Kent and Medway Learning Disability Strategy 2024

The Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board will be holding a number of online meetings to help shape the strategy for people with learning disabilities and autistic people in the county. 

These events have been developed with local people to be accessible and inclusive to all.

Places can be booked by emailing makingadifference@kent.gov.uk by Tuesday 1 October 2024 

Two dates are available to book:-

Date:

Thursday 9 October 2024           

Time:

10.30am – 12pm

Location:

Virtual meeting on Zoom  

 

 

Date:

Tuesday 15 October 2024                

Time:

2pm – 3:30pm

Location:

Virtual meeting on Zoom  

For more details please click here.

New employment opportunity with Bemix

A new opportunity has arisen to support the development of leaders in Kent and Medway for the delivery of the Oliver McGowan Training.

Bemix, along with partners, Kent Autistic Trust, Aucademy and Canterbury Christ Church University have recently been awarded the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board contract to deliver the Oliver McGowan Training for the next two years. As a result they are looking to grow their team to support trainers with lived experience and facilitators.

To find out more click through to the Bemix website at https://www.bemix.org/outreach-and-support-lead-learning-disability-and-autism

Oliver McGowan Photosymbol

Further opportunities will be shared in the coming months for people with learning disabilities, autistic people and training facilitators to become NHS England approved Oliver McGowan Trainers and part of the cascade of training in Kent and Medway.

Community of Practice Annual Conference 2024

The Community’s Steering Group is pleased to announce this year’s annual conference will take place on 4th December at Canterbury Christ Church University’s Medway campus.

We plan to share a flyer and call for abstracts/contributions in September, in the meantime please block the day out in your diary.Canterbury Christchurch Medway Campus Rowan Willams Court

Books Beyond Words – ‘Loving Babies’ Book Launch

Kent Surrey Sussex Learning Disability Community of Practice event will be hosting the new Beyond Words book launch at the event at Kingston University on 1st December.

Beyond Words is delighted to be launching the second word-free picture book in their series on maternity and parenting. Loving Babies is the much-anticipated follow-up book to last year’s Having a Baby. Expertly co-created and trialled by professionals and experts by experience, Loving Babies is a picture story showing the realities and triumphs of early years’ parenting.

The book is designed to be used by people with learning disabilities or who find pictures easier to understand than words. It depicts two different households caring for and loving their new children. Loving Babies and Having a Baby can be used together to open conversations about pregnancy, parenting, and having children.

At the event, Baroness Hollins will be presenting this new publication and in their will be a lunch time book club to explore this new publication. 

Loving Babies Book Beyond words cover

 

Reasonable Adjustments Conference Report & Presentations – 17th June 2015

This year’s Conference was based on how we can all implement reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities in our work. The conference participants and the Community of Practice team found each of the presentations insightful, interesting and thought provoking. The audience participation and inclusion generated great debate and key questions for reflective thought.  Main focus with regards to barriers to ensuring services and people are well adjusted to meet the needs of these individuals.  There were lots of opportunities for networking which allowed all to address some key questions and barriers to ensure services and people are well adjusted to meet the needs of these individuals.   Delegates shared personal insights and experiences, while remembering that people with learning disabilities are no less human than anyone else.

All the presentations and and resources from the day are available on the conference page. Please click here

Professor Chris Hatton from The University of Lancaster was guest speaker and he opened the event with the provocative question – “are you well adjusted? “

The event was a great success in showcasing some of the excellent work and initiatives happening across Kent for people with learning disabilities particularly around access to health care and therapies.

Feedback received from the attendees from the day was very positive.   We would like to thank you all for your responses; which are invaluable to making next years Conference even more of a success.

Individuals who could not make the conference were able get involved via twitter using the #LDWeek15 and #ldcop15 hashtags. A full transcript of this conversation including photos are available by clicking here.

The day was held during Learning Disability Awareness Week “inclusion” and all participants wanted to mark this by having their support shared via the below photo being shared on Twitter.

#ldweek15 picture

For further details on the whole day click on the conference page by clicking here.

Tracey Rose

Community Learning Disability Nurse

Twitter @traceypockett