Back Care Awareness Week Back Pain in Education

The annual Back Care Awareness Week, run by BackCare, the UK’s leading charity for those impacted by back or neck pain, is to take place between 2 and 6 October. The theme this year is Back Pain in Education.

Back pain is one of the top common causes of absence from work throughout the country. It costs the UK economy around £15 billion every year as over four million working days are lost as a result of the condition. Furthermore, about 80% of the UK population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.

BackCare decided it was important to run a campaign targeted at children and young people as many of the back and neck pain problems experienced by adults are due to them not looking after their backs during childhood and teenage years.

Sporting Spirit Underway At CMGs Athletics Championship

Care Management Group (CMG), a leading provider of specialist learning disability care, has this week hosted its greatly anticipated Athletics Championship, enjoyed by hundreds of its service users, as well as staff and family members.

Taking place at the David Weir Leisure Centre in Carshalton, individuals joined together for a whole day of competitive sporting fun. People CMG supports were eager to take part in a whole range of traditional and unique sporting activities, with everything from wheelchair basketball and a wheelchair sensory obstacle race, to 100m, 200m and 400m races, badminton and the traditional egg and spoon race.

Playgrounds and special needs: how play supports disabled children’s learning

As you’ll remember from your own childhood memories, playgrounds are a place for children to adventure and explore with their friends. They offer numerous benefits in terms of helping children socialise and get active, but could they also support learning for disabled children?

Sensory playground equipment specialists Infinite Playgrounds discusses the current accessibility of UK playgrounds and the potential benefits they can bring for disabled children.

Disabled access to playgrounds in the UK

A sensitive and illuminating account of life as a child with autism

Through the Eyes of Me is a sensitive and illuminating account of life as a child with autism. Through this beautiful, colourful picture book, readers will meet 4-year-old Kya, getting to know her likes and dislikes and all the nuances of her character. An ideal tool for developing an understanding of autism with young readers, the book has received numerous endorsements from parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals.

New International Facebook Group for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Israel’s Athena Fund, a nonprofit organization empowering teachers, has launched a new international Facebook group, in English, for parents of children with special needs. The Athena Fund is engaged in a unique program – iPad for Every Special Education Teacher in Israel. According to the program, about 10,000 special education teachers in Israel will receive iPads with specialized software and applications for students with special needs and various disabilities. The new Facebook group contains posts in a number of areas of interest concerning parents of children with special needs, as well as information on Athena's special education activities.

Theraposture to demonstrate its user-centric approach at Kidz to Adultz Scotland

Theraposture, the leading specialist for tailor-made adjustable beds, chairs and care cots, will be showcasing its considered approach to parents and disabled children at Kidz to Adultz Scotland.

14th September: Kidz to Adultz Scotland, Stand D5, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, EH28 8NB, free admission.

Theraposture has been the considered choice since 1981. It provides quality assistive products with exceptional long term value backed up by impeccable and ethical support. Its Trusted Assessors work closely with OTs and families so that the most appropriate sleeping solution is supplied every time – ensuring independence, safety and well-being is always maximised.

The Language Show London

What is the Language Show?

The Language Show is the must-attend event for anyone with a passion for languages. Attend three inspirational days packed with over 50 CPD certified seminars, language classes, live forums, cultural performances and a large range of exhibitors promoting their latest advice and industry guidance. Find out more on our website at www.languageshowlive.co.uk/london/.

Tell me more about CPD certified seminars

Cost Effective CPD for schools and teachers:

Why the Language Show is where professional development is heading

What is CPD?

Continuing Professional Development enables teachers to maintain and enhance knowledge and skills to the benefit of their careers by improve pupil’s attainment. Seen as a highly valuable activity, CPD keeps you up-to-date with the newest advances in the industry, gives you access to leading seminars and displays your commitment to self-improvement.

Why should I do it?

Attending these sessions can help:

Touchscreen technology: bringing every student together

There’s no doubt about it; children in the 21st Century are tech-savvy. With so many youngsters using smartphones and tablets, the classroom of today has become a more socially-inclusive environment. For the majority of pupils, the use of interactive technology will be very familiar and engaging, meaning they’ll often find it easier to stay on track and complete the work. For students with special educational needs (SEN), this is even more important, as it allows them to fully integrate with their peers.

While there are many digital tools and resources available to aid students with SEN, some are more effective than others in promoting inclusion in the classroom. This allows pupils to focus on the task at hand, rather than the method of delivery.

Free courses from Cambridge English boost opportunities for refugees

Cambridge English Language Assessment is offering free online courses for university applicants and volunteer teachers.

