50 logobelieving

 REACH Parent Network Information Exchange.

January 29, 2014 

 

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. 

 _________________________________________________

top

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?  

 _________________________________________________



Reach
Reach News
 
  • TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR OUR 2ND ANNUAL REACH FOR THE STARS GALA AT HARRIS BARN MARCH 1ST, 2014

    Reach is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for our second annual Reach for the Stars gala to benefit the Building for Children Together capital campaign. All funds raised at this event will benefit Reach Child and Youth Development Society's project to build a new child development centre in Ladner for children and youth with special needs.

    Come dressed in your best western attire, ready for a good 'ole country time with live music, BBQ buffet dinner, silent and live auctions, and much more! Plus you could win a trip for two from Air Canada to anywhere they fly in North America including Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean! (Raffle tickets just $30 on sale now at Reach!) 
    DATE: Saturday, March 1st, 2014
    LOCATION: Harris Barn, 4140 Arthur Drive, Ladner, BC
    TIME: Cocktail Reception starts 5:30 pm
    TICKETS:  $95 for main floor, $75 for hay loft. $250 to reserve your special VIP table on the main floor.
    For tickets call 604-946-6622 ext.0 or visit the Reach main office at #3 3800 72nd Street Ladner
    Sponsorship opportunities available. Please contact Joni Wright, Reach Fundraising Coordinator at 604-946-6622 ext. 372 or email here 
     
  • Social Smart Group - Learning Social Skills and Using them!
    Social skills are one of the most important skills that children need to learn. More importantly, children need to have the opportunity to use the social skills they have learned. Social Smart Group is a program that provides a natural setting where children with Autism and special needs will be learning and practicing the social skills through playing, chatting, snacking, outing, and more. Social Smart Group is a 1.5-hour program that runs once a week for 10 weeks. There will be 8 children in the group, programmed by one behaviour consultant and one group facilitator. Throughout the 10 weeks, our goal is to help strengthen their social skills by guiding, coaching, and supporting their social interaction with their peers.
    • Who: Grade 5 - 7 boys and girls Time: Tuesday, 6:00pm - 7:30pm Dates: April 8th -June 10th, 2014 Location: 10921 82nd Ave, North Delta Cost: $700 per child for 10 weeks
    • Who: Grade 2 - 4 boys and girls Time: Wednesday, 6:00pm - 7:30pm Dates: April 9th-Jun.11, 2014 Location: 10921 82nd Ave, North Delta Cost: $700 per child for 10 weeks
    • Registration - Monisha Jassi: TEL: 604-946-6622, ext 315 or
      Email here
       
  • FINDS - Thriftshop at REACH! Raising funds to help support Reach programs 
    Open Every Monday 9:00am - 11:30am  CASH ONLY purchases (no credit cards or debit cards) #3-3800 72nd Street, Delta, BC 604.946.6622 ext. 300
    Donations can be dropped off Monday to Friday 9:00am - 3:00pm
    Please bring in your clean, resalable quality items for children 12 years and under: children's clothing, shoes, bedding, books, toys, DVD's, and games including functioning electronic games. We will also accept and sell maternity wear. 
  • 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 
  • 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 Robyn at 604-946-6622 ext.328 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! 

 

Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Donate online

back to menu

 _________________________________________________

Help
Help a Parent?
  •  





       

  

back to menu

 _________________________________________________


Autism

Autism

  • Why do some autistic children strongly react to noise?  A new study is shedding light on one of the key mysteries of autism - why some children with the disorder have extreme reactions to noise. Researchers have long known that kids with autism struggle with communication, but, for the first time, scientists at Vanderbilt University have shown one reason why.  Click here to read more and see a video 
     
  • Autistic man's gift for IKEA assembly turns into business. An Edmonton father starts a business with his 24-year-old son, who can't read or talk but can figure out how to put together complex furniture. The next time you are cursing the assembly instructions for an IKEA desk or bookshelf, you will wish you were living in Edmonton. Residents in the Alberta capital can hire Brad Fremmerlid, a 24-year-old man with severe autism who can build anything. Click here to read more  
     
