by Gráinne Connolly
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust recently hosted an awards event and DVD launch to celebrate the successes of young people with disabilities as they transition from children’s services to adulthood.
The role of the Trust’s Transition Planning Co-Ordinators in the Children’s Disability teams is to enable disabled children and their families to have access to information, assessment and services to help promote their personal development, independence and social inclusion.
The team work in partnership with the children and their families and a range of other professionals and agencies to make a positive difference to their lives.
Speaking at the celebration event Mr Mark Irwin, Operational Manager for Short Breaks and Children’s Transition said:
“We are all very aware of the importance of supporting the aspirations of young people with disabilities and having their voice heard for the future.
"We are extremely proud and want to celebrate them through this awards ceremony and launch of their very own DVD – Transition and Me.
“The DVD features some of our young people over the past ten years of transition planning, each with their own story to tell and we hope you and future families enjoy and benefit from this learning tool.”
(Drama Group 'Sixth Sense' performed a piece on transition at the event titled "what's next" detailing the importance of listening to service users and how their views need to be taken into consideration during this process).
Mr Paul Morgan, Southern Trust Director of Children and Young People’s Services also highlighted the achievements of all the young people attending the event and offered his thanks to the Trust’s partners:
“We know the many challenges that children and young people with disabilities face, so it is important to celebrate when they overcome these challenges and achieve success.
“The young people here today have taken their future into their own hands, they’ve excelled in areas of their individual interests and have gained knowledge and skills that will help them in the future.”
“This celebration event is a very important event in the Trust’s calendar and an opportunity to thank all of the partners who have worked collaboratively with the Trust in transition planning which enable us to plan for, assess and make recommendations in providing individual support to more than forty five young school leavers with disabilities each year.”
'Transition and Me' can be viewed by visiting the Southern Trust’s website at:
http://www.southerntrust.hscni.net/services/childrensdisabilities.htm
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