Issue 28 January 2019 The newsletter for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Young Carers Awareness Day page 4 Disability Sports page 9 Understanding Disability Awards page 12 & 13 Happy New Year! I hope you’ve Our Regional Annual Report is now live had a lovely start on our webpages, so visit your local FIS to your year so website for our new look infographic! far, and enjoy the first newsletter We are excited to see what 2019 will bring, of 2019, and the and hope you are too! 28th issue of The Happy Reading! Index. Julia Sky A warm welcome Regional Index Officer, Cardiff and Vale) to all of our readers, and an especially warm welcome to those of you who have joined us since the autumn newsletter! As always, we would love to hear from So, what’s been happening since the last you if you are a family or professionals with edition? a story to share with us, or an event you would like us to come along to! All you We’ve been to lots of schools throughout need to do is contact your local Family autumn term and have met lots of lovely Information Service. families at sessions across Cardiff and the Vale. Your Local Family We continue to attend Noah’s Ark, Information Service Llandough and St David’s Children’s Centres every month to meet families and discuss Your Local Family Information Service is the support available. a one-stop shop for families who need information on childcare, activities for Myself and colleague Becky Wickett were children and young people and family kindly nominated for awards in the 25th support services. You can contact us Understanding Disability Awards (read more directly, visit our website where you can on page 12). search our online directory, and visit our social media pages: In Cardiff, we have run workshops on The Index for those in the Education Welfare Vale Family Information Service Service and Youth Service. 01446 704704 In the Vale, we have attended the launch [email protected] of Vale Parenting Service and Vale Youth www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/fis Wellbeing Service (page 12), as well as @ValeFIS hosting 500 families at our FIS Christmas Party in Barry Memo! Cardiff Family Information Service In line with changes to ALN legislation, 029 2035 1700 we are piloting The Index up to the age of [email protected] 25 years for existing families, and will be www.cardiff-fis.info contacting those of you who have a young @CardiffFIS person turning 18 to find out if you would like to remain registered with us. The Index is funded by Welsh Government’s Families First Grant 2 the index / y mynegai - issue 28 What’s On: Mondays Fridays Cardiff Early Years Inclusion, Cardiff Early Come and Play Session (see page 7) Years Inclusion, Come and Play Session Mondays, 1.15pm – 2.30pm (see page 7) Fridays, 9.30am – 11am Cardiff City Wheelchair Football Vale Adaptive Cycling (see page 9) Mondays 5.30pm – 6.30pm (see page 10) Fridays, 1pm – 5pm Tuesdays Cardiff City PAN Disability Football Cardiff Early Years Inclusion, (see page 9) Fridays 5.00pm – 6.00pm Come and Play Session (see page 7) Saturdays Tuesdays, 9.30am – 10.30am Home Bargains Quiet Hour (see page 6) KeyCreate Inclusive Stay Saturdays, 9am – 10am and Play Group (see page 7) Oshi's World - Let's Play Sessions Tuesdays, 10am - 12pm Saturdays, 10am - 1pm Vale Carers Drop In Session (see page 5) Byrd Crescent Community Centre, Penarth Every Tuesday, 1pm – 4pm [email protected] Wednesdays Sundays Cardiff City PAN Disability Football KeyCreate Inclusive Stay (see page 9) Sundays 9am – 10am and Play Group (see page 7) Wednesdays, 10am - 12pm Holiday Schemes: Cardiff Early Years Inclusion, Come and Vale Families First Play Session (see page 7) Holiday Club (see page 8) Wednesdays, 1.15pm – 2.30pm Wednesday 27, Thursday 28 February & Friday 1 March Vale Adaptive Cycling (see page 10) Vale Inclusive Youth Provision – Wednesdays, 1pm – 5pm Teenscheme (see page 8) Hijinx Telemachus (see page 11) Thursday 28 February and Friday 1 March, Wednesdays, 6pm – 8pm 10am – 3pm Thursdays Events Cardiff Early Years Inclusion, Come and Parents Federation’s Social Gatherings Play Session (see page 7) (see page 13) Thursdays, 1.20pm – 2.30pm Young Carers Awareness Day Vale Youth Speak Up (see page 4) Thursday 31 January Thursdays, 5.30pm – 7.30pm Wonder Film Screening and Talk Castleland Community Centre, Barry (see page 15) Thursday 7 February, 01446 732926 / [email protected] 5.30pm - 8.30pm Better than a Booklet Coffee Morning Your Rights, Direct Payments and the Act Thursday 31 January, 28 February & 28 (see page 5) March, 10am – 12pm Monday 25 February, 10am – 1pm 029 2034 7067 / Action for Children, Whizz Kidz Information Hub (see page 15) CF11 9DN Thursday 7 March, 2pm – 6pm