Autism
Shining Rainbows activities near you starting this November!
Shining Rainbows Parent and Toddler Group, a group for children in and around Calderdale with additional needs, are delighted to announce their exciting new classes near you!
My Tribe Fitness Studio and Parenting Hub – Unit 12, Kirklees Steel Works, Mill Lane Brighouse HD6 1PL starting Thursday 3rd November from 9:30- 10:15 and 10:30-11:15
also
Follow our Facebook Page @shiningrainbowsparentandtoddlergroup for the latest updates
e : shiningrainbowsparentandtoddler-group@hotmail.com for any enquiries
The group holds regular safe space sessions for parents and toddlers with additional needs to have fun and socialise.
£7.50 per session with drinks and snacks provided for parents and children.
We look forward to seeing you!
NHS Trusts recruiting in Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism
NHS Trusts in West Yorkshire are recruiting people to a range of roles in Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism
West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Collaborative Recruitment Day
(Register : vfairs.com)
30 June 2022 11am – 7pm
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds & Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have announced they will be jointly delivering a virtual careers fair. The event is being supported by the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership and a wide range of external partners who work in the field of mental health, learning disabilities and autism.
The free online event will be delivered on 30 June 2022 11am – 7pm.
Job seekers and volunteer applicants can register here: West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Collaborative Recruitment Day (vfairs.com).
The event will provide people looking for jobs and volunteering roles with and exciting opportunity to:
- find out about the wide range of jobs on offer
- hear directly from Trust staff about what it is like to work in mental health, autism and learning disability roles
- apply on the day for jobs and volunteering roles.
People can attend the event conveniently from any location as it will be accessible through mobile devices.
There will be a range of current open positions available through the virtual career fair, including both clinical and non-clinical roles, at a range of salary levels. The event programme also includes seminars, aimed at the graduate and college leavers audience.
Interested candidates, or those who know of potential candidates are also invited to register for the event and refer other professionals within this space.
Rob Webster, CEO-Designate, West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership commented:
“I am pleased we are supporting this event and encouraging people to work in three fantastic local organisations. We recognise that in the post Covid-19 pandemic climate, people are looking for opportunities to change and progress their careers and the NHS offers a multitude of roles and opportunities. West Yorkshire is also a vibrant and diverse area to live and work. Whether starting your career or seeking to lead in our system, there is something for everyone.
Greg Moores, Chief People Officer, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust commented:
“This event is a fantastic opportunity for us to reach and recruit people who would like to work in the interesting and rewarding field of mental health, autism and learning disabilities. As people continue to work remotely, the virtual fair is a convenient way for job seekers to find out more about available roles.”
Muhammad Younas, CEO of vFairs commented:
“We are very happy to supply the technology that will help drive meaningful work that supports the community in West Yorkshire. We look forward to seeing all the wonderful outcomes that this event produces. If your organisation is interested in working with us, please visit: www.vfairs.com ”
Request for Insight: Mental Health, Neurodiversity, Autism and Learning Disabilities
NHS Calderdale CCG is undertaking a mapping exercise to understand what insight we have of peoples experiences of services that provide support around mental health, neurodiversity, autism and learning disabilities. This includes services provided by the NHS, other health providers and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations.
If you have collected any insight, or are aware of any engagement / consultation activity that has taken place or reports developed across Calderdale about these services, please could you share this with kirsty.wayman@nhs.net by Monday 30 May.
National Autistic Society – Spectrum Live Streaming
Join the National Autistic Society on their Facebook page for a special live event, starting at 7:00pm on Wednesday 13 March. They will be live streaming experts, as well as speaking to autistic people and families about what it means to get an autism diagnosis.
NAS will be covering the different routes available to getting a diagnosis, what an autism assessment should look like and how you can help to campaign to reduce the length of time people have to wait for an autism diagnosis.
During the show there will be a segment where your questions will be answered, so make sure you like the Facebook page if you’d like to get involved.
If you have a question around the topic of diagnosis, you can submit your question in advance here. There’ll also be a chance during the live stream too.
Home Bargains Introduce Quiet Hour for Autistic People
Following the lead of a number of supermarkets, discount retailer Home Bargains in Halifax, has introduced a weekly quiet hour to create a calmer environment for shoppers with autism. The quiet shopping hour takes place every Saturday, between 9:00am to 10:00am across all of its stores and sees the stores’ music turned off and its tannoy set aside, used for urgent announcements only.
The initiative was created in conjunction with The National Autistic Society, the UK’s leading charity for autistic people, which has advised on creating the ideal environment for shoppers with autism. Those who suffer from autism can find loud noises and sudden movements distressing.
Joe Morris, operations director at Home Bargains, said: “We have introduced the Quiet Hour to add a peaceful element to retail therapy. Home Bargains stores can be busy places, which can be potentially overwhelming for people with autism, especially at this time of year. We have created the quieter and calmer environment to enable all of our customers to have an enjoyable and relaxing shopping experience. We will continually assess where we can support each and every one of our 5 million weekly shoppers, whatever their situation.”
