Tuesday 9 August 2011

21 May: The Honest Lawyer

All the family out for a meal at Honest Lawyer, a late celebration of Mam's birthday 14 May.

20 May: Literacy, Transition, Social Care & Direct Payments

it's complicated!

18 May: College Review

will write later.

7 May: The King's Speech

We all watched The King's Speech at Grandma's.

6 May: Coats, Arts Award Grant, Debbie Hepplewhite

Hannah took me to her house today to photograph her coats and Tom's and Jack's!

Mam downloaded synthetic phonics worksheets from Debbie Hepplewhite for our home schooling.

We applied for an Arts Award grant for session workers to help us with our animation 'Language Givers' in the summer holidays.

3 - 5 May: Adult Services take all Mam's time!

One reason I am so behind with updating my blog, doing my campaigns and animations, and learning to read and write at home is the number of calls, emails, meetings, visits and questionnaires Mam has to deal with from so many people in social care, health and education. Not good. Mam will write on her blog when she has caught up on mine a bit more.

Easter Week

Aunties, uncles and cousins and all came to stay at Grandma's and ours. Friends came to visit. Leighton came for a sleepover one night. Andrew stayed for a few days.

Andrew's laptop was wiped clean when he got it fixed so my brother reinstalled some programs and put all our photos, videos, project work, synthetic phonics and Language Mates PowerPoints, and Tico Language Mate back on it. We edited our 'Equality without Words?' campaign poster a bit but it is not finished yet. Andrew loves the synthetic phonics apps on my iPad!

19 April: Alnwick Gardens

Had a great day at Alnwick Gardens with friends from Durham Area Disability Leisure Group! I enjoyed the fountains and the tree house but the best part was me wearing McCauley's blue gillet all day!
Movie on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelbrianreed#p/u/18/1hWahCOKZl4
Pics on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150245903052492.346015.574347491&l=bcdc832048&type=1

17 April: SLCF and AACQS

Good news! Documents to guide practice and assess the skills and competencies of everyone working with children and young people, especially those who rely on AAC to communicate.

My family is trying to help professionals on my 'team' realise that they must comply!

I might get specialist assessment of my needs at last! Some staff might even get trained on how to facilitate me! Surely the only way is up now?

Speech, Language and Communication Framework (SLCF).

"The SLCF is a clear and detailed framework of the skills and knowledge in speech, language and communication which are important for everyone who works with children and young people. It is available as an interactive online tool at www.communicationhelppoint.org.uk

Practitioners and managers can complete an online evaluation of their current skills and knowledge. Once completed they will have a list of competences where they are fairly confident or not confident."

Download a PDF of SLCF here:


National Standards for AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) services for children and adults have been developed by and in consultation with AAC stakeholders. These Standards documents aim to describe national good practice and principles for people who need and use AAC services. 

Download The Quality Standards in AAC (3 Word documents) here: 
http://www.communicationmatters.org.uk/nationalaacstandards

16 April: DADLG @ Quads

Quad bike ride, games and hot pork sarnies at Hardwick Park with friends from Durham Area Disability Leisure Group. Great day, as always!
More pics on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150209159977492.336620.574347491&l=76bb19f51d&type=1

Movie on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelbrianreed#p/u/17/psQflt1PHlw

1 April: GP Hearing

I don't hear everything properly. My family notice when they are helping me spell that I don't hear all the letters, or when I go 'eh?' 'eh?' lots of times when people are talking to me.

Today I had my ears waxed and it made things a bit better. I will have a hearing test at hospital soon.