Contact a Family news

News

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Reports, guides, websites and other resources

Contact a Family News

New and updated guides from Contact a Family

The following Contact a Family publications have been recently updated and are available to download from our website or by calling the helpline on 0808 808 3555

• ‘Guide to claiming DLA for children’
• ‘Preparing for adult life and transition - England and Wales’
• ‘Preparing for adult life and transition – Scotland’
• ‘Special Educational Needs – England’
  

Also, the summer edition of our magazine, Connected, is out now and has the theme of friendship and social networking.

News

Changes in benefit rules could mean some young disabled people are worse off financially

From 27th October 2008 Incapacity Benefit and Income Support for people with health problems or disabilities will be replaced by Employment Support Allowance (ESA). Until then, families with a disabled teenager born before 27th October 1992 may have a choice. They can either claim the existing benefits now or wait and claim the new ESA at a later date. As the rates and rules are different, depending on individual circumstances, some young people could be worse off on the new ESA.

For advice about benefits for young disabled people telephone the Contact a Family helpline - 0808 808 3555.

28,000 families missing out on extra tax credits

Contact a Family and the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign have been working with HM Revenue and Customs (The Revenue), and identified that around 28,000 families in the UK may be missing out on much needed extra income through additional tax credits. This is mainly families who have not informed HMRC that they receive Disability Living Allowance for a child, and therefore have not had their tax credits adjusted accordingly. The Revenue has agreed to carry out work to identify these families – but if you think this applies to your circumstances getting advice now may ensure you don’t miss out in the meantime.

Note: Now all new successful Disability Living Allowance claims for children will trigger an orange card sent off to HMRC. This will act as an alert for HMRC to adjust any tax credits claim in respect of that child.

For advice about DLA and tax credits telephone the Contact a Family helpline – 0808 808 3555.

Carers strategy - no end to financial hardship for parent carers

A new government carers strategy has just been launched. It includes many commitments by government, including additional funding for short breaks for disabled adults and initiatives to improve carers’ access to information. However, the strategy ignored calls to deliver immediate increases to benefits for carers’.

For more information and a copy of the carers strategy visit Web: http://tinyurl.com/69b8lt

Primary Care Trusts unable to say how much they will spend on health services for disabled children

The Every Disabled Child Matters campaign (EDCM), working with ACT - Association for Children’s Palliative Care, Children's Hospices UK and Whizz-Kidz, has revealed survey results showing that not one Primary Care Trust (PCT) in England is able to specify how much funding they will be spending on essential health services for disabled children.

This is despite disabled children being a local priority group in this year's NHS Operating Framework, coupled with repeated assurances from Ministers that PCTs have additional funding for disabled children and children with palliative care needs. PCTs have also been told that they are expected to match local authority children's services spending commitments.

EDCM are asking supporters to email their MP, asking MPs to write to Alan Johnson (Health Secretary) and Ed Balls (Children's Secretary) to get them to announce the health funding that is available for PCTs to spend. Please go to the EDCM website and take action at Web: http://www.edcm.org.uk/healthfunding

Teaching focus on disabled children

All trainee primary school teachers in England are to learn how to work with disabled children as part of a £500,000 project.

The money from the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) will see training resources on special educational needs and disability given to providers of primary undergraduate initial teacher training (ITT) courses.

The TDA is also testing out similar resources for people on PGCE courses and secondary undergraduate ITT courses.

For further information visit Web: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/news/ByDiscipline/Education/login/822519

Campaign news

Parent campaigns to change Carer's Allowance study rules

Kate Thomas is mother to Sophie, 11, who was born with spinal bifida. Kate’s Carer’s Allowance was stopped by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when she took up her degree as the rules say she cannot study for more than 21 hours per week. Katie has since started a campaign to change the existing law and allow carers’ to claim the allowance whilst in full-time education.

If you’re interested in supporting the campaign, sign up at Web: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Value-Carers/

Families with disabled children worst housed in Britain

A new campaign briefing from Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) – ‘Disabled Children and Housing' - shows that families with disabled children may be the worst housed families in Britain. The campaign estimated that less than half of disabled children live in housing suitable to their needs.

