I have been trying to get hold of the BBC Something Special DVDs since April this year; I am so pleased to announce that we now have stock!
There are five titles currently available, we are still awaiting the Pets and Other Animals DVD, please email us if you would like to be notified when we receive copies of this title.
We also have two pocket books to accompany the DVDs, Makaton Favourite Things and the Pets and Other Animals.
All week GMTV are urging parents to make sure their young are safe this summer. The week runs from the 9-13th July and this year they are giving away 900,000 wristbands that work as identity bracelets (with two alternative parent/family contact numbers on).
I have Reusable IdentiBands™ for both my children.
A few months ago we visited Woburn Safari park. Since it was a bank holiday weekend the park was mobbed. I was worried sick that I would lose the children. It wasn’t the ideal solution but I put one of my business cards in their pocket. I told them that if they got lost then they were to show an adult my card so that they could phone me. This was fine for my son but I don’t think my daughter would have been old enough to remember what I had told her.
When we got home that evening I ordered some ID bands from www.icegems.co.uk
'IdentiBands are not only perfect identification for youngsters, but also an excellent solution for those with the need to alert others to medical conditions such as diabetes or allergies.'
They are ideal for a child who has a communication problem as all they need to do is show the band to someone rather than try to relay their details. The bands come with a pen so you can write what you like inside, I’ve just written, ‘Mum Tel: …………………. ‘
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.’
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!
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.
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.
We have yet another new product, the shop is filling up nicely now and there is more to come! Watch this space!
This colourful, richly illustrated book is the ultimate way for you and your child to learn to sign together.
Using a simple, easy to learn system, this book allows you to quickly acquire a large vocabulary of signs, sourced directly from British Sign Language, that are relevant to your every day needs that help you to improve your child’s communication skills.
Each sign is clearly described and accompanied by a photograph. Step by step, the signs are then cleverly woven into four exciting stories about the adventures of Olli the monkey and his family. The stories can be read aloud whilst the whole family joins in with the signs.
Sign by sign, story by story, Olli and his family will introduce both you and your child to this beautiful, expressive language, whilst helping to expand and improve your child’s communication and language skills.
The book features a foreword on the positive benefits of using sign language with hearing children by Television personality Sian Lloyd together with a contribution from Janey Lee Grace, co-presenter of the popular BBC Radio 2 show “Steve Wright in the Afternoon”
“Learn to sign with Olli” will enable both you and your child to discover a whole new way to communicate.
This book is sure to become a firm favourite with both children and adults. 
