SANDWELL ASIAN FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE

Thanks to the law firm Irwin Mitchell, SAFSS Out-of-School are the proud owners of a brand new HUGE flat screen television!

Mandy Luckman from Irwin Mitchell LLP presents the new television to Neelam Pallen (Manager) and Rajvinder Shoker (Chair of the Board of Directors) from SAFSS.

Irwin Mitchell have been supporting SAFSS for a number of years and heard of the demise of our old television.

“The charity plays an invaluable role in supporting parents, carers and guardians in addition to the person who as a disability” says Rajbir Somel of Irwin Mitchell’s International Travel Litigation Group (ITLG), who has recently joined SAFSS Board of Directors. “We hope the television will go someway towards enhancing the lives of those for whom SAFSS cares.”

Photographs taken by and included with permission from Paul Thomas Photographic Limited www.ptpimages.co.uk

This year SAFSS annual day trip will be to Blackpool Pleasure Beach on Thursday 29th July 2010. All SAFSS families and staff are invited to attend.

Any child or adult who uses our services can attend the daytrip free of charge and can also bring a main carer who is free of charge. For any additional seats SAFSS are charging a flat rate of £7.00.

For further information and a booking form please contact Kam or Amar on (0121) 558 2198

SAFSS have been awarded the PQASSO Quality Mark at Level 3. The PQASSO (Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations) Quality Mark, highlights SAFSS’ commitment to efficiency, effectiveness and quality. The Mark was set up by the Charities Evaluation Service (CES) and enables the voluntary and community sector to assess performance.

Mark Davis (SCVO), Neelam Pallen (SAFSS) and Carole Harte (SCVO)

For more information about PQASSO visit: http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/index.cfm?pg=329

One of our young men, Mohammed* who has mild-moderate learning difficulties stated in his support plan that he wanted to be more active in the community, to take part in more physical activities and wanted to learn to ride a bike. Our Adults Co-ordinator, Arathi and Mohammed’s worker Steven*, have been working with Mohammed to develop opportunities to make this happen and to meet his support plan.

Mohammed and Steven have recently joined the healthy walks programme, Sandwell Strides, as Mohammed enjoys walking and they also regularly play basketball. Linking in with the Cycling Programme at Sandwell PCT Mohammed has had his first cycling lesson and will now be cycling and having lessons regularly. His aim is to ride around the cycle routes in Sandwell with Steven.

Mohammed has also started attending a gardening club once a week and wants to start travelling around on the bus and metro.

SAFSS services for adults with disabilities are based on individual need and the individuals support plans. We can tailor our culturally-sensitive services to create opportunities for adults which can include care on an individual basis or in a group setting.

If you would like to know more about our services for adults please contact Arathi on 0121 558 2198 adults.safss@btconnect.com

*names have been changed for confidentiality reasons

At our AGM on the 10th December 2009 the Board of Directors presented our new Annual Review for 2008-09. We are pleased to now offer this as a pdf on our website.

Alternatively, if you would like a copy of our latest annual review sent to you in the post please contact Claire on devmgt.safss@btconnect.com

SAFSS Annual Review 2008-09

All SAFSS staff are to sign up to The Department of Health’s Dignity Challenge. The initiative, led by Manager Neelam Pallen, will see all SAFSS staff and Board Members signed up by the end of the financial year.

The DOH initiative aims to stimulate a national debate around dignity in care and create a care system where there is zero tolerance of abuse and disrespect. Individuals sign up to become a Dignity Champion and make a statement about how they individually will challenge dignity in care.

To become a Dignity Champion sign up on www.dignityincare.org.uk or for more information please see

http://www.dhcarenetworks.org.uk/dignityincare/

We look forward to reporting back to you on our progress with our Dignity Challenge. For more information on how SAFSS is participating in this challenge please cotact Neelam Pallen safss@btconnect.com or (0121) 558 2198

Congratulations to our Childrens Care Service Co-ordinator Hardeep Sandhu who is the first member of staff at SAFSS to complete the Artemis Training!

Artemis is a quality e-learning package, developed by the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) to embrace the ‘One Children’s Workforce’ philosophy.

The package acts as an introduction to the Every Child Matters (ECM) five outcomes and outlines seven induction standards to which all people working with children must meet. The ‘One Children’s Workforce’ includes the statutory, private, voluntary and independent sector and includes the unpaid workforce such as volunteers running a football club.

Hardeep will now work with all her care staff to complete the training.

For further information www.cwdcouncil.org.uk

Our Chief Executive Parpinder K Dhatt has been announced as the new Chair of the Board at Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). For further information please see: http://www.scvo.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/SCVO.pdf