Parent led advocacy course

You are invited to join the

Parent Led Advocacy Course for Family members living in Yorkshire and Humber.

Bringing Us Together is delighted to be able to bring you a team of highly skilled and experienced trainers including those with lived experience for a special 6 session course designed for Yorkshire and Humber families and parent carers. Our sessions are welcoming, supportive and informative.

Open to any parent or family member with an autistic child and/or a young person with a learning disability.

We recommend booking on all 6 courses and if you are unable to attend any we can send you the recording.

For more information, please email katie@bringingustogether

to book a place contact tony@bringingustogether.org.uk

Course content – what we will cover:

Monday 5^th June 2023 – 10.00am to 1.00pm

Getting to know one another.

We are all trying to spin too many plates and have a lot we are juggling with.

This workshop will give us an opportunity to share ways to deal with our stress and anxiety and to learn more about our triggers.

Hosted by Tony and Jenny

Tony Bamforth – Workshop  and course designer, writer and facilitator, wellbeing oriented, worked with disabled people and families for over 20 years across the UK

Jenny Clare –  Mother and Grandmother, mindfulness and Yoga practitioner, Educator with national and international experience of working with parents and carers of children and young people with a wide range of disabilities. 

Monday 12^th June 2023 – 10.00am to 1.00pm

Learn about the Social Model of disability and having a rights perspective on getting the best for our children.

This session will focus on Children’s Rights, Human Rights and sharing lived experience.

Hosted by Nikki, Anya and Alison

Nikki Clarke – sibling of a disabled adult, advocating for children and young people’s right, and undertaking a Masters in human rights law

Anya Macdonald – An autistic young adult, sharing lived experience to improve services and increase understanding and acceptance for autistic people. 

Alison Owen is a self-advocate peer support worker and trainer. Alison has a learning disability and is passionate about supporting other to have a voice.

Monday 19^th June 2023 10am to 1pm with 15 min break.

Learn more about the different types of advocacy and hear our stories of peer advocacy and what we mean by this.

Understand about what makes us brave and individual leaders.  The latest updates on national changes and reviews Hosted by Hazel and Kate.

Hazel Griffiths – Retired nurse, parent carer for my older autistic son.  Campaigner and advisor and involved in many pieces of work promoting the rights and needs of families with children and young people with a wide range of disabilities.

Katie Mercer –  trains and supports Independent Advocates

 Monday 26^th June  2023  10.00am to 1.00pm 

Meetings working together for the child/young person, types of meetings, cultural barriers, following up after the meeting

How to stay calm, in control and getting the best out of them with   

a focus on those children out of school

      Hosted by Hannah and Louise

Hannah Otoo parent of a young man who has been in an inpatient.  She is a founder of two charities including a school in Ghana.

Louise Parker Engels, co founder of Define Fine: Parent Peer Support for School Attendance Difficulties with lived experience of parenting SEND children with barriers to attendance. 

Monday 3^rd July 2023 10.00am to 1.00pm

Person Centred Planning –

How to make it real

Hosted by Sam.

Sam Sly –  Ensuring people’s plan for their futures reflect their strengths, hopes and dreams

Starting to planning for housing

What you need to know to find the right housing and the right support for young disabled people and adults to have a great life.

Hosted by Jayne

Jayne Knight –  is a specialist in how to get housing for people with disabilities to live their best lives in the community. 

Monday 10^th July 2023 10.00am to 12.00pm

Kirsty Stuart from Irwin Mitchell will talk about deputyship

End of course and goodbyes from 12.30 to 1.30pm.

Kirsty Stuart –  is an Associate Solicitor in the Public Law and Human Rights team in Newcastle at Irwin Mitchell.  As well as having her own lived experience Kirsty is involved in lots of parent support groups.