Autumn Meeting 16.11.07

The session started with a discussion about Safe Evacuation Policies with Ian Bell (Fire Safety Officer, Wakefield). Ian is employed by Human Resources and bought in by schools; he is responsible for liaising with building managers on fire safety. He does fire risk assessments and produces written reports after his visits. He works alongside the designated building representative who should have 'experience, training and knowledge.' Fire officers are required to do spot checks on buildings. Policies should be reviewed annually or when something changes.
Fire regulations changed in October '06 and fire certificates were scrapped. The onus is now on the 'owner' of the building to evacuate safely.
There was a long discussion with Ian ranging through
- communication in safe areas - who do you contact?
- planning for safe evacuation before buildings are designed, few Advisory Teachers have in put in architecture/planning departments.
- PEEPs Personal emergency evacuation plans
- fire safety lifts
- testing fire doors once the alarms are activated, can individual children open them manually?
- fire risk assessments for residential settings
- the storage and signage for oxygen cylinders

Ian did tell us that he has an arrangement with Chubb for door stops and he is able to train in the safe use of Evac chairs. He directed us to
www.firesafetyguides.communities.gov.uk for a free download from the website.

Linda Darwent from North Yorks shared their draft PEEP and will keep us up to date with developments. We were most impressed with the draft and many members are keen to see the final version. The draft is certainly better than anything else people had seen so far. Linda also described her manual handling training and Wendy Stafekis highly recommended the North Yorks approach.

Eileen Warburton circulated several publications from the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign following Neurological Network Day she attended in London with representatives from our local Occupational Therapy Service. These included the second edition of the 'Inclusive Education' book and the 'Wheelchair provision' publication. The 'PPUK Learning behaviour Toolkit' was circulated and discussed along with the guides for families, recent diagnosis and ways to support. Eileen also shared the 'Paediatric Therapy in School' file that has now been finalised. There are plans to add swimming, manual handling, SALT and ICT competencies.

Anne Morris showed us Digital Brain's 'I'll go first' CD which is a planning and review tool for use with disabled children. it is available from the Children's Society at a cost of £25. She has also had contact with Mary Whitby from AQA and Ivan Lewis MP about access arrangements for an AAC user in Year 10. Lyn Clarke has also written to AQA for similar reasons, Margaret Graham had warned them that there was a similar case in the Wakefield area.

Jean Bean lead a discussion on the checking and replacement of slings. Checks should be logged and information should be comprehensive as slings are part of lifting equipment. Sue Perutz reported problems with labels that had faded and slings that had been withdrawn. Linda says that replacement labels can be purchased. She also told us that Sue Coulter is moving to York and will be working with Sue Perutz.

As usual it was a full and interesting day with lively debate and the swapping of ideas and resources. The next meeting will be on 14.03.08. The focus will be on risk assessments for swimming (Sue Ayres, Eileen Warburton, Jean Beam) and communication activities with very young children and free ICT resources (Lyn Clarke). Please bring a memory stick to the next meeting

Autumn Meeting 2007

A reminder that the next meeting is in Wakefield on Friday 16.11.07. The morning session will be on Fire Safety (Safe Evacuations). We are lucky to have a Fire Officer coming to lead the discussion. Eileen has some useful information on recent research in to specific learning difficulties and behaviour issues with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy boys. We also said in the July 2007 meeting that we need a discussion on our present roles and responsibilities.

You are all invited to tour the palatial ICT rooms as we have now moved into the new extension and are no longer working from the 'cupboard'!

June 22 Meeting 2007

Morning session

Dr Peter O'Neil (Madhouse Software) demonstrated S.E.A.T a switch assessment tool and U.S.E. (Ultimate Switching Environment).

Afternoon session

• Discussion of out specialist roles prompted by a request from York for the names of suitably experienced teachers willing to work 0.8 to fill Sara's place following her retirement. An audit of present roles and conditions of service to be discussed at the next meeting. Several Authorities are under going change and it was felt that it would be useful to discuss this.
• Draft competences and job descriptions for support staff delivering therapy were circulated.
• Meeting dates for next year will be circulated by e mail. The venue will be Wakefield.
• There was a discussion of liability in relation to manual handling , responsible people and risk assessment; collective versus specific responsibility.
• NNATPIP steering committee require a representative from this group. Marian Thomas has agreed to attend 09.07.07. The National conference will be on backs and spinal injury (October 2007). An MA in Physical Impairment will be offered by Northampton (possibly Nene at De Montfort).

Future topics for discussion will be

• personal evacuation plans, evacuation equipment and travel distances.
• feedback from the jobs audit
• brain injury
• ICT developments
• Intimate care policies
• DCD ABC Movement assessment - does it work? is it useful?

Enjoy the summer and good luck to Liz in the Autumn when she starts her EPS course in Sheffield.

Regional Meeting June 2007

Friday 22.06.07 Heath View Centre, Wakefield
Madhouse Software presentation of USE (Ultimate Switch Environment) Software by Dr Peter O'Neil.

PIPIN March Meeting

Summary of the March Meeting
Held at the Heath View Centre, Wakefield

Agenda
Physical competencies - Jan Kelly (Senior Physiotherapist)
Disability Equality Training - Sue Perutz (York)

Items to be circulated
1 Criteria for assessing a school disability equality scheme
2 Draft School Accessibility Plan
3 Philippa Stobbs presentation
4 Job descriptions (York and Bury)

Agenda for the next meeting to be emailed shortly once speaker confirmed.
Happy Easter