Confronting nature and outdoor development

Parents, teachers and children have all changed their attitudes towards the outdoors. During the 1970s to the late 1990s, to be sent to the bedroom for a child would be considered a punishment as they wouldn’t be able to play outside; now, the bedroom is no longer considered a punishment.

Now, their bedrooms are home to alternative realities, brought about by digital platforms such as social media, games consoles and smart devices. They are distracted from the world outside their window.

Outdoor playground equipment designers Infinite Playgrounds explores how modern technology is limiting children’s outdoor experience and development.

Children at home

Get a dog for a stress-free life filled with happier tales!

Over 85 per cent of pet owners in the West Midlands believe having a dog can help to bring stress levels down.

In fact, research, conducted by leading manufacturer of premium pet supplements Lintbells, has found that on average dog owners in the West Midlands are happier in life and experience less stress because of their pet.

With almost a quarter of households in the UK now owning a dog the study found that dog owners are happier, more satisfied at work and more sociable than people without a pooch. In fact over 80 per cent of people in the West Midlands now consider their dog to be an integral part of their family.

Musical Sensory Garden

Percussion Play Reveals the Secrets to Building the Perfect Musical Sensory Garden

UK-based outdoor musical instrument manufacturer Percussion Play details how to build inclusive spaces that allow everyone to experience music and nature, with a specialist guide to building a musical sensory garden.

Percussion Play has built musical instruments for parks, playgrounds and schools all around the world – and now, they’re sharing their specialist knowledge on sensory gardens.

In the free guide, the UK’s leading outdoor musical instrument manufacturer showcases their tips on planning, planting and percussion so that everyone can enjoy music, sound and the great outdoors.

Businesses play vital role in introducing young people to the working world

Young people are our future and businesses play a vital role in providing them with an insight into the working world.

Lauren Brown (pictured) discusses a synergised approach to ensure businesses are engaged in helping school leavers to have unrestricted access to the workplace. Recently, I attended an internship presentation morning with a local technology employer and heard all about the experiences of two young school pupils who, as ‘interns’, were just coming to the end of their 4-week spell in the workplace. According to them, the experience was not only eye-opening, it was life changing!

Unique, Touching Video

Unique, Touching Video Brings Testimonials of Parents of Teens with Special Needs (Including Autism) Using iPad to Communicate with Their Surroundings

Tel Aviv, Israel, July 27, 2017. Israel’s Athena Fund, a nonprofit organization empowering teachers, has produced a unique video to raise awareness of the incredible ability of teens with special needs (including autism) to communicate with their families and friends with the help of an iPad.

College shortlisted for national diversity award

An innovative North East college has been recognised for its outstanding work in encouraging diversity and equality in its organisation and the local community.

Gateshead College has been shortlisted for the Diverse Company Award in this year’s National Diversity Awards, which take place on September 8 at the stunning Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool.

Charities and role models from across the UK will gather at the event – dubbed the UK’s largest celebration of diversity – to showcase and celebrate the outstanding achievements of those who have demonstrated their devotion to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion in society.

Applications open to create 1,600 new SEND free school places

More than 1600 SEND (special educational needs and disability) school places will be created across England as the government opens applications to run new free schools.

Nineteen local authorities will be accepting applications to run the SEND schools as part of the government's ambitious free schools programme, which aims to provide high-quality provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Autism with Attitude street dance group make history as first SEN students to qualify for dance world championships!

Street dance group ‘Autism with Attitude’ have made history as the first special needs dance team to qualify for the United Dance Organisations (UDO) World Championships in Glasgow.

Members of the group have developed their skills since attending Hillingdon Manor School, in Uxbridge. Teacher Jonathan Baron said: “The SEN dance world is currently very small and in fact they were the first dance team with special needs to take part in the event.”

Hillingdon Manor is an Outcomes First Group centre of excellence in education and development, for children aged five to 19 years with an autistic spectrum condition (ASC).

Could further school funds improve learning and behaviour?

A study into the state of the nation’s schools has revealed that 85% of teachers think the school environment affects learning and behaviour.

Nearly 40% said a neglected classroom affected learning, with 28% claiming it can have a negative effect on behaviour. In addition, a fifth believe attendance is affected by run down school environments according to the study, carried out to mark the launch of the Dulux Smarter Spaces 2017 initiative.

Intu's green-fingered volunteers transform charity garden at Autism East Midlands Fairview and Lynton residential services

A DONATION of £1500 and a group of over 20 eager volunteers from intu have helped to rejuvenate the old school playground at Autism East Midlands’ Fairview and Lynton residential home to a haven for residents ahead of warmer weather in Carlton this week.

The garden based at Fairview and Lynton residential home, offers the residents with autism a safe and secure environment to go about their daily lives. A garden has played a role in the lives of the residents at their old home at Linby Drive.