A disco with karaoke and a day out to a farm in Dumfriesshire will mark the end of a series of highly successful summer events for children with disabilities in Carlisle and Eden.
So far this summer officers from the county council's Children with Disabilities service, working with Carlisle City Council's Go4it+ scheme, Sure Start and the Living Well Trust, have arranged for the children to have a go on a trampoline, fish at Crofton Lake, and paddle in special canoes at Talkin Tarn Lake.
The disco and karaoke at the Railway Club this Thursday (24 August) is now a twice yearly event where the children enjoy taking a turn at singing, whilst the visit to Dumfriesshire next week (Wednesday 30 August) funded by Brain injury charity Cerebra will see over 100 children and parents enjoying a day out at Mabie Farm.
The Railway Club has hosted a number of events for children with disabilities and their parents, brothers and sisters and friends, including a fancy dress fun day with the council's library van and Sure Start's portable sensory room for children who prefer quieter activities.
One of the most popular events has been cooking at the Living Well Trust Premises on Shady Grove in Carlisle where parents and children have been cooking together alongside Karen, the resident chef.
Jean Rhodes is a social worker with Cumbria County Council's Children with Disabilities service in Carlisle and Eden. She said:
"The feedback that we are getting from both children and parents is that they have had a wonderful time taking part in all the activities and I would like to thank all the people who have made the events possible.
"Parents who have been cooking with their children say they would never have had this opportunity had it not been for the forward thinking of our team, which is very gratifying.
"Some parents have asked if the activities could become regular events and this is certainly something we are keen to do. Next year we would like to look at working with the city council again on arranging an athletics club which would then end with a big sporting event in the summer holidays. We know some parents are a little hesitant in encouraging their children in sporting activities such as athletics but hopefully with our support they will feel more at ease with the idea."
Notes for Editors
The city council's GO4it+ scheme is part of its overall summer activities programme, it provides young people aged between 10 and 18 with disabilities the opportunity to try out lots of different activities
Cumbria County council has teams of social workers and family support workers who specialise in working with children with disabilities. These teams work closely with other organisations such as the health service and voluntary organisation to coordinate providing services to a child
The teams work with children and young people who are under 18 years old and who have a disability which means they need additional care above that which would normally be available to a child without a disability of the same age
The county council offers:
short breaks
occupational therapy
assistance when leaving school
Children's social care services are provided by the county council free of charge