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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Reach News

• Delta Connex Parent Peer Group. The parent group is an opportunity for parents with children who have ADHD, FASD or other complex behaviours to come together.  At the group you can learn and reflect on your life as a parent of children that may behave in ways that are unexpected and a challenge to understand.  You will gain insight in building  positive relationships, celebrating your children and focus on your emotional well being.  We provide a welcoming and safe environment to share experiences, knowledge and offer support to each other.  This group is led by a trained facilitator.
• We meet the last Friday of every month from 9:30 - 11:30am at Reach Child and Youth Development Society, #3-3800 72nd Street, Ladner BC 
• For more information please contact Robyn Lane, Key Worker/Behaviour Consultant 604-946-6622 extension 328 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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ADD/ADHD 

• ADHD Professionals: Who Can Help You Manage ADHD Symptoms Teaming up with the right professional can help you (or your child) manage symptoms more successfully.Making Sense of ADHD Professionals.  When you or your child has ADHD, chances are you will come across a variety of medical professionals and ADHD specialists. Each has something different to contribute to your care. It can be hard to sort out who does what and who you should see when you have ADHD. The more you know, the better. Click here to read more 

• How Music Unlocks the ADHD Brain Learning an instrument helped my son increase his attention and boost his performance. Here's how you can use music to give your ADHD/LD child a leg up, too. Children do not come in tidy packages - they come with spontaneity, energy, and delicious individuality. Some have learning challenges that affect them physically, cognitively, emotionally, and/or behaviorally. The good news is that music can help with most of them.Click here to read more 

• Music: Sound Medicine for ADHD Parents, take note: music therapy builds better focus, self-control, and social skills in kids with attention deficit. "Nothing activates the brain so extensively as music," says Oliver Sacks, M.D., professor of neurology at Columbia University and author of Musicophilia. He should know. Sacks has documented the power of music to arouse movement in paralyzed Parkinson's patients, to calm the tics of Tourette syndrome, and to vault the neural breaches of autism. His belief that music can heal the brain is gaining favor, thanks, in part, to Gabrielle Giffords. Click here to read more 

• The 30 Best Apps for ADHD Minds Use the power of these smartphone apps to manage ADHD symptoms ranging from distractibility and disorganization to poor sleep and overflowing creativity. I have always been a tech geek. I have also always been forgetful, disorganized, and time-blind. Being diagnosed with ADHD in college, and being prescribed Adderall, was a game changer for me. However, the best things for my ADHD treatment plan have been the smartphone and the apps that run on it. Click here to read more
  
  

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   Down Syndrome  

• #education21 - how educational research is helping children with Down syndrome today. Educational research improves the lives of people with Down syndrome. It provides the foundation for effective support, therapy and teaching for many thousands of children around the world. Click here to read all about it!!!

• 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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FASD

• 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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Workshops and Training 

•  CLick here for the FALL CCRR Training Calendar of workshops! 

• Click here for information on RDSP presentations 

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

• Click here for all upcoming workshops by Delta Assist   

• Click here for upcoming events sponsored by the BC Council for Families    

• On-line presentation from the Neufeld Institute:Coming Alongside the Struggling Child. Shifting from a position of 'fixing' to a place of 'seeking to understand' and supporting growth and development Thursday, February 12th12 to 2 pm Pacific Time   The child who is struggling with persistent issues or troublesome behaviors is the child who needs to be understood in terms of development and deeper needs. Whether you are a parent or a helping professional who works with children and families, this presentation will provide much to consider in terms of our perspective in how we approach and support the 'struggling child.'  Click here to register 
• Bedtime Challenges with Tamara Strijack
  Tuesday, March 24th, 2015
  10 am to 12 pm Pacific
  Making Space for Tantrums and Tears with Eva de Gosztonyi
  Thursday, April 23rd, 2015
  5 to 7 pm Pacific
  Bridging the Separation Complex with Geneviève Brabant
  Tuesday, May 26th, 2015
  4 to 6 pm Pacific

• EduTalks 2015 WINTER SERIES - ALL ABOUT ADHD 
  Thursday, February 19, 2015, 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
  SUPPORTING EXECUTIVE SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH ADHD
  Ryan Santin (M. Ed, RCC), Mental Health Clinician / Therapist with VCH Child and Youth Mental Health Services and Compass Clinic will provide an understanding of how challenges with executive functioning impact learning and behaviour at school. He will provide a tool kit of creative, practical, and supportive interventions for school staff in primary, intermediate, and secondary settings.   
  Friday, February 20, 2015, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Registration 8:30 AM)
  PAY ATTENTION - UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING CHILDREN WITH ADHD
  Margaret Weiss (MD, PhD,) Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at UBC, Head of The Weiss Clinic for ADHD Care, and internationally recognized expert in ADHD, will present the following workshop:Topic 1 - What is ADHD?
  This will be a review of the neurobiology, diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD. 
  Topic 2 - ADHD Inattentive Presentation and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo
  This lecture will describe and review our understanding of children who have problems with attention, but are not hyperactive or disruptive in the classroom.
  Topic 3 - Management of Attention 
  Treatment of attention problems and classroom strategies of mitigating the effect of attention deficit on academic performance. 
  Friday, February 20, 2015, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  YOGA FOR THE CLASSROOM
  In this session participants will learn methods for reducing stress and creating a calm focused classroom.
  Workshops will be held at the Hycroft, 1489 McRae Avenue, Vancouver, BC
   Click here for more information and to register
   