the index / y mynegai - issue 28 3 Young Carers Awareness Day Each year Carers #CareForMeToo Trust organises campaign. Young Carers #CareForMeToo Awareness Day. is a new Carers The purpose of Trust campaign the day is to raise that aims to raise public awareness awareness about of the challenges mental health and faced by young people because of their caring improve support role, and to campaign for greater support for for young carers. young carers and their needs. The pressures of caring can lead to mental This year’s Young Carers Awareness Day health problems, anxiety and stress. That’s will take place on Thursday 31 January why we are asking for more support for young 2019. This will be our fifth official Young carers and their wellbeing. Carers Awareness Day and we aim to In Wales, you can support Carers Trust Wales’ continue identifying young carers and raising work with Welsh Government to deliver a awareness of the vital role that they play in national Young Carers ID card as part of supporting their sick and disabled family marking Young Carers Awareness Day 2019. members. For more information, please contact This year, for Young Carers Awareness Day [email protected] on 31 January 2019, we are focusing on the theme of mental health – linking in with our Website and Guidebook for Young Carers This website and the book carer when I was a child, and ‘Guidebook for Young Carers’ I have used my experiences were designed to provide to inform a book I have advice for young carers. published called ‘Guidebook For Young Carers’... I have They were created by an adult released three YouTube called Mike, who is now a videos which summarise my married man and a father, but when he was experiences of being a young a child he was a young carer. He found being carer and describe my book... a young carer very difficult and experienced I would really appreciate if you a range of emotions including sadness, could mention these resources loneliness, frustration and anger. Therefore he to others. It would also be would like to pass on advice to help present great if people could like my Facebook page so day young carers. He does not have any formal they will see my posts.” qualifications in child care; his opinions are based on real life experiences. He hopes you Mike Raynor find the website and book useful. youngcarer.info (Website which contains all the content as free readable blogs) “I would like to share some resources I have created to help young carers. I was a young 'Guidebook for Young Carers' 4 the index / y mynegai - issue 28 All Wales Forum of parents and carers of people with learning disabilities The All Wales service planning and policy Forum (AWF) brings development – enabling and a national voice supporting carer groups and and recognition to individuals to be fully included parents and carers in their communities and of children and central to policy and planning adults living with processes. learning disabilities in Wales. www.allwalesforum.org.uk @AllWalesForum We advocate for the rights of family carers to be heard as equals in ‘Your Rights, Direct Payments & the Act’ Do you know what rights you as carers have Free Tea, Coffee and Refreshments under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act? Join the AWF for a free event Free Parking that will focus on how this Act gives families If you are interested in attending this event more rights in Wales which you should be or would like to know more please contact aware of. Grace on 02920 811 120 or email grace@ We invite parents & carers of people with allwalesforum.org.uk learning disabilities to this free event to learn what rights YOU as carers are entitled to under the Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act. Carers Drop In – We will explain what Direct Payments are, how you can use them & explore how families in Vale of Glamorgan receipt of Direct Payments across Wales have Do you look after used them to create or access a service tailored a child or young for their needs. person with additional needs? Monday 25 February 2019, 10am-1pm Call in for free Glamorgan Archives, Clos Parc Morgannwg, information, Leckwith, Cardiff, CF11 8AW support and a carers assessment “I feel less isolated as a result” Every Tuesday, – Aberystwyth 1pm – 4pm Dock Offices, “Reinforces fighting for our rights as carers” – Wrexham Barry, CF63 4RT Ask for Family Information Service at “Very informative and great for information Reception sharing - have learnt a lot today!” - Cardiff Call 01446 704704 for further details the index / y mynegai - issue 28 5 Home Bargains Quiet Hour Home Bargains is for people bringing in a ‘quiet with autism, hour’ every Saturday especially at this morning between time of year.