REACH Parent Network Information Exchange.

This information exchange, sponsored by Reach, is by parents for parents.  It's content is  guided by Reach's mission to provide choices for families,  be family centered, facilitate inclusion, and  exist as a quality resource.  The information is meant to meet the needs of a multitude of families' interests.  We caution readers that Reach does not investigate all claims, and that claims  made  are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by Reach. Readers are encouraged to undertake further investigation on their own of items noted. 

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Quick Links

Reach News 

Help a Parent?

 Autism

 ADD/ADHD

 Down Syndrome  

Education  

FASD

Medical and Mental Health 

 Sensory   

Technology

Ministry Information

Workshops and Training

Seasonal

Other

Submissions and Questions?  

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Reach News 

• Reach Presentation: Sharing the Autism Diagnosis with your Child. Tuesday December 3, 2013 6:30 - 8:30pm.  

  Sharing the autism diagnosis with our children can be scary. What will they think? How will they react? When is the right time, the right age? What do we say? Who else do we tell, when and why?Come and learn how you can positively share this information with your child so they can feel great about themselves and learn to become their own advocates.

  Target audience: parents or caregivers of children & youth with special needs aged 5 - 17 years old. Facilitated by Pam Collins, Behaviour Consultant/Parent Educator.

  Where:            Reach ABA Boardroom

  Time:               6:30 - 8:30pm

  Date:               Tuesday December 3, 2013

  Cost:                $20 per person

                          Cash or cheque at the door 

  Water and snack will be provided.

  There is no child-minding during these sessions.

• For more information and to register please email:

  Pam Collins here or call 604.946.6622, ext. 359 

• Monday, October 7th marks the date for the grand opening of FINDS thrift store
  Reach's new children's thrift store, run by volunteers, to help raise funds to support Reach programs. The store will be open at Reach's Main Ladner Centre at
  #3 - 3800 72nd Street, Delta beginning Mondays, October 7th  - 9:00am to 11:30am
  FINDS volunteers are asking families and friends to please begin to set aside children's items to donate including:
  ·   Children's clothing and shoes
  ·   Children's bedding
  ·   Books, toys and DVDs
  ·   Children's games, including functioning electronic games
  ·   Maternity wear
  Donations will be accepted starting in September on Monday - Friday, 9:00am to 3:00pm at the Reach Ladner location. Due to lack of space, FINDS thrift store will not be accepting furniture at this time. Proceeds from FINDS thrift store will go towards Reach programs  
• FACE TO FACE: Thrift store helps kids have a chance click here for an article in the South Delta Leader  

• REACH PARENT SUPPORT GROUP  
  This group is for you if you are a parent or guardian of a child with additional needs who would like to talk with other parents about your struggles, concerns, successes and strategies. We meet to talk about certain topics and local resources, but mostly we are meeting to support each other in our journey with our children.
  Led by clinical counsellor, Yvonne McKenna, this monthly drop-in group might just be what you need.
  Where: Reach Play and Learn Centre, 11425 84th Ave, Delta
  When: The 2nd Tuesday of the month - 6:30 to 8:00 pm
  Fall Schedule
  November 12 - Setting Positive Limits
  December 10 - Celebrating Achievements
  Call (604) 946-6622 Ext 347 for more information. If you come or call, Yvonne will email you monthly to remind you of the upcoming event and other resources.  

• Parent Circle: Parent Support Circle is a free, monthly, confidential parent gathering with a focus on parenting children with ADHD or behaviour challenges. Led by trained facilitators. The last Friday of every month from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.at Reach, #3 3800 72nd street Ladner
  To register call Lisa at 604-946-6622 ext.342 or email here
  or call Bella at 604-569-3110 or email here 

• We're building a child development centre in the heart of the community.   Click here  to find out how you can help.

Click here to see our WEBSITE! 

