Sunderland Parent Carer Forum’s Post

The heartbreaking news about Latoya Temilton (12), who drowned while on a leadership camp under the care of #QueenstownPrimarySchool took me right back to the tragic, untimely passing of #EnochMpianzi while on camp under the care of #ParktownBoysHigh. Both, leaning towards negligence, both, despite how much we post on #socialmedia and seek accountability, have left two families devastated. I then went to do a quick search on the death of Enoch, which almost 4 years ago, the organization I was affiliated with raised their voice, advocating for accountability, calling for Malcom Williams who was the principal at the time drowning happened to be held accountable, and for resources to be allocated to support the family and friends of Enoch, to process the tragedy. At the bare minimum for investigations to be thoroughly conducted. The last post in the news was in 2021. Life went on. Here were are again, 4 years late, another child dead (and many more in the years past, while in school care) on school camps, under the care of teachers, as a result of slack safeguarding measures in schools, as a direct result of poor mental health support, bullying, drug abuse, amongst other plagues that prey on our children. So many organizations and individuals continue to #advocate for deliberate child protection, and we immediately think, because children are being abused. Yes that's a reality, in the literal sense of physical abuse, but children are falling through the gaps, devoured by negligence, snuffed out by mental health issues, preyed on by bullies. The few organizations doing good work around child protection have very few, very minimal, and very uncertain resources, they depend on a volatile donor environment and here the Government goes, still cutting much needed funds under the Department of social development towards causes like child care and child protection. I am sad for Latoya's family, who today have to wonder why the teachers did not respond when students said their child was in danger in the water. Mostly I am sad because unless we strengthen legislation on child protection, unless #schools are deliberate about making their environments safe for students, unless these teachers in this instance are held accountable, unless the students that witnessed Latoya fight for her life, and the subsequent events thereafter, are provided with adequate #psychosocial support, this will be just another child who drowned on a school trip (x)number of years ago. We need to do better, for our #children , schools need to be #safespaces again. We trust teachers with our children and yet we also fear one day it might be our own #child , or a child we know personally that is injured or whose life is cut short. Lets continue to advocate for schools to be made space, for #accountability to be strengthened not only in the face of tragedy but as a standard. #childprotection #officeofthechildprotector https://lnkd.in/djVzsPA2

Big things are happening

In the end It is not always only about what we have done for, there’s also the greatest concern of what we have done with. Partnership is such a great tool in any relationship, Family is never in isolation, families do things together, families are bound a deep cord of honour and respect when there is a level of inclusion. Sometimes we may be doing things for our children and that’s not even what they need or want, so when we do them they don’t even see the need. Many times they yearn for comfort, they want to build memories and have stories to share about intimacy in their homes. Being there for our children should be our greatest consolation, not what we provided but how we partner with them to build successful stories. How their voice mattered, how their intentions mattered, how their likes and dislikes mattered not an authoritative influence of provision that seeks to make all things available whether needed or not and which ultimately becomes a burden we hang over their necks for the rest of their lives. Sometimes we feel it necessary to remind our children the lengths we are going for them but maybe if we remind ourselves more of our responsibilities and in turn partner with children to recognize their own responsibilities as a part of a functioning home, we will not feel burdened or sidelined by the responses of our children. Let’s not hang the weight of our responsibilities over our children in a bid to force them to honour us or do as we say forever. When they don’t need us or stay under our roof anymore would the honour still be there. If we are only parents because of what we provide, when we stop providing doesn’t that mean we will stop being parents? What is the additional value we give to our relationship with children outside what money can buy? It’s a good day to consider…

In a Kin-first culture, every effort is made to keep children safely at home and, if a child must be removed, to partner with the parent and family to determine where and with whom is the safest place within that family, community or tribe for the child to live. Follow the blog post linked below to learn more about the preservation and permanency of these important connections and the CFE Advisory Committee.

🌟 Celebrating NDIS Success Stories 🌟 🌱 Nothing lights up my day more than hearing about the transformative impact of the NDIS on individuals’ lives. From overcoming challenges to achieving dreams, these success stories serve as beacons of hope and inspiration to us all. Let’s take a moment to honor and learn from these incredible journeys. 🔹 Meet Sarah, a determined individual who, with the support of NDIS, not only navigated the complexities of the system but also unlocked her true potential. Her story reminds us that with perseverance and the right resources, anything is possible. 🔹 John's journey is a testament to the power of resilience. Despite facing numerous obstacles, he never gave up on his goals. With the assistance of NDIS, he not only overcame barriers but also thrived in ways he never imagined. 🔹 Maria's story highlights the importance of personalized support. Through NDIS, she received tailored services that addressed her unique needs, enabling her to lead a more fulfilling and independent life. It's a true example of how individualized care can make a world of difference. 🌟 These success stories underscore the transformative impact of the NDIS on individuals, families, and communities. They remind us that behind every statistic is a story of courage, determination, and hope. Let's continue to celebrate these triumphs and work towards a future where every individual can reach their full potential. Together, we can create a more inclusive and empowering society for all. #NDISsuccess #InspiringJourneys #Empowerment 💫 Let's keep sharing, learning, and growing together! 🌈

