11 Jan: Social Worker!!!

Care coordinator comes to go over 'the questionnaire' (the third questionnaire they made me fill in in 2 years - am I being treat as a new referral again and again?). What about a legal assessment of my individual needs?

She says communication has nothing to do with wellbeing and that as I have SLD and am not an independent communicator I don't need any words or an interpreter or communication support worker.

Worse still she says this would be the view of Social Care.

My family is making a PowerPoint of how Personalisation has gone wrong for me in county Durham, studying 'Cemented to the Floor by Law', which sets out some of the most important legal duties to consider when funding decisions are being taken, and starting an investigation with help of advocates.

http://www.ncb.org.uk/cdc/resources/cemented_to_the_floor_by_law.aspx 

10 Jan: Katie @ Home

My speech therapist Katie popped in to see the Vantage. She seemed impressed with it and how I could talk to her on it without any practice.
www.liberator.co.uk

7 Jan: KK2 and Hoover Constellation

Wendy remembered me with Christmas lights on my vacuum at 1 Voice disco last summer so when it was time to let go of her Hoover Constellation she gave it to me and I Love it!

The snow held off and we made it to KK2 at Lamplight Arts Stanley. Great night!

Pics on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.494475502491.279613.574347491&l=c6614f5c4c&type=1

1 Dec '10: iPod and iPad

iPod came today (iPad two weeks later). Me still on Borderlands most but do like the music apps on iPad. Mam and John putting synthetic phonics, literacy, AAC, mind mapping... all sorts of apps on, and keeping links and details in a Word doc.

GarageBand app:

More music app screenshots on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150267006362492.353377.574347491&l=3a60419e00&type=1

Nov-Dec '10: Snow

Pics on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=266075&id=574347491&l=a1ed1cf5b3

I got to stay in lots and enjoy Borderlands on my X Box.

John updating my blog backing up my photos and docs and doing loads of video editing these few weeks - my HP Touch keeps crashing so it's time to get summer until now movies done and off. He is showing me and Mam how to use iPod and iPad, downloading apps for me, contacting Apple to fix my Keystation keyboard and all sorts of stuff to do with we just moved house and getting ready for Christmas.

 

Shopping with John, Dean, Leighton and Jake. Cousins and friends stay different days. Dad and Grandma Xmas day. Wii Sport and Wii Fit for dessert. Borderlands. Keyboards. Music apps. YouTube...

25 Nov '10: No Literacy, Math or Money Manage!

A bad day for education!!!!!

At the Xmas Fayre Mam asked what I did on a Tuesday and Lesley said Literacy, Maths and Money Management... then hesitated a bit... then said actually those lessons happen on Wednesdays when I'm not at college!

The deal she offered us at summer review was for me to come in for just two days and she would make sure all the important lessons were on those two days.

It's a long story. Basically I got squatter's rights to go in on Wednesdays by turning up on Wednesdays after Christmas holidays and Mam not taking phone calls from college for two weeks as the calls were asking her to come bring me home.

5 Jan 11: What am I doing here today? have I made a mistake? or did my mother? or the taxi driver?

It's Wednesday, and I'm here for Literacy, Maths and Money Management.

25 Nov '10: Xmas Fayre

A good day for communicating with friends!!!

Mam, Grandma, cousin Robert's Dad, Grandma and Grandad all braved the first big snow to come to college for some tasty Christmas snack and to buy or win things made by us or donated by our families.

Because Mam was there to help me use my Pathfinder I was able to talk to my friends.

We had a long chat with Lauren and her family and planned to start visiting each other at home. Lauren is new in class this year. She signs with me at college and is my lunch buddy. Lauren had been trying to find me online since September when she missed my 21st.

I talked to Dale about computer games. We found out he lives in the same village as me and likes the same games as me! We will get in touch with hs family about us visiting.

Hazel told Mam she has been my best friend since last year. We see each other at home now too! I have been wanting this to happen for over a year.

I wish there was someone to help me use my Pathfinder at college...

We have been trying to find a suitable date for them to have some training since last May, but every date offered up to December was not suitable for them.

Really, all they need is one of our Core Words Language Mates on the wall, and on the Smartboard with speech output, to teach them which 300 words are the nuts and bolts of language, facilitating 80% of all communication anywhere with anyone about anything.

But my tutor says that students with learning disabilities cannot look at more than five words at a time or they get confused!

My Mam or brother would come in and help.

Meanwhile I watch and listen to everyone else talking.

24 Nov '10: Health Action Plan

After the LD Parliament Locality meeting this morning, Julie and Mike from *** came and asked me lots of questions ready to make me a Health Action Plan that is a book and also a PowerPoint slideshow.

13 Nov: Person Centre Plan & Communication Circles

Mam making screen size graphics from Dr Caroline Mussellwhite's Circles of Support handout to share ideas with college on how my peers can make sure I am actively participating in spoken communication and language.
And downloading lots of docs and templates from Liz Wilson ready to visually map my life using Talking Mats.While I play to the Pylons and plan to visit the workmen who are putting up new ones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUXY-phivAI 
I also did the voiceover on my Pathfinder for a movie of using TICO to say lots of two-word phrases with 'NOT' plus any of the 300 core words on our TICO Language Mate.Movie of me saying the NOT phrases on my Pathfinder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU7hshs9tm8 

One minute movie of Pathfinder and TICO screens with the NOT sound track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ea2ey3HeE&feature=related  
TICO is a free dynamic screen communication aid that can be accessed hands-free. We found it on Kate Ahern's excellent blog Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs: http://teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/2010/03/free-dynamic-display-communication.html

18 Nov: Big Challenge - The Social

Changemakers and UnLtd celebrate 3 Year's of Big Challenge projects at Village Underground Shoreditch. Great event, and some Youth Leadership Team members said they would like to help me take my project and campaigns forward. Thank you and I'll be in touch soon!    

Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DcnpwlljHc Pics on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?fbid=10150092125977492&id=574347491&aid=286214