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• Wanted!  25 sibs between 8 -13 years old to participate in a demonstration Sibshop: 4 hours of fun activities
  Saturday, November 16, 201310 am to 2 pm
  SFU Downtown Campus - Harbour Centre 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C.
  ACT - Autism Community Training and the Down Syndrome Research Foundation are partnering on a special training November 15 & 16th focused on the needs of siblings of children with special needs.
  To improve community supports for siblings, we are providing Sibshop Faciliator Training, facilitated by Don Meyer of the Sibling Support Project in Seattle. Don is an internationally recognized writer of multiple books on the sibshop approach which he developed.
  We are looking for approximately 25 siblings of kids with special needs, from between 8 to 13 years old, to participate in a demonstration Sibshop.
  Treats for the siblings and their parents:The kids will have a fun filled four hours (including a kid-friendly lunch!) Kids will receive a $15 iTunes gift card as a thank you for participating.
  The parents who transport them will be given a $50 gift voucher towards an ACT event or online video.ACT will provide full supervision. Parents are not required to stay as it has been found that siblings appreciate an opportunity to engage with their peers without a parental presence!If you are a parent whose child without a special need is an interested sibling, please contact Vivian Walker, ACT's event planner, before November 1st for more information. Vivian can be reached at 604-205-5467 or by email here 

• TSA May Have Perfect Job For Those On The Spectrum. Think of the times when you've had to carry out a repetitive, boring task. Now recall how quickly your mind began to wander.

  That is a significant problem in many real-world jobs, and is a special challenge for Transportation Security Administration baggage screeners at airports, who have to look at hundreds of X-rayed bags, trying to pick out dangerous objects from jumbles of hair dryers, toiletries, socks and shoes. It may be, though, that one group is naturally better suited to this task - people with autism. Click here to read more

• My teenage son's journey to understanding his little brother's autism by Rowena Entwistle. Matthew is almost 9 years old. He is a very special boy with autism. Yesterday he said to me that he is my helper after I told him that he makes me very happy whenever I'm sad or feeling tired. He held my face and smiled the sweetest smile and told me, "Mummy, I am your helper. I make you happy." Those are special moments between Matthew and me that I will always cherish. There are also special moments that happen between Matthew and his siblings - Tim and Regina. But it's more exasperation rather than times of inspiration that Matthew often shares with them, especially with Tim, his older brother. Tim is 13. Click here to read more  

• Top 10 strategies for success: emotional parenting of the child with autism/Asperger's or PDD. Sarita Freedman, PhD. Raising a developmentally different child is a challenge for most parents. The challenge begins when parents first learn that their child is not "normal." For some parents, this occurs at or before the child's birth. For others, their child, who appeared "typical" at birth and even for several months or years thereafter, suddenly develops problems that are not so "typical." Click here to read more

   

   
• Autism Funding Unit is now offering Direct Funding for some families. Click here for details! Look to bar on the right side of the website. 

•  SAVE THE DATE - 2nd Annual Richmond Autism Resource Fair.  Featuring presentations, youth advocates, parent panel and resource booths!   November 23, 2013 McMath Secondary School, 4251 Garry Street Richmond.  9:00am - 2:30pm.  For more information contact Llaesa Brownridge at 604-279-7014 or email here  

• ASPIES CENTRAL! Click here for this blog!   

• Click here for the ABA Support Network's Calendar of courses and events   

• Click here for ANCA's live radio show!  

• Fraser Valley Autism Society (FVAS) Click here for website!  
•  The Fraser Valley Autism Society has resumed its free monthly meetings
  for the season. Meetings will alternate between Chilliwack and Abbotsford on a monthly basis.  For more information please visit Our website here or email HERE
  Karen Davis,President, Fraser Valley Autism Society
  
  
   

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ADD/ADHD

• Understanding Attention Deficit: The New ADHD What's new about ADHD? A lot, according to Yale professor Thomas Brown, Ph.D. You'll think differently about the condition once you get all the facts. ADHD 2.0 Findings from neuroscience, brain imaging, and clinical research have dramatically changed the old understanding of ADHD as essentially a behavior disorder. Experts now see ADHD as a developmental impairment of the brain's self-management system, its executive functions. There are many other myths about ADHD, as you will see. So update your thinking about the condition with the facts.  Click here to read more 