• Kelty Centre's Pinwheel Series: The pinwheel series are a group of free, all inclusive monthly education events open to anyone in BC. The aim is to provide learning opportunities for the public on key mental health and healthy living topics, and host a forum where people can engage in dialogue with experts and persons with lived experience.

  All Pinwheel events take place on Thursdays from  12-1pm (PST). You can join us:

  • In person: Room P3-306, Mental Health Building #85, BC Children's Hospital, 4555 Heather St., Vancouver, BC
  • Telephone: Dial 1-877-291-3022 and enter the access code 4611577#
  • Telehealth: Contact your local Telehealth coordinator to book a videoconference room and get them to forward your location name, room number and the ISDN/IP Address/Alias of your site to here . For questions, please contact Aazadeh Madani, Project Coordinator here 
  • Feb 19 2015 - 12:00pm  Binge Eating Disorder 
  • Mar 26 2015 - 12:00pm Self Harm & Healthy Coping Tools 

    Apr 16 2015 - 12:00pm Dialectical Behaviour Therapy 

• Marc Landry! Hey, My Brain Doesn't Work That Way!  Exploring Brain Differences and Sensory Processing, Promoting Self Regulation, and Supporting Stress Management.

  Feb 24 & March 3    6:30 pm to 9:30 pm 

  18679 0 Avenue in South Surrey   

  Full workshop (in 2 parts) on the Sensory Side of Life and Autism/Sensory Processing. Click here to see the flyer!
  
   
• A Discussion on Human Rights, Discrimination, and Mental Disorders.  

  February 25, 2015 | Vancouver Convention Centre

  Facilitator: Lori Charvat, Consultant Presenters: Julie Menten; Roper Greyell LLP; Jonathan Chapnick, Legal Counsel, Hospital Employees' Union; and Eric Diotte, Human Rights Commission of Canada. Join our speakers as they debate questions such as: How can we ensure a safe and supportive environment for employees who are struggling with mental illness and addictions? What do employers need to understand about mental illness, addictions and human rights? What lessons can we learn from looking at human rights decisions as they relate to mental illness and addictions? Following an engaging discussion about what is happening in today's legal landscape, they will present new ideas and creative solutions to some of today's workplaces biggest challenges related to mental illness and addictions. Delegates will have an opportunity to work through case studies, ask tough questions, consider the bigger picture and collect new tools to use in their workplace.Click here for more information 

   
• Autism Awareness Centre Presents the February 2015 Conference! Friday, Early Bird rate ends February 12, 2015.
• February 27 Joyce Cooper-Kahn
  Late, Lost and Unprepared:  How to Help Youth Build Better Executive Functioning
  Executive functioning is an umbrella term for the mental processes that serve a supervisory role in thinking and behavior.  Individuals with autism spectrum disorders, attention disorders and learning disabilities all have weak executive skills.   For example, they may be disorganized and have trouble with planning, have weak ability to monitor their own behavior and performance, and struggle with situations where they must shift flexibly from one thought or behavior to another.  We can help these young people by creating plans that include both short-term supports for daily success and long term strategies that facilitate the development of executive skills and build greater independence over time. 
• Saturday, February 28 Elizabeth Sautter
  Make Social Learning Stick: Practical Tools to Build Social Regulation
  Social Regulation (Kuypers and Sautter, 2011) is the ability to adjust one's level of alertness and modify how emotions and behaviors are revealed in order to meet social goals.  Our world is filled with complicated social situations that can be sticky to navigate-both emotionally and socially.  It's important to realize that within these situations, regulating emotions/behaviors and managing social communication go hand in hand. Understanding this connection helps to broaden the lens, look at the whole child, and focus on working as a team to paste together the practical applications that work for each child.
• Click here for more information and to register!
   
