Following today’s Spring Budget [8 March], national disability charity, Sense, has responded to the news that the Government plans to ease the current financial pressures facing social care by delivering £2billion over the next three years, alongside a new green paper focusing on the future of the sector.

The national disability charity, which supports people who are deafblind, have sensory impairments or complex needs, has been calling for urgent investment into the collapsing social care market, alongside a considered plan for its sustainability.

Richard Kramer, Deputy CEO of disability charity Sense, said:        

“There will be a sigh of relief amongst the social care sector, as the Government finally responds to its cries for help with a promise to invest the funds it desperately needs right now. The Government’s plans will abate the pressing financial woes currently threatening to overwhelm the system and will offer short-term stabilisation. However, the reality is that money alone is not enough to save social care from collapse and the future of these essential services hinges on the development of a long-term strategy.

“We hope that today’s announcement signifies the start of genuine reform, and that the upcoming green paper highlights the Government’s long-term commitment to protect and improving social care services, rather than delivering stop-gap solutions to keep it afloat.

“Although the chancellor’s speech focused entirely on older people, he should not forget that many disabled people also rely on social care services to enable them to live independently, with dignity and as active members of their communities, which is why the protection of these vital services is so important.

We look forward to working with the Government on the upcoming green paper to ensure it focuses on a long-term strategy that guarantees a sustainable system that can provide quality support for all those who need it.”

Sense is a national charity that supports people who are deafblind, have sensory impairments or complex needs, to enjoy more independent lives. More information on sense can be found at, www.sense.org.uk.

National disability charity responds to new findings from the Centre for Social Justice, and calls for the Government to actively work with employers to promote disabled people.

New polling from the Centre for Social Justice showed that two thirds (63 per cent) of HR decision makers think there are barriers to hiring disabled people, and that only a third (33 per cent) have hired a person with a disability or mental health condition in the last year.

In response to these findings, the national disability charity, Sense, who’s Realising Aspirations for All report looks at the key issue of disability employment, calls on the Government to do more to work with employers and promote disabled people as valuable employees.

Kate Fitch, Head of Policy and Campaign, said:

“The Centre for Social Justice’s polling once again highlights the scale of the challenges facing disabled people as they look to secure and remain in employment.

Disabled people face many barriers to work, including negative employer attitudes, with employers failing to make essential adjustments needed for disabled people to perform their roles successfully, isolation in the workplace, a lack of career progression, and concerning issues with receiving the right support from Access to Work.

We are supportive of the Government’s focus on improving access to employment for disabled people, and welcome the Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper.

Many disabled people want to be in employment, and Sense has been working with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that their voices are heard directly by government.

However, this polling shows that there is clearly still a great deal to do when it comes to employer attitudes. Sense is calling on the Government to work with businesses across the country to make the positive case for disabled people as valuable employees.

We want to see the Government develop and implement a coordinated campaign to raise employers’ awareness of the abilities and potential of disabled people, including those with complex needs.”

For more information www.sense.org.uk.

Sense patron, HRH The Princess Royal, will visit the charity’s day service in Bourne

HRH The Princess Royal will visit the Sense day service in Bourne, Lincolnshire on February 3. HRH The Princess Royal, who has been a patron of Sense since 1989, will visit the national disability charity’s local centre, which supports people who are deafblind, have sensory impairments or complex needs.

HRH The Princess Royal will have the opportunity to meet the people who use the service; as well as seeing first-hand the specialist support the centre delivers to the region.

The centre, which offers interactive activities to help stimulate individuals with sensory impairments and promote wellbeing, has a range of facilities for its visitors to utilise, including an art room, sensory room equipped with a variety of specialist equipment and a vegetable garden.

Heather Powell, manager at the Sense centre in Bourne, said:

“We’re delighted to be welcoming Sense’s Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, to our day service in Bourne. We’re all very excited and we are all looking forward to meeting her.

