Sleep Solutions Workshop. January 18th 2011

It is estimated that 85% of children and young people with additional needs also have sleep difficulties. This can present in a number of different ways from night waking to issues with settling. Sleep deprivation can have a huge impact on the child’s level of functioning making it difficult to concentrate in school and often leading to behavioural problems. Lack of sleep can lead many parents into crisis resulting in them feeling exhausted.

Scope’s Sleep Solutions workshop provides innovative training, written by a trained Sleep Practitioner and endorsed by Sleep Scotland. The aim is early intervention and prevention through raising awareness of good sleep practice and basic strategies for parents during discussions with time to share ideas and resources.

This one day sleep workshop includes:

p Effects on the Whole Family p Why is Your Child not Sleeping?

p Keeping a Sleep Diary p The Bedroom Environment,

p A Good Bedtime Routine p Night Awakenings

p Useful Resources

Tuesday 18^th January 2011

The Meadows Community Centre,

St Catharine’s Road, Cambridge CB4 3XJ

9.30am to 2.30pm

For more information and to book your place contact Vicki on 0771 4853763 or email vicki@face2facenetwork.org.uk

For more information visit: www.sleepsolutions.org.uk

Thank you Cerebra!

For the last week of the school holidays we have been staying at a Haven Holidayscaravan park in Caister, Norfolk.

Way back in the spring we applied to Cerebra (a UK charity for families like us: see previous blog below) for a respite holiday at their centre in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. They were overwhelmed with requests so they teamed up with Haven to provide holidays for those of us who didn't get in on the first round.

The site at Caister was the first caravan park in the UK, starting a trend that led to this strip of coast having the highest density of caravans in Europe.

Like us, you may have preconceived ideas about trailer park holidays, but I have to say, we had a great time and met people from all walks of life there. We used the swimming pool, theatre, shop and bike rental, and our caravan was fine, except for a badly stained carpet (due to multiple axe murders perhaps?)

Caister is also the site of a Roman Fort and a working fishing village. 'Worth a look. Offshore is a spectacular wind-farm that I found quite photogenic. Inland, there is the Norfolk Broads; a network of freshwater medieval waterways at sea level, created by peat-diggings for fuel.

We spent our mornings around the site swimming or cycling and our afternoons out on The Broads, boating or walking on boardwalks. Our grand-son Jake came along for the first few days. 'All totally delightful.

Meanwhile, back at The Ranch, our son Nick had our house and car to himself. No major damage, as far as we can see.

So thank-you Cerebra for a real holiday. We returned to work, school and all our usual problems, suitably fortified and ready for the Autumn Term.

You can see all the photos (a lot!) at Broads 2010 If you have any trouble, or indeed comments, e-mail us. Jim and Hanna Stevenson.