‘Young at heart: Becoming a nation with children at its centre in 10 courageous steps’ - The RSA (The royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce) Just imagine . . . the government comes together to declare that for too long children have been ignored, and that they have the courage to become child-centred nation. From idea to action . . . If a country made this declaration, what would be the practical next steps? Here are 10 key considerations to guide leaders towards becoming a child-centred nation. 1. Listening to children 2. Protecting the right to play 3. Sparking and developing creativity in children 4. Ensuring safety 5. Equipping children as peacemakers 6. Bringing hope and skills for climate adaptation 7. Designing with children instead of for children 8. Learning languages, place and local understanding 9. Putting value on the public good of good parenting 10. Considering international relations and foreign policy Here are some questions to sharpen government’s performance and move towards becoming a child-centred nation: Minister for Children: Who in my government is responsible for children? Who is listening to them, designing with them, and taking steps to improve the lives of children in my country? Foundations: Have we considered safety and access to essential resources? Are we building the attitudes, institutions and structures for a peaceful society? Long-term view: Are child-lens investment approaches being used? Are we considering the countries children will inherit? Valuing social good: Are children seen as agents that simply reduce the working capacity of their parents and thus tax revenues? Do we recognise the value to our country of raising children? Learning: Are changes required to our educational systems and curriculum? Have we listened to children and not designed play out of our school systems? “A child-centred nation is one with play at the centre of all primary education.” 🏫🚸🌿🍁🍂🪵 🚲 🛴 🛹🛼 🛝 🏃🏼♂️🏃🏼♀️🏃🏾👩🦽🚴🏿🚏🚶🏻🤸🏾♂️🤸🏼♂️🌳🏘️ #PlaySufficiency #FreePlay #Play #PhysicalLiteracy #PhysicalActivity #ActiveTravel #PlayStreet #SchoolStreets #StreetPlay #HomeZones #Playces #FreerangeUrbanNeighbourhoods #FUN #KnowBallGames #Parks #Playgrounds #UNCRC #Article31 #Splace

Below is a link of me speaking on Clare FM https://lnkd.in/egDEEkyQ

Cutting Medicaid Funding ✂️ what does that look like❓please read the PBS report to understand what headlines like this mean to the life of community members, co works, voters. Please share with in your network. Bussness are networking all the time for personal gain and insight. Help move the insight we have as providers, caregivers, family's and most importantly services recipients into the mindset of Bussness and Legislatures who understanbly don't know becuse there not living it. On our own we are a powerful number, by engaging with our personal networks and letting them know that there are systemic funding needs, and profound service changes going on we can get back to getting back to the work of service providers.

I can't afford to get to IASSIDD 2024 Congress this year: he world of non-profit cooperative networks is still rather cash poor ; ) But I filmed a short piece for a joint workshop with colleagues on #selfdirectedsupport to provide an overview of progress in Europe. This has been a big part of my life. I started testing out models of self-direction in London in the early 1990s and then created a number of innovations at Inclusion Glasgow in 1996 and subsequently worked with partners in Scotland and England to develop the seven steps of self-directed support. After 2009 I found myself rather out of step with the power-that-be but I continued to work on these topics in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. It was sobering to try and summarise some of my learning (although my perspective is only one perspective in a much longer journey, begun by Ed Roberts in California 59 years ago). Depending on your mental state and the day of the week it can feel like we've had 59 years of amazing progress on independent living and deinstitutionalisation OR we've faced major resistance and there is still so much left to do. Victories are hard-won and it doesn't take much for the rock to starting rolling back down the hill. Increasingly I think we need to reorientate the battle for disability rights and inclusion. Critics of self-directed support point to its association with neoliberalism and consumerism and, while this can feel unfair and unbalanced, there is a little bit of truth here. Not that independent living comes from neoliberalism, but rather we often achieved what we did by allowing the elite (lost in their neoliberal dream-world) to claim independent living as their own. We can see that in the UK where it was the Tories who legalised Direct Payments and where New Labour supported Personal Budgets. [Although interestingly both regimes were rather late in the day to get on board (1996, 2008 respectively).] Perhaps we need to think about self-directed support today for a very different ethical and existential context. We live in a world of growing inequality, environmental and democratic breakdown where public services feel fragile and under threat. Disability rights needs to be seen as an essential part of solving our problems in a much better way. And this is quite possible: • Citizenship should be our goal because agency is the key to action • Keeping resources within our neighbourhoods has wider economic benefits • Communities where people support each other become more resilient • The redistribution of resources to tackle disadvantage avoids crisis It is for these kinds of reason that I think that the work of self-direction should increasingly be seen as an aspect of #neighbourhoodcare and this is why Citizen Network will be focusing its future work on helping citizens create flourishing neighbourhoods. Markus Vähälä Ester Ortega Christopher Watson Wendy Lowder Emma Latimer https://lnkd.in/eRPKDWB5

Hundreds of kids are left fatherless every year when male parents – serving in the military, law enforcement, or as first responders – die. How do they walk the uncertain path to adulthood without the irreplaceable guidance of a father? LifeCampUSA works to fill the void. Founded in 2021, LifeCamp USA runs weeklong camps in six states. It uses Christian principles to help middle school-aged children find their way. Focused on “Igniting Character,” the program provides bereaved kids support, inner strength, and purposeful direction. The camps offer adventurous wilderness experiences, outdoor activities, survival skills, and life lessons. All follow a Bible-based curriculum. Many camp leaders have military or law enforcement backgrounds. A one-to-one student-leader ratio ensures every child gets personalized attention, allowing impactful relationships to form. The program doesn’t conclude at the end of camp, either. Its LifeCare initiative provides one to two years of post-camp mentoring, helping attendees solidify a faith-driven pursuit of character, resilience, and fortitude. Do you know a child who would benefit from LifeCamp USA? Visit their website to learn more, or to apply for this life-changing experience: https://bit.ly/3y6mmcJ C-Suite For Christ is honored to have LifeCamp USA as a partner. The organization is doing God’s work, using His guidance to make beautiful things happen! Paul M. Neuberger #leadership, #management, #personaldevelopment, #motivation, #family