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

• Positive Parenting Series -  all day Advanced Class

  For parents/ caregivers of all children between the ages of 3 and 18.You will learn:

  Positive strategies for dealing with difficult behaviours, how to defuse power struggles, offer appropriate choices, be consistent, provide consequences, model appropriate behaviour and much more! In this class you will learn strategies for strengthening your relationship and go deeper into learning the meaning of your child's behavior and how to develop teaching strategies that are specific to your child's profile and situation. DATE CHANGE: Advanced Saturday June 20th from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Facilitated by Camille Netherton, Key Worker, Behaviour Consultant and Pam Collins, Behaviour Consultant.  Childminding will be available with pre-registration.  To register please contact Pam Collins by email here or call 604-946-6622 ext.359

• Fun and friendly volunteers are needed for Reach Child and Youth Development Society's children's thrift store FINDS.  Reach is a non-profit organization that helps children with special needs.  The store is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm.  Interested volunteers please email here or call Robyn at 604-946-6622 ext 328

• 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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Autism  

• Why I'm Going to Keep Talking to My Son, Even When He Doesn't Respond.  He remembers the paths we walked last year along the beach and across the cliff-top fields toward the seal rookery. I let him lead. We never get lost.  Click here to read more
  
  
• Kids With Autism Describe Their Sensory Experiences. It can be hard for any parent or caretaker of a child to understand what that child's inner world feels like, but that problem is greatly compounded when the kid in question has autism spectrum disorder. Kids with ASD can, depending on the severity of their condition, face hindered verbal communication abilities, painful sensory experiences that can (for example) make clothing feel like sandpaper, or both. In the worst cases, this can all lead to really difficult behavioral issues that are a mystery to all involved. Click here to read more  

• Volunteer autism registry meant to improve relations with police.  Goal of program is to improve safety, communication between police and those with autism.  Supporters of a new volunteer registry for people with autism say it will improve safety for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and lead to more constructive and informed interactions with members of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. click here to read more
   
     
• Autism Village - free app that helps families affected by autism - w/video.  Autism Village - is a free 'tripadvisor®' app, that has been designed with the aim of helping families who are affected by autism. The app allows the user to identify autism friendly businesses, organizations, and services with the added benefit of being able to read both ratings and reviews based on how 'autism friendly' that service is. Click here to learn more 

• Click here for the AUTISM FILE April May Issue! 
• Great article on Treatment Options page 22 as well as keeping our children safe from wandering page 26

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ADD/ADHD 

• ADHD: The First 100 Days.  Click here for the guide!
   
• "I'm Too Upset to Learn" - Handling Difficult Emotions at School. Sometimes, our children will be faced with difficult emotions at school - and be unsure of how to handle them. Teaching them these techniques can help them feel in control. One evening, several months ago, my 10-year-old son, Mark, was getting upset over simple things. After the second meltdown, I knew something was up. We went for a short walk and had a talk. Click here to read more

• The 7 Types of ADD - and How to Treat Each On .  One ADHD expert says there are many types of ADHD. He explains them here, and offers his treatment plans for managing them. by Daniel G. Amen, M.D., double-board certified psychiatrist / photos credited to Amen Clinics. "One Treatment Does Not Fit Everyone". As the founder of six Amen Clinics, I bring a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and treating brain based disorders including attention deficit disorder and coexisting conditions. For over twenty years, I've used SPECT brain scans (along with other diagnostic techniques) to develop individual, targeted treatment plans for each patient. Early on, I discovered through brain SPECT patterns that attention deficit is not a single or a simple disorder. Click here to read more
   
• Why ADHDers Act the Way We Do: Understanding ADD Behavior Keys to understanding our ADHD thinking and behaviors -- from preferring the company of fellow ADD adults to hyperfocusing all night, to doubting our ability to perform when others want us to. Most ADHDers have always known they are different. They were told by parents, teachers, employers, and friends that they did not fit the common mold. They were told to assimilate and become like everyone else. The main obstacle to understanding ADHD has been the incorrect assumption that ADD adults could and should be like the rest of us. For neurotypicals and ADDers alike, here's a detailed portrait of why those with one of the 7 types of ADD do what they do. Click here to read more

