Special Needs and Disability advice

Supportive Parents provides the Special Educational Needs & Disability Information, Advice and Support (SENDIAS) Service in South Gloucestershire, as well as Bristol and North Somerset.  They are an independent organisation offering free, confidential and impartial advice to parents, children or any young person aged 16 – 25, about SEND. You can find out more on their website.

Consultation on day service at Turnberries

South Gloucestershire Council is consulting on a proposal to decommission the day service currently provided for adults with learning and physical disabilities at Turnberries in Thornbury. This is used by people from across South Glos, not just in Thornbury. You can find out more and make comments at the consultation webpage before 2nd September.

Changes to services for children and young people with special needs

From September 2014 the service for all children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and their families will be changing as a result of changes in the law. South Gloucestershire Council wants to go further and is asking for input from everyone involved - the children and young people themselves, families and carers, service providers, the health service, schools, the voluntary and community sector and a wide range of professionals - to help shape the future service.

You can find out more about the proposals and comment on them on the council's website:

www.southglos.gov.uk/0to25disability

Information is also available from all South Gloucestershire Libraries and One Stop Shops until 24 February 2014 and there will be a series of events and workshops advertised on the website.

Living open day

Living, a not for profit community interest company, is holding an open day where people with disabilities can try out the very latest independent living aids and equipment. The event will run from 10am to 3.30pm on Thursday 21st June at The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 2QQ. Admission is free and there will be free tea, coffee and cake. For more information please phone 0117 965 3651 or visit www.thisisliving.org.uk.