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. 

• The Trials of Toilet Training An Older Child With Autism by Maureen Bennie.  There is almost no literature available on training the older child with autism. Traditional children's books all use the potty chair to teach toilet training. Animated characters on videos do not explain the elimination process or show exactly what to do. There are also other factors that come into play for children with autism: sensory issues, gastrointestinal concerns, anxiety, resistance to change, and often no social motivation to please the parents. Not all children will work for praise or rewards. Some children stand up to have a bowel movement and a change in the elimination position can cause difficulty. It took us nine years to get my son Marc using the toilet on his own, and here is how we did it. Click here to read more

• 2016 CALL for NOMINATIONS - NOW OPEN. 2016 ANCA World Autism FestivalCelebrate Autistic Achievements Across The Globe. Nominations Open to Autistic Individuals and Others Supporting the Global Autistic Community.  Click here for more information 

   Down Syndrome  

•  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 South #3-3800 72nd Street, Delta, BC
  Reach Developmental Preschool North Delta 10921 - 82nd Avenue, Delta, BC
  
  **alternating each month
  • 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 

Medical and Mental Health

• Click here for the Kelty Mental Health News

• 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 their current newsletter   

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Workshops and Training 

• Click here for the CCRR Winter Class Schedule 

• Click here for information on RDSP presentation 

• The M.I.N.D. Theme presents the first Discovery Talk: The Child & Family Research Institute's (CFRI) International Seminar Series:
  Title: Parent Training for disruptive behavior in young children with autism spectrum disorder Speaker: Dr. Lawrence Scahill, Marcus Autism Centre, Emory University School of Medicine
  Thursday, February 4, 2016
  11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m, with refreshments to follow until 12:30 p.m.
  Chan Centre for Family Health Education (CFRI Auditorium)
  Entrance #18 of BC Children's Hospital
  938 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC RSVP to The M.I.N.D. Theme Manager Rhonda Ellwyn at email here (RSVP preferred but not required).
   
• Friend2Friend Free Family Training and Information Evening
  Wednesday February 10, 2016  6:30-8:00pm Play Centre - New Westminster  336 Columbia Street, New WestminsterFriend 2 Friend offers free family training sessions free to families of children with autism and related needs. Heather McCracken program creator and executive director of Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society will speak on raising three children (one with autism) and share information on principles and practice of the Friend 2 Friend - Integrated Play Groups program offered at the Friend 2 Friend Play Centres in East Vancouver and New Westminister. Come meet the team, meet other parents and learn about these unique programs! Click here to register
   
• Self-Injury Behaviour in Youth - Issues & Strategies
  Vancouver: February 11 & 12, 2016 (early rate deadline passed)
  Victoria: February 15 & 16, 2016 (early rate deadline passed)
  This workshop will help participants understand the experience and motivations of adolescents who intentionally injure themselves, and provide practical strategies for working with youth. 
  Unable to attend? Join the live webinar
  March 4 from 1 pm - 2 pm (CST)      
  Regular Rate $420 Click here to register 

• February 16, 2016 Workshop: Sharing the Autism Diagnosis with my Child.  Sharing the Autism Diagnosis with or children can be scary.  When should we do it, who should do it and how do we do it?  Come and learn how you can positively share this information with your child so they can feel great about themselves and learn to become their own advocates.  Great for parents, caregivers and educators of children over the age of 4.  Facilitated by Pam Collins. Tuesday February 16, 2016 from 6:30 - 8:30pm at Reach Child and Youth Development Society  $20.00 per person.  To register please email Pam here or call 604-946-6622 ext 359.
   
• EduTalks 2016 Winter Series - February 18 and 19. 
• Thursday, February 18 from 7 -9pm Developing COMPETENCE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. Dr. David Worling has worked at BC Children's Hospital for 7 years in their adolescent inpatient unit and anxiety outpatient psychiatric setting. He began the Westcoast Child Development Group in 2003 and is now in full time private practice while teaching a course on Autism with the Psychology Department at UBC. Back by popular demand, Dr. Worling will examine the core social challenges associated with ASD and link them to existing social skills/competence techniques and programs. The overview will cover evidence-based programs/ techniques and highlight the ongoing need for data-driven and novel approaches in supporting individuals with ASD. 
• Friday, February 19, 2016 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM AUTISM ROCKS: A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER'S TRIUMPH. Janet Walmsley is a professional writer, actor and singer who has appeared in theatre, film and television. She is the mother of a son, Christopher, and a daughter, Jenny, who was diagnosed with Autism. Janet and Jenny have each recently published books; Janet's is about Jenny's life journey with Autism and Jenny's is the first novel of a Trilogy called Dysnomia. In their presentation, the duo will share Jenny's journey from birth to present (age 22), and how Jenny trooped through a variety of obstacles, climbed mountains peaks and never looked back. The presentation promises to reveal living proof through Jenny that Autism rocks and how a family can positively and proactively deal with Autism.
• DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM
  
