Lambeth Parent's Support Group, 2008

Lambeth 'Walk a Mile in Our Shoes' campaign launch

This group of parents and carers of children with autism are keen to work with the project team to build a positive relationship with the local authority. Their first step is to find ways to develop links with the Parent Partnership Service and also to provide ideas on how consultation with parents could be improved. The group has established a steering group to work together to improve educational provision for children with autism in Lambeth.

School governors, Special Educational Needs and Autism awareness

The Treehouse Constructive Campaigning Parent Support Project manager Liz Osman and Lambeth parent Linda Downie, delivered autism awareness training for Lambeth School governors on 28 April 2008. The training ‘Everything you wanted to know about autism but were afraid to ask’ was an initiative of the DCSF funded project, which aims to improve autism education in ten local authority areas across England.

The training took place at International House in Brixton, with twelve school governors from the Lambeth area attending. The session included measures to reduce school exclusions, the distinction between disability and disobedience, and outlined responsibilities of governing bodies as stated in the special educational needs code of practice.

The training was based on the success of the TreeHouse Parent Support Project calendar for 2008. These calendars were produced to help teachers and pupils in mainstream and special schools improve their communication with children with autism. The calendar includes twelve key messages, for example ‘Keep your language simple and positive. Tell me what to do instead of what not to do’ and were sent out free to every school in the project’s ten areas. For more information please read the Spring LAG Newsletter or Children & Young People Now. Please feel free to download a copy of the calendar, or for more information please phone the project team on 02088155443.

Lambeth Parent Partnership Contact Information

If you would like more information about the Parent Partnership please email the Parent Partnership Officer Chris White or call him on 0207 926 9805.

If you would like to contact the Lambeth Parent Advocate please email Denise Downie-Campbell or call her on 07932046897.