• Defuse the Drama: How to Handle ADHD Meltdowns.  As his hormones kick into high gear, your child's ADHD meltdowns may come on fast and furious. Here's how to keep a cool head when he blows up. My middle-school son is pretty typical. When he's home, you can find him behind closed doors in his room, on a video screen somewhere in the house, or laughing in the front hall as he wrestles with the dog. He probably gets along with his siblings and parents better than most kids his age. Click here to read more
   
   

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   Down Syndrome  

• Run Up for Down Syndrome - June 7, 2015, Sponsored by Euro-Rite Cabinets Ready... Set... RUN UP FOR DOWN SYNDROME! Run Up for Down Syndrome is back - bigger and better than ever! Close to 1,000 runners and walkers will gather at Simon Fraser University on the first Sunday in June to show their support for those on the lifetime journey of Down syndrome. Along with the 5 or 1.5 km walk or run, participants will enjoy a variety of fun family activities, including face painting, a bouncy castle, a variety of kids games, mascots, scrumptious food and much more.  Click here for more information 

• GALA: A Night to Remember 5. Live like there's no midnight.  Friday June 12, 2015 - Century Plaza Hotel! Click here for more information and to register! 

• 15th Annual Benefits of Bocce Fun, Friends, Food and Fundraising on behalf of the Down Syndrome Research Foundation. Are you ready to get rolling for a great cause? Saturday August 15, 2015. Discover why some have described Benefits of Bocce as their favourite charitable event of the year! Soak up some sun, crank up the tunes, crack open a beverage and unleash your competitive side as you pursue the hotly contested Benefits of Bocce championship trophy. In between games, enjoy a delicious lunch, a ticketed bar, a selection of great silent auction and raffle prizes, a 50/50 draw, great music and great people. It all makes for the perfect summer day! Click here for more information 

• Good to Great: Enhancing Quality of Life for People with Down Syndrome The Down Syndrome Research Foundation's 20th Anniversary Conference and Celebration.  October 23 - 24, 2015. 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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FASD 

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• 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 information on RDSP 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:
  Click here to register 
  Bridging the Separation Complex with Genevičve Brabant
  Tuesday, May 26th, 2015
  4 to 6 pm Pacific

• Reach Child and Youth Development Society presents: Positive Parenting Series - A two part Basics Class plus an all day Advanced Class

  For parents/ caregivers of all children between the ages of 3 and 18.You will learn:

  Positive strategies for dealing with difficult behaviours, how to defuse power struggles, offer appropriate choices, be consistent, provide consequences, model appropriate behaviour and much more!

  And for those that have already taken Positive Parenting the Basics - Please choose The Basics and Beyond! In this class you will learn further strategies for strengthening your relationship and go deeper into learning the meaning of your child's behavior and how to develop teaching strategies that are specific to your child's profile and situation. 

  Basics Friday May 8th and 22nd from 10am to 2pm. Facilitated by Sarah Garnham, Supported Child Development Consultant and Cori Childers, Infant Development Program.  
  Advanced Saturday May 30th from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Facilitated by Camille Netherton, Key Worker, Behaviour Consultant and Pam Collins, Behaviour Consultant.  Childminding will be available with pre-registration.  To register please contact Pam Collins by email here

  or call 604-946-6622 ext.359
   
• 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 

• Autism - Strategies for Self-Regulation, Learning and Challenging Behaviours
  Vancouver: May 12-13, 2015 (early rate deadline April 21). The primary focus of this workshop is to provide practical strategies related to working with high need individuals around self-regulation, learning practices and challenging behaviours. Participants will review a behavioral framework to provide effective strategies for each of these areas, which they will be able to adapt to their own specific environment and context. Click here for more information

• Inclusion BC 2015 Conference  Registration now open.  KEEP MOVING DON'T STOP: 3 days of inspiration and education on developmental disability and inclusion for all.  15 Keynotes and over 50 workshops! Dan Habib, Tamara Taggart, Shane Koyczan, Sean Forbes and many more! Early bird deadline is March 31, 2015.  Register now to secure your spot! Click here for all the new updates!! 