     
  • Autism Numbers May Decline Under New DSM. After years of escalating growth, a new study looking at data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that autism rates could drop off thanks to new diagnostic criteria for the developmental disorder. In a review of surveillance data on 8-year-olds with autism collected by the CDC in 2006 and 2008, researchers found that nearly 1 in 5 of the youngsters would not have qualified for a diagnosis on the autism spectrum under updated criteria in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Click here to read mores  
     
  • Hearing, Sight Often Jumbled For Kids On The Spectrum. A new study by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center finds that children with autism live in a world that resembles a badly-dubbed foreign movie. They struggle to integrate what they see and what they hear. Reporting in The Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers described a study comparing 32 high-functioning children with autism and 32 children who are developmentally typical. The children, ages 6 to 18, performed a battery of tasks, most using computers. Click here to read more 
  • Which Autism Interventions Work Best? A new federally-funded review of thousands of studies finds that there are more than two dozen autism interventions worthy of being called "evidence-based." Researchers combed through over 29,000 studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 1990 and 2011 that tested various behavioral, developmental or educational interventions for autism to identify the most meaningful approaches for those with the developmental disorder from birth through age 22. Click here to read more 
  • Video game addication .  Daniel started playing video games when he was 18 months old. I was a new parent and maybe this wasn't the best decision - actually, I know for sure it wasn't the best decision. However, what is done is done. He was amazing in some ways. He could use a mouse to make pictures on the MS Paint program on our first family computer - at 12 months old. Click here to read more  
  • Social Sisters.  The purpose of Social Sisters is to offer the opportunity for girls with autism to get together and have a good time in a safe and supportive environment. The events change each month to offer a range of fun activities for participants to experience with other girls. Social Sisters is comprised of a large age range in order to allow participants to enjoy the fun activities with their peers as well as create opportunities for mentorship relationships between younger and older participants by doing things such as helping with activities and sharing their experiences living with autism.  We hope that by structuring the program this way it will allow for opportunities for both mentorship relationships between the younger and older participants as well as peer relationships. 

    Events are planned once per month.  Please check this website and/or the newsletter for this month's event. Participants are supported by a Program Coordinator, four Support Workers and Volunteers.

    SUPPORTS PROVIDED

    At Canucks Autism Network, we strive to meet the needs of each participant through parent and participant collaboration.  Our staff receive training on a variety of support strategies for individuals with ASD.  Please do not hesitate to speak with our staff about strategies that should be implemented (e.g., visual schedules, first-then boards, token systems, social stories, etc.) and contact the Program Coordinator, Tara Rodas here with any questions or  concerns.

    PROGRAM CRITERIA
    • Female participants, ages 9-30 (Must be of correct age when starting the program)
    • Have an ASD diagnosis, and an active membership through the CAN Participant Membership Program 
    • This is an ASD only program
    • Commitment to attend the program (See Attendance Policy)   
    February social sisters event: a spa party!

     

    WHEN:        Friday, February 7, 2014 from 6:00-8:00pm 
    WHERE:      NEW Canucks Autism Network Office (101-2020 Yukon Street)
     
    WHAT:       Join us for a VIP spa night with fun treatments and activities for all of our social sisters!
     
    WHO:          Girls, aged 9-30

     

    For more information, please contact Tara Rodas, Program Coordinator, here 

    How to register
    Online registration for this Social Sisters event will open on Monday, January 13, 2014 at noon and will close on Friday, January 17 at noon. 
     