• ODD and ADHD: Parenting Your Defiant Child. ADHD behavior issues often partner with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), making discipline a challenge. Try these strategies for managing and treating an angry, defiant child.More Than Defiant. Every parent of a child with attention deficit knows what it's like to deal with behavior problems-saying no to requests or blurting words out. Children with ADHD and ODD take defiant behavior to the extreme. They have a pattern of angry, violent, and disruptive behaviors toward parents, caretakers, and other authority figures. Click here to read more

• ADHD Parenting Strategies That Work! How to be a great parent to your ADHD child.  
  Going from Good to Great. Most parents are good parents. But if your son or daughter has ADHD, "good" may not be enough. To ensure that your child is happy and well-adjusted now and in the future-and to create a tranquil home environment-you've got to be a great parent.  
  Fortunately, it's easier than you'd imagine to go from good to great. All it takes is a few adjustments in your parenting skills and the way you interact with your child. Here's what works, and why. Click here to read more  

• The ADHD Homework System That Works. Is homework stress exhausting your family? Follow this homework system to put in place a routine that will to bring peace to the household and help your child establish life long learning habits. Click here to read more 

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   Down Syndrome  

• Rick Scott Concert 2013. In honour of Down Syndrome Awareness Week, DSRF is pleased to present award-winning children's entertainer Rick Scott in concert, on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013.  Click here for more information

• Wanted!  25 sibs between 8 -13 years old to participate in a demonstration Sibshop: 4 hours of fun activities
  Saturday, November 16, 201310 am to 2 pm
  SFU Downtown Campus - Harbour Centre 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C.
  ACT - Autism Community Training and the Down Syndrome Research Foundation are partnering on a special training November 15 & 16th focused on the needs of siblings of children with special needs.
  To improve community supports for siblings, we are providing Sibshop Faciliator Training, facilitated by Don Meyer of the Sibling Support Project in Seattle. Don is an internationally recognized writer of multiple books on the sibshop approach which he developed.
  We are looking for approximately 25 siblings of kids with special needs, from between 8 to 13 years old, to participate in a demonstration Sibshop.
  Treats for the siblings and their parents:The kids will have a fun filled four hours (including a kid-friendly lunch!) Kids will receive a $15 iTunes gift card as a thank you for participating.
  The parents who transport them will be given a $50 gift voucher towards an ACT event or online video.ACT will provide full supervision. Parents are not required to stay as it has been found that siblings appreciate an opportunity to engage with their peers without a parental presence!If you are a parent whose child without a special need is an interested sibling, please contact Vivian Walker, ACT's event planner, before November 1st for more information. Vivian can be reached at 604-205-5467 or by email here   
• 2014 Mission Possible Down Syndrome Cruise Conference
  7 nights round trip to Alaska ! On board Celebrity's Solstice Ship - the Jewel of Alaska
  Departs July 4, 2014 from Seattle, Washington.Please join us for the next Mission Possible Down Syndrome Cruise Conference.  This conference will have speakers covering Education, Biomedical and Therapies for Down Syndrome.  It is open to:
  ·         Children and Adults with Down syndrome
  ·         Parents
  ·         Caregivers
  ·         Teachers
  ·         School Aids
  ·         Homeschool community ·         Therapists
  You will all benefit from our fantastic group of speakers.  The networking and connections made on this Cruise will be a wonderful experience for everyone who joins us. Click here for more information 

• You are Invited to a Delta Down Syndrome Support Group meeting: OUR GOALS ARE
  · To provide guest speakers (Reach therapists, community
  professionals and other programs) to discuss common issues
  · To provide support and information to families in Delta who
  have a child with Down Syndrome
  · To help connect parents of children with Down Syndrome
  · To provide monthly meetings for parents and their children
  · To provide on-site child minding while you attend the
  discussion
  When: First Thursday of each month
  Where: Reach Developmental Preschool North Delta
  10921 - 82nd Avenue, Delta, BC
  Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
  Cost: No charge
  Light refreshments provided
  Please RSVP to Sarah Garnham at 604-946-6622 extension 321.
  or email here 

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Education

• Autism File goes Digital!! Click here for the first copy dedicated to education issues, IEP's to Classroom Technology!  



