Andrew Walker of the Stay Up Late campaign will be Co-Chair and speaker at the Kent, Surrey and Sussex LD Community of Practice Conference in the Charis Centre, Crawley on 15 June – come along and hear him speak, join in the interesting workshops and meet lots of great people! Book your place here >

We are running the next SPELL framework training at the University of Kent, Canterbury campus on 3/4/5 July 2017.  Full details of the programme: www.kent.ac.uk/tizard/courses/short/index.html?tab=spell​

This also sets out the course content and experience needed to undertake the training. If you wish to attend this training please email Prof Julie Beadle-Brown with details of your experience or if you have any queries please do contact me – Jo Ruffels, J.Ruffels@kent.ac.uk

The social care sector is joining together to stop the over-medication of people with a learning disability or autism who use care services in England. The campaign, supported by NHS England, is today encouraging all learning disability providers to sign up to a new pledge called STOMP (or STopping the Over-Medication of People with a learning disability, autism or both).

This campaign is badly needed. Public Health England estimates that every day between 30,000-35,000 people with a learning disability are taking prescribed antipsychotic or antidepressant medication, or both, without appropriate clinical justification. This means that for some people medication is being used as a means of controlling “problem” behaviour, even when alternative evidence-based approaches are available. Long-term use of these medicines can lead to significant weight gain, organ failure and, in some cases, death.

Successfully tackling over-medication is possible when prescribers, commissioners and providers collaborate to achieve positive change. Today, all social care provider organisations supporting people with a learning disability or autism in England are invited to play their part by registering their commitment to:

• Adopting positive behavioural approaches as an alternative to medication
• Advocating for people with a learning disability or autism by ensuring that they, and their family members, are involved in decisions about their medication and that these decisions are reviewed regularly
• Working closely with prescribers

Sign the pledge, here: www.vodg.org.uk/campaigns/stompcampaign/

There will be a keynote speaker and a workshop from STOMP at our 16 June Conference.

The community’s annual conference is where everyone comes together to hear great speakers and listen, learn and share good practice in the workshops run by members and organisations from Kent, Surrey and Sussex. This year the conference is on 15 June at the Charis Centre in Crawley, Surrey.

To book your place at the conference – use this booking form it’s a ‘fillable’ form – fill it in on the screen, save it and return it attached to an email to learning@bild.org.uk

If you’d like to run a workshop, display a poster or run a market stall at the conference, download this form, (it’s ‘fillable’ too) return it attached to an email to info@ldcop.org.uk

The closing date for applications to run workshops, market stalls or produce posters is 19 May 2017.

We look forward to seeing you there!

SEABA is hosting its second annual conference for parents, carers and professionals involved in education, autism and learning disability provision on Friday 16th and Saturday 17 June 2017, 9am–4.30pm at the Mercure Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 4QL.

A wide range of professional and parent speakers on applications of ABA and PBS. £50 per day (including lunch and refreshments). Early bird and student discounts available.

For more information or to book a place go to www.seaba.net or email info@seaba.net