  • 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

       

  back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

ADD

ADD/ADHD

  • Boost Your ADHD Child's Executive Functions Has your ADHD child hit a mid-year slump? Help the second half of the year go smoothly by increasing her capacity for learning. Does your child begin the school year excited and determined to do his best, but lose steam by second semester? Do you and teachers complain: "You've been at this for six months now, and you still don't know what you're doing?" For the child who has ADHD and EF challenges, this is difficult to hear. Fortunately, new research on EFs clarifies the causes of "spring fever" in children and suggests strategies that bring relief. Click here to read more
  • ADD Women and Girls: Late Diagnosis, Little Treatment.  Too often, ADD women and girls go undiagnosed and untreated. Learn how to recognize symptoms and get help. One of the key reasons girls are so often overlooked is that they exhibit hyperactivity differently than boys, according to Patricia Quinn, M.D., director of the National Center for Gender Issues and ADHD in Washington, D.C. "In a classroom setting, a boy might continually blurt out answers or repeatedly tap his foot, whereas a girl might demonstrate hyperactivity by talking incessantly," she says. A girl who talks all the time is often viewed by the teacher as chatty, not hyper or problematic - and thus is less likely to be recommended for an evaluation. Click here to read more 
  • Take Action Against Distraction Nine strategies for keeping your eye-and ADHD brain-on the ball. Distraction Triggers- People with ADHD are especially prone to distractions-external and internal. Whether it's a coworker interrupting you when you're on deadline, your wandering mind, or stressful emotions, distractions get in the way of getting things done. Take these actions against distractions. Click here to read more


     

back to menu 

 _________________________________________________


 DOWNS  Down Syndrome  

       

  • A local Vancouver casting director is currently looking for one male and one female actor with Down Syndrome to play approx. 20 years old for an upcoming episode of
    "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" (Hallmark channel).  Some acting experience and/or training would be helpful but is not required.
    Please forward your contact information if interested a.s.a.p.
    This information will be passed onto the casting director.
    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Hallmark Orders New TV Series
    Hallmark Channel has picked up Martha Williamson's backdoor pilot/movie Signed, Sealed, Delivered as a series. The show's first season will have 10 episodes and are expected to air mid-2014.Williamson is the former executive producer of Touched by an Angel and this marks her return to series television. Starring Eric Mabius, the two-hour movie/pilot will air this Saturday, October 12th on Hallmark. Daphne Zuniga, Kristin Booth, Crystal Lowe and Geoff Gustafson also star.
    Signed, Sealed, Delivered is a drama that follows a group of mail detectives in the Dead Letter Office. They deliver every last lost piece of correspondence to its rightful owner - typically just when the recipient needs it most.
    • Theresa Preston
      General Manager
      Lower Mainland Down Syndrome Society
      Ph: (604) 591-2722
      Fax: (604) 591 -2730  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 

back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

Education

Education

  • IEP preparation - How to hide your claws and get what you want. I am an equal opportunity offender. I can't help myself. I can be calm and collected in many intense business settings. However, when it comes to my son, hell hath not seen the furry, of my Mama Bear rage! The first time I attended my son's IEP (Individualized Education Plan) I thought I was calm and collected. You could even say that I was "cool as a cucumber". I was prepared and had all of the test results from private providers and experts in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Click here to read more
     


     
      

  


 

 

back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

FASD

FASD

 

  •  FASD is Complicated (with apologies to Jimmy Buffett). Then it occurred to me: That's how FASD is in the real world... complicated. I had a hard time writing about it inside the rules of Wikipedia and just gave up. But a person living with FASD can't just give up. They live with a lot of connections and triggers we know and even more we don't. Click here to read more
  • 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.

back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

Sensory
Sensory

 _________________________________________________

 

MedicalMedical and Mental Health

    

 

  • Balancing Our Minds 2014: Tools for Youth Wellness is an event organized by BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services in partnership with the Vancouver Canucks. It is a free, one-day workshop for high school age youth in BC to learn about mental health and engage in fun activities and thoughtful dialogue. This year we are fortunate to be partnering with the Vancouver Canucks to make this event even bigger and more impactful than the last! Balancing Our Minds 2014: Tools for Youth Wellness will be hosted at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, and will be attended by approximately 1,500 youth, teachers and parents from across the province.  
    Specific Goals and Outcomes:
    1. Building awareness of mental health and substance use issues.
    2. Learning about the range of mental health challenges and mental wellness.
    3. Connecting youth to tools, resources and services to promote and support mental health.
    4. Decreasing stigma associated with mental health challenges.
    click here for more information and to register
  • In addition to its original $50-million commitment, Bell has pledged to increase Bell Let's Talk funding based on the growing engagement of Canadians in the mental health movement on Bell Let's Talk Day.On January 28, for every text message and long distance call made by Bell and Bell Aliant customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk at @Bell_LetsTalk, and every Facebook share of that day's Bell Let's Talk Day image at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5 cents more to programs dedicated to mental health.
  • 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  
  • 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    

