Bookstart - Books for Babies

Yesterday we were invited to our childrens preschool. The preschool/nursery had passed its accreditation. The Duke of Buccleuch attended to present the staff with their certificate. The children had spent the previous week preparing for his visit. They had baked some gorgeous sponge cake and biscuits. One of the teachers had joked with the children and told him that it was the Grand Old Duke of York who was coming to visit, a very old man who loves cakes! Luckily the Duke has a good sense of humour. It was a great day, I thouroughly enjoyed watching the children play. The preschool is set on a farm, it provides such a stimulating environment for the children.

Each of the children received a gift from Bookstart. Bookstart aims to provide a free pack of books to every baby in the UK, to inspire, stimulate and create a love of reading that will give children a flying start in life.
Their website provides parents and carers with information on receiving their packs, activities to do with their children, events happening in their area and a range of other resources. Bookstart believe that children are never too young to start loving books!



There are three free packs of books available:

Bookstart pack for babies for babies aged 0-12 months
Bookstart+ for toddlers aged 18-30 months
My Bookstart Treasure Chest for children aged 3-4 years

My daughter was given the pack for babies (not sure why as she is over two years old) and my son was given the Bookstart Treasure Chest. If you look at the Bookstart website then you will be able to find out how to get hold of your pack and exactly what they contain.
The pack for babies contains a leaflet, ‘Bookstart Great Books for Babies’. I was pleased to see that Twinkle, Twinkle Little Start, Illustrated by Annie Kubler is one of the recommened titles. ‘This delightful sign and singalong board book includes helpful hand movements to encourage the enjoyment of singing and dancing.’

Networking Sites and Forums

I joined MySpace recently but I find it quite confusing.

I also joined Facebook, I created a group for people interested in Signing with Babies and Children, it is called Sign Together. A few people have joined; I think Hannah, my friend who runs a Baby Led Weaning Site is responsible for recruiting some of the members – thanks Hannah!

There used to be a popular Yahoo Group for people interested in Baby Signing but it hasn’t been used for months.

Recently on other forums, members have been asking what the sign is for certain objects and words. I have some software that enables me to post the images for some signs; I have added these to the Chelltune forum . Please note that these images must not be copied!

DOWN'S SYNDROME AWARENESS WEEK 4-10 JUNE 2007

Tomorrow is the first day of Down Syndrome Aware week 2007. The following is a press release from DSA:

Each year, the aim of Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week is to:

-highlight a particular issue and campaign for action

-increase public awareness and understanding of the condition in general

-raise much-needed funds to enable us to continue the work of the Down's Syndrome Association.

Employment campaign

The main focus of the week this year will be improving employment prospects for adults with Down’s syndrome. We launched our employment campaign at the beginning of the year, and we have had a fantastic response so far. At their request, we have given further guidance to a wide range of employers who would like to access this potential workforce, from estate agents to auctioneers. A well-known TV production company have recently employed an administration assistant with Down’s syndrome after being spurred into action by our campaign. Awareness Week will provide a great opportunity to build on this initial success.

The key messages that we will be promoting are:

Out of a potential workforce of 15,000, only 20% of adults with Down's syndrome are in employment

With the right support, people with DS can and do make a significant contribution to their workplace

Many employers need more information and support to enable them to employ someone with DS successfully

Click here for more information about our employment campaign.

Click here to see our Press Release about the current employment trends among adults with Down's syndrome.

Shifting Perspectives

We are delighted to be hosting the Shifting Perspectives exhibition at London’s OXO Tower once again, which will run 6-10 June. This exhibition aims to do "exactly what it says on the tin": shift people’s perspectives about what it means to have Down’s syndrome.

This year, to complement our employment campaign, the work of our main exhibitor Richard Bailey will focus on young adults with Down’s syndrome and their abilities, dreams and expectations. There will also be work from Fiona Field and Rodrigo and Raffaello Raimondi.

We would love to see as many of you as possible at this inspiring exhibition. And if you can’t make it, please be sure to tell your friends about it! Admission is free. Click here for more information.

Host your own events

Last year we raised an incredible amount of both money and awareness, but we couldn’t do it without your help. If you haven’t yet ordered your Awareness Week Fundraising Pack, please contact the fundraising team now on 0845 230 0372 or e-mail events@downs-syndrome.org.uk. Or click here for ideas about how to organise your own events.

What is the DSA?

• The DSA is a national charity that exists to provide information and support for people with Down’s syndrome, their families, carers and those with a professional interest. It also seeks to improve knowledge and understanding and champion the rights of people with Down’s syndrome
• The DSA relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to continue operating
• The DSA has an annual operating need of approximately £1.9 million