if you have a child with a learning disability and they go to a day centre

[upahill]

What sort of activities would you like them to be doing?

Are there any sorts of adventure type activities you would like them to do?

(Eg orienteering, den building etc that is geared up for their capability )

What is a day centre ?

I was going to ask similar.

I've never heard of day centres for disabled. I have heard of them for the elderly but never really knew what they were.

Is it respite? Or is it a club? Is it only in the day-time? Is it during school hours or at weekends?

Sorry, very intrigued.

The day centre I used to work in was run by social services, It used to be open 9am until 4pm, there were about 150 clients that came some 5 days a week some as little as an afternoon each week. The building was previously a infant school and little had been changed inside. Each client had a keyworker and planned activities all timetabled. Activities ranged from cooking, sewing, art, shopping, swimming and lots more besides. In many ways similar to elderly daycare in otherways an extension of school.

Now lots of day centres are shutting and using church halls etc as it costs less, though you are more likely to be told it is for inclusion reasons so that clients are part of the community.

Ok what it is, is that I have got a new job starting in about a months time.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1271592-ok-I-screwed-up-my-last-interview-and-lost-my-job-help-me-not-to-go-wrong-this-time see here!!

The place offers respite as well as day care for young people up to the age of 18 who have learning disablilites.

At interview the panel were really interested in my outdoor qualifcations.
They asked if I could do a paticular hill walk that the y.p. used to like doing but the staff are now banned from doing because they don' t have a qualification for it. (minimum of a BELA, possibly a WGL) when I said I have awards higher than the minimum requirement they were really interested in how we could develop the centre.

That was why I was asking you as parents what sort of adventure activities would you like/you think your child would like to happen - just to get an idea of what would be popular.

Another thing that was commented on was that the centre would like parents to get involved more in a social way but no one seems interested.
They had only tried coffee mornings.

What would stop you getting involved with this type of place if your child went here. What would get you involved if you don't like coffee mornings!

I am still trying to work how it all works so I may not be able to answer questions about the place just yet.

The place has a good reputation and the kids seemed really happy and busy.There is a soft play area, time for cooking and swimming a big outdoor play area and so on.

I run a club myself so I understand what your after
anything outdoors whatsoever as a parents my answer, could be raft building (anything involving waters a big hit) wall climbing, adventure playground even outdoor trampolining, anything VERY physical as helping them sleep laters a fab help to us mums.
The problem with asking parents to help im afraid(we have this problem too) is parents and the dcs need space from each other so if parents come to help it defeats the object. we have tried everything including a parents committee , but you could try that maybe parents helping to fundraise is best approach, but as for getting them to physically help rarely will many parents do that as they are desperate for respite.

oh btw a big hit with my son is zip wires (go ape) and zorbing esp on water

Thanks for replying Vinnie.
The management aren't after parents to help or volutneering to do anything becasue the comment I made in the interview is that I would imagine that if you had a child with special needs you would like time to yourself if you can grab it.

However the management don't want use the parents as helpers or volunteers but just to get to know them a bit better over time so there is a community feel to the place and everyone feels welcome.

I'm so excited at starting there!

ahh then how about the occasional social activities for the whole family like a BBQ we have tried that in past and a lot turn up to it, or a family fun day ie a cross between sports dayand its a knockout? or of an evening perhaps a quiz night , could do it in the day to involve the whole family if you wanted to and make sections for adult harder questions and easier ones in another section for kids?

They are good ideas. Thank you.

I will let you know as things go!!
Blimey I'm getting my feet under the table and I have only just got a start date!!

I dont do coffee mornings as I am not a sociable sit and chat person. Like DS I cant sit still. I much prefer hands on stuff.

I would love a club down here that I knew my DS was safe and welcome in that I could leave and not worry. And yes the respite would be wonderful! That said if a club needed help then I would be all for it if it were on a rota basis say once a month. Say 3 weeks respite 4th week hands on. Maybe rotate the mothers so two mothers/fathers worked together then everyone would get to know each other and a community could possibly form?

There is a good programme on the telly called backyard science. It does a lot of experiments and my kids are hooked on it. Take a look at that you might get some good ideas for the kids to do and learn about at the same time

I had a look at Backyard Science's website.

What a great site!
Thanks for the tip.

What ability level are the kids?

DS1 attends a respite centre for play schemes and overnights (he's 12). I would love him to do more adventurous stuff as he really benefits. The main issue is safety, but at his respite centre all children are funded for 1:1 (at least) when out and about which helps. Proper funded 1:1 is the way to go, relying on volunteers doesn't work. Generally he heads to the shops/scooter/swimming. Recently I arranged for a few to go surfing and it was very successful (ds1 goes surfing anyway, but it was extremely successful with the other kids who were all first timers). I would love it if he was taken up onto the moors etc. I don't think the kids at his group really have the ability for raft building etc, but just being out in the open and having some freedom away from roads would be beneficial. Climbing has worked reasonably well with ds1 in the past (although issues around waiting as always, and helmets from some kids). Horse riding usually works for a short time.

I am also involved in the parent group. It is difficult to get parents involved as the time at the centre is the only break they have, and at other times they have to care for their children. We're having a BBQ next week at a centre that does RDA, hopefully a few people will go. My other idea is just to say 'right this date this time we will be on the beach/at a park etc for a picnic come if you can/want to', so not an official event, more an open invitation.