 _________________________________________________

Technology

Technology

  •  

 

 

back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

Ministry

Ministry Information  

 


back to menu 

 _________________________________________________


WorkshopsWorkshops and Training 

  • Navigating Puberty and Adolescence, January 31, 2014.  This workshop is designed to give parents, caregivers, and professionals a foundation for teaching individuals with ASD and/or other special needs about sexuality. It will include information about the sexual development of children and the information they understand at various stages of their development. SFU Downtown Campus - Harbour Centre Vancouver, B.C.Presented by
    Joy Becker, RN, BSN Click here to learn more 
     
  • Integrated Strategies for Home Visiting and Risk Management for Home Visitors
    Date: February 3 - 7, 2014 Location: Vancouver
    Training Fee: $450.00 (Home Visiting) or $500.00 (Home Visiting and Risk Management)
    Register now! This engaging, interactive training program is packed with information, discussion, and activities specifically designed to ensure home visitors will emerge with the knowledge and practical skills to implement successful services for families.
    Included in training session:   
  • Children the Heart of the Matter conference brings together all those involved in the care and education of young children. Our purpose is to raise the awareness and profile of child care and early childhood development services, family resource programs and others through professional development, networking, and sharing of information and resources. Please join us February 7th and 8th, 2014 at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey! Click here for more information
  • Balancing Our Minds 2014: Tools for Youth Wellness

    Tuesday February 11, 2014. 8am - 3pm Rogers Arena 800 Griffiths Way Vancouver

    Balancing Our Minds 2014: Tools for Youth Wellness is an event organized by BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services in partnership with the Vancouver Canucks. The event is being planned in collaboration with youth organizations that work in the area of mental health, and with youth who are passionate about breaking down barriers and creating connections. It is a free, one-day workshop for high school age youth (13-18) in BC to learn about mental health and engage in fun activities and thoughtful dialogue. This year we are fortunate to be partnering with the Vancouver Canucks to make this event even bigger and more impactful than the last! Balancing Our Minds 2014: Tools for Youth Wellness will be hosted at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, and will be attended by approximately 1,500 youth, teachers and parents from across the province. Click here for more information and to register 

     
  • Zooming In - Social Communicators in the Classroom, Playground and at Home. February 13 and 14th , 2014. 
    Michelle Garcia Winner MA, CCC-SLP and Pam Crooke Ph.D., CCC-SLP
    This event is presented by two SLPs who demonstrate remarkable insight and empathy with the needs of young people with ASD, ADHD, and/or other challenges. Their focus is those who have average cognitive abilities but are faced with significant communication and social challenges. This is for those who already have a basic understanding of Social Thinking and are looking for more depth in their understanding. Click here for more information 
  • Facilitator's Workshop. Implementing the Friend 2 Friend Autism Demystification Packaged Program
    Saturday Feb 15th, 2014 9:00am-4:00pm
    Friend 2 Friend Play Centre 2941 Kingsway, Vancouver BC Canada, V5R 5J2
    Space is Limited to 30 participants  Click here for more information and to register 

  • Mixed Signals Workshop:Connection to Technology is Disconnecting Child Development 

    Presenter: Cris Rowan, speaker, author, creator of Zone'in

    February 18th, 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

    First Floor Multipurpose Room Delta Manor Education Centre 4750 - 57th Street Ladner

    •  Mixed Signals raises awareness regarding the damaging impact of technology on child development and academic performance, and provides assessment and intervention tools and techniques to manage balance between activities children need for growth and success with technology use. Balanced Technology Management initiatives are provided for clinics, schools, homes and community settings to create 'sustainable' futures for all children.