  Where: Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, 1088 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC
  When: May 27 - 30, 2015

• Identifying and Treating Co-occurring Mental Health Challenges in Children with ASD.Friday, May 29th, 2015.  Children with ASD have very high rates of co-occurring mental health challenges, prior to reaching adulthood. Frequently it is these conditions and not autism itself that is the most disabling factor in the life of a child with ASD. Treatment typically leads to a substantial improvement in the functioning - independent of the degree of disability.  Increasingly, it is recognized that anticipating, identifying and treating psychiatric disorders proactively is vital to ensure optimal outcomes across the lifespan. Click here for more information 

• Introduction to ASD - Practical Applications for School-Age Children (POPARD).  This 30 hour course has been developed by the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders (POPARD) for B.C. educational professionals and paraprofessionals. It reflects current research and evidence-based practice in teaching students with ASD. In addition, research-based methods of effective adult instruction are utilized. These include pre-reading, practical hands-on activities, demonstration, coaching and application exercises as well as a variety of ways of evaluating participant learning.This course is a requirement for teaching assistants in many school districts and is open to community professionals and parents. Monday - Friday  July 20 - 24, OR August 17 - 21  Click here for more information
   
• SMILE - Structured Methods in Language Education. A Multisensory Language Learning Program.  SMILE is a multi-sensory approach to teaching speech, reading, and writing skills to learners with a range of special needs as part of a total educational management system. It addresses the needs of students who have difficulty with phonemic awareness and have failed to learn to speak or read through "natural or more conventional/traditional approaches." This two-day workshop includes simulation exercises and video examples of real-time teacher implementation sessions with students.

  Wednesday & Thursday, July 29 & 30, 2015 Enid Wolf-Schein, Ed.D., CCC-SLP Rhonda Bachmann, M.S. Ed. Click here for more information 

• Strategies for Working with Young Children with Autism: Supporting Slower Responders. This workshop will focus on young children with autism (ages 2-6); in particular, those who are more severely impacted by their autism and who may be making slower progress. While interventions based on the science of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) have proven to be the most effective treatment options for autism and related disorders, not all children make the same developmental progress during treatment. However, all children can learn and it is vital that ABA programs be adapted to the needs of individual learners. Friday, July 31st, 2015. Click here for more information 

• PEERS® Certified School-Based Training.Thursday - Saturday, August 13 - 15, 2015
  Vancouver, B.C. SFU Harbour Centre.  This three day PEERS® School-Based Training summer course is in response to a number of requests from B.C. educators. This training is designed to instruct educators and school-based professionals on the administration and implementation of the PEERS® Curriculum for School-Based Professionals.This certified training provides a model for evidence-based social skills instruction in the classroom or educational setting for middle school and high school students on a daily or weekly basis.
  It targets the delivery of the PEERS® intervention in a school-based setting, only involving adolescent participants.Elizabeth Laugeson, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.Click here for more information 

• DAVIS LEARNING STRATEGIES WORKSHOP. The missing piece... a breakthrough in Primary Education. This two day, hands-on, workshop for primary teachers provides unique, fun, transformative and innovative strategies for classroom management and improving reading instruction. Thursday August 20 and Friday 21, 2015 at the Parish Centre, St Michael's Church, 9387 Holmes Street, Burnaby, Vancouver, BC. Click here for more information Contact: Sue Hall for registration forms. Phone: 604 982 0092 Email here 