“We’re incredibly proud of our facilities and the support we provide for those who have sensory impairments in the Lincolnshire area and it’s a huge honour to have the opportunity to show HRH The Princess Royal the services we deliver from the centre on a daily basis.”

For more information about Sense and the work they do please visit: www.sense.org.uk.

Ian Treherne, a deafblind photographer who starred in hit TV show ‘The Undateables’ earlier in the year, has announced a new solo exhibition in London.

Ian, 38 from Rochford, Essex, was born partially deaf and with limited vision, due to a condition called Usher Syndrome, which causes progressive eyesight deterioration. Ian’s appearance on Channel 4 show: ‘The Undateables’, highlighted his work as a photographer, and the effects his sensory impairments have on his artwork and creative process.

Ian’s latest exhibition, ‘Release’, showcased at the Fiumano Projects in Central London from the 15^th February until the 10^th March, references the photographer’s own personal journey as a partially sighted artist, alongside a selection of his intimate and candid portraits, film and woodwork.

Ian Treherne, from Rochford, Essex, said:

 “I’ve always been fascinated by photography and have found it an incredible tool to capture the beauty of the world around me in spite of my sensory impairments, combining my creativity and disability. However, I recently took a two year break from photography due to eyesight deterioration, which I found very difficult to cope with.

My creative mission is to find my place in society in spite of my limited vision but I’ve never felt I fitted in as a person, let alone an artist, and have struggled to participate in the world around me. After years of hiding away my disability, this exhibition will be a celebration of opening up, vocalising and showcasing my visions through photography. Despite losing my eyesight slowly, I still want to show society the beauty I see and the conundrum I live with.

I hope ‘Release’ helps give the public a better understanding of what it’s like to have Usher Syndrome or sensory impairments.”

Sense Deputy Chief Executive, Richard Kramer, whose national disability charity has provided support to Ian, said:

“This exhibition is about celebrating Ian’s work as an incredibly talented photographer. We also know that the challenges facing people with dual sensory loss mean that people can feel withdrawn, depressed and isolated. Ian has shown bravery in how honest and open he has been about his struggle, and we hope this will give others in his position strength.

I hope as many people as possible can make it down to the exhibition.”

For more information on the exhibition please visit – www.sense.org.uk

For more information on Usher Syndrome, deafblindness or sensory impairments, please visit – www.sense.org.uk

National disability charity, Sense has partnered with Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, the charitable arm of the football club, to deliver a series of accessible sports sessions for young people with sight and hearing impairments and those with complex needs.

The sessions take place at Barnet and Southgate College, Learning Disability Centre of Excellence from 18.00-19.00 every Monday until the 27 February.

The sessions are free to attend and open to anyone aged 14 and over with a visual or hearing impairment, although places are limited. It aims to encourage young people to increase their participation in sports by giving attendees the chance to try a range of inclusive sports, including hockey, tennis, football and cricket.

The sessions have been made possible following a grant of £424,958 from Sport England which was awarded to Sense to increase opportunities for people with deafblindness to participate in sport and physical activity through its ‘Sporting Sense’ project.

London is one of the areas that the project will focus on, with Sense delivering a number of activities across the region from now until May 2018.  The project will influence the development and delivery of local physical activity plans, which will include working alongside deafblind people.

 Taylor Huxster, Regional Sports Coordinator at Sense said:

“Participation in sport has significant physical, mental and emotional benefits, but unfortunately people with sight and hearing impairment encounter barriers accessing it. The multisports sessions provide attendees with the opportunity to try different sports made accessible for people with sight and hearing impairments.”

Parents, families and carers are welcome to attend the sessions which take place every Monday until the 27 February from 18.00 until 19.00, at Learning Disability Centre of Excellence, Southgate Campus, Southgate High St, Southgate, London, N14 6BS. Places are limited.

For more information or to book a place, those who wish to attend should get in touch with the Taylor Huxster at Taylor.huxster@sense.org.uk or call 020 7014 9365.