    • Registration $20.00

      To register: Lynda Brummitt, Literacy Outreach Coordinator email here or call 604.818.3290 

           
  • 4th Annual Parent Evening Shared Learning Conference featuring Dr. Stuart Shanker
    ATTENTION PARENTS! You will not want to miss this important event!
    Stuart Shanker, a distinguished research professor of philosophy and psychology at York University, is the pied piper of self-regulation in schools. He maintains that Canadian kids do not know what it is to feel calm anymore because there is too much stimulation in their lives. Dr. Shanker concludes that children are dealing with an overwhelming amount of stress, defined as anything that makes the brain burn excess energy. That idea is not new. What is new is the neuroscience supporting it. Come and learn about the four key practices to enhancing children's self-regulation:
    1. Be a detective
    2. Exercise!
    3. Mindfulness Programs
    4. Play
    Basic Concept -Self-Regulation
    Self-regulation is the ability to manage your own energy states, emotions, behaviours and attention, in ways that are socially acceptable and help achieve positive goals, such as maintaining good relationships, learning and maintaining wellbeing.
  • Helping Others without Losing Yourself. A Workshop Presented by Powerful Paths Consulting Ltd. February 21, 2014 at Newlands Golf & Country Club
    9:00 am - 3:00 pm In this workshop you will learn to assess whether the decisions you make will drain you or energize you, to evaluate your own needs, to regain control of your boundaries and keep them healthy, and finally, to give yourself permission to recharge. By adopting these strategies of self-care, you will function more successfully over the long term within your chosen helping profession; you will be an expert on How to Help Others without Losing Yourself! Click here to register 
  • Risk Management for Home Visitors
    Date: February 22, 2014 Location: Vancouver 
    Training Fee: $50.00
    Register now!Risk Management for Home Visitors is a practical and research-based 1-day workshop that will equip outreach workers with the skills, awareness, and strategies to stay safe and healthy in their work.  

    Included in training session:  

     
  • Toilet Training: It's Never Too Late, February 28, 2014. SFU Downtown Campus - Harbour Centre  Vancouver, B.C. Presented byPat Mirenda,Ph.D., BCBA-D.Many individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities present significant challenges when it comes to toilet training. When a person is not toilet trained, it is often a severe barrier to successful inclusion in school and in community settings, and can negatively affect both self-esteem and peer relations. Lack of success in toilet training can be addressed successfully by caregivers using a behavioral approach. Dr. Mirenda will describe two approaches in this regard - an intensive intervention that can be completed in a few weeks and a more gradual approach that usually requires more time. Parents are strongly urged to attend with a professional (teacher, behaviour consultant, etc.) who will also be involved in the training, which is best accomplished through a team effort. This presentation will empower parents and their supporters to make progress in toilet training an individual with special needs. Toilet training is hard work, but in the end, it is the gift that keeps on giving! Click here for more information 
      
  • 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  

  • Ready, Set, Coach: Supporting Kids with Autism in Community Recreation Activities. March 1, 2014. SFU Downtown Campus - Harbour Centre Vancouver, B.C. Presented by
    Stephanie Jull,
    Ph.D., BCBA-DChildren with autism are less likely than their typically-developing peers to participate in sports and community recreation.  When they do, coaches and community instructors have often not received training or support to help them know what strategies work best for supporting kids on the spectrum. This one day event is for recreation instructors and coaches who want to understand how to teach kids with autism in swimming lessons, skating programs, soccer programs, fitness instruction, and other community recreation activities.  It is also useful for parents who want to understand more about how to help their kids participate in community sports, and for PE teachers who want to know more about autism.  The day will include an introduction to autism, outline different coaching strategies and provide an introduction to key skills and techniques that are proven to be successful with kids with autism. Dr. Jull will discuss a number of case study examples in different types of sports and show many videos of coaches working effectively to teach kids with autism a variety of skills.  There will be plenty of time for questions and to brainstorm strategies with your colleagues. Participants will leave the event with strategies in hand and a plan for implementation in their own recreation setting. Click here for more information and to register 

     

  • Pivot Point proudly presents: Sexual Health Education: Parenting Teens with Disabilities
    Presented by Jessica Wollen (BA, B.Ed), Shift Education. 