  Friday February 19th from 11am - 1pm. Becca Yu (MA, CCC-SLP, RSLP) is the Senior Speech-Language Pathologist at Monarch House, an interdisciplinary centre that provides services for individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities. She will discuss common communication difficulties for individuals with Autism and strategies on how to improve interactions and communication. Click here for more information and to register 
   
  
   
• Bottom Line 2016. It's official! Next year's Bottom Line Conference has been confirmed for February 23 and 24, 2016. The upcoming conference theme will be Heroes in the Workplace: Stories from the Champions of Change. Promote mental health in your workplace with CMHA BC's education and training workshops. Click here to see the incredible list of presentations available! 

• Autism Awareness Centre's Annual Two Day Conference!  February 26, 27, 2015 Brenda Smith Myles and Kelly Mahler! 
• February 26th - Brenda Smith Myles: Individuals with ASD who Present with Challenging Behaviour:  Understanding the Role of Self-Reguation.Self-regulation challenges are inherent in many individuals on the spectrum and interfere with learning and socialization. This session will discuss the characteristics of ASD that are related to self-regulation challenges and then provide a variety of evidence-based self-regulation interventions that can help a learner on the spectrum understand, monitor, control, and redirection his self-regulation system.
• February 27th - Kelly Mahler: Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System. Practical Considerations and Strategies for Improving Emotion Regulation and Other Related Skills. Interoception is an extremely important sensory system that helps us to 'feel' the internal states of our body. For example, the interoceptive system helps us feel many different internal sensations including: hunger, thirst, needing the bathroom, pain, body temperature, sexual arousal, heart rate and muscle tension. Additionally, interoception is a key component to our emotional experience. Research indicates that interoception (our ability to clearly sense body signals, like an increase in heart rate or tingly stomach), enables us to accurately identify, understand and control our emotions
• Click here for more information and to register
   
• Trauma - Strategies for Resolving the Impact of Post-Traumatic Stress
  Vancouver: March 7 & 8, 2016 (early rate deadline February 15)    
  This workshop provides a framework which describes different stages in resolving the impact of trauma, and includes key principles and strategies for working with individuals. 
  Early Rate $375: Regular Rate $420 Click here to register
   
• Anxiety - Practical Intervention Strategies
  Victoria: March 7, 2016 (early rate deadline February 15)
  Vancouver: March 9, 2016 (early rate deadline February 17)
  This workshop provides practical and accessible strategies which can be applied across the lifespan and address the physical, emotional, cognitive and social aspects of anxiety.
  Early Rate $198; Regular Rate $220 Click here to register
   
• YOGA FOR THE SPECIAL CHILD(R) THE SONIA SUMAR METHOD BASIC ONE PROGRAM  March 14 - 20 Vancouver B.C.Taught by Sherry LeBlanc

  Location: Sacred Space Studio, 3574 west 4th Avenue, Van. B.C. Contact: Sherry LeBlanc to register and for more information  email here or call 416-532-5988. Click here to see the website
   
• Facing the Future Together - A succession planning workshop for families March 19, 2016 (10am-3pm).  Presented by Ted Kuntz. At some point in the future the role of monitoring, advocating and caring for your relative with a disability must pass from the parents' generation to the next.

  This full-day workshop is designed to inform and assist all members of the family and their successors to:

  • Address concerns about the future and secure a succession plan
  • Hear how other families are creating peace of mind
  • Consider how to share roles and responsibilities
  • Identify key resources
  • Balance wishes and obligations

  Identify short and long term actions
• Click here for more information and to register 

• Violence Threat Assessment - Planning and Response
  Vancouver: March 30, 2016 (early rate deadline March 9)        
  This workshop provides a communication and decision-making model to help businesses, schools, organizations and communities become more effective in their management of threats.       
  Some of the topics covered:  
  Stages of Violence - From Grievance to Confrontation
  Threat Assessment Team and Plan Development
  The Threat Assessment Flow Chart and Process
  Fundamental Assessment Questions
  Detailed Assessment Considerations
  Unable to attend? Join the live webinar
  March 22 from 1 pm - 2 pm (CST)
  Early Rate $198; Regular Rate $220 Click here to register
   