• Complex Child Magazine - ADVOCACY EDITION 

• Channel Boisterous Energy at Recess! Click here for Barry MacDonalds current newsletter Mentoring BOYS!
  
   

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FASD

• Check out all the latest information at Reach's Delta Connex!  Click here to see! 

• Langley - FASD adoptive and foster parents. Monthly support group meetings for those with children who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Info: Jamie, 604-530-5917.

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Medical and Mental Health

• Children's Mental Health Research Quarterly - Focus ono troubling trends in medication - click here    NEW 

•  COMPLEX CHILD: This month we take a look at many of the unique and rare conditions that affect our kids. Click here!  NEW 

• The Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre and the FORCE Society for Kids' Mental Health are pleased to announce an amazing lineup of educational events  To find out more about the dates, topics, and how you can join in, view our poster or visit our website HERE .
  Time Thursdays, 12-1pm (PST)
  Registration PHONE 604-875-2084 or 1-800-665-1822
  EMAIL HERE
  WEB HERE  
• Click here for the current KELTY newsletter!  

• Mind Matters e-newsletter provides new resources and programs offered by Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) BC Division and is committed to the mental health of British Columbians. Click here for the current edition    

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Technology

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Ministry Information  

• Ministry of Children and Family Development:Responsible for providing a range of services and supports for children and youth with special needs and their families.

• Community Living British Columbia:
  Responsible for delivering services and supports for adults with developmental disabilities  

• Ministry of Housing & Social Development:
  Responsible for education and support payments, work programs, bus passes and health and dental benefits for persons with disabilitie. 

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Workshops and Training 

• Click here to see all of ACT's Upcoming Presentations 

• Click here for Child Care Options Spring Professional Development Calendar 

• Click here for all upcoming workshops by Delta Assist   

• BC Council of Families Professional Development Calendar - CLICK HERE    

• Dr. Ross Greene Presents: Collaborative Problem Solving
  Dr. Greene will describe his model of solving problems collaboratively with behaviourally challenging kids, what's hard about it, how to get good at it and invite participants to
  participate and practice these effective skills. Dr. Ross Greene is the author of the books The Explosive Child and Lost at School
  Wednesday November 6, 2013 7pm-9pm Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, Crystal Ballroom
  6083 McKay Avenue, Burnaby, BC.  This FREE workshop is recommended by parents from the F.O.R.C.E., and is intended for parents and caregivers. To register for this event please visit: here 

• Technology for your Toolbox. Boardmaker and iPad. Saturday November 2nd, 2013. Presented by: Brenda Fossett, Ph.D., BCBA-D. Coast Chilliwack Hotel 45920 First Avenue,
  Chilliwack, B.C.  Click here for more information 

• Sibshop Training - Building Community Support for Siblings of Children with Special Needs Friday, November 15th &  Saturday, November 16th, 2013 Vancouver, B.C. Presented by Don Meyer, Director Sibling Support Project, Seattle. With the exception of perhaps mothers, siblings spend more time with children who have developmental disabilities or chronic health impairments than any other family member. And, because the sibling relationship is the longest-lasting relationship in the family, brothers and sisters are likely to experience concerns throughout their lives. Despite their importance, siblings' concerns are too often ignored. For everyone's sake, parents and providers must learn more about life as a brother or sister of a person with special needs. Click here for more information 

• Understanding and Caring for Adults and Adolescents with FASD . WJS Canada Training Division Wednesday, 20 November 2013 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (PST)

  Maple Ridge, British Columbia. FASD is an invisible disability. The challenges with learning and functioning experienced by the person living with FASD are caused by brain damage. Although individuals learn strategies to cope with their everyday challenges, the brain damage is permanent. The prenatal effects of alcohol vary and therefore the strengths and needs of those living with FASD vary widely and may fluctuate from day to day and situation to situation. Supports need to responsive, respectable, creative, and flexible. All individuals have strengths that need to be recognized, identified and nurtured. Theresa Grech has worked with adolescents and adults with FASD, PDD, and developmental disabilities, and their caregivers and families for fifteen years, in the capacity of counselor, behavioural therapist, and educator. Click here for more information and to register  
   
• Cities Fit for Children 2013 Conference
  November 21 - 22, 2013 Guildford Sheraton Surrey BC
  
  Surrey is proud to host Cities Fit For Children 2013 - See more here 
  Cities Fit for Children 2013 Conference is a provincial summit to bring together municipal, child development, and other professionals to share expertise and ideas in making communities fit for children and youth.  