    In this two-hour training, participants will:

    - Learn methods to protect children and teens from unsafe adults.

    - Clarify values and develop the skills to teach them.

    - Learn how to teach anatomy and body function with comfort.

    - Learn which body changes to expect at when.

    - Learn to clarify private and public boundaries using the Circles Program.

    When a person is young, building skills to effectively communicate social and family values around body science, safety, and sexuality, helps families and care providers to build a foundation of trust and openness. When a young person knows they can ask a trusted adult anything, they will seek out support in that safe environment, become more informed, have access to reliable information, and make better life decisions.

    Walnut Grove Community Centre 8889 Walnut Grove Drive, Langley, BC V1M 2N7 Thursday March 6, 2014 From 07:00 PM to 09:30 PM (PDT) Click here for more information and to register 
  • Domestic Violence Focused Couples Treatment: A Safe Model. Dr. Sandra Stith will present a successful model for treating mild to moderate domestic violence. Contrary to accepted wisdom situational violence can now be safely addressed in couples treatment, with this safety focused model.The treatment is based on a solution-focused therapy and targets couples who choose to stay together after experiencing situational Intimate Partner Violence. The treatment program is offered to individual couples and to couples participating in multi-couple groups. The 2-day workshop will include suggestions for screening appropriate clients and a clear description of the treatment model. Participants will be encouraged to share their own success stories and the challenges they experience working with these couples. Dr. Stith illustrate the model using video from her work.
    March 27 & 28, 2014 La Perla Ballroom , New Westminster, BC #230 - 810 Quayside Drive, New Westminster, BC For more information, please contact Jenny Lee at 604-434-9101 Ext.334 or email here  
  • My Tween & Me Leader Training
    Date: May 7th - 8th, 2014 Location: Vancouver Early Bird Training Fee: $360.00*
    *Ends March 15, 2014. Register Now. This interactive, two-day training session prepares program leaders to deliver the My Tween and Me parenting program. Get the tools and know-how to help parents maintain a strong connection with their children as they move into the teen years.  After attending this training you will have developed:
    Increased knowledge of tweens' developmental milestones
    Awareness of risk and protective factors that affect children as they move through the tween years and into adolescence
    Strengthened understanding of the issues parents of tweens face in diverse cultural and linguistic communities in BC
    Enhanced practical skills to help parents strengthen their relationships with their pre-teens
    Packed with information, discussion and activities, the My Tween and Me leader training session incorporates current research along with practical communication skills for parents.  Click here for more information and to register  
  • Live Your Best Life: Are you tired of feeling like you are not moving forward in your life? Do you feel like you are never given the breaks that you need? Is there something that you have always wanted to do but have not been able to achieve it? There are times in our lives when we want to stop feeling like a spectator on the sidelines and start creating the life we want. Debbie Holmes and Scott Robertson will give you a clear understanding of how to obtain and maintain balance in life even when it seems impossible due to a busy lifestyle or a stressful vocation. You will be given opportunities to assess your health, both physically and mentally, so you can achieve your goals. They will lay out a fool-proof plan to develop your skills with step-by-step methods that will enhance your opportunity to Live Your Best Life! 
    • May 2, 2014 @ Newlands Golf & Country Club 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
      May 16, 2014 @ Burnaby Village Museum 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
      Click here 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 

     

back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

SeasonalSeasonal 

 

 

  • February is National Inclusive Education Month. This year, along with people from across Canada, Inclusion BC is celebrating February as Inclusive Education Month.
    National Inclusive Education Awards
    Nominations for the 2014 Inclusive Education Awards are now open! Download your nominations form here. The deadline for nominations is March 22, 2014.
    About the awards: To highlight National Inclusive Education Month and to bring attention to the many positive examples of inclusive classrooms and schools across the country, the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) has created a national certificate of recognition to be bestowed upon recipients who have made positive contributions to inclusive education in their province or territory.
    The BC award recipients will be recognized at our 2014 conference in Vancouver at the end of May.

