How can I help?

[MicrowaveOnly]

I am giving up my job in August although my kids are at school now. My dd has a medical condition that means she is dependent on O2 - you know that once you have a child with SN your view on life changes, it kicks you out of your cosy bubble..so one of the reasons I want to stop work was to do some kind of helpful voluntary work but I don't know where to start.

I have this depressing vision of spending all day with little old ladies selling goods in Oxfam shops but that's not my thing, I can't think where/how I can help children or families?

Has anyone done this? what do you think would be interesting/useful to do in school hours?

Your local maternity hospital might want volunteers on the wards? Homestart? Surestart?

I only work part time in a primary school kitchen, i also go into the same school to do reading with some of the children had you thought about something like that?

bump

homestart sounds interesting, will check that out.

lottie I am a teacher so that might be a busmans holiday!

Microwave, have you thought about becoming an ABA therapist for autistic children? My DS's tutors are fantastic people and it's not as complicated as it sounds - they basically come to my house and teach my son to talk via play and fun games (example: his first ever word was "push", because they would not push him on our garden swing until he made an approximation at saying it). It is very flexible hours and it is I think very rewarding as you are literally giving the gift of communication to children who haven't had it before. I trained up all my tutors on the job, by shadowing my other tutors. Your teaching skills would be fab, and I have one tutor who also teaches nursery school, but she says she's had to learn a whole new approach as you have to lose your excessive language and talk in simple phrases, plus you are coaxing skills out of a child who doesn't have them naturally (eg my DS doesn't point or use gesture without being taught it). Just a thought!

Is there a branch of SNAP in your area?. They would probably welcome you with open arms.

PipinJo - have you considered offering your experience and expertise to IPSEA?.

is there a sn school in your area? Perhaps you could approach them and ask if they need any volunteers. this would also tie in with school hours for your own children.