EDCM needs your help to make sure government takes action to end this housing crisis. Please email your MP by going to Web: http://www.edcm.org.uk/housing and click on ‘take action’.

Parents of premature babies lose out on maternity and paternity leave?

Premature baby charity Bliss says it often hears from parents of premature or sick babies is that they lose out on some of their maternity and paternity leave while their child is in hospital. For those without sympathetic employers, this period of time can be financially and emotionally straining.

Bliss would like to find out more about parents’ experiences of maternity and paternity leave and to discuss how they can campaign on this issue. To do this they will be holding a focus group in central London on Friday 1st August. If you would like to attend, or even if you can’t make it, contact Peder Clark at e-mail: pederc@bliss.org.uk for more details on how you can contribute. Bliss will cover reasonable childcare and travel expenses. Web: http://www.bliss.org.uk/

Sexual health week to focus on people with learning disabilities (4th-10th August)

For the first time the Family Planning Association’s sexual health week is supporting the sexual health needs of people with learning disabilities. As part of the campaign week, FPA will be sending out free campaign packs full of useful information, leaflets, posters and banners to help you run your own events and give your support.

To order a campaign pack, contact Justin Martin at e-mail: shw@fpa.org.uk or Tel: 020 7608 5256

Reports, guides, websites and other resources

Human rights for people with learning difficulties

A revised guide to the Human Rights Act for people with learning disabilities is out now. The guide uses examples from everyday life to help explain what human rights means for them.

It has been produced by the Ministry of Justice, with the help of Working with Words, a specialist supplier of services for people with learning disabilities and low literacy. For a copy see Web: http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease020608a.htm

New parenting site launched - One Space

One Space is a new parenting site for single parents whether they are pregnant, have toddlers or teenagers, are separated, divorced, widowed or have chosen to go it alone.

On the site, parents can get support from experienced parenting experts, encouraging them to take part, share their views and build confidence in parenting alone successfully. You can join online groups, chat, watch video clips and share the ups and downs of life, at Web: http://www.onespace.org.uk

Help build new website for parents of teens

Parentline Plus is currently developing a social networking website for parents of teenagers entitled www.gotateenager.org.uk

Launching in September 2008, the site will be a space for parents of teens to share experiences, swap tips and support one another through the challenges and successes. Aside from message boards, blogs and Q&As, a number of features are planned such as e-learning modules, Web TV Shows, an online comic strip and a ‘teen-speak’ jargon buster.

Parentline Plus is currently seeking interested parents of teenagers to help test the site. Do you like the look of it? Is it easy to use? Is there anything missing? You don’t need to be a whizz with the computer, just happy to help make sure this website is going in the right direction. If you are interested in sharing ideas and feedback, contact Zarqa Taraq at e-mail: zarqat@parentlineplus.org.uk

Victims of tax credits overpayments

Tax Credit Casualties (TCC) is an independent organisation run by and for victims of tax credit overpayments.

'Voices of the Victims' is their recently launched booklet of true stories, written by Tax Credit overpayment victims and brings together nearly 40 cases in their own words. They have produced this booklet to highlight, through this small sample of stories, the massive scale of the problem, and the human costs. With up to two million claimants each year overpaid, these stories are just a glimpse of the misery caused.
You can download a copy of 'Voices of the Victims' on their website. Web: http://www.taxcc.org

Visit the TCC website forum at Web: http://familytaxcredit.forumco.com

Free books for school children

The charity Booktrust has announced it is giving out more than two million free books, to every five-year-old and 11-year-old in England.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families-supported project, which has attracted funding of more than £4 million, will see reception-aged pupils get a free copy of Harry and the Dinosaurs go to School by Ian Whybrow.

Children in year seven will be able to choose their own book from a list of 12. All children will also be given free poetry anthologies.

For more information visit Web: http://www.booktrust.org.uk/show/feature/Home/Booked-Up

Easyhealth - new health website for people with learning disabilities