• SUMMER INSTITUTE sponsored by UBC and the FAMILY SUPPORT INSTITUTE (FSI)
  EARLY READING STRATEGIES: EVIDENCE-BASED.  AUG 31 - SEPT 2, 2015
• STUDENTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES CAN (AND SHOULD!) LEARN TO READ AND WRITE, NO MATTER WHAT AGE THEY ARE OR WHAT STAGE OF LITERACY DEVELOPMENT THEY HAVE REACHED. In this professional development opportunity participants will learn about current perspectives on assessment and instruction with emphasis on contemporary issues and evidence-based instructional strategies. An intentional, systematic and sequenced approach to planning and instruction will be introduced and applied throughout the Institute. You will be introduced to tools for assessing the development of reading skills (even in nonverbal individuals) and learn how to match instruction to a student's stage of development. The focus will be on supporting individuals with developmental disabilities at beginning stages of learning to read, regardless of age, grade or ability level. Participants will receive guided support in selecting goals and objectives, instructional strategies, materials and resources as well as a DVD of resources at the completion of the 3 days! VICKI ROTHSTEIN has been working with individuals with disabilities and teams supporting those individuals since 1970. She is retired from her work with the Richmond School District where she had a variety of professionalroles and responsibilities over the years. Presently, Vicki is working as a professional developer, instructional coach, educational consultant and university instructor. She facilitates staff development and supports teams in designing inclusive educational environments and experiences that provide a high quality, meaningful education for individuals with disabilities, from preschool through adolescence. Click here for more information
   
• Executive Function Skills with SARAH WARD M.S., CCC/SLP. A practical strategies seminar for Porfessionals and Teachers on Executive Function Skills.  How to teach preschool and school aged children to efficiently manage their tasks, time, space and materials (and keep their emotions in check). After completing this seminar you will have practical strategies to...
  *    Help children develop situational awareness
  *    Teach children to be future thinkers
  *    Accelerate children's planning skills
  *    Teach children time-management skills
  *    Help children develop the skills of self-monitoring and metacognition
  *    Help children develop better transition skills
  *    Support a child's ability to improve his/her speed of processing informationHosted by Share Family and Community Services.  September 25 and 26, 2015.  Click here for more information

• 2015 ANCA® World Autism Festival™ .  OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to unforeseen circumstances the AWAF 6th annual event has been moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada October 1-6 during the first week of Canada's National Autism Awareness Month in partnership with 2013 INSP Awards recipient Erdal Ates of Otisium, Turkey and special guest Irem Bekter, international performance artist and director/producer of "Productions Diabluras". The 7th annual event to be held in Istanbul, Turkey October 1-6, 2016.  Click here for more information 

   

• Good to Great: Enhancing Quality of Life for People with Down Syndrome. Join families, educators, clinicians, service providers, and researchers in beautiful Vancouver British Columbia Oct. 23-24 as we come together to learn, share and inspire. We have an outstanding lineup of speakers, including international experts and experienced practitioners in the field of Down syndrome. Behavior problems impact 30% of children with Down syndrome. Left untreated, these same children often exhibit behavior problems as adults, limiting work and independent living opportunities. Many typical behavioral management tools are less effective for children with DS. In order to address behavior problems in DS effectively, one must understand the brain-based reasons for these challenges and direct treatment appropriately. This workshop will present the basic neuroscience of Down syndrome and how this informs effective behavior management, with practical strategies provided for use in the home and school settings. Click here for more information
   

   

  
   

  
   

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Seasonal 

• 4th Annual SFU Social Science Camp Thanks for your interest in the SFU Social Science Camp!This is a FREE , fun, and educational camp for children aged 7-12 with or without Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)! These camps take place in August on SFU campus in Burnaby and camp volunteers are composed of SFU faculty, students, and community professionals. All campers receive a cool SFU Social Science Camp T-shirt!  

  We have revamped the camp to include a unifying theme for the activities! The 2015 camp theme is "Friendship Building". Addtionally, we are involving parents this year by providing an educational conference, in 2015 we will run two workshops on both camp days titled "Building Effective Relationships with Schools" and "Connect Program: Helping Parents Understand Children's Behavioral Problems".1. The camp for children without ASD will take place on Saturday, August 8, 2015 from 9am- 3pm.  The camp for children with ASD will take place on Saturday, August 15, 2014 from 9am- 3pm. Click here for more information

   
• Click here for ADDITUDE Magazine's Summer Camp Guide 

• 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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