• 6th International Conference on FASD Research: Results and Relevance 2015
  Integrating Research, Policy, and Promising Practice Around the World
  March 4-7, 2015 | The Westin Bayshore | Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Click here for more conference information 

• 2015 General & Special Education Conference March 4, 5, & 6, 2015
  Seattle, WA Location: Grand Hyatt Conference & Hotel-

  Proven Interventions to Increase Student Achievement Pre-K through 12th Grade

  A Professional Continuing Education Event. Click here for more information

• Stand Together 2015 March 26-27.  MULTI-FACETED TRAINING FOR THE CAREGIVER PROFESSIONALExecutive Plaza Hotel Conference Centre 405 North Road, Coquitlam. Beyond Consequences: Trauma Informed Care Thurs. March 26, 9:30-4:00pm
  If you've tried using logic, consequences, behavior modification, yelling and isolation with your children, all to find out that none of it worked,or even made things worse, you know what it is like to find yourself beyond your window of tolerance. This parenting training can change all of that. Move you from a place of hopelessness to a place full of hope and love.
  HEATHER FORBES, LCSW Heather is the owner of the Beyond Consequences Institute. She is an internationally published author on the topics of raising children
  with difficult and severe behaviors, understanding the parent's reactivity when challenged in the home, and working with challenging children in the classroom. Much of her experience and insight on understanding trauma, disruptive behaviors, developmental delays, and
  adoption-related issues comes from her direct mothering experience of her two internationally adopted children.
  Navigating Transitions with Teens Fri. March 27, 9:30-12:00pm
  The teen years can be a challenge for parents - but even moreso without the foundations of an established, long-term relationship.Traditional parenting techniques can often backfire and disrupt the parent/child relationship with our teens, while their behaviours invite us
  to employ strict consequences. Where's the happy medium? Review what works with our teens, and explore research-based insights into high-risk teen behaviour. Learn how to best support and parent our teens during these challenging years.
  CHRIS BURT, MAChris holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology. He is a parenting and family development specialist with over 20 years experiences supporting children, youth, and families. Chris is a trained family counsellor who provides therapeutic and educational services to families,and training and clinical support services to other professionals, organizations, and government agencies.Click here for more information
   
• 7th Annual Vancouver Neufeld Conference 2015!  Saturday May 2, 2015 8:30 - 4:30
• Registration opens March 3, 2015

• The Explosive Child: Noncompliant, Disruptive, Disenfranchised Kids - Moving from Modifying Behaviour to Solving Problems Collaboratively - Presented by Ross Greene, Ph.D. Educators, parents, and mental healthy clinicians are increasingly challenged to understand and help kids with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. These kids are at tremendous risk for adverse long-term outcomes, and their behaviour can significantly impact life at home and in the classroom. While these kids maybe diagnosed with any of a variety of psychiatric disorders - such as ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder, Tourette's disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, and autism spectrum disorders - compelling research indicates that lagging cognitive skills are the primary contributor to their difficulties. These lagging skills make it difficult for these kids to meet academic and behavioural expectations. Dr. Ross Greene's model - as described in his influential books The Explosive Child and Lost at School, and now called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) - helps adults and kids collaboratively solve the problems precipitating challenging behaviour, while simultaneously teaching lagging skills. The empirically supported CPS model represents a dramatic departure from conventional wisdom and practice, and has been found to be effective in a vast array of setting, including families (where it has been shown to significantly reduce family conflict and improve parent-child interactions), general and special education schools (where it dramatically reduced discipline referrals, detentions, and suspensions), and inpatient, residential, and juvenile detention facilities (where it has produced significant reductions in recidivism and in the use of restraint and locked-door seclusion). Participants in this workshop will leave with an understanding of the underpinnings of the model, along with practical assessment and intervention tools that can be brought back to and used in these diverse settings.

  Thursday, May 21, 2015

  9:00 am - 4:00 pm

  Coast Hotel & Convention Centre Langley City

  20393 Fraser Highway Langley, BC

  Click here for more information 

• ACT 's 11th Annual Focus on Research ESSENCE
  What research is telling us about the need for inter-disciplinary collaboration to meet the needs of children with a range of neurodevelopmental conditions. 

  Professor Christopher Gillberg,

  an internationally recognized researcher, has identified a major frustration of clinicians and families. Despite our attempts to draw firm diagnostic boundaries, many disorders (including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, tic disorder, developmental coordination disorder) share symptoms - indeed this is the rule rather than the exception in child psychiatry and developmental medicine. 

  The acronym ESSENCE, coined by Dr. Gillberg, Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations, refers to the reality of how children (and their parents) present in clinical settings. He draws on international research to make a compelling case that child symptoms, in at least one ESSENCE domain before age five, often signals major problems in the same or overlapping domains years later. Over focus on ASD in young children could be a big mistake, especially as it may not be the major risk factor for issues including academic failure and adult/ adolescent/adult social exclusion. 