• Autism - Strategies for Self-Regulation, Learning and Challenging Behaviours Apr 06 - Apr 07, 2016 (9 AM - 4 PM)
  Price: 375.00 (*early rate) 420.00 (regular rate)
  *early rate expires March 16, 2016
  Vancouver, British Columbia - Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre
  Trainer: Kalyn Falk, MA Working with individuals who have autism can be a very meaningful experience, but it is not without its challenges. With recent reports indicating that an increasing number of individuals are on the autism spectrum, a greater number of care providers are encountering individuals with autism as part of their work and life. While every person with autism is unique, many face similar challenges. The primary focus of this workshop is to provide practical strategies for 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 to register
   
• Jennifer Sexton is very happy to announce two wonderful workshops. We are pleased to announce that Kim Barthel, a world renowned teacher, author, lecturer and speaker will be offering four days of workshops in our very own Coquitlam!!
  Kim is an occupational therapist with an in-depth knowledge of the neuroscience behind sensory processing and behaviour. The first workshop she will present is entitled " A Sensory Approach in Looking Beyond the Behaviour: Becoming a Behaviour Detective". This workshop is aimed primarily at parents, caregivers, support workers, and teachers. The two days promise to be life altering as Kim touches are topics that include the chemicals involved in Arousal Theory, sensory contributions to challenging behaviours, trauma and defiant behaviour, Attachment theory and sensory processing, co-regulating arousal, sensory strategies when interacting with children with complex behaviours.
  This workshop takes place on April 27th and 28th.
  The second workshop : Mindful Parent: A Mentoring Program for Parents of Children with Special Needs will take place on April 29th and 30th.
  This workshop is aimed at families. Kim will work with parents and child to help develop a greater understanding of some of the barriers that the child faces and how the parents can help their child to facilitate positive behaviour, interaction and engagement. These two days will be limited to 15 families. It is recommended that if a family would like to register for this workshop, that they do attend the "Sensory Approach in Looking Beyond the Behaviour: Becoming a Behaviour Detective" as this will provide a firm foundation on which to build more practical skills.
  Please note that the early bird registration for both workshops is February 29th. Space is limited for the Mindful Parent workshop, so please reserve your place to avoid disappointment. Click here for more information 
   
• Save the Date! Inclusion BC 2016 Conference, June 22-25, 2016
  Inclusion BC is excited to announce that we're partnering up with AimHi (Prince George Association for Community Living) to host our 2016 conference and AGM in Prince George. Stay tuned for more information!

• Creating the Future - Partnerships for Inclusive Learning Save the Date:  August 22-24, 2016 at UBC in Vancouver, BC. Facilitating strategic approaches to inclusion
  & belonging for all students Registration now open! Cllck here for more information 
  
   

Seasonal 

• Eating Disorders Awareness Week - Feb 1-7 Led by Jessie's Legacy, the Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness (PEDAW) campaign is a BC Province wide effort to raise awareness around prevention and early intervention of eating disorders as well as media literacy, resiliency, building healthy body image and self-esteem.
• Interrupting the Stigma: Putting an End to Size-Shaming love our bodies, love ourselves! Saturday, 30 January 2016 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM (PST)

  Vancouver, BC Click here to register 
• How to Love Our Bodies, Love Ourselves: A Pinwheel Education Series love our bodies, love ourselves! Thursday, 4 February 2016 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (PST)

  Vancouver, BC Click here to register
• Wear Purple! Click here for more information

Other

• Quote of the day
   "If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, how very different our ideas of beauty would be." HealthyPlace.com

• Downs Designs Jeans now selling black and khaki! Check out the new products here 

• Click here for the current edition of Parenting Special Needs Magazine 

• 2016 Alaska Mission Possible Cruise  Madeline Stuart, Barbara Laird and Cyndi Gerlach
  It's no surprise that Celebrity guests and the travel press, including Conde Nast Traveler, consistently rate Celebrity Cruises as one of the world's finest cruise lines. Celebrity fulfills your clients dreams of remarkable, memorable vacations.
  July 10, 2016 Click here for more information

• The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a long-term savings plan to help Canadians with disabilities and their families save for the future.

  If you have an RDSP, you may also be eligible for grants and bonds to help with your long-term savings.
  You should consider opening an RDSP if you have a long-term disability and are:
  • eligible for the Disability Tax Credit (disability amount);
  • under the age of 60 (if you are 59, you must apply before the end of the calendar year in which you turned 59);
  • a Canadian resident with a Social Insurance Number (SIN); and
  • looking for a long-term savings plan.
  You may contribute any amount to your RDSP each year, up to the lifetime contribution limit of $200,000. With written permission from the RDSP holder, anyone may contribute to the RDSP. Please click here for more information 
• PLAN (Planned lifetime advocacy network)  offers a variety of workshops regarding RDSP's, wills and estates and setting up personal networks.
• Click here for your comprehensive guide 

• Your One Stop Shop for children and families in Delta - click here

Submissions or Questions?

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

Parent Network 

or 604-946-6622 ext 359.  

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

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