Waving not Drowning Newsletter Jan 2011

[Guest guest]

January 2011

Waving not drowning, Working Families’ Project for Carers and Parents of Disabled Children who Work or Wish to Work

· The Government’s child poverty unit is seeking your views. They say, ’Tackling child poverty and improving life chances: Consulting on a new approach- have your say. The Government has launched a consultation on its approach to ending child poverty and improving life chances. The importance this Government places on these issues cannot be overstated. The Government recognises that work is the best way out of poverty and so is committed to making it easier for people to move into work and making it worth their while to do so. Having a parent in steady employment has a positive impact on children, but also on the parent. We welcome views from parents to help us shape a strategy to be published in Spring 2011. The questions we have asked are deliberately open as we want a real debate on how best to break cycles of poverty that run through families. The consultation document is available online; please respond by following this link to the consultation document. The consultation closes on 15th February 2011.

In addition to the Waving not drowning Facebook group there is now a Working Families Facebook page. If you’re already on Facebook you can ‘like’ it. If you want to join Facebook go to www.facebook.com. Signing up is very straight forward.

The Government has confirmed employers will no longer be allowed to force employees to retire at 65. The default retirement age will be phased out between 6 April and 1 October. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/news/topstories/2011/Jan/default-retirement-age-to-end .

There are plans to reform DLA (Disability Living Allowance). The reformed benefit will be called Personal Independence Payment (PIP). If you wish to read or comment on the consultation, it is at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2010/dla-reform.shtml .

Working Families now has a fathers’ blog. See http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/blog/.

The Council for Disabled Children has commissioned a report by a leading barrister detailing the central legal duties in relation to disabled children and their families with which public bodies must comply, despite cuts. See http://www.ncb.org.uk/cdc/Cemented_to_the_floor_by_law.pdf .

If your child has a learning support assistant or if you work in the field the Alliance for Inclusive Education’s training might be of interest. See http://www.allfie.org.uk/pages/work/training.html .

The Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) has launched a series of resources on human rights and equality law for children and young people including information on disability. See http://www.crae.org.uk/assets/files/CRAE%20Disability%20Rights%20Convention.pdf

Volunteers from RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) surveyed more than 1,500 businesses in 17 locations across the UK. Of the 573 businesses that were found to have loops, 62% weren't switched on, in working order, or staff didn't know how to operate them. See http://www.rnid.org.uk/mediacentre/press/2010/uk_loops.htm .

Raspberry, a musical inspired by the life and times of Ian Dury, famously disabled pop star, will be on at the Oval House Theatre 1-19 February. See http://www.ovalhouse.com/cn/event_details.php?sectionid=theatre & eventid=454 & searchid=current .

The European Polio Union has announced a Europewide conference on Post Polio Syndrome for polio survivors, their relatives and interested professionals 31 August-2 September in Copenhagen. See www.polioconference.com .

· Last month’s winner of the Waving not drowning Draw was ticket number 000014 and this month’s is number 000016. You too could win up to £50 in the Waving not drowning Draw, a fun way you can support the Waving not drowning project. Just complete and return the attached form to buy monthly tickets at £2 each by direct debit.

o One third of the profits will go to lucky prize winners each month.

o The more tickets sold the greater the prize money. The rest of the profits go to help the Waving not drowning project including

o Staffing a helpline advising carers and parents of disabled children

o Publishing a free newsletter for carers and parents of disabled children

o Campaigning for a better deal for carers and parents of disabled children in the workplace

Working Families’ booklet Getting into Work is still available to download from Working Families’ website, www.workingfamilies.org.uk. Please let me know if you experience any difficulties. Hard copies are out of print at the moment.

Please forward this e-bulletin to any friends or colleagues who would be interested. They can contact me at janet.mearns@... to get on the distribution list for the e-bulletin and for the free Waving not drowning newsletter.

There’s lots of information about parents’ and carers’ rights in the workplace on Working Families’ website, www.workingfamilies.org.uk . If the website doesn’t answer your questions you can ring me on 020 7017 0072.

Please remember to let me know at janet.mearns@... when you change email address so that you always get my e-bulletin. If you put my email address in your address book and/or add me to your ’white list’ it will prevent my e-bulletin being caught by your spam catcher. Similarly, if you move house make sure you notify me so that you continue to get your copy of Waving not drowning.

If, for any reason, you don’t want to receive the e-bulletin, just email me at janet.mearns@... and I’ll take you off the distribution list.

Janet Mearns

Disability Adviser

Parents of Disabled Children Project

Working Families

Registered office

1-3 Berry Street

London EC1V 0AA

Direct line: 020 7017 0072

Office Tel: 020 7253 7243 Fax: 020 7253 6253

www.workingfamilies.org.uk

janet.mearns@...

My usual working days are: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Working Families needs your help! Donate online now to help us keep more low income parents in work and out of family poverty: click here to donate now.

Join in the discussions in the Waving not drowning Facebook Group. Sign up for Facebook at www.facebook.com .