Simon, one of the first Infants to be screened, having his hearing tested

Sense International, a global charity supporting deafblind children and adults, has launched a pioneering programme in Kenya and Uganda to screen infants for multi-sensory impairments.

The programme, the first of its kind in East Africa, will screen 300,000 infants during a three year pilot and is being funded by a UK appeal, which was match funded by the UK government, and raised more than £700,000. The generous public response resulted in a £222,972 contribution of the total in UK aid match funding from the government.

The programme, developed in partnership with the Ministries of Health in Kenya and Uganda, will see all babies born at participating health facilities, or those receiving immunisations within the first six months of life, screened for deafblindness by specially trained medical officers.

Babies who are found to have a multi-sensory impairment will be enrolled on the charity’s early intervention service which will provide occupational therapy, sensory stimulation and communication therapy at community health centres accessible to the local population, many of whom are living on less than a $1 a day.

During the course of the programme, medical staff will also collect data to determine the causes and prevalence of congenital disabilities, sensory impairment and deafblindness, including one of its major causes – Congenital Rubella Syndrome.

Christina Moraa was one of the first mothers to be offered sensory screening, for her child, Simon. She said:

“The tests showed that my son’s eyes were fine, but there was a problem with his ears. I had a rash during pregnancy so they have taken a blood sample to determine if he has Congenital Rubella Syndrome. I am now being referred to an ENT (ear, nose and throat), to confirm the condition.

“I never suspected that my son had a problem with his hearing. Thankfully the screening was provided for free, and they have promised support for my child’s assessment and treatment.”

 Stevie Kent, East Africa Regional Manager at Sense International said:

“By identifying sensory impairments as early as possible we can ensure children with deafblindness get the medical and educational support they need, leading to improved developmental outcomes, and ultimately a better quality of life for the child and their family.

“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the UK public, and support of the UK government, who have enabled us to implement this pioneering programme in Kenya and Uganda.

“Our hope is that the screening and research programme is adopted and scaled up by the governments of Kenya and Uganda, so that in future all infants within each country have access to a vital early intervention service.”

For further information on the programme visit https://www.senseinternational.org.uk/finding-grace.

Children and young people with disabilities in Birmingham are set to benefit from a series of vital short breaks in 2017, provided by national disability charity, Sense.

Launching in February 2017, the short breaks follow this year’s successful programme, and will see 30 children and young people experience up to three separate trips away from home over 12 months.

The series of short breaks have been developed in partnership with Birmingham City Council and are designed to offer disabled children in the area the chance to make new friends, increase their independence and try new activities, such as music workshops, outdoor trails and cookery classes. The trips away from home will also give families the opportunity to enjoy some respite from caring duties.

The breaks will take place in a variety of locations and will be timed to coincide with school holidays. The charity is calling for volunteers from the West Midlands to support its 2017 holidays and short breaks programme.

Eleanor Coker, Holiday Operations Manager at Sense, said:

“Following the success of this year’s activities, we’re delighted to be expanding the Sense short break programme in Birmingham. We’ve been organising breaks for people with complex disabilities for over 40 years and understand the benefits a trip away from home can have for the whole family. Programmes like this are vital as they allow parents time off caring, and enable the person they support to try new activities, gain new experiences, socialise and most importantly have fun.

“If you want to do something really rewarding in 2017, why not volunteer with Sense and help support children with disabilities to enjoy new experiences on a well-deserved break. The holidays take place in locations close to Birmingham, so we are making a special call-out for volunteers interested in supporting children and young people from their local communities. You could be kayaking, horse riding, camping or making sandcastles on the beach, whilst making a big difference to the children we support and their families.”

If you would like to volunteer on a Sense short break please visit www.sense.org.uk/content/volunteering-sense-holiday.

Alternatively, call 020 7520 0962 or email shortbreaks@sense.org.uk.