluntary organisation. to www.ourvoiceenfield.org.uk distant past and we look forward to Fazilla Amide is now Chair, taking the beautiful colours of autumn… over form Kate Linke, who is Get involved It’s also change from a legal concentrating on her full time role at a Our Voice newsletter is looking for your perspective; as of the 1st September, local school. She still remains a stories to include in its next issue and the law regarding our children’s committed part of the management there's a £15 voucher up for grabs for Special Educational Needs changed. team but a big “Thank You” goes to every story we print! We are looking for However, the majority of us won’t see Kate for her dedication and in inspiring and personal stories from much difference initially, but we will particular for kicking off the Disability parents/carers, children and young gradually over time. For further Awareness training which we’re now people about schools/ education, information see our in depth SEND delivering throughout Enfield’s primary clubs, family, fundraising, health or article on pages six and seven. schools. Seema Islam has taken on the personal recommendations that others role of Deputy Chair and Khilna will find helpful or useful. Please send The most immediate and really Gudhka continues to be the much ideas to [email protected] and positive change is that for the first needed and valued Co-ordinator. In cc [email protected]. time families, children and young this way and with continued support people will be able to find information about Enfield services all in one place!! Yes, it’s true! It’s called the “Local Offer” (not to be confused with the short breaks local offer). Accessed via a link on the Enfield Council website www.enfield.gov.uk/SEND it provides all the information you need to know about Health, Education and Social Care, as well as voluntary organisations and links to other boroughs to find out about their services. It was produced by the Joint Service for Disabled Children in Some of the Our Voice Management Committee (from left to right) Seema Islam, Fazilla Amide, partnership with Education, Health, Resim Clear, Khilna Gudhka and Natalie Sherman. especially supportive of build confidence and WINS Matty, my 9 year old son promote verbal £VOU IN THE 1CH5ER who has ASD and moved communication and her SPOTLIGHT from a special school into hard work helps the children mainstream primary.’ put on an end of year show. ‘I’d like to nominate Maja Maja, a former actress and Maja is part of the Helen Lewis for this award,’ says child psychologist, makes O’Grady Drama Academy Veronica Verrocia. ‘She runs classes fun and inclusive and for Enfield and Barnet the after school drama club has helped Matty to settle in www.helenogrady.co.uk and at George Spicer primary easily and make it a special runs other afterschool school in Enfield and and unique club for him. drama clubs for children although she builds fantastic The classes are curriculum 5–17 years. Contact her on relationships with all the based and designed to 07817 728760 or email: children, she’s been encourage creative thinking, [email protected] Contact: Khilna or Fazilla • Telephone: 07516 662315 • Email: [email protected] Please pass this newsletter on to others – parents and service providers who might find it useful. You can contact us for additional copies by email or phone. was to join in at Zumba Remembering Elis classes or look after the Time with all our children is school chickens! On hearing precious, but especially so the sad news, the primary when they have additional classes wrote a good bye medical complications. We letter to her, some of which is need to cherish every captured here: moment we have with them Dear Elis as all too quickly our shining “The grown ups remember stars can fade away, to leave when you joined West Lea only beautiful memories. 2011. They said you needed One such bright shining star lots of help at first, but was Elis Kusagli, who quickly learnt to be attended Victor primary class independent! You loved all at West Lea School. She things pink, glittery and girly loved life, living it to the full, and we remember the and never let her condition different hair clips and hair hold her back, whether that bands you wore. Harmony says ‘you were beautiful and had pretty leggings!’ Natascha and Jake say ‘you some tasty food at cooking And from the team at Our were the best artist in the club. Aaliyah says ‘thank you Voice, we want to say those world’ You were also really for looking after her, for of us who knew Elis, will also good at writing letters, and being her best friend.’ You miss her lovely smile. We’re would write lots of different were very popular with all grateful we had the pleasure letters and show us your the adults and children. of getting to know her and work. You sang with Kaos Jamie and Kareem remember wish her family all the best. choir, always looking after playing cars with you, and Kareem to make sure he Kareem especially loved your joined in; rode the bikes at cuddles and we know you Our Voic e completed its sports made fun and made loved us too. ” Disabili ty Awareness Tr at B aining owes Primary. A ll the Key Stage Memory day 2 children enjo yed the interac sessions tive Enfield’s first Memory Day for and felt they le fro arned a lot bereaved families to remember a child m them. This te rm we’ll be run or young person they had lost was sessions a ning t Rhodes Avenu held on Saturday 5th July 2014 at the in e Primary Haringey. So w Chickenshed Theatre. The day, atch this space for a organised by Enfield’s Specialist n update…. Nursing Team, part of Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust, was attended by parents, grandparents, siblings and friends, who were bereavement co-ordinator says, ‘Our encouraged to bring photographs of team works with families who have their loved one. The day included a had a child/ young person that has memory activity where families filled a the Chickenshed Theatre sang songs died as a result of illness or accidents jar with coloured salt, each colour and read poems. The day concluded and we wanted to bring them together representing different memories, a with the release of balloons, which to give them the opportunity to share remembrance service, a candle had messages written on them. Lisa their memories, stories and to lighting ceremony and volunteers from Dodd, Enfield’s play specialist and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.’ Page 2 www.ourvoiceenfield.org.uk team to develop new working practices to support you in the future. Education Q. Can parents get in touch ? Gillian Douglas is Enfield’s Special A. I like people and love to talk! I really Educational Needs Manager. She believe that through good arrived in Enfield late last year, communication we can understand, empathise and try to help and support following Ahmad Ramjhan’s each other. Parents, school and the retirement. Our Voice managed to Local Authority SEN department should grab her for a 60 second Q&A. all work together. So parents must talk to us about any concerns they might Q. What’s your background ? have and we’ll try to help. If you can’t A. I’m originally from Northern Ireland get through by phone on 020 8379 and have worked in education for over Q. What have been your priorities ? 3203/3441 (yes, I know our system is a 20 years. I’ve been a teacher, Head of A. Getting to grips with the educational real pain) then email us at Department, Head of Year, a SENCo provision here in Enfield and working [email protected]. We may not and have worked for many years in through all the changes in the law. In answer the same day, but we will get Local Authority. addition I’m working with the SEN back to you. Change is in the air Inclusion at its best Getting schools and colleges on board Parent Greesha Martin explains how with the new SEND legislation is vitally the Additional Resourced Provision at important. The new legislation will Bowes Primary School has improved have a big impact on special her daughter’s life educational needs services and make teachers more accountable for pupils When Larissa was diagnosed with progress. The SEND steering board ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) our world was turned upside down. I guess which includes representatives from which was disruptive, but was her way Our Voice, has been working with we all have dreams, hopes and aspirations for our children and we of saying she’d had enough.