KIDS SE7 SEND Pathfinder

Consultation with disabled children and young people

Feedback from the first KIDS/SE7 Young Peoples Advisory Group

Date: Saturday 8th December Venue: Royal Festival Hall, London People who came: Young People Ruby Lalor Georgia Chambers Lily Scott Charlie Hurst Louise Byers Jim Langton Claire Aaron Emerald Adults Maggie Eiffert Aisia Howard Lois Herbert Role PA KIDS SE staff Area / Department East Sussex Hampshire

Sharon Langton Gareth Lewington Mary Sam Hancock Magda Gay Emma Tubb Ross Smith Total :10

West Sussex Surrey

Staff facilitator/leader KIDS NDD Staff note taker Volunteer - support Consultant/facilitator

Total : 9

1. Welcome and brief introduction to the group. 2. Discussion - Travel to the theatre? The group decided to walk to the theatre when it was time to go. 3. Activity - Round robin group introductions each member of the group was given time to say who they were and 2 things about themselves that the rest of the group wouldnt know most were happy to take part, with support if required, some decided not to this time 4. Activity - Likes /dislikes: each member of the group was given 2 cards: red = no/disagree green = yes/agree they were asked to hold a card up to show if they agreed or not with each statement

 discussion followed some responses: o I have been to Wales o I like football o I go out with my friends o I would like to go out with my friends more o Are there things which make it hard to go out with friends more/can be a barrier? discussion - the young people talked about the cost and difficulty of using transport especially if they did not have enough support and bullies were a barrier for some. Some spoke about spending a lot of time with their own family. o when asked about college - would they like to go to college, were they already going to college and if they wanted to go most of the young people did want to go or were already going. o Other areas asked about included general information about their lives whether they had pets, brothers and sisters, whether they had been on an aeroplane, where they had travelled to and their favourite places. 5. Discussion - What have you been told about why you are here? Responses included: To give us a voice Give our opinion About the future To make things easier 6. Discussion - What is SE7? Brief explanation about SE7 followed: Seven areas in the South East of England not all represented this time but will be in the future All areas working with the same aim and want young people from each area to come together to share experiences and to be able to tell the people who make decisions what would make things better in the future. 7. Discussion - Why get involved with the advisory group? Responses from the group included: Make things better Get involved with things To get better transport To make our voice count To make our voices heard To make life easier To improve life for other children To get my voice listened to 8) Lunch The group could choose whether to buy food in the hall or go out to the many different food stalls which were outside the building.

9) Activity - Remembering other peoples names Everyone swopped seats Asked to sit with different people Everyone asked to ask the people sitting next to them what their name was Each person was asked to tell the group the name of the people sitting next to them This game was repeated Each person was asked to remember as many names as possible for the next time we meet ACTION: Suggestion and agreement from the group to film the next meeting equipment needed please contact Sam / Magda / Anna to let them know if you can help 10) Discussion - What words and terms are being used by the government? Have we heard these words? Do we know what these words mean? a) Assessment What does it mean to you? Young people said: Having people over with clipboards People came to the house to talk to us when asked the young people said they thought the people did it well What assessments have you had? Young people said: At school OFSTED for my back Communication aids Direct payments Brief explanation the government are changing the way assessments will be made will be one assessment which will be all about each persons life - about school, health, what they do in their own time Assessment a process of meetings and discussions between professionals and organisations supporting the family. Filling in a form to work out what support/care a disabled child/young person and their family need. b) Key workers Do you know what keyworkers are, what they do? Young people said: They help us Support us when doing things Support during an assessment They should listen to you discussion about people talking about young people when they are there, not to them, this had happened to a lot of people

in the group and was agreed to be very annoying Sam said this was one of the things which everyone wants to change Some of the young people said they had keyworkers Keyworker - a worker who supports the child and their family and is the contact person for the services supporting the child. Next time we meet: we will talk more about who has a keyworker how a keyworker has been helpful what would young people like a keyworker to be? ACTION: Gareth offered and the group agreed that he would bring a booklet about keyworking with him to the next meeting c) Personal Budgets One young person has a personal budget and agreed it gave them more choice and more responsibility. It was agreed information needs to make sense to young people. Personal Budget total amount of money per year that a childrens services give a family to meet the childs support needs. Families can manage the budget themselves or ask someone to manage this on their behalf. ACTION: All young people wanted copies of the notes ACTION: Ruby offered to bring her own camera next time and to take a photograph of the group ACTION: All photo permissions must be complete next time the group meets 11) The next meeting: In a meeting room all day (We will not be going to the Theatre) Meet in Camden, London On Saturday February 2nd 2013 Some of the group then went to the Theatre to see Shrek.