 

  • NEWS FROM EASTER SEAL CAMPS: Dear Parents and Guardians
    The cost of running one week of an Easter Seals general camping session is approximately $2400. In the past the Lions Society has been able to subsidize 100% of this cost and up until 2012 our camper families have not had to pay anything. Unfortunately times have changed and our traditional funding sources have diminished over the years. In order for us to continue offering exceptional camping programs for children with disabilities, we need to change the paradigm with which we approach summer camping.
    Starting this summer, we will be charging a fee of $500 (26% of the cost) for a week of general camping. The Lions Society will subsidize the balance of $1900. This was a hard decision for us but a necessary one. Why was it necessary?
    For over 40 years we offered free camping for kids with disabilities and that is an amazing thing. We are truly proud of that feat. However, competition for the charity dollar has increased at a very fast pace over the last 10 years. There are thousands of more not for profits that have emerged. Special events are no longer being run by a few charities but every organization is trying their hand at this form of fundraising. Individual and corporate donations have been shrinking partly due to the economy and partly due to increased demand from other organizations.  And government funding has become impossible to access due to their budget balancing and many more new community requests. 
    Our camping program is special and unique. We want it to continue. We are going to do what it takes to keep this program running for as long as there is a want and need for it. It is our goal to be able to provide the highest quality camping experience to children with disabilities in five years, ten years and fifty years from now.
    In the coming months we will be sending out information on different subsidy programs and money that is available for families who can demonstrate financial need or wishes to access respite funds. We recommend that parents and guardians also look into what is available. There are a lot of options. We firmly believe that this cost will not be a barrier for anyone who really wants to come to camp.
    We have also had to make some changes to our summer schedule. We have tried to keep the changes small though. The 2014 summer schedules are now available on our website.
    If you have any questions or concerns or even any ideas or helpful tips for other parents please feel free to contact myself or James Gagnon, our Director of Camping, camp@lionsbc.ca.
     

     

      
     
      
      

 

              back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

Other

Other                

  • QUOTE of the day:  "If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place." Margaret Mead 
  • Children's Books Lauded For Highlighting Disabilities. Alongside the famed Caldecott and Newbery awards for children's literature, three books are being honored for focusing on the disability experience. The books - which include stories of a wounded soldier, a princess with a deformed foot and a look at medical experimentation by Nazi doctors - were named winners of the Schneider Family Book Awards this week.  Click here to read more 
  • Nidus Personal Planning and Resource Centre:  Nidus offers monthly free webinars providing up-to-date information on personal planning, Representation Agreements, Enduring Powers of Attorney and other related topics. There is time at the end for Q&A. Topics in January and February include "An introduction to Personal Planning" and "Representation Agreements in More Detail".  Please visit here for more information.
    • RDSP Update:  Improvements to the RDSP Program came into effect January 1, 2014.  Please visit the rdsp website here to see all the details.    
  • Is your child worried or anxious? A Free monthly drop-in support group for parents of children (ages 3 to 12) who are worried and anxious most of the time. Come and learn ways to help your child build a bridge over their fears and develop courage To attend: Please call Yvonne at (778) 554-8050 or email her here 
    • Yvonne Family Counselling ((Counselling * Play Therapy * Parent Coaching * Infant Massage * Workshops)
      Meetings are the Last Monday of the month at 6:30 - 8:00pm
      #206 - 4840 Delta St., Delta (Ladner) Click here to see Yvonne's website 
  • Parents/Caregivers of Special Needs Children in Surrey!
    If your child has "special needs" (any special need, diagnosed or not), you are invited to come to Surrey Kids Voice. The meetings will be held at: Surrey College Room 110, 9260 140 Street, Surrey,  Currently, childcare is not available. See you there! No need to pre-register. For more info, please contact Cheryl at 604-690-5649 or email here.  
  • 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

back to menu 

 _________________________________________________

SubmissionSubmissions 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.

 

back to menu 

 

 
Reach | danl@reachdevelopment.org | delta, BC |