A reception in Parliament Buildings, Stormont held on Monday 1st March 2010, raised the issues that carers face in their valuable but often unrecognised role in society. Helen Ferguson, Carers NI spoke to a packed Long Gallery audience about the savings to an already strained NHS that carers make and how their role needs to better recognised, valued and compensated. The ongoing issue of getting a Carers Assessment was raised and MLA's were challenged to ask and investigate local Health and Social Care Trusts as to why these assessments , as a statutory duty , are not being carried out in many cases? Read More...

Terry Hoey, the grandfather of Cavan Tommy Hoey hosted an event on Belfast City Hall to mark the day and to raise the profile of the Cavan Tommy Hoey Trust and the work it is hoping to achieve here in N Ireland for families of children with rare disorders. Read More...

The 10th March 2010 saw the launch of this survey into the experiences of children with SEN in the primary and post primary setting across N Ireland. It is planned that the voices and opinions of children who contributed to this report will play a vital part in informing policy, guidelines and practice in the future. Read More...

As part of their ethos “to make it easier for parents with dependent children to get into work and stay in work” Employers for Childcare have extended their services to offer parents a Childcare Benefits Advisory Service. This new service offers advice and information through its Childcare Benefits advisors on childcare, employment, entitlements and workplace legislation. They aim to help parents with dependent children by informing them of their rights and entitlements and performing benefits calculations using benefits advice software from the Department of Social Development. They can also provide an outreach service. Read More...

Disability Action, in conjunction with the NI Housing Executive, are looking for people with a range of disabilities and carers from across NI to take part in a research study in early 2010. The research will give you the opportunity to recommend products that have made your life easier or to highlight difficulties you are having with particular products. The recommended products will be included on a list, some of which will be reviewed by a Products Working Group. Read More...

A new face-to-face debt advice service is aimed at extending the facilities available to those in need across Northern Ireland. Read More...

These were the questions put to a group of Service providers from the voluntary and community sector. Children’s Services Planning in the Southern Trust area are concerned with the development of a process to ensure earlier access to Family Support services for children and young people in the area. There ethos is ‘supporting families is everybody’s business’ They are interested in finding out; Read More...

A broad ranging group of service providers and people with disabilities and their families came to contribute their thoughts and experiences to this Strategy on Thursday 28 January in the Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn. A similar group also met in Omagh on the Monday. The workshops were co coordinated by the Mental Health and Disability Directorate of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Ably facilitated by Richard Dixon, Patient and Client Council Director the viewpoints and thoughts of the groups were gathered and will be incorporated into the Strategy. Read More...

Junior wheelchair basketball champs come home victorious after a gruelling 3 matches in one day, but the tired bunch of kids kept smiling after putting in a great team performance. You can read more about the matches and get more information about the Knights at http://www.niknightswbc.btik.com Read More...

Volunteering continues to be a vital element within the community and voluntary sector. The Mayor’s Awards for volunteering 2010 aims to recognise and promote the important role that volunteering play in building and improving our society and environment. The Mayor’s awards for volunteering is inviting nominations under four separate categories Read More...