• November 22: Restraint and Seclusion: Hear our Stories. Inclusion BC, with Family Support Institute and Douglas College will announce the results of our provincial survey on restraint and seclusion, and hold a viewing and discussion of the film "Restraint and Seclusion: Hear Our Stories" on November 22.

  When: Friday, November 22nd, 2013. 5-9 pm (light supper included)

  Where: Douglas College, Lecture Theatre, Room 2201 700 Royal Avenue New Westminster,  

  Speakers include: Dr. Pat Mirenda, UBC - Postive Behaviour Support; Dr. Vianne Timmons, U of Regina - Benefits of Inclusive Education for all. Contact: Karen De Long 604-777-9100 or email here 

   
• The 6th Annual FASD Fall Conference: Understanding Trauma, will take place on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at Douglas College in New Westminster. Registration will open in early fall 2013. Click here for more information  

• LGBTTTIQQA: Where is your agency at?  Vancouver | December 5
  Noted Canadian LGBTQ advocate and educator Rachel Epstein comes to BC this December to conduct a one-day workshop that explores practical strategies for making programs and services more welcoming and accessible for same-sex parents and their children. This workshop focuses on getting your agency ready to serve and support LGBTQ communities.
• Chinese Cultural Centre, Vancouver
  $125* (Lunch & light refreshments provided)  Click here to register

• Zones of Regulation!!  Leah Kuypers Friday February 28, 2014 and Judy Endow Saturday March 1, 2014.  Autism Awareness Centre is very proud to bring these two  speakers to Richmond BC!
• Friday February 28 - Zones of Regulation by Leah Kuypers:

  This presentation provides teachers, therapists and parents with hands-on knowledge on the nature of self-regulation and strategies for improving self-regulation and emotional control in individuals of all ages. The presentation addresses topics such as: the brain's involvement, typical development, sensory processing, emotional regulation, and executive functioning.

  Audience participants will learn an explicit, stair-stepped method and tools to guide individuals in utilizing The Zones framework across situations and environments to regulate sensory needs, impulses, and emotional states to social demands. Visuals and student work samples are highlighted to illustrate numerous learning activities. A variety of tools (sensory supports, calming techniques, and thinking strategies) are explored to help individuals recognize their internal emotions, sensory needs, and thinking patterns in each zone, when shifting from one zone to another, and then to self-regulate within zones. Participants explore ideas on how to teach, when, why, and how to use tools effectively. The Zones of Regulation presentation also incorporates core concepts from Michelle Garcia Winner's Social Thinking® framework to help teach individuals about perspective taking so they better understand how being in the different zones impacts the thoughts and feelings of other people around them.

• Saturday March 1 -Outsmarting Explosive Behavior by Judy Endow 

  This presentation, based on the book Outsmarting Explosive Behavior, a Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, describes an effective way to support individuals with explosive behaviors by using a visual system of four train cars to depict the stages of explosive behavior along with stop and go signs to show effective support strategies to use during each stage in the explosive behavior cycle. This model has been effectively used with numerous students (Early Childhood through Adulthood), continues to be a part of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Autism Training Project and has been published by AAPC Publishing as a three part kit (facilitator manual, visual system and student workbook).

  Practical Solutions to Stabilize Students With Classic Autism

  Based on Judy's publication, Practical Solutions to Stabilize Students with Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go, this presentation clearly delineates the nuts and bolts of what Judy does when she is called in to consult for a student with classic autism. Included are many practical strategies for supporting a student to be all he can be - his best version of self and most available for learning. This application of this information has been many a student's ticket onward to eventual placement in a more inclusive educational setting.

