Merton Mencap

Providing support and services for children, young people and adults with a learning disability and their family carers in the London Borough of Merton

Events

Tuesday 26 March 2024, 10am to 12pm (Zoom meeting)

With Rochelle Simpson, Merton Shared Lives Scheme manager and Gill Moore, Head of Integrated Learning Disability Service

The Merton Shared Lives Scheme is currently working with the Merton Learning Disability Team to look at how they can better meet the long term and/or respite needs of individuals with learning disabilities and autism and want to hear your views!

Rochelle and Gill will be talking about their plans to expand the service and recruit more Shared Lives carers. Your feedback will help them to recruit individuals who have the ideal qualities and properties that you feel are needed for your family members.

Plus hear information about the Merton Shared Lives Scheme which offers an accommodation based service that can support adults with learning disabilities and autism. The Shared Lives carer can provide care and support in their own family home and as part of their own family and community network or offer floating support in another property.

It is a highly personalised service, relying on achieving a match between the individual requiring support and the approved Shared Lives carer. People being supported can stay with a Shared Lives carer on respite or on a longer-term basis.

Don’t miss this chance to find out more, ask your questions and share your views.

Register now!

Friday 8 March 2024, 10am to 12.30pm (Zoom meeting)

With Yvonne Newbold, MBE, Newbold Hope

This 2½ hour session looks at the reasons why children and young people with additional needs can develop extreme behaviour, which may include physical violence towards other people and/or pets, other forms of aggression, controlling behaviour, avoiding demands, self-harm, property destruction and using inappropriate and offensive language.

Some of the areas covered in this session are sensory issues, communication, routines, resistance to change, transitions, processing speed, theory of mind, masking.

This session will be packed full of practical strategies you can implement at home with your children, with ample time at the end for you to ask questions.

Yvonne’s session will be very popular so get in touch now to secure your place!

Thursday 22 February 2024, 10am to 12pm (Zoom meeting)

With Eva Akins, Education Lawyer & Partner at Russell Cooke Solicitors, Ryan Stevenson, Co-founder and Director of Bright Heart Education, and Fiona Ringwood, parent carer and Merton Parent Carer Forum member

If your child is out of school and does not have an EHC plan, has an EHC Plan (or in the process of securing one) and you are not sure that attending school is appropriate for your child, they may be entitled to suitable interim education and/or require an EOTAS package e.g. local authority funded tuition, therapy and other provision such as equipment, mentoring, PE activities, educational trips, written into their EHC plan.

EOTAS is different to elective home education. With an EOTAS package, the LA must fully fund the package, whereas, if a parent chooses to home educate their child, the LA is not responsible for meeting any of the costs though should offer guidance.

Eva will outline your child’s key rights and entitlements, explain what EOTAS is (and isn’t) how to obtain it, and how it works in practice including EOTAS timetables, what provision can be included and personal budgets.

Ryan will explain how Bright Heart Education work with families, local authorities and schools, to help students who have special educational needs who may need Education Otherwise Than at School (EOTAS) and talk through the services they offer around home tuition and home schooling.

Finally, hear from Fiona, who will talk about her experiences of EOTAS with her son.

Plus opportunities to ask your questions! 

EOTAS with Bright Heart Education, Ryan Stevenson presentationDownload
EOTAS Education Other than at School presentationDownload
No more (school) drama presentationDownload

Thursday 29 February 2024, 10am to 12pm (Zoom meeting)

With Dilys Martin, Curriculum Quality Officer, Merton Adult Learning, Head of SEND, Richmond and Hillcroft Adult and Community College (RHACC), Kerry Macey, Head of Learning Centre, Orchard Hill College and Susan Aldridge, Community Learning Coordinator and Head of Department for Supported Learning, Sutton College

An update on supported learning courses in Merton delivered by RHACC, plus information from Kerry and Susan and questions about the supported learning courses
at Orchard Hill College, Sutton College and RHACC.

Tuesday 30 January 2024, 10am to 11.15am (Zoom meeting)

With Carolyn Castle, Strategic Lead for Family Hubs and Beatrice Marett, Family Hub Participation and Engagement Manager

The Merton Family Hub is a place where families and young people aged 0-19 and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities, can access the support, help and advice they need. Listening to the needs of the local community is so important in planning the way in which Merton will deliver services as part of a Family Hub. If you would like to learn more about the Merton Family Hub and get involved by helping Merton shape the way in which family services are set up and accessed, please do come along to this event. Carolyn and Beatrice will be giving a brief presentation on the Merton Family Hub and will then be inviting you to share your experiences on accessing and using family services, as well as asking for your ideas on how to shape the way in which future family services are set up and delivered in Merton. This is a great opportunity to hear more about this new service and to influence future plans. Register now to secure your place!

FH presentation to Merton Parent Carer Forum 30th Jan 2024Download

Thursday 25 January 2024, 10am to 12pm (Zoom meeting)

With Mike Dignam, Chief Operating Officer, Generate,
Robbie Keen, Director, Keen 2 Go & Keeley Reed, The Squad

Hear from 3 different local organisations about their fantastic programme of events and activities on offer for adults with learning disabilities and autism. A great opportunity to find out more and ask your questions!

K2G PresentationDownload
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