Disability Counselling

www.counselling-directory.org.uk/disabilities.html can provide help and support to those that care for a disabled child

When a child is first diagnosed with a disability it can be a very scary and daunting time for parents, siblings and other family and friends. It is important to support the child but it is also important to look after yourself. Getting support through counselling could be a great way to help you through this difficult time.

www.counselling-directory.org.uk/disabilities.html can provide help and support to those that care for a disabled child giving them time for themselves and to discuss their own feelings and thoughts in a neutral and non-judgemental setting. In their time as a career many parents will feel a wide range of emotions from anger and depression to stress and low self-confidence. It is important to find a positive release for these emotions otherwise they can build up over time and cause other mental health issues.

Your child may also benefit from talking to a counsellor to help them come to terms with what has happened to them, and help them move on. They may be feeling angry and may have lost their self-esteem but talking to a professional counsellor will help them deal with these feelings and thoughts.

If you think you or your child would benefit from talking to a counsellor you can find a local qualified counsellor using www.counselling-directory.org.uk

Publication: An Interview with Professor Hilton Davis

An Interview with Professor Hilton Davis. Edited by Peter Limbrick

This publication is dedicated to everyone working in support of people who are vulnerable or in need for whatever reason. It is particularly for those who see that the system in which they work could be improved in terms of the quality of the support offered and the outcomes achieved.

Professor Hilton Davis' success in his endeavour to create real and lasting change is there for all to see. Thanks to him and his colleagues we now have the scientifically validated Family Partnership Model, the Centre for Parent and Child Support now at the Michael Rutter Centre at the Maudsley Hospital in London, and a successful professional training programme that has thousands of graduates in many countries.

It goes without saying that one cannot create significant change in any institution or organisation without being changed oneself. As the interview progresses we see that Hilton Davis' professional effort to develop a model of helping has also been a personal journey for this gifted and committed academic who remains modest about his abilities and achievements.

The book is available here and on Amazon.

Reaching and Supporting Diverse Communities

A guide to meeting the needs of people with learning disabilities, and family carers, from newly arrived, Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic (BME) communities

Publication: Reaching and Supporting Diverse Communities: a guide to meeting the needs of people with learning disabilities, and family carers, from newly arrived, Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic (BME) communities.

Family Carers from BME communities have been a priority group for Valuing People (the Government's national agenda for learning disabilities) since 2001. Hft's Family Carer Support Service (FCSS) was commissioned by the Valuing People Support Team to develop this resource, to provide a range of information about meeting the needs of families from BME and seldom heard communities.

Reaching and Supporting Diverse Communities can be accessed as six different sections or as a whole pdf format. More information here.

Disability rises high on the European agenda

European Disability Forum meets Barroso

A delegation of the European Disability Forum led by its President, Yannis Vardakastanis, met with President of the European Commission Barroso in Brussels recently. This was the opportunity to discuss the next steps for disability in the EU.

The outcomes were successful: Mr. Barroso endorses the State of the Union on Disability, and committed to ensuring the right enforcement of the UN Convention throughout the European Commission.

Finally, the President promised to put pressure on national authorities to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities during times of crisis.

Mr Jose Manuel Barroso recognised that the European Disability Forum is the primary representative to the European Institutions. A part from the President, the disability movement was represented by its Vice President, Erzsebet Földesi, its Secretary Rodolfo Cattani, and Director, Javier Güemes. They successfully brought 3 important issues to the table:

1. The State of the Union on Disabilities

2. UN Convention: from words to deeds

3. The crisis: emergency exit