• Click here for more information and to register  

• Summer Institute 2014 Creating the Future- Partnerships for Inclusive Learning is a summer conference designed to provide a robust learning environment that will facilitate strategic approaches to inclusion and belonging for all students in B.C.'s elementary and secondary schools.
  Many of the support calls that FSI gets in our office and through our volunteer network are school based challenges. Many of our families want for their kids to be included, adored, have access to a good solid education, and have a network of friends who celebrate their abilities and accomplishments. We know schools are filled with educated well-meaning professionals who are looking for tools to help them deal with the complexity of classrooms and diversity. We have designed this Summer Institute to bring school based team members from all over BC together to look at ways to create inclusive schools for all kids.Registration is now open!

This three-day conference will take place on August 25-27, 2014  at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Participants will include administrators, teachers, parents, paraprofessionals, therapists and other members of a school based team.

This year's chosen topics of study are Universal Design for Learing (UDL), Positive Behaviour Supports (PBS), Literacy, Transition, Inclusion in the BC Context, Parent-Professional Relationships, and Social Networks.

Cost is $250 per person (15% discount to teams of 3 and more from the same school). Early bird $200 by April 30th, 2014. Click here for more information 

 

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Seasonal 

• October is Community Living Month!  
• Lights! Camera! Inclusion! In celebration of Community Living Month in October, Inclusion BC is hosting its second annual contest to showcase the gifts and abilities that people with developmental disabilities and their friends, families and supporters bring to the community. Download a high resolution poster here (11" x 17:). The deadline for submissions is October 21, 2013. Winners will be announced by Wednesday, October 31, 2013

• Canucks Autism Network is offering Halloween events. Stanley Park Ghost Train (2 nights)Enjoy a free ride on the haunted train, create Halloween-themed crafts, get your face painted, and leave with a loot bag (for kids only). Complimentary hot chocolate and coffee are provided. Click here for more information 

• 10 Halloween Safety Tips for Children with Special Needs.These special Halloween safety tips will help ensure a safe and fun experience for children with special needs

  Halloween can be a fun time, but it also has an element of scariness about it for both kids and their parents. Here are ten tips to make sure your child enjoys this holiday and stays safe at the same time. Click here to read more 

    
• Halloween for children with autism Bethany Sciortino.  Halloween is considered among most kids as one of the best holidays of the year. Dressed up as their favorite character or superhero, kids are allowed to be something fantastical for an evening and go to strangers houses and ask for candy, the very thing kids are told not to do every other day of the year. Staying up late, children fill their mouths with chocolate and sweet delights and then, well past their bedtimes, succumb to a sugar coma. For kids with autism, however, Halloween often turns out to be much more tricky and not always a treat. Click here to read more

•  Click here for yoyomama's Halloween listings
  
  
   
     

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Other                

• QUOTE of the day:  Before befriending others, you have to be your own friend. Before correcting others, you have to correct yourself. Before making others happy, you have to make yourself happy. It's not called selfishness, it's called personal development. Once you balance yourself, only then can you balance the world around you. Facebook Inspiring Quotes

• The Lower Mainland Down Syndrome Society Proudly present: Ages and Stages Transition Fair.  This fair will provide support and information in several different transition stages that persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families/caregivers may experience through the school years and entering into adulthood. Date: November 2, 2013
  Time: 11:00AM - 4:00PM
  Location: Semiahmoo House - 15306 24th Ave, Surrey, B.C.
  Ages: All ages from Kindergarten to Adult
  Cost: Free Call LMDSS at: 604-591-2722 or email here 

• The Public Health Association of BC in partnership with UBC's Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) are hosting a child-friendly public event to commemorate Dr. Clyde Hertzman and his work in early childhood development. This will be an evening of song and chat with singer-songwriter Raffi Cavoukian and Dr. Paul Kershaw on Early Childhood Development. Tickets by donation - all proceeds will go to the Clyde Hertzman Legacy Fund
  Investing in Children: Celebrating the Legacy of Dr Clyde Hertzman with Guest Raffi Nov 5 , 6:30 - 8:30 PM Vancouver Click here for more information 

• PATH: Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope - a brilliant process for helping people live their dreams!