Tom Purser, head of campaigns at the National Autistic Society, said: “We are very pleased to hear that Home Bargains is introducing a quiet hour into its stores to make shopping a little easier for autistic people and their families, having taken part in the National Autistic Society’s Autism Hour in October. “We hear from autistic people and their families that shops and other public spaces can be challenging because of bright lights, strong smells and crowds or queues, all of which can cause them to feel overwhelmed. Our research shows that 64 per cent of autistic people avoid the shops and 28 per cent have been asked to leave a public place for reasons associated with their autism. “There are 700,000 autistic people in the UK and their needs aren’t always immediately obvious. We know a basic understanding and small changes like quiet hours could transform the lives of autistic people and their families, allowing them to take part in activities that many people can take for granted. We hope more shops will be inspired by Home Bargains and do their bit to help make sure autistic people and their families have the same opportunities as everyone else.”
Morrisons Introduce Quiet Hour for Those with Autism
Morrisons Supermarkets is introducing a ‘Quieter Hour’ across all stores from this Saturday 21 July. From 9:00am until 10:00am every Saturday morning, they will attempt to make the store environment quieter and calmer for customers. For more information see po.st/QHour.
A statement from Morrisons reads;
This new initiative has been created with the support of the National Autistic Society. Many people who are autistic or those with autistic children can find shopping in a supermarket an anxious experience. Having carried out a trial earlier in the year in our Lincoln, Woking and Gainsborough stores, we identified improvements that could be made as well as the best time for the Quieter Hour to take place.
“Around 700,000 people are on the autism spectrum in the UK. This means they see, hear and feel the world differently to other people, often in a more intense way. Morrisons ‘Quieter Hour’ is a step in the right direction for autistic people who find supermarket shopping a real struggle.”
Daniel Cadey, the from the National Autistic Society
Listening to customers, we found that one in five had a friend or family member with autism* and many liked the idea of being able to shop in more comfort at 9-10am on a Saturday. Angela Gray, Morrisons Community Champion at Woking said: “I was involved in the initial trial as my son is autistic and we found that these changes made a real difference. The trial showed there is a need for a quieter shopping experience for some customers.”
During Quieter Hours, our stores will:
- Dim the lights
- Turn music and radio off
- Avoid making tannoy announcements
- Reduce movement of trolleys and baskets
- Turn checkout beeps and other electrical noises down
- Place a poster outside to tell customers it’s Quieter Hour
BBCF – Builder Workshop (for children with ASD) – Saturday 30 June
There are still places left in this workshop on Saturday 30 June, 10:00am-11:30pm is for children (aged 5+) who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or awaiting a diagnosis.
In addition, we welcome their siblings to join in the activities at Rowley Poleys, 74 Bradford Road, Brighouse HD6 4AA
The Building Better Calderdale Futures (BBCF) programme is funded by the Short Breaks initiative and subsidised by Calderdale Council. The BBCF programme aims to support families of disabled children – primarily those with learning difficulties – with LEGO brick based sessions delivered locally in the district.
During the session the children will be provided a safe environment to access a range of LEGO brick building activities which can be undertaken at their own pace. Experienced Bricks4Kidz instructors will be on hand to assist and support.
Notes
- Parents/Carers must remain at the venue.
- A simple form must be completed by parents/carers to allow us to provide data to Short Breaks. No personal data will be retained without consent.
- Parents/Carers are responsible for all children.
Tickets are just £3 but booking is essential at Eventbrite.
BBCF – Builder Workshop (for children with ASD) – Sunday 10 June
This workshop on Sunday 10 June, 10:30am-12:00pm is for children (aged 5+) who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or awaiting a diagnosis.
In addition, we welcome their siblings to join in the activities at Square Chapel Arts Centre (Cornerstone Room).
The Building Better Calderdale Futures (BBCF) programme is funded by the Short Breaks initiative and subsidised by Calderdale Council. The BBCF programme aims to support families of disabled children – primarily those with learning difficulties – with LEGO brick based sessions delivered locally in the district.
During the session the children will be provided a safe environment to access a range of LEGO brick building activities which can be undertaken at their own pace. Experienced Bricks4Kidz instructors will be on hand to assist and support.
Notes
- Parents/Carers must remain at the venue.
- A simple form must be completed by parents/carers to allow us to provide data to Short Breaks. No personal data will be retained without consent.
- Parents/Carers are responsible for all children.
Tickets are just £3 but booking is essential at Eventbrite.
Tooth Care Training For Children With Special Needs
Parents and carers of children with learning difficulties, autism and any of a range of special needs are only too aware of how difficult it is to teach their lovely children the basics of life that come as routine to others – including looking after their teeth.
That’s why the Dentaid mobile van will be calling at Sensory World for a special event just for children with special needs on 16 December, 10:00am to 3:00pm.
Making tooth care fun and interesting is what this event is all about.
Fun and games inside Sensory World and a visit to the big white van outside to turn tooth care into an adventure.
Just £5 for some fun training about caring for growing teeth.
No booking required – but if you are able please give Linda a call on 07801 065589 if you are planning to visit, just to help with the planning.
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