Prof Glynis Murphy recently gave a workshop on learning disabilities and the criminal justice system at Kings College, London to the members of the Social Care Workforce Research Unit and the Making Research Count Network. The audience, of about 70 people, came from the local community learning disability teams from Hackney, Havering, Islington and elsewhere, including members of the local YOT teams and healthcare staff.
Dr Agnes Kozma Turnpenny, Research Assistant at the Tizard Centre, presented a paper at the Social History of Learning Disability Conference held at the Open University in Milton Keynes last week. Her paper looked specifically at the history of institutions in Hungary and lessons to be learnt for the future.
The Conference looked particularly at how the past influences the future. In the 1990’s the context was institutional closure since then the research has also explored the history of community services, charities and the advocacy and self-advocacy movement.
Papers at this year’s Conference looked as how history and knowledge of the past can contribute to political change and social justice and how a more inclusive society can be created.
We are pleased to announce that Rescon Technologies, a UK company focused on helping people lead healthier lives has agreed to offer a bursary (up to 20%* of home/EU tuition fees plus £200 towards dissertation expenses) to a student who is studying or a Master’s programme at the Tizard Centre. The bursary will contribute to a student evaluating Rescon’s Lincus app for use in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Lincus (www.lincus.eu) is already being used across the UK by organisations for the self and shared care of people with learning disabilities, multiple and complex needs, diabetes and high blood pressure. It has been developed through a combination of academic research and coproduction with end users however has never been evaluated.
This is an exciting opportunity for some original research that involves working on a real world application of technology to support those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Criteria
To apply:
Write a one page account describing:
Following receipt of your application you may then be invited to interview.
*maximum contribution of £1086
Every year the University of Kent recognises the success of individual members of the academic staff. We are delighted to announce that three members of Tizard have received a University promotion this summer. Dr Nick Gore has been promoted to Senior Lecturer, and Dr Julie Beadle-Brown and Dr Rachel Forrester-Jones have both been promoted to Professor.
Many congratulations to all three of them.
The second editions of two books beyond words have just been published. Written by Prof Sheila Hollins, Dr Isabel Clare and Prof Glynis Murphy (Tizard) the books are designed to show people with learning disabilities what happens in the criminal justice system, if they are arrested or on trial. The books are beautifully illustrated by Beth Webb and deliberately tell a story through pictures, so as not to disadvantage people who struggle to read.
Both books were first released some years ago but have been updated in-line with current legal practices and procedures. The books will help staff working on the frontline in the criminal justice system to communicate effectively with people who find pictures easier to understand than words.
For more information/overview or to order the books
We are currently offering a bursary to applicants who are a family carer (ie provide regular support) of a person with intellectual or developmental disabilities and meet all other admission criteria for Master’s programmes at Tizard.
The bursary is part of a donation from the Patricia Collen estate. For full details of this and how to apply see the Tizard web page.
The deadline for applications is Thursday 30 June 2016.
Dr Jill Bradshaw, Tizard Centre, facilitated a discussion on reporting pain and accessing healthcare at the Talking Mats Keeping Safe seminar last week. Their new resource aims to create a listening space for people with learning disabilities to think and share how their lives are going.
To read the full details of this please see pdf report
Talking Mats aims to improve the lives of people with communication difficulties by increasing their capacity to communicate effectively about things that matter to them; a way of having a conversation with pictures.
BILD now have 4 new CAPBS videos (Centre for Advancement of Postive Behaviour Support), all of which are short interviews about Active Support taken at the Active Support and Positive Behaviour Support conference in Leeds March 2016.
Active support changes the style of support from ‘caring for’ to ‘working with’ promoting independence and supporting people to take an active part in their own lives.
If you wish to access these please to the Active Support page on Bild
These include interviews with:
Linda Pitt and her supporter Andrew Guy
Sandy Toogood
Kathy Lowe
Julie Beadle-Brown (Tizard)
Prof Glynis Murphy, Dr Rowena Rossiter, Clare Melvin and Aida Malovic attended a recent two day training on the Good Way model of intervention for young people with harmful sexual behaviour. This was given by Lesley Ayland from WellStop in New Zealand, which has been providing professional specialist assessment and treatment for young people for over 20 years.
Some aspects of the Good Way model are also used in the Keep Safe programme: https://www.kent.ac.uk/tizard/sotsec/ySOTSEC/ySOTSEC.html
Glynis Murphy and Rowena Rossiter are accompanied in the photograph by Sharon Jennings (far right) from Bristol’s Be Safe Centre, the very first trial site for the Keep Safe programme and Lesley Ayland (far left)
Today saw the first of three taster sessions being held at the Tizard. Dr Paraskevi Triantafyllopoulou looked at “Sleep problems in children and adults with intellectual disabilities”. The session was well-attended and very well received with many commenting that they were able to relate the lecture to the problems they are facing in their Services. Sleep problems are an important issue for people with learning disabilities.
Our next session focuses on people with learning disabilities and the criminal justice system – 11 May 2016 0930-1300 hrs. To book a place email: J.Ruffels@kent.ac.uk Or for more details please see our web page.