  Shelley Nessman and Aaron Johannes discuss PATH: Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope, a process of dreaming and planning for the future, organizing steps and building networks.  Click here to hear Shelley and Aaron talk about the PATH process! 

    
• Abilitas Foundation presents: rest * recharge * reconnect | The Cold Water Ranch Lodge is a fully accessible lodge, created by Abilitas Foundation. Kids and adults living with disabilities can use this lodge at no charge, together with their families. A place to rest, recharge, and reconnect, for those who need it most.

  your help is needed | Phase I is now complete and families are already enjoying the benefits of the lodge. This is wonderful progress! But, the lodge cannot be completed without the support of great people like you. Please help us make a difference.

  book your stay | The lodge can be booked for respite and for retreats. A respite booking can be made by eligible families and disability groups only and is free of charge. Corporate and other groups can book a retreat, which supports the ongoing maintenance and operations of the lodge. Click here for more information 

    
• Family Support Institute's Possibilities Newsletter - Click here!  NEW and filled with information!  

• Despite Pushback, Disney Firms Up New Disability Access Policy. Disney is offering new details about changes to its policy for accommodating theme park visitors with disabilities. Starting Wednesday, Disney parks in Florida and California will roll out a new pass known as the Disability Access Service Card for visitors with special needs who are not able to wait in traditional lines. It will replace the Guest Assistance Card. Click here to read more 
• Why Autism Families Are So Angry With Disney.Life for an autistic child is full of no's. No, those children don't want to play with you. No, you won't be able to tolerate this restaurant, theater, store, etc. No, we can't/won't/don't service kids like you.

  No. No. No. Click here to read more 

     
   
•  REACH PARENT SUPPORT GROUP This group is for you if you are a parent or guardian of a child with additional needs who would like to talk with other parents about your struggles, concerns, successes and strategies. We meet to talk about certain topics and local resources, but mostly we are meeting to support each other in our journey with our children.
  Led by clinical counsellor, Yvonne McKenna, this monthly drop-in group might just be what you need.
  Where: Reach Play and Learn Centre, 11425 84th Ave, Delta
  When: The 2nd Tuesday of the month - 6:30 to 8:00 pm
  Fall Schedule
  November 12 - Setting Positive Limits
  December 10 - Celebrating Achievements
  Call (604) 946-6622 Ext 347 for more information. If you come or call, Yvonne will email you monthly to remind you of the upcoming event and other resources.

• The Coach Family Services newsletter is your source for up-to-date information about programs, initiatives, events and more! Click here for the October Edition 

• Family Support Institute is having its' 6th annual Trivia Night on November 1, 2013 (7:30pm-10:00pm - doors open at 7:00pm) at Marlborough Elementary School (6060 Marlborough Avenue in Burnaby).If you are in town, come join us for a night of fun, laughter, food and prizes. The funds raised will help FSI to strengthen and support families faced with the extraordinary circumstances that come with having a family member who has a disability. A limited number of tickets will be sold so get a team together (table of 8) or buy a ticket individually. Come and challenge the FSI board of directors!  Please see the attached flyer for details.  If you would like more information please contact the FSI office at 604-540-8374 (extension 523) / toll free at 1-800-441-5403
• Click here to read Possibilites - FSI Summer Newsletter!    
• FSI Provincial Awards: The Family Support Institute supports families all over BC who have a family member living with a disability. We honor those families and want to recognize and celebrate others who support families in an exceptional way as well. If you know of a person, family, or group that would be well suited for a Provincial Award for their exceptional support of families in BC please write to us and tell us about it. Click here for more information and to nominate   

• Langley Parent Support! The FiT Network Society A Social Educational Network created to get Families in Touch. Monthly FiT meets, seasonal family fun events and casual coffee nights provide opportunities for families who have children with special needs to "Get FiT*" - *Families in Touch. Click here for their website and current events

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Submissions or Questions?

To submit for our newsletter or have a question for Pam to research please contact her at

Parent Network 

or 604-946-6622 ext 359.  

You can sign up at the Reach Child and Youth Development Society website to receive this newsletter directly.

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