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About ADHD Yorkshire

	ADHD Yorkshire Training Courses
	Meet The Team
	What We've Been Up To
	Continuing Development To Support Families
	ADHD Yorkshire Staff Have Been Training
	Changing Policies
	Hidden Disabilities Questionnaire

What We've Been Up To

We're all rushed off our feet, which is just how we like it as it means things are happening i.e.

	Kate Mowbray Talking with BBC Tees Nigel Thompson    (30-09-2010)
	ADHD Yorkshire Staff Have Been Training
	More Families Are Joining Us

ADHD Yorkshire Staff Have Been Training

We have all just completed the training for the Hidden Disabilities Questionnaire

Attended York University: Under the watchful eyes of Dr. John Rack (BSC.PhD.AFPPsS.C Psychol)

Attended Whitby Training: 

Continuing Development To Support Families

As part of the continuing development to support to families and individuals with Hidden Impairments, a training session was held at Allatt House to introduce the Hidden Disabilities Questionnaire, which will be used to help identify hidden impairments.

This has been developed, by Dr John Rack, Head of Assessment Services and Evaluation for Dyslexia Action, who was advised by our Mike regarding ADHD. 

Mary Robinson from Dyslexia Action facilitated the session and after introductions, the Hidden Disabilities Questionnaire was handed out and discussed. 

	It was agreed that the questionnaire would be photocopied and administered to as many different people as possible, including those who have no particular difficulties, as well as those who know or believe they may have a hidden impairment.
	It was agreed that as this is a trial, there would be no feedback regarding individual results, but that if participants would like to know their results, and have their questionnaires scored at a later date, they should retain a photocopy, which they could have scored once the questionnaire and training had been completed. (with consideration to any subsequent changes to the questionnaire).
	The completed, anonymous surveys were returned to Andrea Manton at Dyslexia Action in Hull in mid July 2008 where they were scored and results forwarded to Dr Rack

Issues:

Issues were raised regarding funding, and ongoing support, training and information once people had been identified as having a hidden impairment.

At the moment there seems to be very little available, other than signposting to partner agencies or groups who could offer information such as

	Dyslexia Action,
	Autism Plus,
	ADDept,
	CMVA Self Help Groups etc.

This could be the start of opening Pandora’s Hidden Impairments Box.

Schools:

It was felt that there is a gap in the level of awareness within schools, and that Yvonne, Ian and Karen should discuss the possibility of finding funding streams to deliver awareness training in these areas. 

The possibility of involving East Whitby and Stakesby Schools in a trial was identified. This would involve using the questionnaire and include training and support for all School staff. If successful, this could be used as a model for developing service provision and support in the area.

Again there are funding implications for schools that subsequently have to put in place extra resources to support children and young people identified as having a Hidden Impairment.

Training:

Mary indicated that she had expertise in delivering training and that she would be happy to support this initiative. 

We would also need to include training for Asperger and ADHD awareness. 

Topics to be considered would be:

	identifying children,
	signposting,
	what we can offer,
	resources
	training.

These were further discussed at a future-working group. 

The possibility of finding any family learning budgets for adult education that could be tapped into to train parents was also discussed as was the potential for early intervention and screening (as early as 5), and even preschool which could help prevent a lot of:

	self esteem issues,
	learning difficulties,
	stigmatisation,
	social behaviour problems.

Statistics:

We also need to have facts and figures regarding the average number of people in Whitby with HI (for funding bids for the aforementioned training and research). It was suggested that we contact individual organisations such as:

	National Autistic Society,
	Dyslexia Action,
	ADDept,
	NYCC,
	Home Office etc

To get this information.

Using the Questionnaire:

	Concerns were also raised about:
	how to screen people,
	what to do with the information once they have it,
	how do you tell someone they have a HI when they don’t know,
	confidentiality,

Barriers such as appropriateness of who to implement the questionnaire

e.g. Whitby Underground – the questionnaire may be perceived as a barrier to client communication.  Others included “Cop-A-Lot.”, who have built up trust and rapport with their group and felt that this was important for administering such a questionnaire. 

Self Help Group:

Also a suggestion was that parents in the self-help group could be given training on how to help their children.  The importance of helping parents to identify, understand and manage their children, partners or themselves with a hidden impairment was also critical.

Research shows that the biggest improvement in children with Dyslexia has been in home support and a DIY pack would be useful.

The group felt that the session was very productive and generated a lot of good ideas.  It was agreed that there are a number of issues to be resolved, discovered and developed, and have met again on numerous occasions as a working group to further develop these ideas.

Hidden Disabilities Questionnaire