Making
information accessible
 |
|
“This
book is
invaluable to
all parents with a learning disability who have children under a year
old ...”
|
Sharon
Kirkby
of CHANGE, a UK
national organisation for people with learning disabilities, reports on
the launch of its handbook You and your baby 0-1 year.
Debbie
Vearnals and Denise
Monks of Stockport
Community Team for Parents with a Learning Disability, review the book.
More people with
learning disabilities are having children and exercising
their right to a family life. However, parents with learning
disabilities are losing their children. The children are removed by
social service teams when a ‘crisis’ is noticed in
the family. There is no training manual to refer to and a distinct lack
of communication between professionals concerning the welfare of these
families. Action is being taken to prevent the crises. Training
delivered by parents with learning disabilities in order to change
attitudes, the provision of practical and accessible information and
appropriate support when needed are just the start.
You and your baby 0-1 year is a book which uses easy words and pictures
to guide parents through the first stages of their baby’s
life. The easy words and pictures make the book accessible to parents
who have learning disabilities and parents whose first language is not
English. The
book was researched and compiled by Frances Affleck, based upon the
non-accessible Birth to five book which is presently distributed free
by the National Health Service. Birth to five contains a huge amount of
information which many parents cannot understand! It simply does not
suit everyone. Most importantly, it does not suit the parents who need
it most! A
national steering group was set up, comprising of parents with learning
disabilities and professionals to inform the project. Several of the
parents with learning disabilities had already had their children
removed. “The
provision of accessible information is
a major factor in providing
support to parents with learning disabilities.”
To
launch You and your baby 0-1 year, CHANGE hosted a national gathering
of parents with learning disabilities and professionals in January 2005
at the Bloomsbury Hotel in London. The aim was to get parents and
professionals learning from each other how to develop good practice and
keep families together. CHANGE
targeted a wide range of professionals,
highlighting that the
issues raised in the research to the book are not simple. Delegates
included midwives, community nurses, housing officers, child and family
social workers and representatives from the government. The workshops
included subjects such as human rights, domestic violence, direct
payments, how to support parents with learning disabilities, sexuality,
advocacy, making information accessible, support for fathers, and how
to survive in court. Workshops were delivered by parents with learning
disabilities plus support. Members of CHANGE ‘Rainbow
Group’ performed a play called Keeping the baby which
stresses the importance of good support, ways to use You and your baby
0-1 year and how drama is a good way to get a message across. The
national gathering ended with the creation of a list of demands to be
presented to government departments. The
provision of accessible information is a major factor in providing
support to parents with learning disabilities and CHANGE continues to
campaign for You and your baby 0-1 year to be distributed free of
charge to all parents who need it as soon as they become pregnant. At
the moment, You and your baby 0-1 year is only free to parents with
learning disabilities if it can be purchased for them by a health
visitor or midwife. The book costs £30 (plus £6
p&p) and is also available on audiocassette, price
£7. To obtain a copy of the book or find out more about
issues surrounding parents with learning disabilities, please contact: CHANGE,
Units 19/20, Unity Business Centre, 26
Roundhay Road,
Leeds LS7 1AB, UK.
Tel: 0113 243 0202
Fax: 0113 243 0220
Minicom: 0113 243 2225
E-mail: changepeople@btconnect.com
Sharon Kirkby
Parents
are provided with a raft of information from health professionals most
of which is not produced in an accessible format. You
and your baby 0-1 year pulls together important topics that parents
will find useful before their baby is born and during the first year of
their life. It sets out clearly each step that a prospective or new
parent may encounter during the first year of life. The
book offers easy to read words and explanations, and pictures accompany
each topic discussed. The topics covered range from practical solutions
as to why your baby might be crying, through to looking at personal
relationships and how family and friends can help to support you during
the first year. There is cross-referencing throughout the book, so if
you just dip into it for one topic it leads to another link, which is
useful. The pictures can be used as prompts to follow for routines. We
have found the book particularly useful when working with prospective
parents to help with preparing bottles and bathing their baby. It has
also been useful in providing new parents with an easy to look at grid
setting out the stages of development and what their baby will be doing
next. The
book does touch on broader issues, which might affect parents such as
housing, finances and benefits. It provides information about who might
be best to contact and points parents in the right direction. Sensitive
issues that parents may not feel able to discuss such as domestic
violence and sexual health are also included. There are numerous useful
addresses and phone numbers and a list of books and resources that
parents can access. At the back there is a wordbook/glossary of terms
used within the book, with easy explanations. This
book is invaluable to all parents with a learning disability who have
children under a year old, regardless of whether it’s their
first baby or not. This parenting book should be handed out at the
start of a woman’s pregnancy and be free of charge, just as
other information packs are given freely, but which are only accessible
to parents who do not have a learning disability. Debbie
Vearnals and Denise Monks The
following comments on the book are from parents with a learning
disability: “I
can read this, it’s simple.” “The
pictures are easy to follow as I practise making the bottle.” “It’s
a good book.” “There
isn’t too much information on each page and it’s
easy to understand.” Next:
Research...
Childcare products for all? |