  Friday, March 27th, 2015

  SFU Harbour Centre Vancouver, BC Click here for more information
   
• Trust-Based Parenting: April 28-29, 2015. The Roundtable is excited to be hosting Daren Jones and Henry Milton from Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross' Trust-Based Relational Intervention training on April 28th and 29th, 2015 at Douglas College in New Westminster!

  Children who have been harmed, neglected or abused are at dramatically increased risk for behavioural problems. All too often caregivers and support providers are mystified by these behaviours and struggle to find effective interventions. This seminar will empower participants to create healing environments for these precious children and youth who have come from the "hard places," including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), adoption, and fostering. In this workshop on Trust-Based Parenting, participants will learn specific skills and strategies for disarming the fear and sadness that is beneath most disruptive behaviours in children. Based in a deep understanding of attachment, sensory integration, brain development and brain chemistry, Trust-Based Parenting provides caregivers and service providers with powerful insights for understanding misbehaviour and for appropriately guiding healthy, new behaviours. These principles are effective in bringing about healing for children in varied environments, such as homes, schools, day care settings, and residential treatment facilities. Participants will find powerful insights for creating a healing environment for children of any age and any level of risk.Click here for more information 

   

   
•  Inclusion BC 2015 Conference  Registration now open.  Early bird deadline is March 31, 2015

  Registration is now open for Inclusion BC's annual conference and AGM. Register now to secure your spot! Workshops and final keynote presenters will be announced at the beginning of February. Registrants can log back in online and choose their sessions at that time. Click here for more information
  Where: Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, 1088 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC
  When: May 27 - 30, 2015

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Seasonal 

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•  2nd annual Family Fun Craft Day at Ladner Baptist Church: Art for ALL Abilities! For children with special needs together with their families. A chance to do something fun and creative together.  There will be over 10 craft tables, some gym activities, treats, and even an interactive collaborative art project that will be on display when complete! This is an event for the whole family, young and old, an event that is a great way to celebrate both Family Day and Valentine's Day. The event is on Feb. 7th from 1-4 pm. The event is wheel chair accessible and admission is free. RSVP by Jan. 31st. Call 604-946-0141. Ladner Baptist Church 5624 Ladner Trunk Road. 
   
• YOGA FOR THE SPECIAL CHILD® BASIC ONE PROGRAM
Abbotsford, B.C.March 14 - 20, 2015

Taught by Sherry LeBlanc Hons. BSC. E-RYT 500, RCYT Certified Program Teacher for YSC(R).  Yoga for the Special Child® (YSC) is a therapeutic program of Yoga techniques designed by Sonia Sumar to enhance the natural development of children with special needs. The Basic One Program is a comprehensive training course in the theory & practice of yoga therapy for babies and children with learning and/or developmental disabilities from 0 - 12 years old.  It offers a unique learning environment for children and their parents, special education teachers, yoga teachers, massage therapists and adaptive physical education teachers.  YSC® Programs are also appropriate for the continuing education of health-care specialists in a variety of fields including Physiotherapy, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Paediatric and Rehabilitation Nursing.The Basic Program is a 7 day course that begins at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 14 and ends at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, March 20.  The daily schedule includes classes from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a one hour lunch break.Contact: Sherry LeBlanc to register and for more information. email here 416-532-5988, website here



• Challenger Baseball; An opportunity for children with cognitive or physical disabilities to enjoy the thrill of playing baseball, being part of a team, developing physical and social skill plus all the benefits of participation in baseball at a level structured to their abilities. Games are played in a fun, safe environment where no score is kept. Our philosophy is very simple: 'Play, just for fun!!' The 2015 Challenger season is tentatively scheduled to run April - June. Cost is $20. Click here for more information

   
• Camp Zajac Summer Camp dates
• Week 4: Monday, July 20th - Friday, July 24th
  Down Syndrome, Epilepsy, and Muscular Dystrophy
  COST: $687.50
  ACTUAL COST: $275 / Day - 5 Days - $1375 Total -
  50% Subsidized via Zajac Camper Allowance
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Camp #1 Week 5:
  Sunday, July 26th - Thursday, July 30th
  ACTUAL COST: $275 / Day - 5 Days - $1375 Total
  50% Subsidized via Zajac Camper Allowance if paying
  by cheque or credit card - Amount Payable $687.50
  Full rate applies if using Autism Funding Unit
  Funding. Please refer to AFU guidelines here.  
• Week 7:Monday, August 10th - Friday, August 14th
  Autism Spectrum Disorder Camp #2
  ACTUAL COST: $275 / Day - 5 Days - $1375 Total
  50% Subsidized via Zajac Camper Allowance if paying
  by cheque or credit card - Amount Payable $687.50
  Full rate applies if using Autism Funding Unit
  Funding. Please refer to AFU guidelines here.
• If you have any questions or to register
  please contact 604.739.0444 or email here
   
   

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